Preview/Prediction

You might not know it, but Javier Vazquez has been one of the most dominant pitchers in Major League Baseball since 2000.

He has pitched for the second-most innings with 2,320.1 innings, and is second in strikeouts with 2,122.

Vazquez cost the Yankees $11.5 million with the most awful year of his career this season: 10-10, 5.32 ERA, 157.1 IP, 32 HR.

With Friday night's Game 6 win by the Texas Rangers over the New York Yankees, half of the 2010 World Series is now set.

Texas right-hander Colby Lewis threw eight dominant innings and Vladimir Guerrero and Nelson Cruz came through with clutch hits in the fifth, as the Rangers dethroned the 2009 World Series champs with a 6-1 win at the Ballpark in Arlington.

Last night, the New York Yankees were blown out for one final time in 2010, watching as the Texas Rangers celebrate with ginger ale on the pitcher's mound after closer Neftali Feliz struck out Alex Rodriguez for the last out.  Good to see A-Rod finally help Texas to the World Series!

More seriously though, the Yankees' window is quickly shutting, as even all the money in the world won't be able to get the Yankees out of their current troubles.

The Rangers beat the Yankees four games to two in the 2010 ALCS, and with the loss, the great New York Yankees season is over.  Many players are gong to free agency, and the managerial spot for the Yankees is very much so up in the air. 

Ryan Howard's biggest contributions to the Phillies so far this postseason has been his celebratory high-fives to his teammates after they get driven in by Placido Polanco . 

On the brink of elimination, Philadelphia need first basemen Ryan Howard to wake up from his eight-game slumber and re-energize a dormant Phillies' offense. 

The Rangers' ballpark is quiet, at least for now.

Workers have slowly started to trickle in, the local radio station is doing their broadcast from the home plate entrance, the ALCS banners have been hung for fans to see as they start to file in, and the anticipation has begun.

This Friday night is far different from any other Friday night in Rangers' history, because it's on this Friday night that the Texas Rangers, and their fans, will be able to celebrate a franchise first.

An American League Championship.

The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies avoided elimination by winning Game 5, as both teams trailed 3-1 in their respective series. 

The New York Yankees down travel down south to play the Texas Rangers in Game 6 of ALCS Friday night.  If the Yankees can stay alive, Game 7 will take place on Saturday night. 

The San Francisco Giants must head back east to play the Philadelphia Phillies in Citizens Bank Park in Game 6 of the NLCS.  The game will either be played on Saturday afternoon or night, depending on the outcome of Game 6 of the ALCS. 

After a day off, the ALCS resumes at Rangers Stadium where Texas will host New York in a pivotal Game 6 matchup. Phil Hughes (1-1, 5.73 ERA) will take the mound for the Yankees against the Rangers Colby Lewis (1-0, 1.69 ERA).

Away from home, down 3-2 in the series, the New York Yankees have their backs against the wall. The Texas Rangers have been phenomenal throughout the series, and they only need one more win to advance to their first World Series in franchise history. But we've seen the Yankees make miraculous comebacks before. Can they do it again? 

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The San Francisco Giants lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 of the 2010 NLCS. The Giants lead the series 3-2 but must now return to Philadelphia for Game 6 and Game 7 if needed. They are only one win away from from earning their fourth National League pennant since the team moved to San Francisco in 1958. It would also be the team's first pennant since 2002.