IF YOU'RE THE TYPE to take the long view on things, what could be the biggest series in Texas baseball history starts today at Globe Life Field, and the moment is more than a century in the making. The buildup began before the American League -- in which the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros now play -- even existed. After all, they've been playing baseball in The Lone Star State for a long time. A very long time.
The three-game series between the Rangers and Astros has 135 years of baggage behind it, dating back to the first incarnation of the Texas League, which began play in 1888.