Texas Rangers World Series Thread

[Nash B.]

That was a big play but I still contend the outfield playing deep with 2 outs and a groundball pitcher (conceding the tie on anything out of the infield other than a deep fly right at an outfielder) is really what lost them that game. I had never seen anybody play no doubles with 2 outs - because you're turning too many routine outs into hits

[momo]

To me it looked like they were defeated the minute they hit the field last night. They didnt have that drive or passion they had the previous 6 games. They just looked out of it.

i think they tried to forget it top in the top of the 1st inning. 2 runs looked like a great start then they gave it right back in the bottom. felt just like continuation of game 6's 9th and 10th inning.

[Zfan]

i think they tried to forget it top in the top of the 1st inning. 2 runs looked like a great start then they gave it right back in the bottom. felt just like continuation of game 6's 9th and 10th inning.

Bingo, like ground hog day....over and over again

[Zfan]

Maybe the Rangers can hook up with the Buffalo Bill's and borrow their list of excuses for choking manual.

It was the wind, the rain, the blister on my big toe, the Umpire, game 6 rain out, face it you choked Boy's!

[Geor!]

Good article. I omitted the St. Louis first part.
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Devastating losses have devastating consequences, and the Texas Rangers, each and every one of them, from Nolan Ryan to Jon Daniels, Neftali Feliz to Alexi Ogando to Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli to Ron Washington will feel this series tomorrow, next year and every day into old age. Being a strike away from a championship in consecutive innings is a hurt that will never go away. It can only be managed. Failing to reach a goal so close to the fingertips can change lives, change careers, change the direction and history of a franchise.

Washington walked the long walk from the field to the clubhouse after the season was over, himself and his team proud but diminished, a little smaller, as beaten teams are when the battle ends. The pressure that will descend upon the Rangers over the next 72 hours will be enormous, when the wound of defeat is at its freshest, and the desire to vent, to blame, to explain will do its best to suffocate the organization. As the winter progresses, each decision of the postseason, each championship point will be reviewed and dissected. From Washington's use of Esteban German in Game 1 to a lineup that was always bottom-heavy, more dangerous from hitters five through eight in the postseason than it was in the top four spots.

Washington will feel the pain of the losing, and the secondary pain of being eternally questioned, which losing leads to. If not by his answer, he will be haunted by the questions of why, with a two-run lead in the 10th inning, did he remove Feliz facing the bottom two hitters and the pitcher when La Russa was out of players? Though he blew a save, Feliz had thrown only 22 pitches in the ninth and seemed to have the advantage to overpower Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay. Washington went with Darren Oliver.

Why was Cruz in the game with a bad groin with a two-run lead with a better defensive player, Endy Chavez, on the bench? Perhaps Chavez catches the Freese's long fly ball and Washington and Texas are champions.

Or why didn't Derek Holland start Game 7 instead of Matt Harrison, for whom the moment seemed too large, especially when the majority of the Cardinals' runs in the deciding game came from Texas charity -- walks, hit batsmen, fear -- than from the superior acumen of the other side.

The Rangers will suffer these wrenching replays all winter, for the next 20 years or until they eventually win a championship, the same way Boston Red Sox fans for years agonized that Darrell Johnson removed Jim Willoughby in 1975 or that Don Zimmer let Mike Torrez pitch to Bucky Dent in '78, the same way Cardinals fans loathe Don Denkinger and (until last year) San Francisco Giants fans loved but couldn't forgive Dusty Baker for handing Russ Ortiz the ball in Game 6 of 2002.

These agonies are the unfortunate coin of the realm for the losing team, the human desire to assess blame, to find a reason for the unacceptable outcome, when the truth is the Rangers had everything they wanted in exactly the situation they wanted to win a world championship. Regardless of Washington's lineup, his use of the bullpen, his route to the finish line, the truth of the Texas Rangers in 2011 is that they were a strike away with a two-run lead and their pitcher of choice on the mound. They had, as Washington said after the Game 6 KO, everything they wanted.

The Rangers, Daniels, Ryan and the baseball inner circle, in particular, also must deny themselves the urge to overreact while being cognizant of whatever core personnel reasons they believe might account for why the Rangers did not win the World Series. Washington is a growing, emerging leader. Throughout the postseason he deferred to his more seasoned opponents, La Russa and Jim Leyland, humble that he might one day have their managerial experience and résumé. The Rangers over the course of the season and playoffs won and lost with Washington, the victories far outweighing the mistakes. Washington has changed the culture in Texas from losing to winning, and he too must continue to grow and be allowed to grow, just as players such as Feliz and Ogando must. For all the discussion of the Cardinals' heart and toughness and togetherness, the Rangers must also live with the fact that they had overcome St. Louis, overpowered the Cardinals, but in the key championship moments were just slightly leaky, just slightly unnerved, just sloppy enough to leave open doors that should have been slammed shut.

"This is a championship-caliber team," Michael Young said following Game 7. "What else can we do to get better? Make Nellie two feet taller so he catches that ball? We just have to come back, rededicate, work harder. We don't need to make any changes on this ballclub."

It is also true that the Rangers are enjoying the most successful period in their history, and losing the World Series does not change that.


Since 1920, six teams have lost consecutive World Series: the 1921-22 Yankees, the 1923-24 Giants, the 1952-53 Dodgers, the 1963-64 Yankees, the 1977-78 Dodgers and the 1991-92 Braves, and all of those teams within a five-year period won championships, either before the losses or within three years after. The Rangers, should they avoid the panic impulse, are knocking on the door.

For a cue, Daniels should look to Bobby Cox and the Braves, who lost a difficult Game 6 and ultimately the 1991 World Series only to win a thrilling NLCS the next year and lose at home to the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series in six games. Three years later, the Braves would win the World Series over Cleveland and continue a reign of excellence that is still the envy of executives throughout the game. They did not change managers, or general managers, but instead believed in their personnel and ultimately became a championship team.

"When opportunity is in your presence, you certainly can't let it get away, because sometimes it takes a while before it comes back," Washington said. "If there's one thing that happened in this World Series that I'll look back on it is being so close, just having one pitch to be made and one out to be gotten, and it could have been a different story.

"We're going to walk proud," Washington said. "The Texas Rangers organization has a lot to look forward to, and we are certainly willing and able and have deep plans to meet that challenge."

[mstng86]

The most devastating loss I have ever experienced as a sports fan.

Period.

[Geor!]

The most devastating loss I have ever experienced as a sports fan.

Period.

No shit. I am better today, but I was a fuckin' mess yesterday. Stayed in bed and slept most of the day. The ginmormity of the game 6, or even game 7 loss didn't hit me until then.

[Badass2000GT]

No shit. I am better today, but I was a fuckin' mess yesterday. Stayed in bed and slept most of the day. The ginmormity of the game 6, or even game 7 loss didn't hit me until then.

Wow kinda pathetic don't you think. I mean what the hell do you get if they win? Nothing. So what is the big deal? Was I bummed they lost yeah, but it lasted for 5 mins and I was over it. Can't wait till next year.

[SC457A]

Game six rain delay to me was everything. Killed the Rangers momentum they had, and gave the Cards time for rest on a taxed bullpen.

Told a lot of my friends if the Cards win game six, it was over. Game six was terrible. An amazing high thinking its over, to such a terrible low... twice! I turned off the TV before the winning home run hit the ground. Then and there the series was done.


Rangers played hard all year. They are and have been my baseball team. Days later, I am still pissed.

2012.... new year.

[Nash B.]

Game six rain delay to me was everything. Killed the Rangers momentum they had

It really didn't. They came out and put up a lot of runs in Game 6. What killed their momentum was Feliz blowing the save, Cruz missing the fly ball, and Washington managing like a crackhead.

[Geor!]

Wow kinda pathetic don't you think. I mean what the hell do you get if they win? Nothing. So what is the big deal? Was I bummed they lost yeah, but it lasted for 5 mins and I was over it. Can't wait till next year.

Elation is what i get. Of course since you're a cowboys fan moonlighting as a colts fan (but only when peyton is playing!), you wouldn't know much about that, would you?

[Stephen]

Elation is what i get. Of course since you're a cowboys fan moonlighting as a colts fan (but only when peyton is playing!), you wouldn't know much about that, would you?

Get a room

[SC457A]

It really didn't. They came out and put up a lot of runs in Game 6. What killed their momentum was Feliz blowing the save, Cruz missing the fly ball, and Washington managing like a crackhead.

I understand what you are saying there. I just wonder what would have been different if they would have played instead of delaying the game.

The Rangers gave the Card's that series in game six. I hope they can recover and move on. There is talent on this team.

[Badass2000GT]

Elation is what i get. Of course since you're a cowboys fan moonlighting as a colts fan (but only when peyton is playing!), you wouldn't know much about that, would you?

Whatever you say drama queen.

[Nash B.]

I just wonder what would have been different if they would have played instead of delaying the game.

Yeah, I just don't think it would. They came out pretty strong and it didn't seem like they'd lost much, if any, momentum. Friday was different. As soon as they gave up the lead in the first, they couldn't get anything going.