World Series-Bound Rangers Finally Deep in the Hearts of Texans
October 23, 2010
by John Hickey
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, World Series, American League Championship Series
ARLINGTON, Texas — Football in Texas will never be the same again.
From this point forward, Texas’ sport of choice will always have to share the passion of Lone Star hearts now that the Texas Rangers are World Series-bound for the first time.
For four decades, such a thing was inconceivable. Rangers uniforms were populated by some good players over the years, but never enough of them, and never, ever with enough good pitching. The stories of Texas arms wearing down in the summer weren’t mere legend. They fizzled repeatedly, leading to Rangers frustrations year after year, decade after decade.
Before winning the American League West this season, the Rangers had only made it to the postseason three times. They’d never won a series. They’d only won one game in in the playoffs. But Texas beat Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg three times to make it through the American League Division Series.
And after blowing a five-run lead in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against New York, Texas came back to win four of the next five against the defending (and 27-time) World Series champion Yankees.
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Umpire Watch: Nicking Swisher
October 23, 2010
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, MLB Umpires, American League Championship Series
Controversial calls have become as much a part of the Major League Baseball postseason as Derek Jeter and patriotic bunting. In Umpire Watch, we intend to document those calls, at least until commissioner Bud Selig puts us out of business.
I’ve said this on multiple occasions — apologies if I’m going all broken record — but baseball keeps lucking out. If Game 6 had gone in a different direction, the lone blown call of the game, which led directly to a run, would have been a much bigger story. It didn’t, and so we’re spared/robbed of the impetus for actual change on instant replay.
I will say something else new, though. TBS analyst John Smoltz may be onto something. He’s said in several instances during the postseason that he’d like to see replay on run-scoring plays. I’d like to see it used in more situations than that, but right now I’d settle for that sort of expansion. Onto the call.
One-Run Game
The Situation: The Yankees trail the Rangers 1-0 in the top of the fifth inning with Alex Rodriguez on third base and one out. Nick Swisher digs into the batter’s box to face Texas righty Colby Lewis.
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Scouting Notes: Big Mistakes Haunt A.J. Burnett in Game 4
October 20, 2010
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series, Advanced Scouting
Whenever A.J. Burnett takes the mound there is always the looming threat of that big inning or that big mistake. For most of Tuesday’s Game 4 start he was able to avoid those big mistakes, but as the game wore on you could see his command beginning to erode before our eyes.
While hindsight is 20/20, you have to least bring up the question of whether Joe Girardi could have gone to Joba Chamberlain to face Bengie Molina in the sixth inning. With Burnett’s fastball command suddenly going away, it was a matchup that had danger written all over it with a good fastball hitter like Molina coming to the dish.
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Untouchable Cliff Lee Ratchets Up Yankees’ Sense of Urgency in ALCS
October 19, 2010
by John Hickey
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
NEW YORK — There are still four potential games left in the American League Championship Series, but in the wake of the Texas Rangers‘ 8-0 win over New York Monday, it’s looking suspiciously like the Yankees are facing a series of three must-win games.
The Rangers‘ Cliff Lee, who beat the Yankees twice in the World Series last year while with the Phillies, threw eight shutout innings Monday, allowing just two hits. And he would pitch Game 7, something the Yankees simply don’t want to see.
To avoid that eventuality, New York needs to win the next three games.
Lee is so deep into the Yankee psyche right now that you’d expect “Deep in the Heart of Texas” to be played at game’s end instead of “New York, New York.” Any deeper and the “NY” on the Yankee caps would have to be replaced by “CL.”
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Scouting the ALCS: Four Key Matchups for Rangers vs. Yankees
October 13, 2010
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series, Advanced Scouting
The American League Championship Series isn’t being quite what the experts thought it would be this year, as the Rangers, not the Rays, will face off against the Yankees. Both teams got to this point in very different ways. Texas has relied on a mix of smart baserunning and the performances of its stars. The Yankees have arrived here in machine-like fashion, making it look rather easy against Minnesota.
From a scouting standpoint, these clubs present interesting challenges for each other. There will be numerous matchups that could swing this series one way or another for either club. Let’s examine some of those potential matchups.
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Alex Rodriguez Looks to Follow Example Set by John Elway
October 6, 2010
by John Hickey
Filed under: Twins, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Division Series
MINNEAPOLIS — It took Alex Rodriguez 17 years as a professional baseball player to get his first World Series ring.
On the eve of the 2010 playoffs in Target Field, Rodriguez was only half joking when he said, “I hope it doesn’t take me 17 years to win another one.”
He reflected back on a conversation he had with Denver Broncos legend John Elway, who waited until he was deep in his 30s (37) before winning a Super Bowl. Rodriguez was 34 before he won for the first time with the Yankees in 2009.
Elway told him winning one made it easier to win the second time around, which the Broncos did, with Elway being named the MVP in that one. It proved to be the final game of Elway’s career.
Frankie Piliere’s Scouting Reports: Twins | Yankees
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No Fraud: Rodriguez Finally a Champ
September 2, 2010
Filed under: Yankees, MLB Playoffs, World Series
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez grabbed the World Series trophy and wouldn’t let go.
After the New York Yankees regained the title for the first time in nine years, after the podium presentation before a delirious crowd of 50,315 christened the new ballpark with a title in its first year, A-Rod was the one to carry the trophy back to the clubhouse. He raised it high, showing it off to the fans, a triumph for the team and for himself.
“Look, a lot of people ran the other way. My teammates and coaches and organization stood right next to me. And now we stand together as world champs,” he said a few minutes later in the clubhouse, under a shower of Moet & Chandon and Armand de Brignac. “It’s been a special year. I know it started rocky for us.”
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Yankees Capture 27th World Series Title
September 2, 2010
Filed under: Phillies, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, World Series
NEW YORK (AP) — Paint the town in pinstripes! Nearly a decade after their dynasty ended on a blooper in the desert, the New York Yankees are baseball’s best again.
Hideki Matsui tied a World Series record with six RBIs, Andy Pettitte won on short rest and New York beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 on Wednesday night, finally seizing that elusive 27th title – the most in all of sports.
It was the team’s first since winning three straight from 1998-2000.
Fletcher: Phillies Abdicate Throne | Moore: Yanks Quit Playing Games
Price: Uncertain Future for N.Y. Trio | Olson: Phillies Fade Into Night
Box Score | Matsui MVP | A-Rod Finally a Champ | Fans Rejoice in Victory