The Rangers were 1 pitch away 15 times

A lot of people have written about how twice the Rangers were one pitch away from winning the 2011 World Series. But my friend Gar Ryness (better known as The Batting Stance Guy) pointed out an interesting fact.

They were an out from winning the World Series in back to back innings, but they weren't one pitch away from winning twice.

They were one pitch away from winning the 2011 World Series 15 TIMES!

On 15 different occasions, a Ranger pitcher threw a pitch that could have clinched the World Series if a reasonable scenario took place.

In the 9th inning with one out and runners on first and second, Allen Craig came up where a ground ball could have turned into a World Series clinching double play.

Yeah both David Freese and Lance Berkman had their at bats go down to the final strike, but they could have popped up or grounded out on the first, second or third pitches.

And I am not coming up with outlandish "Line Drive Triple Play" scenarios nor counting the four balls thrown to Albert Pujols when he was intentionally walked in the 10th inning.

Remembering my brother in Curse of the Bambino dialing my uncle for each pitch the Red Sox could have clinched in 1986, I know all too well that the expectation of excitement builds with each pitch.

Rangers fans, I feel for you.

And let's review all 15 pitches.


Bottom of 9th inning
Neftali Feliz Pitching
Texas 7, St. Louis 5
2 on, 1 out.






Batter Allen Craig

PITCH 1 - Low, 1 Ball 0 Strikes.
PITCH 2 - Low, 2 Balls 0 Strikes.
PITCH 3 - Called Strike, 2 Balls 1 Strike.
PITCH 4 - Lined Foul to left, 2 Balls 2 Strikes.
PITCH 5 - Popped foul behind the plate, 2 Balls 2 Strikes.
PITCH 6 - Called Third Strike


2 Outs

Batter David Freese

PITCH 7 - Low and Outside, 1 Ball 0 Strikes.
PITCH 8 - Called strike on inside corner, 1 Ball 1 Strike.
PITCH 9 - Swinging strike, 1 Ball 2 Strikes.
PITCH 10 - 2 Run Triple to Right Field to tie the Game




Bottom of 10th inning
TEXAS 9, ST. LOUIS 8
Scott Feldman pitching
2 on, 2 outs







Batter Lance Berkman

PITCH 11 - Fouled back out of play, 0 Balls 1 Strike.
PITCH 12 - Inside, 1 Ball 1 Strike.
PITCH 13 - Swinging strike, 1 Ball 2 Strikes.
PITCH 14 - Low, 2 Balls 2 Strikes.
PITCH 15 - RBI Single to Center Field to tie the Game.




Pain.
Agony.

After Berkman's single, the Rangers were never a pitch away again.
Of the 15 pitches, 9 came with 2 outs, where a pop up in the infield or a grounder (or Nelson Cruz timing his leap correctly) would have made champs out of Texas.

Alas, 15 pitches weren't enough.

NOW we have a World Series!

I won't lie to you. When the game was 1-0 Cardinals going into the 9th, I thought "This is going to SUCK!"

Not the game. The game itself was a well played, well pitched ballgame. It was tight. It was tense. It was classic post steroids baseball. In other words... BASEBALL.

But in terms of the outcome of the World Series and my desire to see the Series tied 2-2 after 4 games, it sucked big time.

Yet another World Series was in danger of being lopsided after 4 games. Yet another World Series was going to be an anti climax, even if the games were well played. But Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus getting on base against Jason Motte and coming around to score and Neftali Feliz holding the Cardinals saved the World Series.

For the first time since Rivera blew the 2001 World Series we had a team come back to win a World Series game they trailed after 8.

And while it would have been cool to see Allen Craig become a pinch hitter World Series MVP, it is better for baseball to see this Series up in the air after 2.

Now split the next 2 and guess what? We might have ourselves a potential classic World Series.

I still want the Rangers to win the World Series.
But in Game 4 I am rooting for whomever lost Game 3.

Baseball needs a World Series classic.
2 games in and 2 one run games in, we are off to a good start.
The next two are key.

Rookie of the Year Synergy Happens Once Every 3 Decades

Neftali Feliz and Buster Posey won the Rookie of the Year for 2010 and frankly the picks are spot on.

They both had great years, both look like future stars and both sparked their teams to the post season.

Voters made their selection before the post season began, so they had no idea that Feliz’s Rangers and Posey’s Giants were going to meet in the World Series. It was a nice coincidence. And it got me thinking… how often has the Rookie of the Year been awarded to players who faced off against each other in the World Series?

And we here at Sully Baseball can’t just have an idle thought like that.

The Rookie of the Year was first awarded in 1947. Jackie Robinson won it for the NL Champion Dodgers. Alvin Dark won it in 1948 for the NL Champion Braves.

Starting in 1949, both the American League and National League were naming their Rookie of the Year.

And since then, both rookies have faced off three times in the World Series.

1951

WILLIE MAYS - Giants GIL McDOUGALD - Yankees

Gil McDougald of the Yankees played against Willie Mays of the New York Giants. McDougald homered and helped the Yankees win. Mays struggled to a .182 average and no extra base hits.

1981
FERNANDO VALENZUELA - Dodgers DAVE RIGHETTI - Yankees

Dodger ace Fernando Valenzuela took his mania to the World Series against Dave Righetti and the Yankees. The two squared off in Game 3. Ron Cey hit a three run homer off of Righetti who only lasted 2 innings and got a no decision. Bob Watson and Rick Cerone homered off of Valenzuela but he settled down and went all 9 innings for the Series turning win.

2010

BUSTER POSEY - Giants NEFTALI FELIZ - Rangers

Feliz shut down San Francisco in Game 3, giving the Rangers their first World Series victory. But Posey and the Giants had the last laugh. He hit a home run in Game 4 to put the score out of reach and went 2-4 in the Game 5 clincher.


Don’t feel badly for Rookie of the Year, World Series runners up Dave Righetti and Willie Mays. They both had good Octobers this year.

Rags?
He finally got a World Series ring as a coach for the Giants this year.
And Willie?

Well he got to be part of the World Series celebration.

Stay tuned to see if the 2040 American League and National League Rookies of the Year match up.