Pulling for the #Rangers

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Today, I'm rooting for the Rangers by wearing my one and only Texas Rangers shirt (featuring second baseman Ian Kinsler, of course). I know conventional wisdom says the Red Sox have a better chance to beat the Rays (against whom they are 12-7) than the Rangers (2-4), but I disagree.

Three of the four Red Sox losses to the Rangers came during a series sweep, in Arlington, at the beginning of May. The Red Sox are not the same team that they were from May 3-5th, and neither are the Rangers, not to mention the fact that the Sox have now earned home field advantage through the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Rays have faced the Sox nineteen times this year, and while they haven't seemed to figure Boston out, they're much more familiar with the Sox's playing style.

In the end, it might not matter. Whoever wins tonight's one -game playoff will then have to play yet another one-game playoff against the streaking Cleveland Indians, winners of their last ten games in a row. Tito's team will get the advantage of taking on whoever survives the one-and-done play-in to the Wild Card round, and all the pitcher attrition that will entail.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox get to relax until Friday, making roster decisions and growing out those beards, while the competition fights to get to that point.

Not that there's really much danger of this team taking the first round (or any round) of the playoffs for granted, but it goes without saying that a best of five series can be dangerous. If the last few years have taught Red Sox fans anything, it's that playoff appearances aren't to be taken lightly - they don't come around every year.

Manny's back stateside, hilarity sure to ensue

The Texas Rangers have signed former Red Sox and Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez to a minor league contract, and he'll start with the AAA Round Rock in central Texas tomorrow. Ramirez has spent the last few months playing for the EDA Rhinos of China's Professional Baseball League in Taiwan, making a tiny fraction of what he became accustomed to in the majors.

Manny reports that he's unconcerned with money, and that he's even planning to give his minimum salary to charity, a lackadaisical approach that fits with his persona. Throughout his successful (and apparently artificially enhanced) major league career, Manny has been something of an enigma: he was the proud owner of the league's highest salary for a time, yet always played with the reckless abandon of a little leaguer (perhaps a little leaguer with ADHD?).

Like the time he cut off Johnny Damon's throw from center field...? We never did get an explanation for that.

It was clear by the end of his tenure in Boston that the city was finally tired of putting up with Manny's antics, from often questionable defense to phantom injuries that only seemed to crop up when he was annoyed with someone. When the Dodgers took him off our hands, it seemed like a good deal for everyone - Boston got rid of an expensive and troublesome fielder, and LA had the fun-loving celebrity type their fans love so much.

Even the steroids allegations and suspensions weren't terribly surprising. Certainly we were disappointed, but nothing's unbelievable when it comes to Manny Ramirez. I mean, have you ever checked out his official website? It's difficult to describe, but quintessentially Manny.

The Red Sox have already wrapped up the season series with the Rangers, so even if Manny gets called up, he won't be making any Fenway Park appearances this season, barring a Texas/Boston playoff matchup. However, I'll still be keeping an eye on him, because if nothing else, Manny always generates controversy, entertainment, and hilarity everywhere he pops up, and it makes baseball extra fun to watch - especially since he's no longer causing friction on my team.

Run support and Ryan Dempster

Ryan Dempster earned his second win in a row and third win of the season this afternoon against the Angels, giving the Red Sox six innings and allowing just three runs, and earning a quality start on a beautiful afternoon at Fenway Park. The bats were alive and well, giving Dempster fantastic run support to the tune of ten runs - though any offensive outburst would pale in comparison to the absolute explosion during Dempster's last start, when the Sox punished Rangers pitching for seventeen runs.

I certainly picked a great time to put Ryan Dempster on my fantasy roster, as I added him before that ridiculous victory against the Rangers. He seems to be coming into his own now: up to today, his season ERA is 4.39, significantly higher than the 3.74 that Bill James has projected for the full campaign.

I see Dempster continuing to build on his recent success, and as the weather continues to get warmer, he can probably expect a respectable amount of run support going forward (though perhaps not as extreme as today and last week). A sizable amount of the blame for Dempster's six losses can be attributed squarely to a lack of run support early on, and it seems like the Sox bats have been trying to make it up to him all at once.

Meanwhile, in Crazytown

I have a lot of respect for Rangers manager Ron Washington. Seriously, he's led his team to the playoffs with impressive regularity in recent years, and even in the AL West that's no small feat.

But on what planet do you intentionally walk the player batting before David Ortiz during a tie game in the bottom of the ninth? Because yeah, that just happened, and it ended just how you thought it would: with Big Papi lining a game-winning three-run homer into the right field bullpen.

I get that it's tempting to intentionally walk red-hot Dustin Pedroia under ordinary circumstances - but it's not like Ortiz has been in any kind of slump. And we don't call Papi "Mr. Clutch" just for kicks, he's been extensively field tested.

So David Ortiz did what he has done his entire Red Sox career, and delivered a win in the bottom of the ninth. The homer also earned the series win for the Sox, and gave them so valuable momentum with the Angels coming into town tomorrow.

Lackey's solid effort not enough

Perhaps the Red Sox exhausted all of their offensive capabilities in last night's rout of the Texas Rangers, as they were only able to muster two runs in tonight's loss. Just as the Rangers' bullpen let them down last night, so the Sox 'pen fell short this evening (though the Red Sox relievers allowed just two runs tonight, while the Rangers relievers allowed a whopping nine runs yesterday).

John Lackey was great, allowing just a single run in six full innings. Lackey's one mistake was giving up a home run to former Red Sox Adrian Beltre, and he left the game after the sixth inning trailing 0-1. In the bottom of that frame, Dustin Pedroia tied things up with a solo homer, erasing Lackey as the pitcher of record.

Craig Breslow ended up taking the loss for the Red Sox, as he gave up a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning, and though the Red Sox managed to score a run in the bottom of the eighth, the final score favored the Rangers. Tomorrow the Sox will look to take the rubber match in the series, with Jon Lester on the mound looking for his seventh win.

Red Sox crush Rangers, 17-2

Considering that it included twenty-two runs scored, it's pretty miraculous that tonight's game ended at a reasonable hour. Before the contest started, NESN's pregame analysts were discussing an interesting stat: of all current Red Sox players, only Stephen Drew had ever faced Rangers starter Justin Grimm, and he was 1-for-1, meaning that the team was technically batting 1.000 against him.

Once Grimm got on the mound, things didn't improve. He gave up two runs in the first inning, and managed to record just two outs in the second while allowing six Red Sox to score, before he was lifted for the first of four relief pitchers of the night. Indeed, Ranges manager Ron Washington apparently tired of calling on his bullpen (and likely wanted someone to be rested for the rest of the series) and resorted to putting a postion player on the mound for the bottom of the eighth inning.

You might remember David Murphy? He played for the Red Sox in 2006 and part of 2007, and he's been an outfielder for the Rangers ever since - until tonight, when he made his pitching debut. Indeed, he did better than any of the pitchers who came before him, as he allowed just a single hit (a double to Daniel Nava) and no runs.

The Red Sox were practically having batting practice tonight against the Rangers, scoring seventeen runs, and every single starter had either a hit or an RBI - only Dustin Pedroia and Mike Napoli failed to record at least one of each. David Ortiz's triple and Jackie Bradley Jr.'s first major league home run became footnotes in an explosion of offense  Ryan Dempster came through on the defensive end, allowing just three runs in seven innings before handing the ball off to the Red Sox bullpen. Normally having a 'pen give up two runs in as many innings isn't something to brag about, but compared to the travesty of Rangers relief pitching, I'll take it.

I was in sort of a funk all day, and this game was exactly what I needed. I know that a win is a win, and this one won't count for any more than the others when the season records are tallied up come October - but it counts more to me today.

Just a bump in the road

Getting swept is always rough, but watching as a former member of your own club (here's looking at you, Adrian Beltre) hits a walkoff single against you to complete the sweep makes the normally depressing scenario even worse. But as far as being swept goes, I don't feel that bad today.

For one thing, even after dropping three straight to the Rangers, the Red Sox are still in possession of the best record in baseball. Sure, there are other teams who can also make that claim, but the fact is that the Sox are still first in the AL East, and now have a record identical to the Rangers (and Cardinals).

Add to this fact the knowledge that the Red Sox are headed back to the friendly confines of Fenway Park for seven games, four against the Twins (13-14), and three against the Blue Jays, who, despite high expectations, are 11-21. Meanwhile, the Sox are 11-5 at home, so while the sweep was certainly unpleasant, I feel good about the immediate future.

Sure, it's disheartening that the Red Sox come out of this series seemingly unable to "beat the best," a legitimate litmus test for long term success. But all is not lost - we'll get a chance to reclaim our pride from the Rangers this time next month, and I don't think for a moment that we'll be swept a second time. In fact, I bet we'll be bringing the brooms next time around.

Race for Big Papi

Just when it was looking like the re-sign David Ortiz campaign would be almost as long and painful as this year's political campaigns (no matter your ideological leanings, if you live in Massachusetts you NEVER want to see another ad for Scott Brown or Elizabeth Warren again), the Texas Rangers have expressed interest in the lefthanded DH, and the Red Sox are scrambling to get a deal done.

The Red Sox have until midnight today to negotiate exclusively with Ortiz, but only until 5pm to extend him a qualifying $13.3 million dollar offer that would ensure them a draft pick if he were to sign elsewhere. I think we can be confident that the minimum offer will be extended, and also reasonably confident that Big Papi will remain with the Red Sox.

I'm sure Ortiz and his agents are thrilled at the Rangers showing interest - not because he has a burning desire to move to Texas, but because it will give him some leverage to get a multi-year deal done with the Red Sox.

After a decade with the Sox, it's unlikely that the soon-to-be 37-year-old slugger wants to uproot his family and leave such a devoted fanbase, not to mention the fact that he's unlikely to see the kind of money or length that he's looking for from any team, given his age and recent history with injury.

I will be absolutely blown away if the Red Sox and Ortiz don't come to terms, and given the newfound Texan threat, I think it will happen soon.

Wild Card Day!

Photo from the mlb.com homepage

Today will be an exciting day for baseball.  Even if both Wild Card games are blowouts, it's a history-making endeavor: the first day of the newly extended playoffs.  The Braves take on the defending World Champion Cardinals at 5:00, and then the upstart Orioles look to knock out the defending AL Champion Texas Rangers at 8:30.

I know most people hate the new format, what with adding two more teams to the pennant race and making the Wild Card teams play a winner take all one game playoff - which understandably seems like a ridiculous gamble after slogging through 162 games to reach this point.

But I actually really like the new format.  First of all, Major League Baseball still has fewer teams make the playoffs than any other major sports league, so if you complain about the new Wild Card setup and have no qualms with the systems of the NBA, NFL, or NHL, you need to take a good long look at yourself.

More importantly, the disagreement over the "unfairness" of the one game playoff is absurd; if anything, this sets to right the issue with adding the Wild Card back in the nineties.  Since the inception of the Wild Card, the only penalty given for not winning your division was a lack of home field advantage.  Essentially the Wild Card winner was treated exactly the same as some of the division winners, and that is downright ridiculous.

Now, winning the division means something. It means not having to get through a one game playoff, which, as most baseball fans know, is essentially a tossup.  It means more meaningful baseball in the last games of the season. I don't know why you wouldn't be on board with that.

I'm betting on Lester

Lester will target the strikezone just like he targeted the deer/boar/whatever on this hunting trip.

After two fantastic starts that sadly ended in Red Sox losses, Jon Lester will take the mound tonight at friendly Fenway, looking for his first win of 2012.  Meanwhile, the 2011 American League Champion Rangers will trot out Colby Lewis, who has a win and a no-decision so far this season.

You all know my opinion of the "win" statistic: it's kind of like the cubic zirconia of baseball stats, shiny, pretty, but mostly worthless.  A lot of wins look nice, but since you can be charged for a loss while giving up one earned run in nine innings (or an unearned run, for that matter), and earn a win after giving up fifteen runs in five, wins and losses aren't a great way to test a pitcher's caliber.

That being said, Colby Lewis is a talented pitcher, with 15 strikeouts and a sparkling 1.42 ERA so far this season (stats accrued against the White Sox and Mariners, but still impressive). Last year Lewis helped to anchor a pennant winning rotation after the departure of Cliff Lee (with the help of new-Angel CJ Wilson).  However, Lewis does have a history of struggling against the Red Sox, with just 2 wins and three losses with an ERA of 5.01 in his career against Boston.

On the other hand, Lester's one loss and 2.40 ERA  so far this season come at the hands of the Tigers (against AL Cy Young and MVP winner Justin Verlander, no less) and the up-and-coming Blue Jays.  Over the course of his career, Jon Lester has a 3-1 record with a 3.48 ERA against the Rangers.

Add to these statistics the fact that Lester has been pretty dominating so far this season - even if the number in the "win" column doesn't back that up.  I also think it's safe to say that Lester's teammates are itching to get him a win after failing to do so in Detroit and Toronto.  Lester is a popular - if reserved - man in the clubhouse, and it's clear his teammates hold him in high esteem.

I see an early hook for Lewis tonight - the Sox took the weekend and teed off against the Rays (with the exception of yesterday morning) scoring 31 runs to the Rays' 12 in four games.  The bats have been heating up in Boston, and the way Lester has been going, he won't need that much run support to come out victorious.

World Series Review: I Suck at Predictions

 Despite worries from baseball elite that this year’s World Series would be boring and unprofitable due to the absence of large-market teams full of superstars, it turned out to be one of the most exciting Fall Classics in years.  Their worries were certainly valid, as the biggest audiences will typically tune in when teams from either coast are involved, and this Series was, as Sports Illustrated put it, “Central Casting,” with both the AL and NL Pennants going to teams far from the coasts, the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively.

The network carrying the Series also doesn’t begin to make a profit unless the two teams play five or more games in the best of seven series: since they pay Major League Baseball so much money to gain the exclusive televising rights, the advertising revenue after just four games (like the sweeps in 2004, 2005, and 2007) barely covers their cost.  If a Series reaches seven games, like this one, the network can charge huge amounts of money on advertising slots to get a return on their large investment.

 The games themselves were particularly compelling: on one side you had the Rangers, who have never won a World Series (including in their time as the Washington Senators), who were back after losing to the San Francisco Giants in last year’s Fall Classic, and who had been the no-doubt winners of the AL West for quite some time.  Across the diamond you had the Cinderella story:  the Cardinals had been ten games back in the Wild Card race with a month to play, and had just a 1.1% chance of even seeing the playoffs, before taking down the Braves to make it in, then the favored Phillies (who had been practically crowned World Champs in February), and the Brewers.

While Texas hunted fruitlessly for it’s first title, St. Louis tried to provide more incentive for free-agent to be Albert Pujols to stay with the team this offseason, and it might have worked – when asked if a repeat would be possible in 2012, Pujols grinned and said, “Why not?” 

The Series it self was compelling all the way through, as the two teams traded victories through Game 4, and then Texas gained a 3-2 advantage by winning Game 5.  If you didn’t watch what happened next, you missed a hell of a game.  Game 6 was one for the ages: the Rangers were one strike away from winning their first title – twice.  They had a two-run lead in both the ninth and tenth innings, and then David Freese and Lance Berkman (both with two strikes against them) batted in the tying runs.  Freese would hit a walkoff home run in the bottom of the eleventh inning to send the Series to its seventh game.

 After the drama of Game 6, Game 7 was slightly less exciting, as the Cards earned the lead in the third and never relinquished it.  Hometown boy David Freese was named World Series MVP, and the city of St. Louis earned the right to party in the streets for the second time in five years.  Despite the absence of a big-market team, this World Series was one for the ages – it’s only too bad that it’s over.

World Series Preview: 2011

 Typically you would examine starting pitching matchups very carefully when attempting to predict the outcome of a seven-game series like the Fall Classic, but this postseason has been anything but typical for the hurlers of the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers.  During the LCS, the Card’s starters managed just one win in their six games, and posted an atrocious 7.03 ERA, while the Rangers’ starting staff didn’t do much better: zero wins in six games with an ERA of 6.59.

            Not a single Rangers starter has managed to make an out in the seventh inning all postseason, and there has never been a World Series Champion that could make that dubious claim.  On the other hand, both teams are averaging less than five innings out of their starters per game during these playoffs, and the last team to win the Fall Classic with that distinction was the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates.  Both teams have relied heavily on their bullpens thus far, so it should be interesting to see how the pitching situation shakes out.

            Assuming starters can stay in the game for a reasonable length of time, the Rangers have the edge, despite the fact that the National League Cardinals have home-field advantage by virtue of the NL winning this year’s All-Star Game.  The Cards were just 20-20 this season against left-handed pitchers, and Texas boasts three southpaws in their playoff rotation. CJ Wilson will start the Series off tonight against Chris Carpenter (RHP).  Wilson has turned into a bona fide ace for the Rangers in the last two years, making a seamless transition from his bullpen days.  Tomorrow night will see righthander Colby Lewis starting for Texas, with lefty Jaime Garcia taking the mound for the Cards. The Rangers round out their rotation with lefthanders Derek Holland and Matt Harrison on Saturday and Sunday, while the Cards will counter with righties Edwin Jackson and Kyle Lohse.

            Star power is provided by the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler (2B), Josh Hamilton – hero of the 2008 Home Run Derby (CF), and Adrian Beltre (3B), while the biggest story on the Cardinals’ side of things is free-agent to be Albert Pujols (1B).  The Cards do have other star players (left fielder Matt Holliday, right fielder Lance Berkman), but the big questions revolve around Pujols: will he follow the dollars to greener pastures this offseason, or will he stay in baseball-crazy St. Louis? And either way, will he lead the cards to another Championship?

            The last time the Cardinals won the World Series was just fie seasons ago in 2006 – just two years after being swept from the Series by the Boston Red Sox.  The Rangers have a similar feel of unfinished business to them, as they return to the Fall Classic after falling to the San Francisco Giants in just five games last October.  The consensus in the baseball world seems to be that Texas has a pretty strong edge – even though they will not enjoy home field advantage – but that expecting St. Louis to bow out in four games would be just another fallacy. Texas should take it, but we’ll give them six games to do so, and they’ll win their very first World Series in their fifty year history.

Win-win for Red Sox fans

[This video has always pissed me off a little, since I feel it implies that female baseball fans are somehow unable to appreciate the nuances of a pitcher's duel, and can only pay attention to the fireworks of homeruns.]

Anyway, you all know that THIS female fan has a place in her heart for games of all types, from no-hitters to blowouts, they all have something to offer, and tonight's game had a little bit of everything.

Josh Beckett went six innings, allowing four hits and one run (a longball by Mike Napoli that this "chick" certainly didn't "dig"), then Franklin Morales came in and tossed a perfect inning with two K's, and Matt Albers came in for the eighth, giving up a single run on two hits and a walk.  For some inexplicable reason, Jonathan Papelbon entered the game, recording a one-two-three ninth inning, though it was nowhere close to being a save situation.

The bats were alive and well tonight - finally - as Adrian Gonzalez went deep for the second straight game, and Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford notched homeruns of their own.  Crawford, Marco Scutaro, and the newly returned David Ortiz all struck doubles, and Ellsbury swiped his thirty-fifth stolen base. 

When it was all over, the Red Sox had scored thirteen runs, and everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit.  Tonight's game was a win-win for Sox fans - whether you dig the longball, splendid pitching performances, or inexplicable calls to the bullpen.

Everyone CALM DOWN.

So here we are, one series and three games into the 2011 season, and 3 games behind the first-place Orioles (yes, the Orioles), and people are starting to panic.

Why did we drop so much money and so many prospects for a splash in the offseason only to see the 2011 version of the Sox immediately fall into a tailspin in Texas? First of all, there are a lot of factors that go into these three losses.

(1) The Rangers are not to be taken lightly. These are not your father’s Texas Rangers: they’re under new ownership (hello, Nolan Ryan), and, lest you forget, they are the defending American League champions. Yes, they’ve lost Cliff Lee, but one player does not make or break a team.

(2) The Red Sox had a terrible spring. I understand that Spring Training is essentially meaningless, but the lackluster record and laissez faire attitude from that period seems to have carried over. Hopefully, they snap out of this funk sooner rather than later.

(3) It’s only April 4^th! I know, I know, these losses count just as much as losses in July or September, and if we lose out on the playoffs by less than three games, I will go back and eat my words, but while a three-game sweep to Texas, IN Texas, would be a cause for concern in mid-June and are the reason for outright panic at the start of the season. Say it with me, folks: SMALL. SAMPLE. SIZE.

Look, I understand the panic. I get it, the start of a new season is a rebirth in many ways, and no one wants their personal time of renewal to be sullied by bad experiences (and three losing scores of 12-5, 5-1, and 9-5 certainly fall into the realm of bad experiences).

But just like the triumphant graduating senior who can look back at his botched freshman year with nostalgia, I am confident that we will be able to look back on these three days and laugh, for they will not shape the entire season. Baseball is a marathon, there are 160 games still left to be played, and it’s unlikely (practically impossible, in fact), that the Red Sox will go 0-162 – though that would certainly be a memorable season, for all the wrong reasons.

It’s going to be okay, I promise… there’s a lot to look forward to: David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez are already RAKING; Matt Albers, Bobby Jenks, and Dennys Reyes have a collective ERA of 0.00; no one is injured yet; AND WE GO TO CLEVELAND NEXT. Things are going to look up – our starting pitching can hardly get worse, and the return to friendly Fenway on Friday should do us a world of good (even if we’re returning to play the Yanks).

It's not the 2010 Parade of Carnage, so everything will be okay.

So back away from the edge of the Tobin Bridge, Red Sox Nation… this should still be a season for the ages, and you would hate to miss out because you jumped ship in April after one lost series.

Let's Burst his Bubble: CJ Wilson and Opening day

Despite the fact that Texas starter CJ Wilson is seemingly unimpressed with the 2011 Boston Red Sox, I have a good feeling about today (plus, I have Wilson and Neftali Feliz on my fantasy team, so if all goes awry for the Sox, at least I'll get something out of it).

I'm a pretty big Wilson fan, but with all due respect, his comments sounded like overcompensation - perhaps for nerves? Obviously, the lefthander is an elite talent, and he's only saying what any pitcher would say. You can't expect him to publicly cower from the almighty Red Sox - that would hardly inspire his teammates to give him much run support. The fact is, the Red Sox did only make 2 additions to their lineup, but they're two of the best players in the game. Sure, the fact that both Crawford and Gonzalez are lefthanded, and Wilson has been absolute DEATH on lefties, but I still think the Sox will pull this one out.

And even if they don't? There are 161 games coming after today, and these Red Sox are built for the long haul. Assuming they can avoid another Parade of Carnage like last year, it's easy to imagine baseball in Boston well into October. It's hard not to look at the first few games of the season under a microscope: if the team goes 0-2 or 1-3, well, there goes the season. Likewise, if the team starts off hot, it's tempting to start designing those World Series rings in April.

But it's just so pretty.

The checked-in fan does neither. Yes, the games happening in April count for exactly as much as the games that will happen in late September, but they also count only as much as those lazy June afternoon games that so many of us miss while we're at work. A little perspective goes a long way in baseball.

CJ Wilson's perspective is that he needn't worry about the Sox this Opening Day - I say we give him a reality check.

It's beginning to look a lot like Cliff-mas...

Yes, the rumors are (apparently) true. Clifton Phifer Lee has turned down offers from the Rangers and Yankees to sign with that "mystery team" we've been hearing about all along: many fans assumed it was a ploy from agent Darek Braunecker, but it turns out that the mystery is for real, and it resides in Citizens Bank Park In Philadelphia.

This is literally the best-case scenario for Red Sox fans. I've been saying for weeks that I wanted Lee to go to the Rangers if given the choice between his two suitors, despite the fact that I was SURE he would be in the Bronx - and that what I wanted most of all was for him to end up in the National League.

Generally, I'm a giant skeptic, but Santa has really made a believer about of me this year, first with Gonzo and Crawford, and now this fantastic outcome in the Lee fiasco. Seriously, we Red Sox fans should be kissing Cliff Lee's feet, both for distracting the Yankees for long enough for the Sox to sign Crawford (surely he was their Plan B heading into the offseason), and for ultimately spurning the Yankees offer to return to Philadelphia, thus ensuring that our batters won't see him until the World Series or during interleague play in June.

Apparently, the Yankees had offered Lee $138 million over six years, with an option for a seventh year (for another $16 million), the Rangers offered "a menu of contract options," but it was the Philly's offer of five years, $120 million, with a vesting option for a sixth year for a whopping $27.5 million if he pitches 200 innings in 2015, or 400 combined between 2014-15.

It is interesting to note that the Lees turned down New York, not in favor of being closer to their Arkansas home while playing for Texas, but to go back to someplace Cliff felt comfortable. Lee is really a stand-up guy: we all heard about how uncomfortable Mrs. Lee was in New York for the ALCS, with Yankees fans apparently spitting and throwing beer from the upper decks into the visiting family section, and it seems the couple has taken that into consideration.

It certainly wasn't the money that sent Lee to Philly, so it seems we have no choice but to take it at face value when he claims to simply feel like he belongs there. Lee's former teammates in Philadelphia from the 2009 title run are thrilled to have him back, and rightly so, as he brings the number of aces in their rotation up to four.

I don't know about you, but I'm very glad Cliff Lee will be in the National League for the foreseeable future. Usually I'm a secularist when it comes to holidays, but this year I'll be celebrating Cliff-mas with all of Philadelphia.

Crazy for Cliff Lee (but not insane)

"The Rangers may do something crazy when it comes to Lee, but they won't do something insane." - T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com

What on Earth does that even mean? That they won't outbid the Evil Empire? I hate to be critical, but DUH. Even if the Rangers front office had half a mind to try to outbid the Yankees, such a thing is impossible (as Red Sox fans will remember). Yes, the Rangers have a lucrative new television contract... but the Yankees OWN their own network, and in the biggest market in the country.


Nolan Ryan, at least, fully understands just how hard it will be to retain Lee, but their best bet may lie with the three rules of real estate: location, location, location.

New York taxes and the cost of living (even if Lee should choose to live in New Jersey) will add up very quickly. The Rangers can offer the ace millions less than the Yankees, and the adjusted gross value after taxes and all that jazz will probably still be higher if the fireballer stays in Texas.

And, apparently Lee's wife was no fan of New York Yankees faithful:

Perhaps the Rangers' greatest sales pitch simply was having Kristen sit in the visiting family section at Yankee Stadium during the playoffs. She says there were ugly taunts. Obscenities. Cups of beer thrown. Even fans spitting from the section above. "The fans did not do good things in my heart," Kristen says. "When people are staring at you, and saying horrible things, it's hard not to take it personal." (Via Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY)

There's also the fact that both Kristen and Cliff Lee's families live a forty-minute flight away from Arlington, in Little Rock, Arkansas, and the couple recently purchased a home in the city.

Of course, the Yankees will have Lee's friend and former teammate, CC Sabathia, looking to recruit him, and the Bronx Bombers have the resources to commit more money and years to any offer they give.

The Rangers are quietly attempting to woo Lee - they haven't made any well-publicized treks across the country, but they're determined to give this their best shot, and prepared to offer him more money than any Ranger since A*Rod (remember him?).

Rangers second-baseman Ian Kinsler wants Lee to stay in Texas: "In the offseason, I'm probably going to call his phone, oh, a couple of hundred times."

You do that, Ian... Personally, I want Cliff Lee in Arlinton for a long time to come. Actually, in an ideal world, he would go to the National League, so I wouldn't have to see him mow down my boys a few times every summer - but I'll take Texas.

Come on, Jon Daniels.... Make it happen. Do something CRAZY! But not insane.

2010 World Series, in Tweets

So that's it. The World Series is over, and it's taking baseball with it. The Giants are world champs, and while I was rooting for the Rangers, I can handle this result. I could tell you my thoughts on the matter, but I think it's more interesting to get the reactions of others, so here are some of the tweets that made the round last evening:
















As always, if you are the author of any of these tweets, and would like yours removed, contact me and I will be happy to oblige.

Rangers in six

The World Series will finally get underway this Wednesday, and since my original prediction is no longer possible (Phillies in six), it’s time to reevaluate. Since all the major sports outlets were hoping for a big market, Philadelphia-New York World Series, there hasn’t been too much conjecture on the possibility of a San Francisco-Texas Fall Classic, and now that possibility has become the reality.

MLB and Fox (who will host the Series) expect a smaller audience for this matchup than they’ve had the past few years, but there’s a few good reasons to tune in even if your team isn’t involved. The Giants have not won a World Series since they departed from New York after the 1957 season. They have, however, won four Pennants in San Francisco (1962, 1989, 2002, 2010), but have yet to seal the deal with a Championship. The Texas Rangers, on the other hand, had never won an AL title until they defeated the Yankees last Friday, and prior to 2010, had won exactly one postseason game in their history. The Rangers are attempting to win their first World Series for new team owner Nolan Ryan (yes, the Nolan Ryan).

On the field the teams are pretty evenly matched. Both the Rangers and the Giants are anchored by a fantastic pitching staff: strong starters, quality bullpens, and dynamic closers. The Giants boast a 3.36 ERA, while the Rangers did about half a run worse at 3.93. This disparity could be almost completely stripped away when you consider that the Giants had the luxury of pitching to pitchers in the nine spot all season while the Rangers had to deal with designated hitters. Star power abounds in both rotations, with names like Cliff Lee, Tim Lincecum, and Matt Cain, while closers Neftali Feliz and Brian Wilson have developed cult followings in Texas and San Francisco, respectively.

On the offensive side, the Rangers had the best team batting average in the majors, batting .276 for the season, while the Giants hit .257. Rangers team OPS was a robust .757, while the came in just behind at .729. Each team has their fair share of big name sluggers, though Texas has the edge in star power with names like Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, and Vladimir Guerrero. The Giants, for their part, have Aubrey Huff, Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval, and ROY candidate Buster Posey.

Game One looks to be an exciting one, as Lee will face Lincecum in a Battle of the Aces. It should be a close one, but I’m taking Lee as the winner, mostly because he will be better rested after Lincecum had to pitch in relief in NLCS Game 6. Lee is 3-0 with a 0.75 ERA this postseason (and 2-0, 0.90 this season with 6+ days of rest), while Lincecum is 2-1, 1.93.

I'll do more head-to-head analysis as the Series gets going, but I’m going to go on record right now and pick the Rangers in six games, home field advantage or none.

[This post also appeared in the Trinity Tripod]

A Tale of Two Pennants (in Tweets)

It's no secret that I love Twitter. I've been pretty delinquent actually tweeting this season since (A) my summer residencde lacked internet access, and (B) my life has been a busy mess now that I'm back at school. However, I do still check on a regualr basis, and collect screengrabs of my favorite comments. And so, without further ado, here are some of the best tweets of the LCS:

Interestingly enough, both series ended with opposing hitters looking at strike three.



Red Sox Nation will remember his feeling well... I don't think any of us could believe out luck six years ago.


See above.

Too much awesome. Nolan Ryan is a bamf, and I hope he's willing to pay Cliff to stick around.

True to form, Craig Sager wore some truly ridiculous and retina-burning ensembles this postseason. Here's hoping the Rangers and/or Giants can douse some more of those awful suits in champagne.

Preach.

Because of Josh Hamiliton's long-documented struggle with alcoholism, the Rangers doused him in ginger ale instead of champagne. As far as I can ascertain, there was no powdered sugar around, despite Manager Ron Washington's confession of cocaine use early in the season.

TRUTH.

Merry bunch of misfits FTW.

As much as I hate Girardi, that ad was hilarious. So was the intentional walk followed by the three-run homer, but for different reasons.


Texas used to be a real country. True story.


Ummm... I totally plan on watching this series. And I'm thrilled with the matchup, despite the fact that the major networks and MLB are going to be crying over the small-market World Series.

[If you are the author of any of these tweets and desire their removal, please let me know and I will take them down.]