Schedule
- Game 1: at San Francisco, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m. (FOX)
- Game 2: at San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 28, 4 p.m. (FOX)
- Game 3: at Texas, Saturday, Oct. 30, 8 p.m. (FOX)
- Game 4: at Texas, Sunday, Oct. 31, 8 p.m. (FOX)
- x-Game 5: at Texas, Monday, Nov. 1, 4 p.m. (FOX)
- x-Game 6: at San Francisco, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 8 p.m. (FOX)
- x-Game 7: at San Francisco, Thursday, Nov. 4, 8 p.m. (FOX)
x-if necessary
Rangers projected lineup
- SS Elvis Andrus (.265, 0 HR, 35 RBI, 32 SB in regular season)
- 3B Michael Young (.284, 21 HR, 91 RBI, 99 R)
- CF Josh Hamilton (.359, 32 HR, 100 RBI, 1.044 OPS)
- RF Vladimir Guerrero (.300, 29 HR, 115 RBI, .841 OPS)
- LF Nelson Cruz (.318, 22, HR, 78 RBI, .950 OPS)
- 2B Ian Kinsler (.286, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 15 SB)
- C Bengie Molina (.248, 5 HR, 35 RBI, 375 AB)
- 1B Mitch Moreland (.255, 9 HR, 25 RBI, 145 AB)
- P Cliff Lee (0 AB)
Giants projected lineup
- CF Andres Torres (.268, 16 HR, 63 RBI, 26 SB in regular season)
- 2B Freddy Sanchez (.292, 7 HR, 47 RBI, 55 R)
- 1B Aubrey Huff (.290, 26 HR, 86 RBI, 100 R)
- C Buster Posey (.305, 18 HR, 67 RBI, .862 OPS)
- LF Pat Burrell (.252, 20 HR, 64 RBI, 373 AB, combined Rays and Giants)
- RF Cody Ross (.269, 14 HR, 65 RBI, 9 SB, combined Marlins and Giants)
- SS Juan Uribe (.248, 24 HR, 85 RBI, 64 R)
- 3B Edgar Renteria (.276, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 243 AB)
- P Tim Lincecum (.104, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 67 AB)
Rangers projected rotation
- LHP Cliff Lee (12-9, 3.18 ERA, combined Mariners and Rangers)
- LHP C.J. Wilson (15-8, 3.35 ERA in regular season)
- RHP Colby Lewis (12-13, 3.72 ERA)
- RHP Tommy Hunter (13-4, 3.73 ERA)
Giants projected rotation
- RHP Tim Lincecum (16-10, 3.43 ERA in regular season)
- RHP Matt Cain (13-11, 3.14 ERA)
- LHP Jonathan Sanchez (13-9, 3.07 ERA)
- LHP Madison Bumgarner (7-6, 3.00 ERA)
Inside the matchups
Hitting: The Rangers are batting .281 with 17 home runs in 11 playoff games, and five of their regulars are hitting .303 or better. Hamilton was a monster in the ALCS (four homers, seven RBI, .350 average, 1.536 OPS), and Cruz was terrific in both series. The latter is batting .375 with five homers, five doubles, eight RBI and a 1.294 OPS in the postseason. Kinsler is hitting .342 with three homers, six runs and nine RBI in the playoffs, and Andrus and Molina are each hitting .333. Moreland, who has established himself as the regular first baseman, batted .389 with three runs in 18 at-bats in Texas' six-game win over the Yankees. The Giants have faced better pitching than the Rangers, but they're hitting .231 with only 30 runs in 10 games. Ross has been a pleasant surprise. The outfielder is hitting .324 with four homers and eight RBI in the postseason. Posey is hitting .282, but hasn't homered, and Sanchez (.268) is the only other regular batting above .260 in the playoffs. Burrell (.207) has struggled, and Huff (.256) has yet to homer. Edge: Rangers.
Bench: David Murphy is Texas' only bench player who is hitting at least .200, and he's at that number with two RBI in 20 at-bats this postseason. Jeff Francoeur is hitting .167 and Jorge Cantu and Julio Borbon are a combined 0-for-14. Pablo Sandoval was the Giants' regular third baseman in the regular season, but he's been a huge disappointment and will sometimes sit for Renteria to aid the Giants' defense. Aaron Rowand is 2-for-7 in the postseason, and Mike Fontenot will also play at third. Edge: Rangers.
Starting pitching: Lee has been almost unhittable this postseason, going 3-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 0.58 WHIP. He has struck out 34 and walked one in 24 innings. Lewis has been Texas' second-best starter in the playoffs (2-0, 1.48 ERA, 18 Ks in 18 2/3 innings), and Wilson (1-1, 3.93 ERA) has been decent. The Rangers need more from Hunter, who is 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA in two starts. Unlike many teams, the Giants have an ace who can match Lee zero for zero. Lincecum is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings in the playoffs. Cain hasn't allowed a run in 13 2/3 innings, and Sanchez is 0-1, but has been stingy (2.93 ERA, 1.04 WHIP). The Giants have the clear edge at the No. 4 spot in the rotation. Bumgarner is 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in two playoff starts. Edge: Giants.
Bullpen: Rangers closer Neftali Feliz, who was 40-for-43 in save situations in the regular season, hasn't saved a game in the postseason -- mostly because Texas outscored the Rays and Yankees by a combined 59-32. Setup man Darren Oliver has struck out six in 6 2/3 innings, and Derek Holland has been effective as a long reliever (1-0, 2.61 ERA). Giants closer Brian Wilson has the beard that ruins your concentration when viewed repeatedly in HD, and it also overshadows the fact he's saved five games and struck out 12 in nine scoreless innings in San Francisco's postseason run. Lefty Javier Lopez (1-0, 1.80 ERA) and righty Santiago Casilla (2.70 ERA) have been reliable in the playoffs. Edge: Giants.
Why the Rangers will win
They have Cliff Lee, and he's been as automatic as a Philadelphia fan thinking the sky is falling after an NLCS loss. They also have the top lineup in baseball, one that has pounded decent pitching in 11 postseason games. If Wilson and Lewis perform at their regular-season levels, Texas can outscore anyone, even a team with three very good starters (sorry, not your team, Phillies fans).
Why the Giants will win
They have the better starting pitching, and you could argue they have a clear pitching edge in Games 2, 3 and 4. Factor in a lights-out bullpen led by "Black Beard" Wilson, and you have a team that won't be wowed by the Rangers' hitting might.
Prediction
Rangers in seven.