NOTE: This is one in an occasional series called Storytime where I recall personal memories from The Ballpark in Arlington (I refuse to call it anything else).
It's been said by myself and others that the Rangers' starting rotation this season isn't doing so well.
But I feel compelled to put the team's current woes into some context.
As an intern for the Star-Telegram last year, I was sometimes sent out to The Ballpark. And for a few of those games, about a year ago, I was witnessing some of the worst pitching in the history of baseball.
At one point in May, the Rangers' starting staff sported an ERA of 6.32, the highest in the Major Leagues at that point.
During the hours before one particular game in June, the reporters in the press box were trying to figure out what the starters' ERA was when someone looked down at their calculator in amazement.
The number was more than 7.
Though I am admittedly horrible at math, I was asked to join a few other reporters in double checking the numbers. Sure enough, everyone got the astronomical average.
At that point, we all started trying to figure out whether or not this was the highets ERA a starting rotation had ever had during the season in MLB history to that point. It wasn't, but it was close.
And, at the time, the thought began to circulate that the Rangers had a chance to end the season with the worst starting ERA in the long history of baseball. That number is 7.82, held by the 1996 Detroit Tigers. I asked a few of the reporters there if that was going to happen, and none of them thought it had much of a chance.
But they couldn't deny the possibility.
If you think the Rangers' starters are pitching badly now, remember, it could be worse.
I know, because I've seen it.
Comments