10 Thoughts On Rangers vs. Giants 2010 World Series Game 1

10 Thoughts, Reviews, Top Story

1) I don’t know if it’s possible to have wound up with a better game one than this series offered. Best pitcher in the NL vs. best pitcher in the AL vs. the likely AL MVP. While the Phillies and the Yankees were favored to be here, I don’t think anyone can honestly say they were robbed.

2) I’d like someone to explain to me what Lincecum was doing in the third inning as he walked Michael Young back to third instead of throwing someone out. If the answer is “he took a huge bong rip before the first inning” that’s acceptable.

3) I defy any person to tell me once the Giants were down 2-0 that they weren’t working under the assumption this was going to be a four-game sweep. I admit, the idea even occurred to me. The problem is, aside from this pitching match-up, doesn’t the pitching favor the Giants?

4) Lee’s previous post-season starts caused me to watch the sixth inning unfold in total disbelief. Cliff Lee starts barely involve four hits in the entire starts, much less in one inning.

5) Cliff Lee’s line: 4.2IP, 8H, 7R, 6ER, 1BB, 7K. We could call this terrifying, or we could just assume it’s a hangover from Tony Romo’s shoulder getting shattered by the Giants’. Let’s assume, for now, it’s the latter.

6) Lincecum had a rough night for him: 5.2 IP, 4ER, 3K. However, he helped hold Josh Hamilton to an 0-fer on the evening. That, my friends, is a recipe for success.

7) Not a recipe for success: 4 errors by the Rangers.

8) Both the line-up/defense issues were apparent in this game. In the first case, Juan Uribe made three key plays, including the first-inning double play to get Lincecum out of trouble, which may or may not have been made if Pablo Sandoval was manning third. On the other side, two miscues by an aging Vlad in right extended two innings. In this game, the lack of Sandoval didn’t hurt, but ironically both teams’ best line-ups happen in the AL park.

9) If anyone had asked Vegas to give them odds on a 25-hit shootout between these two starting pitchers, they probably would have got a fortune. Not at all the game anyone was expected, likely including the outcome.

10) Obviously, nobody can count the Rangers out… they fought back from a brutal game one loss to the Yankees in the ALCS. However, the Giants jumping on Cliff Lee in game one is an immeasurably huge boost for the team and a tough blow to the Rangers. With Matt Cain matching up with C.J. Wilson, Dallas’s sports woes are looking to continue through at least Saturday.