Halos Heaven

I love reading that our stadium is "ancient" in the Times, of all places; it's newer than the one in Chavez Ravine, but do they call that one Ancient?

Makes me laugh every time I consider the really old stadiums and yeah, I know almost everyone has a newer one than ours but that doesn’t make ours ancient. Fenway and Wrigley really are old, built back in the 19-teens.

opiejeanne - October 12, 2009 reply

Anonymous Scout that predicts the angels don't win a game against the sox...

is there a follow-up to this in the media? Or is this one of those things where they get a free pass under the guise of an “anonymous scout” that most likely never existed in the first place.

clover_black - October 12, 2009 reply

How ironic is it that today is the anniversary of the Donnie Moore game.

halofan4life - October 12, 2009 reply

I don't want to vote in this poll unless you add an "all of them" button.

opiejeanne - October 12, 2009 reply

Vlad Guerrero thoughts...

LINKIE

I LOVE the Arte quote about hiding from the Soth… :D

Mike Scioscia, the manager, called the hit the biggest of Guerrero’s distinguished career. Guerrero, who hit a grand slam in the 2004 playoffs against Boston, had driven in one run in his previous 72 postseason at-bats. Now he had driven in two, on one swing, to rid the Angels of those annoying Red Sox.

Said Hunter: “He had one of the biggest smiles on his face that I’d ever seen. He was so excited. He was so happy. He was like a little kid.”

This might be the last heroic moment of Guerrero’s celebrated career, at least with the Angels. He’ll be a free agent this fall, and he appears to rank below Abreu, Figgins, John Lackey and probably Darren Oliver on the priority list.

“I don’t know if he’s going to be an Angel next year, so we want him to go out on a great note,” hitting coach Mickey Hatcher said, “because he’s done so much for this organization. You root for him so hard.”

Arte Moreno, the owner, wouldn’t touch questions about Guerrero’s future.

“Right now, we’re focused on the next game,” Moreno said. “If Mike hears me talking about anything more than that, I’m going to have to go hide.”

As the celebration wound down in the clubhouse, Guerrero did go and hide. The Angels still were dousing one another with champagne and beer when Guerrero walked slowly, ever so slowly, into the trainer’s room.

The trainers unrolled the thick wrapping from his knees, and from one of his ankles. He still has a few more games, at least, to get ready to play with the Angels. He is not done yet.

K3YEROUT - October 12, 2009 reply

BIG DADDY IN RACING GOOGLES!

3rd Echelon - October 12, 2009 reply

The Wall Street Journal Article is The Worst.

So, Jason Gay of the WSJ has written a particularly feckless writeup of yesterday’s game, which you can read (when you vomit, vomit away from the computer) here.

You’ve got to admit: That was some old-school, gruesome Red Sox playoff self-immolation Sunday. A vintage, kick-the-TV, smash-the-Betamax, not-taking-the-kids-to-IHOP Calvin Schiraldi-era special. Up 5-1 over the rootless Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of the West Coast of the United States, the Sox allowed the Angels to write a cruel new chapter in Boston sports history. In the ninth inning, before many fans way too fresh-faced to remember Bill Buckner or Bucky Dent, the suddenly flammable closer Jonathan Papelbon allowed three runs and gifted the Angels a 7-6 playoff-sealing victory.

(emphasis mine)

This entire paragraph is the worst thing I have read all week. First off, “rootless?” Listen, Jason. We have our roots. We may not have the much ballyhooed history that the Sox trot out at any opportunity, but we’ve got our own highlight reel. We’re making history as you are writing, numbnuts. Our roots start in Anaheim, California, and travel throughout the world.

Second, I am totally tired of jokes about the Angels’ name. Let’s have a funeral for this tired humor. I will show up first in line, and hell, I’ll give the eulogy:

“The Angels, tired of all of the fuss over their name, decided to just win. If they put up enough flags with Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on it, people would start recognizing, and shut the hell up.”

Third, the Red Sox “allowed” the Angels to win? Papelbon “gifted” the Angels three runs? Go back and watch the ninth inning, Jason. The Angels didn’t need an outfielder to suddenly take a ball in the groin to get a comeback win. No, the Angels actually earned the hell out of that comeback, fighting off pitch after pitch with patience and determination. Watch Erick Aybar, down two strikes stroke out a sweet single. Watch Chone Figgins draw a walk, also down two strikes. This was not a gift. The Angels won because they are the better team.

The rest of the article is about the Sox, and it’s a yawn fest, even though Jason does temper his statements with some nice words for the Halos near the end. But by then, it’s too little too late.

Also, I am not going to touch the headline of your article (“Boston Goes Down in a Fiery Crash”) with a ten-foot pole. Yeesh. Where’s an editor when you need one?

RubixsQube - October 12, 2009 reply

does anyone have the photo

with them celebrating with adenhart’s jersey on the mound? thanks

Halos in DE - October 12, 2009 reply

Bobby RBIbreu was clutch the whole series......

easily the MVP.

norcaliangelsfan - October 12, 2009 reply

Amen!

Many people, particularly in the Northeast quadrant of our republic, would argue that the ALCS that would pack the biggest emotional punch by far would be Yankees vs. Red Sox.

This is true, but it doesn’t make it the best baseball matchup. The Red Sox and the Angels just played for what turned out to be the right to play the Yankees. It was true that in their three previous ALCS meetings, the Angels were 1-9 against the Red Sox. But those days are not these days. The Angels swept the Red Sox, producing two terrific pitching performances in Anaheim and encoring with a last-ditch comeback in Boston, scoring three runs off Jonathan Papelbon, a closer who had never before given up a run in the postseason.

The Angels’ sweep was not a fluke or an aberration. It was instead, better pitching, better defense, more timely hitting, which all added up to better baseball.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091011&content_id=7434312&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

3rd Echelon - October 12, 2009 reply

ok, ok, i know

that bobby did his thing and was easily the best player in this series but you gotta give it up to vladdy. the sux practically spit in his face – walking hunter to get to him – but does he drown in self-doubt and hack at whatever comes within a five mile vicinity?

NO. he steps up and earns his way into yet another chapter of angels lore. i think for that alone, vlad gets mvp(for this series, that is).

retrohalo - October 12, 2009 reply

One of the Greatest Games in History!

Big Bad, 'Vlad'! - October 12, 2009 reply

they are all mvp's

I dont think that we can choose 1 mvp this series. Everyone in that lineup was superb this series, everyone chipped away at that red sox pitching and defence and kept us in the game the entire time. That game on sunday was the best angels game that I have ever seen. Fan strong for 23 years now…

sergio c - October 12, 2009 reply

Lackey

I kinda like to think that Lackey was the one that went out and set the tone for this whole series. Especially when there were not a lot of people, even here in HH, including myself, that thought he could do it. Same argument could be used for Hunter.

Carl G - October 12, 2009 reply

Abreu

.556 batting average with 4 walks this post season.

With that being said, Vlady’s middle finger to Boston in the 9th not only got rid of that awful Sox history but also avenged Donny Moore while making every ESPN “expert” eat his own words. Hell, maybe the bias will make it’s way out to the west coast. (I doubt it).

Teixeira Who? - October 12, 2009 reply

At the risk of sounding negative...

I’m not looking past the skanks. Am I elated that we’ve finally gotten past those self righteous NY wannabes in boston? Of course, I’m extremely satisfied right now. But lets get past espn’s beloved bastards in pinstripes, then we can talk about a freeway or Philly series, until then, lets just handle our business. Go Halos and do it for Nick!!

halofolife - October 12, 2009 reply