When the Texas Rangers wrapped up spring training in Surprise, Arizona, they were pretty far down on the list of World Series betting favorites — around 18th out of 30 teams, depending on who’s making the odds.
Five places below them was the team that trains an hour away in Scottsdale, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Needless to say, no one saw this World Series coming.
Now, as the teams prepare for Game 1 Friday night in Arlington, the Rangers open as the betting favorites.
Here's what the Rangers have going for them ahead of Game 1 Friday night.
The numbers
In its simplest form, baseball is about scoring runs and keeping the other team from doing the same.
This season, Texas scored the third most runs per game in the majors while Arizona ranked 14th. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ starting pitching staff gave up 3.96 runs per game while Diamondback starters allowed 4.67.
Both teams’ bullpens have plenty of reasons to make you nervous, but the Rangers have showed a knack this postseason for jumping out to early leads, minimizing the need to be rescued by relievers.
Bruce Bochy
The two biggest names to join the team in the offseason were Jacob deGrom, who signed a 5-year, $185 million dollar deal, and Bruce Bochy, who came out of retirement to replace Chris Woodward as manager.
DeGrom hasn’t pitched since April because of an injury, but Bochy has expertly guided the Rangers through the many highs and lows of a long Major League season.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo also pushed his club to an unlikely World Series appearance, but Bochy dwarfs Lovullo when it comes to experience. That includes three World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants — including the 2010 victory over the Rangers in their first-ever appearance.
If this series happens to go the full seven games, that's a good sign for Texas, too — after finishing off the Astros, Bochy is now 3-0 in career Game 7's.
It's… about time
Admittedly, there’s not as much science involved in this area.
But the Rangers are one of only six Major League teams that have not won the World Series. And if you include their previous life as the Washington Senators, they’ve had to wait the longest.
With homefield advantage, a superior roster and a future Hall-of-Fame manager, Rangers fans hope this is — finally — the year.
