Game 147: Rangers 7, Indians 4

Trips to Texas usually end badly, but this particular trip really sucked whatever life was left from this season. Three Indians starters were ruthlessly dispatched, and the games were never in doubt. It's tough to predict what will happen in the postseason, but Texas doesn't have many flaws, and I wouldn't be shocked if they repeat as AL champions.

Fausto Carmona added another chapter to a very frustrating season. He's had stretches of effectiveness, but his bad streaks have been disastrous. He's a streaky pitcher, and it seems to be getting harder and harder for him to get out of bad streaks. The Indians almost have to pick up his 2012 option, but his performances in September, particularly against two contenders, have to at least be making the club think about it, even with the injuries on the staff.

Shin-Soo Choo made his return to the lineup, but if you blinked, you missed him. In his first at-bat, he aggravated his oblique strain, and is now done for the season. Apparently he had not been feeling any pain while hitting and throwing, but there was some discomfort:

"It's just not normal like on the other side," Choo said. "There's something in there."

So why did he play, then? I understand that he needs to get at-bats in before the off-season, but if he can't play, he can't play. Injuries have been a major part of the fall off in the second half of the season, and it shouldn't be assumed that all of that is just random.

via www.fangraphs.com