Youth Movement

I am going to do my best to not be biased tonight for game 4 and to just enjoy it for what it is. Tonight's game is sure to be a great time because it is bound to be a wild one. Neither of the starting pitchers have much experience both in the playoffs, and in the Major Leagues in general.
Giants starter Madison Bumgarner is a 21 year old rookie who was very impressive this season going 7-6 with a 3.00 ERA and 86 K's in 111 innings, but what he lacks in experience he makes up for with determination. He was left off the Giants' roster after spring training due to mechanical problems that left his velocity startling low. Teammate Jeremy Affeldt said Bumgarner s fearless and that is true. Bumgarner is taking a 1-0 record in the playoffs into tonight's start, but what many don't now is that he is historical. He became the second youngest pitcher to win a series clincher in the playoffs after he helped finish off the Atlanta Braves in the division series. He hasn't gotten down on himself for his early season woes, but instead trained hard with coaches and trainers in order to find his errors and improve upon them.
The Texas Rangers' hurler Tommy Hunter is another young pitcher who wasn't on his team's Major League roster to start the year, but was outstanding this season when the Rangers called him up. He went 13-4 with a 3.73 ERA, but has been disastrous so far in the playoffs. He is 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA in 7 1/3 innings across two starts.
I'm a rooting for the Rangers to pull even in the series and I'm looking forward to a high powered game full of lots of scoring(advantage Rangers), but I wouldn't be surprised if both starters buckle down and get their jobs

-Joey DeClercq

World Series Transition: Wilson's Show

The Texas Rangers are putting converted reliever C.J Wilson out on the mound for game two of the world series tonight in San Francisco. His opponent, Giants backup ace Matt Cain. Both sported similar numbers over the course of 162 games, Cain's line read 13-11, 3.14, 177, and wilson's was 15-8, 3.35, 170. What makes Wilson different than Cain is that he has never before pitched so much in one season. Last season Wilson pitched his career high in innings with 73.2, but jumped that number up 204 when he made the move to the starting rotation from the bullpen this year.
This kind of an adjustment can only lead to good things for the Rangers lefty, I believe. It is hard for most relievers to jump to the starting five and have so much success so soon. The increase in work usually means a tired arm by the end of the year, but the Rangers have so much confidence in Wilson's abilities that they made him their number two starter for this postseason.
Wilson should have no problem pitching under "must win" pressure following Cliff Lee's disastrous loss. According to ESPN.com, 20 of Wilson's 33 starts in the regular season came after a loss. He went 11-5 with a 3.27 ERA in those games. On Wednesday he told ESPN.com's Jeff Caplan, "Obviously tonight things didn’t go well for Cliff. But that was tonight, and tomorrow is tomorrow, I can’t 'unlose' tonight’s game. I can only win tomorrow’s game. That’s the only goal.”
Expect the pitchers kingdom that is AT&T Park in San Francisco to be an advantage to Wilson who is used to pitching in the warm dimensions of The Ballpark in Arlington in Texas. Jeff Caplan put it best when he wrote, "The big difference is Lee has lost for the first time. So now it is Wilson’s show."

World Series living on the West Coast

I should start out by apologizing to my friends who are avid Giants fans because of my complete doubt about San Francisco's chances in the World Series. Sorry. Now having said that, don't expect many more. I will be more careful where I place my faith next time around. The Giants proved a lot to me tonight. Not only did they shell one of the game's best playoff performers in Cliff Lee, but they also shattered any hope I had that this series would a low scoring affair. Neither bullpen held up in the late innings of the game and that is where one of the Giants' greatest strengths was.
It was supposed to be a game of epic proportions. Cliff Lee vs. Tim Lincecum, but after jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead I was certain that Texas had a hold on this one and that perhaps Cliff Lee was already building his W.S. MVP resume, but alas, the Giants fought back and fought hard. The game quickly turned into a romping as Lee wasn't even able to make it out of the 5th inning after giving up 6 earned runs. 2 of those runs came on a three run homer by Juan Uribe off Darren O' Day, but things didn't stop there. The Rangers then got to San Francisco ace Tim Lincecum making it an 8-4 game. After Texas reliever Mark Lowe gave up 3 more runs later in the game, the Giants' bullpen began unraveling as Ramon Ramirez gave up 2 runs n only 1/3 on an inning.
It was clearly a wild one, but when the dust settled, the Giants walked away with an 11-7 victory over the much favored Texas Rangers. I now have learned my lesson to bet so boldly against the Giants, but don't expect things to go swimmingly San Francisco, Texas isn't going to go away and if they somehow figure out a way to pitch more safely then then Giants could have a problem on their hands when the series goes to Arlington.

by Joey DeClercq