Five guys.

Five years and two days ago, the Rangers were set to play the first Game Five in franchise history. That morning, this is what I wrote:

I’m generally not a superstitious person, but I’m very sports-superstitious. I was as a player, I am as a fan.

Given what’s at stake tonight, I’m not messing around.

This gets blown up into wallpaper today.

Tonight we experience something we’ve never experienced.

Tonight is what Steps One through Five were all about, starting with the trade of Mark Teixeira and the patience and untelevised grinding that followed. And why those 100 folks in untucked short sleeves and slacks lined up behind home plate before player introductions on Saturday are so important, even if the names and faces aren’t as recognizable as the last player on the roster.

Tonight is the reason it was the right decision to draft Justin Smoak instead of Ethan Martin.

Tonight is the reason it will always be OK that Justin Smoak is now a Seattle Mariner, maybe for life.

Tonight is the reason we all invest the way we do.

Trust in Cliff.

Cliff (9-6-1-1-0-11) handled Game Five, going the distance in the Rangers’ 5-1 win at Tampa Bay.

Two days before that, the Phillies wrapped up their sweep of the Reds in the NLDS with a 2-0 win.

Cole Hamels (9-5-0-0-0-9) went the distance.

That’s all I wanted to say this morning.