Am I the only one who thinks Oakland is the clear favorite to win the division? First time there's been a 3-way tie this late since divisional play began... A shame it may not be a real "pennant race" since the Bosox very well may let the second place team take the WC without a fight:

Anaheim 75-50 .600
Oakland 76-51 .598
Seattle 76-51 .598

[ August 22, 2002: Message edited by: Bill W ]

The way the A's are playing now they look like favorites. But wait until September -- if there is a MLB September -- the three teams play each other for two series each (home and away). Maybe the BoSox will sneak into the wild card since the AL West leaders will kill each other off ...

[quote]Originally posted by Bill W:
Am I the only one who thinks Oakland is the clear favorite to win the division?

---

Yes, you are. "Clear favorite" is definitely putting it way too strongly. I think Seattle is still the most likely candidate to win the thing, because they've been on a downturn for awhile now and have not been knocked out. I think they have one surge left in them. I do think the A's have an upper hand over the Anaheim Angels for a play-off spot, given the Halos horrible history in pennant races. But I don't think any of these three could be characterized as a "clear favorite."

That said, assuming no strike: I think the wild card will definitely come out of the AL West. It's over in Boston. And I think the AL West runner-up/wild card team will go to the World Series, because I think it will be far easier to beat the Yankees in a five-game series than a seven-game series, especially given Mariano Rivera's health. Should the AL wild card come out of the West, that team would play the Yankees in the initial,5-game ALDS.

Point taken, CITT, and I retract "clear" in favor of "slight," but the A's are where I'd put my moolah.

[quote]Originally posted by Charlie in the Trees:
Should the AL wild card come out of the West, that team would play the Yankees in the initial,5-game ALDS.

---

Unless... a Rivera-less New York has a mediocre September and loses the AL homefield to the West winner? Still, that would mean the Yanks would have to play ONE of the West qualifiers. There's no possible NY-Minnesota pairing unless Boston takes the wild card.

I think there's little doubt the wild card comes from the AL West; the Bosox have gone as far as Pedro can take them and are slowly sinking. I'd give the M's a slight edge over the A's because, although the A's have better starting pitching through the rotation, the M's make up for it with a better bullpen and a more solid lineup. Sill, it should be a really fun September, with not a lot separating these two teams (and assuming there IS September baseball). The Angels? Sorry, I'm still not a believer; they're just a little behind on their June swoon.

Let's not forget one advantage the Red Sox have, despite their utter mediocrity since May: 7 more games vs Tampa Bay.

I don't know what's going on with the Sox this season. Sure, they have some holes and weaknesses, but doesn't every team? How can a team with 7 All Stars, a lineup with Damon/Garciaparra/Ramirez/Floyd, and the two best starting pitchers in the A.L. be so painfully mediocre? I've started to rationalize it all by consoling myself with the Patriots Super Bowl championship. If a Boston sports fan takes a metaphysical step back from all this, one sees that the Pats must have siphoned off every single possible lucky break and flash of good fortune in the New England sports universe, to the point where there's absolutely nothing left for the talented yet woefully underachieving Red Sox. Once I arrived at this realization, I have achieved a Zen-like peace, tranquility, and understanding about the MOTHERF*CKING Red Sox

The Sox are playing sooooooooooo badly that I gotta think that the WC will come out of the A.L. West too. The only possible snafu is that Anaheim, Oakland, and Seattle have a whole gobful of games left against each other whereas the Sox have 25 games remaining against the likes of Cleveland, Toronto, Baltimore, and Tampa Bay.

I'd amend MunsonMan's comments only slightly by adding that the Bosox have gone as far as Pedro and D-Lowe can take them. Lowe has been just phenomenal this season. Last night despite a shaky start, Lowe gave up only one unearned run (on the umpteenth Nomar error of the season) in 7+ innings. Given a 7-inning, 1-run start, any good team would win 85% of those games. Yeah, that would be any good team. Of course, the Sox lost 3-2 in the 10th.

The thing about the Sox though is IF they somehow pull themselves together and grab the wild card, I wouldn't be surprised to see them make it to the world series. Two really good starters can carry you a long way in a seven game series.

Well Ismael Valdes had an impressive debut as a Mariner on his 29th birthday. It looks like the Mariners will win this one leading 8-2 in the 9th. But the A's have also won. And the Angels beat the skankees........Bwahahahahaha

What might matter is who is leading at August 30th, if they go on strike and later decide to finish the season but start the playoffs with the August 30th records counting as the final records?

[ August 21, 2002: Message edited by: gp43 ]

Rudy, it looks like Damon has been playing hurt for a month -- he's hitting .233 since the All-Star break, and there's talk of surgery -- and the Red Sox' bullpen is a work in progress, with the addition of Bobby Howry the latest positive step. They need to make hay when they play those weak teams.

I don't know what the story is with Damon. While he insists that his sore knee has nothing to do with his recent scuffling, that might just be a yarn he's spinning to stay in the lineup every night. I don't know if I've ever seen a player who wants to be in there every single game more than Johnny Damon. Earlier this season, he banged up a finger so badly that it looked black and ready to fall off, yet he begged Grady Little to keep him in the lineup (went on a tear that game, 4-4 and 5 RBI or something crazy like that). On the other hand, he doesn't look like he's hurting, or hurting much anyway. And injury aside, Damon's recent seasons have also been marked by similar up-and-down streaks. Who knows?

If Boston does manage to turn it around, you can look back at last night's game as a watershed in the 2002 Red Sox season. The normally taciturn Nomah Gahciaparra (the correct BAAH-stuhn pronunciation) transformed into a very vocal leader, spurring his team on to come from behind, something that's happened with about the frequency of a lunar eclipse for the Sox this season. What the article doesn't mention is that in the clubhouse after the game, Nomar turned down the stereo to address his team, saying how much he appreciated the effort. I don't know if Nomar's emergence as the team leader will be enough to turn things around, but it's certainly a promising development.

Oh wait, Boston wasn't the topic of this thread, was it??? Sorry guys. Back on target, any Halos fans care to guess how Sele's injury will affect the team the rest of the way? With an 8-9 record and a 4.91 ERA, Sele wasn't going to win the Cy Young, but any injury can be serious bad news when the race for the A.L. West and Wild Card are as tight as they are.

Here I was, trilling that rr, never realizing that Garciaparra was a Bostonian name.

Well, Sele has been the latest in a depressingly long line of pitchers that the Angels have acquired who blow out their arms/shoulders and/or suddenly forget how to pitch. The rumor is that Scott Schowenweis, exiled to the bullpen earlier in the year, will take his place. Tomato, tomatoe say I.

Great win for the Angels last night. I'll no doubt be proven wrong, but I just don't get the "choker" vibe from this years Angels. The team seems really together, players are picking up the slack when someone has an 0-6 night, the bench is playing well etc. Of course, this IS the Angels we're talking about so I expect their team bus to hurl off the side of the road or Erstad, Eckstein and Glaus (who's suddenly hitting after being pretty bad most of the year--hideous goatee and all) to blow out their ACL's or....... *SIGH* It's tough being an Angels fan. At least Red Sox or Cubs fans have the romance attached to being losers/chokers. The Angels have.....the Indian Burial Ground Curse.

Oh, and Adam Kennedy is totally hot.

So the A's as the favorite, once more? They're now 17-4 in their last 21, a game ahead of Anaheim... and if the Big 3 mound studs weren't enough, Cory Lidle has 31 straight scoreless innings and a 2.08 ERA since the break. Barring a big offensive slump, Oakland looks good to me. Tejada for MVP? (he's in my top 5)

Cleveland makes it two in a row over the M's - last at bat wins with their 3rd string team - YAHOO !!

If the M's owners would have actually acquired some good pitching, instead of bargain-basement specials like James Baldwin, and Doug Creek; the M's would be 2-0 in this series. I realize the offense is starting to collapse as well, but there's signs that they'll break out of this slump. Where are the Indians going except NOwhere!

[quote]Originally posted by Bill W:
Am I the only one who thinks Oakland is the clear favorite to win the division?

---

I amend my earlier remarks. I think that in the last couple of days, you've become right. Oakland is now the CLEAR choice to win the AL West.

Anaheim is starting to get hit ... HARD ... by the injury bug. That'll give them the excuse they need to have a typical Angels September. And the Mariners are really starting to struggle. Great teams tend to break even against good teams and feast on the bad. Seattle's struggles against Detroit, now Cleveland, are very problematic.

Cory Lidle can't keep up the Sandy Koufax imitation much longer, but Tim Hudson's been under-achieving, so he's set to take up the slack. I think the Mariner ship will right itself soon, before they fall behind the Angels and Red Sox in the Wild Card race, but by the time that happens, the A's might very well be uncatchable.

I retract my retraction of "clear favorite."

Well, good win by the Angels last night; of course, I got a little jumpy when the bullpen would let a runner on considering what had happened the night before in Boston. Oakland is really hot but they'll have to cool off eventually. Once the Angels finish their home & home series with the hapless Rays and O's, it's all A's/M's/Rangers the rest of the way. As long as there's no strike etc.

Here's an article from today's Los Angeles Times. I didn't link because the article requires registration and I know not everyone wants to do that. Nice to see the Indian Burial Ground Curse get an another airing. The Angels' litany of woes is actually much more extensive than this article mention. Obviously, the one thing that noone in the organization wants to bring up is that the Autry's could never decide on a direction to stick to: One year it'd be "We're only one player away from the playoffs" the next it'd be "Time to rebuild. What? Huh? We've depleted the farm system by trading away players to get stiffs? Oh well". Their constant meddling in the affairs of the GM Du Jour doomed the Angels. Gene Autry is "beloved" but what a terrible owner! Win one for the Cowboy? f**k him! How about win one for the long-suffering fans (like me, since 1974). I totally relate to the guy who's stomach knots up when 1986 is mentioned. [Homer Simpson voice]Stupid Red Sox! Stupid Gene Mauch!

[quote]Pity the long-suffering fans of the Anaheim Angels. Their boys have never made it to the World Series--though they were a pitch away in 1986. The club has missed the playoffs every year since, and last season it finished an embarrassing 41 games behind the first-place Seattle Mariners.

And now, when the running-and-gunning Angels are finally in the thick of a pennant race, the season may be lost to a strike. Angel fans know the real score: The team is jinxed. "It's the curse of the Angels," laments fan Rob Holman of Chino. "I live and die with these guys ... but mostly die with these guys. Sometimes it's tough."

So tough that in 1978, then-General Manager Buzzie Bavazi talked a Roman Catholic priest into blessing Anaheim Stadium. Rumors persist that the Big A was built atop an old Indian burial ground--proof, some fans say, that a jinx has hovered over the park since it opened in 1966--or 19666, as fans like to call it. Former Angel pitcher Chuck Finley once toyed with hiring a witch doctor to exorcise evil spirits from the clubhouse, but balked because of worries that his teammates might freak. "I understand [bad luck] goes with the game," Finley said in 1999, "but I'd like someone to explain to me why it goes more with our game."

Over the years, the Angels have racked up an impressively long list of tragedies and mishaps. Rookie pitcher Dick Wantz, 25, died of a brain tumor in 1965. Three players died in separate car crashes from 1972 to 1977. In 1978, outfielder Lyman Bostock was killed by a gunshot meant for someone else. Then, in 1992, the team bus careened off a New Jersey turnpike, seriously injuring Manager Buck Rodgers.

On the field, the most heartbreaking moment came in Game 5 of the 1986 playoffs. In the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, the Angels were one strike away from the World Series when relief pitcher Donnie Moore served up a gut-wrenching home run to Dave Henderson in the ninth inning. The Angels lost the game, 7-6, in 11 innings, then lost the next two games in Boston. The team hasn't been to the postseason since. When the troubled Moore committed suicide three years later, his widow said he had never recovered from the stigma of that one hanging forkball, and she suspected it played a role in his death.

"Oh my God, '86," recalls Chino fan Holman. "To this day, you say the word '86' and my blood pressure goes up. I can feel my heart, thump-thump-thump. It makes me crazy. I went into a deep depression for a couple days after that. It was horrible."

The Angels became a bona fide obsession for Holman, who once took to going to so many games his wife thought he was having an affair: "I said, 'Yeah, with these nine guys out on the field called the Angels.' "Another low point came last season, when the Angels finished 41 games out of first place--the worst showing in team history. Columbus Dispatch sports editor Danny Goodwin took this jab:

"The Anaheim Angels? Puh-leeze. The same Angels that in 40 years of play have never qualified for the World Series? ... The franchise that was for sale but attracting no takers? The team that was changing uniforms yet again, perhaps to disguise its players? This team wasn't a sleeper, it was comatose."

Not anymore. Before Tuesday's games, the Angels were in third place behind Oakland A's, only half a game behind the Mariners for a wild-card finish that would qualify the team for the playoffs. As the Angels took the field at home Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, labor talks continued in New York, where negotiators for owners and players debated revenue sharing and the payroll tax. A Friday strike deadline looms for what could be baseball's ninth work stoppage since 1972.

What explains the team's suddenly improved performance? Perhaps it's the Angels' new unofficial mascot, the "Rally Monkey." To jump-start the Angels when a game is on the line, an image of the hairy primate is flashed on the scoreboard screen, prompting fans to twirl stuffed rally monkeys in the air. "Every time he peeks his little head out, something happens for them," acknowledged Mariners infielder Desi Relaford this summer.

Or maybe it's their new look. This year the team shed the blue pinstriped uniforms with the wings emblem and brought back its traditional halo with new scarlet duds--calling it a "Red Dawn."

Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly--a lifelong Angel fan--said this is the first year the players have sported the word "Anaheim" across their chests, making it the smallest city in major league baseball with its name on a uniform. "I'm especially proud of that," Daly said. Daly was there on April 9, 1966, when the Angels christened their stadium with an exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants. The Angels were clobbered, of course, 9-3. "A lot of happy memories," Daly said, notwithstanding all the losses.

Ah, yes, the memories. Russ and Laurie Frazier of Lake Forest were there for Rod Carew's 3,000th hit, Reggie Jackson's 500th home run and that devastating 1986 loss in the playoffs. They've slept on the ground outside the stadium, for days at a time, through rain and Santa Ana winds just to buy postseason tickets. For 20 years, they trudged to every home game--even when the Angels were in the cellar, and stayed to the end of the ninth inning even when it seemed like a lost cause. They remained loyal even after the team allowed fireball pitcher Nolan Ryan, probably the most popular player in Angels history, to slip away to free agency despite throwing four no-hitters for the team in the 1970s. "Being an Angels fan builds character," Laurie Frazier said.
And it builds commitment. Strike or no strike, the Fraziers have already plunked down $1,270 for a pair of playoff tickets. "I think they can do it," Russ Frazier said. His wife corrects him. "I know they can," she said. "This is the year it's going to happen."

---

Well, it's nice to know Anaheim fans stand ready to take over as the game's premier whiny masochists if the Cubs or Bosox ever win it all!

Jim Allen, after last night's Devil Rays win, might you be rooting against a settlement? Looks like the A's are saying buh-bye to the pack...

[quote]Originally posted by Jim Allen:
On the field, the most heartbreaking moment came in Game 5 of the 1986 playoffs. In the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, the Angels were one strike away from the World Series when relief pitcher Donnie Moore served up a gut-wrenching home run to Dave Henderson in the ninth inning. The Angels lost the game, 7-6, in 11 innings, then lost the next two games in Boston.

---

What's amazing is that this should've been the end of Boston's run of misery. This amazing finish should have catapulted the Red Sox to a World Series win, not unlike how the 1980 Phillies' win in the NLCS over Houston then resulted in that one lonely world championship banner. Little did Boston know that an even greater calamity lie ahead...

As for Angels fans' suffering: 36 years? Amateurs!

Joe Exiled in MD:

The thing about THAT game in 1986 is that people tend to focus on Donnie Moore (RIP) but really, Gene Mauch and Doug DeCinces are the goats of the infamous Game 5. I can't remember who said it, but someone was quoted: "When I saw Gene Mauch on the top step of the dugout, ready to sprint on the field, I knew the Angels would lose". So true--he totally mishandled the Phillies staff in 1964 and he totally f**ked up the pitching matchups in this game. Mike Witt was the ace that year and was doing well. Mauch was obsessed with "the percentages" and so pulled him and brought in a left hander (I've blanked on his name) to pitch to Rich Gedman--who was plunked with a pitch, setting up Hendo. D. Moore had a sore arm by that point in the season, so Henderson's HR was almost inevitable.

So, even after the catastrophe HR, the Angels had rallied to tie the score in the bottom of the 9th. They had a runner on 3rd with 1 out and Doug DeCinces up. Fly ball to the outfield, and I'm buying World Series tickets. He f**king popped up and the rest is history. A lot of people assume that Henderson's homer won it for the Sox, but it went 11 innings. And the Angels still had a 3-2 series lead! When Wally Joyner got shingles or something like that and couldn't play in games 6 & 7, I knew they were doomed. They got blown out twice and it's been Hell in Anaheim ever since. In fact, that evil shrew Jackie Autry privately dogged Joyner for not playing in games 6 & 7 and that lead to his departure through free agency the next year, I think.

Huh? What? I remember this stuff like it was yesterday? You bet! And oh how I cackled with glee when that ball went through the loathsome ex-Dodger Buckner's legs (he was on the field only because McN. wanted him to be able to celebrate with his teammates). BTW: My pal Karl was vacationing in Hawaii and was at a bar talking to this older guy about baseball. He starts ragging on DiCences and what a stiff he was in Game 5, couldn't even hit a damn fly ball etc. It's no surprise to find out that the man he was talking to was DiCence's dad!

Speaking of ex-Dodgers (though I actually liked him), Mike Scioscia has done a lot of things right this year, but I was screaming at my TV because of him last night. Jarrod Washburn is cruising along and MS pulls him. Why? What's he saving him for? The bullpen then implodes for the 2nd time in 3 games--yikes! are we back to The Arson Squad days?--and the D Rays pull out a win. GRRRRRRR. He's over-using the bullpen and those guys aren't as effective now.

Wow! I think I finally found someone who is just as emotionally scarred as I am from the dreadful details of 86 Angels implosion. Yes Jim, I too many times point out to people the DeCinces at bat was just as disturbing as the Henderson home run. To add even more color to your commentary the details on his at bat are even more disturbing when the pitcher walked the two previous batters to load the bases. And what does the wiley old veteran do... he swings at the very first frickin pitch! How bout taking some pitches and let the pitcher sweat since his is obviously wild and lost the strike zone.

Another tidbit was a quote I read from a Boston Red Sox player recalling that his teammates in the dugout in the top of the 9th found great motivated watching Reggie Jackson congratulating Mauch and patting on the back as if the game was already decided. They used that as a rallying cry to help in the comeback. You're right, Mike Witt was one of the premiere pitchers that year and should have never been yanked.

Thanks for letting me vent

Angel fans, comfort yourself with this one thought: Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS between the Red Sox and the Angels was the most exciting baseball game ever played. I just stood in front of my TV, mouth open, focused, for the last several innings. And I wasn't a fan of either team.

Only Game 7 of the 1991 World Series between the Braves and the Twins, with that amazing pitching performance by Jack Morris, comes close.

(If you want unadulterated horrific ... you'd do better to focus on the Gene Mauch Angels' 1982 ALCS implosion against the M'waukee Brewers.)

Hey, MikeOC! Nice to hear from you--it was great talking to you at Phil's while watching the Lakers beat the crap out of the hapless Nets--despite my love of Todd "The God" MacCulloch. Hope you can make it to Buzzer's for some NFL Dish action this season. I know it's a long drive from Southern OC but it'd be great to have you there.

Part of the reason that the Angels 1986 collapse has stayed with me is that I felt like I was finally going to be able to give a big middle finger to all the cretinous Dodger fans that had mocked and scorned me--often with good reason admittedly--for being an Angels fan for so long. Oh the abuse I took for ages after they lost....

Thanks for bringing up the DeCinces swinging at the first pithc incident--like people tend to do with traumatic incidents, I'd blocked that out. The picther was Roger Clemen's former lover at Texas, Calvin Schiraldi, wasn't it? Oh calm down y'all--I'm not actually saying that Clemens has ever slept with a man. Possibly.

Yeah, that was horrible. And I was anti-DeCinces anyway. In 1979, I got a ticket to Game 4 of the ALCS; they were starting to turn the Big A in to that tomb for the Rams. Thanks to Al Bumbry (I think) dropping a ball in game 3 the Angels were only down 2-1 in the best of 5. O's up 3-0, the Angels load the bases. Up comes Jimmy Anderson, cute as hell but couldn't hit his weight. Next up: Rod Carew. The place is going insane with the "Yes We Can" chant. Anderson hits a bullet down the third base line, Doug f**kHead DeCinces snares it, steps on 3rd and throws out Anderson. I've never heard a crowd get so quiet, so fast. The O's pile it on and win the Series. I'm convinced that if Anderson's ball goes through, the Angels win Game 4 and they almost certainly would have won Game 5 because they had Nolan "We Only Need to Get 2 8-6 Pitchers To Replace Him" Ryan starting in the twilight. *SIGH*

Yeah, 1982 was bad. Another colossal choke job. Gene Mauch--baseball genius or micro-managing destroyer of teams? Hmmmmmm.......

Well, that was more like it tonight for the Angels v. the D Rays. Great pitching job by Appier--great pickup by Bill Stoneman--and the bullpen didn't blow it. So, as of 12:03 am PST, the Angels are the wild card team.

BTW, the Devil Rays are the worst team I've seen in ages, but man do they have some cute players. Why get rid of the Expos and Twins? Kill the D Rays and Marlins.

Bill W. is looking more and more like a genius re: his first post in this thread.

[ August 30, 2002: Message edited by: Jim Allen ]

[quote]Originally posted by Jim Allen:
Yeah, that was horrible. And I was anti-DeCinces anyway. In 1979, I got a ticket to Game 4 of the ALCS; they were starting to turn the Big A in to that tomb for the Rams. Thanks to Al Bumbry (I think) dropping a ball in game 3 the Angels were only down 2-1 in the best of 5. O's up 3-0, the Angels load the bases. Up comes Jimmy Anderson, cute as hell but couldn't hit his weight. Next up: Rod Carew. The place is going insane with the "Yes We Can" chant. Anderson hits a bullet down the third base line, Doug f**kHead DeCinces snares it, steps on 3rd and throws out Anderson. I've never heard a crowd get so quiet, so fast. The O's pile it on and win the Series. I'm convinced that if Anderson's ball goes through, the Angels win Game 4 and they almost certainly would have won Game 5 because they had Nolan "We Only Need to Get 2 8-6 Pitchers To Replace Him" Ryan starting in the twilight. *SIGH*

---

Comfort yourself with the fact that in the 1980 NLCS, aka The Greatest NLCS Ever (the last 4 of the 5 games all went to extra innings), the Astros also thought they had Game 5 won because they had Nolan Ryan going for them at home. And he DID have a 5-2 lead after 7 innings, and at that point in his career he was either undefeated or damn close to it when leading after 7 innings. But it was not to be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, great win for the Angels last night. Timely hitting, good starting pitching, good bullpen work.

Uh oh. I was waiting for the Indian Burial Ground Curse to start. It's baaaaaccccckkkk.....Jarrod Washburn & the 16 YO girl. Could just be an extortion bid or he totally ignored his marriage vows and the impact on his 3 kids.

Huge games tonight and tomorrow.

Well, a REALLY great win for the Angels last night. I'm start to think that this might be the year that the Indian Burial Ground Curse is, erm, well, laid to rest. Possible Evidence: Troy Glaus jams his fingers sliding and can't play. In the past, the Angels would have been blown out 9-1 after such an incident. Last night? Spezio moves to 3rd base and Shawn Wooten, despite his horrible chin pubes, moves to first and hits 3 doubles. Percival was throwing bullets in the 9th.

Also nice to see almost a full house, fired up. Of course, they're bandwagon hoppers, but I don't care--nice to see some atmosphere at the Ed that doesn't involve feckin' Yankee fans cheering for their boring team.

And Jarrod Washburn? No charges will be filed.

Wish I'd stayed awake, even tho I was rooting for the A's... A shame that unless Seattle starts sweeping series -- nice boner, Bret Boone (ermm, I mean his gaffe on the bases last night) -- it's another meaningless race for first place. MLB has GOT to fix this; making the wild-card entrant play the entire Division Series on the road? Or just the third game at home?

[quote]Originally posted by Jim Allen:

Bill W. is looking more and more like a genius re: his first post in this thread.

---

Like this is your first evidence?



[ September 12, 2002: Message edited by: Bill W ]

Even one of the Angels legendary September total collapses won't save the Mariners now.

Two teams are going to the playoffs from the AL West, and they both play in California.

[Beavis & Butt-head voice] Huh huh huh huh California kicks ass huh huh huh huh huh.

I'm officially taking reservations for the Angels Bandwagon. Hop on, there's plenty of room. [Fine print] In case the Angels collapse and miss out on the playoffs, the money is non-refundable. [/Fine print]

Great win AGAIN for the Angels. My heart sank when Chavez drilled the 9th inning homer to tie it and I was ready to scream at the TV when Adam "You Are So My New Boyfriend" Kennedy popped up on the infield with a runner on 3rd, 1 out. But Scott Spezio has been the unsung hero for the Angels this year. He got a lot of abuse in spring training about being awful--which, considering how utterly CRAP Mo Vaughn was in his blessedly short stint here, was a bit harsh I felt--but he's played great D, gotten some really clutch hits and has generally had a great attitude.

And the Dodgers got smoked at Coors. Life is good. Now if only my beloved Everton FC could actually score a goal in the English football league.......

Bring on Texas.

I've been on the Angels bandwagon all summer long (since the O's were out of playoff contention by about May 15th -- again)....and this is not just because David Eckstein is so incredibly cute, either (and a damn good player to boot)....I'm hoping for a Twins-Angels ALCS....actually I'd like to see either Anaheim or Minnesota win the Series more than ANY team in the NL.

btw, love those new Angels uniforms this year -- so much better than those awful "wings" attached to the "A" they had the past couple of seasons....I know that "fashion statement" sounds so "flamboyant" but just thought I'd mention it....oh yeah, Mike Scioscia and Ron Gardenhire should share the Manager of the Year Award in the ALCS.

I'm more confident than ever now that the Angels will WIN the AL West....imagine a team winning 20 games in a row and NOT winning their division - looks like Oakland will have to accept a Wild Card berth (again)....this is finally the year the Angels break their curse and have a strong September and postseason run....KEEP THOSE RALLY MONKEYS GOIN IN ANAHEIM!

[ September 12, 2002: Message edited by: gamecock ]

Jim Allen: Count me in on becoming a believer over the past week. The Angels break my heart every year which explains why I have been holding my breath the past month waiting for the other shoe to drop as it has become the case on a traditional basis.

This team has a special character about it. No matter the situation they always have an approach that is consistent with confidence and a belief that every at bat is a chance to start/sustain a rally. As much as I was dissapointed that Donnelly did not close it out in the top of the ninth, I still felt the game was theirs to win. Once Erstad got the one out double, one could not get the sense that he would cross the plate to win the game. BTW, Kennedy is adorable so I could only get so mad when he popped up.

Call me crazy, but I think the Angels could pull a New England Patriots outcome and be a team of destiny.

[quote]Originally posted by gamecock:

I'm more confident than ever now that the Angels will WIN the AL West....ilooks like Oakland will have to accept a Wild Card berth (again)....

---

But unless Seattle becomes a factor soon -- by sweeping in Oakland? -- who cares? The tighter these 2 teams get, the more meaningless it's becoming.

M's fans, Texas looks like the best last-place team in baseball, don't they? And since A-Rod won a game in the sweep single-handed, how's his case for MVP?

I wouldn't call it meaningless. One of these teams will face the Yankees in the playoffs. The other will play the Twins. There's a big difference. Sure, it'd be more interesting if Seattle or Boston were in the hunt but they're not.

[quote]Originally posted by Joe in Philly:
One of these teams will face the Yankees in the playoffs. The other will play the Twins.

---

Excellent point; shame on me for not considering that... However: if you're Oakland (or Anaheim), aren't your odds of beating the Yankees somewhat better in a 3-of-5 than later in the 4-of-7 LCS? The A's won 2 of 3 at the Stadium last month...

Under that scenario I like Oakland's chances better than Anaheim's.

Well, the Angels didn't play all that well tonight, but they gutted out another win. Troy Percival just schooled Pudge for the final out.

I'm not ruling out the M's yet--I remember the Angels 1995 collapse involving them all too well--but I'm searching around my cutlery drawer for the fork to stick in them, because they're almost done.

And great points about potential playoff matchups. Note to self: Don't get ahead of yourself, you're an Angels fan. 2nd Note to self: Playoff tickets go on sale 9/21. Hmmmm....

MikeOC, wouldn't it be sweet if they made they playoffs this year?

Hi, Jim Allen! I have to say that you're probably right about the M's. They have pretty much collapsed, as sad as I am to admit it. It's almost like all the confidence has disappeared from this team. I hope that one of the AL teams can beat the yanks, and get into the WS, since the M's chances look very bleak. Even though I'm originally from So. Cal, I'm not an Angels fan, but I'll be on your side if it's an Angels/Yankees playoff series.

SMF, you're right about the M's seeming to lack confidence. They actually scared me more re: the divisional race than the A's but the M's players seem to have all decided to start playing poorly at the same time. Whereas the Angels are playing out of their heads right now; it truly is that sports cliche of "a different players shines every night".

And Eckstein and Kennedy are the cutest DP combo in baseball.

While researching the Angels 1995 collpase a bit last night, I leafed through Ross Newhan's excellent book about the history of the Angels, called amazingly enough, The Anaheim Angels: A Complete History. On every page was the name of a (usually over the hill, overpriced) player and I'd be all "God he sucked!" or "Worst. shortstop. ever." It truly is a litany of woe. Highly recommended.

Yeah Jim, I do think it will be awesome if the Angels finally make the playoffs. I am like yourself, cautiously optimistic. Doesn't it suck that when your favorite team has a magic number of 6 with more than a dozen games to play that you cannot even get excited enough to be convinced that they will make it to the playoffs? Do Yankee fans doubt their team's chances when they have basically the same chances and odds? I doubt it. It's just a sad commentary that Angel fans are conditioned to expect the worst.

With that said: The Angels defnintely make the playoffs but would not be surprised if they do it the hard way and bring drama into the picture.

Great, great win for the Angels again last night.

Magic number: 4. I'm not going to get excited until they actually clinch. I think playoff tickets go on sale this Friday. I'm so there.

Big game tonight, but I'm going to the Dodgers v. Giants as a friend has an extra ticket. Mmmmmmm.....Dodger Dogs.........