For the third year in a row, and fourth out of six, they draw Boston, who, each time, has ended their season.

LA/Anaheim has won the AL West five of the past six seasons, but have yet to return to the World Series (they won in 2002 as aWild Card). The Angels have won 89 or more games for six years running, have captured three straight division crowns , and, unlike their opponents, three-quarters of their roster is homegrown. 

That’s some fascinating or troubling history, depending upon which side your allegiance falls.

Here is the TV schedule and the pitching matchups for the Angels-Red Sox ALDS series:

Angels-Red Sox ALDS TV Schedule and Pitching Matchups

While the Red Sox have been up and down the second half of the year, the Angels played .600 ball in putting away a solid Rangers team that did not finally fade until mid-September. They can hit, field, pitch and certainly run, which they’ll do versus a Boston team that cannot stop the run (to use a football analogy). Also consider mid-season acquisition Scott Kazmir, noted “Red Sox” killer who goes at Fenway in Game 3, has an ERA around two since joining the Angels.

While in years past, it was the Angels who came into October banged up and with question marks, this time it’s Boston, who though as talented as anyone, has many mysteries (Varitek, Ortiz, Lester’s health, Buchholz, Papelbon’s stamina and hype, even Beckett). So, if the Angels can win the first two in California, they’ll be set to exorcise those demons. If they can just split, it’ll be better than 2007 or 2008. Either way, every team must climb that hurdle: Boston over the Yanks, the Bulls over the Pistons in the late 80s NBA and so on.

Boston played poorly the last ten days of the season, dropping six in a row at one point. They were also under .500 on the road this season (39-42), while Anaheim was equally as strong on the road as at home.  While both teams have deeper starting staffs than the other two AL participants, the BoSox probably have a better staff as well as postseason’s best bullpen, including Daisuke Matsuzaka and guys you’ve likely never heard of. On the flip, Angels’ closer Brian Fuentes pitched poorly against Boston (8.10 ERA). The Angels though, are truly blessed with depth and versatility. Cuban defector Kendri Morales has a great story and should also be third in AL MVP voting for 2009. About a month ago, they put a lineup on the field in Toronto where every hitter, one through nine, was hitting over .300. The Angels have as good a shot as ever, are confident, and for one sentimental reason, they’re motivated in 2009.

Angels preview here.
Red Sawx here.

The Lineups for tonight should look something like:
Boston
P Wakefield
1. Ellesbury CF
2. Pedroia 2B
3. Youkilis 3B
4. Bay LF
5. Wilkerson RF
6. Lowrie SS
7. Bailey DH
8. Bard C
9. Velazquez

Minnesota
P Perkins
1. Span CF
2. Casilla 2B
3. Cuddy RF
4. Morneau 1B
5. Young LF
6. Kubel DH
7. Buscher 3B
8. T.Gardenhire/M.Redmond C
9. Punto SS

In other news, Boof Bonser opted to undergo surgery next week on his ailing shoulder. Expect him to be placed on the 60 day disabled list shortly. This means that the Twins may make a harder push for Juan Cruz, or that Phil Humber’s odds of making the opening day squad drastically increased over the last 48 hours.

Also the Twins Starting Rotation was announced and the opening day starter will be…..Scott Baker!
1. Scott Baker RHP
2. Francisco Liriano LHP
3. Kevin Slowey RHP
4. Glen Perkins LHP
5. Nick Blackburn RHP

It’s interesting that Perkins got the nod for the 4th spot. Maybe they really like following Slowey up with a lefty?

Kick back and enjoy some baseball tonight! Spring is just around the corner!

Click here for the latest updates on the suspended World Series Game 5

The Boston Red Sox proved that the ALCS is still very much alive with a thrilling 8-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays tonight. Tampa Bay led 7-0 heading into the bottom of the 7th inning, but the Red Sox rallied to score 7 runs over the next two innings and then won the game on a JD Drew RBI in the bottom of the 9th inning.

The Red Sox victory tonight forces the series back to Tampa Bay for Game 6 on Saturday, when Captain Clutch Josh Becket, a consistent playoff stalwart before this season, takes on James Shields. I love James Shields and I love this Tampa Bay team. Once my beloved White Sox were eliminated by the Rays, they became my surrogate team to root for in this year’s playoffs. And I know that Josh Beckett struggled mightily in his last outing. However, if you had a gun to your head and had to pick a winner of this game could you possibly pick against Josh Beckett?

One bad ALCS start does not erase the indelible memories of Josh Beckett dominating the New York Yankees as a rookie for the Marlins, or the many clutch postseason starts he has made for the Red Sox. Tampa Bay has proven that they will not wilt underneath the pressure of the moment, and that they are more than capable of reaching the World Series. Personally, I just don’t think they can do it against Josh Beckett again (assuming he doesn’t, you know, come down with a blister on his finger in the first inning or something — and yes, I still hold some bitterness from past fantasy baseball seasons.)

A Red Sox victory would force a decisive Game 7 on Sunday and pit John Lester against Matt Garza. I’m not making any predictions on a game that isn’t guaranteed, but I have this bad feeling that Tampa Bay missed their shot to close the Red Sox out tonight. The heart and experience of a champion is difficult to overcome once they have some momentum. The Red Sox now have momentum, and it will take everything these young Tampa Bay Rays can muster to close this series out even though they are at home.

Now, you may be asking, what does the Red Sox-Rays series have to do with Midwest sports? Well, let’s get to that.

While doing a random perusal of ESPN.com after the game ended, I noticed the picture to your right, and I have to say that I take exception to the headline used by ESPN.com tonight. The headline: “Don’t Stop Believing.” I’m not quite sure, but if memory serves me correct I believe another baseball team nicknamed “the Sox” already used that phrase to describe a thrilling playoff run.

Yes, the Chicago White Sox — back in 2005. For proof, or just for a pleasant trip down memory lane for White Sox fans, click on this beautiful link right here. You can also see the incomparable Steve Perry singing live at the White Sox World Series rally by clicking on this cheesy, but still exciting for White Sox fans, link here.

I realize that the Red Sox had nothing to do with ESPN.com’s headline choice. But there is a part of me that sees this as some sort of jinx for the Red Sox. “Don’t Stop Believing” will forever be linked in the baseball world to the White Sox 2005 championship run. Who did the White Sox beat in the first round of the playoffs in 2005 during their run of supreme of belief? The Red Sox. And every White Sox fan I have talked to is pulling for the Rays now that the White Sox are out of the playoffs. Thus, the karmic power of “Don’t Stop Believing” is now directed towards the Rays, not the “other Sox”.

If anyone should be branded with label of unyielding belief, it should be the Rays. They believed enough to overcome a franchise history of complete failure to reach the spot they are in now. And I just have this feeling that such second-hand association with this sublime phrase is going to be counter-productive for the Red Sox. Am I making sense? Probably not. But I think the Red Sox may just have won the series with their victory tonight, and I don’t want to see it happen. So now I’m grasping for straws to make myself believe that James Shields and (ugh) Matt Garza can overcome Josh Beckett and John Lester.

Plus, I manage this blog with one simple philosophy: anytime I can pimp the White Sox winning the World Series and justify playing a cheesy video of Steve Perry, I do it. Mission accomplished.

Now let’s just hope the Rays can go out this weekend and accomplish their mission. Because who the hell really wants to see the damn Red Sox and their annoying fans win another World Series?

[tags]boston red sox, tampa bay rays, chicago white sox, mlb, baseball, steve perry[/tags]