Tuesday, August 27, 1996

What!? Pennant fever breaking out in Texas!?
By CHRIS NEWTON
Associated Press

ARLINGTON - The Texas Rangers are on the brink of breaking their nastiest habit.

After 35 years without making the playoffs, the franchise is in position to make its premiere post-season appearance.

And Rangers fans everywhere are showing the first signs of the most desired disease in sports - pennant fever.

"This could be the year," said Ken Smithson of Arlington, who has followed the team for 21 years and believes Rangers management is as responsible for this squad's success as the players.

"The front office put forth the effort to get good players, and now we're reaping the benefits."

Since 1961, the franchise has only finished above .500 12 times. They've never held first place in their division past Aug. 18.

Those facts don't spark much optimism with fans.

But many are still willing to say they think this year's team could break the curse - they just knock on wood after saying so.

"I don't want to jinx anything," said Jeff Etheredge of Arlington. "But I think they could go far."

Team spokesman John Blake said this year's team is the best to ever grace a Rangers uniform.

"We've never won like this," Blake said, adding the team will probably announce plans to sell playoff tickets next week. "There have been good Rangers teams in the past, but this is the first that has the potential to go all the way."

Not even the beginning of the Dallas Cowboys season will take fan attention away from the Rangers should they make the playoffs, he said.

"I don't think it has ever been much of a rivalry," Blake said. "We're usually out of contention in September. I think the fans will stick with us and make room for both the Rangers and the Cowboys."

With only 14 home games left, the Rangers' winning ways have translated into bigger bucks for the team, Blake said.

"We're set to break records this year in ticket and merchandise sales," he said. "We're definitely seeing more interest by fans."

But because for so long the Rangers have been used as a door mat for other teams interested in entering the playoffs, some fans are less than anxious to proclaim the team champions of the AL West.

Subconsciously, Brad Douglas of Arlington is still waiting for the Rangers to blow it.

"Everybody's waiting for the annual slump," he said. "I want to believe, but we've been here before."

Why are some saying this year's team is different?

"They haven't fallen apart - this team has heart," said Eddie Douglas of Austin.

He's right. The Rangers can boast that they have racked up the fewest errors in the AL West. They have also held onto first place in their division longer than any team other than the Cleveland Indians, who they recently defeated twice in a three-game series.

Despite injuries that might have been a tombstone for most franchises' playoff hopes, the Rangers have kept on winning.

Rangers slugger Juan Gonzales missed most of April and first baseman Will Clark had three injuries that kept him on the sidelines this season.

But clutch performances by Roger Pavlik on the mound and catcher Ivan Rodriguez have kept Texas out in front.

Through all the cautious optimism among Rangers management, there's at least one office that is already planning for the team to go the distance.

Retail manager Scott Watson said mock-up T-shirts have already been designed that proclaim the Rangers World Series champions.

"We have already been called by distributors to place orders for playoff merchandise," Watson said. "Now is the time when you have to start planning for the playoffs."