WS G5: Rangers take series lead with 4-2 win over
Cards

This was a really bizarre game. But I can say this. It was one of the most stressful games I've watched in awhile.

CJ Wilson was dancing with trouble the whole time he was out there, but didn't really break. He made it into the sixth throwing 108 pitches. But he allowed four hits, and five walks. Granted, two of the walks were intentional to Pujols, but still. You always felt he was on the verge of giving up 5 runs, but he never did. Gave up two, although one was unearned. Alexi Ogando wasn't a whole lot better. He only pitched one inning, but allowed two hits and three walks, but no runs. Go figure that one. :) He too was teetering like Ceej was, but nothing happened run wise.

All told, the Rangers gave up nine walks, although four of them were intentional. Three to Pujols, and one to Berkman.

The errors. There were two official errors, and a few other plays that probably should have been, but weren't according to the official rules.

Given all the walks, the errors and fielding issues, we should have lost this game, but we didn't. The Cardinals left 12 men on base, including the bases loaded at least twice that I remember. Rather surprised at that, to be honest. The Cardinals scored their runs early on in the second. Neither was a huge deal. One was a single to left, and the other was an infield groundout. Murphy's bobble on the first hit allowed the second to score (eventually), and it was unearned because of that. But that was it for their scoring. Given how many guys were on base, it's a surprise.

I've felt that Mitch Moreland has developed the Chris Davis problem, which is he swings much too "big", and is stupidly susceptible to a slider down and in. Swings through it all the time. Kind of like the reverse of Juan Gonzalez's old slider problem. Anyway, the Rangers got back into the game quickly in the bottom of the third when Moreland connected with a ball, and hit it halfway up the upper home run porch. Was a no doubter of a home run. One amusing thing, which is a Tom Grieve reference of sorts.. Immediately before Moreland went yard, Tim McCarver said "he hasn't shown it in the post season yet but Moreland has some pop". Does that count as the call? :)

The game stayed that way until the sixth when Albert Pujols connected on a ball and jacked it over the left field fence to tie the game. Given how little we were doing up to that point, it was a big booster to my feelings at the time. This game was seriously stressful, and the home runs seemed like a bigger deal than a solo shot to tie a game at 2-2 would normally be.

While I seem to be blowing off innings here, I have to point out again that this game was enormously intense. So much so that once I ran out of buffer time on the TiVo, I would pause the game for a few minutes, then watch a few minutes of the latest episode of "Two Broke Girls" from CBS. Then I'd go back to the game. I did this because I was mostly skipping the stuff inbetween the pitches. I didn't want to wait for all the posturing, the mound conferences, the delays between pitches. I did watch every pitch of the game, but the stuff inbetween I didn't want to watch due to the fact that the game was so intense.

Anyway, we get to the 8th, and then the real fun begins. It started off well, with Michael Young doubling, but then Beltre struck out. Still felt good about the inning. Then Tony LaRussa, aka "Super Genius" (see Wile E. Coyote) walks Nelson Cruz intentionally, and changes the pitcher to Mark Rzepczynski. Oddly enough Wash doesn't counter that move with the RH Gentry, but sticks with Murphy. It works out, as Murphy hits a slow ball back to Rzepdzlqwrvgski and it bounces away. While we'll never know what would have happen, his deflection let everyone be safe and loaded the bases. Super Genius had the reaction I captured in the picture here to the play. The next batter was Mike "MVP" Napoli. And you can guess what happened.

He doubled to the right center corner scoring Young & Cruz. Murphy goes to third and THEN is pinch run for by Gentry. While that was the end of the scoring, the rest of the inning log is worth looking at. Mitch "Davis" Moreland strikes out, and then the real amusing stuff starts. Super Genius brings in Lance Lynn, and has Lynn intentionally walk Ian Kinsler. While the TV guys were talking about that move, out comes Super Genius again and replaces Lynn with Jason Motte. What the heck? Bring in a guy to intentionally walk someone, then take him out? What was that? Well, Motte strikes out Elvis to end the inning, but that was definitely a "What the heck is he doing" moment.

Speaking of odd things in the 8th.. I was texting with a friend of mine who lives out in Arlington during the game. Here's a small exchange between us about the game. It's a screen dump from my iPad, we were chatting on the new iOS 5 iMessage feature. I had been talking about how stressful the game was, and my friend Jeff,... well, read it. :)

So I attributed the 8th inning to the fact that I went and got a beer. I ended up catching up to live TV just before Napoli's hit, which is probably good, because someone might have texted me and spoiled it (I had a few others texting me at the same time).

We get to the ninth and Neftali Feliz comes in for the save. Doing his best to call up the ghost of John Wetteland, Feliz hits his first batter, Allen Craig. Then comes a move that Super Genius blamed on miscommunication - like the miscommunication with the dugout phones. You almost thought Super Genius was going to say something like "Well, it would have worked if the phones were working, and people would have gotten my signals". In a move that hasn't happened the ENTIRE 2011 season (spring, regular, post), Albert Pujols struck out, and then Craig was caught stealing at second. That was the first time all year Albert has done that. So I say again, "Thanks Albert!".

Even the final out of the game was an adventure. Lance Berkman struck out, but Napoli dropped the ball, and it caromed off his foot, and rolled towards the Rangers dugout. He ran it down, much further than I've ever seen a catcher go after a dropped third strike, and underhanded it to Napoli for the final out of the game.

As weird as this game was, Super Genius blamed the bullpen phone for the mixup with the relievers in the 8th inning. He claimed that he asked for a guy to get up, and someone else was up. He even called twice, and the bullpen coach said he didn't hear the same name that Super Genius asked for. The names in question didn't even remotely sound anything like each other, so the whole exchange sounds fishy. You can read more about it here and here.

When the game was finally over, I posted this to Twitter. Was short and sweet.

Exhale #Rangers

It was intense, and I don't think anyone wanted to go to St. Louis down 3-2. Instead, we're UP 3-2. We're only one win away from winning the World Series. The only thing more surreal than that will be the post saying we won (assuming we do). But being on the edge is both nervous and exciting.

The Rangers won a game it had absolutely no right winning. How did they survive to pull this one out? Only the baseball gods know the answer to that one. The Rangers were charged with only two errors, but made five major defensive miscues. They issued four intentional walks (only the third time in World Series history that's happened). They walked nine batters altogether (only the 16th time a team has walked nine-plus in a World Series, and only the fourth team to win). They hit a batter and tossed a wild pitch. They threw 181 pitches in nine innings.

That bit above was taken from an ESPN story on the game. My response to it is this.... The bottom line is a W. That's *ALL* that matters in the playoffs and especially the World Series. Not HOW you got the W.

Oh, and for the record, I enjoyed Derek Holland's impressions in the game. I know some were saying it was inappropriate. I know Jamey Newberg didn't like it, and the guys I listened to on XM Radio in the morning didn't like it, but I did. Made me laugh. For me, I saw it as lighthearted. If anything, it was an extension of Ron Washington's attitude about having fun and not being too serious.

P.S. It also never occurred to me until last night that our closer's surname translates to "Happy". Don't know why I didn't pick up on that before.

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Yankees 2011 Season in Review: Mark Teixeira

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Rumor: Yankees Willing to Trade Francisco
Cervelli

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Today in Indefensible Journalism, Featuring Joel
Sherman

Let's dive right in, shall we?

In yesterday?s Post, I wrote this column about how negotiations between CC Sabathia and the Yankees may take shape. I may be in the minority, but I think they will be difficult and I think there is a very good chance Sabathia will leave. And the reason is Derek Jeter.

Allow me to set the stage.

In the Winter of 2010, Derek Jeter was a free agent for the first time in his career. Coming off of the worst season of his phenomenal career at age 36, a season in which he made $21 MM, most everyone recognized that the would be bidding against themselves for his services. While position scarcity revealed Jeter as an above-average shortstop, few teams would be willing to approach the sort of salary that the erstwhile Captain could demand of the Yankees, and few could logically believe that his name would mean as much to another franchise as it does to the Yankees.

Now, the Winter of 2011, CC Sabathia may once more test the waters of free agency. At age 31, Sabathia is coming off of the second best season of his career by both bWAR and fWAR, both of which view him as within the top-three in Major League Baseball. Few teams are able to afford such a prodigious salary as Sabathia is sure to demand, but it is worth noting that both Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee have broken the $20 MM AAV plateau over the past two years, with the latter having multiple teams bid for his services.

At face value, it would be difficult to find two players at such starkly different points in their careers.

No, Jeter is not actually part of these negotiations. But think about how the Yankees handled talks with a legend last year. They were concerned about his long-term future.

A justified concern, given his age and subpar 2010 campaign. A concern that seems justifiable in hindsight, as even Jeter's hot second-half left his overall offensive line well below his baseline.

The Jeter camp thought because he was Derek Jeter with all that he meant to the franchise, the Yankees would just capitulate and give him a deal in the range of five years at $125 million.

A questionable stance, given that little rational thought would construe Jeter as having much leverage in the negotiations.

The Yankees not only never considered it: They went public with their views, namely with Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman putting voice to their concerns about Jeter?s worth. And this was Derek Jeter. Face of the franchise. Beloved by the fans. Historic Yankee who has played nowhere else. It was a little bit like taking on Santa Claus at Christmas time.

The Yankees also went public with the Rodriguez negotiations, and he ended up re-signing (in another instance of the team bidding against itself). Jeter also re-signed, and there was little that indicated the negotiations hindered the organization or the player.

The rest is largely irrelevant, as it doesn't apply to CC Sabathia in any way, shape, or form.

Sabathia loves being a Yankee and the Yankees adore having Sabathia on their team and in their clubhouse. But he is no Jeter. He has played two other places. He has put down stakes in New Jersey, but not roots.

Nothing to see here, other than Sherman revealing that his previous point was irrelevant as soon as he hit return.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are as concerned about his long-term future as they were with Jeter due to Sabathia?s workload and, especially because of his expanding girth.

Girardi and Cashman have said all the right things with respect to Sabathia's long term future. Both have indicated that his purported weight gain did not have an impact on his season, and little has come forth to the contrary. Regardless, issues like this are always a part of negotiations, as will surely be the case when Prince Fielder looks for a boatload of cash.

Remember what happened with Jeter: The Yankees made an offer and essentially told Jeter ? remember, Derek Jeter ? if you don?t like it and think you can get more, go shop it. Jeter was never going to shop it. First, it was highly unlikely another team was going to give a shortstop heading into his upper-30s and coming off by far his worst season a three-year contract at good money. Second, the image that allows Jeter to be one of the top athletes when it comes to corporate/commercial ties is one built around loyalty and association with the biggest of all sports franchises. To chase comparative nickels, Jeter was not going to threaten that image. He had a one-team negotiation and eventually signed the Yankees deal.

Once more ... none of this applies to CC Sabathia. It's also highly doubtful that the Yankees would attempt such a ploy as, unlike Jeter, Sabathia will have at least a few teams offering him the moon.

Sabathia?s investment in the Yankees is not in the same universe. Yes, he has gotten some commercials, probably because of his Yankees association. But if the Yankees push Sabathia, I fully expect him to push back and go into the marketplace. Brian Peters is the agent who works for CC Sabathia, but he is part of a group led by Greg Genske and Genske?s reputation was summed up this way by a non-Yankees executive: ?He is a hard negotiator who is going for the bucks.?

How does this have anything to do with Derek Jeter? Or the Jeter contract negotiations?

I'll give you a hint - it doesn't.

So if the Yankees wonder if any teams would be willing to exceed the four years at $92 million left currently on Sabathia?s deal, I suspect Peters/Genske will advise their client that they can find more. Then it will be up to Sabathia to decide if he really wants to spend perhaps the rest of his career in, say, Washington or Toronto.

Sabathia probably can find a nice chunk of change in several cities, so I'm not quite sure how this has anything to do with Jeter. If and when Sabathia opts out, he has every right to attempt to sell his services. Should Washington or Toronto seek to make an offer, I'm sure Sabathia will consider it - as he should. I'm also quite sure the Yankees will not hesitate to offer their very best when push comes to shove.

The one team that would probably be a no-brainer for him is back in his home state, the Angels. And, remember, the Angels were just about to bid six years at about $125 million last time when the Yankees went to seven years at $161 million to seal the deal ? but the deal did have this opt-out clause after three seasons. Which is where we are now.

When the Angels offered Sabathia that contract, they chose to pursue his services over Teixeira's - they operate on a set budget, not within the Yankees stratosphere. Much of, if not all of that money is now being paid to Vernon Wells, who will make $21 MM in 2012. And 2013. And 2014. A sizable extension was just given to Jered Weaver, who will make $85 MM over the next five years. With no major contracts coming off the books, I don't quite see how the Angels could make a push for CC Sabathia.

If pushed will the Yankees budge higher? Well, I think they are hesitant to tie themselves up to much longer contracts, notably because they are seeing what it does to even their roster and financial flexibility moving forward if Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira both continue to fade.

I have not seen much proof of this.

It's also worth noting that Sabathia isn't likely to command the dollars or years that the Yankees gave to Rodriguez and Teixeira, and that their respective roles and positions make the situation entirely different.

Also, the lack of a true ace in this current World Series could be a motivator to the Yankees that they can find other ways to meet their mandate to win a championship.

Both C.J. Wilson and Chris Carpenter were within the top-fifteen in fWAR this season. Both teams had another starter in the top-30 in fWAR (Matt Harrison for the Rangers ranked 24th, and Jaime Garcia placed 30th). The Rangers placed four of their five starting pitchers in the top-37 in fWAR. After Sabathia, the Yankees next best starter was Bartolo Colon, who placed 50th.

The Rangers starters produced 3.5 fWAR more than the Yankees rotation, with Sabathia's 7.1 fWAR included. Sure - Sabathia's far better than anyone on the Rangers staff ... but having four starters superior to the Yankees second starter speaks volumes about the importance of a strong rotation, ace or not. Replacing Sabathia with an average starter this season would have seen the Yankees staff drop to 17th in MLB - and likely out of the postseason.

Without Sabathia, what is the Yankees contingency plan to avoid such a precipitous drop? Signing C.J. Wilson to a A.J. Burnett like contract? Throwing money at Yu Darvish? Giving up draft picks and praying for miracles from Mark Buehrle and/or Roy Oswalt? Trolling the recycling bin once more?

The front office may not want to dole out another blockbuster contract, but Cashman et al are intelligent enough to know that Sabathia's production isn't being replicated by anyone else on the market - and the negotiations will progress as such.

And no, this does not have anything to do with Derek Jeter.

Follow me on Twitter - @DomenicLanza

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La Russa takes blame for bullpen mix-up (AP)

Bobby Valentine thought about the bizarre events he had seen in Game 5 of the World Series, when 19th-century technology fouled up Tony La Russa and the St. Louis Cardinals. “It’s kind of stupid, isn’t it?” said Valentine, who’s managed more than 2,000 major league ballgames. In the age of email, texting, iChat and Skype, [...]

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Rangers have no problem walking Pujols (AP)

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has been around baseball long enough to know that there are two ways to make sure a feared slugger doesn’t beat you by himself. “You pitch him very carefully, never give in,” La Russa said, “or you intentionally walk him.” Texas is choosing the latter with Albert Pujols.

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Lackey to have Tommy John surgery (AP)

John Lackey will undergo reconstructive elbow surgery and miss the 2012 season, the latest setback in his rough year with the Boston Red Sox. General manager Ben Cherington made the announcement Tuesday during a news conference at which he was introduced as the successor to Theo Epstein, who left to become president of baseball operations [...]

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Lewis looks to pitch Rangers to title (AP)

It’s already been a productive postseason for Colby Lewis. Next up, a shot at the biggest prize yet. In Game 6 of the World Series on Wednesday night, Lewis gets the first chance to pitch the Texas Rangers to their first title. Jaime Garcia is back home where he’s most comfortable, and the wild-card St.

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Reggie Jackson 2010 Topps Cards Your Mom Threw
Out

Reggie Jackson 2010 Topps – ‘Cards Your Mom Threw Out’ I love this set of cards.  It could be one of Topps’ most clever issues to date!! Reggie’s card in this series features his 1976 Topps baseball card.  By this … Continue reading →

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Brewers LHP Narveson has surgery on hip (AP)

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Chris Narveson has had surgery on his left hip and is expected to be ready for spring training. The Brewers disclosed the surgery Tuesday. Narveson was 11-8 with a 4.45 ERA this season. He made six postseason appearances for the Brewers, giving up nine runs in 7 1-3 innings.

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