The Texas Rangers have returned to the
World Series, but this is a vastly different club than the one
that fell in five games to the San Francisco Giants in last
year’s Fall Classic.

It is a re-tooled squad ever more determined to succeed.

Young pitchers have stepped up to fortify the a starting
rotation following the departure of ace starter Cliff Lee, a
pair of sluggers have been added and a bolstered bullpen have
all helped to make the Rangers favourites to claim Major League
Baseball’s championship for the first time.

Texas manager Ron Washington said the road back began with
a commitment made after last year’s World Series loss.

“On November the first we committed ourselves to trying to
get back here because we knew we had the potential in the
clubhouse to do it,” Washington told reporters on Tuesday at
Busch Stadium, where the Rangers worked out to prepare for
Wednesday’s Game One.

“A lot of times people say a lot of things that they like
to do, and they don’t usually live up to it. But the character
inside my clubhouse, they lived up to it.”

Lee, who left as a free agent to join the Philadelphia
Phillies, was a mentor in 2010 for C.J. Wilson, who converted
from a reliever to a starting pitcher and has become the new
number one on the Texas staff.

“A lot of us sat in the locker room after Game Five against
the Giants and we were really upset,” said Wilson, who will
start the Series opener against Chris Carpenter. “We’re like,
this is not how we wanted it to go.

“We are here to win, and that’s what we’ve been doing all
year, and the sting of losing last year is what carried us
through the off-season and helped us take it to the next
level.”

When the Rangers realized they were not going to be able to
re-sign Lee, they set their sights on power-hitting third
baseman Adrian Beltre, who left the Boston Red Sox as a free
agent, and signed him to a five-year, $80 million deal.

Beltre delivered 32 home runs, 105 runs batted in and a
.296 batting average besides a great glove at third base.

With the emergence of young Neftali Feliz as their closer,
the Rangers were able send former closer Frank Francisco to the
Toronto Blue Jays for power-hitting catcher Mike Napoli, who
belted 30 home runs and drove in 75.

Those two players helped in other ways as well, Washington
said.

“When we got Beltre … he brought leadership. Brought
tremendous offensive capability and tremendous defensive
capability, and leadership, also,” said the Rangers manager.

“We always knew what (Napoli) was capable of doing as far
as getting on base and punching the ball out of the ballpark,
but here we had another guy that was a leader, and he turned
out to be a tremendous receiver. Helped our young pitching
staff make it through the year.”

Mid-season acquisition of relievers Mike Adams, Mike
Gonzalez and Koji Uehara shored up the bullpen and the Rangers
roared on to the American League West title and eliminated the
Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers in the playoffs to return to
Major League Baseball’s grandest stage.

“I think (slugging outfielder Josh) Hamilton put it as
perfectly as it can be put,” Washington said. “Right now we
expect to win, and that’s the attitude we have.”

All-Star closer Heath Bell was working on a franchise-record stretch of 99 games and 102 at-bats without allowing a home run when he made one costly mistake on an 0-2 pitch.

Aubrey Huff led off the ninth inning with a tying drive into the right-field seats, and the San Francisco Giants went on to a 6-2 victory over the struggling San Diego Padres in 12 innings on Thursday night.

Mike Fontenot brought in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the 12th, and the NL West-leading Giants piled it on against the last-place Padres.

The bullpen collapse extended the Padres’ losing streak to six games, tying their season high.

Bell was trying to preserve a 1-0 win for Aaron Harang, who threw seven strong innings in his second start back from a stint on the disabled list, but Huff hit his ninth homer.

“Huge for us. We’re looking at a 1-0 loss there,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “We needed something like that to save us and he did with the home run.”

Until Huff’s shot, Bell hadn’t given up a homer since San Francisco’s Juan Uribe went deep on April 19, 2010.

“I didn’t know until someone told me it was last year against these guys and then I remembered it was Uribe,” Bell said. “He tattooed one to left field.

“I threw a breaking ball inside, and then I tried to go down and in,” Bell said. It was a pretty good pitch but I think Huff was maybe expecting it. He saw it real well and he just lifted it up. That’s why he’s good. He can just kind of throw his bat down there and flip it out of here. As soon as I saw him hit it, I knew it was going to go 10 to 15 rows deep.”

It was Bell’s second blown save in 62 chances dating to last year and second in 28 opportunities this year.

“That’s a big hit right there, off one of the best closers in the game,” Giants starter Madison Bumgarner said. “To put us back in the game right there, that was a big-time hit.”

Giants All-Star closer Brian Wilson came on with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 12th for his 27th save in 31 chances. He allowed Will Venable’s sacrifice fly, then walked Chris Denorfia to load the bases before getting Jason Bartlett to ground out.

Cody Ross started the winning rally in the five-run 12th with a leadoff walk against Luke Gregerson (2-3) and was replaced by Emmanuel Burriss, who stole second. Gregerson then walked Brandon Crawford and committed an error trying to field Eli Whiteside’s bunt, loading the bases. Miguel Tejada fouled out and Andres Torres struck out before Fontenot walked on four straight pitches.

Pablo Sandoval added a two-run single, and Nate Schierholtz and Huff each drove in a run with a base hit. All five runs that inning were unearned.

Santiago Casillas (2-1) threw two perfect innings for the win.

The Padres, the lowest-scoring team in the NL, dropped 13 games behind the defending World Series champions and 13 games under .500.

The Padres had scored only two runs in their last 44 innings before the All-Star break. Their losing streak includes consecutive shutouts at Los Angeles, including a game in which the Dodgers didn’t get their first hit until there were two outs in the ninth inning.

Harang held the Giants to five hits while striking out four and walking one. In his previous start, Harang handed a no-hit bid to the bullpen after six innings before the Dodgers won 1-0 after getting two hits with two outs in the ninth.

Whiteside tied his career high with three hits.

The Padres had three consecutive hits off Bumgarner for a run with two outs in the third. Denorfia singled to right, advanced on Jason Bartlett’s base hit to center and scored on Chase Headley’s single to left.

Bumgarner allowed seven hits in six innings, struck out four and walked none.

NOTES: San Diego State football coach Rocky Long threw out the ceremonial first pitch, to Padres manager Bud Black, an SDSU alum. … The Padres wore 1983 throwback brown uniforms as a tribute to Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams, who died July 7. There was also a video tribute and a moment of silence. Williams managed the Padres from 1982-85, including reaching the World Series for the first time in franchise history in 1984. Williams managed the Oakland Athletics to back-to-back World Series titles and also led the Boston Red Sox to the 1967 World Series. … Headley left in the eighth with a bruised left ankle.

All-Star closer Heath Bell was working on a franchise-record stretch of 99 games and 102 at-bats without allowing a home run when he made one costly mistake on an 0-2 pitch.

Aubrey Huff led off the ninth inning with a tying drive into the right-field seats, and the San Francisco Giants went on to a 6-2 victory over the struggling San Diego Padres in 12 innings on Thursday night.

Mike Fontenot brought in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the 12th, and the NL West-leading Giants piled it on against the last-place Padres.

The bullpen collapse extended the Padres’ losing streak to six games, tying their season high.

Bell was trying to preserve a 1-0 win for Aaron Harang, who threw seven strong innings in his second start back from a stint on the disabled list, but Huff hit his ninth homer.

“Huge for us. We’re looking at a 1-0 loss there,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “We needed something like that to save us and he did with the home run.”

Until Huff’s shot, Bell hadn’t given up a homer since San Francisco’s Juan Uribe went deep on April 19, 2010.

“I didn’t know until someone told me it was last year against these guys and then I remembered it was Uribe,” Bell said. “He tattooed one to left field.

“I threw a breaking ball inside, and then I tried to go down and in,” Bell said. It was a pretty good pitch but I think Huff was maybe expecting it. He saw it real well and he just lifted it up. That’s why he’s good. He can just kind of throw his bat down there and flip it out of here. As soon as I saw him hit it, I knew it was going to go 10 to 15 rows deep.”

It was Bell’s second blown save in 62 chances dating to last year and second in 28 opportunities this year.

“That’s a big hit right there, off one of the best closers in the game,” Giants starter Madison Bumgarner said. “To put us back in the game right there, that was a big-time hit.”

Giants All-Star closer Brian Wilson came on with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 12th for his 27th save in 31 chances. He allowed Will Venable’s sacrifice fly, then walked Chris Denorfia to load the bases before getting Jason Bartlett to ground out.

Cody Ross started the winning rally in the five-run 12th with a leadoff walk against Luke Gregerson (2-3) and was replaced by Emmanuel Burriss, who stole second. Gregerson then walked Brandon Crawford and committed an error trying to field Eli Whiteside’s bunt, loading the bases. Miguel Tejada fouled out and Andres Torres struck out before Fontenot walked on four straight pitches.

Pablo Sandoval added a two-run single, and Nate Schierholtz and Huff each drove in a run with a base hit. All five runs that inning were unearned.

Santiago Casillas (2-1) threw two perfect innings for the win.

The Padres, the lowest-scoring team in the NL, dropped 13 games behind the defending World Series champions and 13 games under .500.

The Padres had scored only two runs in their last 44 innings before the All-Star break. Their losing streak includes consecutive shutouts at Los Angeles, including a game in which the Dodgers didn’t get their first hit until there were two outs in the ninth inning.

Harang held the Giants to five hits while striking out four and walking one. In his previous start, Harang handed a no-hit bid to the bullpen after six innings before the Dodgers won 1-0 after getting two hits with two outs in the ninth.

Whiteside tied his career high with three hits.

The Padres had three consecutive hits off Bumgarner for a run with two outs in the third. Denorfia singled to right, advanced on Jason Bartlett’s base hit to center and scored on Chase Headley’s single to left.

Bumgarner allowed seven hits in six innings, struck out four and walked none.

NOTES: San Diego State football coach Rocky Long threw out the ceremonial first pitch, to Padres manager Bud Black, an SDSU alum. … The Padres wore 1983 throwback brown uniforms as a tribute to Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams, who died July 7. There was also a video tribute and a moment of silence. Williams managed the Padres from 1982-85, including reaching the World Series for the first time in franchise history in 1984. Williams managed the Oakland Athletics to back-to-back World Series titles and also led the Boston Red Sox to the 1967 World Series. … Headley left in the eighth with a bruised left ankle.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bill Hall was home in Arizona playing video games with his cousin when his agent called to tell him Freddy Sanchez got injured and the San Francisco Giants might need an infielder.

A little over 12 hours later, Hall was in San Francisco having signed a deal with the Giants. One week after being released by last-place Houston, Hall is now in first place in the NL West with the defending World Series champions.

“I felt like this was a good option,” Hall said Saturday. “I know a lot of guys on the team. I’m in first place now. That helps. From what I’ve heard his is a great clubhouse, a good organization.”

Hall works out in the offseason with Giants outfielders Pat Burrell and Cody Ross, and hopes to follow their pattern and rejuvenate his career after joining the team.

Hall struggled this season with the Astros, batting .224 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 46 games. But he hit 18 homers a year ago in Boston and is a reliable option in the infield and outfield, making him the perfect choice for the Giants when Sanchez went down.

“Hopefully, I still have a lot of baseball to play,” he said. “Things didn’t go as planned in Houston so we both decided it wasn’t going to be a lasting relationship. Just had a little bit of a divorce. Obviously I played well last year for Boston. Your skills don’t diminish overnight. I’m not worried about that part.”

He had played exclusively at second base this season, but also has extensive experience at third base, shortstop and all three outfield positions. He said he’s most comfortable right now at second base, which is where the Giants will need him with Sanchez on the disabled list.

“He got off to a little bit of a slow start in Houston, but he’s coming off a good year last year,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “To have a guy like this available and it’s a need for us, we’re fortunate. … We need some depth right now and he gives us that at every position in the infield and outfield. He has some power, speed, so we’re glad to have him.”

Hall made his debut as a defensive replacement in the fifth inning and went 0-for-2 with a walk in the Giants 10-2 loss to Cincinnati.

Sanchez dislocated his right shoulder Friday night diving for a grounder up the middle. He made a backhand grab of Brandon Phillips’ sharp grounder in the fifth inning, using his right hand to brace himself as he slid on the edge of the outfield grass. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday and was to have an MRI exam to determine the extent of the injury.

Sanchez led the Giants in batting at the time of the injury with a .289 average, three homers and 24 RBIs. He had been batting third with starting catcher Buster Posey out for the season with a broken bone in his lower left leg and three torn ligaments in his ankle. Posey was moved to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Hall.

Third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who is out with an injured right wrist, hopes to return next week. Infielder Mike Fontenot is also on a rehab assignment for Triple-A Fresno.

The Giants also signed first-round pick shortstop Joe Panik of St. John’s to a contract. Panik, a left-handed slugger who led the Red Storm with a .398 batting average, was taken with the 29th overall pick. He will start his pro career with Class-A Salem-Kaiser.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Two weeks ago, the San Francisco Giants announced they would become the first professional sports team to film a public service announcement for the anti-homophobia “It Gets Better” campaign. The popular movement is designed to “provide hope for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and other bullied teens by letting them know ‘It Gets Better.”

The Giants’ ad was officially released on Wednesday. Here it is:

Barry Zito(notes), Sergio Romo(notes), Matt Cain(notes), Hensley Meulens and Andres Torres(notes) are the five team members who, as Zito puts it, “speak for the entire Giants organization when we say that there is no place in society for hatred and bullying against anyone.”

As we said before, the Giants’ decision to participate in making such a powerful statement is an admirable one and it’s cool that the entire thing was sparked by the inspiration of one fan, Sean Chapin.

It looks like Chapin and the Giants may have started a message-spreading trend. A 12-year-old Boston Red Sox fan named Sam Maden recently saw the move the Giants were making and started his own petition on Change.org asking his favorite team to make a PSA of their own. The petition, which was inspired by Sam’s late uncle, now has over 6,000 e-signatures.

Related: Barry Zito, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, ModernTube