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keep Rangers' World Series hopes alive
11:00 PM CDT on Sunday, October 31, 2010
By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – Cliff Lee, the Rangers' ace lefthander, needs help in his crusade for personal redemption when he goes against San Francisco in Game Five of the World Series tonight.
His infielders must make plays.
San Francisco spanked Lee in the Series opener. He lost for the first time in eight career post-season decisions, allowing seven runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Lee on Sunday said there were no alibis to explain his sub-par performance. Whether it was hitting Andres Torres with a 0-2 fastball or giving Freddy Sanchez the gift of two fastballs over the heart of the plate, Lee insisted he made too many bad pitches.
"I made mistakes," Lee said. "Good hitters capitalize on that, and that's what they did."
Manager Ron Washington suggested there was more to it than Lee missing his target. Washington believes a 32-pitch third inning took a toll on Lee.
The inning started when third baseman Michael Young gave the Giants an extra out by misplaying a grounder to his left. Young also could not get a glove on Sanchez’ smash, which went for a run-scoring double. The Giants scored twice in the inning to tie the game at 2 and also put Lee’s pitch total out of whack.
"The third inning was a big inning in that we didn't make a couple plays," Washington said. "He (Lee) ended up extending himself in that inning.
"Cliff Lee is a thoroughbred. It's charge, charge, charge. To throw 32 pitches ... I just think it took a lot out of him."
Since the loss, Lee has followed his normal routine. Lee changed nothing, because he saw no reason to change.
If the Giants had beaten him at his best, Lee said, he would have made a wholesale change in approach for the rematch. Knowing that he hurt himself with bad pitches helped in the preparation, Lee said. Even Giants manager Bruce Bochy repeated that Lee "probably wasn't on top of his game" in the opener.
"I was throwing balls over the middle of the plate," Lee said. "They did a really good job swinging the bat, working the count and getting themselves in good positions to hit. That’s what happens, especially at this level."
Lee inadvertently gave San Francisco’s hitters a rallying point by saying before the series that the Giants were "dangerous because they’ve got really good pitching. ... I think you can give more credit to the pitching." Lee said he was not trying to belittle the lineup, which was good enough to handle his mistake pitches.
"I get a chance to redeem myself against a team that put it to me pretty good last time," Lee said. "I’m looking forward to it."
It is unlikely Lee will start again in the Series. It’s now-or-never time for him and the Rangers.