MLB FanHouse

Dodgers, Angels Interested in Halladay

Matt Snyder — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Blue Jays, Dodgers, AL East, AL West, NL West, MLB Rumors, MLB Hot Stove

According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, both L.A.-area teams are in pursuit of Blue Jays' ace Roy Halladay via trade. The report cites sources familiar with talks from both teams and places the chances of the Dodgers getting the right-hander a "long shot," but it sounds like the Angels have a realistic chance at acquiring Halladay.

Reportedly, Halladay would cost the Angels a young starting pitcher, such as Jered Weaver or Ervin Santana, in addition to a prospect. New Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopolous is also said to be willing to allow a potential trading partner to negotiate a contract extension with Halladay before any deal is finalized.

Halladay is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2010 season and there is likely little hope for the Blue Jays to retain him -- due to financial constraints.

The 6-foot-6 Halladay, 32, is one of the more durable workhorses in baseball. He has thrown more than 220 innings in the past four seasons and six times in his career. He's completed 25 games (in 96 starts) in the past three seasons, and it's not like Halladay is just eating innings out there. He's as productive as anyone, sporting a stellar 2.78 ERA over the past two seasons.

If the Angels could land Halladay, they could let free agent starter John Lackey leave, though it's possible they bring Lackey back and trade for Halladay, which would give them quite an imposing 1-2 punch.

If the Dodgers did somehow pull off the unlikely heist, Halladay would immediately become the anchor to their staff and likely give them an early leg up on the Giants and Rockies in the NL West for 2010.

Of course, there will be many more teams in trade talks with Toronto when it comes to Halladay. He's a bona fide elite starter.

Dodgers, Angels Interested in Halladay originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scioscia: Baseball Will Consider Condensing Playoff Schedule

Ed Price — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:22:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, MLB Playoffs

During the postseason, Angels manager Mike Scioscia spoke out publicly about the nature of the playoff schedule. And on Wednesday, Scioscia said he expressed the same concerns to commissioner Bud Selig.

"I'm very hopeful and confident that they're going to tighten up that schedule a little bit," Scioscia said on a conference call after being named AL Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "I think there's things that the commissioner is going to take to heart and look at."

Selig was initially not available for comment on the matter, but has since said he will try to tighten up the postseason schedule.

The Yankees played 15 games in 31 days on their way to winning the World Series. Because of that schedule, they were able to be the first team since the 1991 Twins to win a championship while using just three starters in the postseason.

That's the reason that playoff baseball is greatly different from regular season baseball, and the requirements to get through the postseason are different than those to get there in the first place.

"I think it goes against what the 162 games [of the regular season] stands for," Scioscia said.

Of course, the other reason to condense the schedule is to avoid bad weather. The postseason ended this year on Nov. 4 with Game 6 of the World Series.

When Major League Baseball acquiesced to FOX in the latest TV contract, allowing the World Series to begin on a Wednesday instead of a Friday, it meant adding extra off days throughout the postseason. There is now one between Games 4 and 5 of each League Championship series, for example.

Scioscia's biggest complaint was with the off days before the opening of the Division Series. Three of the four Division Series start on the Wednesday after the final Sunday of the regular season, with the fourth opening on Thursday.

That gives all teams a chance to set up their rotation, not just the ones that clinched early.

"I think that's absolutely the first step, yes," Scioscia said.

But this year, MLB needed the two off days, since the Twins-Tigers one-game playoff could not be played on that Monday due to a conflict with Monday Night Football at the Metrodome.

As of now, the 2010 regular season ends on Oct. 3, meaning if the postseason schedule goes unchanged, Game 7 of the World Series would be Nov. 4.

Scioscia: Baseball Will Consider Condensing Playoff Schedule originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AL Manager of the Year: Los Angeles Angels' Mike Scioscia

Ed Price — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, MLB Awards

As much for keeping the Angels together through the death of pitcher Nick Adenhart and a rash of early-season pitching injuries as for winning the AL West, Mike Scioscia was named American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America on Wednesday.

Scioscia earned 15 of 28 first-place votes. Runner-up Ron Gardenhire of the Twins got six first-place votes. Joe Girardi of the Yankees, Don Wakamatsu of the Mariners and Ron Washington of the Rangers all got at least one first-place vote, and no manager was named on all 28 ballots (first, second or third place).

This is Scioscia's second Manager of the Year award. He also won in 2002 as the Angels won the World Series.

This year was different. The Angels lost starters John Lackey, Kelvim Escobar and Ervin Santana in spring training, and then on April 9, Adenhart was killed in a car crash.

More Coverage: Tracy Honored in NL

Scioscia was forced to use 14 different starting pitchers and 12 rookie pitchers. Stars Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter also had to spend time in on the disabled list. And after the games of June 12, the Angels were 4 1/2 games out of first with a 30-29 record.

How They Voted
Voting for 2009 AL Manager of the Year Award (5 points for a first-place vote, 3 for second, 1 for third):
Manager, Team	1st	2nd	3rd	Pts
Scioscia, Angels	15	10	1	106
Gardenhire, Min.	6	12	6	72
Girardi, Yankees	4	3	5	34
Wakamatsu, Sea.	2	2	3	19
Washington, Tex.	1	1	11	19
Leyland, Det.			2	2

But they went 67-36 from then on, including a 19-7 record in July. Scioscia now gets some credit for that.

"He's our leader," Hunter said. "We see him, and he's OK, so we just go play hard, no matter what."

In September, Scioscia said it was just a matter of staying the course.

"At no point did we think that we weren't going to have a team that was championship caliber," Scioscia said. "We had a lot of confidence that we'd play at a high level, and as the summer went on, we did."

Voting was conducted before the postseason, during which the Angels swept the Red Sox in the Division Series but lost to the Yankees in six games in the ALCS.

Scioscia, the longest-tenured manager in the AL, is the first manager to reach the playoffs in six of his first 10 seasons as a big-league manager.

Gardenhire has finished second in the voting five times, a record for an AL manager.

AL Manager of the Year: Los Angeles Angels' Mike Scioscia originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Footprints in the Snow: Angels

Josh Alper — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, AL West

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

Take your hat off to the Angels for the way they weathered the dual gut punches of Nick Adenhart's death and a raft of early-season injuries to advance all the way to the ALCS this year. The biggest reason why was an offense that defied its reputation for playing small ball all the way to a franchise-record 883 runs. That, in turn, led to a much better than expected record and helped hide the fact that their pitching staff was fairly average.

That makes two straight years where the Angels wildly outperformed expectations, and general manager Tony Reagins will be hard-pressed to put together a team that does it a third time. Chone Figgins, Vladimir Guerrero and John Lackey are all free agents who figure to have a lot of callers in a weak year for free talent, which means that the team will likely be dealing with at least one significant change to their core group.

With the Rangers on the rise, the AL West could be ripe for a changing of the guard in 2010.

More Footprints in the Snow

Who Might Leave

Kelvim Escobar, RHP; Chone Figgins, 3B; Vladimir Guerrero, DH/OF; John Lackey, SP; Darren Oliver, LHP; Robb Quinlan, IF

Shopping List

They've already re-signed Bobby Abreu to a two-year deal at a reasonable $18 million with an option for a third year. Abreu had a typically good offensive season in 2009 and should continue to give them a strong bat for the next couple of seasons. His fielding isn't particularly good, however, and doesn't figure to improve after he turns 36 in 2010. The bat is more important, though, because of the uncertain status of Figgins and Guerrero.

Figgins is going to be one of the hottest commodities in a thin free agent market. His patience at the plate, speed and versatility make him desirable to nearly every team with money to spend, and the Angels would take a pretty significant hit if they aren't able to bring him back. There are internal options, but Mike Scioscia seems more likely to give ballet a try than he is to give Brandon Wood a long look in the lineup. Maicer Izturis could conceivably move to third as well and Adrian Beltre would be a free agent option, but none of them would help the Angels in as many ways as Figgins.

Guerrero is a slightly tougher call. His health limited him to 100 games this summer, and his still fearsome power comes in more and more sporadic bursts. Those facts will limit his suitors, which works to the Angels' advantage, but they may try to save money to re-up Figgins and Lackey by letting Guerrero walk. Jermaine Dye or Marlon Byrd could work as a righty bat in that event, joining Abreu and Juan Rivera in a corner outfield/DH rotation, or they could make a run at Jason Bay or Matt Holliday if they were to miss out on re-signing their own guys.

That leads us to Lackey, probably the most crucial of the Angels' free agents. If the Angels want to make another run at a World Series title, an elite starter like Lackey is a must. There aren't any others on the market, which will make him very expensive, however, and he won't lack for bidders. If they aren't able to sign him, they could opt for Randy Wolf, Joel Piniero or take a flier on Erik Bedard or Rich Harden. It should go without saying that none of them would provide anything close to the certainty Lackey does.

Another route, and its one that might signal a change in direction from winning now toward retooling for a run in 2011 or 2012, would be to let the free agents all walk and sign Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman instead. He might not provide an immediate replacement for Lackey, but could team with Jered Weaver to front a very solid rotation down the line. They'd also load up on draft picks that would help replenish a system that's a bit low on front-end talent.

Beyond those spots, the Angels could use help in the bullpen. Brian Fuentes is the closer, although he's not the most reliable character in the business. Scot Shields returning to health would be a big help, but there would be some merit to kicking the tires on Brandon Lyon, Rafael Soriano or Billy Wagner to see if they could solidify the back end of the bullpen even further.

Money Matters

All three members of their middle infield mix -- Izturis, Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick -- are arbitration-eligible and Aybar and Kendrick are candidates for long-term contracts that buy out their arbitration years. The same is true of catchers Jeff Mathis, Mike Napoli (who could also enter the DH mix if Guerrero departs) and starter Joe Saunders.

The guy they'd probably most like to lock up as he enters his arbitration years is Weaver, but the fact that he's represented by Scott Boras may make that difficult. Weaver had an excellent year in 2009 and may be ready to make the leap to the top starter role, a leap that would be necessary if the team is unable to bring Lackey back.

Offseason Goals

It's not going to be an easy offseason for Reagins and the Angels. If they are forced to play wait and see while Figgins and Lackey see what the market has to offer, they'll be under some pressure to cut their losses and look for replacements sooner rather than later lest they be left holding the bag. Things worked out for them last year because Abreu hung around forever, but there just aren't that many talented players on the market this winter.

That means they'll need to either spend a lot of money or be creative to remain at the top of the division again in 2010. There's no obvious reason to doubt their ability to do either, but it wouldn't be shocking to see the team use this as a chance to step back and start thinking big picture about the future.

Footprints in the Snow: Angels originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Money Worries Could Force Reds to Move All-Star Phillips, Others

Ed Price — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:48:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Blue Jays, Giants, Nationals, Red Sox, Reds, Tigers, Yankees, MLB Inside Scoop

Editor's Note: FanHouse's Jeff Fletcher contributed to this report

CHICAGO -- The Reds' need to slash payroll, according to a major league source, could lead them to explore trading second baseman Brandon Phillips as well as right-handers Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang.

Cincinnati's 2009 payroll was about $71 million. General manager Walt Jocketty said during a break Tuesday at the GM Meetings that he "might" have to move some high-salaried players to meet the 2010 goal.

"We're going to probably have less to spend this year than we have in the past," Jocketty told FanHouse. "It just depends on how [ticket] sales go this offseason."

Boras: Holliday Can Play in Either League

Cincinnati's total attendance fell from 2.06 million in 2008 to 1.75 million this year, a drop of more than 15 percent.

The source above said the Reds plan to cut back to $65-70 million, which is a challenge in part because of raises due Harang ($11 million to $12.5 million), Arroyo (from $9.5 million to $11 million) and Phillips (from $4.75 million to $5 million).

With their salaries and so-so 2009 seasons, the pitchers would be hard to trade without the Reds taking on some of their pay. So Cincinnati's best bet could be finding a taker for Phillips, who last season hit .276 with 30 doubles, 20 homers, 98 RBI and 25 stolen bases.

The source said the Reds would prefer to keep closer Francisco Cordero, who has two years and $25 million left on his deal. They also need a shortstop and a catcher and have a decision to make at first base, where Joey Votto hit .322 but prospect Yonder Alonso (.838 OPS in the minors last season) seems close to being ready.

o. In a 180-degree turn from predecessor J.P. Ricciardi, new Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos declined any comment on whether he will trade ace Roy Halladay. But baseball sources expect that to happen this winter, with one GM predicting the Dodgers as a landing spot.

o. Detroit is probably content to let second baseman Placido Polanco sign elsewhere as a free agent and replace him with prospect Scott Sizemore, who by spring training is expected to be recovered by from a broken ankle suffered in the Arizona Fall League. It would seem to make sense for the Tigers to re-sign shortstop Adam Everett, a defensive specialist who could help a rookie double-play partner.

o. Washington should name its manager by the end of the week. A source confirmed the FOXSports.com report that Jim Riggleman, who finished out the 2009 season as interim manager, and Bobby Valentine are the finalists. One major league source said the decision will be based on who can help the team develop -- rather than public personality -- which seems to point to Riggleman.

Once that is settled, the Nats may target a veteran starting pitcher to top off and mentor their young rotation. Jon Garland and Randy Wolf are free agents who fit the profile.

Washington seems committed to Adam Dunn at first base with an outfield of Josh Willingham, Nyjer Morgan and Elijah Dukes. And Ian Desmond (.280 as a September call-up) will get a chance to be the everyday shortstop.

o. One official from another team expects the Red Sox to trade for a left fielder to replace Jason Bay, in part because they see Bay's rough two-month stretch from late June to late August -- .214 average with 59 strikeouts in 168 at-bats -- as a red flag. But another major league source said Boston is still engaged with Bay, a free agent. The Giants, in dire need of offense, could also get involved with the slugger.

"Chronological age does not have anything to do with a player of his genetics."
-- Scott Boras on client and free agent Johnny Damon San Francisco general manager Brian Sabean said his team won't be used as a pawn in a bidding war.

"You've got to be realistic," Sabean said. "Do they really want to come to San Francisco versus the people they are going to be talking to, including their own teams? We'll gauge in that way. People who are interested in San Francisco sincerely, we'll be interested in. Are we going to chase people we have no chance of signing?"

The Giants may have a tough time convincing a slugger to play in San Francisco because AT&T Park is so pitcher-friendly.

"If you can hit, you can hit," Sabean said. "The ballpark shouldn't bother you."

o. Johnny Damon just turned 36, but, as you'd expect, that's not going to deter Scott Boras from seeking as long a contract as he can get.

"The thing I'll say about Johnny is his durability is off the charts," Boras said. "It's like when I had Maddux on the market at age 37 and he got a four-year deal. Johnny Damon is at the point he's played 12 years and played 140-plus games and put up this remarkable career. Then you are talking about Pete Rose and all those players who went on to play till they were 40 at very high levels. Chronological age does not have anything to do with a player of his genetics."

Boras also said that Damon would not necessarily want to wait until he goes on the open market to re-sign with the Yankees, even though he conceded that it is customary for Boras clients to test the waters.

"If there is a deal that comes across the table that Johnny is happy with, I'm sure he'd sign quickly," Boras said.

o. The Angels have started a dialogue with all of their free agents, including the two big ones, John Lackey and Chone Figgins. General manager Tony Reagins said it's too early to tell how those negotations will go.

He said neither player has closed the door on re-signing with the Angels before the end of the 15-day exclusive negotiating window.

o. After the main portion of the GM Meetings on Tuesday morning, there was a second meeting just for the assistant GMs. Essentially, that's the meeting where they discuss topics so mundane that MLB officials know that the GMs would leave if they were invited.

"We spent 20 minutes talking about urine samples," one assistant GM said.

Money Worries Could Force Reds to Move All-Star Phillips, Others originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hermida Could Pay Off Big for Red Sox

Frankie Piliere — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:49:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Brewers, Marlins, Red Sox, Twins, White Sox, MLB Transactions, Scout's Eye View

In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down offseason moves from a scouting perspective.

It hasn't taken long for the Hot Stove to get heated up as we roll past the World Series. Some key players have already been locked up and some high upside trades have already gone down. What do these moves mean for each club involved and how will the players dealt respond to their new homes? Just as significant, how important will the prospects dealt turn out to be?

From Mark Teahen headed to Chicago, to the Carlos Gomez for J.J. Hardy swap, to Bobby Abreu's new deal with the Angels, each move had a distinct impact. Perhaps the most interesting of these, however, was Jeremy Hermida being shipped to Boston. For the price of a pair of young lefties, the Red Sox took a gamble that may prove very worthy.

There was a time when Jeremy Hermida was a can't-miss outfielder, considered pretty much unanimously to be one of the top prospects in all of baseball. For the former Marlin, those days were many setbacks ago. But make no mistake, there was good reason he was held in such high regard on his way up through the minor leagues. The raw power potential is still very much there and he has the skills that any scout points to with excitement.

On the other hand, the story of a player with physical skills that doesn't pan out has been retold many a time. So, did Boston get the player who never reaches that high ceiling or one it can help turn the corner?

There's no clear answer here, but it's safe to say that Boston has a good track record with left-handed hitters in recent years. Giving a guy like Hermida something to shoot for with that inviting Green Monster in left field will be fascinating to watch. It could very well put him in a better frame of mind at the plate. If they can get him confident in his ability to drive the ball to the opposite field, he could still blossom into the .300-hitting, 20-homer bat scouts envisioned a few years ago.

Considering his contract, his injury trouble and his failure thus far to reach his potential, Hermida is most definitely a gamble for the Red Sox. That only leaves the issue of the players that Boston sent to Florida in return.

First, there is lefty reliever Hunter Jones. With a fastball hovering around 86-88 mph, Jones is not a guy who figures to ever be a key setup man in a major league bullpen. If he's going to have a career, it's going to have to be against left-handed hitters. He relies heavily on his sweeping breaking ball and has shown he can have some success against tough lefty bats, but all things considered, this isn't a player Boston fans need to be concerned about dealing for a high-upside player like Hermida.

Jose Alvarez, the second and even lesser known of the two lefty arms Boston sent to the Marlins, also does not profile as a savior in this deal for Florida. After scouting him back in spring training, my impression of Alvarez was not an uncommon one. This isn't a pitcher with standout skills or projectability. There are some things to like about the 20-year-old southpaw, who finished the season at advanced Single-A, but he is not going to wow anyone with his raw stuff.

He's a feel pitcher with plus command of his pitches, and that control is going to need to remain for him if he's going to have success at higher levels. His fastball sits at 86-89 mph and he relies heavily on his two average secondary pitches. He has confidence in his changeup and has proved he could locate his 74-77 mph breaking ball against lefties.

The main concern with Alvarez is his over-aggressiveness in the zone. He gets too much plate when he's ahead in the count for a pitcher with less-than-electric stuff. Overall, there is enough there for him to have a role in a big-league bullpen, but given his smallish frame and current stuff there isn't a lot of upside.

If there is gamble for Boston in picking up Jeremy Hermida, it is not because it gave up high upside talent to get him. Clearly this was about dumping salary from the Marlins' perspective, and that is the positive they must take from this, because the talent they received doesn't come close to equaling Hermida's upside.

Quick Hits

o. We've yet to see how this year's market will take shape, but Bobby Abreu will not be left hanging like he was last year as it evaporated before his eyes. The pairing of him and the Angels is a perfect one, as his patient approach brings a balance to their aggressive lineup. With potential losses of key players elsewhere on its roster looming, this was a big move for Los Angeles. You know what Abreu will give you going into a season, and the Angels can now plan around him when constructing their 2010 lineup.

o. Carlos Gomez was one of the centerpieces of the Johan Santana trade, but things just never got off the ground for him in Minnesota. It was evident at times that both his attitude and careless play did not mesh with the hard-nosed, mistake-free brand baseball the Twins like to play. In that regard, you have to credit the Twins for being unafraid of dispatching a player for whom they clearly had high hopes. From a Brewers perspective, it can not hurt to give a player with physical gifts like Gomez a fresh start. Despite his struggles, there is still tremendous upside there. Of course, if J.J. Hardy can return to his peak offensive form, we might look at the Twins' side of the deal as one of the steals of the offseason.

o. He's never had overwhelming numbers, but from a scout's perspective there are a number of reasons Mark Teahen could continue to develop offensively. He's shown some of his best power to the opposite field, but it would be nice to see him learn to spin on the good fastball inside. That is about the only thing that's prevented him from taking off at the plate, and that's how opposing pitching will continue to try to get him out. The White Sox obviously hope he puts it all together with them.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

Hermida Could Pay Off Big for Red Sox originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angels Re-Sign Abreu Through 2011 With 2012 Option

Ed Price — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:41:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, MLB Transactions

After a few efforts over the second half of the season, the Angels were able to re-sign outfielder Bobby Abreu on Thursday, locking up the first of many potential free agents on thier roster.

According to a major league source, Abreu will get $9 million in 2010 and 2011. There is a $1 million buyout on a $9 million option for 2012, but Abreu can guarantee the third year with a certain number of plate appearances.

"We are excited to have Bobby and the presence he brings to our organization," said general manager Tony Reagins in a prepared statement. "He was an integral part of what we accomplished in 2009 and we look forward to his contributions both on and off the field."

Despite Abreu's freakishly consistent performance -- he's played in at least 151 games in every season since 1998 and had at least 100 RBI in every year since 2003 -- he had trouble finding work last winter, settling for a one-year, $5 million deal just days before pitchers and catchers reported to spring training.

Abreu's age, he'll turn 36 next spring training, and a saturated corner outfield market impacted his value then, but his very tangible impact on the Angels lineup, including on many of his teammates, earned him much more job security now.

Known for his discerning batting eye and the way he works opposing pitchers, Abreu was a central figure in a dramatically improved Los Angeles offense in 2009. The Angels went from 10th in the American League in runs scored in 2008 to second in 2009, and instead of bowing out in the Division Series again reached the sixth game of the ALCS before being eliminated by the Yankees.

"I am very happy to sign this contract," said Abreu. "I really enjoyed my first season with the club. The Angels are a solid organization, with an outstanding team and great fans. With the talent we have, I look forward to the opportunity of postseason competition once again."

Reagins will now have to turn his attention to his club's other free agents, including staff ace John Lackey and leadoff man Chone Figgins, who led the AL in walks this season.

Angels Re-Sign Abreu Through 2011 With 2012 Option originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playoff Pulse: CC-Cliff a Dream Matchup

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Phillies, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, World Series, Playoff Pulse, American League Championship Series

Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.

Looking Forward ...

The rain made it feel like eons between Game 5 and 6 in the American League Championship Series, but in terms of setting up the World Series it worked out pretty well.

We'll have to wait another two days for the start of the Fall Classic, but had the ALCS gone seven games we would have had to anyway. Because the Yankees weren't forced to use CC Sabathia for a third time in the series, we get a dream matchup to open the World Series (and potentially twice more).

Sabathia and Cliff Lee will meet in Game 1. Both have Cleveland roots and an AL Cy Young Award in the trophy case. And both are having terrific Octobers. Lee, believe it or not, might have been better than his former teammate in getting Philadelphia to the World Series, allowing just two earned runs in three starts.

Go ahead, complain about the drawn-out schedule. Just don't complain about this doozy.

In Their Own Words
"I couldn't be more excited. I feel like a 10-year-old kid." -- Alex Rodriguez on finally reaching the World Series.
By the Numbers
1950 The one (and only) year in which the Yankees and Phillies met in the World Series prior to 2009. Philly won only two pennants before 1980, and New York swept them in the '50 Classic.
More From FanHouse
Price: Like Old Times in Bronx Mariotti: Yanks Earn Pinstripes Olson: Haunting Halo Blunders

Looking Back ...

The Angels had plenty of reasons to feel somber after the Yankees ousted them in six games, their uncharacteristically poor fundamental play chief among them.

Lower on the list, but still looming, is the imminent breakup of this bunch that has won the AL West three years running.

Leadoff man Chone Figgins, staff ace John Lackey, cleanup hitter Vladimir Guerrero and right fielder Bobby Abreu are all free agents, with only Abreu (and potentially Figgins) looking likely to return. Pitchers Darren Oliver and Kelvim Escobar will also hit the open market.

The West turned out to be one of the most competitive divisions in baseball this year, with all three teams that finished behind the Angels making significant strides. We won't say the window is closing on the Halos, not with what they've done this decade and the money owner Arte Moreno is willing to spend, but if they lose three of those four players, it's hard to see them not taking a step back.

Scout's Eye View ...

When an offense is struggling, particularly a power-hitting one like the Yankees', the problems can frequently be traced back to a pull-happy approach. Despite some early hits against Joe Saunders, New York struggled with runners in scoring position during the first trip through their batting order. Saunders has proved he can induce the back-breaking groundball by staying on the outside part of the plate with his sinking fastball, and much of the reason he has given the Yankees problems in his career is his ability to force their hitters to roll over that pitch. In the fourth inning, Johnny Damon finally made the adjustment.

After rolling over a 90-mph fastball from Saunders and pulling it foul, Damon took the next pitch to left-center field for a big two-run single. It was this adjustment, being able to stay back on a crafty pitcher like Saunders, that finally turned their luck around against him.

Speaking of adjustments, it was clear that the Yankees changed the way they went after the red-hot Jeff Mathis. Much of the damage the Angels catcher did in this series came on the breaking ball. That included his double in the third inning on a 75-mph Andy Pettitte curveball. Hitters who hover around .200 and show limited power as Mathis has in his career are not typically players that punish the fastball. It may have been a late adjustment, but he did not see anything off-speed in his next at-bat.

-- Frankie Piliere

Playoff Pulse: CC-Cliff a Dream Matchup originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yankees vs. Angels: Game 6 Live Chat

Andrew Johnson — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Live Blogging, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series

Let's try this again. The World Series is just three days away, but there is still a little business to take care of in the American League.

After rain got in the way of Game 6 on Saturday, the Yankees and Angels will go at it Sunday night, with New York looking to book its first World Series trip since 2003 and Los Angeles looking to force an all-or-nothing Game 7 Monday night in the Bronx.

In a series that has seemingly had it all, it's a pair of left-handers in the most vital game yet. Andy Pettitte, with all of his postseason experience, takes the hill for the Yankees against the Angels' Joe Saunders. Join the MLB FanHouse crew for a live chat from first pitch to final out starting at 8 PM ET.

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=d17fc6d737" &amp;amp;gt;ALCS Game 6 Live Chat&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Yankees vs. Angels: Game 6 Live Chat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLB.com Already Selling Yankees AL Champions Gear

Tom Fornelli — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:44:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series

Maybe the folks at MLB.com never found out that Game 6 of the ALCS was postponed on Saturday night, or maybe they're just playing the odds, but for some reason you can already buy your Yankees 2009 AL Champion swag in the MLB Shop. That's right, the AL Champions t-shirt that the Yankees will be wearing in the clubhouse as they douse themselves in champagne after knocking off the Los Angeles Angels.

It can be yours for only $24.99 plus shipping and handling! Who cares if they haven't actually eliminated the Angels yet?

Granted, there's nothing wrong with the MLB Shop getting itself prepared for what could possibly happen tonight, but do they really have to put the shirts, hats, flag and mint coins on sale already? And if they're just doing it so Yankees fans can pre-order now so the items don't sell out, shouldn't they be selling Angels gear as well? Or are the Angels shirts only available on MLB Shop for Third World Countries?

Whatever the reasoning is behind it, I'm sure the Angels know about it and will probably be using it for some extra motivation Sunday night.

MLB.com Already Selling Yankees AL Champions Gear originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stormy Weather Could Favor Angels

Ed Price — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:07:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series

NEW YORK -- The same nasty East Coast weather that seemed to throw the Angels off their game at the beginning of the American League Championship Series now may have worked in their favor.

The reason: John Lackey.

The Yankees already had their ace, CC Sabathia, lined up to pitch Game 7. But because Saturday's rain in New York pushed Game 6 to Sunday and Game 7 to Monday, Lackey could now pitch Game 7 on three days' rest.

"If we get Lackey going in Game 7," Scott Kazmir said, "we have a lot of confidence in that game, that's for sure."

More Coverage: Game 6 Postponed Until Sunday

Jered Weaver, who seemed the most likely Game 7 starter if it had been Sunday, said he expected Lackey to now get the call.

"I would think so," Weaver said. "That's our horse, and that's a guy that loves pitching big games. We all do, but obviously he's had a little bit more experience in that regard."

The rest of the Angels were loathe to admit an advantage from the rainout. But it's there.

If.

"That's our horse, and that's a guy that loves pitching big games. We all do, but obviously he's had a little bit more experience in that regard."
-- Jered Weaver If there's a Game 7.

"Our focus is not on Game 7," general manager Tony Reagins said. "Our focus is on Game 6."

Said manager Mike Scioscia: "We'll get through Game 6. There's no sense talking about a Game 7."

Much of that rests on Joe Saunders, who actually expressed disappointment in the Sunday forecast.

"I would rather have it 20 degrees colder, no question about it," said Saunders, who grew up in Northern Virginia. "I like cold weather. I was raised in cold weather. I've played my whole life in the cold weather."

But Saunders, like everyone else, said it was the right decision to postpone the game rather than risk a stop-and-start situation, like the disaster last year when Game 5 of the World Series was started, then suspended in the sixth inning and resumed the next day.

With Saturday's rainout, the Yankees could theoretically pitch Sabathia on full rest in Game 6. But manager Joe Girardi said he would stick with Andy Pettitte and save Sabathia for a Game 7.

"Who else would you want for a Game 7 if there is a Game 7?" Pettitte said. "I never thought they would not throw me [Sunday]."

It also makes sense because the only way the Yankees can line up Sabathia for three World Series starts is if he doesn't pitch until Game 1 on Wednesday.

So the rain only changes the Angels' plans, not the Yankees'.

"Does it give one team an advantage or not?" Girardi said. "I don't know. Maybe the extra day helps us more. I'm not really sure. I'm sure there will be a lot written about it. Depending on what happens tomorrow night. But I don't know."

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Yankees Angels Photos

Kathy Miranda, from Norwalk, Conn., protects herself from the rain after Game 6 of the American League Championship baseball series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels was postponed because of rain Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Angels vs. Yankees

New York Yankees' Mariano Rivera walks through the team's dugout after Game 6 of the American League Championship baseball series between the Yankees and Los Angeles Angels was postponed because of rain Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Los Angeles Angels' John Lackey walks back to the team dugout after Game 6 of the American League Championship baseball series against the New York Yankees was postponed because of rain Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, in New York (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

The Yankee Stadium sign is reflected in a puddle on the infield warning track after Game 6 of the American League Championship baseball series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels was postponed because of rain Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

New York city policemen stand in the Yankees dugout after Game 6 of the American League Championship baseball series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels was postponed because of rain Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 24: A tarp covers the infield in the rain before Game Six of the ALCS between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is canceled due to inclement weather during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 24, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 24: An NYPD officer looks at the rain from a dugout before Game Six of the ALCS between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is canceled due to inclement weather during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 24, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 24: A security gaurd wears a pancho in the rain before Game Six of the ALCS between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is canceled due to inclement weather during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 24, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 24: Fans sit in the rain before Game Six of the ALCS between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is canceled due to inclement weather during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 24, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Reagins said the rainout "gives us more options. ... From that standpoint, I think there is some benefit. ... In theory, we could [start Lackey in Game 7]. We haven't had that discussion yet."

Lackey has pitched a Game 7 on short rest before.

And all he did as a rookie in the 2002 World Series was hold the Giants to one run in five innings.

"It feels like a pretty long time ago, honestly," Lackey said.

Lackey, who has a 3.12 ERA in 15 postseason appearances, claimed "we're getting ahead of ourselves" in discussing his Game 7 start. But he could hardly contain himself from saying, "Damn right, I want another shot at the Yankees."

He said it was the right call for the Angels to go with a four-man rotation in the ALCS, which by the original schedule would have prevented him from making three starts in a seven-game series.

But now, "If it works out that I get back in there, " he said, "I won't complain about that either."

Lackey was clearly upset at being pulled from Game 5 in the seventh inning. So the Angels would not only have their No. 1 pitcher in Game 7, but a motivated No. 1.

"I'm pretty sure he wants the ball," Torii Hunter said.

Yeah.

"You know me," Lackey said. "I want in there as often as I can get in there.

"Hopefully Joe will go ahead and post up eight zeroes, And maybe you might see me again."

Stormy Weather Could Favor Angels originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Dugout: Evening Plans

B. Thompson Stroud — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, The Dugout

Unless The Lord decides to once again destroy the evil of the world with a thunderous rainstorm tonight, we're going to get Game 6 of the ALCS between the Yankees and the Angels. By now, we've asked practically every question imaginable. We've analyzed and blogged incessantly about the importance of Jeter, about the managerial decisions, about the umpires. We've jumped to conclusions (Phillies/Yankees!). We've hopped bandwagons. We've changed our point of view. So hey, could somebody up there please just stop the god forsaken rainfall so we can get this series over with?

To further exacerbate this black hole of logical sports discussion, here is a facetious Dugout to be taken seriously by Yankees fans that retreads everything everyone has already said.

The Dugout

	GreasersAndScioscia: all right, the game is starting soon, so let's compare notes... what've you got planned for tonight?
	GirardiAndCola: welp, my plan is to start Andy Pettitte, then take him out in the third inning for absolutely no reason whatsoever
	GirardiAndCola: at that point we bring in Joba, and take him right back out once he's loaded the bases or thrown three pitches, whichever comes first
	GirardiAndCola: after that is a crap shoot, I'm just going to play the percentages
	GreasersAndScioscia: Which percentages are you gonna play?
	GirardiAndCola: 0-100% what about you
	GreasersAndScioscia: I'm going into game six with a strategy based totally on pinch running.
	GreasersAndScioscia: we start our worst, slowest players, and then when one of them happens to get hit by a pitch or walked, we sub at first with Chone Figgins and just start yelling RUN RUN RUN
	GreasersAndScioscia: we're not trying to steal bases or anything, he's going to start running the second he gets out onto the field
	GirardiAndCola: hey, that sounds pretty good, I wish anybody on my team could run
	GirardiAndCola: ah who am I kidding, I'm just going to glare at them and repeat "home run" until they do it
	GreasersAndScioscia: if that fails, we just rely on umpire incompetence. I was thinking of putting my starting 9 in 3-D glasses to render the umps completely unable to see or think
	GirardiAndCola: Why not rely on power hitting? You've got Vlad Guerrero, aren't you always leaning on him
	GreasersAndScioscia: uhhh well yeah, I guess, but somebody accidentally gave Vlad 1% milk this morning intead of 2% and now he isn't going to be able to hit for six weeks
	GirardiAndCola: hey, got a quick question for you
	GreasersAndScioscia: /stands around making this face <---- for rest of conversation
	GirardiAndCola: would you be mad at me if I scratched Pettitte and pitched Sabathia tonight instead?
	GreasersAndScioscia: why would you wanna do that?
	GirardiAndCola: he hasn't pitched since Tuesday, and for Sabathia that is practically a lifetime, I worried that his arm is going to atrophy
	GirardiAndCola: plus I was thinking that if I pitched him tonight, he could be ready to go for game seven
	GreasersAndScioscia: heh, worried that the ol' Yankee empire's gonna get knocked out?
	GirardiAndCola: absolutely not, they won't give me a jersey with "Not 27" on the back. I have reason to believe that a Yankee victory is all but written in the stars
	GreasersAndScioscia: howsat
	GirardiAndCola: Because we are under the guidance of Highfather Derek Jeter, of course.
	GirardiAndCola: We exist as a team only because he tolerates it. Threaten his people, and he will banish you.
	GirardiAndCola: if you stare into his curious eyes until his curious eyes meet your eyes, you will know what I'm saying to be true
	GreasersAndScioscia: Oh man, you're right, I forgot about Jeter. Do you want me to tell the boys to pack it up now, or..?
	GirardiAndCola: no, no, of course not, that would displease the Jeter
	GirardiAndCola: I'll ask him if it is in his infinite wisdom to stop the rain tonight so we can play game six.
	GreasersAndScioscia: Thanks, Joe.
	GirardiAndCola: you do what you've been doing, wheel Vlad's Casey At The Bat swinging ass out there and do your best. We'll see who deserves to be in the World Series.
	GirardiAndCola: and if that looks like it's gonna be you, we'll just whine about it until someone institutes mandatory instant replay on balls and strikes and force-chokes the umpires
	GreasersAndScioscia: but no, seriously, what is the deal with those umpires
	GirardiAndCola: it's fun, they have no idea what's going on
	GirardiAndCola: I mean, we've been playing Xavier Nady in Mark Teixeira's jersey all postseason and they haven't even noticed
	GirardiAndCola: I'm all, "lol he's batting .004 and has to jump every time somebody throws it to first"
	GreasersAndScioscia: hahah I hear you, how else do you think we got into the playoffs?
	GreasersAndScioscia: we actually finished 10 games below .500 this season but we're in the AL West, so they let us in on our word
	GreasersAndScioscia: even the Mariners called ESPN and said "hey guys we didn't lose 100 games this year" and those jokers BELIEVED them
	GirardiAndCola: I don't want to live in a world where the Mariners win 63 games
	GreasersAndScioscia: me either
	GirardiAndCola: so what's the plan for Sunday? Game 7?
	GreasersAndScioscia: nah I was thinking we'd watch some football, because nobody cares about this

Photos link to player info. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) WordUpThome.com

The Dugout: Evening Plans originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game 6 of ALCS Postponed Until Sunday

FanHouse Newswire — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:53:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series

Game 6 of the ALCS between the Angels and Yankees, scheduled for 7:57 PM ET Saturday night, has been postponed until Sunday because of inclement weather. First pitch will be at 8:20 PM ET.

The adjustment means that if Los Angeles wins on Sunday, Game 7 will be played on Monday, one of the scheduled off days before the start of the World Series on Wednesday.

Rain has threatened all of the ALCS games played in New York, finally resulting in a postponement on Saturday because of a bleak forecast throughout the duration of the night.

Check back at MLB FanHouse later for more reaction, news and analysis of how the postponement will impact the remainder of the series.

Ed Price: Stormy Weather Could Favor Angels

Game 6 of ALCS Postponed Until Sunday originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Those Rocks Are Slippery When Wet

Tom Fornelli — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:43:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Fans, MLB Video, American League Championship Series

Game 5 of the ALCS on Thursday night was a pretty exciting game for fans of both teams, and interested observers as well. Of course, not everybody in the world has an attention span long enough to focus on a baseball game for too long without deciding they need the world to be paying attention to them.

When alcohol is introduced into the mix, it speeds up this process, and we end up seeing a situation like the one that occurred in the sixth inning last night. That's when an Angels fan decided to make his way into the waterfall/rock formation that is beyond the left-field wall in Angels Stadium.

The biggest surprise about all of this? FOX actually choosing to show all of this during the broadcast. The status quo has always been that when a fan runs out onto the field or interrupts play in anyway, the television networks covering the game don't show it on the air.

Something about encouraging people to be idiots, because apparently television thinks we need to be encouraged to act stupid. Also, that doesn't stop them from airing shows like The Hills. Which is really more dangerous to society?

I'd like to thank FOX for just this once, having faith in my sense of responsibility, along with everyone else who was watching the game last night. Not one of us has interrupted a baseball game since.

Those Rocks Are Slippery When Wet originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playoff Pulse: Storms on Horizon for ALCS, Slumping Swisher

Andrew Johnson — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, Playoff Pulse, American League Championship Series

Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.

Looking Forward ...

So you thought the weather issue was dead when the Yankees and Angels left New York? Wrong, especially now that the ALCS is headed back to the Big Apple.

There is rain in the forecast for Saturday night's Game 6, with showers expected in the morning in New York and heavier downfall expected as first pitch approaches. The chance of precipitation is 80-90 percent right now, but hey, at least it'll be warm (highs are expected to be in the mid-60s).

And at least Angels manager Mike Scioscia is keeping a good sense of humor about the doomsday forecasts. When told there was a 90 percent chance of rain, Scioscia shot back that "We'll play in the 10 percent that's dry."

In Their Own Words
"I knew that wasn't going to go well." -- Angels third baseman Chone Figgins on the mound meeting between Mike Scioscia and John Lackey when Scioscia came out to pull him in the seventh inning.
By the Numbers
9 Hits allowed by Yankees setup man Phil Hughes in 4 2/3 innings of work this postseason. Hughes took the loss Thursday night.
More From FanHouse
Fletcher: Angels Get Angry Mariotti: Yanks Show Cracks Piliere: Scouting Notebook

Looking Back ...

There is plenty of blame to go around in New York when the Yankees lose a game. That's as true in June as it is in October, even if there's an extra helping or two to go around now.

Joe Girardi and Phil Hughes will be popular targets in the wake of Game 5, but there's also a growing groundswell of frustration with right fielder Nick Swisher.

After going 0-for-5, leaving four runners on base and popping out to end the game Thursday night, Swisher -- a fun-loving and energetic presence in a now loose Yankees clubhouse -- is hitting .118 (2-for-21) in the ALCS. If you add in his ALDS performance he's hitting .103 in the postseason.

Time for quick-trigger Girardi to make a change? Hardly.

Eight games is an awfully small sample size, and during any other time of the year his slump would hardly register. This is Swisher. Contact is not his thing. His .245 lifetime average and 126 strikeouts in 2009 are a glaring reminder of that. But he compensates for that with plenty of power and a discerning batting eye.

Swisher is reminiscent of former Red Sox second baseman Mark Bellhorn as a hitter. Bellhorn went through a similar stretch in the 2004 postseason, going 4-for-31 (.147) in the first nine games of the playoffs that year. In his next three games -- Games 6 and 7 of the ALCS and Game 1 of the World Series -- he hit home runs. The lesson? Stick with the talent and don't overreact to an ugly couple of games.

After all, who would Girardi replace Swisher with anyway and still be able to keep a straight face?

Scout's Eye View ...

Should the Yankees be concerned about Hughes, their inexperienced setup man? Well, even though he was one quality pitch from escaping that seventh inning with a lead, there were some definite red flags. Out of the gates against Torii Hunter, the velocity was there at 96 mph with the first three pitches, but it was clear that Hughes was overthrowing. Even his 3-0 cutter was in a poor location, backing up right over the middle of the plate.

After walking Hunter, Hughes seemed in a calmer state of mind against Guerrero. He made an excellent pitch on 1-1 with his curveball, making the Angels slugger look foolish. Then he made the worst possible mistake you can make to such a good hitter in a big situation. Looking to go up the ladder, Hughes instead missed right over the heart of the plate just below belt high with a 95-mph fastball. As good hitters do, Guerrero made him pay with a single up the middle.

-- Frankie Piliere (Scouting Notebook)

Saturday's Tale of the Tape ...

Yankees (Andy Pettitte) at Angels (Joe Saunders), 7:57 PM ET: Pettitte wasn't exactly sterling in his Game 3 start, and the numbers still stack up against him. This group of Angels hitters is hitting .307 against him in his career and he was better on the road than he was at home in 2009. One positive: His ERA was more than two runs lower in night games this season. Game 3 in Anaheim had a mid-afternoon start, but first pitch in Game 6 will come after the sun has set in the Bronx. Saunders pitched very well in Game 2 at Yankee Stadium, but his numbers on the road (5.13 ERA) are not good, and Alex Rodriguez's .500 career average against the southpaw is awfully troubling.

Playoff Pulse: Storms on Horizon for ALCS, Slumping Swisher originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poor Pitch From Hughes the Difference

Frankie Piliere — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:36:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, Scout's Eye View, American League Championship Series

In Advanced Scouting, MLB FanHouse's professional talent evaluator breaks down the playoffs from a scouting perspective.

Pointing a finger at a manager is an easy thing to do after a heart-wrenching loss. Sometimes the hard truth of a loss is little more than a lack of execution by the players. The Angels' Game 5 victory came down to a poorly executed pitch from the hand of Phil Hughes. That simple of an answer might be difficult to swallow, but that single offering has, at best, delayed the Yankees' return to the World Series.

Make no mistake, New York is at this point in the postseason because of the performance of its young relievers. But, youthful mistakes and jitters cost the Yankees dearly Thursday night. Until Game 6 begins on Saturday night, the pitch every Yankee should be replaying in their head is a fastball in a 1-2 down the heart of the plate to Vladimir Guerrero.

Should the Yankees be concerned about Hughes, their inexperienced setup man? Well, even though he was one quality pitch from escaping that seventh inning with a lead, there were some definite red flags. Out of the gates against Torii Hunter, the velocity was there at 96 mph with the first three pitches, but it was clear that Hughes was overthrowing. Even his 3-0 cutter was in a poor location, backing up right over the middle of the plate.

After walking Hunter, Hughes seemed in a calmer state of mind against Guerrero. He made an excellent pitch on 1-1 with his curveball, making the Angels slugger look foolish. Then he made the worst possible mistake you can make to such a good hitter in a big situation. Looking to go up the ladder, Hughes instead missed right over the heart of the plate just below belt high with a 95-mph fastball. As good hitters do, Guerrero made him pay with a single up the middle.

Contrast that with John Lackey, the Angels' man with a plan. The Yankees have struggled against the big curveball throughout this series and Lackey went to his often, throwing it an almost unheard of 47 percent of the time on Thursday. That approach kept the Yankee hitters off balance throughout his very strong outing and proved again that pitchers who can use their secondary pitches consistently will give the New York lineup the most trouble.

Spotlight Moment

In about as tense a moment as you could have in an October baseball game, Nick Swisher battled Brian Fuentes in the top of the ninth inning with two outs and the bases loaded. The outcome of the at-bat had as much to do with the struggles of Swisher as anything else, but fortunately for the Angels things worked out in their favor.

Swisher, as the numbers indicate, has struggled mightily in this series. He's looked over-anxious and has been out in front of every off-speed offering the Angels have thrown at him. Although he worked the count full, Swisher missed a pitch on 3-2 he likely wishes he could have back. And you can bet that Fuentes would admit that the location could have been better. The Angels closer was far from dominating in this one, and going into the final two games of the ALCS it's going to be very difficult to rest easy if they need to rely on him to close out a game.

Quick Hits

o. For the second time in two games, the Yankees opted for an extreme defensive alignment in the outfield against Bobby Abreu and were burned by it. With Abreu up, New York had center fielder, Melky Cabrera drastically shifted toward the left-center field gap. And for the second time, Abreu lined a ball up the middle that would have been either a single or an out against a standard alignment. While Abreu does have the tendency to shoot the ball toward the gap in the left field, he's burned the Yankees by not going there in the last two games. It will be interesting to see if the Yankees stick with their positioning as the series returns to New York.

o. If Yankee fans are looking for something positive to take from a crushing defeat, they can look at the awakening of Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano. Two key hitters in the Yankee lineup, both of them came up with huge hits in New York's six-run seventh inning. The key for Teixeira is approach more than mechanics. As patient as he is, it sometimes can work against him. Against the strike-throwing Angel staff, taking pitches can put him in a hole and that's what has been happening to the slugging first baseman. He was more aggressive in this game and looked far more comfortable.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

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MLB Postseason Photos

Los Angeles Angels closer Brian Fuentes reacts after making the last out in the ninth inning to beat the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5 of the American League Championship baseball series Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

2009 Baseball Playoffs

New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, right, and Derek Jeter react as they watch the ninth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship baseball series against the Los Angeles Angels Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Anaheim, Calif. The Angels won 7-6. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, center, reacts as Hideki Matsui slides safely home past the Los Angeles Angels catcher Jeff Mathis during the seventh inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship baseball series Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Los Angeles Angels' Kendry Morales hits a single to score Torii Hunter during the seventh inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship baseball series against the New York Yankees Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 22: The New York Yankees bench cheer on teammate Nick Swisher #33 during the ninth inning of Game Five of the ALCS against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 22, 2009 in Anaheim, California. The Angels defeated the Yankees 7-6. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 22: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees looks to tag out Kendry Morales #19 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Game Five of the ALCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 22, 2009 in Anaheim, California. The Angels defeated the Yankees 7-6. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada;Kendry Morales

Getty Images

New York Yankees' Andy Pettitte, left, Derek Jeter, center, and Brett Gardner react as they watch the ninth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship baseball series against the Los Angeles Angels Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Anaheim, Calif. The Angels won 7-6. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

From left, the New York Yankees' Nick Swisher, Melky Cabrera, and Johnny Damon gather during a pitching change in the eighth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship baseball series against the Los Angeles Angels Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 22: Hideki Matsui #55 of the New York Yankees slides into home base safe ahead of Jeff Mathis #5 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim tag during the seventh inning in Game Five of the ALCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 22, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Hideki Matsui;Jeff Mathis

Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 22: Erick Aybar #2 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reaches on an infield single ahead of the throw to Mark Teixeira #25 of the New York Yankees during the eight inning in Game Five of the ALCS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 22, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Erick Aybar;Mark Teixeira

Getty Images

Poor Pitch From Hughes the Difference originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angels Get Angry to Stay Alive in ALCS

Jeff Fletcher — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:07:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- These are the Angry Angels.

John Lackey was angry enough at his own manager to say some things that even an amateur lip-reader could tell were not family safe.

Torii Hunter was mad enough to chuck his glove into the Angels dugout and create a scene after a four-run lead had turned into a two-run deficit in one forgettable inning.

"I was pretty upset about them scoring those runs," Hunter said. "Everyone was."

Game 5: Angels 7, Yankees 6 | Box Score | Series Home

Which is just as it should be, Hunter said. "If I would have seen that," Hunter said, referring to the hang-dog look of disappointment, "that would have shown me a sign of a weakness. Get pumped up. Get [ticked] off. We got outs left, innings left."

"Don't get ahead of yourself. We made it to another game."
-- John Lackey on the Angels' win in Game 5 Now, the Angels have a whole game left. Their unlikely 7-6 victory over the Yankees in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday night earned them a cross-country flight and a date to take another shot at the Yankees in Game 6 on Saturday night.

Once again, the Angels have made it a series. You doubted them after they lost the first two in New York, and you doubted them again after they were pummeled in Game 4 and blew a comfortable lead in Game 5. If you were among the doubters, then you haven't been watching the Angels much this season.

"This," Lackey said, "isn't close to as much adversity as we've seen this year."

Lackey didn't elaborate at all on that sentence. Didn't have to. The Angels, of course, have led the league in adversity, most notably dealing with the death of one of their teammates, Nick Adenhart. The old "Win One For Nick" storyline is tired and inaccurate, since the Angels would no doubt be trying to win just as hard without the tragedy. What is significant is that the Angels have been through some stuff, including injuries to just about everyone who is anyone, that has left them confident that no situation is too bleak.

Certainly not a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven series.

Before Game 5, the Angels clubhouse was full of life and emotion, Hunter said. Players were "fired up, ready to go," he said. "We said we don't want them clinching on our field." They had also noticed the Yankees-Phillies World Series previews sprouting up on TV.

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Lackey, a big tough Texan out of the Roger Clemens mold, was just the guy they wanted on the mound in such a game. Lackey is the kind of guy who, after his team had been throttled for a couple days by the Texas Rangers in May, would take it upon himself to drill the first hitter of the game the next day.

On Thursday night he came out firing at the Yankees, blanking them through six innings while hanging on to a 4-0 lead the Angels had produced within the first five batters of the game. He gave up a double to Melky Cabrera, then walked Jorge Posada on a questionable call that caused Lackey to react angrily toward plate ump Fieldin Culbreth. Then he walked Derek Jeter on four pitches, before getting Johnny Damon on a flyout for the second out. That was when Mike Scioscia came to the mound to make the percentage move, bringing in lefty Darren Oliver to pitch to switch-hitter Mark Teixeira, and Lackey responded with incredulity.

"This is mine," Lackey clearly told his manager. "You've got to be [kidding] me."

Only it was pretty clear he didn't say "kidding."

Later in the clubhouse, Lackey explained that "I felt like I got to the point in the game where I should have been able to determine it."

Scoscia said later that he went with his head instead of his heart in making the move, which immediately blew up in his face. Teixeira hit a three-run double on Oliver's first pitch, and the Yankees would go on to score three more to take a 6-4 lead. When the Angels got back into the dugout, that's when Hunter blew up.

"I'm guilty of that," he said. "But that's part of baseball. Everybody was upset. Trust me."

Scioscia said he sensed that the players were ready to strike back, though: "Guys in the dugout were still pumped up. They knew we'd get a guy on. We had the tying run at the plate, and just some real good hitting with guys in scoring position."

Just as the Yankees had smacked the Angels in the top of the inning, the Angels came back with three runs in the bottom, one on Bobby Abreu's groundout, one on Vladimir Guerrero's single against Phil Hughes (who must regret throwing him a fastball after he'd made him look silly on a curveball) and one on Kendry Morales single.

That just left the matter of six little outs, which the Angels recorded easily enough by pitching around everyone who came to the plate in the ninth inning to get to slumping Nick Swisher. Swisher's popout with the bases loaded ended it, keeping the Angels alive to fight again.

Afterward, when Lackey was sensing that the questions were getting a little too presumptuous about those never-say-die Angels, he reminded a reporter that they still haven't done anything.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Lackey said. "We made it to another game."

Angels Get Angry to Stay Alive in ALCS originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yankees vs. Angels: Game 5 Live Chat

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Live Blogging, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series

Half of the World Series is set. Will the matchup be completed Thursday night, or will the Angels be able to book a return ticket to the Bronx for Game 6 in the American League Championship Series?

Like their National League counterparts in Southern California, the Halos' backs are to the wall. Unlike the Dodgers, they'll send their very best pitcher -- John Lackey -- to the mound in an elimination game against A.J. Burnett.

It's go big or go home in Anaheim, and the MLB FanHouse crew will be there to take you from first pitch to final out in Game 5. Join us after the jump at 7:45 PM ET for a LIVE chat.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=69b9041dce" >ALCS Game 5 Live Chat</a>

Yankees vs. Angels: Game 5 Live Chat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tex's Hot Glove Makes Up for Cold Bat

Jeff Fletcher — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Between the performances of Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and even Johnny Damon, it's easy to suggest that the Yankees are on the verge of an American League pennant purchased on the open market.

Even Mark Teixeira has had a significant impact on the series. Don't let his .111 average fool you.

While Teixeira's bat has apparently gone to Jell-O this postseason, his glove has shined, especially in the series against the Angels.

Angels-Yankees: Series Home

"Just drape him in gold," said right fielder Nick Swisher, who figures that Teixeira is going to win his third Gold Glove after a two-year hiatus. (Teixeira changed leagues in the middle of each of the previous two years.)

The Yankees, who will try to close out the ALCS in Game 5 on Thursday, certainly didn't sign Teixeira to an eight-year, $180-million contract so he could go 4-for-30 in the postseason while playing great defense. If you are going to go 4-for-30, though, the defense doesn't hurt.

"Just drape him in gold."
-- Nick Swisher on teammate Mark Teixeira's First Base Defense "All season long I've always said that you can help your team out defensively every day," he said. "Offensively you can't. That's just the way it is. I think I've been hopefully helping out my infielders and pitchers this series."

In the first two games in New York, Teixeira made several nice picks on throws in the dirt to save his fellow infielders errors. In Game 3 in Anaheim, Teixeira helped bail the Yankees out of two jams. In the bottom of the eighth, Bobby Abreu led off with a double. He rounded second base too far, and Teixeira was trailing behind him, as he's supposed to do, so he could be there to apply the tag on Abreu when Derek Jeter got him the ball on the relay.

In the ninth inning, Teixeira handled three consecutive ground balls when the Angels loaded the bases with no outs. One was sharply hit with Teixeira playing in. On the second he had to make an accurate throw to the plate to get a force.

All of it looked familiar to Angels first base coach Alfredo Griffin, who is also the team's infield instructor. He's had the misfortune of a front-row seat to Teixeira's play this series, after being a beneficiary of his excellent defense when Teixeira played the last two months of 2008 with the Angels.

"He's one of the best," Griffin said. "He's been making a difference all year. This just seems big because it's the playoffs, but I look at the whole year."

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Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia hits a ball during baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Angels are scheduled to play the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the American League championship series on Thursday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Angels vs. Yankees

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New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera throws during baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Yankees will play the Los Angeles Angels in Game 5 of the American League championship series Thursday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, left, and Derek Jeter arrive for baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Yankees play the Los Angeles Angels in Game 5 of the American League Championship baseball series on Thursday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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New York Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett runs during baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Yankees will play the Los Angeles Angels in Game 5 of the American League championship series Thursday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Los Angeles Angels' Bobby Abreu, left, and Vladimir Guerrero stand by the batting cage during baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Angels are scheduled to play the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the American League championship series on Thursday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez loosens up for batting practice during a baseball workout in Anaheim, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Yankees play the Los Angeles Angels in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, right, talks to Derek Jeter as they arrive for baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Yankees play the Los Angeles Angels in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

New York Yankees' Derek Jeter stretches during baseball practice in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. The Yankees play the Los Angeles Angels in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The Angels have actually seen more of Teixeira than just about any other team in the majors. Besides this playoff series and the time he spent in an Angels uniform last year, Teixeira played for the Rangers in the AL West for the first four and a half years of his career.

"I can't tell you how impressed we were just seeing him up close in the couple of months we had him last year," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Just how hard he works on his defense. How much pride he takes in it, and the difference-maker he is in a position where it's probably a little tougher to be a difference maker than if you play shortstop, centerfield, catch, second base. But he certainly is. And he takes pride and works harder, and he's obviously had a major impact on a lot of situations that have already happened in just the three games we've played them on the defensive side."

Angels third baseman Chone Figgins said that Teixeira "has obviously made them a better defensive team."

Statistically, Teixeira obviously has much more range than any Yankee first baseman since Don Mattingly, at least. He's also helped the other Yankee infielders cut down on their throwing errors, from 22 last year to 18 this year.

"He's got a long wingspan," Jeter said. "I don't know what else you'd want him to do over there."

Swisher, whose best position is actually first base, is now relegated to watching from the outfield as Teixeira works.

"The thing that really surprises me the most is not his range, but his ability to pick balls out of the dirt. Wow. It's impressive. Those guys on the infield should be thanking him."

First base is often a position reserved for a big slugger who can't play anywhere else. It is typically an offense-first position. Teixeira is best-known (and paid) because of what he does with the bat, but he said that his father preached to him when he was a kid that defense was just as important.

Of course, back then he was a shortstop.

"Looking at me now you probably can't believe that," Teixeira said. "I took a lot of pride in [defense]. I took almost as many ground balls and throws as I did swings in the cage. As I've gotten into the big leagues, I've realized it's even more important nowadays."

Especially when he's not hitting. Teixeira said that he can't put a finger on anything that's going wrong at the plate.

"I'm obviously not hot right now," he said. "You try to hope you are on a hot streak once you get to the playoffs. It's not happening for me right now. I'm still working in the cage trying to swing at good pitches, working deep counts. They are being a little better than I am right now."

The good news is that he is hot in the field.

"If you are confident in the field with the glove, it allows you to attack balls without thinking," he said. "It allows you to make plays that maybe if you were thinking about them or not as confident, you wouldn't make those plays."

Tex's Hot Glove Makes Up for Cold Bat originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playoff Pulse: Howard or A-Rod?

Andrew Johnson — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Phillies, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, MLB Umpires, American League Championship Series, National League Championship Series

Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.

Looking Forward ...

With the World Series matchup almost a foregone conclusion, here's a question to ponder. A-Rod or Ryan Howard? Who's having the better postseason?

Rodriguez joined Howard and Lou Gehrig as the only players to drive in a run in eight straight postseason games Tuesday night, making it a perfect time to draw the comparison.

Howard is hitting .379 this postseason, Rodriguez . 407; Howard 14 RBI, Rodriguez 11; Howard has a .457 on-base percentage, Rodriguez .469; Howard has seven extra-base hits (two homers), Rodriguez six (five).

A-Rod has played one fewer game than his Phillies counterpart. He's also got a bigger body of work in the clutch so far, hammering home the idea that he has, at times, had to carry the normally potent Yankees offense to the brink of the World Series (Game 4 was obviously an exception).

So for now, give the nod to Rodriguez, but only slightly so and with the knowledge that they'll probably meet in the World Series and have a chance to settle the score once and for all.

In Their Own Words
"When I grow up I want to be Alex Rodriguez." -- Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher
By the Numbers
6 Teams that have come back from a 3-1 deficit in the LCS since it was turned into a best-of-seven series. Four of the six teams did it in the ALCS, most recently the Red Sox in 2007.
More From FanHouse
Fletcher: A-Rod, CC Boost Rep Moore: In a New York Moment Piliere: Scouting Notebook

Looking Back ...

Once again, umpiring was a major story in Game 4 of the ALCS. There were multiple questionable calls, but none more egregious than the fifth-inning double play that wasn't.

With Jorge Posada stranded between third and home and Robinson Cano hurtling toward the hot corner, Angels catcher Mike Napoli chased Posada back up the third-base line. Posada and Cano both ended up around third base, but neither was standing on it. Napoli thought quick and tagged both, but the umpire on scene, Tim McClelland didn't rule a double play.

McClelland, one of the very best in the business, did admit he blew the call.

"I'm just out there trying to do my job and do it the best I can," he said in a post-game statement. "And unfortunately there was, by instant replay, there were two missed calls."

(The other missed call came the inning before when McClelland called Nick Swisher out for tagging up too early.)

FOXSports.com's Tracy Ringolsby did shed some light on why the umpiring might be particularly poor this October:

The quality of the umpiring has taken a hit because at least a dozen umpires, including seven crew chiefs, were left out of postseason assignments this year due to injuries.
...
While federal laws prohibits Major League Baseball from discussing injuries of employees, FOXsports.com has learned that the sidelined umpires include crew chiefs John Hirschbeck (testicular cancer), Charlie Reliford (back), Jerry Crawford (back), Tim Welke (concussion), Ed Montague (concussion and neck), Gary Darling (ankle and foot) and Rick Reed (stroke).

That's a lot of umpiring talent, but when McClelland, widely considered one of the best umpires in the game, has a bad night it just reinforces the idea that expanded instant replay should come sooner rather than later.

Scout's Eye View ...

New York's lineup is difficult enough to navigate without giving them any assistance, and assistance is exactly what Scott Kazmir gave them. If you intend to have success against them, you must establish a secondary pitch in the early innings. Especially given the issues their lineup has had against the breaking ball in the early part of the ALCS, Kazmir's ability to locate his slider was going to be crucial to his outing.

There's one thing about beating the Yankees that just can not be said enough. You stop their hitters by using their patient approach against them. They feast on pitchers that get behind in the count and can't throw anything but the fastball consistently for strikes. If you can put them in an immediate hole in the count, their approach can quickly be neutralized. Kazmir was unable to do that. Although he wasn't hammered, by the time the fourth inning rolled around he was completely worn down.

-- Frankie Piliere (Scouting Notebook)

Wednesday's Tale of the Tape ...

Dodgers (Vicente Padilla) at Phillies (Cole Hamels), 8:07 PM ET: Do the numbers even matter with Padilla at this point? The run he's been on since the Dodgers picked him up off the scrap heap is one of the best of his career. Here are the digits that matter: Padilla has allowed one earned run in two postseason starts, and since he joined the Dodgers (those two starts include) he's 5-0 with a 3.09 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings. Hamels has been shaky in two postseason starts, hardly flashing the form he showed last October when he was named World Series MVP, but his career numbers against these L.A. hitters are strong. Only two hitters -- Ronnie Belliard and Casey Blake -- have lifetime averages above .250.

Playoff Pulse: Howard or A-Rod? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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