From the cheap seats
For the first time since 1989, the World Series will be between two West Coast teams.
The Anaheim Angels defeated the Minnesota Twins Sunday for the American League Championship Series. The Angels were led by an unlikely power source as second baseman Adam Kennedy hit three homeruns in one game. He was only the second player to accomplish that in ALCS history.
The San Francisco Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League crown Monday night.
The Giants and Angels will start to play tomorrow.
This is how I see the series stacking up:
The Giants came into the post-season with the second best ERA (Earned Run Average) in the majors. The Atlanta Braves were first in ERA. Since the Giants beat them, I consider the Giants to have the best pitching staff in the World Series. They also have what has turned out to be the second most effective weapon in the playoffs, Barry Bonds.
Giants Manager Dusty Baker has had the great fortune to have Benito Santiago and Jeff Kent surrounding Bonds. This forces pitchers to pitch to Kent, who was the 2000 Major League Baseball MVP (Most Valuable Player). Also, pitchers are forced to throw Bonds better pitches because Santiago has been on fire in the last two weeks. When pitchers make good pitches to Bonds, Bonds makes them pay.
The Angels ‘shocked the world’ against the New York Yankees and proved their dominance over the Twins. They showed the world they are worthy of competing for the world championship.
I think Barry Bonds was the second most effective weapon in the playoffs. The most effective weapon would have to be the ‘rally monkey’ of Anaheim. I know I mentioned what the rally monkey was last week, but for those of you who didn’t read my column (shame on you), it’s a prop the Angels use when they’re behind and somehow they come back.
I think the best way for the Giants to defeat the Angels would be to kidnap the monkey and force the Angels to give up the World Series,
instead of demanding a ransom.
Seriously, I think the best approach for the Giants is to stick with their starters for at least six innings and don’t let a few long balls take away from the pitcher’s performance. The Angels are going to hit homeruns, especially in Anaheim.
If I were managing the Angels, I would play two different types of ball games.
At Edison International Field in Anaheim, I would rely on that old American League mentality of the three-run homer will beat out good pitching.
In Pac-Bell Park in San Francisco, I would play more small ball. Pac-Bell Park has yielded the least amount of homeruns than any other park in the majors for the last two years. I would go there and play for every run I get. Stealing, bunting and sacrificing are all ways to counteract the lack of pop in a bat at Pac-Bell.
Mike Scioscia, Angels head coach, has done a pretty good job of playing national league ball, but at the same time he keeps a team of veritable powder kegs. The team can easily explode for multiple home-run innings and put six or seven runs up at any time.
The bottom of the Giants line-up has to produce. So far in the playoffs, the Giants look to have a well-balanced offensive attack that should stand throughout the World Series.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Oct 18 2002. Filed under Opinion.
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