Vladimir Guerrero will start one game in San Francisco

Ron Washington says that Vladimir Guerrero will start one of the first two games of the World Series in San Francisco, when the elimination of the DH rule means that that option for Vlad getting into the lineup isn't available.

With the Giants likely to start Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain in the first two games, I would prefer to see the Rangers go with David Murphy, rather than Vlad. 

Murphy had a .298/.368/.479 line against RHPs this season, while Vlad had a .287/.328/.482 line against them this year.  And of course, Vlad has struggled in the second half, and has only put up a 616 OPS in the postseason.  If they are even close offensively, you have to figure the Rangers would be better off with a Murphy/Hamilton/Cruz alignment than a Cruz/Hamilton/Vlad alignment, given how superior the first group is defensively.

Of course, as we know by now, Ron Washington doesn't always do things that way.  He -- and, it must be said, the organization as a whole, from what I've seen -- have a lot of respect for Vlad, seem to believe he's thisclose to busting out, and clearly want to have his bat in the lineup even without the DH.  I also think the years he has in the league, and the respect he commands in the clubhouse, has Wash thinking Vlad can't sit every time they play in San Francisco.