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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Texas Rangers brought joy and excitement to the |
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citizens of the Lone Star State by winning the 2010 American League |
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pennant and playing in the World Series, and their success |
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represents an important milestone in the team's history; and |
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WHEREAS, The Rangers left little doubt about who would win |
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the American League West Division after they moved into first place |
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in early June and steadily increased their lead during the season to |
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win the title by nine games; the club had 90 wins in the regular |
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season, the third most in franchise history; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas was led by left fielder Josh Hamilton, who was |
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chosen the American League Most Valuable Player and who posted the |
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best on-base plus slugging percentage in the league; designated |
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hitter Vladimir Guerrero had the team's highest total of runs |
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batted in, and he, Mr. Hamilton, right fielder Nelson Cruz, and |
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third baseman Mike Young each hit more than 20 home runs; C. J. |
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Wilson paced the pitching staff with 15 wins, Colby Lewis struck out |
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196 opponents, and Tommy Hunter posted a 13-4 win-loss record; |
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Neftali Feliz registered 40 saves out of the bullpen and was voted |
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the American League Rookie of the Year; and |
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WHEREAS, Facing the Rangers in the division playoff series |
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was the very tough Tampa Bay Rays, and it took Texas the full five |
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games to beat them; Mr. Wilson and fellow pitcher Cliff Lee were |
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instrumental in the triumph, as the two hurlers combined to hold |
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Tampa Bay to just two runs in the three games they started; Mr. Cruz |
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and second baseman Ian Kinsler hit three home runs apiece to key the |
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offense; and |
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WHEREAS, In the American League Championship Series, the |
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Rangers met their old postseason nemesis, the New York Yankees, the |
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team that had eliminated them in their three previous playoff |
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appearances in the 1990s; history did not repeat itself in 2010, as |
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Mr. Hamilton bashed 4 home runs, drove in 7 runs, and reached base |
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15 times; Mr. Cruz continued his hot hitting, and the Rangers |
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received two standout pitching performances from Mr. Lewis and a |
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2-hit, 13-strikeout effort from Mr. Lee to beat the Yankees 4 games |
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to 2 and take the pennant; and |
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WHEREAS, With the American League championship in hand, Texas |
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advanced to the World Series for the first time since the ballclub |
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began playing in Arlington in 1972; although the team ultimately |
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fell to the San Francisco Giants in the series, the 2010 campaign |
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showed that manager Ron Washington, general manager Jon Daniels, |
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and owners Nolan Ryan and Chuck Greenberg have established the |
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franchise as a power to be reckoned with, and fans are looking |
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forward to the 2011 season with great anticipation; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the Texas Rangers on winning the |
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2010 American League pennant and extend to them sincere best wishes |
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for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Rangers as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |