Gallardo ecstatic about playoff start for homestate Rangers
Yovani Gallardo grew up watching the Texas Rangers, often going to their ballpark and dreaming of one day pitching in big games for his local team.
''Even with my cousins, it's one of those things we always talked about, having that goal for myself to put on the Ranger uniform and pitch important games,'' Gallardo said. ''Obviously the one goal that we all have as an athlete, to win the World Series. This is the first step.''
When the Rangers open their first AL Division Series since 2011, Gallardo (13-11, 3.42 ERA) will be on the mound Thursday in Toronto.
''To have this opportunity to start Game 1, it's a big accomplishment,'' he said.
Gallardo was 10 years old when the Rangers made their playoffs debut in 1996, winning the first of three AL West titles in four seasons.
By time they made their only World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011, Gallardo was pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee took him in the second round of the 2004 amateur draft out of Trimble Tech High School in Fort Worth, less than 20 miles from the Rangers' ballpark.
The Brewers traded Gallardo to his home team last winter for an infielder and two young pitchers. Gallardo started the opener, which like his first playoff appearance for the AL West champs was on the road.
''I like the body of work, I like the groundball, I like the veteran pitcher in that slot,'' first-year Rangers manager Jeff Banister said of Gallardo starting the playoff opener. ''He's been a guy for us all year that has grinded out innings for us, has kept us in ball games. He's put us some consecutive innings of zeroes also.''
Texas was 2-4 this season against the Blue Jays, with Gallardo getting both wins against the AL East champions. Toronto had six hits and hit .136 in 13 2-3 scoreless innings against the right-hander.
Gallardo was 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA in five playoff games for the Brewers. His first was his start in the 2008 NL Division Series opener against Philadelphia and Cole Hamels, the ace left-hander who is now his teammate and the Rangers' scheduled starter for the second game in Toronto.
''I pretty much remember everything,'' Gallardo said. ''Cole and I were just talking about that the other day. We're out there shagging, just talking about the '08 season.''
- With files from theScore