Best Seasons: Scott Feldman - 2009.

Well, today we come to the end of T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers History. Scott Feldman, shown here on card 198 of the 2006 Fleer Ultra set, gets the final spot. Feldman comes in at number 50 for his 2009 season.

Scott Feldman started the 2009 season in the bullpen. After just three appearances there, he moved into the starting rotation. He would make a career high 31 starts and pitch a career high 189.2 innings. What gets Feldman on the list is the wins. Scott won 17 while losing 8. He also set a franchise record for road wins since he was actually a better pitcher on the road than at home.

2009 was the edge of the launching pad for the Rangers. They would go to the World Series for the next two seasons. In 2009 they were just a piece or two from the trip and finished second in the the American league West. Scott Feldman was one of the main benefactors of the situation and won far more games than his 4.08 ERA and 1.281 would have suggested. However, following his win chase was a much needed shot of encouragement for Rangers fans.

So we are at the end of T.R. Sullivan's last list. Hope you enjoyed it a little and maybe even learned a thing or two about the Rangers and some of their past players.

Best Seasons: Dave Hostetler - 1982.

Well, the Rangers made six roster cuts this morning as they start to thin the numbers leading up to the season. Among those leaving the Big League camp are Wilmer Font and Rougned Odor. Ron Washington also says the closer race is still wide open. Tanner Scheppers is still in the running for a starting job and Neftali Feliz and Joaquin Soria are not yet fully back from their Tommy John surgeries. Going to be interesting.

Going to take the opportunity to move along in T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers History. Almost to the end of the list. Have Dave Hostetler, shown here on card number 569 of the 1983 Fleer set, coming in at number 49 for his 1982 season.

By 1982 the Rangers were clearly in decline and there seemed to be little being done about it. In came rookie Dave Hostetler. Dave had a cup of coffee with the Expos in 1981 but 1982 was his rookie season and he arrived with gusto. In 113 games Hoss got 466 plate appearances. He batted just .232 but his 42 walks helped bring his on-base percentage up to an even .300. What was impressive though was his team leading .433 slugging percentage. That came from his 12 doubles, three triples, and team best 22 home runs. He scored 53 runs while picking up 67 RBI.

Hostetler's power would dry up over the next couple of years but for one season he brought some excitement back to Arlington. Rangers fans weren't the only ones to take notice as Dave received some consideration for Rookie of the Year.

Best Seasons: Don Lock - 1963.

Closing in on the end of T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers History. Today we are at number 48, Don Lock's 1963 season. As you can see from his 1963 Strat-O-Matic card, Lock played for the Washington Senators that year.

Lock was the franchise's first real star but his overall stats were more in the vein of Pete Incaviglia than a super-star. He never played in an All-Star game and received MVP consideration just one season, in 1964. He was the for-runner to Frank Howard though and for a few years was about all the power the Senators had.

In 1963 Don made 611 trips to the plate. He posted a .252 batting average and a .338 on-base percentage. Neither of those are particularly compelling numbers and neither was even best on the team. His 20 doubles were tied for most on the team. His 27 home runs, 82 RBI, and 70 walks were all team bests.

What gets Don Lock onto the list is not his numbers viewed in abstract. You have to take a look at those numbers while remembering that the Senators lost 106 games in 1963 and were outscored by their opponents 812-578. In light of that information it becomes surprising that Lock saw anything to hit once it became known he could.

Best Seasons: Pete O'Brien - 1986.

Ok, I'm not going to waste a lot of time on Ian Kinsler's recent comments. Obviously the guy's got some issues and I hope he can get them worked through. I will only say I am not near as surprised and disappointed as I was with Josh Hamilton. Enough on Kinsler's drivel, time for the next installment in T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers History.

Fan favorite Pete O'Brien gets the 47th spot on the list for his 1986 season. O'Brien appears here on card 99 of the 1986 Topps set. Things weren't particularly joyful for Rangers fans going into the 1986 season. The team lost 99 games in 1985 and there didn't seem to be a lot of light at the end of the tunnel.

Pete O'Brien was the starting first baseman for Texas for several years, including 1986. He made 641 plate appearances that season, second only to Oddibe McDowell on the team. He posted a .290 batting average and a team best .385 on-base percentage. He also popped 23 doubles, three triples, and 23 home runs. That led to his scoring 86 runs and bumping in 90 RBI. Unusual for a power guy, he walked more than he struck out - 87 walks to 66 strikeouts.

O'Brien was also a pretty decent defender as well. In 1288.2 innings at first he saw 1350 chances and made just 11 errors. That left him with a .992 fielding percentage, just above the league average.

Pete got some MVP consideration for his performance in 1986. The team and the fans got some excitement. Partially due to O'Brien's season, the team won 87 games. That's not anyone's definition of an all-time great team but it was light years ahead of 1985.

Best Seasons: Jose Canseco - 1994.

So the Rangers first Spring Training game of 2014 went well yesterday. Prince Fielder hit a home run as advertised. Yu Darvish tossed a couple of scoreless innings. Hopefully that's a sign of things to come in the regular season.

Time to take a look at number 46 on T.R. Sullivan list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers History. Juicer Jose Canseco, seen here on card 304 of the 1994 Fleer set, gets the nod with his 1994 season.

Following his infamous pitching injury in 1993, Canseco came into the 1994 season on a tear. He was carrying a .282 batting average and a .386 on-base percentage through the 111 games he appeared in. He had 19 doubles, two triples, and 31 home runs. Those all contributed towards his 90 RBI and 88 runs scored.

Unfortunately for Canseco, the players strike ended the 1994 season early. He was unable to put up a full season of numbers. If he had been able to play the season out, it is likely 1994 would have been one of the best years of Jose's career. As it was he had to settle for numbers that most players would be happy with for a full season and some MVP consideration.

Best Seasons: Danny Darwin - 1980.

Not much to report from Spring Training other than Matt Harrison is back in camp and ready to get going. Seems like a good time to move along on T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers History.

Danny Darwin, shown here on card number 632 of the 1982 Fleer set, comes in at number 45 on the list for his 1980 season.

Darwin was in his second full season with Texas in 1980 and was primarily a reliever. He did make two starts but the rest of his 53 appearances were out of the bullpen. He finished 35 games but got only eight saves.

In the 109.2 innings Danny pitched he compiled a 2.63 ERA and a 13.4 record. That's a little surprising considering his 1.350 WHIP. Although he did walk 50 he probably got away with a little more due to the 104 strikeouts he recorded.

Texas-born Danny Darwin's 1980 season was a story of homegrown talent making good.

Best Seasons: Akinori Otsuka - 2006.

Well, good news on Matt Harrison. Apparently the MRI showed no major issues or damage. He'll be behind in his prep now but hopefully will still be able to pitch this year. That's going to be a huge relief to a lot of Rangers fans.

Speaking of relief, Akinori Otsuka shows up at number 44 on T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers History. Texas obtained Otsuka, shown here on card 228 of the 2007 Upper Deck set, in January of 2006. 2006 was his first season with the club and the season for which he makes Sullivan's list.

The Rangers started 2006 with Francisco Cordero as their closer. He stumbled coming out of the gate and lost the job to Otsuka in April. Akinori took advantage of the situation. He came out of the bullpen 63 times during the season and finished 48 of those games. Over the course of the 59.2 innings he pitched he struck out 47 batters while walking just 11. Those numbers helped him post a 2.11 ERA and a 1.073 WHIP. He ended the season with 32 saves.

Otsuka had a great season in 2006. It's even better when you consider the unexpected change of roles he dealt with and the fact that the team he was pitching for went 80-82 on the season. In addition to bringing relief, Otsuka was one of the few bright spots on the Rangers pitching staff.

Best Seasons: Darold Knowles - 1969.

Coming down the home stretch on T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers History. Today Darold Knowles comes in at number 43 in recognition of his 1969 season.

As you can see from his 1969 Strat-O-Matic card, Knowles was a reliever, and a good one at that. He started no games in 1969 so all of his 53 appearances were out of the bullpen. In 84.1 innings pitched he posted a 2.25 ERA and a 1.233 WHIP. He struck out almost twice as many as he walked with 59 K's and 31 walks.

Darold ended the season with 13 saves. He also got selected to the All-Star team for the only time in his career.

Best Seasons: Mike Hargrove - 1974.

Mike Hargrove is a tough through the mail signer. He's developed a reputation of not signing. Cards sent to him just disappear. I'm not sure why that's the case now. I sent him this 1979 Topps card on September 21, 2008. It came back signed on October 30, 2008. While I don't know the reasons behind Mike no longer signing I do appreciate him taking the time to sign this card. 

Number 42 on T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history goes to Mike Hargrove for his rookie year in 1974. Coming from A ball to Spring Training, Hargrove made the team at the insistence of manager Billy Martin.

Martin would sent Hargrove to the plate 477 times throughout the season. Mike responded with a .323 batting average and a .395 on-base percentage. He scored 57 runs and knocked in 66 RBI while hitting 18 doubles, three triples, and four home runs. His .987 fielding percentage was slightly lower than the league average but you have to expect some rough edges from a player who was just jumped two levels and thrust into a pennant race.

Folks outside of Texas took note of Hargrove's season. He won the American League Rookie of the Year award. That was a first in Rangers history.

Best Seasons: Ian Kinsler - 2009.

Other than the Rangers selling the naming rights for The Ballpark in Arlington to some insurance company and scouting a Korean pitcher, the news has been rather quiet. Time for another installment in T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history.

Ian Kinsler, seen here on card 152 of the 2007 Upper Deck First Edition set, comes in at number 41 on the list with his 2009 season. Ian's defense was it's normal self but he makes the list with his bat.

In 640 plate appearances Kinsler posted a .253 batting average and a .327 on-base percentage. Those numbers alone would not have gotten him on the list. Add in his career high 31 stolen bases, career high 86 RBI, 101 runs scored, 32 doubles, 4 triples, 31 home runs, and 59 walks. Somewhere during this first 30-30 season, Kinsler also hit for the cycle. That makes Sullivan's decision to list this season much clearer. Amazingly, Kinsler missed the All-Star game in 2009. He did get some MVP consideration though.

T.R. compiled his list during the 2011 season. I would respectfully submit that season to replace 2009 as Ian Kinsler's contribution to the list. Ian's defense was probably better in 2011 than in 2009. He made 620 trips to the plate and posted a similar .255 average and a higher .355 on-base percentage. He stole 30 bases, one less than 2009 but he got caught one less time. His 77 RBI were a significant drop. His 121 runs scored and 89 walks were significant improvements. The 34 doubles, four triples, and 32 home runs were a slight improvement over 2009. All those numbers came in 20 fewer plate appearances. I don't think Ian hit for the cycle in his second 30-30 season but, all things considered, I think 2011 was a better season than 2009. Once again Kinsler missed the All-Star game but did get some MVP consideration.

Best Seasons: Alfonso Soriano - 2005.

Number 40 on T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history is Alfonso Soriano's 2005 season. Soriano is shown here on card PT-AS of the 2004 Flair Power Tools set. The card is numbered on the back 47/175. About the only thing I don't like about this card is the jersey piece. Sure looks like a Yankee pinstripe to me.

Soriano made 682 plate appearances for the Rangers in 2005. He compiled a .269 batting average and a .309 on-base percentage. Those aren't very impressive numbers. What gets Alfonso on the list is his 102 runs scored, 104 RBI, 36 home runs, and 30 stolen bases. He also managed to sneak 43 doubles into the mix. Soriano may have got on base less than a third of the time but when he did he caused havoc with the defense. Good thing too since his sub-par defense probably cost the Rangers a few runs.

Soriano got an All-Star trip and a Silver Slugger Award to recognize his achievements in 2005. He is also the only Rangers player to ever go 100-100 and 30-30 in the same season.

Best Seasons: Gary Matthews Jr. - 2006.

Just ten seasons left after today on T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history. Gary Matthews Jr gets the nod at number 39 for his 2006 season. He appears today on card number 457 of the 2006 Upper Deck set.

Matthews had a career year for Texas in 2006. As the starting center fielder his defense was below average but his bat more than made up for that.

In 690 plate appearances Gary posted a .313 batting average and a .371 on-base percentage. That batting average was the highest of his career. He also posted career highs in doubles (44), triples (6), home runs (19), RBI (79), runs scored (102), hits (194), and slugging percentage (.495). His 58 walks were the second highest of his career as was his on-base percentage.

For all his efforts Matthews received an All-Star selection and some consideration for MVP. He did not get a new contract from the Rangers at the end of the year. Texas wisely let him sign with the Angels and watched from a distance as his career wound down. Gary Matthews Jr had a great season in 2006 but he would never again return to such offensive heights.

Best Seasons: Dick Bosman - 1969.

Today's card is not a baseball card in the strict sense of the word, it's Dick Bosman's card from the 1969 Strat-O-Matic set. If you haven't ever tried Strat you should. Just be forewarned, it can be addictive.

Couple of quick notes before we get on to number 38 in T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history. First, the Senators invade the bottom portion of the list. Dick Donovan appeared just two spots ago and there are two more Washington players before after Bosman before we get to number 50. With the limited number of Senators cards in my collection and the need to have cards to post on Senators Saturdays I will have to be creative and post things like this Strat card. That leads to the second note. As you can see, this particular card is mis-cut. The angle of the printing is not the scanner's fault. In the early days of Strat the cards came in nine card sheets that had to be cut apart for play. The result was a lot of mis-cut cards. Today the cards still come in nine card sheets but are perforated to eliminate the mis-cutting.

Ok, on to Dick Bosman's 1969 season. The Senators who eventually moved to Texas were pretty bad. 1969 was the best pre-Texas year with the team posting an 86-76 record. A large part of that was probably due to the pitching staff, much to manager Ted Williams' dismay. Bosman was the crown jewel of the starting rotation.

Dick made 31 appearances for Washington in 1969, 26 of those were starts. He ended the season with a 14-5 record. Over 193 innings pitched he compiled a league-leading 2.19 ERA and a team best 1.010 WHIP. He struck out 99 batters while allowing just 39 walks. That worked out to a career best 2.54 strikeout to walk ratio. That performance garnered the 25-year-old some MVP consideration but he didn't get a trip to the All-Star game.

Bosman's 1969 season was a good one. It looks even better when you consider that Major League Baseball lowered the mound between the 1968 and 1969 seasons. More than a few pitchers struggled with the adjustment. Apparently Dick Bosman got it figured out pretty quick.

Best Seasons: Toby Harrah - 1985.

Number 37 in T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers History is Toby Harrah's 1985 effort. The Rangers traded Billy Sample to the Yankees in February of 1985 to get Harrah, shown here on card 159 of the 1986 Donruss set, back to Texas. Toby had been with the team from his debut in 1969 through the end of the 1978 season. At 36 years of age he was slowing down and his return was viewed by many as a swan song. Most expected him to fill a utility role in the last year or two he had left before retirement.

Harrah had other ideas though. He played in 126 games for Texas in 1985 and made 521 trips to the plate. His batting average rebounded to .270 and his on-base shot up over 100 points to .432. That was partially due to his career-high 113 walks. That's a franchise record for walks that still stands. Toby also knocked nine home runs, one triple, and 18 doubles. He got some speed out of his aging knees with 11 stolen bases while getting caught just four times.

Instead of being a utility player, Harrah nailed down the starting second baseman job. In 122 games he played 1021.2 innings at second. His six errors in 569 chances gave him a .989 fielding percentage, seven points higher than the league average.

While those numbers are good they didn't get Toby any accolades. Not even a trip to the All-Star game. They were a pleasant surprise for the Rangers and their fans though. An all-time favorite had returned home and proved he still had it.

Senators Saturday/Best Seasons: Dick Donovan - 1961.

Going to kill two birds with one stone here. Today we have Dick Donovan appearing on card 73 of the 1962 Post set. He'll be filling the dual role of Senators Saturday and being number 36 on T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history.

A quick comment on today's card before we go too much further. This card is the perfect example of the dangers of food company employees who don't know baseball writing copy for baseball cards. "The Senators were happy to acquire Donovan because of his sparkling 16-6 lifetime record against them." Really? The Senators grabbed Donovan in the 1960 expansion draft and hadn't played a game yet as a franchise when he first donned the Washington uniform. Pretty impressive that he was able to compile a 16-6 record against a team that he joined as part of its inaugural squad. Now, if you were going to run up against the Twins, he was probably your man.

Anyway, on to the main point of the post. Donovan's 1961 season has been covered but a recap is in order. Donovan made 22 starts and one relief appearance for Washington in 1961. He pitched a total of 168.2 innings and ended the season with a 10-10 record. That was more of an indicator of how much he wasn't supported than anything else. Dick's 2.40 ERA and 1.026 WHIP led not only the team but also the league. He walked just 35 batters while striking out 62 for a 1.77 strikeout to walk ratio. Not bad for anyone but especially impressive for a pitcher on an expansion team. The performance garnered Donovan a trip to the All-Star game and some MVP consideration. It also raised his trade value and helped the Senators move him in October of 1961 in an attempt to improve the club.

Best Seasons: Vladimir Guerrero - 2010.

Number 35 on TR Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history is Vladimir Guerrero's 2010 campaign.

The Rangers signed Vlad, shown here on card DDC-25 of the 2011 Topps Diamond Die Cuts set, to a one-year deal with the idea that he would primarily be a Designated Hitter. He played just a few games in the outfield without much success.

He was a hitter though. His 643 plate appearances translated to a .300 batting average, a .345 on-base percentage, and a .496 slugging percentage. Guerrero's strike out to walk ratio wasn't that good with 60 K's and only 35 walks but when he made contact he more than made up for it. His 29 home runs and 27 doubles played a big role as he drove in 115 RBI.

Vlad's numbers provided Josh Hamilton with protection in the Texas lineup and were a big factor in the Rangers first ever pennant. They also garnered him an All-Star nod, a Silver Slugger award, and some MVP consideration. All in all the season was a great one and made the signing look great. Of course, it was only a one-year contract and at the end of the year Guerrero rode off into the sunset like the Lone Ranger.

Best Seasons: Buddy Bell - 1979.

Working our way rapidly through T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history now that the winter has quieted down for Texas.

Coming in at number 34 is Buddy Bell, shown here on card number 1 of the 1985 Fleer Limited Edition set. Bell makes the list on the strength of his 1979 season.

In his first season with Texas, Buddy played in a league-leading and career high 162 games. That gave him a career high 720 plate appearances. He took advantage and posted a .299 batting average and a .327 on-base percentage. Neither were career bests but his 200 hits were. So were his 42 doubles, 89 runs scored, and 101 RBI. His 18 home runs were within two of a career high.

In the field Bell had a significantly higher range factor than other third basemen. He committed just 15 errors in 495 chances over 1210.2 innings. That gave him a .970 fielding percentage, that was 16 points higher than the league average at third.

Bell had amazed in his first season for Texas. He earned a Gold Glove and MVP consideration. He also started to build his reputation as possibly the best defensive player outside of catcher to ever suit up for Texas.

Best Seasons: Mark Teixeira - 2005.

Number 33 in T.R. Sullivan's list of the Top 50 Seasons in Rangers history is Mark Teixeira's 2005 effort.

Teixeira, shown here on card 94 of the 2006 Upper Deck Artifacts set, was already a star as he began his third season in the Majors. He would continue to excite Ranger fans.

Mark played in all 162 games and went to the plate 730 times. Both remain career highs. He compiled a .301 batting average and a .379 on-base percentage. He walked 72 times. He also hit 41 doubles, three triples, and 43 home runs. It remains the only time in his career he has reached 40 home runs in a season. The 144 RBI he knocked in also remain a career best.

On defense Teixeira continued to build his reputation as an above average gloveman. His .998 fielding percentage was 18 points higher than the league average for first basemen. He committed just three errors all season.

Mark Teixeira had a monster season in 2005 by any standard. The sportswriters and fans noticed. He was elected to the All-Star game, won a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards, and received MVP consideration. Hard to top a season like that.

Best Seasons: Kenny Rogers - 1994.

Number 32 on TR Sullivan's list of the top 50 seasons in Rangers history is Kenny Rogers' 1994 season.

TR admits he picked the strike-shortened season because of Rogers' perfect game, shown being celebrated on card 315 of the 1995 Score set. In my mind that's really the only reason to include this season on the list.

Rogers made 24 starts in 1994 and completed six of them. He posted a 4.46 ERA and a 1.321 WHIP in 167.1 innings. He ended the season with an 11-8 record. None of those numbers are real eye catching, even for the steroid era. Of course, the perfect game glitters brightly and tends to overshadow Kenny's daily performance.

What I remember most about 1994 was the strike that ended the season and erased the playoffs and World Series. It also started my hiatus from following the Rangers.

1994 was not a sunny time for the Rangers, their fans, or baseball at large. Kenny Rogers brought a ray of light on July 28th. Perhaps for that reason alone he deserves to be included on the list of Best Seasons in Rangers history.

Best Seasons: Aaron Sele - 1998.

The World Series starts tonight. Cardinals versus Red Sox. Still not focused on it but since I grew up with the Cardinals as my National League team at least there's some interest. Seems like a good time for the next installment in TR Sullivan's list of the top 50 seasons in Rangers history.

Showing up at number 31 on the list is Aaron Sele's 1998 season. Arriving in an off-season trade with Boston Sele, shown here on card 430 of the 1999 Pacific set, was a starter brought in to bolster the Rangers rotation. Depending on your definition of bolster, he did just that.

Aaron made 33 starts for Texas in 1998 and posted a 19-11 record. He also pitched 212.2 innings over the course of the season. If those were the only numbers involved I would be tempted to agree with TR's assessment of the season as "excellent". However, take into account Sele's 4.23 ERA and 1.519 WHIP and the excellence of his season becomes a whole lot more debatable.

All things must be viewed in context though. Sele's ERA was the lowest among Rangers starters in 1998. While baseball purists might blanch at a staff ace with an ERA north of four, the times have to be considered. 1998 was the height of the steroids era and only a select few hurlers managed to keep their numbers reasonable. For the time Aaron must have looked somewhat decent, he was named to the All-Star team that year.