Rangers Being Swept Is Embarrassing, But Only to a Point

Plano, Texas - Well, that didn't go according to script. Three games, three losses. 10-1, 5-3, 7-6 (10). Two losses in Arlington. Eliminated at the scene of last year's crime. Belittled by the team we can't stand, the team with Jose Boo-tista and his tissues, and Josh Donaldson and his rat-tail mullet.

There's no way around it, though. Toronto beat us down. Toronto shelled our supposed elite 1-2 starting pitching punch of Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish. Toronto got to Colby Lewis, too. They pounded fastballs and sliders left in the zone. No mistake was left untouched. Dreams of a deep postseason run were crushed. Again. By the same group of annoying, but immensely talented Blue Jays that knocked us out last year.

A decent portion of this is without question embarrassing. We had the best record in the American League and home field throughout the playoffs. We were the dudes with a chip on our shoulder and motivation for revenge. We were the ones with 49 come-from-behind victories; 36-8 in one-run games. Sure, maybe that caught up with us. And sure, maybe we were a little chest-thumpy because our 22-year-old second baseman put Boo-tista in his place in May with a punch that the Rangers, Royals and just about every other fan base revered.

So yeah, losing in the fashion we did — punchless on offense for most of the series — was difficult to accept. As I try to do when the Rangers make the postseason, I traveled from KC to be in my hometown of Plano watching the games with family. That part was joyous. The results were not. Toronto was superior in just about every area.

It's just shy of 24 hours since the eliminator and baseball thoughts are racing through my mind. Let's start with the confusion. Baseball exists to screw with you. The Blue Jays limped into the playoffs with an 11-16 September, compared to a 15-11 final month for the Rangers. They threw Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ against Hamels and Darvish. And it still wasn't close. The momentum was all Blue Jays, perhaps because of the dramatic Wild Card victory over the Orioles a few days before. Perhaps because we naturally think of revenge on the Texas side, but what about on the Toronto side following the Odor punch in May? To Toronto's credit, they didn't whine, complain or showboat this postseason. They flat out whooped our behinds.

Another thought running through my mind is one of despair. You reflect on the time and hard-earned money invested following the team. Spring training visiting my brother and getting ready for the season in Arizona. Summer nights spent watching mlb.tv. A few fall nights in Texas with the fam watching the playoffs. I tweeted that the sting in baseball hurts more than any other sport. This is partially because baseball is my favorite sport to follow, and the Rangers are my favorite team to cheer for. But it's also because the length of time from spring training to the playoffs is seven months. That's a damn long time. Think about it, seven months of well above-average baseball. Four days of bad baseball. Adios 2016 season.

After the natural negative thoughts of being swept run their course, I still identify with this organization more than any other team in any other sport. This team still has five 90-win seasons in the past seven years. In that same time, this team has still won the AL West four times. This team still has Jon Daniels and Jeff Banister running it, and as long as that's the case, I'm fully onboard and invested.

It's crazy early to think ahead to 2017, but here are some storylines to follow:

• We clearly need a reliable No. 3 starter behind Hamels and Darvish. This is likely the top area of need. The free agent SP pool is weak this winter, so this area could be filled via trade. Possibly Chris Archer or Jake Odorizzi from Tampa Bay.
• Matt Bush could be our closer next year. He pitched lights out in the playoffs and was the superior option to Sam Dyson late in the season. 
• I think Colby Lewis pitched his last game as a Ranger. I'll never forget 2010 and 2011, when he was our most clutch playoff pitcher. And he defied all odds by returning to form for parts of 2015 and 2016 after hip resurfacing surgery.
• First base will be an interesting position to keep an eye on in the offseason. Mitch Moreland is a free agent and may have played his last game as a Ranger. 
• This may be the last chance for this Toronto group to win a World Series together. Edwin Encarnacion (age 33) and Jose Bautista (age 35) are free agents this winter. Of course, they may resign with Toronto, but doling out major years to guys on the wrong side of 30 is usually a scary proposition. 
• The Rangers have to think about impending free agents Carlos Beltran (age 39), Ian Desmond (age 31) and Carlos Gomez (age 30).
• Can Shin-Soo Choo (age 34) stay healthy? Does he play right field or DH? He still has four years and $82 million left on his deal. 

It's been a heck of a ride this season. Chin up, Rangers fans.