Tuesday Morning Rangers Update

And just like that, the fight to the finish is finished.

T.R. Sullivan's game story focuses on the Rangers eliminating the Angels thanks to the hot bat of Adrian Beltre and a solid outing out of the pen from Mark Hamburger. Hamburger picked up his first big league win.

Richard Durrett has his reactions to the game. He notes that the Rangers continue to lead Detroit by a game in the race for home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Drew Davison's game wrap up features a rather punny headline.

Evan Grant writes about how the Rangers are guaranteed to have improved their record in every year of Ron Washington's four-year tenure. That, remarkably, had never happened before in baseball history for a team with a new manager. Jon Daniels on Washington:

He's got a gift, an optimism and energy that is contagious -- and he loves to share it."

Durrett writes that last night's starter C.J. Wilson wanted to do more with his small allotment of pitches but is ready to begin postseason play.

Behind the DMN paywall, Grant focuses on how the Rangers' lefty heavy rotation will have to face teams that hit lefties well in the playoffs.

Jeff Wilson writes about Mike Napoli's career year and how he's happy to be a Texas Ranger and not an Anaheim Angel.

In T.R. Sullivan's notebook he writes that Napoli will be in the lineup every game in the postseason. Sullivan also has notes on Michael Young's batting title chase and the postseason rotation options.

Davison's notes have Ron Washington saying he won't be looking to "out-smart" baseball when he puts together his playoff rotation. (Whatever that means.)

Grant talks Ranger postseason roster construction. He writes that the team is debating an 8-man bullpen or keeping Matt Treanor.

Joey Matches gives his prediction on the Rangers' ALDS roster over at BBTIA.

Wilson has a piece on our Elvis Andrus growing up. *sniff* *single tear*

The DMN has a transcript of Nolan Ryan's appearance on Galloway & Co. where he talked about the Rangers rotation going into the playoffs and how the Rangers will handle trying to resign C.J. Wilson in the offseason.

Finally, Ryan Jones gives us a photo essay with the 10 reasons the Rangers won the West.