Rangers 25, Angels 13: My Top 10 CBS Contemplations
10. Angels' manager Mike Scioscia is good. And stubborn. With ace Jered Weaver faltering and 1st base open in Sunday night's 4th inning, Anaheim pitched to Josh Hamilton. And paid for it with a 2-run double. That's just stupid.
9. After taking 2 of 3, Rangers' lead in the AL West is 8. It ain't over, but the Angels have to be pretty dejected at this point. There are, however, 16 games remaining between the teams.
8. Weaver singing along to "Hit the Road, Jack" after being pulled was classic. Hard to get any pleasure out of catcalling an opponent when he's so mad he's… singing. Genius.
7. Hamilton broke the bat that he hit 8 homers with last week on an RBI single to left. The bat will rest at the Hall of Fame. Said Hamilton, "She died a hero." Rarely do we associate females with having good wood.
6. C.J. Wilson got a loss, a no-decision in a win, and his 2011 AL championship ring. Smartly declining an on-field ceremony, Wilson received his ring privately in the clubhouse from manager Ron Washington and general manager Jon Daniels. He's a lot of things, but he's no dummy.
5. Hate to nitpick, but why were Hamilton and Adrian Beltre in the game in the 9th inning of Sunday night's 13-6 blowout?
4. Hamilton had the most homers, but the Angels' Mark Trumbo hit the loudest. 437 feet down the left-field line off Neftali Feliz. Only the 16th player to hit one into the club level, joining Evan Longoria and Mark McGwire as the only opponents.
3. Key play -- other than the obvious, Nelson Cruz' grand slam -- was Elvis Andrus' nifty glove flip for a force out that snuffed out an Angels' rally in the 7th. Anaheim had three runs in and the bases loaded when Howie Kendrick shot a grounder up the middle. It gets through and it's 10-7. Instead, another web gem for the Rangers' shortstop.
2. Josh plays hard. Yadda, yadda and more yadda. But does he really have to slide into 1st base -- head-first, mind you -- with his team up, 7-0, like he did Friday night? Unfortunately it's not a matter of if he gets hurt, merely when.
1. Albert Pujols went 2 for 12 in the series, both hits singles. Hamilton had more RBI last week (18) than the $250 million man has all season (12).
