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Joe Saunders vs Yu Darvish
Kyle Lohse vs Chris Medlen
None of the teams were crazy (or smart, or brave) enough to try this idea as 3 of the tams send some semblance of their best starter to the mound in the most important game of the season for them.
Joe Saunders isn't the Orioles best starter. Expect Showalter to have a quick hook as the O's have a deep and talented bullpen that's a lot more likely to hold down the Rangers' offense than Joe Saunders is.
It will be interesting to see if any of the four teams winds up needing a deeper bench of position players, and loses because they did not have a pinch hitter or pinch runner or defensive replacement. And if any commentators mention that if the situation arises.
It cannot be measured in quantitative terms, but I wonder if for the Rangers-Orioles game the psychological factors outweigh the talent match-up factors.
Texas must be reeling. Last season they were seemingly moments away from the championship which would have established the current team as dynastic. Not only that, but they appeared to have won that championship with dramatic 11th hour heroics (Hamilton's home run)
Then it was all snatched away....by a Cardinal team which seemed to be the weakest possible post season opponent.
This season they were cruising along in high gear, almost treating the division title as an entitlement, a mere menial chore to complete before the chance for redeem the last two WS losses and assume their rightful place as the reigning baseball powerhouse.
And then that gets snatched away at the 11th hour by an upstart -who-the-hell-are-these-guys team.
All that has transpired has gone toward the construction of a "How will we blow this?" mentality.
A psychological handicap can be overcome with the right leadership and focus.....is Ron Washington that leader? I have my doubts.
None is this should be taken as a prediction of the Rangers fall, but just to point out that the Rangers today are not only playing the Orioles, they are playing against their own mindsets.
It will be interesting to see if any of the four teams winds up needing a deeper bench of position players, and loses because they did not have a pinch hitter or pinch runner or defensive replacement. And if any commentators mention that if the situation arises.
I'm not sure when the deadline for rosters is, but I can't imagine that teams won't be smart enough to leave off a starting pitcher or two for some bench depth
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