Post baseball columnist Kevin Kernan reveals his three keys to the Rays-Rangers ALDS, which begins Friday in Texas.
EVAN SENT
When these two teams met in the 2010 ALDS, Evan Longoria was struggling with a left quad injury that forced him to sit out the last 10 games of the season. In that five-game series, Longoria hit .200 with only one home run and two RBIs. He’s healthy now — you might have heard about the two home runs he hit in the regular-season finale. Longoria hammered 31 on the season. The Rays don’t have enough bats; they need their biggest bat to explode.
LIFE ON THE BLACK
Rangers Game 1 starter C.J. Wilson lives on the corners of the plate. A favorable umpire with a wide strike zone would make the left-hander that much more difficult to hit. Wilson was 8-2 in 16 home starts. Young lefty Matt Moore may go for the Rays. Don’t sell the Rangers’ bullpen short, either. Since adding relievers Mike Adams from San Diego and Koji Uehara from Baltimore, the Rangers are 27-1 when leading after six innings.
BIG BATS
Josh Hamilton is the big gun on the Rangers, but don’t overlook the production of catcher and former Angel Mike Napoli, who was a difference maker in his first season in Texas, hitting .320 with 30 home runs (.338 and 18 homers in the second half). Then there is steady Michael Young, a player the Rangers nearly traded, who hit .338 with 213 hits and 106 RBIs. Adrian Beltre blasted 32 home runs, Nelson Cruz had 29. Hamilton will move to center to get David Murphy into the lineup in left to add even more pop.