And it doesn’t just look like it in a “hey are you guys brothers?” kind of way. It looks like it in a “hey you guys are obviously identical twins!” kind of way. Identical lineup!
Texas Rangers ALCS Game 5 Lineup Looks Like Game 1 Lineup
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Elvis Andrus, SS
Josh Hamilton*, CF
Michael Young, DH
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Mike Napoli, C
Nelson Cruz, RF
David Murphy*, LF
Mitch Moreland*, 1B
In Game 1, this was the lineup that scored three runs in four innings off Justin Verlander, so there's really no reason for Ron Washington to not go back to the well. Granted, it also then scored zero runs in four innings off Rick Porcello, Phil Coke and Ryan Perry, but Verlander's the big adversary today.
Maybe you think Nelson Cruz is being disrespected, still batting seventh despite all his playoff heroics. Well, to you I say - Nelson Cruz probably doesn’t feel disrespected himself. That would be a weird thing, for Nelson Cruz to feel disrespected. He probably feels happy. He has done quite a lot. It’s hard to feel both happy and disrespected. Cruz understands that Washington’s just sticking with what’s worked.
Mitch Moreland's back in there despite a slump, and despite having hit into what was at the time a soul-crushing double play in Game 2. Moreland should be back in there. Against a righty like Verlander, Moreland is forever the better option than Yorvit Torrealba.
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