MoreThan One Team.

I'm kind of an unusual baseball fan. Most fans have one team that they follow or root for. I have four. I am a die hard Texas Rangers fan but I also am a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies. I have been asked why so many teams, well I thought I would try and explain and break down why those four teams.

The Texas Rangers.
I grew up a Rangers fan I think it was in my DNA to be a die hard fan. It all started when my dad took me to my first baseball game to see the Tulsa Drillers. He told me that the Drillers were the double A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and since then I have been obsessed with the Rangers. When I say obsessed I really mean it. I have a baseball card box that can hold up to 5,000 cards and it is full of nothing but Rangers cards, and yes I still want more. I also have at least one Rangers team set from each year that I have been a fan and again I still want more. During a game if they ask a trivia question I normally know the answer and if I don't know I reference my Texas Rangers history book that I have put together. The description of die hard fan doesn't even come close. I think if you were to cut me I would bleed blue.

The St Louis Cardinals.
So with my love and obsession with the Rangers how can their be room for another team?
Well, if the Rangers aren't playing the Cardinals normally are. I grew up listening to Cardinals games on the radio. I can still hear the amazing legendary voices of Jack Buck and Mike Shannon calling a game. Cardinals games weren't really shown on TV in my area unless they were the game of the week. I really think what drew me to the Cardinals was Ozzie Smith. The greatest shortstop ever to play the game. Even though Ozzie may be retired he still is one of my all time favorite players. Current Cardinals all star Albert Pujols ranks really high on that list also. I love the Cardinals and root for them every year but the Rangers take priority.

The Chicago Cubs.
Now here is the big question. How can I be a Cardinals fan and be a Cubs fan when those two teams are rivals?  To answer that again I go back to my childhood. Cubs games were shown on TV where I grew up. At the time the team still played a lot of day games. So I could watch the Cubs in the day and Rangers at night or if the Rangers had an off day then it was the Cardinals on the radio. Are you seeing a pattern here. I had to get my baseball fix somehow. I remember listening to Harry Carey and Steve Stone announce the Cubs games on WGN. I remember watching Mark Grace, Ryne Sandberg, Shawon Dunston and Andre Dawson when I was a kid. On Sundays I remember coming home from church and watching This Week In Baseball and then watching the Cubs game until it was time for the Rangers. I like the Cubs but the Rangers take priority.

The Colorado Rockies.
So why the Rockies? Well, for one reason and one reason only. The Drillers. The Rangers changed their double A affiliation in 2003 after 26 years with the Drillers to the Frisco RoughRiders and the Colorado Rockies took over the affiliation with the Drillers. It took some getting used to and I didn't like it at first. But slowly I began to come around. At least the Drillers were still in Tulsa.  Most of the Rockies on the team this year are former Drillers. The one that stands out is Troy Tulowitzki who played with the Drillers in 2006. I wouldn't say that I am a big fan of the Rockies but I do pull for them and always check and see how they are doing.

As a side note I also like some minor league baseball teams. The Tulsa Drillers, Oklahoma City Redhawks, (Which may change since they are no longer with the Rangers.) the Round Rock Express and the Frisco RoughRiders.

So there you go, the four teams I am obsessed with, love, like and peak in on. And some minor league teams thrown in there for good measure. What team or teams do you like? If the Rangers isn't one of them then don't bother answering the question. Just kidding. All comments are welcome.