A Token of Appreciation: Marcus Semien
Showing gratitude towards the All-Star and World Series champion
The 2023 World Series and the Texas Rangers capturing their very first championship in franchise history is a moment fans will remember for years to come. From 2021 to 2025, three-time All-Star Marcus Semien has been a wonderful contributor to the Rangers and if you remember in Game 5 of the aforementioned World Series, he made a statement by hitting a two-run homer to put them in a great position to win a World Series title that had slipped through their fingers twice before. He's now a New York Met, but he'll always be a legend in Arlington. Now, I know the word legend gets thrown around so much. However, Semien is a true example of that. When a player wins a World Series title, they have earned that label, even though they haven't retired yet. Past Rangers players such as Michael Young and Josh Hamilton will forever be legends in Arlington. Ian Kinsler and Mike Napoli were fan favorites in Texas, but both of them retired as World Series champions, due to them playing for the Boston Red Sox. I'm not implying that a player has to win a World Series title to be called a legend. If a player spent a significant amount of time with a team, they deserve to be called a legend, with or without a championship. Ichiro: legend. David Wright: legend. Anthony Rizzo: legend. Derek Jeter: legend. Ryan Howard: legend. I could go on for hours, but you get the picture. The players that I just named have earned the right to have the Legend label attached to them for the rest of their lives.
My reaction to Marcus Semien being traded to the Mets has been nothing but positive. He's going to be a wonderful addition to their lineup, alongside players like Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Francisco Alvarez. Marcus has given the Rangers five years of outstanding on-field performances, including becoming one of the main factors of this team winning a World Series title. One chapter has ended, and a new chapter has begun for Marcus. He's been in the league for a little over a decade, so I wish him nothing but the best in the Big Apple. I've never had any ill will or held a grudge against him, because players get traded in MLB all the time. As I've stated in my last story regarding the blockbuster trade between him and Brandon Nimmo, trades are strictly about business. It's nothing personal. All I can hope for Marcus is that he'll do a great job in New York. Us baseball fans can be too attached to our favorite players, thinking that they'll stay in their respective teams forever. When I say us, I mean myself included. While this is true for many players, for others, not so much. I remember when Michael Young got traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and David Murphy to the Boston Red Sox. Did I feel some kind of way about it? Absolutely, but as the years went on, I've realized that I needed to appreciate them and acknowledge the contributions they've made to the Rangers. MLB is constantly evolving and so are the players. They get traded and retire, but the show must go on.
To Marcus: Thank you so much for everything that you've done for the Rangers. You'll always be a Texas Ranger in the eyes of us, the dedicated and loyal fans. May your time with the New York Mets be a successful and eventful one. You'll always be a legend in Texas: then, now, and forever. Thanks for winning a World Series title for us. You're a World Series champion and have rightfully earned that label. Best of luck to you.
About the Creator
Mark Wesley Pritchard
You can call me Wesley. Former cosplayer, retro gaming fanatic, die-hard Texas Rangers fan, and nostalgic freak. Need I say more?
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