Every kid with a vivid imagination has dreamt of pitching in the Major Leagues. It is safe to say that every professional baseball player can attest to this. To dream of making it is one thing. To be successful is another story altogether. With that said, it can be concluded that Texas Rangers Starting Pitcher Lance Lynn has found success at the Major League level, as he notched his 100th career victory on August 9th. Lynn’s big win came against Mike Trout, and the Los Angeles Angels by a final score of 7-3, completing a three-game sweep.
Delayed Gratification
A lot of people, including Lynn himself probably expected to see this win come in his previous start against the Oakland Athletics. However, it was not to be, as the Rangers fell to Oakland 5-1. Lance Lynn did well in that start. He gave up one earned run while striking out seven and only walking one in six and one-third innings of work. He probably hoped to see the 100th career win added to his record, but as the saying goes “good things come to those who wait.” That’s exactly what Lynn was going to have to do. That’s what all of the great ones do. They take setbacks, put them aside, and keep going.
The Right Mentality
To pitch in the Major Leagues, or at any other professional level, you need to have a short memory. The only person who knew Lance Lynn’s mindset heading into August 9th’s contest was Lynn himself. A lot of times, when a player is on the verge of a milestone such as this, he generally wants to get it over with as soon as possible, so he can move on with his game, and relax. Lynn wasn’t able to get it done against Oakland on August 4 so he probably told himself to shake it off, and go out there and get it done against the Angels the very next week. In baseball, as in life, one will go a lot further if they have the ability to dust themselves off quickly.
What’s Next
Lance Lynn was already having a solid year prior to the start against the Angels at Globe Life Field. He had a 1-0 record, with a 0.49 ERA. Lynn is now 2-0, and his ERA has elevated but is still respectable at 1.16. There don’t seem to be any other milestones on the horizon for Lance Lynn, so it is probably safe to say that his main goal, for now, is to help the Texas Rangers win in this pandemic shortened season. Hopefully, he can stay healthy, as injuries have slowed Lynn down in the past. He does seem to be enjoying himself with the Rangers. That could be the reason for his good numbers in the past two years. Let’s hope that Lance Lynn can keep the Texas Rangers winning.
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