Written in response to Joey's post "Go Big....Or Don't Go At All"

Based on the response to this post I think you have captured something of a wave of energy that was latent and underlying the Ranger baseball world. Call it lighting perhaps, and lighting occurs when the negative charge in the cloud and the positive charge on the earth's surface are strong enough to break down the air between the cloud and the earth, thus ionizing it and allowing for greater conductivity. When the air's conductivity is high enough the electricity flows out towards the earth's surface. If air is an unwillingness to overpay for ace pitching that blocks lightning trades (holding on to talent for the future) then the process of the cloud and the ground becoming oppositely charged and the resulting ionization of the air is caused by the relentless restocking of the farm system to the point where our system is top tier even if we over pay for ace pitching this month. Basically, people are now willing to do what it takes to bring in that pitching because now they are convinced that the Ranger farm system is set up to thrive for years to come even if we give away a lot to get a TORP. And what is the single biggest factor leading to the strength of the charge and the ionization of air that leads to the willingness to overpay to win? Other than an excellent front office with great scouting it is MONEY as you said. The money to continue to relentlessly restock the system like we have done in the past two weeks with the international signings is what allows people to be ok with the type of trade you hope we can make this year. So basically if we can strike sooner rather than later and win a World Series soon, or at least go to one again we are fueling conditions that lead to the type of big trades that allow you to make runs at the Series in the first place. I think we got lucky last year by underpaying for Cliff Lee, but you can bet that likely won't happen again.

Overpay to win, let the money flow, stock the farm: that is what allows for the conditions that put a team in a position to address the sort of needs that might find them in the Fall Classic. The air that blocks overpay is important to understand. I might add that the ground is like the farm system and a strong system makes a stronger positive charge while a winning big league team is the negative charge, but the big league team usually has needs at trade deadline even if it is poised as we are this year. If the team is in a position to make the playoffs the negative charge is strong enough but it has to be attracted strongly by a sufficient positive charge in the farm. We have seen the relentless restocking of the ground charge in the farm, and there are two ways to keep the winning charge strong and those are 1) by graduating players from the farm and 2) by using the strength of the farm to bring in players that put you over the top in the playoffs. And the cycle brings in more cash which perpetuates the strength of the farm and of the winning team by making free agent signings possible. People speak of a "window of success" but it might not have to be a window. If there is enough money, a winning team, and a strong enough farm you don't ever have to have more than one down year.

The money factor is obviously most strongly effected by ownership, the owners have to see their investment in the team as a long term money making strategy rather than a short term "flip a team" strategy. They can make more money over the long term but they need to have a longer vision in order to do that. What do we think about our current billionaires? Are Bob Simpson and Ray Davis in this for the long haul or are they going to flip us in three to five years? I think with this front office they could make this organization into a Yankee/Red Sox type winning and money making organization. Furthermore, we would not have to fully adopt the free agency mentality to do so by keeping strong emphasis on player development and graduating them to the show.

So in short here is one more vote for moderate TORP overpay this July.
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Bob Simpson is a man of his word. I know from personal experience. And he is a big picture guy, not a "flipper". I am glad you mentioned those two. They are behind the scenes, while Nolan gets all the accolades. We should all be greatful for such great owners.

Ricky,

Definitely, we ought to think on how fortunate we are for them a lot more, especially after the many years of Hick's. Owners are the biggest factor leading to winning teams, hands down unless you are Roy Hobbs of course, or Clint Hurdle?

It's really pretty simple. Increase your chances for "the now".
This Team IS a NOW Team... not rebuilding. Owners/Org need
to support that reality. We do have good owners, that DO
know where OUR Team stands, as defending AL Champs.

A return to World Series, is not guaranteed, but should be
given every appropriate chance to do so. It won't happen
by tearing down the team or pipe dreams, like the past.
New Age - New Era ... Ranger Champions. The NEW reality.
I'm Ionized for sure... lightning strikes twice in Texas ALCS.

Why wasn't it enough to just leave it in the "Go big or go home" comments?

I felt it was a mostly dead thread before I posted it.

I also think titles are fun.

Are you involved in meteorology? That's more than I know about lightning

I'm pretty sure the girl with the red thong peeking out of her baseball pants, and her baseball shirt unbuttoned so the fans can see her red bra does not play fantasy baseball, despite her being featured in a fantasy baseball advertisement.

She is the prize