SURPRISE, AZ - MARCH 05: Outfielder Willie Calhoun #5 of the Texas Rangers during the spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Surprise Stadium on March 5, 2018 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Losers in eleven of their last thirteen games, the Texas Rangers are spiraling towards the 2019 cellar – don’t worry, it’s temporary.

Is it just me, or is it getting harder and harder to watch the Texas Rangers? Sure, the promise of an everyday sporting event remains, keeping true boredom at bay. And of course, it’s not like I don’t enjoy watching those Arlington men suit up nearly seven days a week.

But I am finding myself increasingly frustrated with the TV.

Maybe it has something to do with the team’s .240 BA since the All-Star Break. Or maybe the culprit lies in the Rangers 7.62 ERA over their last 7 days. Either way, my 40-some-odd inch Samsung is in serious jeopardy of having the remote smash through it pretty soon.

It looks like this nightmare came with an opt-out button, however. These dog days in Texas are coming to a close.

Things are certainly ugly right now, but the Rangers organization is doing everything right. They have offered extended opportunities to promising young players such as Willie Calhoun, Kolby Allard, and Emmanuel Clase to make an impact with the ballclub. Top prospects Joe Palumbo and Brock Burke look to land permanent roles on the mound when they both take part in Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Angels. The recently acquired Ian Gibaut is now up and hurling from the pen, while a budding bat in 2B Nick Solak seems destined for a September call up.

These are simply the growing pains we were warned about.

It’s going to take time before wins start piling up. With a current record of 60-64, the Texas Rangers are now waving the white flag on the 2019 season, as evident by their relatively quiet trade deadline. Instead of throwing money and assets toward the big-ticket FA, Jon Daniels has decided to turn inward in search of major-league solutions. This is not a win-now strategy, but one that will eventually shape the franchise for an exciting product hosted at Globe Life Field.

Now, are the Rangers perfect in their plan?

Well, no. In fact, that’s an impossible expectation. It’s rather hard to keep fans engaged and invigorated when losing becomes thematic in a season that all of a sudden cannot end quick enough, especially when the only thing hotter than the Rangers losing streak is the beaming southern Sun.

What is important, however, will be the personal growth that each young man goes through from here on out. A losing season where expectations are minimal just so happen to be perfect breeding grounds for development and first-hand education at the big-league level. The remainder of 2019 will be about getting knocked down, in hopes that these players gain invaluable experience and pick themselves up.

Ranger fans, I know this is going to be hard to hear (or see, I guess), so I completely understand if you tune this one out: strikeouts are likely to pile up from here. Hard-contact and homeruns are likely to fly off the visiting bats. Failure will be a key component in this year’s DNA. And although these next two months may present a huge challenge for your patience, the ends promise to justify the means.

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The Texas Rangers just need to make it through this rough end-of-year stretch.