Weekend Predictions: World Series
1. The Rangers, shaking off two games of awful play, will win Game 3 of the World Series tomorrow night, 8-2 over the Giants at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, closing within 2-1.
"It wasn't easy shutting down this potent Giants offense," Rangers starting and winning pitcher Colby Lewis will say following the game. "But I did one of those visualization tricks. I just pretended they were the Yankees."
San Francisco skipper Bruce Bochy, on the managerial run of his life, will get a little cocky and see it backfire.
"In retrospect," Bochy will say afterwards, "I probably shouldn't have tried the squeeze play with Pablo Sandoval running from third. Or intentionally walked eight guys to get to Vladimir Guerrero."
2. We'll have ourselves a 2-2 Fall Classic tie - the first since 2003 - when Texas edges San Francisco, 3-2, in Game 4. Rangers closer Neftali Feliz, making his first appearance of the Series, will pitch a perfect ninth inning for the save.
"It's a good thing Wash rested me for the first three games," Feliz will say in the post-game news conference. "I'm kidding! I mean, come on, people - why didn't I pitch in Game 2?"
San Francisco pitcher Madison Bumgarner will pitch respectably in the loss, but his failure to cover first base on Ian Kinsler's sixth-inning grounder to the right side will haunt him, as Kinsler will come around to score what proves to be the winning run.
"Brain fart," Bumgarner will declare. "My mind was elsewhere. I know this is the World Series, but have you seen that new book on Leno and Conan? I can't stop thinking about it!"
Barring weather delays to the World Series, this marks the final Weekend Predictions of 2010. Thank you for suffering them. Now we commence the Comment Winter Olympics, when we kick off each Friday by honoring the best reader comments that enter our little community.
--For my column off Game 2, I wrote about how comfortable Matt Cain seemed, and how uncomfortable Ron Washington seemed. Cain is really fun to watch pitch, a striking contrast physically to Tim Lincecum. If you look at his face, you might agree that he has A.J. Burnett's eyes. At least, that's what I see.
--My World Series Insider features thoughts on Joe Girardi, Sandy Alderson and other managerial updates.
--The New York Times reported that Giants outfielder Jose Guillen _ who hasn't been on any of the club's postseason rosters _ is linked to a federal investigation into shipments of illegal performance-enhancing drugs. Guillen was going to struggle to find work this winter, anyway, because of his reputation and his declining performance, and now, I wonder if any club would guarantee him any money.
--I'll check in later from Citi Field, after the Mets formally introduce Alderson.
