To Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, the craze surrounding starting pitcher Alexi Ogando would be tempered if folks could realize that they're watching a repeat performance, not some novelty.

Scott Coolbaugh, who a few years ago was running a home construction business in North Texas, is now a World Series hitting coach.

The Rangers rode Nelson Cruz's hot bat to a 6-0 start this season, and the Texas slugger's amazing performance in the ALCS was key to the club notching its second straight pennant.

The Tigers built this team to not just win a division, but contend for a World Series. They fell two wins shy on the latter.

Returning to the World Series is a testament to the Rangers' resolve, and nobody knows that better than team president Nolan Ryan.

While the Rangers were celebrating a second consecutive AL pennant after Saturday night's 15-5 victory in Game 6, Tigers manager Jim Leyland could only celebrate a fantastic AL Championship Series and the guts his players had shown in it.

Trailing 2-0 to the Tigers in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, the Rangers, needing just one win to reach their second straight World Series, erupted for nine runs in the third inning to put themselves in position to secure the AL pennant.

Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera homered in the first inning of Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday, tying the all-time record for an LCS hitting streak to open a career.

The Tigers had early runs on the Rangers with solo homers through two innings and Max Scherzer surviving early command woes. After the third inning, however, the road to Game 7 of the ALCS was washed out, and the magical season the Tigers put together in 2011 had just about run out.

Josh Hamilton made clear one thought about the Rangers' return trip to the World Series: "We wanted to win last year. We expect to win this year."

Nelson Cruz entered the ALCS in a slump, but he emerged as the series MVP with a record six home runs and 13 RBIs in six games as the Rangers topped the Tigers.

Charged with six of the Rangers' nine runs in the third frame, Max Scherzer took the loss in the Tigers' 15-5 season-ending loss on Saturday.

The Rangers erupted for a nine-run third inning and are now headed to a second straight World Series after finishing off the Tigers in the American League Championship Series with a 15-5 thumping in Game 6 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Saturday.

Two starting pitching staffs that were pretty good, if not great, during the regular season have been reduced to role players. Over four games, starters in this NLCS have averaged 4 2/3 innings per start while posting a composite 5.79 ERA.

Bob Uecker, the Hall of Fame Brewers broadcaster and baseball funnyman, has a particular plan for his retirement. No, it does not allow going out on top should the Brewers bounce back from their 3-2 deficit in the National League Championship Series and win the franchise's first World Series championship.

Brewers pitching coach Rick Kranitz showed that he would be there for his pitchers no matter what, and in September, his pitchers returned the favor.

Shaun Marcum is well aware of what's at stake when he opposes the Cardinals in Game 6 of the NLCS on Sunday at Miller Park. With the Brewers facing a 3-2 deficit in this best-of-seven series, there is absolutely no margin for error.