Looking forward to looking back.

A year and two days ago, we woke up to a fading race that sported a Rangers team that had lost 10 of 12, and 18 of 24.

The club was nine back in the division, and seven back in the Wild Card race.

Seven games back for a Wild Card spot, that is.

And six teams back.

That night, there was a magical baseball game that made no objective sense.

Matt Harrison threw six shutout innings.

In Coors Field.

It was the second game he’d pitched in more than a calendar year.

And the second-to-last game he’d pitch, possibly ever.

The Rangers, written off by plenty of folks by that time, won that July 21, 2015 game, 9-0.

They didn’t gain any ground in the division that night, and they didn’t gain any ground in the Wild Card standings, either, but they kicked off a four-game win streak, and an 11-4 run, and, more importantly, a 45-25 sprint to the finish, putting that all-but-buried club in the playoffs.

Matt Harrison pitched that night in Colorado because Cole Hamels wasn’t here yet.

This morning, Texas has a 2.5-game lead in the West.

Yes, they’ve racked up eight losses in nine games, and 15 of 19.

This roster is going to change, soon. For the better.

So is the brand of baseball this team plays.

It will.

You know how, when you’re sick, and I mean seriously down for the count, it’s difficult to remember what it feels like to be healthy?

And when you’re feeling well it’s hard to imagine that feeling of being sick?

I look forward to looking back at this stretch of baseball when this year’s book is all done.

Because when this team is playing 162+ in 2016, I won’t remember this feeling and what it was like. Thankfully.

Let’s go, Cole. Kick something off.

Let’s go.