Yes, I am rooting for the Angels.
Yesterday, I chose to golf instead of watch the Red Sox and it felt great. By the time I got home, it was the 8th inning and the Sox were up 5-4. The minute I sat down with a bowl of pretzels and a fresh beer (Shipyard Export), Mike Lowell drove in the 6th Boston run and all was looking good. Shortly after, the Sox had two outs and no runners on, all signs pointing to a Game 4 in Boston. However, Papelbon started to look shaky (as he always does) and next thing you know, the Angels had a 7-6 lead. Now, if this was any other season, I’d fully expect a 9th inning rally by the Red Sox which would then propel them to win the next two games, but not this season. Not sure why, it was just a feeling I had. With that said, in a matter of 30 minutes the Red Sox season was done and it officially became football/hockey/basketball season for me.
The day after the Red Sox season is done is usually a sad & gloomy day for most Boston fans (unless it’s the day after they win the WS). This entire ALDS was painful to watch since the first pitch that Lackey threw last Thursday. Even though the Angels/Sox rivalry has perpetuated over the last few seasons, I am officially rooting for the Angels to go the distance. No, not because I’m a Boston fan and love when the Yankees lose. It’s because of the way the Angels play baseball.
Some call it “small ball”; I like to call it “smart ball.” Score runs whenever you can however you can; don’t just settle for a 3-run blast. Bunt the ball. Move runners. Steal bases. Get in the heads of the other team. That is exactly what the Angels do and they do it well. I wouldn’t say the way they play is “textbook” since there are many different ways you can go about winning, but what they do is pretty damn close. The Angels winning the World Series would be a fitting end to a very emotional season which all started with the tragic death of Nick Adenhart.
Baseball is at a weird point in its history right now. The Angels winning this season would be nothing short of awesome for the game of baseball and its fans. It would prove that you don’t need a high payroll* and power sluggers to win a championship. It would show that all you need to do is play smart baseball and work with the talent that you have. That is all.
No offense to Yankee fans (since I am friends with a lot of you), but if the Yankees win this year it will prove one thing: Championships can be bought.
* 2009 Angels payroll is 57% of the Yankees ($118,964,000 compared to $208,097,414) (source)
