No rotation of rotation: Lee won't start Game 4

ARLINGTON, Texas - Rangers manager Ron Washington did nothing Friday to end the speculation that Cliff Lee might be asked to come back on three days' rest to pitch Game 4 Sunday night. But after the Rangers won Game 3 last night, Washington said "as far as I was concerned,'' Tommy Hunter was always starting Game 4.

So Lee will pitch Game 5 Monday night on regular rest.

Before Game 3, Washington didn't quash the speculation that Lee might start Game 4. "There's a chance anything could happen," he said. "But as I said [Friday], really the only thing that I'm thinking about right now is Colby Lewis tonight. That hypothetical, we'll deal with it if it happens."

The Rangers discussed throwing Lee on short rest - ultimately, they did not need to - in the ALCS, something the lefthander was amenable to doing. That was noteworthy because he all but refused to do it against the Yankees in last year's World Series. Lee has never pitched on short rest in his career.

Hunter, 13-4 with a 3.73 ERA during the regular season, said his problems in his postseason starts can be boiled down to getting too much of the plate.

"That's why they're hitting the ball," he said. "But I'm not going to change the game plan just because this is the World Series. I'm going to continue to go after them and pound the zone."

Kung Fu Panda's debut

Pablo Sandoval, called Kung Fu Panda by his Giants teammates, was the DH in Game 3.

Sandoval, who hit .268 with 13 homers and 68 RBIs this season after hitting .330 with 25 homers and 90 RBIs in 2009, has seen limited time this postseason. His Game 3 appearance was only his fifth in 13 postseason games.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said his other DH options were Pat Burrell, who started in leftfield; Aubrey Huff, who was at first base, and Travis Ishikawa, who was on the bench.

Sandoval might not get the start at DH in Game 4. "I guess I can answer that better after the game," Bochy said. "After I see how it goes, how he's swinging the bat." Sandoval, who batted eighth, grounded into a double play, struck out and flied out in three at-bats.

No correlation

Bochy didn't comment Friday after The New York Times reported that Jose Guillen had been left off the playoff roster because of his connection to an HGH investigation.

Before Game 3, he said the decision to leave Guillen off and go with Cody Ross, who ended up being the MVP of the NLCS, was baseball-related.

"Cody was swinging the bat very well," Bochy said. "You could see him coming on. I think more than anything, it was evident that Guillen, who had some neck issues, he was trying to be a warrior but wasn't performing quite like he could because of the neck issue."

Extra bases

Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4. Nolan Ryan, as he did before Game 1 of the ALCS, threw out the first pitch before Game 3 . . . The 6:57 p.m. EDT start time for Game 3 was the earliest start to a World Series game since Game 6 of the 1987 Series between the Cardinals and Twins.