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Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers beat the deadline and made a deal, agreeing to terms on a six-year, $60 million contract as the two-time defending American League champions are betting almost $112 million that the latest Japanese pitching star can keep them among baseball's elite franchises.
The Rangers announced they'd struck a deal with Darvish, and a club official with knowledge of the contract confirmed its terms. The official was not authorized to comment on the contract because it has not yet been finalized.
The Rangers' financial commitment to Darvish -- including a $51.7 million posting fee paid to Darvish's Japanese club -- trumps the $103 million the Boston Red Sox laid out to acquire Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2006.
But the newest Texas Rangers pitcher, a 25-year-old just entering his prime, must be much better than his Japanese countryman if he's to make his new deal worthwhile.
Darvish and the Rangers beat today's 5 p.m. ET deadline for getting the deal done that makes him C.J. Wilson's replacement as the ace of the Texas staff. His arrival also negates some of the inroads the AL West rival Los Angeles Angels have made on the Rangers this offseason by signing Wilson and first baseman Albert Pujols.
Matsuzaka signed a six-year deal -- for $52 million -- with the Red Sox before the 2007 season, after the Red Sox paid $51.1 million for the right to negotiate with him. Boston won the 2007 World Series as Matsuzaka went 15-12 with a 4.40 earned run average -- followed by an 18-3, 2.90 ERA season. But the right-hander is just 16-15, 5.03 since and will miss much of the upcoming final season of his contract recovering from elbow surgery.
Darvish -- at 6-5, 220 pounds -- is a bigger, stronger pitcher than Matsuzaka. Hence, the willingness for the Rangers to add a big contract to the $51.7 million posting fee they will pay the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters now that a contract has been reached.
Darvish is coming off the best of his seven seasons as a professional in Japan -- 18-6, 1.44 -- with the victories and ERA career highs, as were his 232 innings. He struck out 276 and walked 36. He's expected to be introduced at a news conference in Arlington, Texas, on Friday.
Grounds crew at Busch Stadium pull the tarp onto the infield shortly after MLB announced that Game 6 of the World Series was postponed.
Major League Baseball announced that Game 6 of the World Series scheduled for tonight at Busch Stadium has been postponed and rescheduled for Thursday at 8:05 p.m. ET.
The threat of rain in the area and an improved forecast for the next two days were major factors in the decision, MLB announced in an e-mail.
Given the desire to play a game of this magnitude without interruption, and an outlook with better conditions over the next two nights, Major League Baseball, along with the Cardinals and the Rangers, determined that making the decision early would be the most prudent course of action to allow fans enough time to plan accordingly.
"We just didn't want to take a chance," said Joe Torre, MLB's Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations. "If the forecast wasn't good for tomorrow and Friday, then the chances are we'd probably wait a little longer."
Torre said he's a big believer in finishing a postseason game to its conclusion if it's started.
"As a manager, the last thing you want to do is get on the field and then all of a sudden if you have to pull the tarp and now your starter sits down and gets up -- we had a couple of experiences earlier this fall with some of those things. That's never fun."
But Cardinals right fielder Lance Berkman says the game should have been played Wednesday.
"I'm not even sure why they cancelled it. This is better weather than we had for Game 1, so I'm actually a little bit upset about it," he said, referring to the series opener in St. Louis when it was 49 degrees and windy at first pitch. "Heck, it's their call. We play when they tell us to play.
"I guess I'm going to go lay up on the couch like a big, fat pig and watch a movie or something."
While the postponement doesn't figure to affect the starting pitchers in Game 6 -- Colby Lewis for the Rangers and Jaime Garcia for the Cardinals -- the extra day of rest could have an impact on who starts (or is available in relief) for a potential Game 7 on Friday at 8:05 p.m. ET.
Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa said Tuesday that he and pitching coach Dave Duncan have "a really positive feel" about how they would use their pitching staff in a potential Game 7, but that "we need to get there first and then we can talk about it."
Reading between the lines, it could mean that Game 5 starter Chris Carpenter would be available on three days' rest.
Rangers fan Gary Woods, of Arlington, Texas, wears a shirt with the sitting duck gesture.
Last year, the Claw and Antlers were all the rage in Texas during the postseason.
During the first two games of this year's World Series in St. Louis, the rally squirrel took center stage.
Now with the Series in Texas, another form of wildlife is in vogue.
Rangers players have been seen making a sign they call the "sitting duck." It's done by forming a duck bill with one hand and cupping the other hand under the elbow. The duck may not be as powerful as a bear's claw or as fast as a deer with antlers, but it's something different the Rangers faithful.
Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki rocked the duck after throwing out the first pitch before Game 3.
Season ticket holder Linda Passmore of Athens, Texas, was sporting one of the blue duck T-shirts Sunday night at Game 4.
"I liked the claw and antlers better last year," she says, "but whatever they want to do is fine with me."
The origin of the phenomenon is a little cloudy. Outfielder Nelson Cruz says it can be traced back to former Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock, who played in Texas from 2002-09. But the players just started making duck signal this year.
"We try to have fun. That's all," Cruz says. "Whatever it takes to enjoy the game."
When asked what the gesture means, many fans aren't exactly sure. The most common answer is that it's in reference to the old baseball phrase "ducks on the pond," which means there are runners on base.
But not so, according to Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus. It began as an expression of the razzing that goes on in the clubhouse every day.
"We got him -- that's the real answer," Andrus says. "When you got somebody, you ask him something and he didn't know and you know the answer, that's when you do the sitting duck … You got him."
Rangers catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli, whose locker has a shelf filled with tiny toy ducks, generally gets the credit for hatching the sitting duck.
"As a whole team, we are doing it," Andrus says. "Just one day we started doing it in the game."
In an American League Championship Series filled with tense moments and close games, the clincher in Game 6 was the complete opposite.
The Texas Rangers erupted for nine runs in the third inning and blew out the Detroit Tigers 15-5 to advance to the World Series for the second consecutive season.
First baseman Michael Young, hitting just .162 in the playoffs entering the game, had a pair of two-run doubles in the inning as the Rangers sent 14 men to the plate against four Tigers pitchers to get the Texas-sized celebration started early.
"It's an incredible feeling to be here right now," Young said in the middle of the team's on-field celebration. "We know we really have good players, but there's always an X-factor that puts you over the top."
For the Rangers in this series, that weapon was most often in the form of Nelson Cruz, who followed Young's solo home run in the seventh with a two-run shot three batters later to finish off the scoring.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Cruz was named series MVP. His six home runs in a single postseason series -- including a pair of 11th-inning homers in Games 2 and 4 -- broke the record he shared with Reggie Jackson, Ken Griffey Jr., Juan Gonzalez and Chase Utley. His 13 RBI were also a single-series playoff record.
"This is just getting started," Cruz said. "As we say in the Dominican, the kettle is just starting to heat up, so we're going to stay focused and be ready for the World Series.''
The Tigers were able to quiet the red, white and blue-clad crowd of 51,508 -- for the first two innings.
Solo home runs by Miguel Cabrera in the top of the first and by Jhonny Peralta in the second staked Detroit to an early 2-0 lead. Meanwhile, the Rangers had Tigers starter Max Scherzer in a bit of trouble in the bottom of both innings, but couldn't get the big hits to cash them in.
Then everything changed in the bottom of the third.
A nice diving stop by Tigers third baseman retired leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler, but then the floodgates opened as nine consecutive Rangers reached base.
Elvis Andrus walked, Josh Hamilton dropped a bloop single down the left field line and Young delivered a game-tying, two-run double into the left field corner.
"A lot of the game is about momentum. When you've got momentum going in a positive direction, it catches fire throughout the lineup," Hamilton said.
"Everybody just fed off each other. We wanted to do it here at home in front of the crowd. We didn't want to give them a chance to come back."
A visit from Tigers pitching coach Jeff Jones couldn't stem the Rangers rally. Adrian Beltre delivered the go-ahead single to center to score Young. A walk to Mike Napoli and another walk to Cruz -- with a disputed check-swing call on a 2-2 pitch -- signaled the end of the night for Scherzer.
Rangers designated hitter David Murphy greeted new pitcher Daniel Schlereth with a line drive single back up the middle to put the Rangers up 5-2. Needing a double play, Leyland changed pitchers again, bringing in ground-ball specialist Rick Porcello.
Porcello got the ground ball, but Ramon Santiago's throw to second for the force play was too late to get Murphy, according to umpire Larry Vanover.
Batting for the second time in the inning, Kinsler brought home two more runs with a bases loaded single. After a fielder's choice and an intentional walk, Young hit his second two-run double of the inning -- this one down the right field line -- to cap the nine-run explosion.
"He struggled a little bit this postseason," Kinsler said of Young, "(but) he came up huge for us. We were able to open up the game. It was a big night for him."
All told, it was the highest-scoring inning in league championship history since the Anaheim Angels scored ten runs against the Minnesota Twins in 2001.
There was one similarity with the rest of the games in the series: the Rangers didn't get five innings out of their starting pitcher.
Derek Holland gave up a third home run, a two-run shot by Austin Jackson in the top of the fifth, and lasted only 4 2/3 innings. But as they have the entire series, the Rangers bullpen kept the Tigers from mounting any kind of a rally.
Scott Feldman, Alexi Ogando, Mike Adams and Neftali Feliz combined to hold Detroit to one run and three hits over the final 4 1/3 innings to nail down the victory. In the six-game series, Texas relievers had a combined ERA of 1.32.
"If you look at what happened this year, our starting pitching was one of our big strengths," said team owner Nolan Ryan during the team's on-field celebration. "We just didn't have good outings in the playoffs here. Our bullpen stepped up big time and gave us an opportunity to be where we are."
The Rangers bullpen picked up all four victories in the series, with Ogando winning both the opener and the finale. In ten games so far this postseason, Texas has only gotten one start of six innings or more.
Back in the Fall Classic, the Rangers will now await the winner of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals.
"It's not easy to get back here," said manager Ron Washington. "It was a lot going on through the course of a 162-game season, but they committed themselves. They brought the proper attitude every single day and it was never a time where they didn't give the effort that it took to be where we are right now."
While playing outfield for the Rangers, Josh Hamilton said he spent some of Monday's Division Series Game 3 against Tampa Bay thinking about what could have been with the Rays.
"I was thinking about it in the outfield last night," Hamilton said Tuesday, according to MLB.com's Jane Lee. "With all of the stress and everything of that game yesterday (a 4-3 Rangers win), thinking about and actually made some amends with trainers and with staff from the other side, from the Rays' side, because I don't think I ever had, as far as what I did and when I was here and my time. And they put a lot of time and effort into me, so just made an apology, a few yesterday."
Once upon a time (in 1999), the then-name Tampa Bay Devil Rays made Hamilton the first overall draft pick out of Athens Drive High in Raleigh, N.C. He shined in the Devil Rays system for a couple of years before he hurt his elbow and shoulder and then was derailed by a drug addiction. He has since spoken openly about his addiction and has made a career resurgence, first with the Reds and then the Rangers. The Cubs had chosen him from the Devil Rays in the 2006 Rule 5 draft, then sold him to the Reds, who traded him to Texas in December 2007.
He was named the AL MVP and helped lead the Rangers to the World Series in 2010, his team going through Tampa Bay in the first round. The Rangers eliminated the Rays from the Division Series again Tuesday.
He says he thought about Rays fans while in St. Petersburg, Fla.
"They were all expecting to see me with the Rays in Tropicana (Field), in the outfield," he said. "But it doesn't work out that way all the time.
"So you know what? Would I have liked to have done it? Absolutely. Did it happen? No. But I just have to do what I can with my team I am with now. But I enjoy coming back, and the whole newness and weird feeling is over with. You know, now it just feels like another stadium. But I enjoy seeing familiar faces in the stands."
Hamilton, 30, didn't say which Rays officials he met with Monday. According to Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News, vice president of communications Rick Vaughn, head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield and assistant athletic trainer Kevin Harker were with the Rays at the same time as Hamilton and were at Tropicana Field for Monday's game.
Baseball's playoffs Friday, and anything can happen. The final few hours of the regular season proved as much. Still, some teams enter October in better shape than others, and USA TODAY's Paul White ranks the eight contenders vying for a World Series title:
1. Philadelphia Phillies
Their best asset: Pitching, pitching and more pitching — that's exactly what it feels like to opponents. The stacked rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt has been everything the Phillies hoped it would be, leading the majors in ERA, complete games, shutouts and more. The X-factor is rookie Vance Worley, who won't crack the postseason rotation despite an 11-3 record. He provides more depth in the unlikely event of a starter being knocked out early.
Their biggest liability: The starters don't finish every game, and the Phillies must be wary of the bullpen if they are in tight games. The team's worst ERA for any inning this season is 3.82 in the eighth, and the Philadelphia relievers have a strikeout-walk ratio of less than 2-1, compared with better than 4-1 for the starters. Of particular concern is Antonio Bastardo, the one left-hander in the bullpen, who had a 0.79 ERA on July 17 but a 5.16 ERA since.
Don't forget about:Shane Victorino doesn't get as much attention as former MVPs Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard or fan favorite Chase Utley, but he has been the Phillies' best offensive player , leading the team in OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage). And Victorino is an above-average defender in an outfield that has struggled with its range at times .
Path to victory: The starting pitching continues to dominate, and the offense isn't a worry, thanks to the improved balance since right-handed Hunter Pence joined the lefty-heavy lineup.
Division Series outlook: Upbeat, thanks to the three-game season-ending sweep of Atlanta that came on the heels of their worst stretch of the season. Otherwise, it could have been tense facing a Cardinals team that beat the Phillies six of nine times . Now, it's a rested team with its pitching lined up against a team that's just the opposite.
We say: The Phillies are clear favorites to win the World Series but must be wary of pitching duels like they had with the Giants in last year's National League Championship Series.
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2. Milwaukee Brewers
Their best asset:Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are the only NL teammates both over .950 in OPS . Braun, a right-hander, bats third, while Fielder, a lefty, cleans up. And of the 146 games they had both played in this season, only 10 times had neither gotten a hit.
Their biggest liability: The rules require road games. The Brewers are the only playoff team with a losing record on the road , and while 39-42 might not seem horrible, it took an 18-6 run through August and September to get there. Only six of those games were against teams with winning records. Starters Zack Greinke and Yovani Gallardo are a combined 12-14 with a 4.32 ERA on the road but 21-2, 3.06 at home.
Don't forget about … : Second baseman Rickie Weeks was second in the NL in runs, fifth in total bases and sixth in extra-base hits when he went on the disabled list July 27 with an ankle sprain. He's been back since mid-September, and if he can return to form in his fifth spot in the batting order, the offense becomes much more formidable.
Path to victory: Even if they can count on Braun and Fielder, solid starting pitching and closer John Axford, the Brewers will need more help. Start with third baseman Casey McGehee— down 37 RBI and 166 OPS points from last season.
Division Series outlook: Comfortable, because they wrapped up home advantage on the final day of the season, a key element for the best home team (57-24) in the majors. But to clinch home advantage, they used Greinke (11-0 at Miller Park) in the final game. So, he'll pitch Game 3 on the road with Shaun Marcum, their best road starter, going in Game 2 at home.
We say: The Brewers are a tempting pick as sleepers in a wide-open postseason. A little early momentum could go a long way, but they're not quite at the Phillies' level.
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3. Texas Rangers
Their best asset: The offense is relentless. The only sub-.260 hitter among regulars is second baseman Ian Kinsler, and he leads the team with 32 homers. The Rangers are the only team in the majors to have five players with at least 25 homers. And they're headed for the postseason on a hot streak, leading the American League in homers, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage during September.
Their biggest liability: Only the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins— two last-place teams — had worse bullpen ERAs than Texas. General manager Jon Daniels was aggressive in addressing the issue by adding Mike Adams, Koji Uehara and Mike Gonzalez at the trade deadline, but concerns remain. Closer Neftali Feliz has 1.80 strikeouts per walk compared with 3.94 as rookie of the year in 2010. Darren Oliver, the primary bullpen lefty, has a 2.29 ERA, but his third consecutive 60-appearance season could be a factor at 40. Last year, his ERA jumped from 2.48 during the season to 4.82 in the postseason.
Don't forget about …: C.J. Wilson stepped into the role of staff ace with a 2.94 ERA, a full run lower than what Cliff Lee posted after joining the Rangers during last season. Now, the big challenge. Wilson had a 3.35 regular-season ERA in 2010 but took a back seat to Lee, who became the man in October with three wins while Wilson faded, allowing 15 hits and eight walks in 18 innings in the three starts after his 61/3 shutout innings in the Division Series.
Path to victory: All of the AL playoff teams have plenty of pitching questions. That's in the wheelhouse of the Rangers, who are just getting third baseman Adrian Beltre and outfielder Nelson Cruz back to full speed after injuries. They'll need offense, especially if they use three left-handed starting pitchers. The other AL playoff teams all hit better against lefties.
Division Series outlook: Uneasy, now that it's the Tampa Bay pitching staff they must face. The Rangers averaged 5.27 runs a game this season, but only 2.88 against the Rays. But Texas also scored seven, eight and 11 in winning five of nine games against Tampa Bay, reminding that this is an epic matchup of pitching vs. offense. Texas won in five games last year but the departed Lee was the difference.
We say: Last year's midseason addition of Lee created just enough pitching depth to get the Rangers to the World Series. This year, they don't have quite enough.
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4. Tampa Bay Rays
Their best asset: Suddenly, the AL has a playoff team that could go head-to-head with the Phillies rotation. This year's Rays rotation has allowed fewer runs per game (3.79) than the 2008 team (4.14) that got to the World Series. The biggest question will be how to line up among the starters.
Their biggest liability: The Rays were shut out 15 times this season, two shutouts more than their AL-best pitching staff could muster. Despite the final-night magic, this still is an offense that can disappear at inopportune times.
Don't forget about: Manager Joe Maddon isn't afraid to roll the dice, especially where he has cashed in before. September call-up Matt Moore is reminiscent of David Price's impactful debut in 2008, except lefty Moore just might be even more polished than Price was at a similar stage. Keep an eye out for this year's secret weapon.
Path to victory: The Rays have proved proven they can shut down any other team in the AL. So a little Desmond Jennings-Johnny Damon-Evan Longoria run-manufacturing magic could make Tampa Bay reminiscent of the 2008 pennant winners.
Division Series outlook: Rolling, into the playoffs with more momentum than any other team. A performance like the one Texas' Cliff Lee threw at them in last year's first round can stifle the enthusiasm, but we'll see if C.J. Wilson, who hasn't faced the Rays this year, is up to that task.
We say: The Rays are the ultimate wild card . If you believe in magic, jump on the bandwagon. If reality is your thing, this ride just can't last long enough.
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5. New York Yankees
Their best asset: Trying to outhit your opponents is a dangerous postseason formula. But the Yankees might be able to pull it off. They might have to. This team scored nine or more runs in 27 games this season, . Eight of those came against playoff teams or contenders. And of the 27 times the Yankees were held to two runs or fewer? Nine of those came against Detroit, Boston, Texas and Tampa Bay.
Their biggest liability: Who you gonna start, Joe? Manager Joe Girardi has been answering that question since A.J. Burnett's first spring meltdown and Phil Hughes' first mysterious radar gun reading. Starters have allowed a .264 batting average and .741 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS), both of which rank ninth in the league and last among AL playoff teams. After CC Sabathia, little is certain; for now, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia will follow him.
Don't forget about:Derek Jeter has hit .338, since July 9, the day he got his 3,000th hit, and that certainly adds to the RBI opportunities for the middle of the order. But the real difference-maker in tight games can be left fielder Brett Gardner, who leads the team with 46 stolen bases and is the runaway leader among all major league outfielders with a 23.6 Ultimate Zone Rating for defensive efficiency.
Path to victory: In a season without an obvious AL favorite , the Yankees' experience takes on increased importance. Mark Teixeira hasn't had a hot streak yet — though he's over 30 homers and 100 RBI for the eighth year in a row, his batting average has been between .240 and .260 since May 12. Jeter is hot, and Mariano Rivera is the one weapon no other team can match.
Division Series outlook: Trepidation, something that isn't going to go away unless and until they at the very least reach the World Series. They've proven that they're the best team in the AL, but all it takes is a Justin Verlander victory over CC Sabathia in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium to set off the alarms about the rest of the New York rotation — or a Doug Fister win in Game 2 for that matter.
We say: Jeter got 3,000 hits, Rivera broke the saves record — mystique and aura are back. This is a flawed Yankees team, but it's still headed to the World Series.
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6. St. Louis Cardinals
Their best asset: The only bigger surprise than the Cardinals remaining in contention was that the they had the top offense in the NL, further buoyed by the recent return from injury of Matt Holliday. The emergence of players such as Allen Craig and John Jay has given manager Tony La Russa the kind of bench depth he loves .
Their biggest liability: La Russa is on version 6.0 or thereabouts of his bullpen alignment, and the current principals are bordering on overuse. Should Jason Motte remain closer over Fernando Salas? Has Mark Rzepczynski passed Arthur Rhodes as the primary lefty? Who does the manager really trust? Does La Russa himself know?
Don't forget about: St. Louis needs a solid second starter behind Chris Carpenter, especially because their proven ace had to pitch the season finale. Kyle Lohse's 14-8 season fills the bill. He's the only Cardinals starter who allowed fewer than one hit per inning pitched. But he's also never won a postseason game (six appearances, one start).
Path to victory: Albert Pujols can carry a team like few other players in baseball. He needs to do it here, especially to quickly deflate any sense of invincibility about the Philadelphia pitching staff. If Albert and his friends could steal the Division Series, the path is wide open.
Division Series outlook: Thought-provoking, especially because La Russa likes to think he can out-manage just about anyone. He'll need to steal at least one game from Charlie Manuel in Philadelphia, if for no other reason than to get into the heads of the Phillies and increase the weight of their expectations.
We say: The Cardinals are dangerous but their flaws showed up often enough, even during their September push, that this team will have a difficult time avoiding them through one, let alone three, series.
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7. Detroit Tigers
Their best asset: It's no secret the Tigers are especially feared in the best-of-five Division Series, where Cy Young Award favorite Justin Verlander could pitch twice. But the emergence of Doug Fister (8-1, 1.79 ERA since his July trade from the Seattle Mariners) increases the chances they also can shut down an opponent in a best-of-seven series.
Their biggest liability: Jose Valverde has converted all 47 of his save attempts, and Verlander averages 7.3 innings a start. It's what happens in between that could quickly end the Tigers' October. The 19 relievers Detroit used other than Valverde combined for a 4.25 ERA, a statistic that becomes especially pertinent because Tigers starters not named Verlander average 5.8 innings. Joaquin Benoit improved in the second half — no runs in 22 appearances since Aug. 2. And rookie Al Alburquerque — with a 1.87 ERA — could be an answer. But he has pitched just seven times since Aug.9 and had three stints on the disabled list.
Don't forget about:Alex Avila, who led the American League in innings behind the plate and didn't catch in only two games from Aug. 5 to Sept. 16. Still, he has held up with an .897 OPS , best among catchers by a wide margin and second on the Detroit roster to Miguel Cabrera.
Path to victory: The Verlander-Fister combination of the final two months is the best one-two punch in a pitching-challenged AL field. Fister has gone at least seven innings in six of his last seven starts, exactly what the Tigers need to match up with anyone.
Division Series outlook: Lurking, as the team most likely to disrupt the order of things. But neither Verlander nor Fister has beaten that Yankees this year (combined 4.26 ERA in three starts) .
We say: Manager Jim Leyland has done wonders mixing and matching his lineups, but the offense will be hard-pressed to muster enough to get Detroit through a first-round series.
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8. Arizona Diamondbacks
Their best asset: How many teams really mirror their manager? These last-to-first Diamondbacks are reminiscent of Kirk Gibson the player — the 1988 unlikely-MVP, storybook-home run player. They have no better asset than right fielder Justin Upton, who led the way in taming the club's runaway strikeout rate. Upton's rate dropped from 26.6% in 2010 to 18.4% this year, and the team ranked fourth in the NL after back-to-back years as whiff kings. But they've also turned a bullpen that had an ERA in 2010 more than a run worse than any other in the National League into one that ranks second in save-conversion percentage. They've developed Gibson-esque momentum and the division title has turned this team into one that believes it belongs with the elite.
Their biggest liability: Gibson has to tread the fine line between his mostly young team's aggressiveness and the chance of damaging mistakes. The flailing at the plate has been reduced, but the manager worries about pushing the envelope. "It's unreal how many outs we've made," Gibson said of his team's baserunning. "You just have to bite your tongue sometimes . It's who we are. I encourage energy. I encourage pressure." And what might that mean under the added pressure of the playoff spotlight for a team that will need every break ?
Don't forget about:Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson are a solid one-two pitching tandem, but this is the NL, and two top arms aren't nearly enough. Lefties are important as long as the road goes through the Philadelphia Phillies, and Joe Saunders is Arizona's only left-handed starter. The Diamondbacks need to see Saunders pitch like he did in July (2.16 ERA) or September (3.15) and not August (5.04).
Path to victory: The Diamondbacks need early playoff success to keep alive the conviction that they belong. A couple of good starts from Kennedy and Hudson would reduce the chances that the key hitters expand their strike zones while pressing to produce against just the kinds of pitchers who could take advantage of them. If the Diamondbacks steal a quick win or two, look out.
Division Series outlook: Defiant, in the image of Gibson, who will refuse to allow his team to be the lovable underdogs. They are the underdogs, especially against a Milwaukee team that's dominant at home. But count on Gibson not letting his team be one of those "happy to be here" squads.
We say: If they play well at home, the Diamondbacks have a shot at surviving the first round.
Josh Hamilton's fourth-inning grand slam ensured that the Texas Rangers lead in the AL West over the Los Angeles Angels remained at three games, but also triggered a promotion from a local flooring company.
Customers who purchased flooring or countertops in September from CC Carpet and Floor Design in Dallas will get a refund, thanks to the company's Grand Slam Payout promotion which said it would reimburse its customers if Hamilton hit a grand slam.
"We're so excited," said Steve Fitzgerald, owner of CC Carpet and Floor Design. "We only wish he had done it right at the end of the promotion so we could have saved folks even more money. But it's great."
The promotion was to run until Sept. 28.
Fitzgerald said he estimates the promotion probably saved customers a little more than $500,000. His company bought insurance.
Hamilton's grand slam off Cleveland Indians starter David Huff was his third of his career -- and first since 2008.
"The situation doesn't come up that often, and when it does, you can't help but think about it," Hamilton said. "I'm in the business of giving back. I like to help people as much as I can by giving back. So that's cool."
Said Fitzgerald: "Maybe the next time we do something, people will think twice and do it. I knew he'd do it. I told a buddy when he came up with the bases loaded that he was going to do it then. It was exciting."
The Rangers 9-1 win matched the Angels' 4-1 win over the Athletics on Wednesday. The Rangers have 13 games remaining, including three at Los Angeles to end the season.
