Can't disagree there. I do think the Yankees will win the series (six sounds about right), and I do think this will be the best series of the postseason.This should be the best series of the postseason: The majors' two winningest teams feature the two best offenses and also play in two of the nicest ballparks.
ALDS HEROES
Angels: Prepare to hear about Bobby Abreu. Announcers usually have plenty of time to talk about him because his at-bats can take forever. Abreu was at his disciplined best in the first round, reaching base nine times (four via walks in the first game) and scoring four runs. "He was the MVP," teammate Torii Hunter said. Now Abreu is heading to his first League Championship Series, against a team that deemed him expendable after 2008.
Yankees: There is a reason Alex Rodriguez makes $32 million this season. When he is right, no hitter is more dangerous. He enters the ALCS as right as Yankee pinstripes. A-Rod finished the first round with a .500 OBP and 1.500 OPS. He hit game-changing homers in Games 2 and 3. "I feel great, not only with the game but in my life," A-Rod said after Game 2. "When I came back in May, I felt like I had a new start, and I wanted to let my play do the talking."
NEED TO STEP UP IN THE ALCS
Angels: Chone Figgins wasn't a complete bust against Boston. He made a few highlight plays at third base and saw more pitches than any Angels' hitter, one of his responsibilities as a leadoff hitter. But the Angels will need more from him to put the fast break in their offense. Figgins reached base only once in the first round, going 0-for-12 with six strikeouts.
Yankees: Phil Hughess aved the Yankees' bullpen in the regular season after he settled into the eighth-inning role, but he struggled in the first round. Though he recorded two outs in each game, he allowed at least one hit each outing. Overall, he gave up five hits and a walk to the 11 hitters he faced, and was saved further embarrassment by Nick Punto's baserunning gaffe in Game 3.
Prediction: Yankees in six. The starting pitching is a draw, but the Yankees' sluggers will produce more offense than the Angels' balance of power and speed. And never underestimate the importance of having Mariano Rivera.
Also check out this article from Scotty over at More Hardball. He talks about how Mark Teixeira has helped A-Rod.
And now for some other news:
- It's likely that the ALCS roster will look nearly, if not completely identical to the one we saw in the ALDS. I don't think they need Marte, but I don't make the decisions.
- Television ratings for this year's ALDS were up from last year. Obviously the Yankees had something to do with that.
- Tyler Hissey of Dugout Central says that "With Larger Sample Size, Rodriguez Will Continue To Shed Choker Label."
- And here's one reason why nobody should read the LA Times.
