<p>So far, no good. Rangers still up 3-0.</p>
<p>4-0 Texas. Let’s see if the Rangers can prevent another six- or seven-run inning late in the game.</p>
<p>I suppose that for fans of these two teams the games are kind of exciting, but for those of us who don’t fall into that category, I have to say that they’re not.</p>
<p>The Hero goes yard. 4-1 Rangers.</p>
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<p>For Giants fans, it’s been 56 years since a World Series win.</p>
<p>I’m not a particular fan of either team (though generally root NL), but I have greatly enjoyed the series so far.</p>
<p>Torres takes one out. 4-2 Rangers. It’s unfortunate that these are merely one-run shots.</p>
<p>Happy to see the Rangers winning one tonite seemingly.</p>
<p>Texas takes Game 3. San Francisco certainly wasn’t outplayed. Both clubs hit two homers. The Rangers fortunately had runners on base during one of theirs.</p>
<p>The Giants still have two more opportunities to win a game at Texas in order to head back home with a 3-2 series lead.</p>
<p>I’m not surprised by tonight’s results. I stopped watching when I realized that my team is not used to this field and that this game would be their learning curve, which I hope is limited to today!
I also think that not only have the Rangers historically played much better on their home field (that was shared by commentators), it’s also my perception that their manager is doing a better job of managing at home. (Quicker decisions, more confidence)
:)</p>
<p>Bay area!!!</p>
<p>I’m watching the Sportsnet live commentary. The guy seated on the right I have found sharp from the beginning of the Series coverage. I agree with him and the others that Sanchez has gone downhill after the Championships. I hope they do not use Sanchez in the 7th game, even though that’s the plan now. He fell apart when Molino came up to bat. And in the post-game conversation, it was clear even from Sanchez’ face that the pressure is too difficult for him.
Bochy, lose him, please, for the rest of the series. Stay with the calmer pitchers.</p>
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<p>If there is a Game 7, that is. Currently, I do find it quite unfortunate that Bochy flipped the rotation as I had hoped. Nine runs would have been more than sufficient for Sanchez Thursday night and if Cain was as dominate today as he was in Game 2, the Giants would have had four opportunities ahead of themselves to clinch. But in all reality, Sanchez really wasn’t that ineffective. He simply made two mistakes. Yielding that three-run homer to Moreland on the ninth pitch of the at-bat was the sole reason the Giants lost. (A replacement will not be forthcoming. San Francisco has $126M Cy Young recipient Barry Zito, but he isn’t even situated on the postseason roster.) </p>
<p>Hopefully, the exuberant optimism that followed the routs in Games 1 and 2 aren’t merely ideal setup for more torment and anguish for Giants fans. The Giants need one single win in Texas and I can almost assure you that Cain will seal it in San Francisco (where the Rangers are 0 for 11 and virtually disoriented both offensively and defensively).</p>
<p>As a random statistic, prior to this game, the Rangers had lost 13 of their previous 14 to the Giants.</p>
<p>Aw c’mon, mifune. The Giants were outplayed tonight. Better hitting, better pitching, better fielding by the Rangers. </p>
<p>Just getting on here because I was watching at a bar with friends. Go Rangers!</p>
<p>Since I posted last, there was more commentary to watch, and probably it’s more like Bip Roberts said: The Series is not the regular season. You’re not only more pumped, you’re far more exhausted and anxious. One of them called it “Daily Anxiety Attacks,” combined with trouble sleeping at night because you’re reviewing your regretful plays of the day. I think that takes its toll much more on guys like Sanchez who tend to be emotional, but the main point is, the guy’s physically tired. That’s what they were saying.</p>
<p>We’ll see what Bumgardner does tomorrow. And perhaps they’ll let Pat Burrell sit out this one; he also could use a rest.</p>
<p>(And yes, they were outpitched and outbatted tonight!)</p>
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<p>Life is full of highs and lows! Being too obnoxious has a tendency to come back and haunt one for a few days.</p>
<p>What bad timing for Burrell to be struggling now ! In nine at-bats in the Series, he has no hits and eight strikeouts. Rowand? Schierholtz ? Giants really have no real good options.</p>
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<p>I don’t entirely buy that. I think the far better designation is that the Giants were clearly “out-clutched,” which hasn’t occurred since Game 2 of the NLDS against Atlanta. Both clubs hit two homers, multiple hard balls, and received scoring opportunities. Aubrey Huff had a double (only to have Posey tragically strike out). Texas was perfectly “clutch,” which was perfectly embodied with a 2-out, 2-strike long ball that won the game. The game’s landscape entirely revolved around Moreland’s homer. San Francisco’s bullpen was characteristically robust after the Sanchez departure so there was no out-pitching there. The Giants homers were simply very poorly timed in the sense that they came at moments of no critical importance and therefore had no real salient effect on the outcome.</p>
<p>But the Rangers beat our worst pitcher; perhaps tomorrow we’ll beat theirs. Tommy Hunter has been completely mediocre this postseason and for that reason I believe Game 4 is essentially another toss-up in a sense similar to Game 1. Tomorrow’s game is entirely the most important of the series. If the Rangers win tomorrow to even the series, Game 5 will be the most significant yet. If they lose, then the Giants have three games to clinch, including two at home in the midst of an absolutely psychotic crowd. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, there is speculation that Cliff Lee could be the Rangers Game 4 starter tomorrow night. However, if Cliff Lee is selected to start on short rest for the first time in his career after his worst postseason outing, and, in turn, provides a losing performance, this series is basically over. That would, as a result, surface the question of who starts Game 5 if Lee starts Game 4? C.J. Wilson on short rest or Tommy Hunter (versus Lincecum)? However, I would sincerely doubt this possibility. It would have entirely been expected if the Rangers were at a 3-0 deficit. </p>
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<p>Burrell is having an absolutely atrocious World Series and for all the offensive output during Games 1 and 2, he was an absolute non-factor and merely assisted Texas in terminating the Giants’ run production. To call him The Bat (like any biased Giants fan does) would be an absolute misnomer. (I’m also quite disappointed in Posey’s performance thus far.) To resolve the Burrell situation, I’d invest my best hope in playing Schierholtz – consign Burrell to DH duties, move The Hero to left, and place Schierholtz in right and consequently fifth in the lineup. Another (and perhaps less favorable) option is to substitute Ishikawa for Huff at first base to utilize the better defensive player, consign the latter to DH, and sit Burrell, in addition to the left- and right-field adjustments.</p>
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<p>In retrospect, Bumgarner should probably have been the Giants No. 3 starter. His statistics are objectively more favorable than those of Sanchez. Moreover, by placing Sanchez at No. 4, it would have a) avoided a second start in a potentially seven-game series and b) better aligned matchup-wise with Texas’ worst starter. But on a more positive note, The Freak, The Beard, and Bumgarner will all be available in relief in a Game 7 situation (at home).</p>
<p>0-0. Texas has escaped the top half of the inning twice with runners on third.</p>
<p>Rangers’ starter Tommy Hunter has already thrown 52 pitches in just two innings. Giants have a RISP with no outs.</p>
<p>The Giants are hitting nearly every pitch that comes across the plate. The unfortunate thing is that 90% of them go foul.</p>