So I am in my season seats in Centerfield, we’re hollering to Torii Hunter and he is holding up a fist of solidarity for us. It is the top of the 9th, Shields is in and we are up by 4.
Backtrack two innings – Texas wins on a walkoff grandslam. I think – but do not say – “How 1995ish”...
So Shields leads to Frankie bounces off Teixeira’s glove and leads to a tie.
I scream “1995!”
Many of the regulars were gone. Comfortable with the lead, and the game had dragged on something fierce, they had left. The ones left were loud, boisterous and, well, the beers were at their maximum effect.
So when I yelled out, in frustration, that fateful number every Angel fan hates, well, quite a few of the faithful turned around and looked, aghast, in horror, in an agony that a slow-moving car wreck may just be happening.
It was kinda like the reaction on the blog here when I mentioned it in yesterday’s postgame thread. It was so terrified that it was adamantly disagreeable from the onset of my pronouncement.
But it lingered, a poison gas in the air as Frankie finally got the one out he was supposed to. The Rally Monkey video cam on and the crowd was into it. Perhaps I was the only miserable surrender flag in the whole stadium.
But then Torii Hunter hit a double to lead off the bottom of the 9th in this maddening tie ballgame. He is not on Jackie Autry’s payroll. He is not managed by a Lachemann. He was not drafted by Mike Port. Torii Hunter’s contract was not negotiated by a Bavasi. Torii Hunter was signed by Tony Reagins and is paid by Arte Moreno.
The die was cast with Torii’s double. We won. We are the first team in baseball to 70 wins. It is 2008.
I was a fool to mention that season on this blog and at the stadium. Torii Hunter put my neurotic nostalgia on ice. To make up for my ridiculous assertion that the 2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim carry any resemblance to the 1995 California Angels, I present our MAGIC NUMBER countdown in the left sidebar, to be updated daily on our march toward the postseason.
0 recs | 38 comments
1995
is a poison gas. and the first memories are always of that playoff…but until we close this thing out thats going to be at the back of all our collective minds. But there is no Jackie Autry. Arte Moreno, Reagins, and Scioscia control this team. And we plan on playing through October rather than the end of August.
I like our chances, but ‘95 is kinda one of those never-forget-always-gonna-make-me-cynical type of moments. But we cant be hunky-dory all the time.
linkbruin - August 5, 2008
AGREE
Some franchises can be “LA LA LA, WHEN WE ARE ON TOP WE WIN IT” and we are not one of them. But that does not mean that we cannot win it.
Rev Halofan - August 5, 2008
agree x 2
While the 95 reference I thought was unfair, it is a legitimate concern to worry about an 2nd half collapse for any longtime Angel fan. I remember more than one year where we started strong and blew it bad post-allstar break.
I think its good though to maintain the Scioscia mentality by not talking about the playoffs but take it one game at a time. We got as great team but there is still alot of baseball.
That being said. I’m glad we won last night but holy shit…let’s not do that too often.
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - August 5, 2008
geez talk about a turnaround
One day you’re the Ghost of Angel Failures Past, and the next you’re posting countdown clocks to the division title.
I think mentioning 1995 is a fair thing to do, as long as it serves not as a team-to-team comparison, but as a lesson for fans not to count chickens before they hatch.
That magic number clock is screaming some bad karma at me.
yeswecan - August 5, 2008
Totally agree with your lede
Same initial thought here. Maybe time for Rev to up his meds.
As for 1995 talk, 1995 happened. It happened once. Are we forever going to drain away the glorious fun and thrills of each season forever after by skewering ourselves each season with rehashes of 1995? What are we, Cubs fans? Fuck everybody’s fears of 1995. Let it go. Turn the page, yada yada yada.
And yet, pp#3 is dead on. I reacted the same way. Bad karma, man. Bad karma.
Stirrups - August 5, 2008
No way
Nobody’s counting any chickens – the only thing the counter measures is how much is left to be done. It fits perfectly into the Angels philosophy of “one game at a time” by pointing out “Hey 70 wins is great, but we still might need 39 more to accomplish our goals – this is far from over.”
tbone_cutter - August 5, 2008
Disagree.
Magic numbers are called “magic” NOT because they inform people to ignore destiny. They are called “magic” because they inform people of the point in future time when they will realize wish fulfillment. They are forward-looking devices on purpose, and by design. Therefore, they are the anti-thesis of Sosh’s philosophy, and trying to redefine them as the opposite is newspeak.
Stirrups - August 5, 2008
Double-plus panther
BruinHalo - August 5, 2008
I compeltely agree with you
And it would not be newspeak to remind everyone that, hey, this is NOT Scioscia’s blog!
Rev Halofan - August 5, 2008
Risky, Rev
But let’s take the karmic chances in order to relish this while it lasts…
Clutch - August 5, 2008
It felt like 1995 alot during the Sunday and Monday games
For younger fans, you had to be there. But the 2002 World Series put that type of season to bed for the Angels. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts.
tanana40 - August 5, 2008
I disagree. 2002 put 1986 to bed. It didn't put 1995 to bed.
2002 was the eckstein – too slow – too weak – no one gives us a chance but somehow we win team.
2008 is the “If we don’t at least get out of the first round we’re a bunch of chokers!”
Different dynamic, different year.
melvintoast - August 5, 2008
The afternoon drive....
...on KLAA were talking a lot about where the WS parade would be.
Talk about taking a karmic chance….sheesh.
ViolaHalo - August 5, 2008
Yeah...
I couldn’t believe they were doing that.
red floyd - August 5, 2008
Worst part was their reasoning for it.
“To reclaim our heritage of 105 years of baseball that is the LA Angels!”
Sorry, idiots, but that old PCL franchise still exists and still plays baseball today, and it does not play at Angels Stadium. It plays in Alburquerque.
Stirrups - August 5, 2008
They thought
it was Portland for a while. Probably the best reason not to do this (I think) is that the core of the Angels fanbase would have to travel to a different city see their team’s parade (if we’re so lucky as to win the WS). Absurd.
ViolaHalo - August 5, 2008
Yeah, that part was the total non-starter.
It kind of pissed me off that they were making claims that it would be racist to not attend. I was raised in OC, moved there in ‘62. My dad worked downtown LA for 20 years and I worked downtown LA for 17. I know the difference, and I know the travel, and I know the parade routes, and I know the LA people and the Dodger fan base. Totally stupid.
I wanted to call in and turn it around. If the Dodgers win the WS, why don’t thye come down to OC with their parade and reclaim all of SoCal, by having their parade in the streets of Anaheim and end up at Disneyland? No? Why not? Duh…I want my own radio show. I want to get paid to fill up air time by saying stupid things.
Stirrups - August 5, 2008
Even better...
...if the Dodgers were to win the WS – why not have the parade down Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn? You know, “reclaim their heritage.”
ViolaHalo - August 5, 2008
First of all...
And most importantly, this assumes a near impossibility.
red floyd - August 5, 2008
Well....
...there is always that.
ViolaHalo - August 5, 2008
Yikes
Who is “they?” They should be spoken to.
Rally Manatee - August 5, 2008
at last some serenity
and sanity. I was worried about you for a while there Rev.
I’d like to let those memories of you know when lay as dormant as possible. watching that gigantic beanpole rat-faced birderer of a pitcher throw his arms skyward as they attempted to blow up the dome from the inside with pyrotechnics is not a happy place for me.
gdog009 - August 5, 2008
again, 2 words
Mike Scioscia. we’re not going to fold with him and his coaches. the one thing i hope he’s learned a lesson on is keeping guys sharp after clinching and healthy for postseason.
SCHalo - August 5, 2008
And that home field advantage may help some
Rally Manatee - August 5, 2008
magic number...
NICE….....
blues911 - August 5, 2008
This reminds me...
I sat in centerfield last night too, for the first time. It’s pretty damn awesome how much Torii plays to the crowd. I shouted “If you wanna fight Torii, we support you!” after he got beaned the inning before. He gave the “fist of solidarity” and a smile. That guy just became my favorite Angel.
BruinHalo - August 5, 2008
what would you have sadi to GMJ?
SCHalo - August 5, 2008
"If you wanna fight Torii, we support Torii!"
Stirrups - August 5, 2008
Welcome to the "who gives a rats ass about 1995 club"
vladtheimpaler - August 5, 2008
Repeating 1995 is doubtful
Even if the Angels do drop a few, I’m going to go out on a limb and say I don’t think Texas will have the stamina to gain that much on us. I don’t think they’ll put together a huge streak.
Rally Manatee - August 5, 2008
i was gonna go out on a similar limb
and say the closest Texas gets is 6 or 7 games.
SCHalo - August 5, 2008
Karma
There sure are a lot of Hindus around here. Who would have thought that so many Angel fans are from India. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
I think all of this superstitious crap is nonesense. Do you really think that by posting “the Angels will definitely (or definitely not) reach the playoffs” that the post will influence the outcome of the season? Absurd.
And besides, as long as I don’t change my underwear until Oct 1, we have nothing to worry about.
vladtheimpaler - August 5, 2008
Your plight gives new meaning to "The Sound Of Thunder"
Stirrups - August 5, 2008
Hindu's believe in reincarnation, too...
Imagine coming back as an A’s fan. YIKES!
Downing Rules - August 8, 2008
Magic number countdown.......
I like it…and fear it all at the same time.
norcaliangelsfan - August 5, 2008
Baseball fans (and players) are wildly superstitious.
NEWS FLASH: nothing we say or do on this site (or anywhere else) has ANY affect on the Angels and their baseball games. Really.
halofan91 - August 5, 2008
B.S. I reject your reality, and insert mine.
Stirrups - August 5, 2008
LOL
halofan91 - August 6, 2008
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