17-8 Loss for the Halos or why a good ass kicking was needed.

Old Hokey Joe wasn't just beaten last night.  He was crushed, give up seven earned runs with two homeruns.  He wasn't alone.  The tandem of Palmer and Stokes were crushed too, combining for giving two more homeruns and ten earned runs.  The Angels offense wasn't the problem last night.  They scored four runs in the first six innings.  And even scored another four runs in the 9th.

The Angels haven't played consistently all season.  But I am of the opinion of this being an ass kicking the Angels deserved.  Sometimes  you need to get  your ass handed to you to force you to straighten your self out.    Look at Howie Kendrick from last year.  His demotion to the Angel's AAA Minor League affiliate the Salt Lake Bees.  That was the ass kicking Kendrick needed to get his stuff  straighten out.  Now he's one of our best hitters and no more base running blunders or fielding errors.

The Red Sox have been a thorn in the Angels side for a long time. Not dating back to last year, or the last decade, but even back to 1986 and later. The Red Sox have been terrible this year, but so have the Angels. I am sure Mike Scioscia was embarrassed with last nights loss. I'm sure Torii Hunter was embarrassed. And I'm sure the Red Sox think of last nights victory as a payback from the 2009 ALDS ass-whoopin the Angels handed the Sox last year. What will be interested is tonight's match up of Santana versus Lester. Santana has been hot and cold, Lester hasn't looked that good all year. Will the Angels take that ass kicking like men or little boys? Will they rise up, or fall down? Ultimately, the Angels are not playing to the expectations that the Angel Faithful is used too. But perhaps, just perhaps, this ass kicking the Angels received last night, will come with a receipt. A discount, or coupon, for buy one ass kicking and get on free.

Long Time coming, but the Red Sox finally get their comeuppance

It had seem that up until late afternoon, the Red Sox has unceremoniously owned the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Not even the lore of Dave Henderson could affect this bound and determined Halo Staff. In a no class move, the Red Sox looked to its storied tradition of whoopin on the Angels in Post-Season to one of the guys who had ripped the heart out of the franchise in years past. Henderson's homerun off of Donnie Moore killed the Angels momentum in 1986. The Angels would go on to lose two more games in Boston that year and wouldn't make it to another ALCS game until 2002.

You get the feeling that the Angels know they are about to accomplish something special. I was lucky enough to be at Game 2 of the best of 5 series and Boston's pending demise was palpable. It is without a doubt one of the greatest come from behind wins for the Angels, down to their last strike, last out, in Fenway, and manage to come up 3 runs giving them not only the lead, but the victory.

Red Sox reliever Billy Wagner worked into a second-and-third, two-out jam in the eighth, prompting manager Terry Francona to summon Jonathan Papelbon from the bullpen for a four-out save. Juan Rivera greeted Papelbon by lining his first pitch to right center for a two-run single, momentarily making it a 5–4 game, but Boston added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning. Papelbon retired the first two batters in the top of the ninth, but Erick Aybar kept the inning alive with a two-strike single. After Chone Figgins worked a walk, Bobby Abreu, also down to his final strike, doubled off the Green Monster to score Aybar from second. Torii Hunter then received an intentional walk, loading the bases for Vladimir Guerrero. Guerrero ripped Papelbon's first pitch for a two-run single to center, putting the Angels ahead 7–6. Closer Brian Fuentes retired the Red Sox in order in the bottom of the inning for the save.

The Angels go with a Four Man Rotation in the ALDS.

Recently over at Halos Heaven I brought up the question of, Do we go with a 3 Man or 4 man rotation in the Playoffs. The shape and color of the playoffs look like the Red Sox will win the Wildcard, which sets up New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers in the First Round. And the Angels taking on the familiar Red Sox in the opposite side of the bracket. If our first round match up is Boston, we have to consider what our staff has done against Boston. Last night John Lackey gave the Angels a pretty good outing in Fenway, where he's been known to struggle. Saunders gets a start in Fenway tonight and he has won his last 4 Starts. And Kazmir is reported as pitching well in Boston. Obviously our pitching staff has been getting better and better. In the playoffs are we better using a three man rotation or four? And who starts and who goes to the bullpen.

With home-field advantage going to the Angels, obviously match-ups should play a greater role. But with 4-5 above average pitchers, who goes where?

The Angels need a pitching staff who doesn't have the same demons of our past. A pitching staff who will show no fear against the hated ones. Our starting 4 Man rotation should be Kamir, Saunders, Weaver, Lackey and send Ervin Santana in as a late inning reliever. I would also suggest giving Lackey the more favorable starts in Anaheim as opposed to Fenway. Lackey hasn't performed well against Boston. 3 Wins, 7 Losses, and an ERA of 5.25. Kazmir is 8-7 against the Red Sox and has an ERA of 3.59. Saunders has had 4 Wins, 1 Loss and an ERA of 3.25. Ervin Santana vs. Boston is 1-2 and has an ERA of 5.67. Weaver's career is 2-2 against Boston and has a cool 3.99 ERA. Kazmir is unaffected by the Green Monster mystique. He's also had post season success against the Red Sox, by shutting out the Sox for 6 Innings at Fenway. Weaver who has pitch his best year thus far defeated the Red Sox in Fenway, coming out of the Bullpen. Weaver and Kazmir would be my choices for match ups in Fenway. Depending on Saunders next two starts can help shape where he goes in our rotation.

In a Best of 5 Series I'd go

Game 1 of the ALDS in Anaheim
Jered Weaver

Game 2 of the ALDS in Anaheim
John Lackey

Game 3 of the ALDS in Boston
Scott Kazmir

Game 4 of the ALDS in Boston
Joe Saunders

Game 5 of the ALDS in Anaheim
Jered Weaver

Number 27

Oh, did you think I was talking about Vlad Guerrero? Oops, I thought you were hip to what I'm putting down here over at the Diamond Aces. Kendry Morales just hit number 27 last night. So aside from dropping 27 bombs before August. 21st who is this Kendry Morales. Well here's a brief story of how Morales got to the Angels and captured the hearts of millions and millions of Angel fans.

Kendry Morales played for the Cuban National Team in 2002, on 2003 his team won the World Cub of Baseball. Not to be confused with the World Baseball Classic. Morales contacted an Agent in 2003, which resulted in him being sent back home to Cuba. Which kept him out of the Summer Olympics. Morales ended up defecting from Cuba to the Dominican Republic and signed a six year, 3 Million Dollar contract. After a stint with the Estrellas Orientales durning Winter League. By 2005, Morales played for the Rancho CucamongaQuakes and later that year played in the Arizona Fall League playing for the Sunrise Scorpions. Morales would make a few appearances at the Major League level in 2006 for the Angels when then 1st Baseman Casey Kotchman was injured. Morales would also get some playing time in 2008 durning the ALDS game versus the Boston Red Sox. He played with no fear and hit a double coming to pinch hit in Game 3, the only game the Angels would win. After Mark Teixera was traded away, Morales would earn the First Base position and hasn't looked back all year.