Kuzul

11 combined runs, and it came as a shock to many to watch Lee allow the majority.

This is a pitcher who has possessed control that reminded of Greg Maddux. He made the Rays and Yankees look silly. He mixed his pitches impeccably.

Both Tampa Bay and New York knew it would be tough, and it turned out to be nearly impossible to even scrounge out a run against him. He was that good.

But he wasn’t that good against the Giants. For the first time in a long time he was hit and hit hard.

Texas scored a run in the first as Lincecum struggled against an offense that ranked first in the American League this season.

The consensus was that this may be enough for Lee. When a second run was scored in the next inning, the deficit was presumed nearly improbable to overcome give Lee’s prior dominance.

But it was far from that. A double was clubbed by Freddy Sanchez in the first and Aubrey Huff hit one in the second, and though neither scored, the pair of two-baggers gave a glimpse into Lee’s mortality.

The third was a nightmarish frame for Lee, and more bad dreams were to come.

Edgar Renteria reached to begin the inning, as third baseman Michael Young misplayed a grounder. And with that error the floodgates opened and the first wheel fell off of Lee’s once dependable truck.

After an unproductive out made by Lincecum, Torres was plunked in the forearm, signifying Lee’s lacking location, and then Sanchez scorched a double to left, scoring the first of many runs by the Giants.

A tying run soon followed, as Buster Posey added to his legend by lacing a single up the middle.

Hard hit balls were relatively uncommon against Lee over his first four starts this postseason. They came in droves in Game 1 of the World Series.

No inning was more of an example of this than the fifth.

Lee fooled no one, especially Sanchez and Juan Uribe. Following a one-out double by Torres, who logged over 1,000 minor league games before reaching the majors, Sanchez notched his third double, a shot into the left-center gap.

The Giants had the lead, and their advantage would only get larger as San Francisco played the way the Rangers did in disposing the Yankees.

The real fun began after Posey recorded the second out.

Producing two-out magic was Texas’ forté against New York, but they were given a taste of their own medicine.

Pat Burrell swung for the fences when he had the chance, as he had done in his first two at-bats, but was patient enough to work a walk. This proved to be the most important at-bat of the game so far, as the two-out free pass opened the floodgates.

Lee’s fastball wasn’t sharp, nor were his off-speed pitches altogether deceptive. He was clearly off his game pitching on eight days rest in front of a raucous crowd. The Giants showed no mercy, Cody Ross, Aubrey Huff and Uribe lowered the boom.

The two former hitters singled to center, scoring the Giants third and fourth runs, and then Uribe, who had a pivotal three-run blast against Philadelphia in Game 6, drove them home against reliever Darren O’Day.

A fastball was grooved right into Uribe’s wheelhouse from the side-armed right-hander, and the third baseman didn’t miss it, lifting a deep fly into the seats in left-center. Its majestic flight into the jubilant crowd had the Rangers shaking their heads.

It was now 8-2 Giants, with seven runs attached to Lee.

Lincecum had a hiccup in the Rangers top half of the sixth, but he improved his record to 39-0 in his career when given four runs or more of support.

The eventual tally of 11 was plenty, even for a shaky bullpen. San Francisco had drawn first blood.

Three more wins and a championship banner will fly proudly by the bay, and though it’s only Game 1, disposing of Lee as they did Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson and the Phillies “H20″ of Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels Grand Roy Oswalt previously this postseason is a great start to what should be an exhilarating World Series.

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Cliff Lee jogged off the field.

This is what Cliff Lee does.

But Cliff Lee jogging off the field in the bottom of the 5th inning in the World Series?

What happened?

The San Francisco Giants had scored more than four runs just once since September 24th. Lee had allowed just nine earned runs total in his previous 7 postseason starts, all of them wins.

And yet, in Game one of the 2010 World Series, the Giants touched the untouchable for 6 earned runs in just 4.2 innings.

After pitching around doubles in both the first and second inning, Lee ran into trouble in the bottom of the third. The man who dominates with precision control did not have his typical command, and Freddy Sanchez made him pay.

Sanchez doubled in runs in the third and the fifth and his teammates got in on the act as well. Cody Ross and Aubrey Huff each singled in runs in the decisive fifth before Lee was pulled from the game with 2 on and 2 outs.

Juan Uribe welcomed Darren O’Day into the game by launching a 3-run shot to deep left field to put the Giants up 8-2.

AT&T Park was rocking and the Rangers wouldn’t recover.

On a night when Tim Lincecum also took the mound with less than his best stuff, the diminutive ace enjoyed a 6-run cushion when he went back to work in the top of the 6th.

While Lincecum couldn’t survive the inning, Giant relievers came to his rescue. It wasn’t pretty, but the bullpen got the job done just as they have all postseason long.

The game ended with Brian Wilson on the mound. And no, it wasn’t Brian Wilson closing out a 2-1 pitcher’s duel. It was Wilson mopping up an 11-7 marathon that included 12 total pitchers, 6 Giant doubles, 4 Ranger errors, and multiple Vlad Guerrero adventures in right field.

________________________________________________________________________________

Notes:

This article was tentatively titled “Ode to Cliff” or “I miss you Cliff” (I’m a Phillies fan) before the game started but Lee decided to throw a wrench into that plan, didn’t he?

I’d be absolutely shocked if Ron Washington sticks with Vlad in right in Game two. Matt Cain is scheduled to pitch for the Giants so expect to see David Murphy in left and Nelson Cruz in right.

It’s easy to praise Sanchez after a game like this but I really do love his approach at the plate. He’s the definition of a contact hitter and punches the ball around to all fields.

I’m still picking the Rangers in this series. I believe in their offense. I also believed in the Phillies offense.

I do miss Cliff Lee’s patented jog on and off the field.

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Ramon Ramirez allowed a hit and a walk to open the frame, but the hard-throwing righty finally gets the first out of the ninth on a pop to right.

Jeremy Affeldt comes in, tosses a 55-foot fastball to the backstop on pitch No. 1, then walks Josh Hamilton to load the bases.

In comes dynamic Giants closer Brian Wilson. No word on whether or not “The Machine” is watching.

Vlad Guerrero greets Wilson with a liner to right, caught by Nate Schierholtz, that scores Julio Borbon on a sac fly.

The Giants bullpen had tossed 10 straight innings of scoreless ball this postseason before that Rangers run.

Nelson Cruz then rips a ball into the gap in right-center, scoring two more Rangers, making the score 11-7 with two outs.

Finally, Wilson and his jet-black beard retire Ian Kinsler on a fly to short right to end the game.

The Giants claim Game 1 11-7 and take a 1-0 World Series lead. Cliff Lee gets the first postseason loss of his career.

Take a look at the previous updates or Bleacher Report’s live blog of Game 1 for more specific info on how it all happened.

Following a single to right by Edgar Renteria—and a horrible error by the geriatric Vlad Guerrero that allows Renteria to coast into third—the Giants get their sixth double of the night and their seventh extra-base hit courtesy of Travis Ishikawa, and they up their lead to 9-4.

Two batters later, Freddy Sanchez rips his fourth hit of the night down the right line, scoring Ishikawa, as Guerrero misplays another ball near the Texas bullpen for his second error of the inning. Giants lead 10-4.

Pinch-hitter Nate Schierholtz then greets new Rangers pitcher Michael Kirkman with another bonk up the middle to score a sliding Sanchez. 11-4, G-Men.

We head to the ninth with the home side well in control… of the game, at least. They’re clearly not in control of their facial hair.

It’s finally that time.

The 2010 World Series is finally here.

Maybe your favorite team didn’t make it to the big stage this year and maybe you know nothing about the Texas Rangers or the San Francisco Giants, but this is the place that you want to be during Game One of the 2010 world Series.

It will be Tim Lincecum for the Giants versus Cliff Lee for the Rangers on the mound, in a pitchers duel meant for the ages of a World Series that should keep you on the edge of your seat.

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Quick.  When was the last time a Texas team won the World Series?

If almost never was your answer, then you are wrong, baseball breath. Since the World Series started in 1902, teams from Texas have won zip, zero, or zilch.

One WS appearance in 107 years by the state of Texas is listed. Phil Garner’s Astros lost to Ozzie Guillen’s South Siders in 2005. 

Think fast.  When was the last time an African-American manager won the World Series?

Ron Washington hopes to join both lists, and he has a monster of a hitting team to help. 

Back in July, I predicted the Rangers would upset the Yankees.  My Yankees friends laughed.

They ain’t laughing now.  I told them Texas had too much hitting.

The pitching ain’t too bad, either. Cliff Lee’s cut fastball speaks for itself in three different languages: Strikes one, two, and three.

The Giants get home field advantage because the NL All-Stars won the game this year, the first time since Arizona had it in 2001.

Thank manager Joe Girardi for keeping A-Rod on the bench in the All-Star Game. 

Will the first African-American manager in Rangers history deliver their first World Series title?

He will have to go through chilly California to do it.

Christened for the 2000 season, AT&T Park sits on San Francisco Bay at 24 Willie Mays Plaza. China Basin, aka McCovey Cove, is part of the Bay just beyond right field. The ballpark was once one of the largest 802.11b wireless hotspots in the world.

Playing there over the years, Texas is colder than a Frisco Fourth of July; they have yet to win a game in nine tries. They are 0-11 anywhere in Frisco going back to Candlestick Park.

The pitcher-friendly ballpark on the waterfront is prime Frisco real estate, and home runs may be minimalized.

The general description of this matchup is that Texas has plenty pop, while Frisco has plenty pitching.

Which team closes the deal before foreclosure kicks in?

Seven Rangers batted over .300 in the ALCS against the Yankees. That is more than the legendary Gas House Gang, the 1934 St. Louis Cardinals, who had five hitters batting at least .300 for the regular season.

Baseball stingers Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero and Nelson Cruz have their eyes on the ball.

The Giants had four batters over .300 in the NLCS against Philly, including pitcher Jonathan Sanchez, who was one-for-three.

San Francisco’s starters posted a 2.92 earned-run average against the vaunted Phillies. Texas’ starters were at 5.36 against the Yankees.

What about team defense, you ask?

Vlad the Baseball Impaler started 16 regular season outfield games.  Right fielder for Game 1, Guerrero once owned baseball’s most feared field gun. Now is he a liability next to one of the best center fielders in the game?

Defensive insurance was Wash’s forté as Oakland’s third base and infield coach.

Young was a shortstop who made way for Elvis Andrus—a Wash favorite.  Rangers broadcasters questioned Andrus’ ability last season.  No more.  He catalyzes high-scoring Texas on offense and defense.

One could say he eats bases, and base-hits, like Lassie being fed at first.

Wash came to dinner in the ALCS and left with a doggy bag of gourmet wins.

A pennant and an American League championship trophy later, Sidney Poitier should throw out the first WS pitch. Poitier started in the classic Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner? with Katharine Hepburn. Google it.

The Giants defense is suspect, especially behind the plate.  The Rangers should be able to run at will on Lincecum/Posey. But they have to get on base, first, second and last.

Cito Gaston was the last African-American manager to the win the World Series, in 1993.  Ron Washington knows that because I told him in a previous article.

This will be the Bay Area’s first World Series article since Barry Bonds’ squad lost to Anaheim in 2002. San Francisco has gone from a hitting team to a pitching team since he retired.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy starts quirky ace Tim Lincecum tonight in Game 1. Few Ranger have faced Lincecum, whose stuff is filthy.  If someone thinks there is a better fantasy baseball pitcher over the last two seasons, then I say he is delusional.

Lincecum may be the best in real baseball, too.  Fireballer Matt Cain will ably toe the rubber on Thursday night.

Jonathan Sanchez and Madison Bumgarner are set to start in Arlington.  I would have started Sanchez in Game 2. He pitched a no-hitter at AT&T Park in July 2009. 

Texas owns the road this postseason, and they also shined at home after the first game of the ALCS.

Lee, CJ Wilson and Colby Lewis are the probable starters for the Rangers.

Will Lee humiliate Giants hitters?

I have been a hit with my bold predictions, and this one is no different.

Prediction: Hamilton will help Wash attain managerial glory by hammering Frisco’s right field wall.  Arlington, near Dallas, experienced flooding this year.  McCovey Cove will flood with baseballs fired off the Rangers bats.  Texas wins 4-2.

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The World Series begins tonight and it is going to be quite an adventure. The National League Champion San Francisco Giants will host the American League Champion Texas Rangers at 8 PM Eastern on FOX. Both teams won their respective divisions. It was the Rangers first division title and the Giants seventh.

The Rangers have won 2 career postseason series and have never won a World Series.

The Giants enter this series with their second NL pennant and third division title this decade.  In 2002, they lost to the Angles 4-3 in a terrible game six collapse, after being up 5-0. The original “G-Men” have been to the World Series three times, in 1962, 1989 and 2002, since coming to the Golden State.

Personally, I believe the past demise for these two young and talented teams has been inexperience which is no longer an issue.

The Rangers have four active players that have experienced October baseball. Catcher Bengie Molina beat the Giants in ’02 for a World Series title. Staff ace Cliff Lee has World Series experience, dominating the Yankees in ’09. DH/OF Vladimir Guerrero and OF Jeff Francoeur also have prior playoff experience.

The Giants also have four active players that have witnessed playoff fever. Starting with infielder Edgar Renteria, who in 1997, hit the game winning RBI to give the Florida Marlins their first World Series title over the Cleveland Indians. Then there is infielder Juan Uribe, who also has a ring with the Chicago White Sox, as well as outfielders Pat Burrell and Aaron Rowand.

These experienced players helped their teams advance with positive energy and focus through the season. Their past successes helped lead their newer, younger teammates to glory.

Here are the key players to watch in this World Series:

Texas Rangers

Cliff Lee:

This guy is a monster in his short post season career. He is 7-0 with a 1.26 ERA. He has three complete games, an average of eight innings per start, and a 10/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. If he leads the Rangers to their first World Series, he will be the greatest post season pitcher EVER.

Vladimir Guerrero:

Texas Manager Ron Washington has said that Vlad will play the field on occasion during games in San Francisco. Furthermore, Giants Manager Bruce Bochy, will most likely look to  intentionally walk All-Star Josh Hamilton.  This will leave Vlad and Cruz to do the dirty work. Having him DH most of the season clearly has helped the Rangers — 1^st in RBI’s 115, 3^rd in BA .300, 2^nd in HR 29, 3^rd in hits 178 — as he was among the league leaders in multiple offensive categories. Not to mention his arm could still shock us a few times this series. Mark my words.

Elvis Andrus:

This kid is legit at the leadoff spot and shows great promise in the field. He led the rangers in steals (32), was third in runs (88), fourth in hits (156) and first in BB (64). He will need to be successful on base and in the field for the Rangers to be successful this series. 

Neftali Feliz:

The young stud (22 years old) surprised many of us this season, as he was handed the job as closer within the first two weeks of the season. He went on to have a monster rookie year with 40 saves, 71 strikeouts and 18 walks. This kid will have to keep his cool to help the Rangers finish games this series.

San Francisco Giants

Tim Lincecum:

In his first postseason, “Timmy the Freak” is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA. He is currently averaging seven innings a game this postseason and will need to continue to give their bullpen rest in order to win this series.

Buster Posey:

The first round pick has worked out well so far at catcher in the second half of the season. He was first on the team in BA (.305), third in RBI’s (67), and struck out only 55 times, second best out of the primary starters. Also, he had an OPS of .862, which is unheard of for a rookie. This kid may shock the world with the calm, cool and collected approach he brings to the plate.

Aubrey Huff:

The veteran led the team in RBI’s (86), hits (165), runs (100), home runs (26), BB (83), plate appearances (668), OPS (.891) and was third in batting average (.290). He also was second in fielding percentage for position players at .997, behind only catcher Bengie Molina, who had .998. He clearly carries this team offensively and has struggled a little this postseason. Huff needs to step his game up offensively for the Giants.

Bullpen:

Unlike the Rangers bullpen, which has three pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched, the Giants have only have two. Closer Brian Wilson (74.2) and reliever Sergio Romo (62). Both starting pitchers, Jonathan Sanchez (averaged 5 IP per game) and Madison Bumgarner (averaged 3.1 IP per game), have struggled this postseason going late into games. Most would say experience wins, but I think the Giants pen has been successful this post season due to the low amount of innings split this season. Their bullpen helped beat the Phillies in six games throwing 19.1 innings, 22 strike outs, 15 hits, eight walks and only six runs. This bullpen will be key for the Giants to win games.

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Dubbed the Year of the Pitcher, the 2010 MLB season has been full of milestones reached by the men on the mound. 

Whether it has been Roy Halladay’s bouts with perfection or Cliff Lee’s masterful postseason performances, Major League Baseball is all about the pitcher (at least for this year). 

Look no further than the 2010 World Series to confirm the old adage “pitching wins championships.” With both teams’ ERA under 3.00 heading into the Fall Classic, the Giants and Rangers will need to rely on their power pitching to establish dominance in the series. 

While the Giants offer more depth in their rotation, especially with 21-year old Madison Bumgarner pitching admirably out of the four spot, the Rangers have relied on the heroics of Cliff Lee and the far less-heralded Colby Lewis to keep opposing offenses at bay (they have a 2.76 ERA this postseason, good for first in the AL). 

San Francisco’s troubles lie at the plate, where they have struggled to score runs consistently all season long. As a team, the Giants have hit only .231 in 10 playoff games, and despite a torrid postseason from Cody Ross (4 HRs, 8 RBIs in that span), they still cannot be relied upon for constant run production. 

On the other hand, the Rangers are ranked first in every relevant offensive statistic this postseason and their ability to capitalize with runners in scoring position has set them apart from the rest of the competition in the playoffs thus far. 

Standouts such as C.J Wilson, Ian Kinsler and Aubrey Huff had to be left off the list because of the plethora of impact players. 

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The San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers will begin the 2010 World Series tonight.  This Series has a much different feel to it for many baseball fans.  Neither of these teams was expected to make it this far.  In fact, many were banking on a 2009 World Series rematch between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies.  Yet, this pairing shows how baseball has evolved, especially in this month of October. 

The Texas Rangers’ deadly lineup and a horse in Cliff Lee gives them the obvious edge on paper. Though, these attributes alone cannot guarantee a World Series victory.  Other starters will need to step in and help Lee as well.  Even the bullpen will be important for Texas, especially if these games are close.  To date, their bullpen has been awful this post-season.

The San Francisco Giants slayed a “giant” to get to the World Series.  They defeated the defending two-time NL Champion Phillies.  They put their own dynamic on the series and made quick work of Philadelphia.  Their pitching has been solid all season long and now must be at their best. 

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World Series. Game 1.

Texas Rangers. San Francisco Giants.

Cliff Lee. Tim Lincecum.

Tonight.

You can’t wait. Neither can I.

We’ll come at you with lineups, game-day quotes, information and other updates throughout the afternoon and evening.

Want to know how many episodes of SportsCenter Josh Hamilton watched this morning? We’ll tell you.

Curious what Buster Posey had for lunch today? We’ll find out.

We, at Bleacher Report, will have wall-to-wall coverage of Game 1—and the rest of the series—so stick with us for everything you could possibly want to know about the game and this year’s largely improbable World Series.

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