George Springer Makes a 7-Year-Old Kid Abandon the Rangers for a Better Life: Astros Magic, Rangers Frustration and Opening Day

ARLINGTON — It begins with the guy who always seems to rise to the moment now, with the guy who slurps up big games at the rate Joey Chestnut swallows hot dogs. If you’ve got a big game, George Springer wants in — and chances are, he’s going to dominate it.

It begins with the magic of last October (and early November) coming right back, reappearing like an old friend who never needs to explain himself.

It begins with the Houston Astros organization completely outsmarting the Texas Rangers organization, leaving the Rangers most dangerous hitter Joey Gallo futilely hitting fly balls against four outfielders on Opening Day.

Yes, these defending world champion Houston Astros are still a heck of a lot of fun. They’re still the best show in Major League Baseball no matter how many home runs Giancarlo Stanton hits in pinstripes.

The champs open the new season with a 4-1 win over the Texas Rangers in the loud, packed home opener of North Texas’ MLB team. The Rangers so desperately want to scare the Astros again, but only Ken Giles gives them even a sliver of hope on this day — and then one mound visit later from Astros pitching coach Brent Strom, it’s all done.

And within an hour after the game, every sports radio station in Dallas is only talking about the Cowboys again.

This isn’t a baseball town (or region) anymore, either. At least not one with any realistic dreams. The Astros have taken that away from Dallas too.

And it all begins with Springer. On Opening Day, arguably the biggest single stage in baseball until the All-Star Game, Springer’s the first man digging into the batter’s box. That’s bad news for any would-be opponent.

Springer needs only three pitches to make it 1-0 Astros. He hits a leadoff home run for the second consecutive Opening Day, remarkably becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history — the American sport with the most history — to ever do that.

If you think that’s just coincidence, you don’t have any idea with what you’re dealing when it comes to the Astros’ hyper, kinetic unconventional leadoff man. George Springer plays baseball like a football star would (if a football star could ever hit a curve). For Springer, a surplus of energy is a good thing.

“I think he’s probably too excited or pumped up to ever be nervous,” Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick tells PaperCity when asked about Springer’s ability to rise to the occasion in bigger games. “He lives for this stuff.

“Everyone screaming. George loves that stuff.”

All of these Astros really almost do. The team that lifted up Houston after the utter devastation of Hurricane Harvey will not be everyone’s favorite underdog or uplifting national darling this season. This Astros team is too good for that. It’s only going to keep winning — and that’s bound to annoy some people.

Especially people in places like Arlington, otherwise known as the land of parking lots.

“We’ve got a good shot at having the best (pitching) rotation,” Astros outfielder Josh Reddick says. “We’ve got a good chance to have the best lineup. You can’t say that too often.”

Instead, you jump on and enjoy the ride.

MLB’s Opening Day Thrill Ride

Opening Day is such a super-hyped, pumped-up event on the baseball calendar (one that makes anyone who owns a flag or bunting store anywhere within a 200-mile radius salivate). This one brings MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to Texas — and the Rangers’ staff dutifully hold the elevators for him (Manfred will be in Houston on Tuesday night to hand out the Astros’ championship rings). This one brings perfect baseball weather. This one brings plenty of Houston fans (though to be fair, Rangers fans do a good job of keeping their ballpark largely red and blue).

Even if they might prefer to root for someone else themselves.

When Springer meets the 7-year-old who caught his home run ball after the game, the kid is decked out in Rangers garb from head to toe. But he insists that he is actually a huge George Springer fan.

“I’ll take it,” Springer laughs at his temporary locker in Globe Life Park’s visiting clubhouse. Springer seems as surprised as anyone that the kid so quickly renounced his Rangers allegiance. Springer certainly didn’t ask him to. World Series champs don’t have to.

Of course, once the ratcheted-up excitement and exhilaration of Opening Day is over, a team must go on and play another 161 of these things.

Even World Series MVPs and Opening Day heroes like Springer will have moments of doubt during that relentless grind. But it sure  helps to open with a little bit of the magic.

Springer turns the third pitch of the game into a home run that almost seems to lazily float over the 349 marker in the right field corner. Just like that, it begins, with the fun never really having ended.

George Springer’s certainly never stopped hitting since the World Series. He may not know what month it is. Even if he did get married in-between.

“These pressure situations, man…” Astros ace Justin Verlander says of Springer. “For him to set the tone like that.”

It’s magic. It’s these Astros. Still.