Rangers vs. Giants
The unlikely World Series matchup between the Rangers and Giants begins on Wednesday in San Francisco as both Western Division champions look to finish off this season hoisting the trophy. The Rangers play in their first-ever Fall Classic, while the Giants go for their first championship since 1954 when the franchise was in New York.
Texas will be a sentimental favorite among baseball fans after knocking out the big bad Yankees in the ALCS, 4-2. The Rangers were great away from Arlington, winning five of six away playoff games, including all three at Tropicana Field in the ALDS against the Rays. Ron Washington's squad wasn't scared in the ALCS against the defending champions, claiming two of three games in the Bronx, while outscoring the Yanks 18-3 in two road victories.
San Francisco wasn't given much of a chance by everyone outside of the Bay Area in the NLCS against Philadelphia. The Phillies were set to make their third straight World Series appearance, but Bruce Bochy's feisty club won two games at Citizens Bank Park, including the Game 6 clincher last Saturday night, 3-2. The Giants have played much better on the road than at home in the postseason, winning four of five away games. San Francisco still owned a respectable 3-2 mark at AT&T Park, but scored three runs or less three times at home.
Each club will send out a former Cy Young winner in the series opener on Wednesday night as Cliff Lee will oppose Tim Lincecum. Lee has been nothing short of tremendous in this postseason with a 3-0 record and ERA of 0.75 in three starts. Past a shaky first inning against the Rays in the ALDS opener, Lee owns an amazing 34/1 strikeout to walk ratio in the postseason. The Rangers' southpaw struck out at least 10 batters in all three playoff starts, and has done so in five of his last six postseason appearances dating back to 2009 with the Phillies.
Lee is no stranger to pitching in the Fall Classic as he won both starts against the Yankees last season as a member of the Phillies. His best outing came on the road in the series opener as nearly a $1.70 underdog, scattering six hits and striking out 10 in a complete game.
Lincecum began the postseason with a complete-game gem against the Braves, striking out 14 and allowing two hits in a 1-0 shutout. The diminutive right-hander split a pair of starts against the Phillies, tossing seven innings each time, but was dealt a loss in Game 5 of the NLCS, 4-2. The Giants are just 10-9 in Lincecum's 19 home starts this season, while five of his last six outings at AT&T Park have finished 'under' the total.
Thursday's Game 2 features C.J. Wilson and Matt Cain on the mound with both starters making their World Series debuts. Wilson had his worst outing of the postseason his last time out, allowing six hits and six runs (five earned) in five innings of a 7-2 loss in Game 5 of the ALCS at New York. Prior to that start, the Texas left-hander put together a pair of quality starts, including a two-hit performance in 6.2 innings of a 6-0 shutout at Tampa Bay. The Rangers have profited in the 'under' department in Wilson's road starts, hitting in 11 of 16 away outings.
Cain outdueled Cole Hamels in his lone NLCS start, beating the Phillies, 3-0 in Game 3. The San Francisco right-hander gave up two hits in seven innings, while escaping several jams to pick up his ninth home victory of the season. Cain has not allowed an earned run in three of his previous four home outings, while beating the Rangers in his lone career start against Texas last June.
Exact Games Props from Sportsbook.com
Giants 4 Games - Win +1500
Giants 5 Games - Win +600
Giants 6 Games - Win +450
Giants 7 Games - Win +400
Rangers 4 Games - Win +800
Rangers 5 Games - Win +400
Rangers 6 Games - Win +350
Rangers 7 Games - Win +500
VI's Chris David believes that digging deeper there are better opportunities to cash, "Rather than look at the series price, gamblers could have more value looking at the Exact Game Props. Pro baseball enthusiasts that have followed the “Fall Classic” haven’t been exactly treated to classics. Over the last seven years, none of the World Series has seen a decisive Game 7 and five of them were over in five games ore less, which includes three sweeps. Ironically, the last World Series to go seven games was in 2004 when the Anaheim Angels beat the San Francisco Giants 4-3."
David says there is good value in taking this series to go back to San Francisco, "Does this year’s matchup go the distance? As per the above table, the odds are a lot higher than taking the Rangers or Giants on the series price. Even taking Texas or San Francisco to win in six has value. The biggest longshot is the sweep by either club, but as mentioned above, they’re very doable."
"If you’re looking to strike it big with another WS prop, then look at the World Series Most Valuable Player wager. Position players usually get more notice but this postseason has been all about pitching and the value on players like Lee (+500) and Lincecum (+800) seem juicy. Also, closer Brian Wilson (+1000) of the Giants could be worth a look as well," David notes from the individual awards perspective.
The Rangers are listed as a $1.25 road favorite in the series opener on Wednesday, while the total is set at 5 ½. The game will be televised nationally on FOX at 8:00 PM EDT. Lee-Lincecum: Marquee matchup in Game 1
October 27, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Cliff Lee marvels at Tim Lincecum's motion. So much torque, so much power. So darn unusual.
``The way he does it, no one else does it that way. I like that,'' Lee said Tuesday, a day before the Texas Rangers ace pitches against the San Francisco Giants star in Game 1 of the World Series.
``I like when unorthodox works and it works to that kind of an extent, back-to-back Cy Young winner. He throws in a way that you probably wouldn't want to show your kid how to throw,'' Lee said. ``He definitely is doing something right. He's different.''
There's something unique about Lee, too: He never loses in the biggest games. The lefty is 7-0 with a 1.26 ERA in eight lifetime postseason starts.
``Cliff Lee, superhero,'' summed up Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval.
Watch Lee from the center-field camera and it's difficult to tell exactly what makes him so special.
David Price brings more heat. Andy Pettitte brought more October experience. But Lee beat them both in the playoffs.
Maybe it's the way he throws any of his pitches for strikes on any count. At any speed, too. A real-life version of a video game - try to duplicate that in ``Major League Baseball 2K10.''
``Confidence, relying on my routine,'' Lee said. ``Going out there and expecting to be successful.''
It makes for an intriguing matchup of opposite artisans. The lanky Lincecum throws pitches with dizzying movement, while Lee is able to adjust his pinpoint control for an umpire's strike zone.
``He works in and out on both sides of the plate, which allows him a lot of freeze strike threes, guys looking. He paints his slider-cutter kind of thing,'' Lincecum said.
Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux said Lee reminds him of someone he knows well - namely his brother, four-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux. A left-handed version, naturally.
``If you can command your fastball and change speeds, you're going to have good results,'' Maddux said.
Lee went 3-0 this year in the AL playoffs, striking out 34 and walking just one. That severe ratio has prompted many to suggest the best strategy is to hit the first strike he throws.
``You fall behind 0-1 or 1-2, it becomes a battle up there for any hitter,'' Texas catcher Matt Treanor said.
A win over the Giants will tie Lee for the best start in postseason history - Orlando ``El Duque'' Hernandez, with all his quirky gyrations and deliveries, won his first eight decisions.
To Lee, it's all rather routine. In fact, there was a neat picture of him during the playoffs, yawning in the dugout at Yankee Stadium.
Sure doesn't look like someone pitching in huge games.
``I don't really look at it like that,'' Lee said a few days ago. ``Some people might, I don't feel any more pressure.''
Lee has been equally perfect against the Giants - three starts, three wins and a 1.13 ERA. He last faced them in 2009 in his first start after being traded from Cleveland to Philadelphia, and breezed at AT&T Park.
Call it superstition or just being comfortable, Lee doesn't like to change his hat, glove or cleats during the season. Sometimes he has to - he's been traded four times in his career, most recently from Seattle to Texas before the All-Star break.
Lee found himself with mixed emotions watching Philadelphia, where he won twice in the World Series last year, play San Francisco in the NLCS.
Sure, he was friendly with many of his former Phillies teammates. But there was the other side of the baseball business.
``I didn't mind seeing them get beat because they got rid of me,'' he said.
Several of the Giants have faced Lee many times.
Juan Uribe is 11 for 37 (.297) with two homers against him. Jose Guillen is 9 for 25 (.360) with two homers. Aaron Rowand is 7 for 25 (.280) with four doubles and a home run. Aubrey Huff is 5 for 19 (.263).
Then there's Cody Ross.
Many years ago, before he blossomed into the MVP of the NL championship series, Ross was a struggling rookie with the Detroit Tigers. Just so happens he hit his first major league home run off Lee. A grand slam, at that.
Ross had played a handful of games in the majors and had only two career hits when he faced Lee on Sept. 2, 2003. Ross struck out looking his first time up, but got more than even in his next at-bat, launching the first grand slam ever allowed by the young Cleveland pitcher.
The game was memorable for Ross because of something else. In the late innings, he tripped over first base beating out a bunt, tore his knee, was carted off the field and done for the season.
Both Ross and Lee have come quite a way since then. They haven't faced each other since the slam, either. Ross promises his team will be ready for baseball's No. 1 postseason ace, having already solved the supposedly unbeatable Roy Halladay in the NLCS opener.
``It was the Halladay show a week ago after he threw the no-hitter against the Reds,'' Ross said. ``We're not surprising anybody, believe me. Everybody knows how good our pitching staff is. But I think we prefer for everyone to talk about everybody else.''
Lee figures to be focused squarely on the Giants, and Ross.
``He's just had a good couple of weeks. He's put together some good at_bats and hit some tough pitches. I mean, two home runs off Roy Halladay, hit a ball off of Cole Hamels that wasn't even a strike,'' Lee said.
``Hopefully he has a little bit of time to cool off before this one starts,'' he said. Ross, Giants ready for Lee in WS opener
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval and the rest of the San Francisco Giants can study the scouting reports and videotape all they want, trying to find the secret to getting a hit against Cliff Lee.
Or, they can just ask Cody Ross.
Because many years ago, before he blossomed into the MVP of the NL championship series, Ross was a struggling rookie with the Detroit Tigers. Who happened to hit his first major league home run off Lee. A grand slam, at that.
Of course, Lee was early in his career, too. He hardly had become Mr. Perfect in the postseason, the left-hander who will pose a giant challenge for San Francisco when it faces the Texas Rangers in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night.
``Cliff Lee, superhero,'' summed up Sandoval.
Watch Lee from the center-field camera and it's difficult to tell exactly what makes him so dominant.
David Price brings more heat. Andy Pettitte brought more October experience. But Lee beat them in the playoffs.
Maybe it's the way he throws any of his pitches for strikes on any count. At any speed, too. A real-life version of a video game - try to duplicate that in ``Major League Baseball 2K10.''
``Confidence, relying on my routine,'' Lee said Tuesday before the Rangers worked out. ``Going out there and expecting to be successful.''
Lee is 7-0 with a 1.26 ERA in eight lifetime postseason starts heading into his matchup with two-time NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum in the opener. Lee went 3-0 this year in the AL playoffs, striking out 34 and walking just one.
Lincecum and Lee pose an intriguing matchup of opposite artisans. The Giants' lanky ace's pitches have dizzying movement, while Lee is able to adjust his pinpoint control for an umpire's strike zone.
Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux said Lee reminds him of someone he knows well - namely his brother, four-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux. A left-handed version, naturally.
``If you can command your fastball and change speeds, you're going to have good results,'' Maddux said.
Lee's severe strikeout-to-walk ratio has prompted many to suggest the best strategy is to hit the first strike he throws, rather than risk falling behind in the count.
``People love to talk about Cliff throwing strikes but it's not like he's just gunning balls down the middle of the plate,'' Texas third baseman Michael Young said. ``There's a big difference between throwing strikes and throwing quality strike after quality strike.''
A win over the Giants will tie Lee for the best start in postseason history - Orlando ``El Duque'' Hernandez, with all his quirky gyrations and deliveries, won his first eight decisions.
To Lee, it's all rather routine. In fact, there was a neat picture of him during the playoffs, yawning in the dugout at Yankee Stadium.
Sure doesn't look like someone pitching in huge games.
``I don't really look at it like that,'' Lee said a few days ago. ``Some people might, I don't feel any more pressure.''
Lee has been equally perfect against the Giants - three starts, three wins and a 1.13 ERA. He last faced them in 2009 in his first start after being traded from Cleveland to Philadelphia, and breezed at AT&T Park.
``Weather and clubhouse and the bullpens'' are different, he said. ``Once you get on the mound, it's 60 feet, 6 inches and you've still got a professional hitter in there trying to do damage off of you. To me, that doesn't really matter that much.''
Call it superstition or just being comfortable, Lee doesn't like to change his hat, glove or cleats during the season. Sometimes he has to - he's been traded four times in his career, most recently from Seattle to Texas before the All-Star break.
Lee found himself with mixed emotions watching Philadelphia, where he won twice in the World Series last year, play San Francisco in the NLCS.
Sure, he was friendly with many of his former Phillies teammates. But there was the other side of the baseball business.
``I didn't mind seeing them get beat because they got rid of me,'' he said.
Now, the Texas pitchers are the ones who benefit from Lee's presence.
``I've become more like Cliff in my preparation since he's been here,'' starter C.J. Wilson said. ``I watch what he does through an order, and if they don't adapt he doesn't have to. Whereas I used to get into trouble before, where I would adapt maybe before the hitters showed me an adjustment, and I would basically turn into their strengths. But Cliff trusts his strengths to the degree that he doesn't think he has to do anything different from game to game.''
Several of the Giants have faced Lee many times.
Juan Uribe is 11 for 37 (.297) with two homers against him. Jose Guillen is 9 for 25 (.360) with two homers. Aaron Rowand is 7 for 25 (.280) with four doubles and a home run. Aubrey Huff is 5 for 19 (.263).
Rowand is willing to give any advice he can.
``You can watch video. You can talk to them about what his out pitches are, what he likes to do when he's ahead, and with runners on,'' he said.
Then there's Ross.
Ross had played a handful of games in the majors and had only two career hits when he faced Lee on Sept. 2, 2003. Ross struck out looking his first time up, but got more than even in his next at-bat, launching the first grand slam ever allowed by the young Cleveland lefty.
The game was memorable for Ross because of something else. In the late innings, he tripped over first base beating out a bunt, tore his knee, was carted off the field and done for the season.
Both Ross and Lee have come quite a way since then. They haven't faced each other since the slam, either. Ross promises his team will be ready for baseball's No. 1 postseason ace, having already solved the supposedly unbeatable Roy Halladay in the NLCS opener.
``It was the Halladay show a week ago after he threw the no-hitter against the Reds,'' Ross said. ``We're not surprising anybody, believe me. Everybody knows how good our pitching staff is. But I think we prefer for everyone to talk about everybody else.''
