DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS!!!

Robin Ventura certainly learned not to mess with Texas. Furthermore, Robin Ventura learned never to cross Nolan Ryan. At midnight on August 5, 2010 the future of the Texas Rangers was improved for the better and immediately the dividends started paying off. Nolan Ryan was holding the reigns of this sled that previously could not make payroll, and he has, in under one year, turned this cellar dweller of a ball-club into a beast.

One of the first signs that Nolan Ryan was serious about making the Rangers a contender - making the trade that brought Cliff Lee to the Rangers last year. True, Ryan did not have full control, but it was he that made this deal happen. For what it is worth, take a look at the end result: Ryan made the deal and the Rangers made it to the World Series. If the Red Sox or Yankess pull off that trade, you can bet they would have been to the dance in place of the Rangers.

This season, the Rangers have made smart signings and are not afraid to spend money. Moreover, they are not afraid to make a splash in the trade market. Though I am an absolute die-hard Boston Red Sox fan, how can you not love seeing a team like the Rangers come from the depths of dire straits, barely making payroll, suddenly a powerhouse, deservedly in the same conversation as the Red Sox, Yankees and Phillies?

According to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, "The team gives every indication that it will be quite active again before Sunday's non-waiver deadline, showing varying levels of interest in several big names:Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran, Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, Padres closer Heath Bell and the Dodgers right-hander Hiroki Kuroda." All of which are widely considered to be the hottest players on the trade market. In 2009, the Rangers would not have been able to sniff these deals, now, they are top contenders.

The lineup that the Rangers could feature after July 31st would be considered one of the best since the Cleveland Indians of the mid 1990's. They are already leading Major League Baseball in runs scored - a big time deal at the deadline could be just the thing to put them over the edge. Nolan Ryan has proven that he's a tough sonofabitch on the field, and I think it is safe to say, he's showing the same now from behind the big desk. As they say, everything is bigger in Texas.