Third Time's A Charm

We all remember the elation we felt when Neftali Feliz struck out A-Rod in the final game of the 2010 ALCS, inviting the Rangers to the World Series for the first time in their 50-year history. Unfortunately, we also all remember the bearded Brian Wilson striking out Nelson Cruz for the final out of the 2010 World Series.

Fast forward a year and the Rangers are back in the 2011 World Series. Surely this will be the year, we all thought. I mean, what are the chances that we would go to the World Series two years in a row after having never gone before? Just as sadly as the year before, we all remember the Rangers coming within one pitch of winning the World Series twice, yet losing to the Cardinals in a heart crushing fly-out by Murph.

Enter the 2012 season. With the core of the previous two years still intact, I strongly believe we have another great shot at the World Series. Although we've had our ups and downs this season with injuries, slumps and Josh drama, these guys still have the same skill they've had the previous two seasons, but the determination and embarrassment of a team that has gone to the World Series and lost two years in a row.

Yes, we have lost Colby Lewis and nobody really knows what's going on with Neftali, but we also have Yu Darvish, Ryan Dempster and Roy Oswalt this year, three dynamite players that were but a distant dream last season. As long as we can pick up our bats and finish the season strong (and the A's can go back to being bad), I think we are absolutely playoff bound. What we do from there, no one can predict, but it is my belief that we will all be sitting at the ballpark with a giant Yu Dog in our hands come mid-October.