| | Records
Yankees 98-64, first in East; Rangers 95-67, first in West
How they got there
Yankees won the AL East for the third time in
four years, even if they didn't match last year's AL-record 114-win
total. Led by Derek Jeter (.349, 24 HR, 102 RBI) and Bernie Williams
(.342, 25 HR, 115 RBI), the Yankees had eight players with at least 12
home runs. The Rangers won the West for the third time in four years
and now face the Yankees for the third time in the playoffs. They lost
the first two series.
Probable starters
Game 1 -- Texas' Aaron Sele (18-9, 4.79) vs. New York's Orlando Hernandez
(17-9, 4.12)
Game 2 -- Texas' Rick Helling (13-11, 4.84) vs. New York's Andy Pettitte (14-11, 4.70)
Game 3 -- New York's Roger Clemens (14-10, 4.60) vs. Texas' Esteban Loiaza
(9-5, 4.56)
Game 4 -- New York's David Cone (12-9, 3.44) vs. Texas'
TBA, if necessary
Season series
Yankees won, 8-4, and hold 29-12 edge since start of
1996 postseason. Yankees 1B Tino Martinez hit .396 against Texas with
six homers and 17 RBI. The Rangers had only two regulars hit better
than .275 against New York _ DH/1B Lee Stevens (.317) and 3B Todd
Zeile (.297).
Key for the Yankees
Roger Clemens hasn't been the force the
Yankees expected. His 14-10 record is acceptable, but the 4.60 ERA is
hideous by his standards. The postseason hasn't been kind to Clemens.
He made four trips to October with Boston and was 1-1 with a 3.88 ERA
in eight starts.
Key for the Rangers
Rick Helling, a 20-game winner a year ago,
could start Games 2 and 5. He has to get back on track after going 0-3
in his past five starts.
Series notes
The Yankees are looking for a record 25th World Series
championship and are making their fifth-consecutive postseason
appearance ... Williams, Jeter, Paul O'Neill and Martinez gave the
Yankees four players with 100 RBI for the first time since 1939 ...
Closer Mariano Rivera's 0.51 postseason ERA is the lowest in history
for a pitcher with at least 30 innings ... Yankee Darryl Strawberry,
diagnosed with colon cancer during last year's playoffs, will get the
Game 1 start at DH ... Texas C Pudge Rodriguez is only the eighth
catcher in history to have 100 RBI and 100 runs scored in a season. He
also dominates a game defensively, having thrown out 41 of 75
potential baserunners ... Rodriguez finished with 199 hits and 116
runs, both second-highest ever for catchers ... The Rangers led the
West for all but three days of season ... Texas is the seventh team in
history to have five players with at least 20 home runs. They also
have four players with 100 RBI, and Todd Zeile (98) narrowly missed
giving them five.
Compiled by Scripps Howard News Service
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