Jason HeimMore Angel Homer Coverage
August 21st 2009 07:25
Category: Other Sports
As advertised, I'm back to conclude my thoughts about the Angels, this time with a succinct look ahead to the playoffs and how the revamped Angels might respond in October.
The adage of playoff baseball is that good pitching always beats good hitting and that a dominant top of the rotation will typically carry a team a long way. The Angel teams of the past had the DNA to win in the playoffs: the best rotation in the majors and a top 3 bullpen, above average defense, and versatility. Ironically, these things have translated to early elimination and disappointment every year, with the exception of the fluky 2002 World Series run. If there were a team that you would pick to be successful in the postseason based on those certain criteria, the Angels would be at the top of the common sense pile.
The 2009 Angels, as we've said, are the polar opposite of their predecessors. Explosive, opportunistic offense, patient at the plate, working counts, and cashing in on the big home run while the rotation struggles to stay in games and the bullpen uncharacteristically coughs up leads. The very things that got the Angels bounced out of October the past few years--spotty defense, unclutch hitting, senseless mental cramps, and an incredible mental block with the freakin' Sawx--are no longer glaring problems. These things have been the Angel strength in 2009, and are what the radical change in results can partly be credited to. In other words, if the Red Sox take out the Angels once again, it will not be due to an offensive, defensive, or mental letdown by the Angels. Not this year.
The good news is that the Rangers are inexplicably leading the AL Wild Card and keeping the fading Red Sox on the pressure cooker. Every misstep will, in theory, cost Boston a shot at stealing the Wild Card and sneaking into October's back door because there is no way they are catching the Yankees for the AL East this year. The Angels may be fortunate enough to avoid the inevitable two-team AL East playoff format where the Red Sox always find a way to match up with the Angels. A meeting instead with the AL Central winner--Detroit or Chicago--would be a walk into the ALCS for Los Angeles of Anaheim (I hate thinking, saying, and writing that).
The bad news is that I see no way the veteran, tested, and talented Red Sox succumb to the Rangers with the pressure on in September. I foresee the solid Texas rotation withering in the heat of Arlington while the Red Sox regain their groove and make the push to the playoffs. Based on current records and the fact that two intradivision teams cannot meet in the Division Series, a Wild Card berth for Boston would pave the way for another Boston chance to rip my heart out. I realized today that even though the AL West race is still alive (though on life support), the most productive and prudent thing for me to do is root like gangbusters for the Rangers to stay hot. So that is what I'm doing from now until the conclusion of Game 162.
If baseball piques your interest, rest assured I will be back to provide you with my take on the playoff picture as the pennant races heat up in September. And if you hate baseball? Make sure to open the story anyway and click to vote......
The adage of playoff baseball is that good pitching always beats good hitting and that a dominant top of the rotation will typically carry a team a long way. The Angel teams of the past had the DNA to win in the playoffs: the best rotation in the majors and a top 3 bullpen, above average defense, and versatility. Ironically, these things have translated to early elimination and disappointment every year, with the exception of the fluky 2002 World Series run. If there were a team that you would pick to be successful in the postseason based on those certain criteria, the Angels would be at the top of the common sense pile.
The 2009 Angels, as we've said, are the polar opposite of their predecessors. Explosive, opportunistic offense, patient at the plate, working counts, and cashing in on the big home run while the rotation struggles to stay in games and the bullpen uncharacteristically coughs up leads. The very things that got the Angels bounced out of October the past few years--spotty defense, unclutch hitting, senseless mental cramps, and an incredible mental block with the freakin' Sawx--are no longer glaring problems. These things have been the Angel strength in 2009, and are what the radical change in results can partly be credited to. In other words, if the Red Sox take out the Angels once again, it will not be due to an offensive, defensive, or mental letdown by the Angels. Not this year.
The good news is that the Rangers are inexplicably leading the AL Wild Card and keeping the fading Red Sox on the pressure cooker. Every misstep will, in theory, cost Boston a shot at stealing the Wild Card and sneaking into October's back door because there is no way they are catching the Yankees for the AL East this year. The Angels may be fortunate enough to avoid the inevitable two-team AL East playoff format where the Red Sox always find a way to match up with the Angels. A meeting instead with the AL Central winner--Detroit or Chicago--would be a walk into the ALCS for Los Angeles of Anaheim (I hate thinking, saying, and writing that).
The bad news is that I see no way the veteran, tested, and talented Red Sox succumb to the Rangers with the pressure on in September. I foresee the solid Texas rotation withering in the heat of Arlington while the Red Sox regain their groove and make the push to the playoffs. Based on current records and the fact that two intradivision teams cannot meet in the Division Series, a Wild Card berth for Boston would pave the way for another Boston chance to rip my heart out. I realized today that even though the AL West race is still alive (though on life support), the most productive and prudent thing for me to do is root like gangbusters for the Rangers to stay hot. So that is what I'm doing from now until the conclusion of Game 162.
If baseball piques your interest, rest assured I will be back to provide you with my take on the playoff picture as the pennant races heat up in September. And if you hate baseball? Make sure to open the story anyway and click to vote......
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