Did I read this right? Texas is favored to win the World Series?

jwblue · Oct 25, 2010

WHA?

:think2:

If Texas has a four man pitching rotation, San Francisco will have a big starting pitching advantage in five of the seven games. The only games they will not have the advantage is when Lee pitches against Tim Lincecum. The Giants should win one of those two games.

The Giants have home field advantage as well.

WOW!

I don't gamble much any more unless I see something that sticks out.

Give me the Giants all day at +129 (Matchbook)

DwayneBowe · Oct 25, 2010

Texas in 6 take it to the bank.

soonerdawg1 · Oct 25, 2010

rangers 5-1 on the road so far....have soundly beaten david price TWICE on the road.....collected close to 20 hits in both of sabathia's starts.....rocked phil hughes twice (who had been ROCK SOLID on the road).....beat andy petite....rangers have proven that their lineup can hit anyone.....giants don't have the same ability.....cliff lee and colby lewis have been ROCK SOLID and will hold the giants down....cj wilson an underrated pitcher

rangers in 6.....

KingofNicotine · Oct 25, 2010

Texas will sweep.

Dafinch · Oct 25, 2010

The Rangers beat the team with the best record, in the best league, then beat the defending World Champs-pretty impressively, outscoring the Yanks 31-6 in their wins after suffering what many considered to be a back breaking loss; they've played much better on the road than at home this postseason, so not having the the extra game shouldn't be a factor; they have the best post season pitcher in the history of the game, in good form; and the Giants have some people who are viewed as playing over their heads, most notably Ross, who had about as many RBI against the Phils as he did in 33 games with the Giants...after getting cut by the Marlins, of all teams. Would anybody faint from shock if he turned back into a pumpkin? Cain concerns me, maybe even more than Lincecum, but the differences in offenses is clear cut, at least to me. Last but not least, although the young closer of the Ranger's didn't exactly have to prove himself under fire, that putz with the fake beard dye was playing with fire throughout the playoffs, and something tells me he's gonna tempt fate at least once too often before year's end.

NyMets609 · Oct 25, 2010

soonerdawg1 said:
rangers 5-1 on the road so far....have soundly beaten david price TWICE on the road.....collected close to 20 hits in both of sabathia's starts.....rocked phil hughes twice (who had been ROCK SOLID on the road).....beat andy petite....rangers have proven that their lineup can hit anyone.....giants don't have the same ability.....cliff lee and colby lewis have been ROCK SOLID and will hold the giants down....cj wilson an underrated pitcher

rangers in 6.....

totally agree. as much as I love this Giants team this year IMO their line up is totally OUT CLASSED by the Texas line up. I will be on Texas large Game 1. and than will be looking for some real nice value in SF after.

NyMets609 · Oct 25, 2010

the HUGE worry here is Neftali Feliz. Giants at home always always always play close ball games n what happens if Rangers have a 2-3 run lead going into the 9th. AT&T will be rocking and Feliz has yet to been really tested in a pressure packed situation on the road.

soonerdawg1 · Oct 25, 2010

yeah, feliz worries me.....he's only pitched with big leads in the postseason.....he can throw a 100 MPH, but that doesn't do any good if you can't control it....plus, i remember rangers getting POUNDED last year in inter league playing at san fran.....

soonerdawg1 · Oct 25, 2010

not as bad as i remember....

rangers lost all 3 at san fran last year: 6-4, 2-1 in 11, and 3-2....this was right before the rangers faded

i remember staying up for the games, seems like i remember the games being more one sided than that.....maybe it's cause i was pissed off about staying up all night just to see them lose

soonerdawg1 · Oct 25, 2010

don't really know what to think about hunter being in the rotation.....was thinking maybe we'd stick holland in since he's been solid in middle relief out of the bullpen....

also, as much as washington seems to love darren oliver, i don't trust him....i remember the 90s even if washington doesn't....could see some wild games, i really don't like the ranger middle relievers the more i think about it

or the closer

what the fuck was i thinking.....giants in 4

NyMets609 · Oct 25, 2010

LOL

IMO if the Giants are going to win Game 1 its going to have to be in the later innings if they can manage to get Cliff out of the game by the 7th.

I just went pretty big (well for me atleast) on Texas for Game 1 but man I just worry after that dominating effort Lee put out last time against the Yanks, that the public is going to be all over Texas lopsided......than the Pinny lean will come about and for some strange reason Cliff will get shelled. :smoking:

NyMets609 · Oct 25, 2010

and does the Texas line up soften at all with the no DH?

soonerdawg1 · Oct 25, 2010

i was terrified of a game 7 with the yanks because the law of averages says that lee gets fucked up at some point.....felt that way against the rays in game 5.....lincecum ain't no slouch either.....rangers have been good at manufacturing runs early.....lee has been able to work out of jams.....i'm strongly considering playing the over in every game because i think the rangers can hit anyone, and our bullpen has been shaky in the postseason despite what the stats say....

soonerdawg1 · Oct 25, 2010

NyMets609 said:
and does the Texas line up soften at all with the no DH?

maybe.....vladdy didn't do shit though till game 6 of the yanks series....question is, do the giants gain a bigger advantage with the DH in texas?

NyMets609 · Oct 25, 2010

soonerdawg1 said:
maybe.....vladdy didn't do shit though till game 6 of the yanks series....question is, do the giants gain a bigger advantage with the DH in texas?

I doubt it. Schierholtz or Ishikawa don't really strike fear into opposing pitchers.

I am really worried about what you said tho about Lee and law of averages but one thing is when Lee seems to get roughed up..he gives up the long ball...well AT&T is a pitcher friendly park and that will work to his advantage.

also what is up with Cruz? is he healthy?

NyMets609 · Oct 25, 2010

another thing that works in Rangers favor in game 1 HUGE.....Elvis has been a monster at getting on base and creating havoc and Washington has been pushing all the right buttons on when to send the runners. Lincecum is one of the worst in the league at holding runners on and stolen bases.

OP..sorry for hijacking the thread. my apologizes.

gynecologist · Oct 25, 2010

rangers in 6

r.a. · Oct 26, 2010

Cliff Lee has been magnificent in the playoffs for the past two years, arguably pitching as well as anyone, and has beaten the World Series champs twice and Tampa Bay twice - dh included. How does the law of averages pertain to him and what expectations should be based upon his performance. Seems to me there is more reason to believe he will continue his dominance. Roy Ozwalt's relief appearance didn't seem to make him any sharper for Saturday's start ... can't help but wonder how Lincecum's poor relief effort will effect him. I definitely don't think the Giants are more offensively gifted than either the Yankees or Rays - dh or not. Elvis Andrus is a superstar in the making and Hamilton already is. Plain and simple - Texas is a hot team right now and winning on the road. I didn't see anything 'tight' with this team when they were in N.Y. and with veteran leaders like Guerrero, Molina, Lee and Young I don't think they will be tight here.

Heighbidder · Oct 26, 2010

r.a. said:
Cliff Lee has been magnificent in the playoffs for the past two years, arguably pitching as well as anyone, and has beaten the World Series champs twice and Tampa Bay twice - dh included. How does the law of averages pertain to him and what expectations should be based upon his performance. Seems to me there is more reason to believe he will continue his dominance. Roy Ozwalt's relief appearance didn't seem to make him any sharper for Saturday's start ... can't help but wonder how Lincecum's poor relief effort will effect him. I definitely don't think the Giants are more offensively gifted than either the Yankees or Rays - dh or not. Elvis Andrus is a superstar in the making and Hamilton already is. Plain and simple - Texas is a hot team right now and winning on the road. I didn't see anything 'tight' with this team when they were in N.Y. and with veteran leaders like Guerrero, Molina, Lee and Young I don't think they will be tight here.

Oswalt threw his simulated game (side session) AND pitched in relief that same day. Lincecum did not pitch his side session and only pitched the 16 pitches so he actually got more rest than he would have expected.

Texas has two major problems I see going in ATT Park.

- Vlad playing right field. Right field is one of the more unique aspects for outfielders with the high brick wall and deep right. RF'ers almost always have to shade toward "triples alley" meaning a much bigger area to cover along the right side. Vlad, already being seldom used, now has to adjust to a unique situation. I have seen good visiting OF'ers get eaten up by the dimensions and Vlad isn't a good OF'er nowadays.

- Molina back in the NL. Molina is a base path blockade as the SF Giants are well aware of. With a pitcher not far behind Molina there is a likely out reducing potential scoring chances. Any single or double will require two hits minimum to score him further reducing the chance for him to score. It wasn't as big of a deal in the AL because of the lack of a pitcher spot that pretty much meant an out.

In games that figure to be close these could be big deals.

mastermaybe · Oct 26, 2010

Like every WS, I'm taking it game by game.

And for as much as I'd love to jump all over Lee and TEX in game 1 (he's beat me in every playoff game I've been on the other side of), I just know if I side with him now I'll get rolled up again.

James