2010 MLB Playoffs ALDS Prediction: Texas Rangers Vs. Tampa Bay Rays

The Texas Rangers have never won a playoff series, losing to the New York Yankees in each of their previous three playoff appearances. The Tampa Bay Rays, meanwhile, made the World Series in 2008 (losing to the Philadelphia Phillies), which is the only other time the team has appeared in the playoffs.

Texas Rangers 2010 MLB ALDS Playoffs Preview

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, is generally known as an offensive haven, where hitters will flourish and pitchers will suffer. That's what makes the Texas Rangers' 2010 playoff run so impressive: Not only did they have the best batting average of any team in baseball, the Rangers were also able to put together the 10^th lowest ERA in all of baseball. Led by former reliever C.J. Wilson and midseason acquisition (and former Cy Young winner) Cliff Lee, the Rangers' starting rotation can hold their own against any team in the AL.

The Rangers' main concern, however, is how Josh Hamilton recovers from the rib injury that kept him out for most of the final month of the season. Hamilton hit his 32^nd home run of the season in Texas' next-to-last game of the season, but the Rangers need Hamilton to be the same guy who entered September hitting .361 with 31 home runs to have a chance of advancing in the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Rays 2010 MLB ALDS Playoffs Preview

One of the worst teams in baseball for their first decade of existence, the Tampa Bay Rays have become one of the strongest teams in the American League. David Price is an AL Cy Young contender, Matt Garza threw a no-hitter earlier this season, and Evan Longoria finished with his second straight 100 RBI season.

The biggest concern for the Rays is consistency. Their batting average was 27^th (out of 30 teams) in all of baseball, yet they still ended up third in runs, trailing only the Yankees and Red Sox. It's not easy to continue to score runs when the players aren't getting hits, but Tampa Bay has found a way all season. A couple of bad games, however, can be the difference between advancing to the next round of the playoffs and going home, and the Rays can't afford to have their players go into a cold spell now.

Rangers vs. Rays Conclusion

The Tampa Bay Rays may be inconsistent, but when they're playing well, they're almost unbeatable. The Texas Rangers have had a good run, making their first playoff appearance since 1999, but the Rays' will be too much to handle in the ALDS.

2010 MLB NLDS Playoffs Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays defeat Texas Rangers, 3-1

Source(s):

All statistics retrieved from ESPN.comhttp://espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2010/matchup/_/teams/Rangers-Rays