Lee gets ready for Giants

ARLINGTON, Texas — Cliff Lee threw a bullpen session and took batting practice Sunday.

The Texas Rangers are getting ready for their first World Series, and the opener will be at San Francisco, where their ace left-hander will be pitching after an extended break and also taking swings in the National League park, where the designated hitter isn’t used.

Lee will be starting on eight days’ rest after striking out 13 Yankees and improving his postseason record to 7-0 with a 1.26 ERA in eight starts. The bullpen session was his second since that eight-inning outing.

“Make the adjustment and push it back a couple of days,” Lee said. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

Lee starts a World Series opener for the second year in a row after winning Games 1 and 5 last year for Philadelphia against the Yankees.

“With Cliff Lee, I have no concerns about anything,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said.

Last year, Lee had nine days off between his N.L. championship series start and the series opener. He responded with a six-hitter, striking out 10 and walking none while allowing only an unearned run.

With the first two games in the N.L. city for the first time since 2001, usual DH Vladimir Guerrero likely will start only one of those games in the outfield.

“You can best believe we’ll figure out a way to get Vlad in there,” Washington said.

The pitchers took BP during the team’s two-hour workout Sunday at Rangers Ballpark. Lee is excited about the opportunity to hit.

“Obviously that’s the hardest thing in all sports, to hit a round ball with a round bat. … It’s the funnest part of the game as far as I’m concerned,” Lee said. “Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy pitching, but as far as the straight challenge of it, hitting is the hardest thing and the most challenging. I enjoy that kind of stuff.”

A .132 hitter in his 68 regular-season at-bats in a career spent mostly in the American League, Lee hit .273 (3 for 11) in the postseason for the Phillies.

Lee has been an October ace on the mound, winning all three of his starts during this year’s playoffs. He’s struck out 67 and walked seven over 64 1/3 career postseason innings.