Texas Rangers: Constructing the franchise’s all-time playoff team

The Texas Rangers won’t be very good in 2021, but that’s not stopping us from looking back at some of their best ever playoff performers.

The last time the Texas Rangers were in the post-season was in 2016 and it came with an early first round exit to the Toronto Blue Jays. A team featuring Cole Hamels, Yu Darvish, Adrian Beltre, and Ian Desmond was swept in three games in a rather disappointing showing.

Since the team’s move to Texas in 1972, they’ve made eight trips to the postseason, with two of those seasons ending in a chance to play for the World Series title. The 2010 and 2011 World Series runs were also the only time the Rangers advanced beyond the first round.

The team as it stands right now isn’t in great position to make another run any time soon, though. With the immediate future of Rangers baseball seeming somewhat bleak on the playoff front, let’s take a trip down memory lane and put together a lineup that includes some of the Rangers best postseason performers.

Texas Rangers top playoff performers: Outfield

Right Field: Juan Gonzalez 1996

Lets go all the way back to the first post season appearance in franchise history in 1996. Gonzalez, or “Juan Gone” as Rangers fans know him, certainly made a splash against the Yankees in their series. He hit .438 with five home runs and 9 RBI. He homered in every game including a 2 home run game in game 2. The Rangers would fall to the eventual World Champion Yankees 3 games to 1 in the series.

Center Field: Josh Hamilton 2011

Though 2010 saw Hamilton win the ALCS MVP for his performance against the Yankees, his overall run in 2011 was better from start to finish. He didn’t quite put up his usual power numbers, hitting only one home run while driving in 13 runs, but he hit a respectable .271 and had no errors defensively. He was a key to the success of what most people consider the best team in franchise history.

Left Field: David Murphy 2011

Murphy was an on base machine for the Rangers in their 2011 run. He hit .317, but it was his .429 OBP that really stood out.

Designated Hitter: Nelson Cruz 2011

Nelson Cruz put together the best offensive performance in a playoff series in franchise history, earning him MVP honors of the 2011 ALCS. In that 6 game series against the Detroit Tigers he hit .364 with six home runs and 13 RBI.  Though he played Right Field for the Rangers that season, he gets the nod as the DH because….well….you know…..

Texas Rangers top playoff performers: Infield

Third Base: Adrian Beltre 2011

Are you noticing a trend here? The 2011 Rangers were really good, and Beltre was no different. Along with his stellar defense at the hot corner, he turned in an average of .264 with five home runs and nine RBI. He was also good for five doubles in the post season that year.

Shortstop: Elvis Andrus 2010

Given how long he’s been a fixture for Texas at shortstop, its no surprise to see Andrus name on this list. In 2010 he hit .294 with three doubles, driving in four runs and had a .338 OBP in the process. The young speedster also had eight stolen bases and was only once caught stealing.

Second Base: Ian Kinsler 2011

Kinsler may be one of the most underrated Rangers of all time, but he was as reliable as ever in the Rangers second straight trip to the Fall Classic. Hitting .308 with a home run and 11 runs driven in, he also walked 15 times.

First Base: Mitch Moreland 2010

Similar to Andrus, Moreland was a fixture at first base for most of the Rangers post season appearances. As a rookie in 2010 he put up a .348 average and hit a home run while driving in 7 runs in his first trip to the playoffs.

Catcher: Mike Napoli 2011

Who can forget the chants of NAPOLI! NAPOLI! NAPOLI! Mike Napoli was a stud behind the plate for Texas in the 2011 postseason. Mashing three home runs while driving in 15 and hitting .328, he even had a stolen base!

Texas Rangers top playoff performers: Pitchers

Pitcher: Cliff Lee 2010

The acquisition of Cliff Lee in 2010 is what set the Rangers first World Series trip into motion. He was every bit as good as advertised in the 2010 post season. Lee pitched 35.2 innings over 5 starts and even had a complete game in the mix, while compiling a 2.78 ERA.

Pitcher: Colby Lewis 2010

As good as Cliff Lee was, Colby Lewis may have been better. He boasted a spotless 3-0 record in four starts and had a tiny 1.71 ERA. The problem for the Rangers though was the lack of quality pitching beyond those two at the top of the rotation.

Pitcher: Derek Holland 2011 (WS game 4)

I’m not going to lie, Derek Holland only makes this list because of his performance in Game 4 of the 2011 World Series. Holland allowed only 2 hits and struck out 7 batters in 8.1 innings pitched. Its considered the best single game post season pitching performance in franchise history.

Pitcher: John Burkett 1996

Just as we started with a player from the 1996 squad, we end with one as well. Burkett spun a gem in the Rangers first ever play off game, going all nine innings and allowing only two runs to the Yankees offense. It was the Rangers first and only victory in the post season until the 2010 team made their World Series run.