Rangers-White Sox: Matt Harrison Throws Gem, Blanks Chicago

This is the best way to enjoy a late spring evening: relaxing at home alone, and enjoying a beautiful baseball game.  This is my favorite type of game to watch.

Especially when it pushes my team to 1.5 games ahead in their division.

Let's start with the obvious.  Matt Harrison through a beautiful complete game shutout against a team he faced just last week.  Normally with such a short turnaround I would give the edge to the batters, but he wasn't having it.

His pitches had life and were right on the money.  There were really only one or two scares throughout the whole game because he was so dominant.  He was literally sawing the White Sox batters down. 

It was truly magnificent. 

This is exactly the type of effort we need from our young pitchers if we are to be successful.  Kinsler's error late in the game was a shame, but it didn't do any harm, so it can be overlooked.

Offensively, I actually loved this game, too.  The Rangers weren't really killing the ball, they were just taking what they could get.  A couple of stolen bases, a wild pitch, a sac bunt for a run, these are the kinds of things you have to do to win sometimes, and past teams haven't been capable of doing them.

I know most people prefer the long ball, but this was so much better for me.  It was a grind-it-out win taking a run here, and a run there.  Harrison's outing had to help keep the team's spirits up and keep battling, and that is just what they did. 

It is games like this that make me think this team is for real.  They really seem to be having fun out there.  Much like the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Playoffs right now that look like they are having a party out there every night.

As I look back over recent years the teams that are the most successful are playing clean, defensive baseball with a solid pitching staff, and that intangible IT.  For me, the IT factor is whether or not you are having fun.  It is obviously more fun to win, but you can win, and not be having fun.

It is also uncanny how well Harrison and Teagarden work together.  Salty has done a great job, and nobody is questioning that, but I know what it is like to play with someone you just click with. 

Even though my brother and I rarely see each other, if we get together to play sports we instantly click and know what the other person is thinking. 

That seems to be the case with Harrison and Teagarden, and we all saw the result tonight.

As a nice reward for Harrison, Eddie Guardado gifted him a face full of shaving cream just as he was going to be interviewed on TV.  It was a prime example of the fun this team is having, and a beautiful ending to a beautiful night.