T.R.’s Memoirs: Rangers have had big All-Star moments, except during two critical seasons (Part I)

(AP photo/John Swart)

Editor’s note: T.R. Sullivan covered the Texas Rangers over 32 years for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and MLB.com and is sharing his “memoirs” with this newsletter.

In this latest two-part installment, Sullivan revisits some of the greatest moments for the Rangers in the All-Star Game.

Reds reliever Rob Dibble was throwing hard. He could hit 100 mph or more with the fastball, which is why he was one of the “Nasty Boys” of the hard-throwing 1990 Reds world championship bullpen.

Rangers second baseman Julio Franco had an unusual batting stance. He held his hands high above his head, with the bat pointed not straight up but parallel to the ground and straight at the pitcher.

Franco was batting with runners at the corners, no outs and the 1990 All-Star Game scoreless into the seventh inning. Franco was the first batter at Wrigley Field after a one hour, eight-minute rain delay, and CBS broadcaster Tim McCarver sounded a bit dubious about Franco’s chances against Dibble.

“I don’t think with Franco’s bat, at the angle that it is, that there is anyway for him to pull a ball off Rob Dibble,” McCarver said.