When I think about Game 1 of the World Series, set to take place at 6:30 tonight in San Francisco, so many exciting aspects immediately rush to the mind.
Here's what I'm looking forward to most about tonight.
• First and not surprisingly foremost, the Texas Rangers are making their first World Series appearance in team history. When I look back at our path to the World Series, it gives me great pleasure to think that Texas defeated two AL East teams to reach the promise land.
All season, the AL West seemed to be thrown to the side when thinking about the elite teams in MLB. Surely, New York, Tampa Bay or Boston would come out of the AL because that's just what happens. For the past three years, an AL East team has played in the World Series. It's been a different one each of those three years.
Not that many people focused on how feared a lineup the Rangers have when healthy. Not that many people realized how dominant the team could look when Cliff Lee gets the team rolling. Not that many people realized the present-day mentality of the Rangers. We are not a slugging team anymore. We are not like the slug-or-die Rangers playoff teams of the 90s that had first-round exits. This 2010 team can beat teams on the basepaths. They can beat teams with power. They can beat teams with pitching. That's why this team is the best team in franchise history, by a long shot.
• The pitching matchup tonight has the makings of an epic encounter. Lee vs. Tim Lincecum. It doesn't get much better than that.
FOX might be mad the Yankees and Phillies got knocked out, and therefore, the East Coast won't be nearly as interested in this World Series. Who knows. There's something really nice about it, though. There's good baseball away from the East Coast. The pitching matchup tonight should prove that.
• There's a small chance (I'd say under 10 percent) that the Rangers or the Giants sweep the series. I'll sure be rooting for a Rangers sweep, though. My brother Dave and I will be on hand for Game 4 on Sunday in Arlington. Witnessing a series-clinching game would be out of control. But I'm not counting on it.
• Should be interesting to see our lineup without a designated hitter tonight in an NL park. Here's my guess:
1. Elvis Andrus, SS
2. Michael Young, 3B
3. Josh Hamilton, CF
4. Vladimir Guerrero, RF
5. Nelson Cruz, LF
6. Ian Kinsler, 2B
7. Bengie Molina, C
8. Mitch Moreland, 1B
9. Cliff Lee, P
• I'm curious to see how our pitchers fare against NL hitting. Of course, when you think of NL hitting, murderous lineups don't immediately come to mind. The Giants have some bats, but the 3-4-5 combination of Aubrey Huff, Buster Posey and Pat Burrell isn't exactly daunting. You'd think that Lee's success against better lineups in the ALDS and ALCS would translate particularly well to the World Series. I know this much: Lee won't be intimidated by the big stage.
• Prediction: I'm going Rangers in 5. May the dream continue. Let's get this thing started.
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