On Thursday, former Texas Rangers outfielder Endy Chavez came out with quite the revelation.
He claimed that he was told he would be a defensive replacement for Nelson Cruz in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Rangers' Game 6 meltdown against the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Then, Ron Washington changed his mind. Of course, we all know what happened with Cruz in right field.
It's strange that it's just now coming out, and it will be interesting to see what Washington has to say later today when he'll surely be asked about it. Whether it's true or not, it's more added drama to an already dramatic situation, and Chavez is just one of the many former Rangers who will be putting on a Baltimore uniform tonight trying to end their former mates' season.
Seven players: Tommy Hunter, Chris Davis, Darren O'Day, Chavez, Pedro Strop, Taylor Teagarden and Omar Quintanilla, and three coaches: Rick Adair, DeMarlo Hale and manager Buck Showalter will make their return to Arlington with revenge on their minds.
Of all the former Rangers, there's not a scarier one than Chris Davis, who was given chance after chance after chance to win the first baseman job but continously swung and miss, literally. He was dealt with Tommy Hunter for Koji Uehara last year and ever since then has been a big hitter for the O's. Now, he's Showalter's No. 3 hitter, homered in six of his last seven games and has 33 homers this year with a .270 average. Rangers fans know good and well that he can hit the ball a long way in Rangers Ballpark, because he's done it before.
Not that anyone needs any more motivation than a win-or-go-home game, but if there is any extra motivation to be had, the Orioles definitely have it.
