2010 ALCS: Rangers vs. Yankees

[MexSoxFan#1]

The Texas Rangers are the absolute best example of a team who traded away their best player, got the best package they could, and developed that talent to be major league ready. That Teixeira trade looks incredible, and the biggest chip in the trade - Jarrod Saltalamacchia - didn't do s*** with the Rangers and it still looks awesome. Andrus is awesome, still young, and only going to get better at the plate, and Neftali is a stud, whether in the pen or the rotation.

 

It's sweet justice that they've reached the postseason before Teixeira, though he obviously has had little to do with that.

 

FanGraphs posted an article before the postseason that suggested that the Rangers might have the best postseason rotation with Lee, Wilson, Lewis, and Hunter. Considering their bullpen is good enough, and their lineup is solid (with obvious room for improvement), this may not be the last time we see the Rangers in the World Series.

 

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early prediction - Paul Konerko signs with the Rangers, 4 years, $50 mill, after they resign Cliff Lee to a 7 year, $140 mill deal.

 

I don't understand that statement, didn't Teixeira win a WS ring last year with the Yankees?

[ThunderBolt]

I don't understand that statement, didn't Teixeira win a WS ring last year with the Yankees?

2009 was a lost year for Witesoxfan. Also, one of the best things about going to a Big East school is watching shellshocked Yankees fan walking around the morning after elimination.

[witesoxfan]

oh yeah, I completely spaced off last year. WTF was I thinking?

 

It's still pretty sweet that the Rangers beat the Yankees though.

[Balta1701]

oh yeah, I completely spaced off last year. WTF was I thinking?

 

It's still pretty sweet that the Rangers beat the Yankees though.

I liked it being the Rangers' former $250 million man and current creditor taking the slider to end it.

[Jordan4life_2007]

The Texas Rangers are the absolute best example of a team who traded away their best player, got the best package they could, and developed that talent to be major league ready. That Teixeira trade looks incredible, and the biggest chip in the trade - Jarrod Saltalamacchia - didn't do s*** with the Rangers and it still looks awesome. Andrus is awesome, still young, and only going to get better at the plate, and Neftali is a stud, whether in the pen or the rotation.

 

It's sweet justice that they've reached the postseason before Teixeira, though he obviously has had little to do with that.

 

FanGraphs posted an article before the postseason that suggested that the Rangers might have the best postseason rotation with Lee, Wilson, Lewis, and Hunter. Considering their bullpen is good enough, and their lineup is solid (with obvious room for improvement), this may not be the last time we see the Rangers in the World Series.

 

---

 

 

early prediction - Paul Konerko signs with the Rangers, 4 years, $50 mill, after they resign Cliff Lee to a 7 year, $140 mill deal.

You just kinda knew the Rangers were primed for something special. Loaded farm systems don't gurantee anything. But seemingly every major minor league site/publication/guru were in total agreement that not only did the Rangers have the best collection of talent in baseball, but by far the best. And man has their system come through. And they're still loaded. They don't have the look of a 1-year wonder at all. They could be even better next year. It's easy to forget that guys like Kinlser and Cruz spent a considerable amount of time on the DL. Hamilton missed the last month. And they only had Lee for 15 starts. And many around baseball think Feliz will ultimately end up in the rotation. And his stuff is as filthy as they come.

[MexSoxFan#1]

You just kinda knew the Rangers were primed for something special. Loaded farm systems don't gurantee anything. But seemingly every major minor league site/publication/guru were in total agreement that not only did the Rangers have the best collection of talent in baseball, but by far the best. And man has their system come through. And they're still loaded. They don't have the look of a 1-year wonder at all. They could be even better next year. It's easy to forget that guys like Kinlser and Cruz spent a considerable amount of time on the DL. Hamilton missed the last month. And they only had Lee for 15 starts. And many around baseball think Feliz will ultimately end up in the rotation. And his stuff is as filthy as they come.

Baseball is a weird sport, sometimes it makes no sense and that's why I love it...on that note, I'm weary of making predictions because most times they don't pan out, for instance, many thought the Detroit Tigers would be a force to reckon with for years to come after that 2006 pitching staff and they really haven't done much since and another example, how many of us here would've thought that the Rays would've won a WS by now after 2008?

 

I wouldn't be at all surprised that if Texas wins the WS this year, they won't make it again...baseball is so unpredictable.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Baseball is a weird sport, sometimes it makes no sense and that's why I love it...on that note, I'm weary of making predictions because most times they don't pan out, for instance, many thought the Detroit Tigers would be a force to reckon with for years to come after that 2006 pitching staff and they really haven't done much since and another example, how many of us here would've thought that the Rays would've won a WS by now after 2008?

 

I wouldn't be at all surprised that if Texas wins the WS this year, they won't make it again...baseball is so unpredictable.

I agree completely. And nowhere did I imply the Rangers were a dynasty in the making. But nobody can deny the potential that is there. Combine what they already have at the big league level, with the potential for some of their younger players (Andrus, Bourbon, Holland) to get better, with what they have in the minors (Martin Perez, Tanner Scheppers) and their long-term future looks excellent. They had a plan and they stuck with it. It was clear the way they had previously been doing things (i.e. loading up on overpriced free agents and trying to outslug everybody) wasn't working. So they started to invest heavily in scouting, the draft and latin america and build from within. Sure it took some time. But they're reaping the rewards now. And you have to give Nolan Ryan a hell of a lot if credit for the the culture change. He's not just a big name. He's had a legitimate impact.

Edited October 23, 2010 by Jordan4life

[Chisoxfn]

Glad the Rangers won. I would've taken the Rays too, but it's nice to see some new blood in the World Series for a change. I'm not one who vehemently hates everything the Yankees do, but to me there is no entertainment value in seeing the Yankees in the World Series (or very close to it) seemingly every other year, on the heels of whatever brand new $150 million contract they just gave to the latest free agent superstar that the other 29 teams desperately wanted to give but couldn't. It just gets old and stale.

And the Yankees consistently doing this ruins and hurts baseball in the bigger picture because there spending sprees prevent other teams from having more fair shots at playing post-season ball and as a result of baseballs inequitable system you have cities that haven't experienced post-season ball in forever and because of that you have lost generations of fans.

 

Yes, some of those teams just make poor decisions, but good or poor, you have to run things pretty darn perfect if you don't have a big payroll, especially when you are in a division with some of the big boys in baseball (i.e., the big markets/payrolls).

[Milkman delivers]

Whenever I have no rooting interest in the playoffs, I can usually pick the team that will eventually win it. I've had a feeling about the Giants since the postseason started, so I'm sticking with them.

 

Having said that, I don't care which one of these teams wins it. The only player on either team that I dislike is Hamilton (I don't care about his drug problem, the guy's a hero because he did heroin while guy's who never touched drugs in their lives aren't worth mentioning).

[Balta1701]

Fans' treatment of Cliff Lee's wife at Yankee Stadium might not help the Yankees' recruitment of one of the game's top left-handed pitchers.

 

During the AL Championship Series games in New York between the Yankees and Rangers, fans were extremely rude to Kristen Lee, spitting and throwing beer in her direction and shouting obscenities, according to USA Today.

 

Lee starts Game 1 of the World Series against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday after helping Texas beat New York in the ALCS in six games. But there has been widespread speculation that the Yankees will make a serious run at signing Lee when he becomes a free agent after the season.

 

The reported incidents could not have helped that cause.

 

"The fans did not do good things in my heart," Kristen Lee said, according to the newspaper. "When people are staring at you, and saying horrible things, it's hard not to take it personal."

 

Kristen Lee sat in the visiting family section, according to USA Today.

Link

[nitetrain8601]

Whenever I have no rooting interest in the playoffs, I can usually pick the team that will eventually win it. I've had a feeling about the Giants since the postseason started, so I'm sticking with them.

 

Having said that, I don't care which one of these teams wins it. The only player on either team that I dislike is Hamilton (I don't care about his drug problem, the guy's a hero because he did heroin while guy's who never touched drugs in their lives aren't worth mentioning).

 

Plus he strikes me as a guy who still drinks and does that stuff. Maybe not heroin, but I do remember pictures of him leaking taking shots off of women at a bar when he was claiming straight edge and his shirt was off and all. I think he's one of the biggest phonies out there.

[Balta1701]

Plus he strikes me as a guy who still drinks and does that stuff. Maybe not heroin, but I do remember pictures of him leaking taking shots off of women at a bar when he was claiming straight edge and his shirt was off and all. I think he's one of the biggest phonies out there.

Yeah, he admitted he had a setback, apologized, and went through the 12 step response to how you respond to a setback.

[Balta1701]

Captain Cheeseburger is having minor knee surgery.

[LittleHurt05]

Plus he strikes me as a guy who still drinks and does that stuff. Maybe not heroin, but I do remember pictures of him leaking taking shots off of women at a bar when he was claiming straight edge and his shirt was off and all. I think he's one of the biggest phonies out there.

 

Yeah, he admitted he had a setback, apologized, and went through the 12 step response to how you respond to a setback.

 

Exactly Balta. If you don't wanna like him because you don't think he deserves the praise, thats fine by me. But I don't know how you can call him a phony? It's pretty obvious he has a serious substance abuse problem, which is a 24-7 battle, where he can relapse at any time, no matter how clean he is now. Thats what happened in those pics, he admitted to it, and got back to trying to stay clean.

[Jerksticks]

Rangers have a bunch of guys playing out their ass all year, especially pitchers. It smells like a team of destiny just like 2005. I'm picking them.

[LittleHurt05]

Rangers have a bunch of guys playing out their ass all year, especially pitchers. It smells like a team of destiny just like 2005. I'm picking them.

 

I kinda disagree with that. CJ Wilson had some great years as a closer. Colby did suddenly figure it out in Japan, but he was always considered to have the stuff, so I think he can keep it up at age 30. I think its a pretty damn talented team, although the lineup more than the pitchers of course. All champs need a bit of "team of destiny" in them, but I think this team is playing way less out of their ass than the 2005 Sox.

[Kid Gleason]

I'm going for the Rangers. They're an American League team, never been this far, and since I am a Johnny Thunders fan, I have a soft spot for junkies, especially the reformed ones.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I kinda disagree with that. CJ Wilson had some great years as a closer. Colby did suddenly figure it out in Japan, but he was always considered to have the stuff, so I think he can keep it up at age 30. I think its a pretty damn talented team, although the lineup more than the pitchers of course. All champs need a bit of "team of destiny" in them, but I think this team is playing way less out of their ass than the 2005 Sox.

 

Even during '05 you had so many players that you knew would not repeat theirs success in '06 and beyond. I still don't know how the hell Neal Cotts and his one pitch (which was average) dominated like he did. KW knew this better than anybody. That's why he traded arguably the team's most popular player for Thome like 38 seconds after the World Series clincher, to go along with trading the team's top position prospect for another SP when it appeared we had a set 5. The Rangers have a group of guys that you can definitely see stability/growth/upside in. And they still have two of the better pitching prospects in all the minors in Martin Perez and Tanner Scheppers. It all starts obviously, of course, with bringing Lee back.

Edited October 27, 2010 by Jordan4life

[witesoxfan]

Even during '05 you had so many players that you knew would not repeat theirs success in '06 and beyond. I still don't know how the hell Neal Cotts and his one pitch (which was average) dominated like he did. KW knew this better than anybody. That's why he traded arguably the team's most popular player for Thome like 38 seconds after the World Series clincher, to go along with trading the team's top position prospect for another SP when it appeared we had a set 5. The Rangers have a group of guys that you can definitely see stability/growth/upside in. And they still have two of the better pitching prospects in all the minors in Martin Perez and Tanner Scheppers. It all starts obviously, of course, with bringing Lee back.

 

With regards to Cotts, he did have a very mediocre slider to go along with that fastball, and used it just to get the other hitters thinking about it. He hid the ball very well and thus, his 88-91 MPH MPH fastball looked to be about 93-96. I recall people saying that he altered his delivery the following year - I think coming more over the top opposed to three-quarters - and it was much easier to pick the ball up and he's been killed ever since.

 

 

[Balta1701]

With regards to Cotts, he did have a very mediocre slider to go along with that fastball, and used it just to get the other hitters thinking about it. He hid the ball very well and thus, his 88-91 MPH MPH fastball looked to be about 93-96. I recall people saying that he altered his delivery the following year - I think coming more over the top opposed to three-quarters - and it was much easier to pick the ball up and he's been killed ever since.

I think part of him altering his delivery wound up being that he couldn't stay healthy if he didn't. He either had to choose between getting shelled or the DL.

[Rowand44]

With regards to Cotts, he did have a very mediocre slider to go along with that fastball, and used it just to get the other hitters thinking about it. He hid the ball very well and thus, his 88-91 MPH MPH fastball looked to be about 93-96. I recall people saying that he altered his delivery the following year - I think coming more over the top opposed to three-quarters - and it was much easier to pick the ball up and he's been killed ever since.

He hid the ball well and did the little toe tap which I'm sure messed with the hitters timing a little bit.

 

As for the Rangers, I'd bet on CJ Wilson and Colby Lewis coming back to earth pretty hard next season, they better find some pitching elsewhere imo.

[Jordan4life_2007]

He hid the ball well and did the little toe tap which I'm sure messed with the hitters timing a little bit.

 

As for the Rangers, I'd bet on CJ Wilson and Colby Lewis coming back to earth pretty hard next season, they better find some pitching elsewhere imo.

 

This is true. Both will have to prove this year's success was not flukish (though Lewis had some impressive peripherals). But if they resign Lee they'll obviously get 30+ starts instead of 15. And I think we see Feliz in the rotation, at least to begin the season next year. They'll obviously have to find another closer. But that's where guys like Ogando and Scheppers come in. Electric closer-type stuff from both of those guys.

[Jordan4life_2007]

With regards to Cotts, he did have a very mediocre slider to go along with that fastball, and used it just to get the other hitters thinking about it. He hid the ball very well and thus, his 88-91 MPH MPH fastball looked to be about 93-96. I recall people saying that he altered his delivery the following year - I think coming more over the top opposed to three-quarters - and it was much easier to pick the ball up and he's been killed ever since.

 

I remember fathom saying all that year that he had no clue how Cotts had only given up 1 HR. I just thought that fathom was being fathom (or am I the new fathom now?) Cotts was just one lucky mofo in 2005.

[NorthSideSox72]

I remember fathom saying all that year that he had no clue how Cotts had only given up 1 HR. I just thought that fathom was being fathom (or am I the new fathom now?) Cotts was just one lucky mofo in 2005.

Or, as Balta said, he was a different pitcher.

 

Something similar happened with Wassermann. He was lights-out up through the minors, then put up a pretty damn good rookie season with the Sox in 2007. During the offseason, Cooper sent him off to change a few things - he changed where he pitched from on the rubber, tried to add a change-up, eliminated the overhand fastball, some other stuff. He came back in 2008 and got rocked.

 

I'm a big believer that for pitchers, the smallest of changes can have big effect, good or bad. If Cotts changed his arm slot and delivery, for a guy who was already only a 2-pitch specialized guy, that could be a huge factor.

 

[chw42]

He hid the ball well and did the little toe tap which I'm sure messed with the hitters timing a little bit.

 

As for the Rangers, I'd bet on CJ Wilson and Colby Lewis coming back to earth pretty hard next season, they better find some pitching elsewhere imo.

 

I think Lewis is for real. Wilson on the other hand, could run into regression issues.