One of the great things about baseball is that no matter what the numbers show, or what we actually see on the field, baseball fans can argue about anything. Whether the topic is the greatest hitter of all time, the greatest left-handed reliever, or the ugliest uniforms in history, everybody has an opinion they aren't afraid to share. Here's something, though, that not many people can argue with.
The Los Angeles Angels are the best team in baseball.
You don't have to look anywhere other than the standings to see that, as the Halos 74 wins this season are three more than their closest competition. They have some of the best pitching in baseball, a great defense, and now that they've added Mark Teixeira to the lineup, they've got quite a potent offense as well.
So as we sit here on August 11, I have to wonder if there's anything standing between the Angels and a World Series crown. They do everything well. They're one of only four teams in baseball with a winning record on the road, and while the other three teams (Milwaukee, St. Louis, Philadelphia) are hovering around .500 on the road, the Angels are 17 games over at 38-21. They're "only" 36-22 at home.
They've also got a 14-game lead in the AL West, and though the rest of the division hasn't been eliminated mathematically, they have as much of a chance of passing the Angels as I do of taking Angelina Jolie away from Brad Pitt.
Aside from their divisional competition, there aren't many other teams in baseball that seem capable of stopping them. Just look at their records against other playoff contenders: Red Sox 8-1, White Sox 4-3, Twins 3-1, Yankees 5-2. The only playoff hopeful in the American League with a winning record against them is Tampa Bay, who the Angels are 2-4 against this season.
Still, three of the Rays wins came at Tropicana Field, and if they were to meet in the playoffs the Angels would likely have the homefield advantage, not to mention a lot more playoff experience. I know that once October rolls around, anything can happen. Teams get hot at the right time, and regular season records get thrown out the window, but at this point I just don't see anybody that can stop this Angels team.
Truly, they are the juggernaut, b!tch (NSFW).
