Wait…is that title right? Did it just say the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants for the World Series?
The Texas Rangers? The team that never won a playoff series before the 2010 playoffs, let alone ever been to a World Series? The same team that finished 10 games out of first place in the AL West last season?
Against the San Francisco Giants? The same Giants team that had to win the last game of the season to make it into the playoffs? The same franchise who has yet to ever win a World Series since moving to San Francisco.
Take in the moment to say the names of the teams battling it out for baseball’s richest prize one more time. Now pinch yourself while you are at it and close your mouth after it dropped from astonishment.
All done?
Good.
This is no dream (or a nightmare if you are from New York or Philadelphia) nor is it a typo of any sort. This isn’t the usual showcase of high-powered or high costing rosters like the Phillies or Cardinals against one of the AL East teams (like it has been in the past two years). The two under dog teams from both championship series were able to shock the world by knocking their supposed “overpowering” counterparts down to size and out of the postseason.
This title match brings a refreshing look to baseball; two franchises with payrolls below $100 million (Giants are ranked 10th and Rangers are ranked 27th according to CBSSports.com) and fresh faces that are irrelevant in comparison to the bigger names of the sport. Baseball titles aren’t even a familiarity for the areas both teams play for. The Spurs, Cowboys and 49ers are the teams that usually have parades for winning their sport’s championships in Texas and San Francisco history.
While the firepower of big faces aren’t featured and both teams are in realms of baseball they rarely (or in Texas’ case never) reach this point, the unusual match up will spark a new and creative twist to the finale of the playoffs. Although boredom with very little interest is the forecast most baseball experts have for this series, there is plenty of potential to make this a very special World Series.
Here are some key points to watch after the first pitch is thrown by Rangers ace Cliff Lee on Wednesday:
- Texas Wants The High Road, San Francisco Wants The Low Road
If there is one word to define the Texas team, it has to be explosive. The team will look to put up big numbers on the board with the variety of hitters they feature.
The Rangers’ hitters can make a great pitch look bad with one swing. Speedster Elvis Andrus opens up a line up that follows with an abundance of smart and powerful hitters. Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero, and Nelson Cruz all hit over .300 in the ALCS and each hit at least 20 home runs in the regular season.
The key for the Rangers will be to keep the score high and making sure that the games turn into an offensive match up. If the scores can get over the five run mark, advantage will swing in their favor.
For the Giants, the key word will be subtle.
There is subtlety in their formula on winning games, they just appear to make it happen and go with what is working for them at that moment. They are lead, of course, by their rotation of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Jonathan Sanchez, who all have kept opponents batting below .200 against them in the playoffs.
Keeping the score on the low end will be most important for the Giants. In all three playoff losses, they have given up more than four runs. In five of their seven wins, they have scored three runs or less.
Whichever road the games and the series drive towards will feature which team has the edge in the series.
- Ron Washington vs Bruce Bochy
With two teams that feature a lengthy roster of players who have never been to the World Series, a big key factor will fall into the hands of the managers.
Both Ron Washington and Bruce Bochy have made the necessary changes and requirements throughout the playoffs to make their team successful. The Rangers could have opted for their ace Lee in the sixth game of the series, but Washington kept his faith in Colby Lewis and they won. Bochy had a quick counter for each move both Bobby Cox and Charlie Manuel made that prevailed for him in the end.
The two teams have lineups that are interchangeable, which means having the right alterations and match ups will be important for both teams. With inexperience and unfamiliarity of the World Series the focus on both sides, the teams will look to their managers to make the right calls to be successful.
- DH An Issue For Both Sides
Most teams in baseball look at the position of DH as a luxury, a way to add more bang for your buck in a lineup with the pitcher only focusing upon pitching. This series takes the issue of DH in a different direction.
Texas will have to figure out what to do with Guerrero when game one starts in San Francisco. Although he has played in the outfield historically as well as this season (seventeen games in right and one in left), he is not the great defensive player he once was. His start in the outfield will also mean that David Murphy will most likely sit on the bench.
The Giants will also have to deal with who to place in the DH position once the series shifts to Texas. One option would be to place Pat Burrell in the spot and start Nate Schierholtz in the outfield in his place for defense. They could also hit Aubrey Huff at DH and put Travis Ishikawa at first base for defense. Pablo Sandoval is also a possible solution to be the DH.
The changes both teams make when the series move venues could be a big catalyst in the series.
When the series kicks off, everyone will be on edge to see which one of these underdogs will come out on top. Neither team wants to be the favorite and both will try their best to stay in the shadows of the media attention hoping to creep out only after the champagne is popped (or Ginger Ale in Texas’ case).
Regardless of the attention or focus on the odds, the Texas Rangers vs San Francisco Giants will be a Cinderella-on-both-sides series that appears to assure the public of fireworks and drama until the end.
Texas Rangers vs San Francisco Giants for the World Series…a sentence that still appears bizarre to read in the papers no matter how many times it’s been printed.
The 2010 World Series Matchup: Texas Rangers vs San Francisco Giants
