Frustration. A simple yet incredible fitting way to describe the last three seasons for the Texas Rangers. Since winning the World Series on Nov. 1, 2023, tension has built and built. Now, it's time to release it all. Something new is needed. Generally, my rule for teams winning championships is that you have five years before serious complaining is allowed. Especially for a franchise like the Rangers, who had never won one. Elation is what everyone reading this felt when Josh Sborz struck out Ketel Marte at Chase Field. Those feelings should buy ownership groups and front offices plenty of time. Rules are easy to follow when applying them to other fanbases. When you suddenly find yourself in the middle of it, emotions suddenly change. Blame whoever you want. There's a decently sized list. Chris Young will receive a lot of stick because he is the one putting together the roster. Through trades, free agent signings, and even the management of minor league players. Young has his hands on everything within the organization. And not every transaction or move went well. And still, Young put together a roster where you can understand the thought process, seemingly building a competitive team (on paper). Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi were still in the starting rotation. Corey Seager is one of the best bats in baseball when healthy. Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter had young-superstar potential. Joc Pederson and Brandon Nimmo were consistent bats and considered veteran pieces when brought in. Jake Burger had a 34- and 29-home-run season with the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins. MacKenzie Gore was once the top pitching prospect in baseball. Mix all that in with some of the major subtractions during the three years (Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim, etc.), and in your head, you can see how this works. I mean, go back and see how many people in the national media picked the Rangers to win the American League in 2025. And still, nothing on the field worked. Players did not consistently perform, could not stay healthy, or both. A failure on their part but Young is also the one who put them in this position. Do not forget about Ray Davis in all of this. Davis saw a team he bought back in 2010 finally break through and win a World Series. And instead of making sure the organization was set up to sustain success, the payroll got significantly cut – by a lot. 2024's team was $25 million less than 2023, which sat over $250 million. Fast forward to present day, and the 2026 Texas Rangers were well under $200 million at $191.2 million. All numbers are per Spotrac. Making the playoffs and falling short – even in a three-game Wild Card series – might have been enough. Even if it was due to a historically horrific division, at least there was a reward for sitting through the frustrating times. Earning a postseason bid should not be taken lightly around here. The Rangers have only popped champagne for getting into the dance nine times in its history. Just once in the last decade. Instead, 78-82, 81-81, and 80-82. Zero playoff appearances, two third-place AL West finishes, a second-place finish, and six total games under .500. Right in the middle, the worst possible spot to be in as a franchise. A frustratingly brutal three-year stretch for Rangers fans. Maybe even worse, nobody knows what the sport will look like the next time a pitch is thrown. Davis certainly plays a role in the lockout. Young may be looking to build a roster in a completely new set of rules. Changes, top to bottom, are needed. Davis **_needs_** to decide if he wants to win baseball games and provide a payroll to prove it. Young will **_need_** to build some more depth and acquire another high-end talent or two. And then the players **_need_** to actually produce and turn it all into wins. Otherwise, this story can be republished with some slight edits in late September 2027.

ALT: Lisa Simpson Shrugs in The Simpsons