Well, Ten Games to Go, Folks

[Kirobaito]

<img src="http://www.rangerfans.com/schedule/2004results/Sep/images/0923_win.jpg">
"2-2 count. Dellucci ready. Dotel comes home, Dellucci swings and HITS A SMASH TO RIGHT FIELD! DYE COMING ON...HE DIVES FOR IT; HE CAN'T GET IT! IT ROLLS ALL THE WAY TO THE WALL! MIKE YOUNG TROTS HOME, JORDAN ROUNDS THIRD, AND HE WILL SCORE AND GETS MOBBED AT THE PLATE! THE RANGERS HAVE SWEPT! THE RANGERS HAVE SWEPT! DAVID DELLUCCI DELIVERS A 2-OUT, 2-STRIKE DOUBLE TO BEAT THE A'S, 5-4!"
-Eric Nadel, the Voice of the Rangers

This team is somethin', ain't it?

It seems as if I'm the only one making topics about the MLB this season, and I think I have good reason. The A's should be scared for their lives right now, yet Barry Zito calls Eric Young's 3-run homer off of him in Wednesday's 5-3 Rangers win a "fluke." Learn when you're beaten, Barry. I hope that the Rangers fans in this series have taught the A's fans a little somethin' about how to be fans. The difference in the atmospheres from Network Associates Coliseum to Ameriquest Field was nothing but incredible. The Rangers virtually won this series thanks to us, and they admitted it themselves.

At any rate, now that I'm done with this EXTREMELY UBER-HYPER DANCE RANT THING, to the topic. <b>How is/are your teams(s) doing, now that there are ten games left in the MLB regular season? And this is more than just standings; this refers more or less to how the team is playing, and how they feel about their chances,</b>

Well, 2 games out with 10 left...they Rangers play Seattle for 6 of them, who they have owned this year, and then play Anaheim at home for 4. Before this series, I was virtually confident that the Rangers wouldn't make the playoffs, but not anymore. This sweep completely changed my mind. The A's and Angels are reeling, and the Rangers certainly appear to have God on their side or something. At this rate, they will make the playoffs. As long as Anaheim sweeps the A's, and we sweep the Mariners...it'll come down to a 4-game series against the Angels. The key to that is that it's in Arlington, and after what just occurred, everybody should be scared of playing in Arlington. We will be ready. I've watched atleast 150 games a season since 1997 for the Rangers, and the division titles in 96, 97, and 99....they were nothing like this. Nothing like this. This team is something special. This team is truly going to be phenomenal.

You can call Dellucci's Godfather play the most striking thing about the game, especially because Dellucci was in an 0-for-25 slump, and in his career against Octavio Dotel he was 0-4 with 3 strikeouts, but really...the A's walked Mark Teixeira 5 times (2 times intentionally, and the other 3 not unintentionally). That's nothing but pure cowardice. He's not Barry Bonds. The A's have done nothing but make him Barry Bonds. I think that shows ya just exactly what's running through their minds right now, even though they admit nothing. The atmosphere in Texas right now is utterly, utterly fantastic. Yesterday, every 6th period class was virtually cancelled, because every class watched the game instead. It's incredible.

Fear.

[Del Murder]

The ALCS I want to see is Oakland and Minnesota and the WS I want to see is Oakland and Atlanta, but seeing the Rangers knock off New York would come in second.

The A's aren't doing too well but they have all the tools in place, they just need to execute better. On the other side of things I root for Atlanta, because they have shown that even without superstar pitchers and hitting they still win because they are a team of winners. As opposed to teams like Philly, who have so much more talent, and can't seem to win.

I have a bet with my brother and father over the world series. The stipualtion is that we have to pick and underdog. I picked Texas and my dad picked Anaheim. My brother picked Cleveland so he'll have to wait for next year (when Cleveland wins their division). So we'll see. We'll see.

[Strider]

The Rangers won't make the playoffs.

A team that will make the playoffs, however, are my beloved San Francisco Giants. They may have lost last night, but they still scored two impressive wins over an Astros team that had won 20 of their last 23 before setting foot in Pac Bell Park. Any talk of the questionable rotation behind Schmidt now should be erased, as Brett Tomko improved to "really freakin' awesome" in September (6-0, 2.33 since August 15) and Noah Lowry moved up to "out of nowhere player of the year" (6-0, 3.77 in 13 starts).

Dustin Hermanson has effectively saved the bullpen (last night was only his third blown save in 17 chances). For those who think walking Barry Bonds every at-bat is a wise idea, the hitters behind him in the order have hit a collective .390 since August 4. The Giants offense is the highest-scoring team in the league, in part to four other guys not named Bonds (Pierzynski, Grissom, Feliz, Alfonzo) driving in at least 75 runs.

I'm very confident about the series with the Dodgers that begins tonight. L.A. is falling apart, and they know it. They have little starting pitching to speak of, which is something this offense would be happy to take advantage of.

The Cubs have been inconsistent, the Astros are reeling now, and the Padres will likely come up with too little, too late. The Giants are a team no one should want to face in a short series.

[edczxcvbnm]

The only way SF is going to the playoffs is if they can beat LA in the 2 series they have left to play them in. If they don't win the majority and don't win the division then they will not go. Because of those games it will put one of the 2 teams in the lead in their division but the other team will be out of the wild card because of it. Unless the Cubs really up.

EDIT: I say if the cubs really it up because they don't really have hard teams left to play. Right now they have the Mets. Then it is back to the Reds the I believe they actually have a hard team to play...Atlanta. Not exactly a rough schedule.

[Dingo Jellybean]

Miguel Tajada for MVP.

[Del Murder]

The Giants are a team no one should want to face in a short series.

Except Florida?

[m4tt]

Padres wouldn't mind facing the Giants either.

[Dingo Jellybean]

Oh yeah, I forgot to back up why Miguel Tejada should be MVP. Here are the four canidates that should NOT be MVP.

David Ortiz: .295
40HR
131RBI
87Runs
131 Strikeouts

Manny Ramirez: .309
42HR
125 RBI
103Runs
118 Strikeouts

Vladimir Guerrero: .329
115 RBI
33HRs
114 Runs
73 Strikeouts

Gary Sheffield: .294
36HRs
118RBIs
114 Runs
79 Strikeouts




Miguel Tejada: .311
31HRs
138RBI
101Runs
65 Strikeouts


See that? He has more RBI and less strikeouts than any of the AL MVP canidates. I'm tired of players on winning teams winning the award. It's not Tejada's fault he has bad starting pitching. Don't forget Ortiz is a DH, so that takes away any credibility as an MVP canidate.

[Zell's Fists of Fury]

WHY is that man fondling another man's breast?

[Del Murder]

Well, Guerrero has a better average and more runs scored. It's not his fault Eckstein doesn't get on base as much as Melvin Mora. Where would the Angels be without Vlad? Certainly not in the playoff picture. Where would Baltimore be without Miggy? Fourth instead of third, if they are even in third? Tejada is great hitter and a proven leader that the Orioles needed but I think how that player affects the record should count for something.

[Dingo Jellybean]

Well, Guerrero has a better average and more runs scored. It's not his fault Eckstein doesn't get on base as much as Melvin Mora. Where would the Angels be without Vlad? Certainly not in the playoff picture. Where would Baltimore be without Miggy? Fourth instead of third, if they are even in third? Tejada is great hitter and a proven leader that the Orioles needed but I think how that player affects the record should count for something.

Baltimore would be dead last without Tejada. Anaheim has a better supporting staff. You look at Baltimore and they have just 2 hitters, Melvin Mora and Tejada. The starting pitching for Anaheim is 2x better than Baltimore's. The reason Guerrero has more runs scored is because he's in a stronger lineup...Tejada drives himself in 31% of the time. He also hit a game winning homerun last night...not to mention 20 other games where Tejada has batted in the eventual winning run. Without the wins Tejada produced, they would be dead last in the AL, not just the AL east.

Lastly, Melvin Mora missed 23 games already this season.

[Kirobaito]

Nah. Tejada shouldn't be MVP the same reason that A-Rod should not have been last year...don't get me started on THAT...

To say that the Orioles only have two good hitters is, well, not true, really. You tell me David Newhan isn't a good hitter, if anything a <i>hot</i> one? Javy Lopez isn't a good hitter? All of them have good averages....to say that Tejada should be MVP would be giving the award to Carlos Delgado last year...they're in the same situation.

Ortiz I believe should not be considered for MVP, because he is a DH.

And if the Rangers make the playoffs, what about Mike Young? No player in the playoff hunt has been more valuable to his team than Mike Young has been for the Rangers.

He's batting .315 with 21 HRs and 89 RBIs...good numbers, but not great, but first you must consider that for most of this season he's batted leadoff. He's hitting .333 against lefties and .308 against righties. In September, he's hit .354, has got a .352 average at home, and is a good defensive player at shortstop, which is not even his real position (as we all know, he played second base last year). He's as clutch as you'll find in the league nowadays, and is a fantastic leader in the clubhouse. Just a thought.

Teixeira for MVP 2005!