By Kyle Soppe
Nelson Cruz has led his Rangers to their second ever World Series, and second in as many years. The ALCS MVP smashed a postseason record 6 homers in 6 games against the Tigers, including a shot off Verlander. Of his 9 hits this postseason, 8 have gone for extra bases. Interestingly, he does NOT lead the postseason in slugging percentage (.784). Through 10 games apiece, Ryan Braun (.789) has had a more statistically efficient October.
Miguel Cabrera’s Tigers will be watching the 2011 World Series from their homes, but Cabrera is not to blame. The Tigers first basemen recorded a hit in all 6 ALCS games, raising his championship series hit streak to 13 games. The only players to top that are Pete Rose ANd Manny Ramirez, who both had 15 game streaks.
A Cardinal win tonight would signify a major league first. They have yet to have a starting pitcher make it through 5 innings in all 5 NLCS games. No team has ever won a series without a starter going at least 5 innings in any of the series’ first 5 games.
Aaron Rodgers is really good.
What three QB’s lead the league in number of completions of 40 or more yards with 6? Rodgers is a no-brainier, but if you answered Eli Manning and Matt Schaub, you would be in the vast minority. Victor Cruz has accounted for half of Manning’s total and ranks behind only Steve Smith and Mike Wallace (4 apiece).
Calvin Johnson has caught 9 TD’s in the first 5 games of the season, we all know that. But just how efficient is that? Only one tandem of pass catchers in all of football has accounted for at least 9 scores: Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski have scored 5 times each.
Sebastian Janikowski (drafted 17th overall by the late Al Davis) has made just as many field goals from 50+ yards as any other kicker has attempted from 40+.
What a catch by Josh Hamilton last night against the wall.
If the Brewers get to the World Series, it will be the first time since the 1960s that brothers face off in the World Series. Brewers bench coach, Jerry Narron, and Rangers hitting coach, Johnny Narron, both graduated from the high school I currently teach. Jerry Narron recently has given back to his alma mater in the form of mentoring young men and providing the baseball team with gloves. Great guy who is as humble as they come.
Doesn’t Jerry Narron have Rochester Red Wings roots?? For some reason, I remember an association, but I am not 100% sure.
I said this on another article earlier today and I’ll move it over here. Is the Texas Rangers starting pitching this bad, or is the Texas Rangers bullpen – this good??
Narron was the Wings skipper in ’92. He might have been on the bench when Ricky Gutierrez hit a bases loaded two-out triple in the eighth for one of the rare exciting moments for the team that year.
Out of all the times we’ve talked, I never knew he managed Rochester. I probably went to one of those games in ’92 as a kid. Funny
I thought I mentioned that.