The Texas Rangers haven’t had a lot to cheer about this season. The Texas team that had grown used to making the post season in recent years sits dead last in the AL West in 2014, three and a half games behind the lowly Houston Astros and 26 games out of first place. Needless to say, Texas will be packing up earlier than usual at season’s end and fans from the Lone Star state are already turning their attention to the NFL.
The Los Angeles Angels, who have been breathing down the necks of the Oakland Athletics in the AL West standings much of the season have rolled into Texas tasting blood and took it to the Rangers again on Saturday 5-4. With such a dismal outlook on this summer’s campaign, the Ranger’s brass have certainly been searching for ways to keep fans coming to the ballpark despite the horrific finish that lies ahead.
So what better way to to lift the spirits of fans in Arlington during the final stretch of the regular season than with a visit by reigning Miss Texas, Monique Evans. The pageant queen took the mound on Saturday before the Ranger’s game with the visiting Los Angeles Angels to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Despite the toss being a bit–uh, hmm… off the mark, Miss Texas did not disappoint. Well… that can be left up to interpretation.
Miss Evans, clad in her home white Ranger jersey and matching shorts, launched an underhand, fast pitch softball type offering that ended up looking more like she was attempting to bowl. The “gutterball” went wide right–and that’s WAY wide right, missing not only the strike zone, but coming in impossible to catch. Even though the placement wasn’t what she most likely intended, the effort–complete with high leg kick follow through and double fist thrust into the air, has to be commended.
So Miss Texas can’t pitch. Who cares? Her pitch was just the latest in a string of awful ceremonial first pitches tossed out in MLB games this season. That being said, this one wasn’t as hard on the eyes.