The lineups are set, and this time, the Yankees are the road team against the west coast Angels. And while we’re on the subject, can I get one big “Shut the hell up” to the Yankees for complaining about Buck Showalter pulling his big guns on Sunday? Sorry, Yankee boys, but you had all year to win one more game, and you didn’t do it. When your fate is in the hands of another team, then you must deal with the consequences, no matter what they may be.
The breakdown, piece by piece:
Starting Pitching: Anaheim. Mike Scioscia had the luxury of resetting his rotation, while Joe Torre had to play to win until the very end. Game 1: Moose vs. Fatty, the Cy Young winner to be. The Big Unit likely won’t show up until Game 3.
Relief Pitching: Angels, by a nose. Mariano Rivera is the man, no question. But K-Rod is no slouch, and Scot Shields is the best setup man in the game. The Yankee horses, Tanyon Sturtze and Flash Gordon, are efficient but hittable. And if an Angel gets on base in a one run game, forget about it.
Hitting: New York. Three guys with 100+ RBI, four guys with 100+ runs scored. The Angels have one in each category. If Garret Anderson doesn’t get on base, don’t expect Vladimir Guerrero to get a pitch to come within five feet of the strike zone. Of course, he’ll swing at them, anyway. Curiously, the Yankees struck out nearly 200 more times than the Angels, whatever that means.
Manager: New York. They’ve both won a World Series, but no matter what Steinbrenner murmurs in his sleep, Joe Torre is a far, far better coach than he gets credit for being.
Defense/Intangibles: Anaheim. Speed killed the Yankees last year, and the Angels stole nearly twice as many bases as the Yankees. The Yankees are also vulnerable on defense, with no real center fielder and a masher at first base with a questionable glove. What are the odds that at least one pickoff throw gets by Giambi?
TSR Pick: Angels in five.
More series previews:
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