Rangers win negotiating rights to Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish

Just when it seemed like the Texas Rangers may not make a major move this offseason because of $30 million owed to former owner Chuck Greenberg, plus the addition of a new stadium scoreboard, Jon Daniels ended up playing the role of silent assassin.

Angels' signing of Pujols, Wilson changes landscape of AL West

As I walked into the gym today at my apartment complex in Kansas City, wearing a Josh Hamilton shirt-jersey, the only other person in the gym was sporting a red hat with a big 'A' on it: Angels.

The way the last two days have gone in the baseball world, it was a fitting coincidence.

In the last two days, Anaheim signed the best free agent hitter available in Albert Pujols to a 10-year, $254 million deal, along with the best free agent pitcher available in now ex-Texas Ranger C.J. Wilson to a five-year, $77.5 million contract.

Rangers start offseason with aggressive signing of Joe Nathan

It didn't take long for Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels to fire up the hot stove and cook up a free agent offseason signing.

Texas signed Minnesota reliever Joe Nathan to a two-year, $14 million deal on Monday night. The acquisition confirms Neftali Feliz's transition from Rangers closer to starter, and more than likely signals the end of the C.J. Wilson (free agent) era in Arlington.

Fallout reflections: Losing World Series will take time to process

I'm still not sure I'm fully recovered from the baseball events that transpired on Oct. 27 and 28 in the 2011 World Series.

As everyone knows by now, the Texas Rangers dropped Games 6 and 7 in St. Louis, a huge letdown from the two-time defending American League champions after building a 3-2 series lead that I never saw coming.

Hold the Line: Rain postpones Game 6

Well, so much for that.

After looking forward to Game 6 of the World Series all day, it turns out the field in St. Louis was not fit for a ballgame tonight. Rain postponed the matchup between the Rangers and Cardinals until Thursday night. If a Game 7 is needed, it will take place Friday night.

One more: Rangers a victory away from World Series

Wednesday night could mark the most historic night in the history of the Texas Rangers.

This night, fewer than 24 hours away, could also mark my proudest moment in the 20-something years I've been following sports.

The Texas Rangers, who I've followed and identified with closer than any other pro sports team, are one victory away from claiming the franchise's first-ever World Series championship.

2011 World Series, Game 2: Rangers even series by playing Cardinals' game

Yes, the Texas Rangers can also perfect the National League style of small-ball play to manufacture runs in an ugly, yet effective fashion.

That was the recipe for success in a memorable Rangers' 2-1 rally over the Cardinals on Thursday night in Game 2 of the World Series in St. Louis.

Series tied, 1-1.

2011 World Series, Game 1: Rangers offense struggles in opening loss

Not the start Rangers fans wanted or anticipated.

The Texas offense, so powerful in earlier postseason games, went silent for the most part in a 3-2 loss to the Cardinals in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night in St. Louis.

Second time's a charm? Rangers return to World Series

This doesn't usually happen to baseball fans.

Reaching the World Series is an accomplishment typically reserved for large-market, $200+ million payroll teams, particularly in 2011.

Boston spent an insane amount of money over the offseason on Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, then proceeded to score 875 runs in the regular season, most in MLB. The Yankees were the Yankees and won 97 games in the regular season to lead the American League. Philadelphia won 102 games behind one of the best starting rotations (Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt, Vance Worley) of the modern era.

Best part about all this? All three of the aforementioned teams will be sitting on their couches when the World Series starts on Wednesday.

Instead, the two-time defending American League champion Texas Rangers will make their second straight World Series appearance, when they open Game 1 at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in St. Louis.

2011 ALCS, Games 1-2: Nelson Cruz, bullpen propel Rangers to 2-0 lead

Before the American League Championship Series, Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz was a combined 1-for-15 with five strikeouts in the 2011 postseason.

What a difference two games make.

The 31-year-old Cruz has blasted three home runs in the first two games of the ALCS, adding an exclamation point to Game 2 with a walkoff grand slam in the Rangers' 7-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers in 11 innings on Monday in Arlington.

The game-winning homer was the first walkoff grand slam in postseason history.

Cruz cranked two homers Monday, and one on Saturday in a 3-2 triumph. Texas takes a 2-0 lead into Game 3, set for a 7 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday in Detroit.

Cruz has started to heat up, which makes the Texas lineup ridiculously dangerous, considering manager Ron Washington has inserted him into the No. 7 spot in the batting order. How do you pitch around this lineup?

In September, Cruz went 8-for-42 at the plate. That's a .190 batting average. A strained hamstring forced him to miss two weeks in early September, and when he returned, it seemed like his timing at the plate was shaky.

He's certainly settled into a groove lately, going 4-for-7 with three homers, a double and six RBIs so far in the ALCS.

I started my new, exciting job as social media manager at Grantham University on Monday. I've gone from working nights to working days, so I was able to get back to Lawrence in time for the last four innings.

Cruz will rightfully garner the headlines, but the effectiveness of the Texas bullpen cannot go unnoticed. After Derek Holland struggled through 2 2/3 innings, a Scott Feldman-led bullpen pitched shutout baseball for the remainder of the game: 8 1/3 innings, four hits, no earned runs, two walks, eight strikeouts. Feldman lasted 4 1/3 innings of long relief, surrendering only one hit and striking out four.

It's nice for the bullpen to be pitching so well right now. C.J. Wilson struggled in Game 1, but the Rangers bullpen bailed him out, tossing 4 1/3 innings, and giving up one hit, no earned runs and one walk, compared to eight strikeouts.

Let's put together a combined line of Texas relievers in the ALCS so far: 12 2/3 innings, five hits, no earned runs, three walks, 16 strikeouts.

Nelson Cruz and the Texas bullpen: perfect formula to start the ALCS 2-0.

2011 ALDS, Game 4: Rangers advance to ALCS on performance for the ages from Adrian Beltre

When thinking about the greatest individual performance in Texas Rangers playoff history, there's not exactly a wealth of options from which to choose.

Including this season, Texas has only made five total postseason appearances.

On Tuesday in the American League Divisional Series, Adrian Beltre put his name near the top of that short list. The Texas third baseman clubbed three home runs in the Rangers' 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

I've never seen a Rangers postseason performance quite like this one from the plate. Beltre connected on solo shots in each of his first three plate appearances, and the significance of the big flies was obvious in the 4-3 result that knocked Tampa Bay out of the postseason.

As a brief aside, what instantly comes to mind as the greatest Rangers individual postseason performance of all-time is Cliff Lee dominating the Yankees in Game 3 of the 2010 ALCS: eight dazzling innings, two hits, no earned runs, one walk, 13 strikeouts. At Yankee Stadium. Ridiculous.

Beltre's performance, though, certainly is in the conversation.

He displayed long-range power to all parts of the Trop, blasting two homers to left field and another impressive opposite-field smash to right. Beltre took promising right-hander Jeremy Hellickson deep twice. Matt Moore, who silenced the Rangers in Game 1 of the ALDS, was Beltre's other home run victim.

In a game where the Rangers connected on just three other hits, Beltre's contributions were vital to the Rangers advancing to their second ALCS in as many years. Texas is currently waiting on the winner of New York and Detroit before it continues play on Saturday.

Beltre was in a ridiculous zone, to the point where it seemed like he'd connect on a home run on every swing he took. It was a beautiful power display to witness.

I can't stress enough the impact that offseason acquisitions Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli have had on another dream season here in 2011. They were the Rangers' two best players in the ALDS, and neither was on the team in 2010. Funny to think about.

Beltre's home run hat trick to knock out a red-hot, so-called-team-of-destiny Rays squad — in Tampa Bay — has to be considered one of the most impressive feats in a single game the franchise has ever known.

The second straight dream season continues. Sometimes, I have to open my eyes a few times to make sure it's really happening.

2011 ALDS, Game 3: No Cliff Lee? So far, no problem thanks to Napoli, Beltre

Fairway — When left-handed pitching ace Cliff Lee declined a six-year, $120 million deal from Texas this past summer, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels focused his attention elsewhere in an effort to add quality talent to the club.

The result? Mike Napoli and Adrian Beltre.

After Monday night's thrilling 4-3 victory over Tampa Bay in Game 3 of the American League Divisional Series, it's not a stretch to call Daniels' two summer acquisitions one of the most productive offseason hauls in team history.

Texas took a 2-1 lead on Tampa Bay in the best of five, and Napoli was the primary catalyst, as he continued one of the more impressive tears of any Ranger I can ever recall. In the final two regular-season games, Napoli blasted four home runs, and is currently hitting .400 with a homer and four RBIs in three postseason games.

The most impressive part of Napoli's late-season surge is the game-altering, meaningful manner in which he's blasting these shots.

In the final game of the regular season, Napoli belted a game-winning, two-run home run in the ninth to propel Texas to a victory and home field advantage in the ALDS.

In Game 2 of the ALDS, an 8-6 Texas victory, Napoli battled James Shields through a slew of pitches with the bases loaded before roping a line drive to left field to score two runs and tie the game at 3.

In Game 3 of the ALDS on Monday, Napoli might have had his most significant impact yet:

• At the plate: With the Rangers trailing 1-0 in the top of the seventh inning, Napoli crushed a two-run home run off David Price and into the left-center field bleachers for the Rangers' first two runs of the evening.

• On defense: With the Rangers leading, 4-2, in the eighth inning, Napoli, from his catcher's spot, threw out Tampa speedster B.J. Upton, who walked and tried to steal second base. In a game where Darren Oliver and Mike Adams struggled mightily out of the bullpen, it was a critical out that the Rangers may have otherwise not been able to notch.

• On the basepaths: Napoli even stole a base in the top of the second inning on Monday.

I had a great time watching the action from the bar at Houlihan's in Fairway.

Simply put, Napoli is making up for an otherwise struggling offense with an inspiring display of power and defense. He is carrying this team right now. And should the Rangers take Game 4 today in Tampa and advance to the ALCS, Napoli would be the hands-down MVP of that effort. This is his ALDS, or as the media has tabbed it, The Year of the Napoli.

Can't stress this enough, though: What a trade by Daniels. For the services of Napoli, Texas parted ways with veteran reliever Frank Francisco, who at the time was an important part of the Rangers' bullpen. Thanks, Toronto. With Daniels acquiring relief arms Mike Adams and Koji Uehara (who has struggled in these playoffs, but I think will be a valuable bullpen arm) at the trade deadline, it almost feels like we poached away Napoli for free.

And considering he hit .320 with 30 homers, 75 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .414 during the regular-season in only 369 at-bats, that's a pretty darned impressive addition.

The other major offseason addition, Beltre, has proven he's been worth the six year, $96 million contract he signed in January. Beltre hit .296 with 32 homers, 105 RBIs and spectacular defense at third base in the regular season, all while missing more than a month in July and August with a hamstring injury.

Isn't it fitting, then, that Beltre singled to left field on Monday night to set up Napoli's two-run, momentum-altering laser beam?

The direction, stability and winning culture of the Rangers under Daniels and owner Nolan Ryan is better than it's ever been in the franchise's 39-year history.

Proof of that lies in the fact that the Rangers didn't need Cliff Lee, arguably the most efficient pitcher in baseball, to repeat as AL West champions, and they may not need Lee to return to the American League Championship Series either. The brilliant, non-panicking nature of Daniels to add Napoli and Beltre after Lee signed with Philadelphia could be one of the most under-appreciated stories of the 2011 baseball season.

It's the reason Texas is in position today to advance to its second consecutive ALCS.

2011 ALDS, Game 2: Moreland's HR creates thrilling moment

There's fewer more enjoyable moments as a sports fan than when a player from your baseball team crushes a game-altering, meaningful home run in the playoffs, and you know it the second it leaves his bat.

Such was the case on Saturday night, when Mitch Moreland struck a towering blast to right field in the eighth inning that preserved a much-needed 8-6 Texas victory over Tampa Bay and tied the ALDS at 1-1.

I watched pretty much every pitch Saturday since I was at my apartment on my dinner break. As soon as Moreland's bat made contact with the ball, I jumped up with wide eyes as the ball began to take orbit. Adios.

There's a certain thrill that comes along with watching a meaningful playoff home run. First, you're paying attention to more at-bats. That's not to undermine regular-season games, but there are 162 of them. Sometimes, I have regular-season games on in the background while I'm cooking a meal, taking a shower, surfing on the computer or talking on the phone.

Playoff games are different. Nearly every pitch requires a certain level of increased attention.

And you know other people are watching, too, so when Moreland launched that ball last night, I imagined all of my closest Rangers fans with their hands in the air waiting for the shot to land in the souvenir section.

I went back and watched the Moreland home run to time how long it stayed in the air. Five seconds. One of the more exciting few seconds any sport has to offer.

I received a text from my brother Dave shortly after the home run that read, "Moreland! That was blasted!" Indeed it was.

Saturday was arguably a series-saving victory for Texas. No way you could feel good heading back to Tampa Bay on Monday staring at a 0-2 deficit. It's a new series at 1-1. Can't wait for Monday.

2011 ALDS, Game 1: Forget and move on

There's really nothing to say about Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series on Friday afternoon other than the fact that the Rays destroyed the Rangers in every possible facet of the game.

I'm not sure what it feels like to stand in a corner of my apartment and bang my head against the wall for three consecutive hours, but in my mind, that's what I was doing.

Tampa Bay cruised, 9-0, and Texas mustered only two hits. Brutal way to start the playoffs.

Especially considering the winning pitcher, Tampa Bay lefty Matt Moore, had pitched 9 1/3 total big league innings before Friday. Granted, the 22-year-old Moore has a very high ceiling — I heard on SportsCenter that ESPN's Keith Law ranked Moore the No. 2 prospect in baseball a few months ago, I believe — but therein lies the problem. Moore, a kid, came into Arlington and dominated one of the best hitting teams in baseball at their own place. Seven innings, two hits, no earned runs, two walks, six strikeouts. What more could Rays manager Joe Maddon want from the guy?

Conversely, nothing went right for the Rangers. C.J. Wilson allowed six earned runs and three home runs, two of which came from Kelly Shoppach, a guy who hit .176 during the regular season.

The eighth inning painted a clear picture of how it went for Texas after Elvis Andrus drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the inning. Josh Hamilton stepped to the plate with no outs, and proceeded to lay down a bunt. In an 8-0 game. Hamilton had only bunted once in more than 2,500 MLB plate appearances.

Tampa Bay threw out Hamilton at first base. Andrus advanced to second, but it didn't matter. Michael Young grounded out, and Adrian Beltre flew out to end the inning. And, by all means, the game.

In his postgame news conference, Texas manager Ron Washington said he didn't call for Hamilton to bunt. It was the decision of the slugger.

Not going to lie, I don't get that mad when watching the Rangers, even if they lose in the playoffs. But that was one of the more infuriating moments I can think of in the past two years of watching the team. I have no problem with losing, but I do have a problem giving away outs in an 8-0 game with the speedy Andrus on first base.

Nonetheless, it's time to forget about Game 1 and hope that Derek Holland can hold his own tonight in Game 2 against James Shields and the Rays.

The Rays, who trailed Boston in the wild card by 9.5 games on Sept. 3, may be the fabled team of destiny this postseason.

Let's hope Texas takes away some of this seemingly endless Tampa Bay momentum and ties the series up at 1-1. If not, it could be the beginning of the end of an amazing regular season that saw the Rangers win more games (96-66) than any other team in franchise history.

Rangers clinch home field in arguably most memorable night of regular-season baseball ever

Plano, Texas — Brad Pitt delivered a memorable line from the movie 'Moneyball' that has stuck with me from the time I saw the advanced screening last week in Kansas City, Mo.

Playing the role of general manager Billy Beane, Pitt said, "It's easy to be romantic about baseball."

After a script of sorts that played out Wednesday night in the final MLB games of the regular season, that line held even more significance when I sat back and thought about what had just happened around the league. ESPN baseball analyst/historian Tim Kurkjian called it the craziest day of regular-season baseball in the sport's lengthy history.

Tough to argue with that statement, as bold as it is. Wednesday night, wild card matchups had yet to be decided in the American and National leagues, home field advantage was still up for grabs and playoff hopes and dreams were either going to be clinched with feelings of euphoria, or crushed with feelings of hopelessness.

I was home in Plano Wednesday night and had the opportunity to watch a slew of games with my mom.

Texas began the night one game ahead of Detroit for the second-best record in the American League. To secure home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs, the Rangers had to beat the Angels in Anaheim, or, in the event of a loss, hope for a Detroit loss against Cleveland.

Mom and I ate dinner (one of the most delicious meals I've had recently: grilled salmon from Sea Breeze in Plano, with broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes/pumpkin spice topping and frozen yogurt; basically, a victory meal) before the Rangers game at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, Detroit and Cleveland had their first pitch at 6 p.m. The solution: We watched the Rangers game in HD on TV, while I brought my computer downstairs to pull up Tigers-Indians on mlb.tv.

So many games were going on at once with serious postseason implications. This is one of the many reasons baseball is my favorite sport. It's such a precise game that stresses numerous elements of statistics, geometry, psychology, superstition, tradition, history, fans, timing, teamwork and, sometimes, a gut feeling. Despite a 162-game regular season, some teams were forced to play their final game before they knew whether they were heading to the postseason, or heading home. Now that's exciting.

The breakdown:

• Boston and Tampa Bay entered Wednesday night tied for the AL wild-card lead at 90-71.

• St. Louis and Atlanta entered play tied for the NL wild-card lead at 89-72.

• Texas (95-66) and Detroit (94-67) were still battling for the second seed in the AL and home-field advantage in the ALDS.

None of these teams played each other on Wednesday night, making the landscape of baseball feel like March Madness in September. I was combining our television watching with mlb.tv and online box scores. It was sheer craziness in the best way.

Detroit beat Cleveland, 5-4, putting pressure on the Rangers to win in Anaheim to secure home field in the ALDS. At the time Detroit won, Texas and Anaheim were tied at 1-1 in the seventh inning.

In a development that was too Disney-like to realistically fathom, Rangers catcher Mike Napoli blasted a two-run moonshot of a home run in the ninth inning to put Texas ahead, 3-1. Mom and I were jumping around and screaming like 14-year-old girls at a Justin Beiber concert, a vivid and fuzzy 15-second moment in time that I won't be forgetting any time soon.

How fitting was it that Napoli belted the game-winning blast? Before the season, Anaheim traded the catcher to Toronto as part of the Vernon Wells deal. The Rangers, shortly after Napoli arrived in Toronto, dealt Frank Francisco to the Blue Jays for Napoli. Another brilliant move by Texas general manager Jon Daniels. Napoli finished the season hitting .320 with 30 home runs, 75 RBIs and a .414 on-base percentage. All that in only 369 at-bats.

The victory clinched home field in the first round for the Rangers and represented the best single-season mark in team history at 96-66.

Next was finding out who the Rangers would face at 4 p.m. on Friday in Arlington. By this point, we knew Detroit would travel to New York. The Rangers' opponent came down to either Boston or Tampa Bay, the two wild-card contenders.

This is when stuff really got whacky. Boston led Baltimore, 3-2, in the seventh inning when a rain delay pushed the game back an hour or so.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay was in the midst of producing one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history. Trailing by seven runs in the eighth inning, the Rays rallied for six runs (highlighted by a three-run homer by Evan Longoria) in the eighth and one in the ninth — a solo home run by Dan Johnson to tie the game at 7.

Since the Rangers game was over by this point, I was flipping back and forth between Boston-Baltimore and New York-Tampa Bay.

In the bottom of the 12th inning, around 11:05 p.m. central time, Longoria ripped a liner of a home run over the left-field wall to complete the miracle comeback and send the Rays to an 8-7 victory.

At the same time, Boston was in the bottom of the ninth at Baltimore, protecting a 3-2 lead. Had the Red Sox won, they would have faced the Rays the next day in an extra game to decide who faced the Rangers in the ALDS. And it appeared it would end up that way when Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon had no problem securing two quick outs in the ninth inning. Boston was one strike away from a victory when Papelbon faced former Rangers/current Orioles first baseman Chris Davis. But Boston, which went 7-19 in September and couldn't hold onto a nine-game wild-card lead on Sept. 3, couldn't protect the lead. Papelbon gave up two doubles and a single, and the Orioles shocked the Red Sox in most improbable fashion, 4-3.

Suddenly, the Rays were in the postseason and coming to Arlington for the ALDS, while the Red Sox, who made mammoth offseason moves in acquiring Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, were going home. It was completely surreal, and I just sat upstairs, shaking my head in disbelief as the drama unfolded.

Longoria's home run came about three minutes after the Orioles' game-winning hit.

I didn't even mention the National League side of things, which saw St. Louis clinch the wild card with a victory and an Atlanta loss.

So now, you have postseason participants in St. Louis (10.5 games behind Atlanta in the wild-card race on Aug. 26) and Tampa Bay (nine games behind Boston on Sept. 3).

Yes, it was quite possibly the most fascinating night of regular-season baseball in the sport's history. I'm just glad I could watch it.

Late-night contemplation: Rangers in playoffs, and football past 3 a.m.

It's 3:18 a.m. and I'm currently witnessing a ridiculous event on TV. Oklahoma State is facing Tulsa with 6:53 left in the fourth quarter. And this thing is live. At 3:18 a.m.

After a three-hour lightning delay, game officials apparently are going to try to finish this thing. I've been watching football a long time, but I've never seen a game in the central time zone push 3:30 a.m. Oklahoma State is not helping the telecast either, because it's leading, 59-26. Long game with a lot of scoring.

At any rate, the Rangers made significant progress tonight with a 7-6 victory at Seattle. The significant progress came in large part because the Angels lost at Baltimore on the same night, 6-2.

With the Rangers winning and the Angels losing, Texas currently holds a 4.5-game lead in the American League West with 10 games remaining. Combine that with the rest of the Texas schedule (series left at Oakland, vs. Seattle, at Anaheim), and it really started to hit me tonight that the Rangers are well on their way to becoming back-to-back AL West champs.

It's a great time to be a Rangers fan. The team has a talented nucleus of players in the prime of their careers, and, for the most part, general manager Jon Daniels has attempted to keep the core together.

I'm aware not everyone will stay. C.J. Wilson, Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz will require new contracts soon. But hopefully, we can keep the majority of the nucleus in Arlington. If that happens, this can be a playoff contender for the next three to four years.

It's about 3:30 now and this OSU-Tulsa game still has 1:42 remaining. Insane. I'm barely keeping my eyes open, so I'm going to end this post now and rest easy, knowing the Rangers are on the brink of capturing another AL West crown.

2011 Rangers ... better than 2010 edition?

With only a little more than a week left of regular-season baseball, the Texas Rangers sit at 86-65, 3.5 games ahead of Anaheim in the American League West.

In the 2010 regular season, the defending AL champions compiled a 90-72 record and won the West by nine games over second-place Oakland.

There's a good chance, with 11 games remaining this season, the Rangers will finish with a better regular-season record in 2011 than in 2010.

To me, that says a ton about fifth-year manager Ron Washington. I like to say I'm proud to be a Rangers fan because of the team's sense of direction these past few years. The Rangers have improved their regular-season record each year Washington's been at the helm in Arlington. How's this for direction:

2007: 75-87
2008: 79-83
2009: 87-75
2010: 90-72 (AL West champions, AL champions, lost in World Series)
2011: ?

With these numbers in mind, is this year's Texas team better than the 2010 edition?

I'm not sure I'm ready to go that far yet. Last season, there was a sense of confidence and borderline cockiness in games that Cliff Lee took the mound, especially in the postseason. This year, Lee is pitching on a dominant Phillies team that owns the best record in baseball (97-65) and will enter the postseason as the clear World Series favorite.

Really, the 2011 vs. 2010 debate boils down to one question: Can C.J. Wilson be 'that guy?'

You know, the guy the Rangers can turn to when they desperately need a victory to stay alive in a postseason series. The guy who mows down American League lineups with the pressure mounting. The guy who makes you feel more at ease about a playoff series because the opposing team has to beat him twice in order to eliminate the Rangers. Asked quite simply, can C.J. Wilson even come close to resembling Cliff Lee from 2010?

Lee was, by all accounts, absurd last postseason, to the point where I'd go to bed seriously contemplating if the guy was human. Lee went 3-2 with a 47/2 K/BB ratio and an ERA near 3.00. He was hit around a bit in the World Series, but was unstoppable in the ALDS and ALCS, more so than any pitcher I've ever watched on TV.

Lee proved that a legitimate, shutdown ace at the top of the Rangers' rotation could send them all the way to the World Series. Wilson doesn't carry the same intimidation factor as Lee, but he's pitched like an ace in 2011, the final year of his contract.

Wilson enjoyed a breakout season in 2010, going 15-8 with a 3.35 ERA and a 170/93 K/BB ratio. I've said many times before on this blog that if Wilson cut down his walk totals, he could be a front-line ace. This year, he's approached that status.

In 2011, Wilson is currently 16-7 with a 2.97 ERA and a 198/69 K/BB ratio. The walk totals are still a bit high, but at least it's progress from last year. He's giving up more hits (184 in 2011, 164 in 2010) and home runs (16 in 2011, 10 in 2010), but he's issuing considerably fewer free passes and striking out more hitters as well.

Wilson, by all accounts, has been an ace in 2011. For the Rangers to be a better team than last season, though, Wilson will have to elevate his game even more in two weeks.

Offensively, the teams are very comparable. A closer look:

2011 likely postseason batting order:
1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Elvis Andrus, SS
3. Josh Hamilton, OF
4. Michael Young, DH
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Nelson Cruz, OF
7. Mike Napoli, C
8. David Murphy, OF
9. Mitch Moreland, 1B

2010 World Series batting order:
1. Elvis Andrus, SS
2. Michael Young, 3B
3. Josh Hamilton, OF
4. Vladimir Guerrero, DH
5. Nelson Cruz, OF
6. Ian Kinsler, 2B
7. Jeff Francoeur, OF
8. Bengie Molina, C
9. Mitch Moreland, 1B

Pretty close. Beltre (.288, 25 HR, 91 RBI) and Napoli (.312, 26 HR, 67 RBI, .411 OBP) have been huge additions to the offense.

Defensively, you'd have to say the 2011 team is superior, with Beltre holding down the hot corner.

The pitching depth, one through five, seems to be better this season with Wilson, Colby Lewis (12-10, 4.29 ERA, 150/52 K/BB), Alexi Ogando (13-8, 3.58 ERA, 123/43 K/BB), Matt Harrison (12-9, 3.56 ERA, 112/52 K/BB) and Derek Holland (14-5, 4.02 ERA, 148/63 K/BB). The top of last year's rotation, though, with Lee, Wilson and Lewis was tough to beat.

This year's bullpen is certainly stronger with the addition of Mike Adams and Koji Uehara. Closer Neftali Feliz was much better in 2010 (2.73 ERA, 71/18 K/BB) than he's been in 2011 (3.04 ERA, 45/28 K/BB).

But to me, it all comes back to Wilson, whom the Rangers will have to make a decision on in the offseason. Should the Rangers make the postseason, you're looking at shelling out $90-$100 million to keep the 30-year-old Wilson. Yes, he's 30, but since he's primarily pitched out of the bullpen, his arm shouldn't have as much wear and tear as other starting pitchers who are that age. I'm very tempted to spend the money, especially considering the best free agent pitcher this offseason figures to be Chicago's Mark Buehrle (32 years old).

I hope C.J. makes it a tough decision for Texas general manager Jon Daniels and company. A deep playoff run would certainly do the trick.

Rangers clash with Angels in massive weekend series

It wasn't long ago that the Texas Rangers seemed to have the American League West division locked up.

I'll admit, I was as guilty as anyone in assuming Texas was well on its way to a second straight AL West crown.

It still might happen. It just won't be as easy as I once thought.

Ever since Anaheim first baseman Mark Trumbo hit a game-winning walkoff home run against the Rangers on Aug. 18, the two teams have gone in opposite directions. Trumbo's season-saving blast pulled the Angels within six games of the Rangers.

Baseball is a contagious game of momentum and streaks. Since Trumbo's homer, the Angels have won six straight games. Texas has lost three in a row and five of its last six.

What could have been an eight-game lead turned into six on Aug. 18. Now, it's only two games. Funny how one swing of the bat can swing the momentum of a division race so quickly.

Naturally, the Rangers and Angels have a three-game series this weekend in Arlington. It's a massive showdown that could alter the landscape of the AL West race in the coming weeks. No splits in a three-game series. To date, this is easily the Rangers' most significant series of the season.

Texas has been playing uninspiring baseball of late. After taking one game from the Red Sox in Arlington, Texas lost three in a row by the following scores: 11-5, 13-2, 6-0. It's been rough. The starting pitching seems gassed. The bats have been kept quiet.

Thursday night detailed much of the Rangers' struggles lately. Texas bats couldn't muster any runs off Andrew Miller. All due respect to the guy, that's just not good. Miller's 6-1 record is only a reflection of his run support and nothing more. He has nearly as many walks (32) as strikeouts (39), to go along with an ERA of 4.42 this season. This is far from an elite pitcher, and the Rangers were shut out against the guy.

Hopefully, the bats wake up because this weekend's opposing pitchers are a step or two above what Miller has to offer. Dan Haren is pitching tonight, and Angels manager Mike Scioscia recently confirmed that Ervin Santana (Saturday) and Jered Weaver (Sunday) will pitch on three days rest due to the magnitude of the series. Sanatana and Weaver have never pitched on three days rest in their MLB careers.

That should tell you everything you need to know about the importance of this series. The Rangers will trot out Derek Holland tonight, C.J. Wilson on Saturday and Colby Lewis on Sunday.

The Rangers need standout performances from most or all of them, or else this division race is going to get more interesting than it needs to be.

Rangers in prime position to separate themselves in AL West

It's been a long time since I've posted a Rangers-related entry on the Gametime in Arlington blog, so I had to come on today and end the drought. It's been a heck of a last month. Moving from the house I've rented from the past three years to my own apartment. Trips to Florida, Denver and Dallas. Work picking up again with college football season around the corner. Everything, it seems.

But the Rangers remain in first place, and all is well with the baseball world. Texas picked up a significant 8-4 victory over Anaheim last night to take a five-game lead in the AL West. There are three more games against the Angels this week, then three more in Arlington next weekend. If Texas can beat the Angels a few more times, it could really provide separation as we enter the home stretch.

During my aforementioned trip to Dallas, I had the chance to attend a Rangers game with high school buddies Derek Johnson and Stephen Slater. It was a really fun time, except Texas was shut out, 3-0. And by Brett Cecil of all people. The game was dreadful. In fact, Derek labeled it the worst game he had ever seen at Rangers Ballpark. I would have to agree. Thankfully, the company was fun, and I had the opportunity to catch up with some of my oldest friends.



The Rangers remain in great position for their second consecutive postseason berth.

I was looking at Texas' record this season, by month, just for kicks. The results:

April: 15-11
May: 13-15
June: 14-13
July: 18-9
August: 9-4

Clearly, the Rangers are playing their best baseball right now. It's even more impressive when you factor in Adrian Beltre, my first-half team MVP, being sidelined until September with an injured groin.

The starting rotation has been stout all season with our three lefties, C.J. Wilson, Matt Harrison and Derek Holland, coupled with Colby Lewis and Alexi Ogando.

What's really picked up lately is the results from the bullpen. Not surprising when Mike Adams and Koji Uehara were added at the trade deadline. General manager Jon Daniels is not afraid to add to the big-league club, especially when it's in contention. We saw it last year with Cliff Lee, and while this year didn't land as big a name, it still proved Daniels is far from gun shy when attempting to improve the club during a pennant race.

I read yesterday that since the Rangers acquired Adams (July 31) and Uehara (July 30), the bullpen ERA is around 1.80. Closer Neftali Feliz has struggled this season, by his standards, and before Adams and Uehara came to Texas, there was legitimate concern about the back end of the bullpen. Not anymore. Feliz has settled down a bit, while Adams and Uehara have provided stability that was not seen from the back end of the bullpen in the first half of the season.

You have to give up promising talent to get promising talent in return, so sure, Daniels rolled the dice when he traded away a few pitching prospects (none of them were in the system's top 3-5, mind you). But look at the result: In a span of two weeks, the team's biggest weakness has turned into arguably its biggest strength. The bullpen is deep and talented.

Adams' K/BB ratio on the season: 56/12, with a 1.12 ERA.
Uehara: 71/9, with a 1.84 ERA.

Yeah, I can live with that.

Let's hope the bats stay alive and the Rangers continue to provide separation in the AL West the rest of the week. These next two series against the Angels should paint a pretty clear picture of the race for the division title.

CD review: Fair to Midland's 'Arrows and Anchors'

Plano, Texas — All it took was two or three times through Fair to Midland's new 'Arrows and Anchors' CD before I began to recognize the brilliance behind this musical masterpiece.

What separates Fair to Midland from other modern bands is the depth of tracks from their albums. As my brother Dave said when we listened to the new CD this past weekend in Denver: "There is no weak link on the album."

Very true.

The songs are riveting, gripping tracks with heavy strings ("Whiskey & Ritalin"), melodic choruses ("Golden Parachutes") and the occasional growling ("Rikki Tikki Tavi") we've come to appreciate from lead singer Darroh Sudderth.

My favorite track on the new album would either be "Golden Parachutes" or "Short-Haired Tornado."

Oh yeah, that's another thing the band did on their follow-up to "Fables From A Mayfly:" Song titles remain incredibly bizarre. Lyrics, too, for that matter. I have no idea what any lyric on this album means, but it's fascinating to learn the words and try to squeeze out even the most minor of messages.

The new album does a fantastic job of keeping to Fair to Midland's image. Not all songs are radio-friendly, but after you listen to the album in its entirety, you wonder how long it will be before the band blows up on the radio. At first, Fair to Midland appears to provide an off-kilter, folk-artsy, puzzling sound that can only be fixed and/or solved by listening to the album again. It's at those points of listening to the album again that the musical brilliance becomes more evident. Odd dynamic, but that's how it went with me.

Just like Fables, the strength of 'Arrows and Anchors' lies within the late tracks. The continuous order of No. 8, 'Short-Haired Tornado,' No. 9, 'The Upset at Bailey Bridge' (musical interlude), No. 10, 'Rikki Tikki Tavi,' and No. 11, Golden Parachutes,' is just about the best stuff these guys have ever written.

No. 3, 'Musical Chairs,' should become a staple of live shows, and might be the radio hit that takes these guys to the next level of popularity.

I wish I could have attended the CD release party on July 12 in Dallas. I wasn't there, but my good friend, miss Terri Easley, was on hand. This bit of quality info from the concert is courtesy of her:

Live tracks played from Arrows: Amarillo Sleeps on my Pillow, Musical Chairs, Rikki Tikki Tavi, Coppertank Island, Golden Parachutes.

Live tracks played from Fables: Dance of the Manatee, Walls of Jericho, Say When, Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes, A Seaferer's Knot.

According to Terri, the band opened with Manatee and closed with Parachutes. Interesting choices.

I couldn't be happier with the new CD. It's been on repeat for the past week, and will likely remain that way for the rest of the summer.

New Fair to Midland CD released today

The four-year wait is over.



Fair to Midland, my favorite Dallas-based rock band, released their new CD, 'Arrows & Anchors,' today. I took a visit to Best Buy and picked up my copy today for $9.99. It was the last copy they had. Lucky me. Hopefully, that means the word is spreading and people are buying the new album. I always like supporting my favorite bands on the day their new album hits stores.

The last Fair to Midland album, "Fables From A Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True," was released in June 2007.

I've probably been to more Fair to Midland shows than any other band. I'm not sure exactly how many times I've seen them perform, but I'd estimate around six to seven times. They never disappoint. One of the most energetic, original sounds I've heard.

I'll be back on with a review in a few days. I've only been through three-fourths of the CD so far. This will pretty much be all I listen to for the next few months.

The four-year wait is finally over.

Reflecting on tragedy at Rangers Ballpark

For years, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington has acted as my personal escape. A place where I can temporarily block out the stresses and pressures of everyday life. A place where I sit back, relax and appreciate my favorite game, the game of baseball, without having to worry about anything.

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is, put simply, my happy place.

That's why I'm still trying to wrap my mind around a most tragic event that transpired at the ballpark on Thursday night. This is, by all accounts, unfathomable.

A fan sitting in the left field stands fell over the railing trying to catch a baseball that Rangers All-Star Josh Hamilton tossed into the crowd. The man was transported by ambulance to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, where he was later pronounced dead. The man's 6-year-old son witnessed the fall.

Incomprehensible.

A father takes his son to a ballgame, decked out in a Rangers shirt and Rangers hat. He wants so badly to catch a ball for his son from Hamilton, the reigning American League MVP, that he sprawls out over the railing in an attempt to make his son's night. Then, that happens. Words fail to describe the heartbreak and sorrow that will forever be associated with this tragedy.

One day, I hope to watch a baseball game with my son, or toss him some pitches in the front yard the same way my dad did with my brother Dave and me in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Coral Springs, Fla. and Plano, Texas. I hope to take him to Rangers Ballpark, where I can tell him it was right here where many of my most vivid baseball memories took place. It was right here where Dave and I were on hand for Game 4 of the 2010 World Series. It was right here where Dave and I found shortcuts around paying a parking fee and found a deserted parking lot for free. It was right here where Dave and I witnessed Marlon Byrd's grand slam walkoff home run, and Rod Barajas' walkoff homer, both against the Yankees. So many memories with family and friends. When I think about ballpark memories, all I can do is smile and reflect.

It's impossible, then, with all those memories held close, to even begin to fathom something so sobering, something so awful in such a warm, welcoming atmosphere. It makes you think of those you hold the closest, those who are most important in your lives. Cherish these people. Tell them how much you love them, and how much you appreciate them. In times like these, these words can never be said enough.

All-Star game observations: Rangers representation, snubs and more

Earlier today, I predicted what the All-Star rosters would look like for July 12 in Phoenix.

Here are the actual selections for the American League.

And the actual selections for the National League.

A few observations:

• Four Rangers made the team, more than I had predicted. Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Adrian Beltre and C.J. Wilson will represent Texas. Of course, I'm thrilled four Rangers made it because it will make watching the game considerably more exciting. Texas had six All-Stars last season, and that was a ton of fun. Truth is, though, Hamilton does not deserve to be an All-Star this season. He will start the game in the outfield because the fans voted him in. He's playing very well right now, but the guy missed two months with an injury. He's hitting .300 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs, pretty darn impressive when you take into account he's had only 186 at-bats. But there are more deserving candidates. I found it interesting that the players voted Beltre ahead of Alex Rodriguez at third base. A-Rod will start at the hot corner because of the fan vote.

• My top snubs: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh; Paul Konerko, Chicago; CC Sabathia, New York; Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta.

Kimbrel must feel particularly snubbed. His bullpen mate, Jonny Venters, received a nod probably just because the NL wanted a lefty option. Kimbrel is tied for the MLB lead in saves with 24, and has a pretty stellar 67/18 K/BB ratio, to go along with a 2.57 ERA.

Most of these snubs will have the opportunity to play in the game anyways because of injuries or through the 'final man' vote.

• Main reason fans shouldn't be allowed to vote: Derek Jeter will start at shortstop for the AL. It's not that I have anything against Jeter. I actually like the guy. But he's simply not an All-Star this season. The worst argument I keep hearing is the legacy argument. Please. Don't worry, his statue will still be erected at Yankee Stadium. It's just that this is the 2011 All-Star game, and therefore, the 2011 All-Star rosters should be constructed based on 2011 performance. Nothing else.

• The lone Royals representative was Aaron Crow, who's had a breakout year in relief with a 1.36 ERA and a 39/17 K/BB ratio. I had Alex Gordon as my lone K.C. selection, but I feel good for Crow, who I remember watching when he played at Missouri.

• There's something odd about Minnesota's Michael Cuddyer making the AL roster. The .286 average is just fine, but 11 homers and 32 RBIs don't really jump off the page. Of course, each team must have at least one representative (a good rule). But I would have liked to see Twins starter Scott Baker (6-5, 3.15 ERA, 101/29 K/BB) instead of Cuddyer. I think Baker, an Oklahoma State product, remains one of the more underrated players in baseball.

• My American League starter: Justin Verlander (11-3, 2.32 ERA, 130/29 K/BB).

• My National League starter: Roy Halladay (11-3, 2.44 ERA, 131/17 K/BB).

• My American League batting order:

1. Curtis Granderson, New York
2. Robinson Cano, New York
3. Jose Bautista, Toronto
4. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston
5. Alex Rodriguez, New York
6. Josh Hamilton, Texas
7. David Ortiz, Boston
8. Alex Avila, Detroit
9. Derek Jeter, New York

• My National League batting order:

1. Jose Reyes, New York
2. Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee
3. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee
4. Prince Fielder, Milwaukee
5. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles
6. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado (DH)
7. Lance Berkman, St. Louis
8. Brian McCann, Atlanta
9. Placido Polanco, Philadelphia

• I never gave much thought to the home field advantage in the World Series granted to the winning team of the All-Star game. Last season, home field would have been particularly helpful to the Rangers against the Giants. Naturally, the AL lost for the first time in 13 years last season. This year, I'll root a bit more for the AL to regain its swagger. As I learned last year, you never know what can happen in the postseason.

2011 All-Star game predictions

Last season, the Texas Rangers put six players on the American League All-Star roster. This time around, it surely won't be that many, but I'm still curious how many spots the American League champs will occupy for the July 12 meeting in Phoenix.

My guess is three: Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, C.J. Wilson. Hamilton, however, didn't make my roster, but the fans will vote him in as a starter.

We'll see when the rosters are revealed later today. I'll be back on for roster observations.

For now, here's my predicted rosters for the game.

American League starters:

Catcher: Victor Martinez, Detroit.

First base: Adrian Gonzalez, Boston.

Second base: Robinson Cano, New York.

Shortstop: Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland.

Third base: Alex Rodriguez, New York.

Outfield (RF): Jose Bautista, Toronto.

Outfield (CF): Curtis Granderson, New York.

Outfield (LF): Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston.

DH: David Ortiz, Boston.

Starting pitcher: Justin Verlander, Detroit.

American League reserves:

Catcher: Alex Avila, Detroit.

First base: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit; Paul Konerko, Chicago.

Second base: Dustin Pedroia, Boston; Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay.

Shortstop: Jhonny Peralta, Detroit.

Third base: Adrian Beltre, Texas; Kevin Youkilis, Boston.

Outfield: Alex Gordon, Kansas City; Adam Lind, Toronto; Adam Jones, Baltimore.

DH: Michael Young, Texas.

American League pitchers:

SP: Jered Weaver, Anaheim.

SP: James Sheilds, Tampa Bay.

SP: Josh Beckett, Boston.

SP: C.J. Wilson, Texas.

SP: Dan Haren, Anaheim.

SP: C.C. Sabathia, New York.

SP: David Price, Tampa Bay.

SP: Gio Gonzalez, Oakland.

SP: Scott Baker, Minnesota.

RP (closer): Mariano Rivera, New York.

RP: Brandon League, Seattle.

RP: Jose Valverde, Detroit.

National League starters:

Catcher: Brian McCann, Atlanta.

First base: Prince Fielder, Milwaukee.

Second base: Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee.

Shortstop: Jose Reyes, New York.

Third base: Aramis Ramirez, Chicago.

Outfield (CF): Matt Kemp, Los Angeles.

Outfield (LF): Ryan Braun, Milwaukee.

Outfield (RF): Lance Berkman, St. Louis.

DH: Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado.

Starting pitcher: Roy Halladay, Philadelphia.

National League reserves:

Catcher: Miguel Montero, Arizona.

First base: Joey Votto, Cincinnati; Ryan Howard, Philadelphia.

Second base: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati; Danny Espinosa, Washington.

Shortstop: Starlin Castro, Chicago.

Third base: Chipper Jones, Atlanta.

Outfield: Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado; Justin Upton, Arizona; Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh; Jay Bruce, Cincinnati; Hunter Pence, Houston.

National League pitchers:

SP: Cole Hamels, Philadelphia.

SP: Cliff Lee, Philadelphia.

SP: Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta.

SP: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles.

SP: Tommy Hanson, Atlanta.

SP: Ian Kennedy, Arizona.

SP: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco.

RP (closer): Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta.

RP: Brian Wilson, San Francisco.

RP: Heath Bell, San Diego.

RP: Joel Hanrahan, Pittsburgh.

RP: Leo Nunez, Florida.

First trip to Arlington in 2011 produces victory ... and a Nelson Cruz bobblehead

Arlington, Texas — Monday represented the first time in more than seven months I stepped into Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Upon entering the stadium, I was briefly haunted by the memories of November 2010, when I was on hand to witness the Giants and Madison Bumgarner silence the Rangers in Game 4 of the World Series.

The memories of losing were quickly cast aside, however, when I made my way through the center field entrance, and a stadium worker handed me one of these:



Oh yes. I had no idea, but Monday was Nelson Cruz bobblehead night at the ballpark. Talk about awesome.

Cruz responded by going 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, and the Rangers clobbered the Astros, 8-3.

My friend Drew Love from high school has season tickets for two seats in the home run porch in right field, and was generous enough to offer me his spare ticket for Monday. The view was pretty stellar. Third row, right field home run porch:



The highlight of the night was Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland devouring a solo home run 450+ feet in the eighth inning. The ball was hit so far that we watched it literally sail over our heads and into the second deck. I've seen live, second-deck shots before, but watching the ball sail over my head from my seat in a home-run area was pretty bizarre. Towering blast.

Derek Holland earned the victory, pitching 7 1/3 innings, surrendering six hits, three earned runs and three walks, with four strikeouts. I started him in my fantasy league that night, so double points. Craig Gentry impressed with three stolen bases in a spot start, and Adrian Beltre went 3-for-4 to lead the offense, which produced a solid 12 hits.

I enjoyed a Bud Light and an oversized bucket of popcorn. Even better, after the game, we went into the Rangers store, where they had a sale on last year's AL Championship gear. I picked up a red American League champions T-shirt for $6.99. Talk about a steal. Drew also had a coupon for a free weekly program, so I came away with quite the haul.

An overall awesome time at the ballpark. Hello win column.

Mavs week special: May the reflecting continue

Dallas — My friend Brett called me the other day and asked me a simple question as I picked up the call.

"So you still reflecting over there or what?" he asked.

Sounds about right. It's been six days since the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA title, and I'm still basking in the glory of championship euphoria.

I'm not even in full Texas Rangers mode yet, which is a rarity for me, considering spring training usually represents the time I'm in full baseball mode. But that's the power that this championship brings with it.

I'm heading to Dallas tomorrow for Father's day, and I'll be attending the Rangers game against the Houston Astros at 7:05 p.m. on Monday night. Maybe that will get me back into Rangers mode. Don't get me wrong. I'm still watching pretty much every game. It's been a while since I've blogged about DFW's pro baseball squad, though, because of the magical run by DFW's pro hoops squad.

I think Tuesday will be a good day to start blogging about the Rangers again. I'll have pictures from Monday night's game, along with a few thoughts from the matchup against the in-state rival Astros.

For now, though, it's still all about the reflecting.

Here's a really cool slideshow from ESPN that counts down the top 10 Mavs moments from the 2011 playoffs.

This column from Yahoo! sports NBA writer Adrian Wojnarowski was really well-done and captures the long journey Dirk Nowitzki took to win his first title.

This prophetic story, written by ESPN columnist Marc Stein on March 1, is fun to go back and read now. Another column from Stein, capturing the championship feeling from inside the locker room, and particularly from Dirk. My personal favorite of all the ones I read.

And may the reflecting continue.

Mavs week special: How will Dallas roster look next year?

Dallas — In an attempt to predict how much of a chance the Dallas Mavericks have of repeating as NBA champions next season, I wanted to take a look at how the roster might look in 2011-12.

These players, from the primary rotation, are set to return: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Brendan Haywood, Rodrigue Beaubois.

These players, from the primary rotation, will be free agents in the summer of 2011: Tyson Chandler, J.J. Barea, Caron Butler, Peja Stojakovic, Deshawn Stevenson, Brian Cardinal.

If I'm Mark Cuban, my first order of business this offseason, aside from continuing to enjoy the heck of out the NBA Championship, would be to start negotiating with Chandler. The 7-foot center is in the prime of his career at 28 years old, and was one of the most instrumental pieces to the championship puzzle. Chandler personifies coach Rick Carlisle's new philosophy of Mavs basketball, one that prides itself on lockdown defense. I expect Chandler to be back.

Barea's stock has flown through the roof after his incredible performances in the playoffs. It should be interesting to see how much money he will be offered this offseason, along with how many years. At age 26, the 6-foot speedster is just entering the prime of his career.

Butler's story carries some intrigue as well. How much money and how many years will the 31-year-old be offered after knee surgery? He should be ready to go to start next season, and the Mavs could be at an advantage to sign Butler if other teams shy away from the injury.

I think Cuban does what it takes to keep Chandler, but I'm not so sure about the rest. With Kidd due back to play out the last year of his contract, Barea would likely be a back-up next season in Dallas. He could certainly start somewhere else.

A sure-fire starting five next year would look like this:

1. Jason Kidd
2. Jason Terry
3. Shawn Marion
4. Dirk Nowitzki
5. Tyson Chandler

An optimal starting five next year would look like this:

1. Jason Kidd
2. Caron Butler
3. Shawn Marion
4. Dirk Nowitzki
5. Tyson Chandler

Check out a potential second unit:

1B: J.J. Barea
2B: Jason Terry (and Rodrigue Beaubois)
3B: Deshawn Stevenson (and Peja Stojakovic)
4B: Brian Cardinal
5B: Brendan Haywood

This could be a loaded roster if Beaubois, still only 23, matures into a regular rotation player, and if Butler re-signs and proves he's healthy. The Mavs obviously won the title without both players playing any minutes in the postseason.

The chances for repeating would likely be possible, but not probable. Oklahoma City isn't going anywhere, San Antonio probably has another one or two elite years left, and the Lakers will always be a factor as long as Kobe Bryant is around.

But if the Mavs bring back some players and look a bit into outside free agent signings, I like their chances just as much as anyone else next year in the West.

For now, next year's roster construction is pretty uncertain. I'll just go back to enjoying the title for now. Can't go wrong with that.

Mavs week special: Dallas chemistry, Heat's arrogance makes title infinitely more enjoyable

Dallas — A little more than two days have passed since the Dallas Mavericks hoisted their first NBA championship in franchise history, and the euphoric feeling hasn't started to fade away at all.

Much of the reason relates to how the Mavs took the title in the Game 6 clincher in Miami.

Nine Dallas players took the court Sunday night. And I can honestly look at each of those players and point to a critical contribution each of them made to the Mavs prevailing, 105-95, before a stunned crowd.

Think about that for a second. Nine players, all of whom made valuable contributions. The Heat also had nine players take the court. But Joel Anthony (0-for-2, 0 points), Juwan Howard (0-for-1, 0 points, turnover) and Mike Miller (0-for-1, 0 points) were largely ineffective, to the point that I don't even remember them on the floor.

I found it fitting that in consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had the ball behind the three-point line in the center of the floor. On both occasions, the Heat superstars dribbled around trying to juke Dallas defenders, with no intent to distribute. On both occasions, they pulled up for desperate three-pointers that clanked off the rim and missed.

The 2011 NBA finals can be summarized by this inexact study.

The Mavs don't try to single-handedly take over a game. They collectively take over a game. All nine of them. Here's what I mean:

Dirk Nowitzki: The finals MVP scored 21 points and grabbed 11 boards, after converting only one field goal in the first half.

Jason Terry: Arguably the best sixth man in the NBA, the Arizona product was the team MVP for Game 6, pouring in a game-high 27 points off 11-of-16 shooting. Terry doesn't slash to the net like he used to, but the 34-year-old's ability to stop on a dime and stroke the mid-range jump shot kept the Heat off balance.

J.J. Barea: Inserted into the starting lineup by coach Rick Carlisle in Game 3 to maximize playmakers on the floor, Barea responded with 15 points and five assists in the title-clinching contest.

Jason Kidd: The 38-year-old held steady with nine points and eight assists, and hit a mammoth three-point shot in the fourth quarter, as he's done for most of the playoffs.

Tyson Chandler: Plagued by foul trouble most of the game, Chandler still logged 30 minutes. He only had five points, but grabbed eight boards and was a crucial defensive presence inside.

Shawn Marion: The Matrix played stellar defense on LeBron James, who scored 21 points, but committed six turnovers. What more could you ask? Marion also put up 12 points and eight boards.

Deshawn Sevenson: Far from my favorite player, but the guy was incredibly clutch in the first half, draining three straight long-distance threes. The play where he stole the ball in the backcourt and pulled up for his second three was one of the most exciting plays of the finals. Stevenson shot 13-for-23 (56.5 percent) from long range in the finals and provided stellar defense against LeBron and Wade.

Brian Cardinal: Who doesn't love this guy? He played 12 minutes, drained a three from the corner and provided hustle and energy on both ends.

Ian Mahinmi: With Chandler in foul trouble and Brendan Haywood out with an injury, Mahinmi was pressed into action. The 25-year-old native of France contributed four points, including a momentum-swinging buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter that put the Mavs ahead by nine.

There you have it. All nine Mavs scored, but more importantly, all nine Mavs logged meaningful minutes. The Heat couldn't say the same.

That's what makes this title so special. It proves that three guys can't monopolize the league and make the NBA their personal puppet. Look, I have no problem with LeBron, Wade or Chris Bosh as players, but the way they were introduced in the preseason was one of the biggest disgraces in the history of sports. The over-the-top, pyrotechnic-like atmosphere at the Heat's arena, where fans were like 13-year-old girls, and the Big Three like Justin Bieber on stage performing, was laughable at best, especially now. Um, the season hasn't started yet. But we get the point. Arrogant, pompous, seven championships, yep, we got it.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, the Mavericks were working on constructing a championship-caliber team built around newly-signed Dirk Nowitzki, who didn't announce his new deal via an hour-long ESPN special. No, the Mavs were too busy working on defense, not which three of them would look best in a pointless preseason celebration.

Isn't it fitting, then, that the NBA season ended with the Mavs — all 15 on the roster, not just three of them — celebrating on the same stage in Miami where three overly-confident superstars acted like buffoons before a single game was even played? Only difference was this celebration was well-deserved, noble and inspirational.

It just goes to show, basketball is a team game. And just a suggestion: When you celebrate, don't make it a three-player, exclusive VIP party. The other players on the roster might feel left out. And don't make it before the season starts.

A better team from the Western Conference might come into your house, out-play you, out-coach you and show you the proper way to celebrate. At the end of the season, when it really counts.

Dedicating blog to Mavs week

Dallas — As a tribute to the Dallas Mavericks winning the NBA championship, I'm dedicating this week in the Gametime in Arlington blog strictly to Mavs-related posts.

My typical observations about the Texas Rangers will have to take a back seat for now.

So yeah ... what a run. It's never felt this rewarding to put so much of my free time into one of my pro teams. I put 1,000 miles on the Accord in fewer than three days, just to be in Dallas when the Mavs clinched. Crazy? Sure. Worth it? Absolutely.

Everyone I've run into lately has asked about the trip. Friends at the gym. Co-workers. The guy behind the counter at Three Spoons when my co-worker Matt and I bought a celebratory, Mavs-inspired frozen yogurt. The guy who knocked on my door to deliver a package to my roommate (I've had the championship T-shirt on for two days ... it might need the washer by now).

I can honestly say driving in town for the series clincher was one of the most rewarding road trips of my life. Right up there with driving to Arizona with my college buddies for spring training in 2006, or booking it to New Orleans for the Final Four in 2003.

OK, everyone's talking about the poetic justice involved with the team-oriented Mavericks taking down the out-for-their-own Heat. And rightfully so. It's gratifying to know that the team whose superstar stayed loyal to his city and his teammates won an NBA championship over three superstars who thought they could win not one (or two, three, four, five or six) with teammates they found on the South Beach garbage pickup route. It proves basketball, like all of pro sports, rewards team unity over individual accomplishment, regardless of how pretty it looks. One nice dunk doesn't equate to hoisting a trophy. Five guys swinging the ball from side to side until the best shot presents itself proved to be a better formula.

All that said ... I haven't heard enough about the path the Mavs took to win this crown. Talk about one of the most legitimate championships in NBA history. Dallas defeated a rugged Portland squad that defended extremely well and fed off a raucous home crowd in the first round.

The Mavs shopped for brooms at Home Depot while pummeling the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers, all while frustrating the hell out of several of their players (Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum in particular) and sending arguably the greatest NBA coach of all-time, Phil Jackson, into retirement.

Dallas then held off an up-and-coming Oklahoma City squad that should see plenty more appearances in the Western Conference finals, so long as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook play there.

And, finally, the Mavs iced the cake with taking down the prima donna, self-centered Heat.

Now that's what I call earning the ring.

Be back all week for more court-related title observations and what the future might look like for the Mavs after winning it all.

For now, I'm going to continue to enjoy this championship, and it may be a while until I finally hop off cloud nine. Oh, and I've always wanted to do this:

Mavs clinch NBA championship ... did that really just happen?

Dallas — So this is what it feels like for one of my teams to win a professional championship.

I can get used to this.

Never in my life had I witnessed one of my sports teams win a pro title until Sunday night, when the Dallas Mavericks took down the Miami Heat, 105-95, to hoist the NBA title trophy.

What a game. What a series. And, on a personal note, what a trip.

I decided Friday afternoon that I was going to drive to Plano on Saturday morning so I could be in Dallas for Game 6. I slept maybe three to four hours Friday night, woke up at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, and booked it 7.5 hours down I-35 to Texas.

Best idea? Maybe not, especially considering Game 6 was played in Miami, not Dallas. Maybe not, considering I wouldn't have been able to stay in Dallas to watch Game 7, had it been necessary, because of work obligations.

It's funny, though, what you'd do when pressed to make a quick decision with your favorite sports team on the brink of a historic moment. I had Saturday and Sunday off from work, and it ended up being the most rewarding road trip in my history of being a sports fan.

The Dallas Mavericks are NBA champions.



And I was in Dallas, at Lakewood's First and 10, with friends to witness the purest form of sports nirvana.

This is a story I will tell for the rest of my life. I'll reflect on how incredible it was to be a part of the atmosphere in Big D. I'll share the story, as I did on the phone with my good friend Brian, of how excited I was to glance out the window of my car at the intersection of 75 and 635, look at the Dallas city lights and know we clinched a title. I'll tell tales of my choice of attire, which was a newly-minted black 2011 Western Conference Champs T-shirt.



I'll speak of watching and enjoying the dominance of finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki, who deserves a championship ring more than anyone else in basketball.

As my friend Drew and I practically shut down the bar, we sat there speechless at times until he broke the silence with a fact: "Dude, the Mavs just won the NBA title," he kept repeating. All I could do was shake my head in disbelief. It hadn't sunk in yet, and I'm still not sure it's sunk in quite yet. It's past 3 a.m. on Sunday night/Monday morning, and it's amazing I'm not more tired. Maybe it has sunk in a little bit.

I'll be proudly sporting my Mavs NBA champions T-shirt tomorrow on the drive back home. Don't ask how I already have one, a mere few hours after Dallas won. My mom has a friend who dropped them off after the victory as a gift. I'm rather glad she stopped by.



What does this mean?

First, it means Dallas won its first NBA championship in team history.

Second, it means Dirk elevated himself out of the category of best players to never win a ring, a category previously shared with the likes of Charles Barkley and Karl Malone.

Dirk is approaching monument-type stardom in Dallas. If you constructed a Mount Rushmore of Dallas sports athletes, it would have the faces of Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, Dirk and Nolan Ryan. One could make the argument Dirk is the greatest Dallas sports athlete ever.

In terms of Dirk's all-time rank among NBA greats, I'd have to think he's approaching top 10-15 status after capturing a ring.

Dirk's a guy who's so easy to root for, especially in these finals with the competition being the Heat. I'm quite certain every city outside of Miami/Florida rooted for the Mavs. Dirk is easy to root for because he's a superstar who's been loyal to his team for the past 13 years. Plus, he didn't use an hour-long television special on ESPN to announce he was taking his talents to South Beach. No, he actually accepted less money than the open market would have demanded since he was an unrestricted free agent, and stayed with Dallas this summer.

Dirk deserves this. The city of Dallas deserves this. And I'm pretty sure the score reads as follows after my road trip: My decision 1, LeBron's decision 0.

Be back on soon for more thoughts on Dallas winning its first-ever NBA crown. Go Mavs.

Game day: One more victory stands between Mavs and ultimate prize

Plano, Texas — Hopefully, today is the day.

At 7 tonight in Miami, the Dallas Mavericks have a chance to win the team's first NBA championship in franchise history.

I drove in this weekend from Lawrence so I could be in Texas in the event that title-clinching chaos ensues in Dallas. I'll be watching at a bar in Dallas with some of my high school friends.

One more victory is all that's required of the Mavs, who own a 3-2 series lead over the Miami Heat in what has to be considered one of the most thrilling finals in NBA history.

Tonight is going to be tough. The Heat are 9-1 at home this postseason, with the one defeat coming in Game 2 against the Mavs. Furthermore, Miami has lost two consecutive games, and you'd think that on the brink of elimination, we're going to get the Heat's best shot. The crowd is going to be jacked and primed to force a Game 7.

I think the best chance for the Mavs is to clinch tonight. A Game 7 would clearly favor Miami, playing at home again in the 2-3-2 format with momentum on its side.

But that's the kicker. In the scope of the series, Miami doesn't have much momentum at the moment. After losing Game 1, the Mavs have taken three of the past four games.

So what's the key for Dallas in Game 6? Here's a few that are on my mind:

• Continue to maintain a fourth-quarter edge. Dallas has outscored Miami, 118-104, in the fourth quarter of the series. Doesn't sound like much when you add up the five games, but three of the contests have come down to the final possession. That's been a clear advantage for Dallas.

• Win the superstar showdown. Dirk Nowitzki has performed considerably better than LeBron James in the finals, particularly in the fourth quarter. Dirk's fourth-quarter points this series: 52. LeBron's fourth-quarter points this series: 11. Shawn Marion has done a terrific job in using his length and athleticism to contain James to 17.2 points per game for the series.

• Provide scoring help for Dirk. In Game 5, the Mavs had five players score at least 13 points. Dirk had his normal-looking line, which is to say he played sensational: 29 points, six boards, 10-of-10 from the foul line, 9-of-18 from the field. But J.J. Barea, now in a starting role, scored 17 points and shot 4-of-5 from three-point land. Jason Terry poured in 21 points, including two vital three-pointers, one of which sealed the victory. Jason Kidd scored 13 points and was 3-of-5 from long-distance. It's going to be extremely difficult to replicate a 13-of-19 (68.4 percent) team effort from three, but if Dirk has help resembling Game 5 again, I like our chances.

• Keep it close. Sure, it sounds simple, but the last thing we want is Miami winning by a sizable margin. As the road team in a hostile environment, Dallas just needs to keep it close. The Mavs are 2-1 in games decided by three points or less in this series.

• Establish Tyson Chandler. We know the Mavs center will bring a defensive and rebounding presence rivaled by few. But his offensive production cannot be overlooked. The Mavs are 3-0 in these finals when Chandler scores in double figures. Conversely, they are 0-2 when Chandler scores in single digits. It would behoove Dallas to keep looking for Chandler for high-percentage buckets around the rim.

I can't wait for this game to start. In a recent blog post, I said win or lose, I wouldn't regret this trip. I stand by that statement. I have no problem doing crazy stuff in support of the Rangers and Mavs. But man ... just thinking about what a victory would mean for this franchise and for the city of Dallas is exciting in itself. And for this one night, I will get to witness the madness first-hand in the event of a victory.

Let's get this one tonight. Go Mavs.

Back in Texas for Game 6

Plano, Texas — That actually wasn't too bad a drive.

Roughly seven-and-a-half hours after leaving my house in Lawrence, I arrived at my parents' place in Plano at 2:15 p.m. Didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night, but I'm operating on pure adrenaline at the moment.

This was waiting for me as I arrived home. Thanks, mom.



I haven't made the Lawrence-to-Plano drive in years, probably my college days. Straight shot down I-35. As simple as one can imagine. I probably won't be complaining too much in the near future about paying tolls in Kansas. The highways in Kansas versus Oklahoma are night and day. The Kansas portion of I-35 was smooth and nicely-paved. Oklahoma, not so much.

I only made one stop, at Subway just outside of Oklahoma City. Really powered through the drive, thanks to a few phone conversations and switching up the CD's.

Should be meeting up with people for Game 6 tomorrow. It should be a heck of a time.

About to head out to Eddy V's downtown with mom and dad for a seafood dinner. I'm already glad I made the trip. Be back on later for game-specific thoughts.

Go Mavs.

Why the heck not? Heading down I-35 to Dallas

With Saturday and Sunday off, I made a rather crazy decision on Friday afternoon: I'm heading down I-35 shortly to Plano so I can be in Dallas when the Mavericks take on the Heat in Game 6 on Sunday.

This is pretty crazy, with it being a seven-plus-hour drive and all, but what the hell? You only live once. Plus, this will surely be a story I tell for a long time, regardless of the outcome. Just like I did for the World Series. Sure, the Rangers lost to the Giants, but I don't for a second regret my trip back to Arlington to attend.

Game 6, of course, is in Miami, but Dallas is going to be absolutely insane if the Mavs pull this one off. I want to be there to witness it.

I don't know what it feels like to have one of my teams win it all. Kansas in 2008 doesn't count because of my unbiased position in writing about the Big 12. I've been close, though:

2002: Raiders lose in Super Bowl.
2006: Mavs lose in NBA finals.
2010: Rangers lose in World Series.

Maybe this year will be different. If it is, I want to be sure I'm in Dallas to take it all in.

Time to hit the road. I'll be back on the blog throughout the weekend. Go Mavs.

Reason 1A Mavs are in NBA finals: Tyson Chandler

Here's an easy question to begin this blog entry: What is the main reason the Dallas Mavericks made it to the NBA finals, where they're deadlocked in a 2-2 tie with the Miami Heat in one of the most thrilling championships of all-time?

Answer: Clearly, it's the elite/clutch/other-worldly play of superstar Dirk Nowitzki, who's proven critics wrong throughout these playoffs in the most impressive two-month stretch of his brilliant 13-year Hall of Fame career.

Dirk's averaged 28 points and 8.1 rebounds in 19 playoff games, to go along with an insane mark of 163-of-174 (93.7 percent) from the foul line. He's shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.

He's been sensational. In both Dallas victories in the finals, Dirk has converted the game-winning layup. In Game 2 in Miami, he took Chris Bosh from the top of the key to the hole and muscled his way to a left-handed layup that cradled around the rim and dropped in the closing seconds. The fact that he had a broken tendon in his left middle finger didn't seem to matter at that moment. Then, in Game 4 in Dallas, Dirk took Udonis Haslem, noted for his lockdown defense, to the other side for a game-winning, right-handed layup. Same starting location. Triple-threat position at the top of the key. The fact that Dirk had a 101-degree fever didn't seem to matter at that moment either.



Dirk's been the Mavs' clear-cut MVP. Easy answer.

How about a more difficult question: What's the second-biggest reason the Mavs are playing in the NBA finals?

My answer: The inside presence, on both ends of the floor, of Tyson Chandler.

OK, so my Chandler man-crush in the Gametime in Arlington archives is obvious. I've praised the guy as the best Mavericks center ever, and also stated that the trade Mark Cuban made for him in July 2010 was the best trade in team history (need a refresher? Charlotte sent Chandler and Alexis Ajinca to Dallas for Matt Carroll, Erick Dampier and Eduardo Nájera...come on!).

Chandler deserves these bold claims, though. His impact extends beyond basic stats, which aren't too bad as it stands (in playoffs, 7.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, almost 2 blocks, 57.5 percent shooting from field per game).

Chandler's impact comes more from his ability to defend elite big men. His impact comes more from high-flying, alley-oop dunks that energize the team and the crowd.

Let's briefly look back at who the Mavs beat on their path to the NBA finals. Portland with LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby. Los Angeles with Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. Oklahoma City with Kevin Durant, Kendrick Perkins, Serge Ibaka. These are mammoth front lines, particularly the latter two.

As a Mavs fan, I never really felt secure in the team's interior defense. Dallas hasn't really ever had a legitimate center to man up against elite post men (sorry, Erick Dampier, Shawn Bradley, Raef Lafrentz, etc.) Not until now, of course.

Fans frequently rip the NBA for its lack of defense, and part of those claims are fair, especially in the regular season. But you better be able to defend in the NBA playoffs. The Mavs, for the first time in years or maybe ever, possess one of the better defenses in basketball. The main reason is Chandler in the paint.

Dirk's performance against the Heat in Game 4 was nothing short of inspirational: 101-degree fever, 21 points, 11 boards, game-winning shot. But don't forget about the importance of Chandler, who scored 13 points and grabbed 16 boards, including nine on the offensive end. When Chandler has been on the floor this postseason, the Mavs are +80.

Now that Dirk is locked up for another two years, the first order of business after the postseason should be to lock up Chandler, only 28. If that happens, and defensive-minded Caron Butler returns from injury, the Mavs, despite their old age, could have another year or two left in the Dirk era to compete for the Western Conference title.

Mini-movie captures epic Mavs comeback

One of my friends shared a link on my Facebook wall that captured the Dallas Mavericks' epic comeback against the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Dallas, down 15 points with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, went on an incredible 20-2 run to win the game, 95-93, in Miami.

I reflected on it here.

This video, which includes all-access coverage inside the locker rooms, is a fascinating production. A mini-movie that will never get old:



Game 3 is 7 p.m. on Sunday in Dallas. Let's take the series lead on these guys.

Astonishing Mavericks rally creates whole new series heading back to Dallas

The improbable and incredible comeback by the Dallas Mavericks in their 95-93 stunner over the Miami Heat on Thursday had to be one of the most exciting finishes to a basketball game I've ever seen.

Dallas, trailing 0-1 in the NBA Finals, was down by 15 points with 7:15 remaining. Had the Mavs dropped Game 2, the next two home games would have been must-wins. Instead, they rallied and tied the series at 1-1. And it was one of the more astonishing comebacks I've seen in NBA playoff history.

I worked on Thursday night, so I didn't get to see the whole game. I listened throughout the telecast, followed it online and caught most of the final seven minutes on TV. I was mesmerized by what I saw.

Dirk Nowitzki continued to light up the court with dazzling shots. His three-pointer with just less than 30 seconds left gave Dallas a 93-90 lead. After Mario Chalmers tied the game with a three, the Mavs had the ball with 24 seconds left. Clearly, we were holding for one.

Dirk received the ball at the top of the key. With Chris Bosh defending, Dirk made a move to his right before spinning back to his left, and converted a left-handed layup with 3.6 seconds left. Pretty fitting, considering the tall German was playing with a torn tendon in the middle finger of his left hand. Didn't seem to matter on the final possession. In fact, Dirk made two layups left-handed in the final few minutes of Thursday's game.

This is why I told Mavs fans not to hit the panic button after Game 1.

There's something about this Mavs team that's different than previous editions. Something we saw in Game 4 of the Oklahoma City series, when the Mavs found themselves down 15 in the fourth quarter before forcing overtime and winning in OKC. Something we saw when Dallas swept the Lakers. Something we saw when Dallas recovered from blowing a late lead in Portland and closed out the series. With previous Mavericks teams, perhaps blowing that big lead against the Trail Blazers would have discouraged them.

Not this team.

This team doesn't let anything faze it; not rowdy fans, not the talent of Kevin Durant and the Thunder, or LeBron James and the Heat. I'm convinced it starts with defense. Credit coach Rick Carlisle for preaching and instilling quality defensive instincts with this group. It's given them a swagger and the necessary confidence to walk into a visitor's building and actually welcome the jeering from rowdy opposing fans. It seems like when the Mavs play on the road, they feed off every fan who tells them they're terrible, old and/or washed up. That's the difference with this Mavericks team.

Now, admittedly, when we were down 15 on Thursday in Miami, I didn't foresee a mammoth comeback on the horizon. But if there was a Mavericks team that could pull off such a comeback, this was the one.

On Tuesday, after the Mavs lost Game 1, they were slammed on talk radio. I listened to it on the way home and agreed with none of it. Now you see why. How can you be so sure of a series after one game?

I tweeted on Tuesday night after Game 1: "If we take game 2, it's a whole new series heading back to dallas. #mffl #gomavs."

Isn't that the truth.

Mavs lose Game 1, but panic button should be cast aside

Within minutes of the Dallas Mavericks dropping Game 1 of the NBA Finals to the Miami Heat, 92-84 in Miami, I was driving home when a late-night host on ESPN radio started analyzing the series.

If you're the Dallas Mavericks, the host said, tell me one positive thing you took away from Game 1. Tell me anything the Mavs did that would suggest they have hope the rest of the series.

I wish I was live in the studio so I could have put that guy in his place. One positive thing?

• The Mavs, for one, held a 44-43 lead at halftime and jumped out to a 51-43 lead to start the second half. This was a close game, despite Dallas shooting a chilly 37.3 percent from the field. Can't expect the Mavs to win every game, especially in Miami. The Heat haven't lost in their home building since April 6. That's nearly two months.

• Dallas, for two, played sound defense for the most part, especially for a road game. Holding Miami to 92 points, including 16 in the first quarter and 43 at halftime, is not too shabby.

It's amazing the snap judgment some of these talk-show personalities immediately formulate. It's one game. Chicago beat Miami in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, only for the Heat to storm back and take the next four games. Now, the Mavs won't do that, but calling for a fallen sky after the first game is ridiculous.

Of course, the Mavs remain the heavy underdogs. Teams that have won Game 1 of the Finals proceeded to claim the title 73.4 percent of the time, including 10 of the past 12 seasons. Dallas needs to rebound better, particularly on the offensive glass, where Miami held a 16-6 edge. Dirk Nowitzki revealed after the game he played part of the fourth quarter with a torn tendon in the middle finger of his left hand. He'll play going forward, but you have to wonder how much that will affect him, even though it's his non-shooting hand.

Yes, the Mavs have a lot of work to do if they want to hoist the trophy, but instantly dismissing them after one game is absurd. Let the series play out.

We'll see what happens in Game 2 on Thursday night in Miami.

NBA Finals begin tonight with Mavs taking their talents to South Beach

Just about two hours remain until the Dallas Mavericks travel to South Beach to take on the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

At the beginning of the season — heck, even at the beginning of the playoffs — it would have been bold to suggest the Mavs would make it all the way to the Finals. In the Western Conference, there were the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. The San Antonio Spurs and their 61-21 record. The up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder with 22-year-old studs Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Dallas proved that there's something to be said for valuable playing experience. The Mavs steamrolled their way to the finals, ousting Portland in six games, Los Angeles in a four-game sweep (which had to be the most memorable playoff series in Mavs history) and Oklahoma City in five games to reach the finals.

Now, all that awaits is the villainous Miami Heat. The same team that lured LeBron James and Chris Bosh in the offseason to join Dwyane Wade in the most notable offseason haul in NBA history.

I think it's fair to say every NBA fan not associated with the Heat will be rooting for the Mavs in this series.

This Mavs team is different than the team that lost to the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, and it's a better team. Dirk Nowitzki is playing his best basketball, the bench is considerably deeper this year and the defensive mentality of the 2011 edition is much better.

The window on this team is closing with each passing day, though. Seizing each opportunity the Heat provide in this series will be essential. A quick look at the ages of the Mavs' top players.

Starters:
Jason Kidd: 38
DeShawn Stevenson: 30
Shawn Marion: 33
Dirk Nowitzki: 32
Tyson Chandler: 28

Bench:
Jason Terry: 33
J.J. Barea: 26
Peja Stojakovic: 33
Corey Brewer: 25
Rodrigue Beaubois: 23
Caron Butler (injured): 31

The Mavs go as Dirk goes, and it appears Dirk may have another two to three elite years left in him, particularly since he looks better than ever right now at age 32. But his surrounding cast is not getting any younger.

This postseason, it hasn't seemed to matter. Kidd hasn't played like he's 38, nor has Marion played like he's 33. Age and wisdom have carried the Mavs to the finals. Each time they advance, the question is: How much more do the Mavs have left in the tank?

You'd have to think they'll be energized tonight when feeling like outcasts in Miami should provide an extra boost of adrenaline.

Be back later tonight for my post-game remarks and observations from Game 1.

For now, enjoy the NBA Finals. And Go Mavs.