Major League Baseball

EVAN GRANT'S PLAYERS TO WATCH

Published Oct. 15, 2010 10:10 p.m. ET

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RANGERS

SS | Elvis Andrus

Andrus was virtually non-existent offensively in the second half of the season, but he hit .333 in the division series and had as many extra-base hits as he did from Sept. 1 until the end of the season. His single, stolen base and mad dash from second in the first inning of Game 5 set the tone for the offense. That's what a leadoff hitter must do.

CF | Josh Hamilton

It's still hard to believe the Rangers won a playoff series in which Hamilton had only one RBI - and that when Elvis Andrus took two bases on a groundout to first base - but they did. The chances of them winning another with no contribution from the AL's top hitter and likely MVP: Slim and none. Hamilton, however, said he saw the ball much better in the final two games of the ALDS.

OF | Nelson Cruz

Cruz led all hitters in the division series with a .950 slugging percentage. The chances of him duplicating that in the ALCS are highly unlikely based on the pitching matchups. Against CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and Andy Pettite, who figure to start six games in a seven-game series, Cruz is 2-for-22 (.091) in his career.

LHP | C.J. Wilson

This is Wilson's time to shine. A win can immediately put the Yankees on the defensive in Game 2. The last thing the Yankees want is to face the prospective of being down 2-0 and having to go home to face Cliff Lee. Wilson has the sophisticated arsenal to beat the Yankees, but he must throw more strikes against them than he did in the regular season. A lefty should have the slightest of edges against the Yankees lineup.

RHP | Neftali Feliz

Feliz appeared nervous in his AL Division Series appearances, walking the first batter on both occasions. He walked the first batter he faced only three times during the regular season. One of those occasions was against New York in August, and it led to a ninth-inning meltdown. The Rangers bullpen is thinner without Frankie Francisco available. The last line of defense must be infallible.

YANKEES

DH-OF | Marcus Thames

With the Rangers likely to start lefties four times in a seven-game series, Thames will probably get the bulk of the playing time. He hit .300 against lefties and .435 in 23 at-bats against the Rangers this season. He's easy to overlook in the Yankees lineup. Doing so could be catastrophic.

OF | Curtis Granderson

A left-handed hitter who struggled against lefties (.234, .292 OBP), Granderson started all three games of the division series and responded with a .455 average in 11 at-bats. He is 0-for-6 in his career against C.J. Wilson.

3B | Alex Rodriguez

He will always be a lightning rod for criticism in Arlington, but the Rangers can't let him be the turbocharger in the Yankees' offense. He hit .360 against the Rangers this year and drove in eight runs in seven games. In last year's postseason run, Rodriguez hit .365 with six homers and 18 RBIs. He can take over a series if the Rangers are not careful.

RHP | Philip Hughes

The Yankees moved Hughes into the No. 2 spot ahead of all-time postseason wins leader Andy Pettitte largely because of Hughes' success in Arlington. In his first start in Rangers Ballpark, he took a perfect game to the seventh. In three appearances at the park, he's allowed three hits and no runs in 15 1/3 innings. If he can similarly smother the Rangers this time, it might put Texas in a 2-0 hole going to New York.

RHP | Kerry Wood

The Yankees had issues getting to Mariano Rivera early in the year, but since Sept. 1, Wood has been a lock-'em-down setup man. He had an 0.68 ERA and a .119 opponent's batting average after Sept. 1. He did, however, allow three hits in one-third of an inning in Game 3 against the Twins. Wood does not want to face left-handed hitters and will issue walks. He has given up 11 to the last 31 left-handers he's faced, but he has not allowed a walk to a right-hander in that time.