DeMarco: Long rise to stardom for Rangers' Cruz

Nelson Cruz having postseason worthy of Reggie Jackson's notice

Charlie Riedel / AP

Texas' Nelson Cruz has been the most prolific home run hitter of the past two postseasons.

OPINION

By Tony DeMarco

NBCSports.com contributor

updated 1:01 a.m. ET Oct. 14, 2011

Tony DeMarco

Nelson Cruz has accomplished so many firsts in this postseason, it's hard to decide which one to list first.

But any time you've done the same thing as Reggie Jackson in October ? that being hit five home runs in one postseason series ? that's as good a place as any to start.

Jackson's five, of course, came in the 1977 World Series ? the final three in a series-clinching Game 6 for the New York Yankees. You can't hit them at a more-important time than that.

But Cruz's five ? a first in League Championship Series history ? have had so much impact, he's the clear favorite to win the ALCS MVP award as his Texas Rangers sit one win away from back-to-back pennants.

That's why in the middle of what has become an almost-daily barrage from Cruz, Rangers manager Ron Washington said during a media briefing: "For you guys who haven't seen Nelson every day, he's capable of doing exactly what he's doing. I'm just happy that we as the Texas Rangers are reaping the benefit of it.''

• When Cruz connected for a solo blast off Justin Verlander in the fourth inning of Game 1, it merely stretched the Rangers' lead to 3-0. Two rain delays and five innings later, Cruz's shot turned out to be the margin of victory in a 3-2 Rangers win preserved by 4.1 innings of shutout relief by the bullpen.
• There are fewer more over-used terms in baseball announcing than 'walk-off'. When Dennis Eckersley coined the term in the 1980s, he used it strictly in game-ending-home run situations. Now, it's been diluted to a walk-off sacrifice fly or even a walk-off wild pitch. Enough already.

But a walk-off grand slam? That's legit ? and Cruz's won Game 3 in the 11th inning off closer Jose Valverde, who in case you haven't heard, hasn't blown a save opportunity all season.

But it wasn't actually the first extra-inning grand slam in postseason history ? only the first to be officially scored as one. Robin Ventura hit one in the 15th inning of Game 5 in the 1999 NLCS, but was mobbed by Mets teammates before he passed second base, so it's in the books as a single.

• Cruz had tied Game 2 in the seventh inning with a towering blast off Max Scherzer that hit the left-field foul pole ? a foreshadowing, as it turns out.
• And how about the first player to hit two extra-inning home runs in a postseason series? Cruz notched that accomplishment to ice Game 4, a three-run blast off Valverde in a 7-3 Rangers victory.

That came a few innings after Cruz prevented the go-ahead run from scoring with a perfectly executed catch and throw to nail Miguel Cabrera at home on a medium-depth fly ball to right field.

"As I always say, I don't judge Nelson just because he hits balls out of the ballpark,'' Washington said that night. "He's a complete player. He takes pride in every part of his game. Tonight, it was thank you, Nelson Cruz.''

• There was nothing clutch about Cruz's fifth homer of the series, as it came in the eighth inning of a 7-5 loss in Game 5. But how about the sheer wow factor of pulling a 100-mph fastball from Justin Verlander off the left-field foul pole at Comerica Park? Who does that?

And now you're looking at the game's biggest power threat over the last two postseasons. In 25 games, Cruz has 11 homers and 22 RBI, and 19 of his 26 hits have gone for extra bases (eight doubles). That's what gets you television commercial endorsements in which you swing a 'boomstick'.

So why, you may ask, is Cruz still hitting seventh in Washington's lineup? It's a testament to the game's deepest group of hitters, and a manager's faith in his players even when they struggle.

Cruz, 30, has followed a late-bloomer career path similar to Toronto slugger Jose Bautista. Three teams didn't stick with Cruz long enough ? the Mets (who signed him as an undrafted free agent), the A's, and the Brewers. He was traded for Jorge Velandia on one occasion and Keith Ginter on another, and landed in Texas as a throw-in along with Carlos Lee.

But unlike Bautista, Cruz hasn't cracked the stardom barrier due primarily to an inability to stay off the disabled list. He's never played more than 128 games in a season (2009), and was limited to 124 this season.

A strained left hamstring cut deeply into his September, and Cruz still hadn't regained his timing during the division series against Tampa Bay, when he went 1-for-15 with five strikeouts.

Cruz is only the ninth-highest-paid Ranger at $3.65 million, and sits two years from free agency. He's surrounded by bigger-salaried stars Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, Michael Young and Ian Kinsler. So even when Young and Hamilton haven't produced as expected this postseason, Washington has resisted any urge to change.

And when the Rangers are 6-3 in this postseason, one win from a return trip to the World Series, and averaging five runs per game since being shut out in Game 1 of the ALDS, it's hard to argue with Washington's lineup decisions.

? 2011 NBC Sports.com? Reprints

advertisement

More news

Cruz, Rangers a win away

The Rangers, still with a 3-2 series lead, can get to their second consecutive World Series with a victory in Game 6 on Saturday night.

DeMarco: Long rise to stardom for Rangers' Cruz

DeMarco: Texas Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz is having a postseason of Reggie Jackson proportions. But anyone who is surprised by his late-season heroics hasn't noticed that the 3o-year-old has followed a career path similar to Jose Bautista.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44899311/ns/sports-baseball/

jacksonville jaguars college football rankings dma americas got talent 2011 americas got talent 2011 absinthe ihop