(From left) Juan Rivera, Torri Hunter, and Bobby Abreu look on during an eighth-inning pitching change. Their Angels tried to fight back in Game 6 and in the series, but the New York Yankees proved to be too good to ultimately take down. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Behind by two in the eighth inning with the speedy Chone Figgins on second base, Anaheim Angels’ slugger and future Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero took what may have been his final swing as a member of the franchise, slicing a cut-fastball from New York Yankees famed closer Mariano Rivera into right-field. Figgins sped around third and scored. It was the first run Rivera had allowed at home in the postseason since 2000, a span of 36 innings, and the last the resilient Angels would score in their ever-so successful season.

To give Rivera a cushion, as if, despite his hiccup, the best closer in history needed it, New York’s dangerous offense benefited from two errors in the bottom the eighth to score two times. Their lead was now 5-2, and they were three outs away from making their first trip to the World Series since 2003, when then-Florida Marlins ace Josh Beckett and then-shortstop Edgar Renteria sent them home bitterly unhappy.

Andy Pettitte, one of the best postseason starting pitchers of his age, pitched up to his reputation, allowing the first run of the game by either teams, but nothing else.

An inning after Bobby Abreu drove in Jeff Mathis, who led off the third with his sixth double of the series, the Yankees proved they were just too much for the Angels. Anaheim’s starter Joe Saunders allowed six baserunners over the first three frames, and managed to work out of trouble in each. The Yankees, a team that was baffled by the left-hander in Game 3, had been once through the lineup and hadn’t been fooled. Now, they were ready to make up for their missed opportunities and take control of a series that was inevitably theirs. Robinson Cano walked to begin the frame. Nick Swisher followed with just his third hit of the series, and then Melky Cabrera executed the fundamentals, moving the runners over and into scoring position. The next four hitters reached: Derek Jeter walked, Johnny Damon hit a two-run single, Mark Teixeira singled to load the bases, and then Alex Rodriguez walked to force in a run.

The Yankees were able to do something the Angels have struggled to for a majority of the American League Championship Series, put runners on consecutively, get the big hit, and then get in position for a big inning. Surprisingly, New York’s chances to break Game 6 open ended when Jorge Posada grounded into a double play against the Angels brilliant veteran reliever Darren Oliver.

Anaheim had chances to battle back from the 3-1 deficit in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, but couldn’t come through: Juan Rivera led off the fifth with a single and was erased on an inning-ending double-play by Erick Aybar, and then in the sixth Kendry Morales stranded Torri Hunter on third and Guerrero on second after both had reached with two outs, and then in the seventh, they couldn’t crack Yankees middle-reliever Joba Chamberlain after a one-out single by Rivera ended Pettitte’s night.

The Angels did some damage against Rivera, but could only muster the one run in the eighth.  Their offense had shown life, but in the bottom of the frame, which the Angels needed to be scoreless, their defense let them down, giving the Yankees an opportunity to pad their lead and taste victory.

Cano led off the inning against Ervin Santana, who was a starting pitcher during the regular season, and coaxed four straight balls out of the 26-year old lanky righthander. Scott Kazmir, another starter turned reliever, replaced him and was done in by two miscues behind him. Swisher tapped a sacrifice to Morales near the pitchers mound, and the first baseman fired to second baseman Howie Kendrick covering first. Kendrick reached out his glove on the routine play, heard the ball smack against its leather, but then inexplicably dropped it. Kazmir was next to commit a costly gaffe. He fielded a bunt by Cabrera, and was indecisive about whether to throw hard or soft to first. Trying to be careful and not throw it away, he threw it away, lobbing it high over the outstretched glove of a leaping Kendrick. His soft-toss bounded down the right-field line, allowing Cano to score. Teixeira then tacked on another run, lifting a deep flyball to center to plate Swisher.

What a horrible way to lose. The Angels had the fourth-best defensive unit in the majors this season, but in this series, have committed countless costly mental and fielding errors to make life easier for the Yankees. These two capped off an un-Angels like series in the field, and put them in a deep hole with Rivera ready for the ninth.

Rivera, with the uncharacteristic eighth behind him (he would have allowed four hits in the frame if not for a diving stop by Teixeira and perfect positioning by Cano), started a new postseason scoreless streak at home. The Yankee crowd cheered jubilantly as Kendrick grounded out to third, and then louder once Rivera flied out to Cabrera. The 60,000 fans wearing Darth Vader black were on their feet, relishing in the moment, knowing the inevitable was near. Gary Matthews Jr., who has yet to pay dividends after signing a 5-year, $50 million deal in 2006, was called on to pinch-hit for catcher Mike Napoli. After falling behind 1-2, he took two adrenaline-filled cutters to work a full-count. Rivera fired a sixth cutter high, and the strikeout-prone Matthews swung right through the pitch, sending the Yankees into celebration.

The Angels walked around the dugout in dejected fashion while the Yankees huddled in the middle of the diamond, congratulating each other on their ALCS win. The victors took the celebration into the clubhouse, uncorked countless bottles of champagne and sprayed the bubbly in every direction. For the first time since 2003, the Yankees are going to the World Series. The defending champion Philadelphia Phillies await.

A-Rod powered the Yankees past Minnesota. Does he have an encore performance for Hollywood?

The American League championship is a battle between East and West as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim set to do battle starting on Friday night in The Bronx.  Before that, though, let’s take a look at both of these teams head-to-head.

Catcher
The Angels seem to have finally found their long-term solution behind the plate in Mike Napoli, who has really begun to play well on a consistent basis.  He also has a great relationship with an Angels’ pitching staff that might have the most depth of all the remaining teams in the playoffs.  The Yankees, on the other hand, caused some waves by electing to use backup catcher Jose Molina in Game 2 of the ALDS to catch Jorge Posada.  Although, with his series-clinching home run in Game 3, it’s hardly a debate in New York as to who the true starting catcher is.  In the end, it’s always a comfort to have someone who is young behind the plate and can deal with all the pitchers in his battery.

Advantage: Angels

First Baseman
This is much more clear cut than catcher was.  Mark Teixeira had an unbelievable regular season and stands to possibly win the MVP award this year.  Kendry Morales, while he played very well this year, is not the man he is attempting to replace who is, ironically enough, Mark Teixeira.

Advantage: Yankees

Second Baseman
Again, this position is simply a case of having a consistent and solid player against having a platoon system of two sometimes good players.  Robinson Cano had a bounce back year this season, putting himself back in the upper echelons of second basemen in the American League.  Meanwhile, after holding the second base slot for most of the year, Howie Kendrick lost the spot to Maicer Izturis, neither of whom bring the productivity or the talent to their team that Cano does.

Advantage: Yankees

Third Baseman
This is actually a tougher call than I initially thought it would be.  On the one hand, the Yankees have Alex Rodriguez, who, in spite of missing a month of baseball and being under the steroid cloud, still hit for 30 and 100.  On the other hand, the Angels have Chone Figgins, who is a do-it-all kind of player and is usually the key to their offense’s overall success.  At the outset of the playoffs, I would have definitely taken Figgins based off of A-Rod’s lack of postseason success.  However, it looks like he’s shaking those demons and will be a key factor in the ALCS.

Advantage: Yankees

Shortstop
Erick Aybar has been quite a revelation for the Angels this year, and that continued into the playoffs with his .364 average against the Boston Red Sox, which is unreal production from the #9 spot in any team’s lineup.  The Yankees counter with their captain, Derek Jeter, who has proven time and again that he just knows how to win.  He may not always light up the scoreboard, but Jeter finds ways to have an impact that most players don’t.

Advantage: Yankees

Outfield
The Angels have an outfield that is very experienced and very dangerous.  They have Torii Hunter, who is playing hungrier for winning than any other player in the postseason right now, Bobby Abreu, who would love nothing more than to beat his former team and get to the World Series they promised him, and Juan Rivera, who since leaving New York for Los Angeles, has been a thorn in the side of Yankee pitching.  The Yankees have an outfield of Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, and Nick Swisher, the three of which combined for 4 hits in the ALDS and will face even better pitching and will probably be challenged defensively much more in this series.

Advantage: Angels at all 3 positions.

Starting Pitching
This is where the series will be won and lost.  There is no denying the strength of the front of the Yankee rotation with Sabathia and Burnett.  There is also no denying that the Angels are very deep with Lackey, Jered Weaver, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, and Scott Kazmir.  It’s almost impossible to determine which is going to win out. Either way, expect some pitching duels in the series.

Advantage: Push

Bullpen
The Yankees have continuously touted the new-found strength of their middle relief this season, but it was less than convincing against the Minnesota Twins.  The Angels’ bullpen isn’t heard from all that much, and that’s because their fairly mediocre.  The tipping point is that the Yankees have the greatest closer in postseason history backing their bullpen, while the Angels have Brian Fuentes, who is basically untested in the playoffs in his career.

Advantage: Yankees, just slightly

Prediction: The positional breakdown is fairly even between these two teams as far as I am concerned, and it’s hard to determine because the teams play much different styles of baseball. That’s why it’s going to be those so-called “intangibles” that will win this series. Can the Yankees overcome their lack of postseason success against Los Angeles, or will the Angels work their way past them yet again?  As far as I’m concerned, the Angels and Yankees are the same teams that they were the last time they faced, another time the Yankees were favored against them.  Los Angeles might even be better than they were in 2002 when they won it all, and that’s why I’m taking the Angels in Six.

A-Rod got the postseason monkey off his back against the Twins. Is the Angels' Rally Monkey next on his list?

It’s a tale as old as time. Light versus dark, good versus evil, heaven versus hell, and of  course, Angels vs Demons Yankees. It’s difficult to find two teams more diametrically opposed than L.A. and New York, and fittingly the bi-coastal rivals meet in the 2009 ALCS to determine who will represent the American League in this year’s World Series. The Yankees and Angels were 1-2 in the AL in wins, but got there in vastly different ways. One team relied on speed, timely hitting,  sacrifice bunts and the dreaded “productive out”. The other team found success with sheer brawn, overpowering inferior opponents with an offensive barrage that made the U.S.’s invasion of Normandy look like child’s play. Which style will prevail when the two meet head-to-head in a no-holds barred cage match? Let’s break it down:

Torii Hunter is good. But can he keep up with A-Rod and Teixeira?

Offense: Though the Yankees trio of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira receive more recognition than any L.A. hitter, the Angels had one of the most balanced lineups in all of baseball. The Halos averaged 5.5 runs per game in setting a single season franchise record for runs (the Yanks were slightly better at 5.6 runs per game). Although they’re not as explosive as New York, eight of L.A.’s starters hit .287 or better on the year, leading to a tremendous .285 team average. The team’s sparkplug is leadoff man Chone Figgins who stole 42 bases to go along with a .395 OBP. He sets the table for Bobby Abreu (.293-15 HR-103 RBI-30 SB), Torii Hunter (.299-22-90), Vladimir Guerrero (.295-15-50), Kendry Morales (.306-34-108) and Juan Rivera (.287-25-88). There are no easy outs in the lineup, and the Angels combination of patience at the plate and speed on the basepaths will make them a difficult matchup for Yankee pitchers. New York counters with the league’s highest scoring lineup headlined by Teixeira (.292-39-122), A-Rod (.286-30-100) and Jeter (.334-18-66). There’s great depth in the Bronx Bombers lineup, as players like Johnny Damon, Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher and Hideki Matsui produce in whatever portion of the lineup that Joe Girardi employs them. Both teams are solid top-to-bottom, but there is a reason that the Yankees led the AL in runs, OBP, slugging and OPS–they’re really good. Advantage: New York

Can A.J. Burnett pitch effectively and help led the Yankees back to the World Series?

Starting Pitching: It sounds like Girardi is planning to go with a 3-man rotation for the series, a good idea given that the Yankees’ rotation drops off precipitously after C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettite. Sabathia looked sharp against the Twins and New York will rely on the hefty lefty to get them a win in game one. The Yankees #2 starter, Burnett, is consistently inconsistent and got a win in the ALDS despite issuing 5 walks; he won’t be able to get away with that against the Angels. The savvy vet of the group, Pettite, has an impressive postseason resume and enough guts and guile to keep the Yankees within striking distance. The Angels starting pitching has been sub par all season, finishing 9th in the AL with a 4.45 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. The ace of the staff is John Lackey, a proven winner who bounced back from an early injury to post a strong season (11-8, 3.83 ERA). Jered Weaver will likely get the start in game two, and despite the fact that he is Jeff Weaver’s brother and sports a wicked mullet, was solid throughout the season and against Boston in the ALDS. After Lackey and Weaver, the Angels could go with either Scott Kazmir or Joe Saunders, two players who had horrendous starts to the season, but looked much better in the second half. Neither of these pitching staffs is a sure thing, but the Yankees get the nod because of Pettite’s experience. Advantage: New York

Relief Pitching: The bullpen is the only facet of this series where these two teams don’t match up at all. Despite the fact that they led the majors with 51 saves, the Angels relief pitching is still a major question mark. Closer Brian Fuentes was erratic all season long, finishing the year with a 3.93 ERA and an even more unsightly 1.40 WHIP. Fuentes blew 7 saves in the regular season and he can’t afford to keep putting extra runners on base against a potent Yankees’ attack. On the other hand, New York counters with arguably the greatest postseason pitcher of all-time, Mariano Rivera. The “Panamanian Canalligator” is 8-1 in the playoffs, with 35 saves and a redonkulous 0.74 ERA; Rivera makes Michael Jordan look like A-Rod in crunch time–he’s as clutch as they come. The Yankees also found a dependable setup man in Phil Hughes and will have Joba Chamberlain available if need be. This one’s a no doubter. Advantage: New York

With lights-out Mariano Rivera in the bullpen the Yankees are built for a return to glory.

Coaching:  There are few managers more respected in the game of baseball than Mike Scioscia and for good reason, his teams love him and he wins games. Scioscia guided the Angels to a World Series title in 2002 and has only recorded one losing season since taking over in L.A. following the 1999 season. He’s a great X’s and O’s guy who emphasizes a National League style of play, which his team is perfectly suited for, and he consistently gets the most out of everyone on the Angels’ roster. Girardi rebounded after a tumultuous season to led the Yankees to the best record in baseball (103-59) and has done an admirable job managing some of the games highest paid players. Scioscia’s been here before, expect him to have the Angels ready to give the Yankees a run for their money. Advantage: Los Angeles

Outcome: This is a matchup that baseball analysts call “intriguing” simply because there isn’t much else to say about it. The Yankees are a markedly better team than the Angels with advantages in offense, starting pitching and relief pitching. New York looks like a team on a mission, and now that A-Rod discovered how to hit in the postseason (thank you Kate Hudson), Los Angeles will have their hands full trying to stop the Yankees from returning to their first World Series since 2001. The Angels will sneak out a couple of wins but New York will ultimately win the series in 6 games, as Teixeira garners ALCS MVP honors, and fans worldwide will once again have to put up with the evil empire in the World Series.

With the Minnesota Twins finally claiming the final spot in baseball’s postseason with last night’s 6-5 win over the Detroit Tigers to claim the American League Central title, the playoffs have finally been set. Of course, that means only one thing: it’s time to make predictions!

Of course, those predictions will likely go up in smoke almost immediately after I post them, but so be it. Someone has to be willing to make them – I might as well put myself out there and endure the ridicule.

With that out of the way, its on to the predictions:

National League:

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies:

The Phillies come into the playoffs with a few question marks – most importantly in their bullpen, which was the reason, ironically, that they won the World Series last year. The Rockies, on the other hand, have rocketed through the final weeks of the season – much like they did back in 2007 when they stormed to the World Series.

Despite losing talented starter Jorge De La Rosa for this series because of a groin injury, I like the Rockies to make it through this series. Despite the powerful Phillies lineup and the 1-2 punch of Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, I think the Rockies have enough depth through their lineup and bullpen to find a way to win the series. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they’re hot.

Winner: Rockies

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals:

The Dodgers have scuffled mightily down the stretch, and have as many questions as anyone at this point. Chad Billingsley has had a rough few weeks, and their offense has also had question marks up and down it.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, are armed with two great players anchoring their lineup in Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, and they have three excellent starting pitchers with Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and Joel Piniero. The one Achilles heel that they have, however, is the back of their bullpen, where closer Ryan Franklin has been a train wreck lately.

I’m still going to take the Cardinals, though, because I don’t want to be on the other side of Pujols and that starting rotation.

Winner: Cardinals

American League:

Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels:

The Red Sox have seen their pitching staff round into form of late, with Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz pitching as well as any group in baseball. Combine that with a reinvigorated David Ortiz and midseason acquisition Victor Martinez, and the Red Sox are again ready to contend in October.

The Angels also have a strong team once again, with John Lackey and Ervin Santana anchoring their rotation and Cuban revelation Kendry Morales anchoring their lineup. They do, however, have a much weaker bullpen than in the past, starting with Brian Fuentes, their closer, who isn’t nearly as good as the departed Francisco Rodriguez, whether he had over 40 saves this season or not.

These two teams seem to meet every year in the playoffs in the division series, with the same results – the Red Sox knocking off the Angels. I think that’s going to happen again this year.

Winner: Red Sox

Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees

The Twins have stormed into the playoffs, winning 17 of their last 21 games (including last night’s win) – all without their second-best player, first baseman Justin Morneau. But they’ve gotten huge contributions from players like Jason Kubel, Denard Span and Michale Cuddyer that have helped carry them in Morneau’s absence, and, as always, the pitching staff is consistent.

The Yankees, on the other hand, are well rested and confident, as they probably should be. But there’s no doubt that they have some serious problems. Their starting pitching could be a mess – CC Sabathia has been more than shaky in the postseason, A.J. Burnett is already getting into his own head, as the Yankees revealed when they took one of their better hitters out of the lineup in Jorge Posada to allow Jose Molina to catch Burnett in Game Two, and Andy Pettitte is fighting a balky shoulder. Plus, the Yankees bullpen is very shaky outside of the great Mariano Rivera.

With all of that being said, it’s still probably the smart pick to take the Yankees. But I think the Twins, like several other wild card teams in years past, are riding a hot streak right now, and I think they can jump their past history against the Yankees and topple Goliath.

Winner: Twins

World Series pick: Cardinals over Red Sox

Yankees (95-56) vs. Angels (90-60)

Pitching Matchup:

RHP Chad Gaudin (1-0 3.68) vs RHP Ervin Santana (7-8, 5.43)

Lineup

Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Gardner CF

Game News & Notes

• Santana is 1-5 with a 7.24 ERA in nine home starts this season and 5-2 with a 5.09 ERA in seven career outings against the Yankees.
• Hideki Matsui’s pinch-hit home run on Monday was the first of his career and the Yankees’ third in 2009. Jorge Posada slugged the other two. Matsui has 13 home runs off left-handed pitching this season, most in the Major Leagues among left-handed batters. The Rays’ Carlos Pena — out for the remainder of the season — is second with 12.
• Alex Rodriguez has 66 home runs and 148 RBIs lifetime against the Angels, the most all-time homers and the most RBIs among active players.
• With Derek Jeter’s next hit, the Yankees’ captain will log his seventh season with at least 200 hits. Jeter owns a .335 (177-for-528) batting average in 133 career games against the Angels, tops among active Major Leaguers with at least 200 at-bats.

The game will take place at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California. The game is scheduled to start at 10:05PM ET. The game will be televised on MY9 and the MLB Network. The game can also be heard on the radio on WCBS 880. Enjoy the game. Go Yankees!

Come join us on the forum to take part in our Gameday chat

———————————————————————————————–

‘Age’ suit vs. Yanks / Yankees bring up IF Miranda from Scranton

Yanks immediate sights on winning East / Maybe it will be the Twins?

Every start an opportunity for Gaudin / Wild Thought: CC on Three

Despite blip, Yanks have matters well at hand / The return of Godzilla

Yankees welcome back Ian Kennedy / Pick a #4 starter

Yankees rookies get ’super’ hazing / Gaudin to the Rescue

The trials and tribulations of Joba / The Wins Argument

Robertson aims for weekend return / Another Angle on Joba

 Girardi expects more from Joba / The Captain vs. The Monkey

Chamberlain’s bumpy road to October / Andy makes me uncomfortable

Before the waiver deadline last month, the Angels were hoping to find an arm somewhere in the MLB that could help solidify a struggling Angels rotation.

Scott Kazmir, formerly of the Tampa Bay Rays, turned out to be that guy, despite having a rough year up until the time of him changing scenery.

Don’t look too deeply into the new hurler’s 0-1 record with the Angels after 2 starts, the record misleads Kazmir’s contributions completely.

He’s faced one of the American League’s best pitchers and a potential Cy Young award-winner in Félix Hernández in both of his starts (14-5 record, 2.61 ERA), and has received virtually no run support in return (offense has produced 3 total runs in his 2 starts).

Here are Kaz’s numbers for his first two starts in Halo red:

September 2nd @ Seattle – 6.1 innings/3 hits/2 runs (1 earned)/1 walk/8 strikeouts (loss – 3-0 final)

September 8th vs. Seattle – 7 innings/3 hits/1 earned run/2 walks/4 strikeouts (no decision – 3-2 final)

His numbers combined through his first 2 starts are:

13 1/3 innings pitched, 6 hits, 2 earned runs, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts

He has now gone 6 or more innings in 10 of his last 11 starts.

He has allowed 1 earned run in each of his last 3 starts (best streak of the season).

Despite a rough first few months for the 25-year-old Kazmir, he’s apparently saved his best baseball for when it matters most… crunch time.

It looks like Kazmir seems rejuvenated to be pitching with a contender since the Rays have fallen off in the past few weeks, and you have to love the composure he brought in his first start.

After an error, a walk, and a hit batter (Kazmir’s first 3 batters he faced as an Angel), it seemed like the Angels made an awful decision to bring him in… at first glance.

How would he respond?

3 straight strikeouts to end the inning. No runs. No damage done. Inning over. Whew!

And he’s been sensational ever since. His walk-to-strikeout ratio has been outstanding. His control has been great. And he seems to have garnered a new sense of self-confidence that he hasn’t had since the Rays made their improbable run to the World Series just a year ago.

For better or worse, pitching is contagious. For a decent portion of the year, pitching has been unfavorably contagious for the Angels’ rotation as well as their bullpen.

Now that September has rolled around, and Kazmir has injected a little bit of new life into this Halo rotation, I’m hoping his positive starts can continue to influence Jered Weaver (14 wins entering tonight’s start), Joe Saunders (3 straight wins), John Lackey (17 innings, 1 earned run in last 2 starts), and most importantly Ervin Santana (5 straight starts of 3 or fewer earned runs until his last start).

Hopefully, the best from this Angels rotation is yet to come.

In a trade that was on, then off, then on again, and then off again, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim finally acquired LHP Scott Kazmir from the Tampa Bay Rays for minor leaguers Alexander Torres, Mathew Sweeney, and the infamous Player to be Named Later.

Kazmir is heading to LA

Even though by trading their 25-year-old lefty, it looks like the Rays are throwing in the towel in 2009, I actually like this trade for the Rays. I know most Rays fans and more importantly the Rays players don’t feel the same way, but at the end of the day this is a smart move by the Rays organization.

Here is why I like this trade for the Rays:

1. First and foremost, Kazmir had $23 million left on his deal. The Angels are taking on all of that $23 million off of the Rays hands. The Rays can now use that money on a Carl Crawford extension or to sign a closer.

I know JP Howell has been okay as the Rays’ closer, but you can’t win a World Series with him as your closer. I am sorry, but you just can’t.

2. Take the name Kazmir off the back of the jersey and what do you got? You got a guy who’s velocity has decreased this year, his K/9 is the lowest of his career (7.4), his ERA is the highest of his career (5.92), and his record is just 8-7.

Kazmir wasn’t worth the money he was going to make.

3. The Rays can replace Kazmir. The Rays can go one of two ways. They can call up top prospect Wade Davis (10-7, 3.26 ERA) or Andy Sonnanstine (5-3, 4.40 ERA) from Triple-A Durham.

The other direction the Rays can go is to sign the recently released Brad Penny. Penny’s stats are strikingly similar to that of Kazmir’s. Penny was 7-8 with an ERA of 5.61. The Rays could get the same production as Kazmir for only around $85,000.

4. The Rays got three prospects for Kazmir. While they are not the Angels best prospects, Torres is a 22-year-old LHP and has a 23-11 record with a 3.19 ERA in four minor league seasons.

Sweeney is a 21-year-old 3B who has hit .285 with a .361 OBP in three minor league seasons.

From the Angels perspective, they are hoping they are getting the Kazmir from his last three starts, rather than the one who has struggled for most the year. In his last three starts, Kazmir is 2-0 with 21 strikeouts in 19.2 innings pitched.

The Angels also made this move thinking ahead towards the playoffs. Kazmir is 4-0 with a 2.95 ERA against the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in 2009.

I have two questions for the Angels. 1. Does the acquisition of Kazmir end the John Lackey era in Los Angeles? Lackey is a free agent at the end of the year and figures to be in line for a big contract and 2. what will the Angels playoff rotation look like in October?

The Angels have a five-man rotation now of Lackey, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, Jered Weaver, and Kazmir. Unless the Angels go with an unprecidented five-man rotation in the playoffs, one of these guys is going to have to head to the bullpen.

I thought the Angels would be better off going after relief help, but Kazmir should help.

There are two guaranteed arguments for baseball fans: the value of the designated hitter and the wisdom of the hit and run. Tonight we had a successful hit and run, so somebody somewhere has a point for his side, and somebody somewhere else has a rationalization.

Debates about the hit and run are essentially varying views on baseball risk management. Managers like Earl Weaver think it’s nuts to gamble a possible out for advancing a runner. Managers like Mike Scoscia, tonight, think the reward outweighs the risk, particularly if it takes the opponent by surprise.

It took the Twins by surprise, all right. After a four-pitch walk to Erick Aybar started the eleventh inning with the score tied 5-5, Scoscia called the play with Gary Matthews Jr at bat. The Twins had been expecting a bunt to nudge the runner over, and the fielders left a hole Matthews exploited for a single.

Now, there’s no question the hit and run worked in this instance. It was even something of the centerpiece of the Angels’ comeback. They would go on to hit six singles, collect one more walk, and score six runs to win 11-5. The Twins tried to staunch the bleeding with three different relievers, but once the Angels set to hitting, they really don’t stop.

The hit and run has a pretty problem—if it fails, it often leads to a double play, which is the very outcome it is designed to forestall. The play affects the actions of both baserunner and batter, but it is called before either can judge the pitch. It’s a blind commitment, and both players had better read the sign correctly or it unravels before it starts.

The idea is simple: the runner starts running before the ball is hit, giving him a splendid head start. If the batter fails to make contact, the runner is now trying to steal, but is more likely than usual to be thrown out, because his lead is not based on the normal read of the pitcher, or even trying to search for a slower pitch on which to run. In a hit and run, the runner just breaks away as the pitch is thrown, without the lead he might use on a true steal.

The batter has to put the ball in play, and if he’s a good contact hitter he even gets some help here. A runner on first breaking for second obligates either the second baseman or shortstop to cover the bag, leaving a little lane for the hitter to poke a ground ball through.

If the hitter misses, the runner is usually out; if he strikes out or pops up, they both are, unless the fielders muff their chance. Try it with a bunt and two runners on base and you have the ingredients of the fabulous unassisted triple play.

Yet the rationale of the hit and run is reducing the chance of a double play by giving the runner a massive head start. The other, quieter, reason for using it is to compensate for limited power hitting skills. A clean double may be hard to come by, but getting the bat solidly on the ball is all that’s needed for a hit and run to move a runner to third on a single, or score him on a double. At worst, a fielder’s choice that cuts down the batter at first instead of the lead runner sets up the next hitter without the possibility of the classic second-to-first double play looming over him.

The batter has some important tasks. He needs to foul off any pitch he can’t rap out into play, and he needs to hit behind the advancing runner. Obviously, the play is not smart at certain points in the count. Tonight, Mike Scoscia used it before the Twins could see it coming.

Bobby Keppel was in for the eleventh inning. Joe Nathan had already been used to preserve the tie, and both teams were juggling their bullpens. Keppel began by walking Aybar, and instantly the inning started to have that faint whiff of trouble about it. Matthews discharged his hit and run duties perfectly, and Aybar advanced to third.

There are two basic ways to break a tie: scratch out a run using every out available, or pound your way through. The Angels started this inning as if they’d need gamble their outs for a single run, but the Twins bullpen didn’t get around to charging them any tolls on the highway. Howie Kendrick hit a single to score Aybar, and there were still no outs.

Ron Gardenhire tried to stop the misery quickly, and switched pitchers, but Jessie Crain had no better luck against the swarming singles attack of the Angels. Put it this way: you can win a lot of games with .250 hitters if they have the uncanny knack of getting their single hit of the night all in the same inning.

Chone Figgins singles to load the bases, and Maicer Izturis follows with, what else, another simple single, this one of the RBI variety. Bobby Abreu breaks up the tedium by scoring two runs on his hit, and then Juan Rivera walks.

That’s a lot of Angels marching over the basepaths, so Gardy tries the bullpen again. RA Dickey falls under the Angels’ hypno-hitting spell and dispenses a single to Kendry Morales, than snaps himself out of it. He strikes out Mike Napoli, but allows a fielder’s choice from Aybar to score one more run. Dickey strikes out Matthews, but you almost get the feeling the Angels are ready to get back in the field and enjoy their 6-run lead.

The Twins don’t come close to answering back in the bottom of the inning. They are dispirited, even stunned. It had been a close game up to the eleventh, with good spurts of hitting by both teams.

Nick Blackburn and Ervin Santana were the starters, meeting up again, this time in the Metrodome, after last squaring off in a game the Angels took in crushing style. In that game, Blackburn had been perfect for three innings, only to unravel completely in the fourth as the Angels took a clobbering lead they would never surrender.

Tonight Blackburn gets it over with quickly by giving up a hit to Figgins to start the game. The Angels end up scoring two in the inning.

Joe Mauer sends the Twins ahead in the third with a three-run homer. He was driving in Alexi Casilla and Denard Span, and once again the Twins are working from the template of place-setting hitters getting themselves on base.

This afternoon, the Twins completed a trade for Orlando Cabrera, a traveling shortstop who moves from team to team with the sterling credential of having participated in the 2004 Red Sox World Series victory. The .280 hitter is going to displace one of our infield lightweights, and that puts Nick Punto in the crosshairs. Tonight could be his last game for a while, maybe forever.

He doesn’t have much of a line score until the fourth inning, in which he smacks a hearty triple to score Carlos Gomez. Watching him motor hard to third is cheering. Gardenhire has an obvious soft spot for Punto, and this RBI moment may be enough to turn attention to Brian Buscher or Alexi Casilla as the player who’s forced down.

The fourth inning includes an RBI from Span, scoring Punto and placing the Twins ahead 5-2. Blackburn pitched on into the seventh, but the Angels caught up to him. There were baserunners in every inning, against both pitchers, but now the Angels cash in on two of theirs, with an RBI from Izturis and a homer from Abreu.

A one-run lead is such a rickety thing. You can keep propping it up, but the smallest puff of wind is enough to collapse it. Matt Guerrier starts off the eighth inning by giving up a solo homer to catcher Mike Napoli. Guerrier proceeds to corral three straight outs, but the tie is in place. Both teams are quiet for the ninth and tenth, and then the hit and run triggers a scoring cascade in the eleventh.

A close game disintegrated into a rout, and the Twins don’t manage that miraculous four-game win streak they need. The team has clung close to .500 all season long, and tonight’s a little example of how one startling play can set off big inning against a Twins team that can’t quite take that next step up. There’s always tomorrow, but not an infinity of tomorrows.

Two games, two fourth innings, two teams.

On Saturday afternoon, Nick Blackburn had three perfect innings, keeping the Angels well in check. There wasn’t a hint of a hit or a walk, and Blackburn pitched with a brisk, confident rhythm.

I will always hold onto the possibility of a perfect game until something takes it away from me. There is usually one or none per season, so I must hope to be in the right place at the right time to witness it. And this year my odds of seeing a Twin pitch it ran down near zero, as Mark Buehrle accomplished it on Thursday. The chance that there would be two of these in the same season, let alone the same week, were astronomical.

Still, we had three players hit for the cycle in one week this year, and then we had two players on the same team do it—and the pair were Twins. So I won’t give up hope before I have to. And then there is the matter of my blog thesis, that in the course of a season one team would supply all the events I’d need to chronicle all the essential aspects of baseball.

So, I’m clinging, however unrealistically, to the notion that Blackburn could keep this gem going. He is the type of pitcher to do it, by the way. It’s early to imagine it with the game only a third over, but each step along the way gets Blackburn closer.

Three perfect innings means a single complete trip through the batting order. And the fourth inning of a perfect game means all the hitters have had a chance to mutter together and come up with a plan to foil you. In the fourth inning, the pitcher of a perfect game either takes his next big step or the hitters take theirs.

Chone Figgins leads off the fourth. He’s an admirable leadoff hitter who takes pitches, scopes out weaknesses, and tries to deposit tidy singles to launch the Angel scoring machine. Figgins was an easy out in the first. Blackburn isn’t tired or taxed, but he may be just microscopically overconfident, because Figgins crushes his second pitch for a home run.

So that’s that—perfection is shattered. It’s as abrupt as a trash can clattering over in a quiet alley, but Blackburn is a pro. Unlike me, he’s not stitching together a fantasy of the best game ever. He’s just out there doing his job. And right now, he’ll have to get some hitters out to hang on to the Twins’ now meager 2-1 advantage.

Maicer Izturis is the next batter, a slap hitter who’s there to set the table like Figgins. But Blackburn’s unbeatable pitches are eminently beatable now—Izturis drills a double, then scores on Bobby Abreu’s single.

The Angels will get five consecutive hits and score three runs before Blackburn can even catch his breath. The Twins had scored first and looked well poised to take this game, but now the Angels are hitting everything Blackburn dishes out.

Erick Aybar grounds into a double play in which the runner is cut down at home. Blackburn can limit the damage if he can just get that third out. There must be some especially brilliant reason for requiring three whole outs, because Blackburn finds number three especially elusive.

My window into the game is the radio broadcast from Angels announcers Rex Hudler and Steve Physioc. I’ve heard them before, and even during this debacle I can’t resist Huddy’s insane cheerfulness and hearty Halo partisanship. Now, as Howie Kendrick laces a single to center to score another run, Huddy is in his element: cheerleading and being overwhelmed at the greatness of the Angels.

“Sometimes they’re just like this. They’re frenzying. The hitters get to frenzying, and you can’t contain ‘em,” he says. He’s captured it exactly, if ungrammatically. They send 13 men to the plate, get ten hits and nine runs, and humiliate the Twins.

Blackburn exits after walking Gary Matthews Jr. He has allowed six runs and six hits, with every batter putting the ball in play in the fourth, and none of them touching him in the previous three innings.

It’s a stark contrast. The Angels are quite a good team this year and Huddy’s not wrong to love them so. But they came to life so suddenly, and so perfectly, it almost sounds like artificial baseball. There’s a Disney-esque quality to this inning, as if animatronic batters put on this display every afternoon at 3:00 pm.

And as puzzled as Blackburn was about where his stuff went, RA Dickey is equally stumped. Give credit to the Halos, then, as Hudler and Physioc are doing. The frenzy of singles and doubles continues, as Dickey doles out the two singles necessary to get the rest of the batters Blackburn allowed on base to reach home.

Dickey’s knuckleball is not fooling anyone, but he does, finally change the complexion of the inning. It started, maybe a half an hour ago, with a solo homer from Figgins, his third of the year. Then the steady stream of hits to advance runners, like a little assembly line. Now Dickey faces light-hitting Izturis with two men on.

Izturis wallops one out of the park, and his three RBI make it Angels 9-Twins 2. Dickey allows one more single but finally the conveyor belt of baserunners stops on a fly out.

To complete the game account, the Twins do a little catching up and score three in the seventh, but the outcome is not in doubt. The Angels see fit to collect two more runs in the eighth, and even Huddy is out of superlatives. The game ends 11-5.

On Sunday, the Angels are primed to seek a sweep of the four-game series. The Twins send up rookie Anthony Swarzak against Ervin Santana, and in the first inning both pitchers have their troubles.

Santana falls victim to the M&M boys—Joe Mauer singles and Justin Morneau hikes a homer over the right field scoreboard. It may be another of those frail 2-0 leads that the Twins have let crumble lately, but it’s the best way to begin the game.

In the bottom of the first, Swarzak is perhaps intimidated by these bruising Angels, who lead the AL West and have been munching up the Twins for three straight days. He walks Figgins, leading off, then watches Izturis fly out. But Bobby Abreu coaxes a walk and now there are two on and only one out.

This is a good situation for any team, but it’s a prime situation for the Angels on a sunny afternoon in southern California. But Swarzak regains control. The two outs that end the inning are harmless enough shallow fly balls, but they signal a full turnaround for the Twins.

Swarzak would go on to pitch an excellent game. The first hit of the measly four he would allow was a solo homer to Kendry Morales, but that was plainly an aberration. He buttoned up the Angels when the Twins needed a win, and he even helped the bullpen out by nearly completing seven innings.

By rights, he should have gotten all three outs in the seventh, but a fielding breakdown kept the Angels alive. Michael Cuddyer played first to give Morneau the half-day off of the DH spot, and Cuddy couldn’t pick a low throw from Nick Punto on Erick Aybar’s leadoff at bat in the seventh. It was ruled Punto’s error, but Cuddyer and Punto should share this one on their mantelpieces. Another two hits squeaked by flailing fielders, and though Swarzak allowed no runs and only one hit, Gardenhire didn’t take any chances and brought Matt Guerrier in to get the last out.

Swarzak held up his end of the bargain, and the Twins hitters finally did their share in, of course, the fourth inning. It was as if they wanted to shake of all bad memories from yesterday.

It wasn’t anywhere near the onslaught the Angels managed, but the Twins got their runs in particularly heartening ways. Morneau led off with a walk, and when Jason Kubel fouled out the inning started to look like another of those case studies in how the Twins batting order peters out so weakly after the mighty Mauer and Morneau.

But Cuddyer singled, and Brian Buscher matched him. The bases were loaded. Now the batting order gets even thinner—it’s Carlos Gomez’s turn. In his previous at bat, he was so easy to strike out he reminded me of what I’d look like at the plate. And now he makes contact in a pretty Twins-destructive way—the ball scoots toward Santana who throws it home for the easy force out at the plate.

There’s a titanic difference between the bases were loaded with one out and with two outs. That’s the situation Nick Punto faces, gamely carrying his weeny .198 average to the plate. Punto has a clutch hitter’s mentality, though he lacks the skill set. But today he hits that single, that single he is always seeking, and this time it scores two.

We know Santana is in trouble when he allows Alexi Casilla to negotiate a walk a from him. Then Denard Span singles and scores two more. The Twins get four runs and are now up 6-0, and they have used their typically unproductive hitters to do the job.

The Twins will score some more, but the fourth is the meaningful inning of this game. Morneau hits a second homer, a solo shot, and Denard Span surprises and elates with a two-run homer to right. The Angels? All they produce is a single run, on that homer from Morales. The Twins win by nine, the kind of nutty margin that has been the fashion this past week.

The west coast road trip has gnawed at me. The games are late and hard for me to take in, and there have been some gruesome losses in there. But the team has ended its four-game losing streak and is still only four games back in the Central. Thanks, Swarzak and Punto, for righting the ship.

Remember that kid who came up last year with that mid-90s fastball and that devastating split-finger fastball?

The kid who was originally drafted as a shortstop but was converted to a pitcher because of his remarkable arm strength despite being only 6′0″ and weighing 175 pounds?

The kid who appeared in 52 games last year, compiled a record of 10-2, and posted a microscopic ERA of 1.62?

The kid who struck out 55 hitters in 61 innings, while holding opposing hitters to a mere .190 average?

The kid who appeared in 3 games against the Red Sox in the 2008 ALDS, and closed the door on them without allowing a run each time?

Well, he’s 25-year-old Jose Arredondo, who electrified the Angels in ‘08 with brilliant outing after brilliant outing.

This year has been a different story. In 24 1/3 innings this year, Arredondo has given up 4 more earned runs than he gave up in all of the 61 innings he pitched in last year (15 earned runs in ‘09, 11 in ‘08).

His ERA ballooned to 5.55. He had a record of 1-3.

“He just wasn’t in sync with his delivery,” Mike Scioscia put it.

All signs pointed to a demotion, and that’s exactly what happened.

Arredondo was sent down to AAA Salt Lake on June 9th while also dealing with an injury in his throwing arm which struck similarities to the injury that Ervin Santana suffered before the start of the ‘09 season.

Some are calling it the proverbial “sophomore slump”.

Others are saying that the loss of a mentor may have triggered some old demons that held Arredondo back while in the minor leagues.

This mentor was Preston Gomez, a man who had been working in the Angels organization for 27 years.

When coming up through the minors, people just knew that Arredondo had a major league-caliber arm, but also had a big-time temper that at times, hindered his development.

In 2006 while in single-A ball, Arredondo and his catcher fought in the dugout after mixing up calls.

In 2007 in AA ball, Arredondo got into an altercation with a teammate who tried to cool down his rage in the clubhouse.

This prompted Mike Scioscia to call in Arredondo and have Gomez “drop the hammer on him” as pitching coach Mike Butcher put it.

The turnaround was remarkable, just look at his 2008 season statistics for proof.

But in March of 2008 before the regular season started, Gomez was hit by a truck at a gas station, and never fully recovered, eventually passing away at the age of 85 in January 0f 2009.

You may noticed the black diamond patch with the name “Preston” sewn in white that the Angels have on their jerseys, in memory of the man who spent nearly 3 decades with the organization.

“I love that guy. He taught my everything,” Arredondo said of Gomez. “He was all over me, trying to make me better.”

It’s tough to truly judge the effect that Gomez’s passing had on Arredondo, but clearly something has not been right.

But since his demotion to AAA, Arredondo has appeared in 11 games, while posting a 2.19 ERA for the Bees. And in a year where the Angels bullpen has been rocky, as well as feeling the absence of an 8th inning guy that can bridge the gap to get to Brian Fuentes in the 9th, Arredondo may do what he did last year… make lots of noise down the stretch after being called up to the Halos’ big league squad.

It isn’t too clear when he may be called up, but he’s been making a case to Mike Scioscia to call him up in the near future.

As of yesterday, in his previous 3 outings, Arredondo has gone 3 2/3 innings, giving up only 2 hits, while striking out 4 batters and walking none.

Only time will tell when Arredondo will be ready to pitch back in the big leagues, but when he comes back, let’s not forget the type of pitcher he can be. He will be an instant bullpen bolsterer, and hopefully he can work his way into being a Scot Shields-like reliever (as in bridging the gap from the 8th to 9th inning, not the recently erratic Scot Shields, of course… who wants that?) for the Angels, being a guy the Mike Scioscia can be comfortable giving the ball to in the 8th inning in close games.

But could he possibly crumble twice in two stints for the Angels this season after relatively no meltdowns on the mound last year?

In my honest opinion, no way, Jose.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been a hard team to make baseball picks on since the start of the season. Their slow start to the year made it seem as though they were far removed from their World Championship days. However, the Angels have flipped the switch since their 6-11 start, and are now leading the Major Leagues in batting average.

Starting pitching is still somewhat of a concern. John Lackey and Ervin Santana are a combined 5-9 this year, and will need to step it up in the second half in order to make a serious playoff run. Santana tries to get it going tonight against Dallas Braden and the Oakland A’s. Braden has had a good year thus far with a 7-7 record and a solid 3.12 ERA.

The Angels ended the second half on a 20-8 run that concluded with a 3-game sweep of the New York Yankees. They’re hitting well and Vlad seems to be coming around. Take the Angels tonight as Santana gets back to his old form and shuts down the Oakland bats. Expect a low scoring game as I don’t see either starting pitcher giving up too much.

This line is what I like to call a “false favorite”. Oakland had to be favored at home with Braden throwing against Santana, but the oddsmakers kept the line as low as they could without making it look too obvious. In order to make quality baseball picks, you must know how to read MLB lines and game situations. These picks are my opinion as a sports handicapper, and are written to give you insight on each match-up. Good luck!

Welcome back after the break and before I get two great picks for tonight, make sure to check out this great football contest from the folks at Bet Jamaica by clicking the banner!

Houston Astros (listed) +132

Manny returns to LA to play in his first game since the suspension but it should be a loss. The Astros will face off against Wolf and that is just fine with them because they hammer left handed pitching. They are hitting .291

Manny's first game back at LA will be a loser.

overall against southpaws and should be able to jump on Wolf early. Wandy Rodriquez gets the call for the Astros and he has allowed just three earned runs in his last two starts at LA. Astros are 4-0 in Rodriguezs last 4 starts and 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a left-handed starter. Astros are 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Los Angeles and get the win tonight.

Oakland A’s (listed) -123

The Angles are missing a few key components in the lineup and will not play with the same intensity they had against the Yankess. Santana has been roughed up in his recent starts after coming off the DL allowing nine runs in his last two starts. Braden has been the opposite and has given up two earned runs or less in his last eight starts. The A’s will be able to get runs for him against Santana and the Angels struggle against left handers and get stung tonight in Oakland.

(Fox Sports posted this coverage of the clubhouse celebration after the L.A. Angels of Anaheim clinched the A.L. West.)

The Angels pay tribute to their late teammate, Nick Adenhart, after clinching. Someone else posted this video; I don’t even live in Anaheim (sorry about that).

Last night, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (no longer the California Angels or the Anaheim Angels) clinched their 3rd straight American League West Division after Ervin Santana went all the way, pitching the first ever playoff-clinching shutout in franchise history and the first complete game playoff clincher for the franchise since Frank Tanana did it in 1979. The game was clearly a tour de force for Anaheim: not only did Bobby Abreu nearly hit for the cycle (going 3 out of 5 with a single, double, and triple), but Kendry Morales hit a 3-run home run, and Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis also contributed with RBIs. Vladimir Guerrero also produced 2 RBI.

The Angels had gone 5-5 in their last 10 games, but their shutout of Texas brought the Boston Red Sox, who lost to Toronto, one win away from the American League Wild Card. And after the final groundout, Santana did a fancy “K-Rod”-type pose (Francisco Rodríguez himself helped Anaheim clinch by defeating the New York Yankees and seeing Seattle beat Texas the year before) while Mike Napoli grabbed him by the waist, and the teammates threw more than a major party in the clubhouse. Aside from “Dancing with the Stars,” so to speak (Torii Hunter did an amazing booty dance in ‘08), the most moving moment of the clubhouse celebration was the Angels’ remembrance of Nicholas James Adenhart, who was killed in a tragic hit-and-run car crash in April at the age of 22. The teammates poured Budweiser all over Adenhart’s jersey, and took the celebration to right center, touching Adenhart’s picture and pouring beer on top of it.

Clearly, the Angels had the edge over the other three teams in the American League West for the past three seasons (and this one was definitely no exception, since this was the 6th time they’d go to the playoffs since 2002, their Golden Year, when they won the World Series). With an amazing, powerhouse Starting Lineup, some fearsome pitchers, and great offense, it’s no wonder Anaheim repeated her A.L. West victory again! And they did it all in the name of a pitcher who’s now an Angel himself.

Ervin Santana was maandag meesterlijk (Bron: Alaney2k-Wikimedia)

De Los Angeles Angels hebben zich maandag als vierde geplaatst voor de play-offs. Door een ruime 11-0 overwinning op de Texas Rangers is de American League West voor de Angels. Ervin Santana was de startende werper voor de Angels en hij stelde niet teleur. In de volle negen innings gaf hij geen punten en zeven honkslagen op. De drie punten die de Angels in de eerste inning op het bord zetten was al genoeg voor de overwinning.

De Angels ontmoeten in de play-offs waarschijnlijk voor de derde keer achter elkaar de Boston Red Sox, die nog één overwinning nodig hebben voor plaatsing voor de play-offs. De Red Sox waren de vorige twee keren de Angels de baas.

As you know, the Angels punched their postseason ticket Monday night thanks to an 11-0 walloping of the Texas Rangers.

This marks the 3rd consecutive year and 5th time in the last 6 seasons that the Angels have won the American League West division.

It has been the Angels’ division to run away with the past few years, mixed in with moderate competition from Oakland, Texas, and Seattle… but there never had been any doubt that the Angels were the clear-cut team to beat in the AL West.

This year started off the same way, but just 3 days and a handful of hours into the season… everything changed.

The Angels organization was rocked after receiving news of the sudden and unsuspected passing of young pitcher Nick Adenhart, a victim of a deadly drunk driving accident that killed 2 others in the car he was in and internally decapitated another.

The Angels went into a tailspin.

They started the season at 6-11, their worst start to a season in 7 years.

Vladimir Guerrero clearly wasn’t his normal slugging himself.

The Angels were without all-star starters John Lackey and Ervin Santana to begin the season.

Signs were beginning to point to the Angels having a long and disappointing season ahead of them.

Being the heavy favorites to win the AL West at the beginning of the year, the Angels had plenty of expectations heading into the ‘09 campaign.

But being dealt an indescribable loss of a fellow teammate 3 games into the season just threw any expectations out the window.

Baseball became irrelevant.

It went from an everyday job to an afterthought.

It opened the eyes of many to what was really important in life… family.

Nick Adenhart was buried in his hometown of Williamsport, Maryland on April 17th, a service that drew a crowd of over 1,500 people, all remembering the fallen 22-year-old.

It was a moment that turned the surreal into the real.

The Angels had lost a teammate, but more importantly, the Adenhart family had lost a son.

From that point forward, the Angels were no longer a team.

They were no longer an organization.

They were a family.

A family that banded together, embodied resiliency, and rose above all obstacles to attain a common goal.

The 2009 Angels personify resilience.

Not only did they have to rise above the tragedy of Nick Adenhart to begin the season, but they also had to fill the voids of Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter being injured and missing a month’s worse of time simultaneously midway through the season (with Juan Rivera missing a week and half’s play during that time as well).

Did the Angels throw in the towel and cave in?

No way, no how.

The Angels would win 17 of 20 games with Vlad and Torii out of the lineup, a streak that spoke volumes of the depth and perseverance of the Angels’ organization as a whole.

It also spoke volumes of their manager, Mike Scioscia; the most level-headed manager in all of baseball who regardless of any scenario or situation, would always keep calm and remain on an even-keel.

The 2002 Angels will forever be remembered as the Comeback Kids.

But the 2009 Angels never quit. They had every reason in the world to quit, and no one could blame them for doing so.

They could have packed it up, threw in the towel, and called the ‘09 season a wash.

I couldn’t have blamed them if they did. Not after a blow like that to the organization, no way I could even think of blaming them.

But despite all the adversity, they didn’t give up. Not once.

This is a team of heart.

This is a team of perseverance.

This is a team of champions.

From tragedy to triumph, regardless of how the Angels do this postseason, they’ve won it all in my mind.

Tonight, when I saw the entire team walk out to the image of Nick Adenhart on the center field wall (http://www.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6901489 for video of that moment)… I realized why I’m an Angel fan.

The reason?

Because this team is a family… and I feel like I am a part of that family.

And family… is loved.