After watching the Rangers jump out to an improbable 2-0 series lead over the Blue Jays in the ALDS, I was all mixed up. On the one hand, my energy was through the roof with Toronto on the brink of elimination. On the other hand, I was so wiped out that an Aleve and a nap sounded pretty darn good, too.
What a dream scenario: Texas leads 2-0 after stealing a pair of games against Toronto, which had the best regular season home record in the AL. It took 14 innings to put the Jays away in Game 2, which to me was one of the most memorable games in Rangers history. I literally gave myself a headache in Game 2 from how rapidly and loudly I was applauding in intense situations. That's just not normal.
Any way you look at it, the Rangers are in a hell of a position heading into Sunday night's Game 3 in Arlington. Win one of three and you advance. The next two of those potential three are at home.
This all happened with the hottest hitter on the planet, Adrian Beltre, unavailable for Game 2 after straining his back on a slide into second base. As a result, the young guns who don't know any better have carried us. Hanser Alberto (seriously!), Rougned Odor and Keona Kela are growing up before our very eyes. They're 22, 21 and 22 years old, respectively. Yowza.
Through the first two ALDS games, here are my team MVPs:
Offensive MVP: Rougned Odor
Earlier this season, I proclaimed to my brother that Roogie would be a multiple-time all-star. Now you're starting to see why. Odor has reached base five times in the first two games, homered in laser-beam fashion off David Price, and scored five runs.
His slide off of Alberto's shallow sacrifice fly was one of the better slides I've ever seen. Odor had no business scoring, as the ball beat him to home plate. The way he avoided the tag, pulling his left hand back to avoid contact while still diving ahead at full speed, is art in its purest form; athletic creativity that leaves you amazed, shaking your head and wondering how someone who's 21 years old has that type of super-plus makeup.
Pitching MVP: Jake Diekman
This is a Jon Daniels masterpiece. The Rangers traded a handful of prospects, including Jorge Alfaro, Nick Williams and Jake Thompson, for ace Cole Hamels and a throw-in by the name of Jake Diekman. Um, yeah.
Diekman has looked like the most unstoppable reliever in the postseason in the first two games of the ALDS. He's pitched four high-leverage innings (two innings a piece on back-to-back days), hasn't given up a hit or a walk and struck out three.
This dude has looked like a relieving version of Chris Sale. It's a beautiful thing to watch a left-handed reliever rear back and throw across his body at 98-100 mph. It's one thing to wake up and throw 100 because Toronto's murderer's row can mash fastballs, but it's a completely different thing to locate 100 with pinpoint precision. To further baffle hitters, Diekman is mixing in a 88-mph changeup.
I admire how first-year manager Jeff Banister hasn't paid attention to matchups with Diekman. Lefty, righty, doesn't much matter. Banister has had confidence in Diekman to get anyone on the planet out right now. And it's worked.
Next up is Game 3 against Toronto for a chance to advance to the ALCS. Martin Perez vs. Marco Estrada. One game's all we need. Let's do this and continue to turn some heads and shock the baseball world. Go Rangers.
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