Note: I wrote this on the plane before I knew the actual results of the game. The sentiments, however, are the same.

Oh hey! I haven’t written in a while. Where have I been? On a bit of a trip. I went to Texas this week. My brother lives there and I go out over Memorial Day weekend as a sort of… gift to myself for surviving the semester.

Have no fear, I didn’t miss too much baseball (not quality baseball, anyways- more on that later). I got to see my Rangers play in Arlington again this year. I think after this trip, I may be banned from the stadium. I’m not even kidding.

Last year when I went out there we were evacuated from the stadium due to a tornado. Last year we started on the upper deck at the beginning of the game. We spent a good amount of time watching planes fly into the airport and wondering when a plane would be struck by lightning. Around the third inning they evacuated the upper deck and made us move down. Luckily they weren’t selling the amount of tickets that they are selling for games this year or else we would have had some serious issues finding seats- we had enough problems with that and the upper deck was practically empty. A few innings later it starts to rain and I got a text from my friend in Mansfield warning me that there were tornado warnings in the area. The game was postponed after that and we stood inside waiting for it to resume. As we finally made the decision to head back to the hotel, I was grabbed by security and told we needed to head to the tunnels. I had a minor panic attack at the news. After some debate amongst the group of us, we finally headed into the tunnels as the asked. It was a pretty nasty storm (my brother said it was one of the worst storms he has seen since moving there three and a half years ago).

This year we planned the trip to Arlington and the forecast did not predict a storm. As luck would have it, the weather man was wrong. As we were sitting in the stands, I noticed some clouds moving into the area, but I didn’t want to get excited and think that we would actually get a storm. My brother checked his weather app and saw that there indeed was a storm headed our way, but not for a few hours- plenty of time to complete the game. It was only five minutes later when I saw the first lightning bolt. And then another. And another. Then I didn’t see any for a while so I figured they were just from straggling clouds. When we headed out of the stadium, the storm started kicking in at full-force. The good news is no tornados this time. Just a pretty awesome show for the way home. Luckily my brother drives pretty well through storms.

The game was pretty entertaining. I knew it was going to be a different experience getting out of San Diego and watching some legit baseball. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE our boys in San Diego, but we’re watching some mediocre ball at home. It’s totally different watching the man who launched four homeruns in one game, or even a pitcher straight off the plane from Japan. Fate stepped in again, Hamilton had an upper respiratory infection and didn’t play, and it wasn’t Yu Darvish’s turn in the rotation.

It was still a pretty good experience.

The Mariners were in town, and since I hadn’t paid a whole lot of attention to Seattle this season, I wasn’t sure what to expect. All I knew was that Texas is owning this season. I don’t remember the particulars (it’s been nearly three days and two planes since the game. What I do remember is that it is a blast watching Texas play. Not even just the team, but the experience itself. Fans tried to start the wave (which was irritating at best) and they have a picture of “Walker- Texas Ranger” (Chuck Norris for those who are uncultured) and it says “Warning: Nobody waves until I say so.” Texas knows what’s up.

I loved singing “Deep in the Heart of Texas” in the fifth inning, it brought a charm to the game that is unmatched.

Another thing I saw was the the stadium was filled with Ranger fans. That’s a concept we may or may not grasp in San Diego. Typically I go to games in San Diego and it is a sea of whatever colors the other team happens to be. I’m not going to lie though, I’m working on an idea for a shirt when Texas is in town in June, something that loudly proclaims that I love both teams- deal with it, sorry.

Texas charm to me is the truth behind loving thy neighbor. Of course, not all of them are, but for the most part I typically have a fantastic experience when I am there. On the way out of the game a woman- who was in a wheelchair- had a sign that said “All I want for my 92nd birthday is a Hamilton Homerun.” Granted, that was going to be difficult to achieve with Hamilton not actually playing. But the heartwarming part wasn’t her sign, it was the fact that as I walked, I repeatedly heard people wishing her a happy birthday. Not only that, but a heard some conversations about how the team should give her tickets to a game the following day. No word on if that actually happened.

Rangers did win the game, 4-2. They also went on to get killed the next day.

About the Padres… yea… there isn’t a ton to be said. They’re blowing it big time.

Most of our original pitching rotation is out (or dead as I like to joke)- something like 60 percent of our original starters are out, I believe. Our closer, Huston Street, is getting a “second opinion” on his lat muscle as it was reported. The thing is, no one has reported what the first opinion said. We have multiple fielders on the DL, some for the second time this season. Kotsay is on the DL, Bartlett is on the DL, Maybin (I think) is on the DL and numerous others that I can’t particularly remember because I am on a plane. Questions need to be raised. Why is our team leading the Major Leagues for players on the DL? Is it our training staff? Did the players not stay in shape during the off-season? Is it just a fluke thing? It’s definitely time to find out.

When the Cubs were on a 12-game losing streak, I was saying that no one wants to be the team that ends that streak for them. Of course, I made the joke with the Padres headed to Chicago. That was stupid of me. I should have known, of course it would be the Padres.

The return of Carlos Quentin is definitely promising for our boys. When my second flight took off, it was the 8th inning at Wrigley Field and Quentin had launched two two-run homeruns. Still, we were only leading by one run. I suppose a lead is a lead though; we shouldn’t complain.

I’m not trying to sound like a Debbie-Downer on our team or our boys. I love San Diego ball. We learn to be constantly disappointed.

Either way, my plane is landing and I’ve got some San Diego baseball to see this weekend. We’ll catch up more, I promise.