Angels Singing in the Rain – Thanks to a Veteran Star and a Rising Phenom
Written by Cory Gorczycki
It might not have the old school charm of Wrigley Field or the cool feel of Fenway, but Globe Life Park looks appealing,
and it also reflects those two parks with its center field bleachers (like Wrigley) and left field wall (though only 14 feet high vs Fenway’s 37 foot Green Monster).
What is puzzling is why the Texas Rangers felt the need to build a new $1.2 billion ballpark right across the street, especially since the Rangers’ current stadium was built relatively recently, in 1994. The new Globe Life Park under construction will be the new home of the Texas Rangers beginning in 2020. In many ways, I prefer the older ballparks to the newer ones primarily because of their history. I can understand it if a ballpark has become run-down like Shea Stadium, former home of the New York Mets, but otherwise, I’d opt for a facelift of the old park rather than spend over $1 billion for a new one. Nevertheless, one huge advantage that the new ballpark will have is a retractable roof. For heavy rainstorms or the oppressive heat that is common in Texas in the summer, this will be a huge benefit.
As part of the pre-game, the Rangers honored their own Bartolo Colon for recently becoming the winningest pitcher from Latin America, with 246 wins. At 45 years old, Colon’s skill amazes me every time I watch him pitch. Although Colon has primarily only one pitch, it has late movement that baffles hitters.
We had just settled into our seats
when the PA system announced that severe lightning and quarter-sized hail were approaching the stadium. The fans scrambled for cover. While we never saw the hail that was mentioned, the skies did open up for over an hour with torrential rain as I had never seen before. It appeared as if a rainout was in the cards as the outfield looked like a swamp and the warning track was like a river.
Shockingly, the field drained incredibly well and the grounds crew did a laudable job at getting the field ready for the game. An hour and a half later, the teams were playing baseball.
This game featured pitchers Andrew Heaney of the Angels and Martin Perez of the Rangers. Neither pitcher is having a great year so, despite the ongoing rain, we were prepared for a slugfest. The two teams did not disappoint on that expectation. The Rangers struck first in the opening frame but the Angels responded quickly.
Albert Pujols hit a long drive to center field to give the Halos a 2-1 lead in the second inning. Pujols has been one of my favorite players since I was 7 years old. During a spring training game that I attended in Florida, I eagerly got my way to the front of a crowd of autograph seekers and snagged his signature on a ball that I prize to this day. I still remember how gracious and classy he was when I met him in person. Pujols’ 430-foot home run was #633 of his hall of fame career and I’m glad that I saw him hit another homer before he retires.
The Angels’ lead grew to 6-2 in the fourth inning, but the Rangers strung together several hits in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 6. In the top of the 7th, the Angels retook the lead and then sent up rookie phenom Shohei Ohtani to pinch hit. Ohtani has taken the league by storm since arriving in the majors from Japan earlier this year. It is a very rare phenomenon that he is both a terrific hitter and pitcher, doing both at superstar levels. At only 24, he has a very bright future ahead of him. I was anxious to see him in person and he didn’t disappoint. He slugged a three-run homer putting the Angels up 11-6 and the Angels ended up winning the game 11-7. Pujols may be approaching the twilight of his career, but he is still able to perform at a high level while Ohtani is just at the dawn of what is sure to be a wonderful career.
Despite sitting through an unrelenting rain shower throughout the whole game which ended at 1:04 AM,
I was thrilled that I was able to witness this game. I look forward to coming back to Arlington, Texas when the new Globe Life Park opens in 2020.
coryattheballpark 