In a show of great class, the Texas Rangers substituted Ginger Ale for alcohol for the majority of their post-ALDS-winning celebration in order to include recovering alcoholic teammate Josh Hamilton.
"It was the coolest thing for my teammates to understand why I couldn't be a part of the celebration," Hamilton said after getting as wet as anybody in the clubhouse party. "And for them to adapt it for me to be a part of it says a lot about my teammates."
When they arrived home in Texas in the small hours of the morning, the Rangers found an airport full of screaming, celebrating fans. Many of the players gave high-fives and hugs, and signed autographs while music blared and horns honked.
After all, they've been a team since 1972, and this was their first postseason series victory. Of course, it had to come in the first postseason series where the home team never won a game.
The Rangers will play the Yankees in the ALCS, which starts Friday night (8:00 p.m.) in Arlington, pitting southpaws C.C. Sabathia (NY) against C.J. Wilson, who won Game Two of the ALDS in Tropicana Field.
The Yankees are the defending World Champions, as they beat the Phillies in six games in the Fall Classic last year. They have a rotation of Sabathia, Phil Hughes, Andy Pettite and A.J. Burnett, and a lineup featuring Derek Jeter, Nick Swisher, Mark Texeira, Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, Jorge Posada, Curtis Granderson, Brett Gardner, and Lance Berkman. And their closer's name is Mariano Rivera.
Meanwhile, the NLCS will keep The Year of the Pitcher theme alive and well, with anticipated matchups of Roy Halladay vs Tim Lincecum, Roy Oswalt vs Matt Cain, and Cole Hamels vs Jonathan Sanchez, at the very least. That Game One matchup pits the 2009 All-Star Game starters against each other (Halladay was still with the Blue Jays, and started for the AL), pits the 2009 CY Young winner Lincecum against the likely 2010 winner in Halladay, and both already own CY Young awards (Lincecum, '08 and '09; Halladay, the AL CY Young in '03).
The Phillies beat the Dodgers in 5 games in the NLCS each of the last two years. They beat the Rays in five games in the 2008 World Series, and lost in six last year to the Yankees. The Giants were eliminated in the NLDS by the Marlins in 2003 after they lost the classic 2002 World Series in seven games to the Angels.
Halladay and Lincecum face off in Philadelphia on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Dan, I am pulling for the Rangers, they can beat the Yankees and it would be nice to see two teams play that have not been in the WS such as the Rangers and Giants. Phillies are tough but I am hoping they cool off. Needless to say I will be in front of the TV watching the games. Keep up the good work.
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