Game Time Nation (206)

Schedule

WEDNESDAY
Texas (C.J. Wilson) at St. Louis (Chris Carpenter), 5:05 p.m.

THURSDAY
Texas (Colby Lewis) at St. Louis (TBD), 5:05 p.m.

SATURDAY
St. Louis (TBD) at Texas (TBD), 5:05 p.m.

SUNDAY
St. Louis (TBD) at Texas (TBD), 5:05 p.m.

MONDAY
St. Louis (TBD) at Texas (TBD), 5:05 p.m.

WEDNESDAY
Texas (TBD) at St. Louis (TBD), 5:05 p.m.

THURSDAY
Texas (TBD) at St. Louis (TBD), 5:05 p.m.

* if necessary

Projected Game Time Lineups

RANGERS
1. 2B Ian Kinsler. His .396 OBP in playoffs leads team

2. SS Elvis Andrus. 6 of his 8 postseason hits came in ALCS

3. LF Josh Hamilton. Battling sore groin, has no HRs in playoffs

4. 1B Michael Young. Only 9 postseason hits, but also 7 RBIs

5. 3B Adrian Beltre. All 3 postseason HRs came in Game 4 of ALDS

6. C Mike Napoli. 1 RBI, no extra-base hits in ALCS; but 6 runs

7. RF Nelson Cruz. Had .133 OPS in ALDS; 1.713 OPS in ALCS

8. LF David Murphy. Team-high .500 OBP in ALCS

9. P C.J. Wilson. 6 HRs allowed in playoffs (16 in regular season)

CARDINALS
1. SS Rafael Furcal. Has managed just a .220 OBP this postseason

2. CF Jon Jay. All 7 of his postseason runs came in NLCS

3. 1B Albert Pujols. 6 extra-base hits, 9 RBIs in NLCS

4. RF Lance Berkman. Hasn’t homered since Game 1 of NLDS

5. LF Matt Holliday. Improved health resulted in 10 NLCS hits

6. 3B David Freese. Team-best 4 HRs, 14 RBIs, .426 AVG in playoffs

7. C Yadier Molina. 8 of his 12 postseason hits came in NLCS

8. 2B Nick Punto. Team-high 8 K’s in 15 NLDS at-bats

9. P Chris Carpenter. In 17 postseason innings, 8 K’s and 6 BBs

Keys to Victory

1. Bullpen battle
The Cardinals’ (5.43) and Rangers’ (5.62) rotations have posted miserable ERAs this postseason, so starting pitching clearly isn’t what pushed them to this point. Each team lacks a legitimate ace, but both teams feature a reliable bullpen that can deliver plenty of innings. The Cardinals averaged only about a dozen outs per game from their starters in the NLCS, but their bullpen has posted a strong 2.55 ERA and a stellar .177 opponents’ average against this postseason. But the Rangers’ relief corps has been just as good, with a 2.34 ERA and .193 opponents’ average against through two playoff rounds. Texas has the more established and consistent back end in Mike Adams and Neftali Feliz.

2. Star power
The Cardinals have one of the deepest playoff lineups, but the Rangers have the deepest. From the top spot to its No. 7 hitter, Texas is powerful. Although ALCS MVP Nelson Cruz doesn’t have the average (.243) or on-base percentage (.300) of some other playoff stars, he has gone ballistic at the right times with six homers and 13 RBIs—and he hits seventh. On the other side, Albert Pujols’ .419 average, .490 on-base percentage, 10 RBIs and six walks prove he has been a factor all postseason. If David Freese, the NLCS MVP, can continue to solidify the heart of the order, the Cardinals’ attack can be just as deadly as the Rangers’.

3. The aces
Neither team was pushed to a Game 7 in its LCS, so each will trot out its top starter in Game 1 in hopes of setting a positive tone. Cardinals righthander Chris Carpenter has pitched three times in October but has produced just one quality start: a complete-game shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 of the NLDS. He has been mediocre (at best) in his other two outings, one coming on short rest. Rangers lefthander C.J. Wilson hasn’t been any better, surrendering 14 earned runs in three starts (15 2/3 innings) this postseason.

ARLINGTON, Texas

By the ninth inning, the fans were chanting “Tex-as Ran-gers” the way New York Yankees fans chant “De-rek Je-ter.” In case there was any doubt — and there shouldn’t have been after the Rangers’ ridiculous nine-run third inning — the passing of the torch was complete.

It started last season actually, when the Rangers won their first American League title. But then they lost left-hander Cliff Lee to free agency and nearly traded their longest-tenured player, Michael Young. Undaunted, the Rangers finished with the league’s second-best regular-season record, just behind the Yankees….Still, as one rival GM said Saturday, people don’t seem to talk about them — perhaps because they play in the AL West, not the AL East. Maybe, the GM mused, the lower expectations work to the Rangers’ benefit. No longer: The Rangers, the first back-to-back AL champions since the 2000-01 Yankees, will not be overlooked again.

Game 6 of the American League Championship Series was a 15-5 bludgeoning of the Tigers, an almost predictable eruption by the Rangers after a series of tight games. The Rangers were better offensively, defensively and on the bases. Their rotation had a 6.59 ERA in the series, averaging fewer than five innings per start. Not to worry; the relievers accounted for nearly as many innings as the starters and produced a 1.32 ERA.

“I honesty feel like they’re a team that, once one thing starts going in their direction, they absolutely snowball,” Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge said. “Just look what they did to us. Fifteen runs. Nine in one inning. I was like, ‘Good God.’ ”

And to think, this might be only the beginning.

Washington native Tim Lincecum and the San Fransico Giants won the World Series on last night, beating the  Texas Rangers 3-1 in Game 5 and taking the trophy home to the city by the Bay for the first time.

It was an overdue victory – the Giants last wore the crown in 1954, four years before they moved west. So much for a franchise that never quite got it done in October despite the likes of baseball giants Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and Juan Marichal. It’s November, and now new names stand tall in San Francisco…. Edgar Renteria reprised his role of postseason star. His 11th-inning single ended Game 7 of the 1997 World Series and lifted Florida over Cleveland. – this journeyman’s path led to another title, helped by his go-ahead home run in Game 2.….. The Giants trailed San Diego by 7 1/2 games in the NL West on July 4, they jogged in the wild-card race until the stretch run, winning the division and finishing 92-70, going 11-4 in the postseason.

ALDS: Rangers vs. Rays

Game 1: Rangers @ Rays Wednesday, Oct. 6 TBA TBS

Game 2: Rangers @ Rays Thursday, Oct. 7 TBA TBS

Game 3: Rays @ Rangers Saturday, Oct. 9 TBA TBS

Game 4*: Rays @ Rangers Sunday, Oct. 10 TBA TBS

Game 5*: Rangers @ Rays Tuesday, Oct. 12

ALDS wild-card: Twins vs. Yankees

Game 1: Yankees @ Twins Wednesday, Oct. 6 TBA TBS

Game 2: Yankees @ Twins Thursday, Oct. 7 TBA TBS

Game 3: Twins @ Yankees Saturday, Oct. 9 TBA TBS

Game 4*: Twins @ Yankees Sunday, Oct. 10 TBA TBS

Game 5*: Yankees @ Twins Tuesday, Oct. 12

NLDS wild-card: Giants vs. Braves

Game 1: Braves @ Giants Thursday, Oct. 7 TBA TBS

Game 2: Braves @ Giants Friday, Oct. 8 TBA TBS

Game 3: Giants @ Braves Sunday, Oct. 10 TBA TBS

Game 4*: Giants @ Braves Monday, Oct. 11 TBA TBS

Game 5*: Braves @ Giants Wednesday, Oct. 13

NLDS: Phillies vs. Reds

Game 1: Reds @ Phillies Wednesday, Oct. 6 TBA TBS

Game 2: Reds @ Phillies Friday, Oct. 8 TBA TBS

Game 3: Phillies @ Reds Sunday, Oct. 10 TBA TBS

Game 4*: Phillies @ Reds Monday, Oct. 11 TBA TBS

Game 5*: Reds @ Phillies Wednesday, Oct. 13

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