GAME 5 - Rangers 5, Rays 1: My Top 10 Observations
10. Antlers > Rays. Ironic that the Rangers - who for years and decades floundered playing feast-or-famine baseball founded on the home run - scored their first three runs via speed. Think about it, the Rangers small-balled, manufactured and ran their way to the American League Championship Series. Yes, Texas, they're playing hockey in Hades tonight.
9. The Rangers did what a lot of us thought couldn't be done: They won a playoff series without an extra-base hit or RBI from their batting champ and Most Valuable Player, Josh Hamilton. Amazing. Josh finishes the 5-game series 2 of 18. (Wait, what? He got an RBI for Elvis Andrus' dash from second on his groundout to first. Cheap? I know, who cares?!!) And this is very cool - and I mean this - the Rangers sprayed some ginger ale in the locker room in addition to champagne.
8. This just in: Cliff Lee is the shit. Total control of the game. He struck out 11 Tampa Bay Rays to set an ALDS record shared by Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina from the mid-90s. After the Rangers went up 2-1 was there ever any doubt? In 61 playoff at-bats against left-handed hitters, Lee has never allowed an extra-base hit. Lee was so in control that he celebrated the final out with only a subtle fist punch into his glove. The dude is unflappable.
7. Is it just me or does TNT analyst David Wells = Dallas Morning News baseball expert Evan Grant?
Read the rest of Richie's Observations and his full blog at DallasObserver.com.
