PLAY OF THE DAY: Cliff Lee made the Texas Rangers playoff series winners for the first time in their 50-year history last night with the 5-1 win over the Rays here in St. Petersburg, Fla. Now they take on the Yankees in the ALCS. Here is my column on Lee and the Rangers, who think they can knock off the Yankees.
The play that set the tone for Texas was Elvis Andrus scoring from second base on Josh Hamilton’s ground out to first in the first inning. What made that play work was that Andrus was stealing third because David Price was not paying any attention to him at second.
Andrus’ hustle allowed forced the action. That’s how the Rangers play. “Our goal is to score one more run than the other team and guys give themselves up to get that done,’’ Rangers batting coach Clint Hurdle told me. Hamilton did just that, making sure to pull the ball. Here’s my story on Hamilton and the celebration.
Andrus read Carlos Pena’s slow reaction at first and the fact that Price was slow getting to first and had his back to the play. Andrus raced home. In spring training pitchers work on PFP, Pitcher’s Fielding Practice. The Rays were caught sleeping. That set the tone for the game, and the Rangers, who give the antler sign when they steal a run, ran the Rays right out of their own building.
All that is called baseball instincts. Can’t be measured by a stat. The Yankees have to be on their toes against the Rangers.
PLACE OF THE DAY: I’m leaving Florida to pick up the NLCS, should be fun, but I will miss going to the Original Frenchy’s Café in Clearwater, a block off the beach, been there since 1981, most casual bar around and has the best grouper in the country. Check it out here.