Cliff Lee Will Start Game 1 For The Rangers, But Who Starts Game 2?

With the Texas Rangers 10 games up in the American League West, they are already making plans for the postseason.

The Rangers announced yesterday that ace Cliff Lee will move up in the rotation to pitch on Saturday so he can be on schedule to pitch Game 1 of the ALDS. Lee will flip-flop in the rotation with Tommy Hunter.

While everyone knows that Lee will pitch Game 1 for the Rangers, the question I have is, who is going to pitch Game 2?

For me, Game 2 is always more important than Game 1. For years, the New York Yankees used to lose Game 1 of a series, but Andy Pettitte would always win Game 2, and then the Yankees used to roll.

The Rangers will have the choice of C.J. Wilson, Tommy Hunter, or Colby Lewis. All have had very good seasons in Texas, but the guy I would go with would be Wilson.

I like Wilson to start Game 2 for a couple of reasons.

As it stands, the Rangers will most likely play the winner of the Yankees-Tampa Bay Rays division battle for the AL East. That means that they are playing Games 1 and 2 on the road.

Wilson has been the Rangers best pitcher on the road this season. He has a 3.09 ERA and is holding opponents to a .202 batting average on the road. Outside of his BB/9, his numbers across the board are better on the road than at home.

I also feel throwing two lefties in Lee and Wilson could neutralize the predominately left-handed hitting Yankees and Rays. The Yankees’ OPS is about 20 points lower against lefties. With the Rays, the difference is marginal.

And the reality is that Wilson has been the Rangers' best pitcher for the entire season. He deserves the start for that reason alone.

He is 14-6 with a 3.25 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Those are numbers I never thought he would put up. Wilson has definitely made a believer out of me.

If I was Ron Washington, I would go Lee, Wilson, Hunter, and Lewis. That would give them the best chance to win a short series against either the Yankees or Rays.

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