Angels Rotation Tilting Left for ALCS

There was a lot of talk about the amount of home runs hit over the right field fence in the new Yankee Stadium this season, and it seems that Angels manager Mike Scioscia has heard a great deal of it. He's shuffling his rotation from the order he used during the Division Series to get a lefty starter on the mound for Saturday's Game 2 of the ALCS.

Scioscia said Tuesday that the Angels would start either Scott Kazmir or Joe Saunders with Jered Weaver dropping back one game and starting the first game in Anaheim. The hope of neutralizing Yankees power heading toward the short porch is definitely the prime reason for the move, though there are other considerations that probably played into Scioscia's decision.

Weaver had a better season than either of the southpaws, but he was markedly better (2.90 ERA vs. 4.78 ERA) pitching at home. He also gave up nine runs and two home runs in 13 1/3 innings of work at Yankee Stadium. Neither Kazmir nor Saunders started in the Bronx this season, although Saunders did allow home runs at a higher rate than Weaver overall.

That said, the move isn't particularly damaging to the Yankees lineup, stocked as it is with switch-hitters. While Mark Teixeira, Jorge Posada and Nick Swisher all hit fewer homers from the right side, they hardly struggled from there. What's more, lefties Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano hit 13 and 10 home runs against lefties this season. That doesn't smack of players flailing away in vain at offerings from Saunders and Kazmir.

There's also the issue of the extra off day between Games 4 and 5 of the series. The Yankees are considering starting CC Sabathia on short rest in Game 4, which would leave A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte on regular rest for Games 5 and 6 and allow them to bring a fully rested Sabathia back in Game 7. Sabathia has gotten a ton of rest in September and October, perhaps withh an eye on this scenario, and the Yankees would be banking on their best pitchers and a deep bullpen without dealing with the troubling question of who to slot in the fourth spot of their rotation.

The Angels haven't made any indication about their plans, but Scioscia's comments would seem to indicate that they're leaning toward the more traditional four-man setup. Over a seven-game series that would leave three starts, rather than two, to pitchers other than Weaver and John Lackey and keep Weaver on track to start a crucial Game 7 in the Bronx where the Angels are clearly uncomfortable with the idea of him pitching.

The reasoning isn't unsound, but whenever you go with something other than your best players, the door for second-guessing is opened wide.