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This story is about Rangers
Published Aug. 2017
Rangers' Delino DeShields says to stop arguing, reminds critics tragedy in Houston is 'way bigger than baseball'
Rose Baca/Staff Photographer
Texas Rangers center fielder Delino DeShields (3) bats in the 13th inning against the Kansas City Royals at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, April 20, 2017. The Texas Rangers won against the Kansas City Royals 1-0 after DeShields scored on a single in the 13th inning. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News)
By Saad Yousuf , Staff writer Contact Saad Yousuf on Twitter: @SaadYousuf126
In light of Tropical Storm Harvey tragically sweeping through Houston and other parts of South Texas, some of the chatter has been revolving around how the sports teams, the Houston Astros and Houston Texans, are being handled by their in-state rivals.
Delino DeShields isn't a fan of that logic.
As many people, including a Houston columnist, expressed displeasure over how the Rangers handled the location switch of their series against the Houston Astros that start today, DeShields took to Twitter to express his detailed thoughts in a couple of tweets.
pic.twitter.com/15ooZ9KlCF
— Delino DeShields (@LinoDeShields) August 29, 2017
pic.twitter.com/uBfsl60jUA
DeShields was originally drafted by the Houston Astros with the 8th overall pick in the 2010 draft before being plucked away by the Rangers in 2014 and making his major league debut with Texas in 2015.
While many have criticized the Rangers organization over not simply swapping series with the Astros, SportsDay's Rangers insider Evan Grant explained why it's not as easy as it sounds:
Among the challenges: The forecast for the middle of the week here is iffy based on the unpredictability of now Tropical Storm Harvey, Rangers ticket holders with tickets to the late-September series would have been asked to change their plans by three weeks, and the Rangers would have created for themselves a 12-game road trip over the course of the season's final 16 games.
Why the home-and-home series swap for the Rangers and Astros wasn't so simple
If the sole idea is charity and compassion for another community, then none of this is going to carry much weight in Houston. That is, if Astros fans even have time to look up from the far more serious matter of digging out.
They are going to think the Rangers aren't a compassionate or charitable organization. Scheduling and the championship season, however, should not be confused with compassion. And this is simply about scheduling and the championship season.
Swapping series would have made the Rangers' long odds to reach the playoffs even longer. Aside from that late extended road trip, it would have meant sacrificing any chances they still had at the playoffs to make Houston's road easier. No team is going to do that.
Grant also explained what the Rangers offered to do:
What the Rangers offered to do was host the games this week in Arlington with Houston as the home team. The Rangers offered to give all profits to the Astros. They would have probably been able to coordinate some in-park hurricane relief efforts. They will donate the proceeds from the Texas Two Step 50/50 raffle to relief efforts from all three games against the Angels this weekend. As it is, MLB and MLB Players Association will make a joint donation of $1 million to relief efforts.
Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., who has had his beef with the Rangers in the past, expressed his displeasure with the Rangers' decision on Twitter, saying they should be "absolutely ashamed."
Classy as always, should be absolutely ashamed. Greed never takes off days, apparently. Stay strong #Htown! We hope to be home soon. https://t.co/ZnkmZ3HVWQ
— Lance McCullers Jr. (@LMcCullers43) August 28, 2017
The Dallas Cowboys also have a matchup with a Houston franchise this week as they are set to take on the Texans in a relatively meaningless game in final week of the NFL preseason. The game was originally scheduled to be played in Houston at NRG Stadium but has since been relocated to AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Thursday.
While the sports aspects may rub some people the wrong way, DeShields' point rings loud: This is much bigger than baseball.
Full text of DeShields' comments in his tweets:
Houston columnist: Rangers made 'shameful and classless move' by refusing to play Astros series in Arlington
"I'm just going to put this out there to get it off my chest because I can't sleep and I'm really frustrated how people have been acting over the past 24 hours. I'm not a Texan. I wasn't raised in Texas. I grew up in Fairburn, Georgia a suburb about 15 mins south of Atlanta, and have never experienced anything like Hurricane Harvey in my life. But look, as a resident of Texas I'm hurt by everything that's been happening in south Texas. With that being said, I want people to understand that what is happening down there is way bigger than baseball. We love baseball yeah. Baseball brings people together yeah. I know the fans and families and friends who live in Houston are upset that baseball probably won't be played in Houston this week along with the other cities down there. I'm upset that we aren't playing in Houston because I love the city of Houston. Houston gave me an opportunity to live my dream in 2010. I've played in Corpus Christi for the Hooks. I spent 5 years of my professional career in that organization and even now that I'm a Ranger I have so much respect and love for everybody on the other side. I've always appreciated the the way the city of Houston has treated me. The people, the ownership, the fans, everybody. What has happened in south Texas is something beyond our control and we all know that. We can NOT do anything about it. People, I don't have any answers on why we are playing in Tampa or why we aren't playing in Arlington and switching the series in September. And tbh that should be everybody's last concern right now. But there's a reason all of this is happening and nobody on the outside really knows what's been going on behind closed doors. People on both sides have come out and have said things that might not entirely be true, or may have left out things that were said and not mentioned, but we want to jump to conclusions without knowing the actual facts. Everyone wants to point fingers at each other calling each other names, that we are classless and nobody has respect for anybody. That's BS. I have teammates and coaches who either once lived down there or have family down there that are being affected by this. I'm sure there are people all throughout our organization and throughout our baseball community who are being affected by this in ways you people on the outside have no idea about. But we want to call each other names and disrespect each other because of what? We are rivals? That's so irrelevant right now and at this second I'm pretty disappointed at how people are reacting to this. This isn't about where we are playing a baseball game. This is about people in Texas and from all over the country coming together and helping the ones who are and have been affected by this natural disaster, not ripping each other apart for something we don't have control over.
Houston pitcher Lance McCullers tweets displeasure about Rangers not swapping series with Astros
Ever since I've put on a Texas Ranger jersey I thank God every day I step out on that field how proud and grateful I am to wear Texas across my chest. Not because I'm living my childhood dream of playing in the big leagues, but because these people knew nothing about me and took a chance on me. I've seen nothing but class and respect from this organization the minute I got off the phone with JD following the rest of the staff after picking me in the rule 5 draft welcoming me with open arms. I know without a doubt in my mind that this organization is helping right now and has already helped aid the people in Houston and everywhere in south Texas. We aren't just sitting back watching this happen and not doing anything to help. That's not what I know this organization to be. When I moved to Texas the only thing I knew or anybody ever talked about was "Everything is bigger in Texas. " Show me. Show me that we can be bigger people and put our pride aside, respect each other and try to come together to help one another. Because at the end of the day whether we live in Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso it doesn't matter we are all in this together. What's affecting people in south Texas is affecting everybody in Texas one way or the other. I'm starting a collection of my own personal items and sending them down to Houston and Corpus and everywhere that's been affected by this to help. I know if we all stopped arguing and being petty and tried to contribute something, people who are being hurt by this will appreciate it. It can be anything. The smallest of gestures It's the little things that can makes all the difference in the world. We gotta lean on each other. We need all the help we can get. South Texas I've been praying for you every single day. Since I heard that it was coming. I will continue to pray that God will look after his children who are being affected by this. Stay strong. We will get through all of this together. Also thanks to the Tampa Rays for welcoming us and allowing us to play in their stadium. Although we won't be physically playing in Texas this week, I'm glad that we still be able to bring baseball to Texas. God bless everyone."
Twitter: @SaadYousuf126
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