Baseball Primer Newsblog— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Adrian Beltre, 1-for-11 in the first three games, hit a playoff-record-tying three home runs as the Rangers advanced to the AL Championship Series with a 4-3 victory over the Rays in Game 4 on Tuesday at Tropicana Field. Neftali Feliz earned his third save in three games to preserve the victory for Matt Harrison and touched off another raucous ginger ale and champagne celebration in the visiting clubhouse.
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Ian Kinsler also hit a home run on the second pitch of the game from Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. They led the rest of the way and are returning to the ALCS for the second straight year.
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1. Select Storage Device Posted: October 04, 2011 at 11:41 PM (#3951265)Not to steal Rangers fans' thunder, but just-another-great-season to be a Rays' fan. They are much maligned here, and it was depressing to see so many empty seats at the game today, but like everyone that posts here is well aware there are plenty of diehard loyal fans for every team, including the Rays, and this was just another phenomenal season for those of us that love this team. For whatever disaster-movie explanation why Tampa/St. Pete fans can't show up to ballgames is moot to people like myself and those from other less well patron-ed franchises. This was a fine, fine season to be a Rays fan -- one that feels just as good as 2008.
Go Brewers!
Well, of the three most recent hypercollapses, all three beneficiaries lost in the DS.
Joe Maddon's post-game interview was really great, too. His story about sharing a bottle of whiskey with his team after they started 0-6 stood out as an example of him being a player's manager who still isn't going to let the inmates run the asylum.
I liked seeing the Rays in both regular season and playoffs here in Arlington this year. I came away impressed not only with the stars (Longoria and Zobrist are clear standouts, and Shields looked great here in the RS) – but with Sean Rodriguez (I know he hit .223, but he doesn't look overmatched) and by Johnny Damon, who looks like an ancient airbrushed unfrozen caveman now, but has made incremental impressions on me as someone who has had a really damn fine career. At an advanced age he can still hit a homer, steal a base, and bust it down the 1B line in search of an infield hit.
I think given a season of regular playing time Rodriguez can at least become acceptable for a MIF against RHP (a .240 BABIP against them is pretty low even if you assume he doesn't make a lot of strong contact against them). There's a good chance he'll get that next year as either the full-time SS or 2B.
4: The 2006 Cardinals almost had a hypercollapse and they won the thing that year.
I was actually thinking about that this morning. He may get there yet. I hope both he and Rolen make it and it's too bad Chavez couldn't stay healthy.
So, wait, I'm confused. Is he clutch, or not?
Good thing Josh Hamilton isn't on that team then.
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