Giants have history on side: Rangers winless in San Francisco
When the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants met the first time, it was a novelty. Now they’re set to tangle for much, much more.
Tim Lincecum and the Giants take on Cliff Lee and the Rangers in the World Series starting Wednesday night, a matchup of the teams that curiously played baseball’s first interleague game back in 1997.
It’s an improbable pairing and promises the trophy will be hoisted at Fisherman’s Wharf or in the Lone Star State for the first time. The Giants have not won the Series since moving to San Francisco in 1958. The Rangers finally made it this far in the franchise’s 50th season.
Texas pitcher C.J. Wilson quickly tweeted a challenge to Giants closer Brian Wilson: “See your beard soon mr wilson.”
“Sounds delicious,” Brian Wilson said. “We’ll be coming.”
Unlikely MVP Cody Ross and the Giants clinched their spot Saturday night when Wilson struck out Ryan Howard to escape a ninth-inning jam and beat Philadelphia 3-2 in Game 6 of the N.L. championship series, denying the Phillies a third straight trip to the World Series.
Josh Hamilton won the MVP award as Texas eliminated the defending champion New York Yankees in Game 6 of the ALCS on Friday night.
The atmosphere is sure to be charged for the opener at AT&T Park. The N.L. finally won an All-Star game to earn home-field advantage in the World Series, and that’s an especially good omen for the Giants – they are 9-0 against Texas in their waterfront ballpark.
The Giants swept visiting Texas in 2009 the last time the teams met in the regular season. They both train in Arizona and in a spring training game this year, Nelson Cruz hit a long home run and Hamilton left the game after accidentally being hit in the left hand by a pitch from Giants rookie Madison Bumgarner.
There is a more direct link between the clubs. Eager to get rookie Buster Posey behind the plate on a regular basis, the Giants traded catcher Bengie Molina to Texas on July 1.
Posey blossomed into a Rookie of the Year candidate, excelling as a catcher and hitter. He homered on the final day of the regular season as the Giants clinched the N.L. West, then contributed throughout the postseason as they reached the World Series for the first time since 2002.
Posey also was praised for his handling of a staff that includes starters Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez and major league saves leader Brian Wilson. The franchise will trying for its first World Series crown since Mays helped the New York Giants win in 1954.