Texas Rangers clinch AL West division title

“The type of moves that Texas made with the bullpen guys, and getting (Mike) Napoli and a bunch of outfield guys, we really did feel comfortable and we knew we could do something special”.

Baseball is a game for the traditionalists and so the introduction of the Wild Card “play-in” game was, like most changes, not universally welcomed in 2012. The 2008 World Series MVP is 7-1 with Texas and 13-8 overall this season.

Three division winners in both leagues automatically qualified for the playoffs, as did two wild card teams in each league. It’s a crushing blow, as if you’ve hardly made the play-offs at all. “It didn’t matter how many runs an opposing team was up”.

“As soon as we had Cole, we weren’t thinking about next year”, said shortstop Elvis Andrus, the Rangers’ most-tenured position player and a member of their only two World Series teams in 2010 and 2011.

That will be the mantra for all four Wild Card teams this year.

PHOENIX – The Astros returned to the playoffs after a 10-year absence despite the loss to Arizona on the final day of the regular season.

The Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound against Houston’s Dallas Keuchel. The Angels tossed Garrett Richards on only three day’s rest.

There are more question marks against the Yankees’ expensively acquired Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka.

That will be the case when Darvish returns at a few point next season, since Hamels is no short-term rental like Cliff Lee was for Texas in 2010. This would be a good time to show that he was worth the considerable investment. Hamilton was released by the Angels earlier this season.

Patience at the plate can be a tedious exercise when you’re desperately hoping to blow a game wide open with one big swing. Choo hit. 400 with four doubles, five homers and 17 RBIs in 21 games.

When their top two relievers, Street (left groin strain) and Smith (left ankle sprain) wound up on crutches in late September, young relievers such as Trevor Gott, Mike Morin and Jose Alvarez filled the void, helping the Angels win far more close games than they lost down the stretch.

Instead, they went down meekly against starter Cole Hamels, who pitched a complete game. This might just be the start in which things don’t quite go Arrieta’s way.

Third baseman Josh Harrison and catcher Francisco Cervelli each had three hits to help the Pirates (98-64), who Pirates (98-64) will host the Cubs (97-65) on Wednesday night in the winner-take-all game after finishing one game ahead of Chicago in the wild card standings.

MINNEAPOLIS – Needing a win to secure home-field advantage throughout the postseason, Kansas City put up a pair of crooked numbers in the first three innings and cruised to victory.

The Yankees still backed into hosting the wild-card playoff game after Houston suffered a 5-3 loss to Arizona, which gave the Yankees the wild-card game at home.

But then again, oh how I wish we were there with the chance to experience the other side of it.

These two teams each play in the National League Central and faced off 19 times this year, so they are very familiar with one another.

It has been said numerous times that Texas adopted the indomitable spirit and inspiring story of Banister to come up with its 2015 slogan of “Never Ever Quit”.

Already assured a playoff spot, the Rangers could have won the division with a victory over the Angels on Friday night, or a loss by the Astros.