World Series Recap: I Blame C.J. Wilson

The Texas Rangers were one strike away from winning the World Series in the ninth inning of Game 6.  They blew that lead.  They were one strike away from winning the World Series in the tenth inning as well.  That lead also went poof.  In Game 7, they were 25 outs away from winning the World Series before blowing that lead.

You can say the Rangers lost because David Freese happened.  You can say they lost because the Cardinals had just watched the 1986 World Series DVD as an educational video.  You can say many things about why the Rangers lost.  I'm blaming C.J. Wilson.

 You can't hide from us, C.J.  We know it was your fault the Rangers lost the World Series.

Nelson Cruz had hit his record-tying eighth home run in the 2011 postseason, a shot off designated intentional walker Lance Lynn.  That blast gave the Rangers a 6-4 lead in the seventh inning of Game 6.  Cruz later misplayed David Freese's line drive to turn a World Series-clinching out into a World Series-tying two-run triple.  Blame Nelson Cruz all you want.  I'm blaming C.J. Wilson.

The Texas Rangers pitching staff allowed 41 walks over the seven games, breaking the old World Series record of 40 set by the 1997 Florida Marlins.  Alexi Ogando, who was a strong Rookie of the Year candidate until the Mets beat him up in late June, allowed seven of those 41 walks in only 2 2/3 innings.  Despite his erratic arm, Rangers manager Ron Washington brought him into six of the seven games, where he also gave up seven hits in addition to his seven walks.  It would appear as if Alexi Ogando or Ron Washington would be culpable for this.  I'm blaming C.J. Wilson.

The bullpen of Mike Adams, Neftali Feliz, Mike Gonzalez, Scott Feldman, Alexi Ogando, Darren Oliver and Mark Lowe combined to pitch 19 2/3 innings in the World Series.  After an impressive regular season, ALDS and ALCS, the relievers faltered in the World Series, combining to post an 8.24 ERA and 2.34 WHIP.   The lowest ERA of the Sad Seven belonged to Adams, who led the bullpen with a 4.50 ERA in two appearances.  Blame the bullpen coach or any member of the Sad Seven.  I'm blaming C.J. Wilson.

Ron Washington should have continued to pitch batting practice instead of letting his relievers do so during the actual games.

In Game 3, Albert Pujols went 5-for-6 with three home runs and six runs batted in.  In the other six games, he went 1-for-19 with no RBIs.  However, that one hit came in one of his many "this could be his last at-bat for the Cardinals" plate appearances in Game 6.  Pujols' one-out double into the gap in left-center set the stage for Freese's ninth-inning heroics.  Because of Pujols' reputation as the best hitter in the league and that ninth inning double, the Rangers decided to issue one of the aforementioned 41 walks to Pujols in the tenth inning when they were one out away from becoming World Series champions.  Oops.  Lance Berkman followed El Hombre's intentional walk with an RBI single, sending the game into the 11th inning.  Blame pitching coach Mike Maddux or Albert Pujols' aura.  I'm blaming C.J. Wilson.

C.J. Wilson started two games of the World Series.  After an excellent regular season in which he went 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA, Wilson actually had a lower ERA in the World Series.  His 2.92 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance helped keep the Rangers in the series.  It was Wilson's effort in Game 5 (one run allowed in 5 1/3 innings) that set the stage for Mike Napoli's go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning, a hit that propelled the Rangers to a 3-2 series lead.

It looks as if C.J. Wilson did everything he could to help the Rangers win the World Series.  So why am I blaming him for the World Series loss?  Because the seeds for this loss were planted in Arizona in mid-July.

 The Fall Classic was lost during the Midsummer Classic, thanks to C.J. Wilson.

During the Midsummer Classic, the American League led 1-0 when manager Ron Washington (maybe I should blame him too) brought in C.J. Wilson to pitch the fourth inning.  Wilson allowed a leadoff single to then-Met Carlos Beltran, followed by a line drive single to Matt Kemp.  He then allowed a titanic three-run homer to Prince Fielder (see photo above), which gave the National League a 3-1 lead.  The American League would not score again in the NL's 5-1 All-Star Game victory.

Prince Fielder's bomb off C.J. Wilson essentially gave the National League home-field advantage in the World Series.  Hence, that is why the wild card-winning Cardinals were able to play Games 6 and 7 at Busch Stadium instead of having those games played in Arlington, home of the division-winning Rangers.  Had Game 6 been played in Texas, the Cardinals would not have gotten a last chance to tie the game in the ninth and tenth innings and could not have possibly won the game in walk-off fashion.  It might have been the Rangers celebrating a World Series championship instead of the Cardinals celebrating an improbable comeback victory in Game 6.

So blame Ron Washington, Mike Maddux, Nelson Cruz or the entire Texas Rangers bullpen.  They might share in the blame for the Rangers' seven-game World Series loss to the Cardinals, but I'm blaming C.J. Wilson.  Had he been able to keep one ball in the park in July, the Rangers might have been having a ball in their park in October as first-time World Series champions.

Don't drop the ball, C.J.  Oh, wait.  Never mind.  You already did in the All-Star Game.

Joey's Soapbox: Top Ten Reasons Why The Texas Rangers Will Win The World Series

Greetings, everyone!  Can you believe the baseball season is coming to an end?  In two short months, it'll be winter and I'll be counting down the days till pitchers and catchers report while wondering how to unfreeze my behind from the frozen ground.  (I should probably wear pants under my Mets hoodie.)

Oh, who am I, you ask?  I'm glad you asked!  This is Joey Beartran, your fav'rit inanimate prognosticator.

In case you missed it, over the past month I've given you my Division Series predictions and my League Championship Series predictions.  I fared quite well with my first round picks, correctly picking the winner in three of the four series.  However, I didn't do as well with my LCS picks, losing both series.  Some of you might #BlameBeltran but I choose to place the blame on my excitement because both the Phillies and Yankees were eliminated within 24 hours of each other in their respective Division Series matchups.

So that brings us to the grand finale, the be all and end all, the salsa on the chicken nachos.  It's World Series time!  This year's Fall Classic will feature the two-time American League champion Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals, who have won more pennants and World Series titles than any team who doesn't play in the House That Juice Built.

Instead of doing my usual prediction, I'd like to do something different in this piece.  I'm going to tell you who's going to win first (the Texas Rangers in 6) and then I'll give you my top ten reasons why they'll win.  Ready?  Let's go!

Top 10 Reasons Why The Texas Rangers Will Win The World Series

10.  The Rangers are the fifth team in the past 20 seasons to reach the World Series in consecutive seasons.  Each of the last four teams who have appeared in back-to-back World Series has won at least one title.  The '08-'09 Phillies (boo) won back-to-back pennants, winning it all in 2008.  The '98-'01 Yankees (double boo) appeared in four consecutive World Series, winning three of them (triple boo) from 1998 to 2000, before losing to Arizona in 2001 (ha ha).  The '95-'96 Braves also won two straight pennants, being crowned in 1995, and the '92-'93 Blue Jays had a mini-dynasty, but because Canada uses the metric system, it was actually a much longer dynasty than you originally believed it to be.

9.  The actor who played Rangers manager Ron Washington was really funny in Moneyball.  Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa has never been funny a day in his life.  Funny = Championship.  Just look what humor did to the Cleveland Indians in the first Major League film.

8.  Tony La Russa overused his bullpen (ya think?) in the National League Championship Series.  He plans to outdo himself in the World Series by using a different pitcher every time Nelson Cruz comes to bat.  After the first four homers, he'll make a pitching change after EVERY PITCH to Cruz.

7.  The Texas Rangers have never played a game in St. Louis.  Ever.  Their only interleague matchup against the Cardinals was in 2004, when St. Louis took two out of three from Texas at the previous Busch Stadium.  Who was the losing pitcher for the Rangers in the rubber match?  None other than R.A. Dickey!  The Rangers will adopt a "Do it for Dickey!" rallying cry in the World Series and exact their revenge on the Cardinals.

6.  The Cardinals need a rally squirrel to help them win ballgames.  The number one pastime in Texas after Cowboys football, college football and high school football is hunting.  That squirrel doesn't stand a chance.

5a)  This was our view in Texas:

5b)  This was our view in St. Louis:

5c)  The view in Texas was far better than the view in St. Louis.

4.  Chris Carpenter is 2-6 with a 7.26 ERA and 1.87 WHIP in 12 career games (11 starts) against the Texas Rangers.  It's his highest ERA and WHIP against any team (min. 50 IP).   He is also the only Cardinals pitcher to ever lose a game to the Rangers, losing to them in the middle game of their only interleague series in 2004.  (Do it for Dickey!)  In case you hadn't heard, Chris Carpenter is starting Game 1 of the World Series against the Rangers.

3.  The 21st century has been full of cities and/or greater metropolitan areas holding multiple championship parades for their victorious teams.  It happened in 2002, when the Lakers won in June and the Angels won in October.  The Boston area repeated the feat in 2004, with the Patriots winning the Super Bowl in February and the Red Sox reversing the curse in October.  It happened a third time in 2009, when the Steelers took home the Vince Lombardi trophy in February and the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in June.  The Dallas Mavericks won the NBA championship this past June.  The Rangers play just a few miles away in Arlington.  That's the definition of a greater metropolitan area, my friends.

2.  The American League and National League have alternated winning the World Series every year since 2005, with the White Sox (2005), Red Sox (2007) and Yankees (2009 - boo) taking home the trophy in the odd-numbered years and the Cardinals (2006), Phillies (2008 - hiss) and Giants (2010) taking that final champagne bath in the even-numbered years.  2011 means that it's time for the American League to pop the cork.

And the number one reason why the Texas Rangers will win the World Series is...


Two words:  Nolan Ryan.  It's been 42 years since he won his first World Series ring.  It's time for him to win a second after coming within three wins of doing it last year.  Tony La Russa has won six pennants (three in Oakland and three in St. Louis) and two World Series championships (one with each team).  He's got his rings.  Now Nolan gets his.  Period.


Enjoy the World Series!

...and do it for Dickey!

10 reasons why Red Sox fans should root for the Rangers in the World Series

OK, we now have our World Series match up. I personally was hoping for a Tigers and Phillies World Series so we’d have a Verlander vs. Halladay.

Then I wanted Tigers vs. Brewers...
So naturally I got Rangers vs. Cardinals.

Now my fellow Red Sox fans might be wondering who they should root for... those who can bring themselves to watch baseball in the post on field and off field collapse of the Red Sox.

Well, one thing is for sure, you should root for a seven game series, which baseball needs more than a resolution to the Dodger and Met mess.

But what if it comes down to a 7th game and a tie score in the 9th?
Who should Red Sox fans root for?

It's an easy call.
Root for the Rangers... let me count the ways.

10 Reasons Why Red Sox Fans
Should Be Rooting For The Rangers

1. Not one member of the Rangers 25 man roster has a World Series ring

OK, that's not a Red Sox related reason, but it is pretty cool when you think of it.

If the Rangers win the World Series, every single player in the pile would be celebrating their first title. Having a whole team where it is the greatest moment in their life for ALL of them? That's pretty awesome. (The Molinas, Pujolses, Carpenters and LaRussas all have theirs.)


2. If the Rangers win, would Nolan Ryan’s “Let them pitch” style would be the direction of the new Red Sox.

The Red Sox need to rebuild their pitching staff and it will take more than banning fried chicken from the clubhouse to do it.

I fear coddling of pitchers more than the Colonel's secret recipe. I think it has already claimed Clay Buchholz and the old Sox management hasn't exactly produced the 1995 Braves... or the 2011 Rangers for that matter.

Ryan has let the pitchers PITCH and lo and behold the depth of their staff is one of their strengths. Win or not, the Red Sox should emulate them. Hope the Rangers win do the Sox will have to notice that Ryan has delivered much better results than copying Moneyball.



3. How often do you bump into a taunting Rangers fan?

If you are a Red Sox fan, no matter where you live, you will inevitably live or work near a Yankee fan who will give you crap about the great collapse.

Same with a Phillies fan or a Mets fan (although Met fans should keep their traps shut.) And maybe a Cardinal fan too.

When was the last time you uttered the phrase "I work with the most OBNOXIOUS Texas Rangers fan"? I am guessing never. That's a good thing. You don't want taunters to have the ammo of "And MY team won the World Series!"


4. Texas can become a free agent destination instead of the Yankees

Let's face it, Sox fans. This is going to be a lousy off season with the change in management and all. I don't know how many free agents are going to be running to Boston. And frankly the Red Sox have been spending too much on free agents recently. They need to develop their own players.

But we also don't want to see the C. J. Wilsons et al sign with the Yankees, do we? Well as Cliff Lee showed us, players are allowed to turn down Yankee money. And maybe if the Rangers keep winning and show they have a stable organization, maybe people will be heading to Texas instead of the Yankees.

Besides, can't you get a big huge mansion in Texas with low property taxes? DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS!!!


5. Hey! Adrian Beltre is a former Red Sox All Star!

Shouldn't we be rooting for former Red Sox All Stars?

OK, so Beltre was only a Red Sox for one season and he wasn't exactly beloved... but it would be easier rooting for him to win a ring with the Rangers than say Clemens or Boggs with the Yankees... or Eckersley and Hendu with the LaRussa A's.

Go Adrian! Represent the 3rd place 2010 Boston Red Sox!


6. Come on… you can’t root for LaRussa or McGwire!

Isn't there something you don't like about Tony LaRussa? I could never figure out why I don't like him. It has nothing to do with him being a lawyer or doing that Glenn Beck thing. There's something about him that rubs me the wrong way. Seeing the Red Sox clobber the Cardinals in 2004 made it a little bit sweeter.

And McGwire, forget about it. Some steroid guys I have some sympathy for. This guy? He would have had Ron Kittle's career if not for the juice.

And together they massacred the Red Sox in the 1988 and 1990 ALCS. Seriously, you want THEM to be happy?

7. We can’t have the Cardinals also winning 2 World Series in the last 10 years!

The last few months have been so brutal to us Sox fans that it feels like everything positive of the past 10 years is getting more and more blurry. There's not a lot left for us to brag about.

Well since 2001, the Sox are the only team to win multiple World Series. That's still cool... except the Cardinals will spoil the fun if they win this year to go along with their 2006 title.

We need the Rangers to win for our own pettiness.

8. For Rangers fans, this could be THEIR 2004!

Remember that wonderful feeling we all felt in 2004? That great sense of relief! We had gone our whole lives thinking "Man, I'm never going to see the Red Sox win the World Series." Then suddenly they did. It made everything a little better.

Even seeing the Yankees win in 2009 and the Red Sox collapse in 2011 doesn't hurt the way it used to.

Now imagine you are a lifelong Rangers fan. The franchise had NEVER won the World Series. Hell, until last year they had only won one playoff GAME! The idea of being a World Series champ seemed pretty far fetched. If they win, then the die hard Ranger fans... the one that loved Pete O'Brien, Dean Palmer and Rusty Greer... would have THEIR moment they had waited their whole lives for.

Someone else deserves that kind of happiness.


9. A Rangers World Championship would George W. Bush happy and occupied

I am not going to get political here. All I am going to say are two things that I don't think anyone can deny.

1. George W. Bush would probably be happier if he were the Commissioner of Baseball rather than the former President of the United States.

2. He seems very happy being out of the political fray.

There might be pressure for him to be more vocal in the scrum that will be the 2012 election. For his sake and ours, I hope he is just going to sit back and savor another summer watching the Rangers defend their title.



10. SPIKE OWEN WOULD GET A WORLD SERIES RING

This is the BIGGEST reason for the Red Sox to root for the Rangers. He is the manager of the Texas Rangers AAA affiliate, the Round Rock Express. If the Rangers win, he would get a World Series ring as a member of the organization.

Spike was of course the starting shortstop of the 1986 Red Sox. He came along with Dave Henderson from Seattle in an August trade and greeting Hendu at home plate when he hit the go ahead homer in Game 6 of the World Series... the homer we all thought would clinch the World Series.

Owen was a typical Red Sox infielder from the Yawkey years. Not flashy, got his uniform dirty and whiter than the Bushwood Country Club directory.

Also Spike Owen's real first name? Spike! It was his mother's maiden name.

Every time a member of the 1986 Red Sox gets a ring, an angel gets their wings. I think that's how it goes.


So there you go, Red Sox fans... it might not get you all gung ho like 2004 or 2007... but there's reason to watch this World Series.

Say it with me! Let's go Rangers!
(Just don't yell that at a Bruins game.)

10 Reasons why the Texas Rangers winning the 2011 World Series would be good for baseball

The fall of the Red Sox made me kind of in a daze at the end of the season. I was going to have the Sox be the LAST of the Why Each Team's Potential World Championship Would Be Good For The Game series.

Not sure if you heard... the Sox aren't winning the 2011 World Series.
Probably won't win the 2012 nor 2013 either.

So in that post collapse confusion, I realized that I NEVER did one for the Rangers.
That would the BACK TO BACK AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPION RANGERS whom I gave virtually no respect to.

I didn't pick them to win the Division... I picked the Angels.
I didn't pick them in the Division Series... I picked the Rays.
I didn't pick them in the ALCS... I picked the Tigers.

So maybe I have learned my lesson.

They are back in the World Series.
Would seeing them WIN the World Series be good for the game?

Let me count the ways...

10 Reasons why the
Texas Rangers
winning the 2011 World Series
would be good for baseball

1. The celebration of Ron Washington would be complete

Washington has had a remarkable 2 seasons. He overcame the drug problem to become the first AL manager since Joe Torre to win back to back pennants. And he did it with a fun likable, running in place in the dugout, windmilling style.

Oh yeah, he was portraying in Moneyball by the great "that guy" Brent Jennings. (He played Harrison Ford's ill fated partner in Witness.) The difference between Washington's Rangers and Beane's A's? The Rangers actually went to the World Series. But how cool would it be to win a World Series and be a character in what will certainly be an Oscar nominated movie?



2. Nolan Ryan and his influence could finally put an end to pitch count nonsense.

The Rangers lost Cliff Lee and somehow their pitching staff got DEEPER.

C. J. Wilson, Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Alexi Ogando, Neftali Feliz, Scott Feldman and Mike Adams might not be as sexy as the Phillies staff. But Texas has played in the last 2 World Series and not Philadelphia. You weren't supposed to be able to put a strong staff together in Texas. But magically that went out the window when Nolan Ryan took over the team.

Pitch counts were flushed down the toilet. Pitchers were allowed to get out of their jams. And guess what? As the Joba rules and babying of pitchers have left a wake of broken down pitchers, Nolan Ryan's method has made the Rangers a pitcher team.

Gee whiz, I wonder which school of thought should be adopted by more teams!




3. Josh Hamilton... An American Bad Ass needs to be a Champion.

The ultimate Roy Hobbs story needs its grand climax. He's already battled his demons. He's already reemerged in Cincinnati and then in Texas. He already beat drugs to become the MVP and slay the Yankees. He's already asked the Rays for forgiveness.

He's a great American story of wasted and found abilities. Put a ring on that finger and roll credits!

4. The final haunting of Nelson Cruz

Cruz is on a home run tear. Tonight he became the first person ever to hit 6 homers in a single post season series. I may have calculated his career ALCS OPS wrong, but my math has it coming out to 5 bazillion.

If this run goes into the World Series, this slugger will shine on the biggest stage and torment the Mets, A's and Brewers... all teams that had him and dealt him away.


5. It would be a celebration of the Rangers star studded but pennantless past.

When the Wild Card era began and media attention was placed solely on the Yankees and Red Sox, how many MVPs played in the Bronx?

Alex Rodriguez who won the award twice.
How many in Boston? That would be 2, Mo Vaughn and Dustin Pedroia.

How many in Texas? Juan Gonzalez won it twice. Pudge Rodriguez won it once. A-Rod picked up one in Arlington as did Josh Hamilton. That's more than Boston and New York combined in that same stretch.

Jeff Burroughs won it before. Ruben Sierra and Rafael Palmeiro could have won it. Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Bert Blyleven and of course Nolan Ryan logged great years in Arlington. As did the Richie Zisks, Oddibe McDowells, Julio Francos and all the other players in the Rangers colorful past.

For all the Geno Petrallis out there, a Rangers title will be for you!



6. A pro like Darren Oliver deserves a ring.

Did you know Darren Oliver was part of the first ever Rangers playoff team in 1996? In fact as a starter he pitched with a lead into the 9th inning of Game 3 of the Division Series against the Yankees. New York came back to win that game, but if Oliver and the pen held on, they might have won the Series.

That was a long time ago. Jeter was a rookie then.

Did you know that Darren Oliver has appeared in every post season since 2006? This is his 6th October in a row. He's logged in 17+ years in the big leagues and has no World Series ring to show for his troubles.

That should change.



7. Endy Chavez deserved a ring when he made that catch in 2006!

Endy Chavez's place in baseball history was ruined by events he had no control over. If Carlos Beltran clears the bases in the bottom of the 9th in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, Chavez's catch, robbing Scott Rolen over a tie breaking homer, would be remembered as one of the great moments in recent baseball history.

He would be a New York icon, along the lines of Dave Roberts in Boston.

Instead his catch is remembered fondly and included in highlight reels, but not an all time moment. How could it be? The Mets didn't win the game.

An overdue World Series ring would be a nice consolation prize for not becoming an immortal.


8. Michael Young would be rewarded for staying.

Michael Young was good as gone this past off season. There was no room for him in the crowded infield and a deal with a team like Colorado looked inevitable. In March, I made the case for the Rangers to keep him. He responded with 213 hits, best in the AL, a .338 average, 106 RBI and 299 total bases. And after 11 full seasons in Texas (after being dealt as a minor league for Esteban Loaiza) he has played more games for the Rangers than anyone else in history, had the most at bats, scored the most runs, compiled the most hits, doubles and triples.

With 2061 hits and a few 200 hit seasons left in him, is 3,000 out of reach? He's an all time Ranger. People who are so great for one team for so long should win a title with that team.

How much would he HATE being in Denver now?


9. The Cowboys would have the longest title drought in Dallas!

The Mavericks won this year... the Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999. The Cowboys haven't won the Super Bowl since January of 1996 when they beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. Between December 1996 and now, they've won one playoff GAME.

For fans in Dallas, they have had time to embrace more than football. And for the rest of the country who hates the Cowboys, there must be some delicious joy in knowing that the Cowboys are 4 Rangers wins away from being the symbol of Dallas sports futility.

(I wonder if Dallas fans would trade the Stanley Cup, NBA title and World Series ring for a few more Cowboy playoff wins.)



10. Could Texas become the next superpower franchise?

I keep hearing about how the Northeastern franchises have a stranglehold on big name players and media attention.

Well isn't everything bigger in Texas? At least the World Series has been going through Texas more often than New York, Philadelphia and Boston these days. (Or Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta for that matter.)

But why talk about the Rangers like they are some small market team? Dallas is the 4th biggest metropolitan area in the country. You are a big market, Texas. Start acting Texan!

Spend big and intelligently and the Rangers could be in the playoffs every year and make a few more trips to the World Series. And if the Red Sox are in flux and the Cubs, Dodgers and Mets are a mess and the Phillies get older, then guess what? There could be a period where Texas embraces the Rangers and they can become a national brand like never before.

A title will give them substance. Why not have them be an answer to big Northeast baseball. Have it become a regional rival. Hell, if Dallas and Pittsburgh could become football rivals, why can't Texas and New York in baseball?

Superpowers spread throughout the country is how baseball will improve its popularity. Might as well do it in the heart of football country!

Now Atlanta fans don't have the best reputation in the country. They seemed to be jaded by the 14 consecutive post seasons as good seats were available for playoff games!





So there you have it. The Rangers are in and just ask the Tigers, they mean to win.
The National League champ should be put on notice. There could be a NEW America's team in the Dallas area.

And that might not be so bad.



If you liked this then go ahead and read the entries for the other teams.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
CHICAGO WHITE SOX

CLEVELAND INDIANS
DETROIT TIGERS
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
NEW YORK YANKEES
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
TAMPA BAY RAYS

The Texas Rangers - A film by Clint Eastwood

The Texas Rangers story this season has unfolded like a movie... but not just any kind of movie.

Specifically it has been a Clint Eastwood film.
I'm not talking about the Spaghetti Westerns, the Dirty Harry films or even the Clyde the Orangutan movies.

I'm talking about the respected Clint Eastwood films of the 1990s and 2000s.
You know, the ones he churns out about once every 8 months. The ones where, even if you didn't like them, you'd think, "Well, at least it was well made."

Bear with me, but the story of the 2010 Texas Rangers would be an ideal film for Clint not only to produce and direct but also to star in.

It is a story like Unforgiven or Million Dollar Baby where Clint is the grizzled old timer brought in to do what he was born to do... and paired up with a partner his age and a young whipper snapper.

Think about it!
You have Nolan Ryan leaving his ranch to save the Rangers.
You have Ron Washington and Josh Hamilton overcoming their drug past.
You have a Rangers team that is filled with cast offs from other teams giving each other antler signs.

And they beat the Yankees! It seems that every baseball movie, with the exception of Pride of the Yankees and The Scout, has the Yankees as the bad guys. Even the Bad News Bears had the evil little league team called the Yankees.

It adds juice to seeing them win the pennant at the end.

Rent your tuxedo for the Oscars, Clint... the movie is tailor made. The script would practically be a Mad Lib.

And let this blog post be one of two things:

1) My pitch, in case anyone at Clint's Malpaso Productions reads my blog.

or

2) A way for people to see I predicted this movie before they even rolled cameras.


The film stars...

CLINT EASTWOOD as NOLAN RYAN

Yeah, he doesn't look like Ryan (as Ryan has clearly discovered the Rawlings All American Grill). But Clint has Ryan's imposing presence. He's the legendary cowboy whose background makes everyone stand at attention. He's the old school hero who wants nothing to do with these crazy new ideas. You can imagine him responding to the concept of pitch counts with a quiet, "Say what?"

MORGAN FREEMAN as RON WASHINGTON

Sure he's older than the real Washington, but this is Hollywood. Stockard Channing played a teenager in Grease for Christ's sake! Besides he can play the instant respect card when he arrives in the dugout. And he can play the troubled side when his cocaine use comes out. Plus let's face it, he could narrate the hell out of the film. Give it the ole Shawshank Redemption - Million Dollar Baby treatment.

MATT DAMON as JOSH HAMILTON

Clint has used Matt in his last few films, and why not? He's awesome. He doesn't really look like Josh Hamilton, but who cares? He can play the many layers of Hamilton. Ryan will inevitably get Hamilton pumped up, reminding him not to throw away his gifts and chance to be a great player. The Rangers are his third team and best shot at redemption. And Clint is big on redemption. Plus, when Washington has the cocaine problem, it can be Hamilton, the young player, who reaches out and helps him. When he stands by his manager, it will bring a lump to the throat like Jimmy standing by Coach Dale in Hoosiers.

HILARY SWANK as CLIFF LEE

Let's face it. Hilary is dying for a third Oscar... and Clint loves her. She's already won an Academy Award playing a woman pretending to be a man. Why not push it all the way? She'll just play a guy! And just treat it as if it is normal. By the end people will be saying, "I completely forgot it was a woman playing Cliff Lee" and BAM! She'll have a third golden guy for her collection.

And there are the supporting roles.

ADAM ARKIN as CHUCK GREENBERG

He's the investor who lures Ryan out of retirement to save the team. He has to visit Ryan at his cattle ranch and no doubt steps his expensive shoes in some cow pies. He has to deliver the inevitable "We need you to come back" speech and tell him he can run the team HIS way. Then later in the film they'll cut to him a lot clapping.

JESSICA LANGE as RUTH RYAN

It's a shame Sondra Locke can't play this role, which will inevitably be thankless. Ruth, Nolan's wife, initially is skeptical about Ryan's going back to the Rangers. She realizes how it will be his last bit of youth sparked again and agrees. Then later in the film they'll cut to her a lot clapping.

GIOVANNI RIBISI as JON DANIELS
Ribisi would be spot on as the super young GM who works well (and shows respect) to Nolan Ryan. And along the way teaches Ryan that the young kids may have a few good ideas in their head. He looks concerned during a lot of the ball game scenes and gives Nolan Ryan someone to growl to.

NATHAN FILLION as C. J. WILSON

The left hander has a great season pitching the Nolan Ryan way... and let's face it. He looks like the star of Castle. And why would Fillion turn down a role in a Clint Eastwood film?

MICHAEL PENA as BENGIE MOLINA

The actor from Crash worked with Clint in Million Dollar Baby. He comes over to the team in mid season and gives the pitching staff a boost... plus when he hits for the cycle and later steals a base in the playoffs, it can be a comical moment.

RYAN KWANTEN as MICHAEL YOUNG

The Aussie does a nice job with an American accent on True Blood, and he's in shape enough to play the versatile Young in the film. Plus he's a nice looking man.

JAIMZ WOOLVETT as MIKE MADDUX

OK, he looks NOTHING like Mike Maddux. But damn it, Woolvett was GREAT as the Schofield Kid in Unforgiven and proved he could handle himself in a scene with the likes of Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman. He should be in the cast, damn it!

TIMOTHY BOTTOMS as GEORGE W. BUSH

The former owner of the Rangers who dabbled in politics will show up from time to time. No, you can't put Will Farrell in this movie. Besides, Bottoms played serious Bush in a 9/11 TV movie and silly Bush in "That's My Bush." He can handle the cameo.

So, come on! You can picture it! Even the poster can say

ACADEMY AWARD WINNER CLINT EASTWOOD

ACADEMY AWARD WINNER MATT DAMON

ACADEMY AWARD WINNER MORGAN FREEMAN

ACADEMY AWARD WINNER HILARY SWANK

ACADEMY AWARD WINNER JESSICA LANGE

IN A FILM BY CLINT EASTWOOD

(WHO HAS 3 MORE OSCARS NOT COUNTING THE FIRST ONE WE MENTIONED WHEN WE LISTED CLINT IN THE CAST!)

It smells like Oscar bait.

I demand a producer credit.

I COMPLETELY understand why Ron Washington let Harrison pitch to A-Rod

I was listening to Sterling and Waldman call the Yankees-Rangers game tonight and they were perplexed why Ron Washington let lefty reliever Matt Harrison (not the Lower East Side filmmaker) pitch to A-Rod with the bases loaded, 1 out and a 2 run lead.

A-Rod hit a bases clearing double that gave the Yankees the lead and Washington lifted him for the next batter.

In practice and theory it seemed odd. Texas has something like 783 September call ups, and evidently every single one of them is a reliever that they can match up hitter to hitter in the late innings.

And Washington certainly wasn't shy to go to the hook tonight, a game that included an hour long rain delay.

But there are two factors that made me realize that this wasn't such a crazy idea.

THEY WERE WEARING DOWN THE PITCHING STAFF

They had played an extra inning game the night before where they had used 11 pitchers.
Plus with the hour rain delay, Harrison was already the 5th pitcher used last night. Maybe Washington was thinking "Man, if this goes extras, I may need a few arms. Might as well take a chance now.


MAYBE WASHINGTON WANTED TO SEE HOW HARRISON WOULD DO IN THIS SITUATION

Think about it. The whole lefty/righty match ups can be overrated. Some lefties can do well against right handed hitters and vice versa. Maybe Washington wanted to see how Harrison would do in a late inning pressure situation against a big right handed hitter.

Well, he got it. Bases loaded, 2 run lead with A-Rod up.
Only the pressure was only in the game.

The Rangers are up by about a week in the standings with 3 weeks to play. The A's and the Angels aren't going to catch them without a big losing streak. So why not use this unique moment to see what Harrison has got.

What's the worst that can happen?

Well a bases clearing double is pretty damn close to the worst thing that could happen, but how do you know what you have until you give a pitcher a shot?

I totally get it.
And Rivera's melt down took Washington off the hook.
He got to experiment AND beat the Yankees in dramatic fashion.

Not a bad night. Now in the future when Harrison is up against a big right handed batter... lift him.

A heart Hardens

I understand the logic of taking Rich Harden out of the game today.
He threw 111 pitches today and it was his first day off the disabled list... maybe EVER.

In his career he has the durability of a sand castle at high tide.

So yeah, I understand why Ron Washington took him out. He needs his arm in the 1 in 382,112 chance that he can last 2 months without getting hurt again.

But man, I'm not sure I'd have the heart to take him out of his no hitter. If he had let up a little dribbler single in the third, this would be a no brainer.

6 2/3 shutout innings from Harden?
A Godsend.

But now he had to be the mean old man to ruin Rich's birthday party.

Let's see if O'Day can make it a combined no hitter.

(2 outs in the 8th... he could do it)