Analysis: Angels Exposed Papelbon’s Flaws - Bats Blog - NYTimes.com
The starter Jered Weaver, who allowed more than half of his batted balls in the air, could be in for a particularly rough time. If the Angels’ hurlers cannot adapt their approach to counter the slugging strength of their next opponents, they will most likely find themselves sent home every bit as quickly as the Red Sox were in the first round.
It's a role reversal for Angels -- latimes.com
Now it's on to the American League Championship Series against New York -- Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is Friday in Yankee Stadium -- and it will be the Yankees, of all teams, who will have to answer the same questions that grew wearisome for the Angels.The Yankees may be baseball royalty, the franchise with 26 World Series trophies, but the Angels have won both of their playoff series against the Yankees, eliminating them in 2002 and 2005 division series.
Selig: I have no desire to expand instant replay - FOX Sports on MSN
"This goes on every time there's a controversial call," Selig said. "I understand the Phil Cuzzi call and others. But frankly, I'm quite satisfied with the way things are. "We need to do a little work, clean up some things. But do I think we need more replay? No. Baseball is not the kind of game that can have interminable delays."
But game changing umpire mistakes are okay!
Angels enjoying a season of comebacks - angelsbaseball.com
Resiliency was a trademark during the regular season, and it carried over into the playoffs. They set a franchise record with 47 comeback victories during the year, and they've tacked on two more in the AL Division Series.
Yankees-Angels: Preview Position by Position - Bleacher Report
Previewing the Yankees-Angels series position by position (but not very well).
ALCS Analysis: Angels vs. Yankees - CBSSports.com Baseball
The Angels are one team that won't be intimidated by coming to the Bronx, where the ALCS begins Friday night. Manager Mike Scioscia holds a 50-41 record against the Yankees -- making the Angels the only American League team with a winning record against New York over the past nine years -- and nine Angels remain from the team that eliminated the Yanks in the first round in 2005.
Analysis - Angels Can Win in Various Ways, and Often Have - NYTimes.com
Cashman added: "They’ve had long-ball issues. It’s something that was missing from their end a little bit — not that they’ve ever had a problem with us — but I think they can basically beat you in a number of different ways. So they’re a very dangerous team. Hey, to beat Boston, you have to be a dangerous team."
Plenty of reasons to love Los Angeles Angels and more notes - Jon Heyman - SI.com
The Angels, classy organization that they are, voted to give late pitcher Nick Adenhart a full postseason share, clubhouse sources confirmed. So Adenhart's former teammates are honoring the Adenharts with both their pay and their play.
Joe Posnanski - Seven Levels of the Torii Walk
First, the situation: Boston led the Angels by a run. Ninth inning. Two outs. Men on second and third. Torii Hunter stepped to the plate. Vladimir Guerrero waited on deck. The Red Sox called for the intentional walk.
The Baseball Analysts: Should Francona Have Intentionally Walked Hunter to Get to Guerrero?
While obviously the walk didn’t pay off for Francona and the Red Sox, was it a good move strategically? With runners on second and third, a single most likely scores the go-ahead run. A walk, however, does not immediately hurt you.
The Yankees Are Good, and It Has Nothing To Do With A-Rod Playing Peekaboo - Andy Hutchins - Sporting News
They rolled to 103 wins without extraordinary luck (their .309 BA on balls in play, especially compared to the Angels' .326 mark, is just about average) and by sacrificing fielding (they're third to last in the majors in Ultimate Zone Rating/150 at -4.7), so they're not without their chinks in the armor. And they've actually lost games to the Angels (5-5 record this year), unlike their ALDS opponent, who they swept 7-0 in the regular season before sweeping in the playoffs.
Curb, Muggings, UFL and the TBS Lead Booth Not In Postseason Form - Dan Levy - Sporting News
Sunday night, in the late innings of the Yankees clincher over the Twins, Caray stated that the Twins were having to string together at-bats to score, noting in that half inning they had "a double and a hit."
Blown calls by umpires in postseason spur talk of replay review - Joe Posnanski - SI.com
But, of course, baseball replay is inescapable now because these playoffs have been an umpiring disaster. I don't know if it's a trend -- it probably isn't a trend. It's probably just a bad run of high-profile missed calls. But it has felt like an epidemic, and it was topped off by the almost-impossible-to-believe missed call on Joe Mauer's sure-double against the Yankees on Friday night -- that ball was fair by a foot. Trend or not, this is the sort of thing that gets people talking, and the talk now is replay.
Boston fans team up on Angels’ fan in wheelchair - OCRegister.com
"So, I’m walking to the Angels game on Friday night and I see a couple of Sox fans turn around and start jawing at an Angels fan in a wheelchair and I’m thinking, ‘Oh, no. What’s this?’
Scioscia mulls pitching rotation - OCRegister.com
"We have four guys who all have the capability of being that guy," Scioscia said. "I don't think there's any guy we're going to be starting in this series that we wouldn't be comfortable starting in that (Game 7) scenario."
ALCS figures to lead with aces - angelsbaseball.com
Lackey has appeared in three playoff games against the Yankees, twice as a starter. He has surrendered three earned runs and 10 hits in 14 1/3 innings for a 1.88 ERA.
Yankees will be favored, but . . . - Los Angeles Times
The Yankees will be favored in the American League Championship Series. But after what the Angels accomplished in Boston, against a team many of us thought matched up better against them than the guys in pinstripes, well, let's just say the gentlemen from the West Coast have some things in their favor, as well.
PR-USA.net - Information Builders Predicts Major League Baseball's 2009 World Series Champion
Using key cumulative team statistics such as winning percentage, runs scored, batting average, total extra base hits, earned run average and fielding percentage, Information Builders was able to predict The Los Angeles Dodgers will defeat The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2009 Fall Classic.
Scioscia far from being an 'Angel'
HE HAS been a menace to us for damn near 30 years now, the thorn in our side, the cloud in our coffee, the bee in our bonnet, the fly in our ointment, the clouds on our sunny day. He has been our nemesis, our arch-enemy, our tormentor, our antagonist and our antagonizer. He inflicts misery for sport. He is a serial baseball sadist. He is Mike Scioscia, from Upper Darby, Pa., by way of Hell.
October 13 - BR Bullpen
Events, births and deaths that occurred on October 13.
2002 - The Anaheim Angels score 10 runs in the seventh inning on their way to a 13 - 5 victory over Minnesota to give Anaheim its first American League pennant in the team's history. Adam Kennedy was the hero for Anaheim with three home runs and seven RBI. Scott Spiezio hit a home run for the Angels, with Francisco Rodriguez getting the win in relief.
0 recs | 42 comments
Selig continues to show why he is the worst commissioner in professional sports
Give him one thing, he’s consistent
hk47 - October 13, 2009
"Baseball is not the kind of game that can have interminable delays."
This coming from a guy who’s enterprise just dragged us through a 4 hour and 6 minute game in 28 degree weather, past midnight.
Stirrups - October 13, 2009
The march of no respect continues.
From this article on MLB.com:
While it’s a cool stat, some of us will remember a fourth year this decade where Joe Torre was not managing in the LCS. Can anyone name that year? Anyone?
Zu Long - October 13, 2009
Cero Dos!!!!!!!!
AlanFalcon - October 13, 2009
The best part is that a few paragraphs up it talks about the Angels beating the Yankees in the 2002 and 2005 ALDS.
I mean, how far into Joe Torre’s pants do you have to be to make that kind of mental mistake?
Zu Long - October 13, 2009
I heard this morning per Rob Dibble (ex-ML pitcher)
That umpires for the post-season are chosen on a rotation system, and not by merit. This is something that I didn’t know. Another reason for such poor umpiring in the playoffs could be that the best umpires aren’t necessarily in the playoffs.
hk47 - October 13, 2009
I've heard repeatedly from others who should know that it is a merit system.
I’ve also read that many ML Umpires called out sick (injured, etc.) for the post-season, so this has been a smaller pool to draw from. We’ll see who ends up making the CS and WS cut though to see if there is any merit to the merit system.
AlanFalcon - October 13, 2009
Selig is a jackass
how about sanctioning umps for obviously bad calls? How about educating them when they screw up? How about a little accountability for these guys rather than the ‘oh well, it’s a bad call’ attitude? How about keeping track of the bad calls and suspending or fining them until they go into Ump Rehab?
Umps need to be knocked off their pedestals. The bad calls are getting more prevalent and affecting the games. Isn’t THAT a sign that things are not OK?
ladybug - October 13, 2009
He was quite satisfied with players doing steroids too
So long as the money kept rolling in and no one asked questions. But when Congress grants you a legal monopoly, I guess you can’t help but be a robber baron. What a great legacy he’ll leave.
Suboptimal - October 13, 2009
instant replay for baseball would take way less time than...
instant replay for football
catchers looking into the dugout for a sign on every pitch
hitters looking to the 3rd base coach for a sign on every pitch
3rd base coach looking into the dugout for what sign to give on every pitch
catchers walking out to the mound at least once an inning
pitching coaches walking out to the mound several times a game
tv timeouts for extra commercials
etc etc etc
Put a monitor by the 3rd base camera to make the “replay area” more accessible. The Mauer call could have been resolved in 30 seconds. I don’t see the problem, other than umps not being able to help MLB’s preferred teams (Nick Green Rules, Pyrzinski and Eddings re-writing the rule book on the fly, etc).
Fred Fredrix - October 13, 2009
The excuse that it would take too much time is an insult to anyone with at least half a brain...
Have an ump who is already stationed at a TV monitor make the call.
Holy shit, i just solved what Selig couldn’t solve in less than 3 seconds… unless there is an ulterior motive of not having instant replay.
clover_black - October 13, 2009
as i said in a previous fan post
i would want something like in the nhl, where an mlb official – nonumpire makes the call (who is up in the press box). it has already been proven that umpires are not willing to look at replays because they trust their own judgment (even after a manager requests one)
Halos in DE - October 13, 2009
My only problem with replay
Is that it will create a lot of subjectivity about what happens after the call is overturned.
Let’s say a soft line drive drops down the left field line. Bases are loaded. The umpire calls it a foul ball. They review it and find that it should have been a fair ball. Do they give the guy a single? A double? Who gets to score?
Same problem with an outfielder who dives for a ball. Let’s say the ump calls it an out, but IR shows it hit the ground. What do you do with the runners?
Maybe the answer is just to leave it to the umpires’ discretion. And it might turn out to be a non-issue. But it seems to introduce a lot more subjectivity in these rulings that will give managers grief.
Gorbachav5 - October 13, 2009
This one is easy. Move the ball half the distance to the goal.
Oh…wait.
Stirrups - October 13, 2009
Run it like the NFL
always play on and review afterwards…
BruinHalo - October 13, 2009
Papelbon flaws
I knew his parents, long before they went to court and had the family name legally changed from “Rosenhell”.
George Kaplan - October 13, 2009
I heard they briefly considered “Rosen-h-e-doublehockeysticks”
Gorbachav5 - October 13, 2009
Yes
but they later rejected the idea because it sounded “too ethnic”.
George Kaplan - October 14, 2009
I am glad we are playing the Yankees
It is time for me to get in touch with my deep seeded hatred of them.
They just haven’t been very relevant recently.
hauldog - October 13, 2009
apparently red sox fans did something classy
on truth and rumors on si (picked up from la times) they said after the win, red sox fans went by the angels locker room (underneath 3rd base grandstands) and started chanting ‘beat new york’
Halos in DE - October 13, 2009
i think it just shows how much more they hate the yanks than it did class.
retrohalo - October 13, 2009
I'll admit to being nervous
About putting Jered Weaver in front of the Yankee lineup in that stadium. Jered has been getting easy flyball outs his entire career, but there’s a much smaller margin for error when the yard is the size of a little league playing field, and the wind tunnel effect doesn’t help either. He also has a wicked split: .208 / .265 / .350 vs. righties but .276 / .335 / .477 vs. lefties. The Yankees will stack the lineup with seven left-handed or switch hitters and trust the short porch in right field to take care of the rest.
If he can keep guys off base then two or three solo homers won’t hurt too much, and hopefully AJ Burnett will shit in his hat. He was pretty terrible in his six innings the other day, putting seven guys on base via walks and hit batsmen alone, but the Twins just couldn’t deliver the knockout blow. Unfortunately for him, the Angels don’t have any black holes in their lineup like Carlos Gomez, Nick Punto, and Matt Tolbert.
Anything can happen. But I’ll still be hoping for an early series lead to cushion Game 2.
Suboptimal - October 13, 2009
+1
I almost want to say we need to hold Weav till game 3, but I’m still waffling….
gorams77 - October 13, 2009
I'm in on that thought train
Let’s go with Lackey and Kaz (or even Saunders?) in 1 and 2 and hold Weaver back for game 3 at home where his stats are much, much better. Saundo must be itching to pitch, I bet he has a gem in him waiting to come out for this series.
Lompoc Angel Fan - October 13, 2009
Yeah, we should save Weaver for game 3
The two righties in their lineup? Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.
The thing that helps Weaver is that if he pitches against Burnett, he’ll get to face Molina two or three times instead of Posada.
Gorbachav5 - October 13, 2009
The Yanks are looking at a three man rotation.
This pleases me.
hauldog - October 13, 2009
From this morning's NYPost:
Love it!
cath619 - October 13, 2009
awesome
44FAN - October 13, 2009
Wait
Madoff’s in Jail?
Old news…
BruinHalo - October 13, 2009
apparently was in a brawl!
(i just cut off the pic before “brawl”)
cath619 - October 13, 2009
I think that was the article here...
It was a great one:
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/scioscia_far_from_being_an_angel_t3whzhlJtBI8diQM8WDxpN
Downing Rules - October 13, 2009
How many Birthdays will be ruined?
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/these_angels_are_focused_on_mission_xTvwEaanobrkEQPW10GZPN
3rd Echelon - October 13, 2009
As Long As The Halos Don't Beat Themselves
The Angels will go the distance and beat the Yanks. The last series against the Yanks really was the preview for this upcoming ALCS. The Angels have a different goal and one that has deeper meaning than that of their opponent.
Dono Romantico - October 13, 2009
WTF is MLB thinking?
Game 3 is at 1:15 PM on a MONDAY!!!!!!!! I guess they didn’t want to risk losing the audience to the NFL?
red floyd - October 13, 2009
But that's 4:15 here on the East Coast
Which is what really matters to them.
Suboptimal - October 13, 2009
Seriously
I STILL can’t believe they’re starting the Dodger game at 1:30 on Friday instead of at 7. Ridiculous.
Gorbachav5 - October 13, 2009
They should have swapped the 4PM games.
And made it ALCS Game 2 in NY at 4PM ET and NLCS Game 3 in PHI at 4PM ET.
red floyd - October 13, 2009
I applaud that decision.
Make it a holiday here in SoCal.
Downing Rules - October 13, 2009
I shall petition my company to give us all the day off.
AlanFalcon - October 13, 2009
seige the fortress
unless they give into your demands
princeton11loveshalos - October 14, 2009
Even all the Angels fans knew
that walking Hunter to get the Vlad was just wonky.
Glad Francona did it. :D
Slyintine - October 13, 2009
Angels are going down
Angels, good luck ….you should retitle your blog, and say Cy young winner and John Wacky….What did angels pitcher pitch this year ? Just over 10 wins that’s horrible…. Your going to need more than that gay rally monkey for this series….
brooklyn007 - October 14, 2009
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