By Danny Atkinson
The New York Yankees will go to California to face the Los Angeles Angels in a three-game series this week. This series provides fans with the opportunity to observe a possible playoff preview and the class of the AL going at it.
The Yankees are first in the AL East with a baseball’s best record at 95-55. Every fan knows their stars: Jeter, A-Rod, Teixeira, Damon. These players anchor an offense that’s first in runs scored at 856, homers, and OBP. 2B Robinson Cano, with a .518 slugging percentage, regularly appears seventh. NY has an ace at the top of their rotation in C.C. Sabathia, who’s 18-7. Sabathia hasn’t given up more than 3 earned runs in nearly two months. They also have A.J. Burnett as a second starter, who can be both electric (8.19 K/9) and wild (4.26 BB/9). Even with an inconsistent Burnett and a questionable back end of the rotation, the Yankees have one of the top bullpen tandems in baseball with breakout setup man Phil Hughes and the incomparable Mariano Rivera. With their offense and closer, NY doesn’t need a great starting rotation, just a good one.
The Angels are first in the AL West with an 89-60 record. Like the Yankees, the Angels have an excellent offense. The LA offense is first in MLB in BA at .285 and second in runs scored. Standouts for the Angels have included 1B Kendry Morales, LA’s big power source with 30 HR’s and 95 RBI’s and Chone Figgins, who’s recorded 95 walks. The Angels have a strong starting rotation. Rotation leader John Lackey is having another fine season at 11-8, 3.56, while #2 Jered Weaver is 15-7. Finally, Scott Kazmir has been excellent in his brief time with LA, turning in a 1.42 ERA and allowing only six BB in 25 innings. If Kazmir keeps it up, the Angels will be nearly unbeatable. The Angels one true weakness is in their bullpen. Closer Brian Fuentes has 43 saves, but has been extremely inconsistent, particularly with his control. The quality of their closers, and the bullpen in general, is what makes the Yankees a better team than LA right now.
The ex-factor for the Yankees in this series will be Chad Gaudin. Gaudin, picked up off the scrap heap by NY at the beginning of August, has been a pleasant surprise in the role of No. 5 starter this month. Gaudin’s pitched well in two of three starts, and the Yankees have won all three of the games he’s thrown. Despite NY’s success with him on the mound, Gaudin’s a young journeyman who’s been more lucky than good, and it’s hard not to believe he could blow up at anytime. If Gaudin pitches well in the middle contest of the series and takes pressure off Burnett for the final game, the Yankees would be very pleased.
The ex-factor for LA is Kendry Morales. Morales is the one power major HR threat for the Angels. If the Angels offense has a typical series, then Morales has to be there to knock balls over the fence and drive players like Figgins home. If Morales doesn’t have a good series, then LA’s chances of winning are lowered significantly.
This series is very evenly matched, but I believe the Angels have the slight advantage. LA is at home, where they’re 45-27. In the first game they get to face Andy Pettitte, who is coming back from a skipped start due to shoulder stiffness. In the second they face Gaudin, who’s due for a bad start, while they throw Ervin Santana, who’s been excellent the last month and a half. The only time I see the Yankees with a possible advantage is in the final game with Burnett on the mound. NY may be better than LA, but in this series they don’t have the matchups in their favor. We’ll have to wait until the playoffs to truly see who has the better team.
Game 1: LA 6, NY 5
Game 2: LA 7, NY 4
Game 3: NY 9, LA 3
