The other G-Men

The San Francisco Giants are 1 win away from going to the World Series. I figured this series was going to be close but I personally thought it would be the Phillies on top. If you didn’t watch last night’s NLCS you missed what playoff baseball is all about. The Giants fought their way back into the game, took the lead, lost it, and finally with a sac fly win. It just doesn’t get any better than that! I really enjoyed when the Giants send to the plate their secret weapon, the man the name and looks of……Kung Fu Panda (Pablo Sandoval). Sandoval hit a double and the stands started to shake, the camera was having a hard time staying locked on what was going on.

Tonight the Giants will send their ace Tim Lincecum to the mound to face the Doc Roy Halladay in a rematch from game one. Can the Giants close out the series? I think they can with as hot as they are.

Texas is putting on a show

Watching the Texas Rangers put a whopping on the New York Yankees in the past 2 games has been quite impressive. I personally thought it was going to be the Yankees bats which would ultimately win this series but they have been relatively none existent except for R.Cano who is batting over .400. From top to bottom the Rangers have a solid line up which is anchored by their 3-4-5 hitters. Hamilton is swinging the bat like he was prior to his injury at the end of the season. Guerrero is crushing everything he sees (and he swings at every pitch he sees). Finally Nelson Cruz is having a year to remember batting .333 in the post season. Oh and I almost forgot…. The Rangers have Cliff Lee and company who have been lights out for any line. If the Rangers can stay as hot as they are right now, I just can’t see they getting beat in any four game series.

MLB Playoffs prediction

Texas vs New York
New York Yankees in 6
The Yankees bats are going to end the Rangers season. If the Rangers could have beaten the Tampa Bay Rays in 4, they would have had a chance with Lee pitching twice in the series.

San Francisco vs. Philadelphia
Philadelphia in 6
Phills pitching and batting is going to be just too strong for the Giants. The season series was tied up at 3 wins apiece.

As much as I don’t want to see it, I think it is going to be a rematch of last year’s World Series between the Phillies and the Yankees.

By the numbers: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers

Great article by St. Pete Times Writer Marc Topkin about the stats for the Rays vs. Rangers series.

By the numbers: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer In Print: Wednesday, October 6, 2010

By the numbers: Rangers vs. Rays

0-3, 4.56 P Cliff Lee, today's starter, vs. Rays this season; he was 12-6, 2.67 against all other teams
0.54 Career ERA of Rays closer Rafael Soriano in 14 appearances vs. Rangers
.147 Josh Hamilton's career batting average at Tropicana Field (nine games)
.342, 17, 55 Vlad Guerrero's career average, HRs and RBI in 66 games vs. Rays
.359 Season average for Rangers OF Josh Hamilton, best in the majors and in team history
.597 Rays winning percentage in day games, sixth best in MLB; Rangers are 24th at .432
1-9 Rangers record in previous postseason play, all against the Yankees
2 Rangers wins in their past 12 games at Tropicana Field
4-2 Rays record vs. Rangers in 2010
5 Rangers with postseason experience
5-for-7 Guerrero's stats against Soriano
6.35 Rangers staff ERA against the Rays, highest of any of their opponents
18 Walks issued by Rangers starter Cliff Lee in 2121/3 innings (two vs. Rays)
36-20 Rays' record vs. left-handed starters, second best in majors
Joe Smith and Marc Topkin, Times staff writers

Team stats

RAYS
Most frequent starters
Pos., player G HR RBI R Avg. OPS
C John Jaso 109 5 44 57 .263 .750
1B Carlos Peña 144 28 84 64 .196 .732
2B Sean Rodriguez 118 9 40 53 .251 .705
SS Jason Bartlett 135 4 47 71 .254 .675
3B Evan Longoria 151 22 104 96 .294 .879
LF Carl Crawford 154 19 90 110 .307 .851
CF B.J. Upton 154 18 62 89 .237 .745
RF Ben Zobrist 151 10 75 77 .238 .699
DH Willy Aybar 100 6 43 22 .230 .654

Others
IF Reid Brignac 113 8 45 39 .256 .692
RF Matt Joyce 77 10 40 30 .241 .837
C Kelly Shoppach 63 5 17 17 .196 .650
C Dioner Navarro 48 1 7 11 .194 .528
OF Rocco Baldelli 10 1 5 3 .208 .615
IF/OF Dan Johnson 30 7 23 15 .198 .757

Starting pitchers
Pitcher W-L ERA BB SO CG WHIP
LH David Price 19-6 2.72 79 188 2 1.19
RH Matt Garza 15-10 3.91 63 150 3 1.25
RH James Shields 13-15 5.18 51 187 0 1.46
RH Wade Davis 12-10 4.07 62 113 0 1.35
RH Jeff Niemann* 12-8 4.39 61 131 1 1.26

Relief pitchers
Pitcher W-L ERA Sv BB SO WHIP
RH Rafael Soriano 3-2 1.73 45 14 57 0.80
RH Lance Cormier 4-3 3.92 0 34 30 1.64
RH Joaquin Benoit 1-2 1.34 1 11 75 0.68
RH Dan Wheeler 2-4 3.35 3 16 46 1.08
LH Randy Choate 4-3 4.23 0 17 40 1.30
RH Grant Balfour 2-1 2.28 0 17 56 1.08
RH Andy Sonnanstine 3-1 4.44 1 11 50 1.36
RH Chad Qualls 2-0 5.57 0 6 15 1.43

RANGERS
Most frequent starters
Pos., player G HR RBI R Avg. OPS
C Matt Treanor 82 5 27 22 .211 .595
1B Jorge Cantu 127 11 56 50 .256 .695
2B Ian Kinsler 103 9 45 73 .286 .794
SS Elvis Andrus 148 0 35 88 .265 .643
3B Mike Young 157 21 91 99 .284 .774
LF Nelson Cruz 108 22 78 60 .318 .950
CF Josh Hamilton 133 32 100 95 .359 1.044
RF Jeff Francoeur 139 13 65 52 .249 .683
DH Vladimir Guerrero 152 29 115 83 .300 .841

Others
OF David Murphy 138 12 65 54 .291 .806
OF Julio Borbon 137 3 42 60 .276 .649
C Bengie Molina 57 2 19 10 .240 .599
2B Andres Blanco 68 0 13 17 .277 .679
1B Mitch Moreland 47 9 25 20 .255 .833

Starting pitchers
Pitcher W-L ERA BB SO CG WHIP
LH Cliff Lee 12-9 3.18 18 185 7 1.00
LH C.J. Wilson 15-8 3.35 93 170 3 1.24
RH Colby Lewis 12-13 3.72 65 196 1 1.19
RH Tommy Hunter 13-4 3.73 33 68 1 1.24
RH Scott Feldman* 7-11 5.48 45 75 1 1.60

Relief pitchers
Pitcher W-L ERA Sv BB SO WHIP
RH Neftali Feliz 4-3 2.73 40 18 71 0.88
LH Derek Holland 3-4 4.08 0 24 54 1.38
RH Darren O'Day 6-2 2.03 0 12 45 0.89
LH Darren Oliver 1-2 2.48 1 15 65 1.10
RH Alexi Ogando 4-1 1.30 0 16 39 1.13
RH Dustin Nippert 4-5 4.29 0 34 47 1.68

* — Regular-season starter not projected to be in ALDS rotation
OPS = on-base plus slugging; WHIP = walks plus hits per inning

Things That Make You Say........"Oh Jesus, Help Me!"

Things That Make You Say........"Oh Jesus, Help Me!"

Washington Nationals Stud pitcher

Last night the face of the Washington Nationals was pulled from his start with a stiff shoulder. I know there were 40,000 fans in attendance who paid their hard earned money to see Stephen Strasburg pitch, but when he didn’t does that give them the right to boo his replacement Miguel Batista. The Nationals are just protecting Strasburg from any injury. If I was the pitching coach and my star pitcher told me his shoulder was feeling “stiff” I would have said the same thing, grab your stuff and go to the training room you are done for the night. So National fans chill out you will have plenty of time to see your stud pitcher mow through the opposition. Last night was just for his protection and your team’s future.

Terrell Ownes

ESPN is reporting that Terrell Owens has received a deal from the Bengal for around $2 million plus an extra $2 million in incentives. Just a few weeks ago I remember his super agent Drew Rosenhaus (whom I am a huge fan of) was reporting there was a large market for the 36 year old wide receiver. I do agree if T.O. to the level everyone expects him too then the Bengals got a steal. The only problem is can Owens keep his mouth shut and just let his actions on the field speak for him. I think he will and also I think Palmer is a strong enough QB to make sure he remains quite. Romo is not a vocally strong leader, Pamler is.