Ray’s Ramblings: 2023 World Series Review

The Rangers won the World Series, you know that already, so we will quickly share some of the data that popped for the Rangers and D’backs. We will also lay out the Gold Glove winners in 2023 before saying goodbye to the Boomstick.

RANGERS

Congrats to the Rangers whomade a bunch of history on the way to their firs World Championship.

The regular season record…

The @Rangers are the first team in MLB history to finish 25+ games under .500 one year and then win the World Series the next.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) November 2, 2023

The postseason road work.

The @Rangers are the first team in MLB/NBA/NHL history to win 11 road games in a single postseason.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) November 2, 2023

Everyone had success on the road this year.

road teams went 26-15 this postseason

that .634 win pct is the highest in a single postseason since the playoffs expanded with the Wild Card era

prior record: 2010, .594 (19-13)

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) November 2, 2023

Bruce Bochy won his fourth Series, something only five others have done.

Résumé building with Bruce Bochy.💍💍💍💍 pic.twitter.com/4AwxXhcDVo

— MLB (@MLB) November 2, 2023

Every game Nathan Eovaldi started… the Rangers won.

road teams went 26-15 this postseason

that .634 win pct is the highest in a single postseason since the playoffs expanded with the Wild Card era

prior record: 2010, .594 (19-13)

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) November 2, 2023

Corey Seager won the World Series MVP and joined some elite company.

players with…

2 WS MVPs: Corey Seager, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Reggie Jackson

3 PS MVPs: Corey Seager, Orel Hershiser, Dave Stewart

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) November 2, 2023

Willl Smith has won the Series 3-straight years, with three teams, something that has never been done before.

A three-peat for Will Smith! 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/830fHU2min

— MLB (@MLB) November 2, 2023

DIAMONDBACKS

Zac Gallen had a 4.54 WHIp and 1.34 WHIP over six starts. He went 2-3.

Merrill Kelly went 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.83 WHIP.

Ketel Marte continued to make history right until the end of the playoffs.

Ketel Marte has reached base safely in all 21 playoff games he’s played

that’s tied with 2015-17 Daniel Murphy for the 2nd-longest on-base streak to start a postseason career, behind only:

1966-71 Boog Powell: 25

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) November 2, 2023

Marte was the only D’back who had an OPS over .775 this postseason (he was at .914).

GOLD GLOVE WINNERS

Here is how the Gold Glove stuff played out…

The 13 first-time winners this season are 2nd-most in a single year (14 first-time winners in 2022). This is also the 4th straight year with 10+ first-time winners.

H/T @SlangsOnSports https://t.co/ODhNQsHyUu

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) November 6, 2023

For the first time, Nolan Arenado did not win a GG.

Brenton Doyle is the 6^th rookie to win a GG.

The Guardians have won at least two GG in four of five seasons.

Anthony Volpe is the first Yankee rookie to win a GG.

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU… NELSON CRUZ

Nelson Cruz retired. A dynamic youngster who couldn’t stay healthy early in his career, Cruz developed his Boomstick, found a path to health, and killed it for years.

Cruz made seven All-Star Teams.

He won four Silver Sluggers.

He was an ALCS MVP.

He finished top-10 in the MVP voting four times, had another season where he was 10^th and another at 15^th (his highest finish was 6^th which he accomplished twice).

He hit 40 homers four times and 30 homers eight times.

He had 100 RBI four times and 85 nine times.

He went 30-85 eight times.

From 2009-2019 his average season was .280-33-89-4 with a .889 OPS.

He even had a 30/20 season in 2009.

In the end, he had a .856 OPS, a 130 OPS+, hit 464 homers, had 1,325 RBI and socked 2,053 base hits.

A hell of a career indeed.