Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/1/8/0/97314180/October_2_2014_Clips_h19… · They could be...

October 2, 2014 Page 1 of 86

Clips

(October 2, 2014)


Today’s Clips Contents FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 4)

Long Beach State coach is neutral in Jered Weaver-Jason Vargas matchup

Angels' ALDS rotation: Jered Weaver, Matt Shoemaker, C.J. Wilson

Angels say playoff experience matters little in postseason

Angels may have turned back the clock

Howie Kendrick's postseason track record hasn't been a hit

Angels can go only as far as starting pitchers take them

This postseason, Angels will face a new opponent

The Angels in postseason play

Angels against Royals makes the blood boil again FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 20)

Miller: It's playoff time for the Los Angeles Angels of Any-heim

Smith: Here are 15 reasons the Angels are the best-run team in baseball right now

Angels' Weaver thrives on savvy, not speed

Runnin' Royals will test Angels' defense

Scioscia: Weaver would start Game 4

Will Royals' Yost manage to succeed?

Angels know starting pitching isn't everything

Angels vs. Royals: How they match up

On deck: Royals at Angels, Thursday, 6 p.m. FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 36)

Weaver hungrier for title after two close calls

Trout primed to assume Mr. October mantle

Vargas-Weaver: From LBSU to ALDS matchup

Angels aim to avoid rust during downtime

Hamilton aims to atone for injury-riddled season

Tale of the tape: Game 1

Against lefty Vargas, Halos go with Cron at DH

Shoemaker gets Game 2 in Halos' three-man rotation FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 46)

A capsule look at Royals-Angels playoff series

Royals-Angels Preview


FROM THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS (Page 50)

Mike Trout in spotlight on cusp of first playoffs with Los Angeles Angels

Playoffs pitching matchup for Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals has Long Beach flavor

Albert Pujols looks to lead Los Angeles Angels to the promised land, where he’s no stranger

With the Dodgers, Angels in the playoffs, L.A. could be baseball’s capital FROM ESPN.COM (Page 56)

My predictions for the ALDS matchups

Angels rely on their glue guys

Five questions for Royals-Angels FROM FOX SPORTS (Page 61)

Vargas vs. Weaver: Two ex-Dirtbags to square off in ALDS opener

Angels' Morin and Pujols returning to KC during ALDS

Mike Moustakas returns home with Royals to face Angels in ALDS

Angels' Trout happy to be hunting a ring instead of deer FROM USA TODAY (Page 66)

Angels await euphoric Royals after wild rally

They could be heroes: Trout, Harper have stage to seize

AL Division Series: Breaking down Angels vs. Royals FROM SI.COM (Page 72)

The road to a title — or not — for every Division Series team

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES (Page 76)

Angels’ Albert Pujols Is Back in Form and Back in the Postseason FROM YAHOO SPORTS (Page 78)

It’s yet another step in the brilliant career of Mike Trout FROM THE SPORTS XCHANGE (Page 37)

Team Report – LOS ANGELES ANGELS

Team Report – KANSAS CITY ROYALS


FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Long Beach State coach is neutral in Jered Weaver-Jason Vargas matchup By Mike DiGiovanna Long Beach State baseball coach Troy Buckley considers himself an avid Angels fan, one whose ties to Angels ace and former 49ers star Jered Weaver has led to close relationships with Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, pitching coach Mike Butcher and vice president of communications Tim Mead.

But when Buckley settles in front of his television to watch Thursday night’s American League division series opener between the Angels and Kansas City Royals, he will turn the mute button on himself.

Opposing Weaver in Game 1 will be Royals left-hander Jason Vargas, another former Long Beach State pitcher who was a teammate of Weaver on the 2004 49ers club that came within one win of the College World Series.

“I’m going to try to be neutral as best I can,” said Buckley, who is in his fifth year as the head coach at Long Beach and was the pitching coach on that 2004 team. “I can’t have a rooting interest. I guess I’d like the Angels to win with both pitchers getting a no-decision.”

When Buckley heard his former pitchers would be squaring off against each other in the playoffs, he sent text messages to Weaver and Vargas, who have remained good friends since college, to congratulate them.

“I’m just really proud of them because they do it for the right reasons,” Buckley said. “They play to win, they believe in the team, they compete extremely hard, and there’s not a selfish bone in their body. That is what I love about those guys.

“That started a long time ago, before they made all their money. They’re in a great position to play for a championship, and that’s tough to do. They’re all about winning, and when you get there, there’s no better feeling.”

Angels' ALDS rotation: Jered Weaver, Matt Shoemaker, C.J. Wilson By Mike DiGiovanna The Angels will use a three-man rotation of Jered Weaver, Matt Shoemaker and C.J. Wilson in the American League division series against the Kansas City Royals, Manager Mike Scioscia said Wednesday. That means Game 1 starter Jered Weaver will pitch Game 4, if necessary, on three days' rest.

The right-hander has started on short rest twice in his nine-year career, both times in 2011, giving up seven runs in six innings against the Texas Rangers on Aug. 28 and two runs in six innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Sept. 18.

Pitching coach Mike Butcher "feels really good about how Weaver was throwing in his bullpens between starts, how he was bouncing back, and he feels he's ready for it," Scioscia said before Wednesday's workout. "Jered is 100% behind it and feels he'll be effective."


Shoemaker, who will start Game 2 on Friday night, has not pitched since Sept. 15, when he suffered a mild left rib-cage strain. But after completing bullpen workouts in Seattle on Sunday and Anaheim on Tuesday, he declared himself fit.

"We're expecting Matt to be fine and pitch as deep into the game as he can," Scioscia said. "Depending on how Matt pitches, we'd like him to start Game 5."

Scioscia said Josh Hamilton, who has missed all but one game since Sept. 5 because of right rib-cage and chest injuries, will start in left field and bat seventh Thursday night.

Expectations of Hamilton won't be too high, "but it wouldn't surprise me if after a couple at-bats you see him attack the ball the way he can," Scioscia said. "Hopefully we're going to see that."

Pitchers' reunion

Starting opposite Weaver in Game 1 will be Royals left-hander Jason Vargas, who pitched for the Angels in 2013 and was a teammate of Weaver on the 2004 Long Beach State club that fell just short of the College World Series.

The two have remained good friends since college, and Weaver said he plans to go on a vacation with Vargas this off-season.

"It's pretty funny how it's come full circle, how we're here battling against each other in the postseason," Weaver said. "But I'm facing the Royals, and he's facing the Angels, so we'll keep it at that."

Second-guessed

Royals Manager Ned Yost on his controversial decision to pull starter James Shields in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's wild-card game in favor ofYordano Ventura, who gave up a three-run homer to Brandon Moss:

"If he throws a 94-mph two-seamer and [Moss] rolls over it, I look like a genius, and if he hits a home run, I look like a dope. Well, I was a dope for a little while. Just because it didn't work, doesn't mean it wasn't the right move and I wouldn't do it again."

Extra bases

C.J. Cron, who will start at designated hitter in Game 1, has two homers in three career at-bats against Vargas. … The Angels will use a 12-man pitching staff, with nine relievers, and they'll have a four-man bench of catcher Hank Conger, infielderGordon Beckham, outfielder Collin Cowgill and most likely first baseman-outfielderEfren Navarro.

Wild-card game gives Angels a running start on preparing for Royals By Bill Dwyre Baseball's postseason blew in like a hurricane Tuesday night. No gentle sprinkles growing to a downpour. No breeze slowly turning to a gale.


The Kansas City Royals won the American League wild-card game over the Oakland A's, 9-8, and it only took 12 innings and nearly five hours in the Royals' Kauffman Stadium.

It was a combination Dick Enberg and Harry Caray game. Oh, my! Holy cow!

The A's led, 2-0. Then they didn't. The A's led, 7-3. Then they didn't.

There was something for everybody.

"I started out watching that game as a scout," Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said Wednesday, "and finished it as a fan."

An A's catcher, Derek Norris, dropped a pitchout.

A 21-year-old who pitched in this year's College World Series, Brandon Finnegan of Texas Christian, pitched in this big-league postseason game a few months later and did so well you couldn't tell he was just a kid until he was interviewed, in the worst flat-bill cap ever, and said the game reminded him of the College World Series.

"Big stage. Big crowds," he said.

Royals' veterans will be having a chat with him about reality.

A Royals' hero, Billy Butler, wandered off first base early in the game in one of the silliest-looking double steal attempts ever.

As the broadcasters pointed out, Kansas City has the required roster of 25 players and seven of them stole a base Tuesday night. Ponder that. That's not Little Ball. That's the Olympic 4 x 100 relay.

With this incredible outing — immediately deemed "nearly unfathomable" by the Kansas City Star — the Royals come west to play the Angels in an American League divisional series, starting Thursday night. If the Angels were watching closely, one strategy is obvious. Water down the basepaths.

Maury Willis is still around town and could tell them what works best. Other teams used to do that to him in his premier base-stealing days with the Dodgers. Mike Trout and Albert Pujols may turn out not to be the most valuable Angels in this upcoming series. That may be the guy on the grounds crew with the hose.

Jered Weaver, Angels starting pitcher Thursday night, has the only real answer to the Kansas City tracksters.

"You try to keep them off the bases," he said Wednesday. "I think that's first and foremost."

If Scioscia is the manager we think he is, he ordered his catchers, Chris Ianetta and Hank Conger, to watch the Voice, not the game. Pregame nightmares are not good. The Royals run so much and so well their press book may add yet another statistical category, alongside batting average, RBIs and homers: time in the 40-yard dash.

Ianetta will be behind the plate Thursday night. Pray for him.

There is hope for the Angels. Nobody stole home.


It was a game for the ages, and that's about how long it has been since the Royals were in the postseason —29 years, back to 1985 and Game 7 of their World Series victory. The Royals won that game over the St. Louis Cardinals, 11-0, and Cardinals pitcher John Tudor was so furious he punched out an electric fan with his pitching hand.

Our own El Segundo George Brett, a Kansas City baseball hero — 20 years with the same team — and now the team's vice president of baseball operations, was shown often on camera Tuesday night from his booth. At the end, in obvious amazement and disbelief, he ran his fingers through his lack of hair.

The game-of-inches thing is a cliché, except when it really is a game of inches.

The A's went ahead in the 12th and the Royals tied it after Eric Hosmer tripled off the left centerfield wall, as Oakland's Jonny Gomes and Sam Fuld leaped against the wall and collided and the ball missed Fuld's glove by the length of a pencil.

The Royals won the game when Salvador Perez, who had been 0 for 5, slapped a hard RBI grounder just inside the bag at third base that scooted under Josh Donaldson's glove by the length of a pencil eraser.

A TBS announcer got to interview Perez, who was wearing lucky No. 13 and being hit from all sides by buckets of water and Gatorade. Perez, from Venezuela, struggled with his English but was able to get the key to the game to come through clearly: "These guys like to run."

In the end, you had to feel sorry for the Oakland A's, who cruised along atop the Angels' division for most of the season and then spent the last six weeks or so like a bunch of dogs chewing on chicken bones.

And then this.

Suffice to say, no four-leaf clovers grew in Oakland this summer.

The question now is, will it be an exuberant Kansas City Royals team that shows up at the Big A on Thursday night? Or an exhausted one?

Also: Will savvy Angels fans show up with both scorebooks and stopwatches?

Finally: If this is just the beginning, can fans live through another month of this postseason, and if so, will our gross national product take a dive with the work of blubbering, sleep-deprived millions?

Much depends on Trout, Pujols and the guy with the hose.

Angels say playoff experience matters little in postseason By Zach Helfand Before David Freese had one of the best postseasons in baseball history, Albert Pujols came forward to offer advice. This was Freese's first time in the playoffs, and Pujols wanted to impart some wisdom.

"It goes by fast," Freese recounted Pujols saying. "So have fun with it."


By that point, Pujols had reached the playoffs for the seventh year. He had won a World Series title. He had the all-important postseason experience — 56 games of it. And those 56 games led him to this secret to postseason success: There really isn't a secret at all.

Around baseball, the collective wisdom states that the more playoff experience you have, the better you'll perform. Read any postseason coverage or watch any preview shows, and experience (or the lack of it) will be cited as asset or obstacle. Some cling to this notion because it just seems to make sense.

On Tuesday, Josh Hamilton was asked whether postseason experience is valuable. He hardly even entertained the question.

"Yeah," Hamilton said. "Good answer. Next."

But baseball researchers and other Angels postseason veterans dismiss that notion. Russell A. Carleton at Baseball Prospectus, for example, examined every postseason at-bat from 1995 to 2012. He found that experience had no effect on performance.

In other words, history says the Angels' young and untested players such as Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun, Chris Iannetta and Matt Shoemaker have no handicap because of their inexperience.

"None whatsoever," said Manager Mike Scioscia. "There's no such thing as a spring-training game, a regular-season game or a pennant-race game or a playoff game, and if you're going to be successful, you need to bring that mind-set onto the field where you're playing free and playing baseball."

The Angels have plenty of games of postseason experience, but they come from a small number of players. Pujols has played 74 games, Freese 48 and Hamilton 34. Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson combined for 12 postseason starts, and a handful of others have played at least a series.

The big question mark is Trout, who is the game's best hitter but has yet to play in October. His past provides no other clues.

"I've never won," Trout said. "Not even high school."

Scioscia pointed out that his 2002 team wasn't experienced either. In fact, every player but one on the roster had no prior postseason experience — a grand total of 10 1/3 innings. And they won the World Series.

During Freese's dramatic 2011 postseason, when the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series, many players were playing in October for the first time. Freese, who was one of them, batted .397 with five home runs and 21 runs batted in in 2011, and he won the National League Championship Series and World Series most valuable player awards. He has been back to the playoffs twice and has batted .228.

That first year he just got hot at the right time. The key was to "understand that it's not just baseball," he said, "but it is."

With that Cardinals team, Pujols was the guru, offering his knowledge to some, advising others not to force or change anything.

Pujols said it's part of a cycle. When he was a rookie in 2001, players such as Edgar Renteria mentored him. As Pujols became a veteran, he took Yadier Molina under his wing, dispensing wisdom. He told Molina it was Pujols' duty, as it would someday be Molina's.


Now both Freese and Pujols can offer advice. Trout has already approached Pujols, and the message was to just be yourself.

Mostly, the goal is just to reassure beforehand. Once the games start, the players can find comfort in the familiar.

"They don't change the baseball, they don't change the distance of the base," Pujols said. "Everything is the same, so I think — hope — the young players and the guys that haven't been in this situation, hopefully they don't put too much pressure that they need to change their approach. The game is the same."

Pujols has a maxim he is fond of repeating. There are only three times, he says, he gets nervous playing baseball. The first is the initial at-bat in spring training. Same for the first at-bat in the regular season and the postseason too.

After that, he says, he can just relax.

In 2001, Pujols' first postseason at-bat came against Curt Schilling. In the next game, the starter was Randy Johnson.

Surely then, it must have taken Pujols a series to feel comfortable, right?

"If I told you that it did," Pujols said, "I'm lying."

Angels may have turned back the clock By Mike DiGiovanna It first struck Tim Salmon in early July, when the Angels steamrollered the Texas Rangers in a four-game sweep. It became more apparent July 18, when the Angels traded for proven closer Huston Street, turning a much-improved bullpen into a dominant one.

It was solidified in early September, when the Angels' offense went off, averaging almost nine runs a game during a 10-game win streak that sealed the American League West title.

"This team is really reminiscent of our 2002 team," said Salmon, the right fielder on the club that mashed its way to the World Series championship that October. "They're putting up a lot of runs, and they're getting great pitching from their bullpen. Hopefully, the postseason for them goes like it did for us."

The Angels open the AL division series against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, and despite their major league-best 98-64 record, they may have the thinnest and least-imposing rotation of the eight playoff participants.

Game 1 starter Jered Weaver is a veteran right-hander who consistently pitches into the seventh inning and gives the Angels a chance to win.

But left-handers C.J. Wilson and Hector Santiago were erratic in September, their occasional brilliance offset by some early blowouts, and right-hander Matt Shoemaker will be trying to pitch through a potentially painful rib-cage strain.


The Angels survived — even thrived — after losing their best pitcher, Garrett Richards, to a knee injury Aug. 20. The loss of the right-hander could sting more in October, as the Angels match up against some shut-down starters.

But the Angels don't have to look far for proof you can win a World Series without dominant starting pitching. Their blueprint for success is a virtual carbon copy of the 2002 team's: Get a lead or stay even through five innings, hand the ball to the bullpen and enjoy the ride.

And if the starter struggles? Then pummel the opposing pitcher.

"You can bet it's going to be a race to the fifth inning for [Manager Mike] Scioscia unless he's got Weav out there," said Troy Percival, the closer on the 2002 club. "When you have the bullpen the Angels have, it becomes a five-inning game. It's similar to when we were rolling in 2002. We could cover four innings every day on a playoff run."

The 2002 rotation featured Jarrod Washburn, an ordinary left-hander who had an extraordinary 18-6 season, aging veteran Kevin Appier, volatile Ramon Ortiz and rookie John Lackey.

That group went 5-3 with a 5.38 earned-run average and delivered two quality starts in 16 playoff games, averaging a shade over five innings a start.

But the relievers went 6-2 with a 4.07 ERA, and the back of the bullpen — Percival, Brendan Donnelly and 20-year-old phenom Francisco Rodriguez — had a 2.76 ERA in 42 1/3 innings and gave up four runs in 18 2/3 innings (1.93 ERA) of a seven-game World Series against San Francisco.

The current relief corps is not as dominant but is effective and deep, with veteran right-handers Joe Smith, Kevin Jepsen and Jason Grilli setting up Street, and Fernando Salas and rookie Mike Morin providing middle-inning support.

"We had a once-in-a-lifetime bullpen," Salmon said. "But these guys are more than capable of pitching lights out for an inning."

Scioscia credits the bullpen's ability to hold leads — relievers combined for a 2.94 ERA in the last 90 games — as the primary reason for the team's midseason surge. And with off days built into the playoffs, Scioscia can use his front-line relievers in every game.

"They're all right-handers who can get left-handers out, and they pitch without fear — it's a very similar bullpen in that way," Percival said. "They pound the strike zone and challenge hitters."

The 2002 team had a deep and relentless lineup that averaged 6.3 runs a game in the postseason, batting .320 with 24 homers and 30 doubles. It broke out for an eight-run inning in the division series against New York and a 10-run inning in the championship series against Minnesota.

Salmon and Percival see similar potential in the current lineup, which is headed by gritty leadoff man Kole Calhoun, the dynamic Mike Trout and rejuvenated slugger Albert Pujols.

Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar provide steady middle-of-the order production, David Freese got hot in September, Chris Iannetta is an on-base machine, and Josh Hamilton could add punch if he finds his stroke after an injury-plagued September.


The Angels, who led the major leagues with 773 runs and 45 comeback wins, have power and speed. They run the bases aggressively. They find ways to beat top-flight pitching. And, like the 2002 team, they seem to feed off each other.

"Hitting breeds hitting, and we got hot and threw up some big numbers," Salmon said. "I've seen that from this offense. They'll get those innings where they score three, four, five runs, and those can totally derail the morale of an opponent. The offense can be the difference-maker, and it's not just Trout. Several guys can carry that load."

The 2002 lineup featured the feisty David Eckstein and Darin Erstad up top and Garret Anderson, Salmon and Troy Glaus in the middle. Brad Fullmer, Scott Spiezio, Bengie Molina and Adam Kennedy added depth.

Situational hitting was a strength of that team, which executed hit-and-run plays, got bunts down and advanced runners from first to third on singles better than any Scioscia club.

"They refused to give up an at-bat, one through nine, and I see the Angels doing that now," Percival said. "They're playing a hard-nosed game, taking extra bases, playing together.

"That's one of the biggest similarities with our club; they're playing as a team, top to bottom. I don't see any selfish at-bats, I don't see anyone playing for their own numbers. That's the one thing that's been missing in the last eight to 10 years."

Dodgers-Angels World Series would be a downright neighborly first By Bill Plaschke The imaginary Freeway begins north of Dodger Stadium, in Pasadena, in the grassy knolls and cluttered corners around Pepper Street where Jackie Robinson learned to play a game he would forever change.

The Freeway, with a Hall of Fame legacy, travels south into central Los Angeles, to Fremont High, where 25 major leaguers, including Bobby Doerr, once played, then down the road to Locke High, home of Eddie Murray and Ozzie Smith.

The Freeway continues south into Compton, home of Duke Snider, then travels southeast into Orange County, through the Fullerton footprints of Walter Johnson and Gary Carter, before finally stopping near Angel Stadium in Anaheim.

It stretches 30 miles, connecting two powerful major-league franchises with miles of memorable moments.

Yet there is one thing that has never happened.

In the previous 53 seasons since the Angels joined the Dodgers here in 1961, they have never played each other in a World Series that would be wildly energizing and deeply polarizing.

This fall, it could finally be different. This time, the Freeway has never been paved so smoothly. On Thursday, for the first time, both teams will enter the postseason as favorites to win their respective league championships.


Said Dodgers Hall of Famer Tom Lasorda: "We've been waiting a long time for it, but if there's ever a year it could happen, this could be that year."

Said Angels icon Tim Salmon: "It would be the coolest thing ever."

The Dodgers have won five world championships in Los Angeles, the Angels have won one. They have both been in the postseason at the same time three times, and each time both lost before reaching the World Series. For both to win two different playoff series in the next three weeks to set up a classic fall meeting would require equal bits of luck and destiny, but, for once, the foundations are there.

The Angels finished the season with the best record in baseball. The Dodgers finished with the best lineup in baseball.

The Angels have the likely American League most valuable player in outfielder Mike Trout. The Dodgers have the National League's likely MVP and Cy Young Award winner in pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

The Angels have baseball's active career runs-batted-in leader in first baseman Albert Pujols. The Dodgers have this year's major-league RBIs leader in first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

It would be a clash not only of titans, but of cultures, the aura of two organizations being as different as a Rally Monkey and a Dodger Dog.

Despite having baseball's sixth-highest payroll, the Angels come across with old-fashioned charm, playing in a sparkling clean and easily accessible stadium, with polite fans, and homegrown stars such as pitcher Jered Weaver, who once agreed to accept less money for a chance to stay home.

"The Angels are family friendly, they relate to the community, they're sort of an everyman's team," said Salmon, who spent his entire 15-year career as an Angels outfielder and is now part of their broadcast team.

The Dodgers are a nightly maelstrom of parking lot jams, clubhouse drama, the highest payroll in sports history and filled with plenty of diamond glamour such as outfielder Yasiel Puig, who shows up late one minute and hits a title-clinching homer the next.

"There's not only more Dodgers fans in Southern California, but more Dodgers fans than any other team anywhere in the world!" Lasorda said.

The fan intensity is statistically similar — both teams filled about 84% of their available seats this season, with the Dodgers leading baseball in attendance while the Angels finished fifth only because they play in a smaller stadium.

But those fans generally exist in different universes. Separated by a geographical force that's not there in most of this town's other rivalries, Dodgers and Angels fans might as well be in different states. They rarely brush shoulders like USC and UCLA fans. They rarely heckle each other like Lakers and Clippers fans.

It's as simple as, most Dodgers fans live in Los Angeles County, most Angels fans live in Orange County, and even Angels owner Arte Moreno's grab of the Los Angeles name in 2005 — they are officially known as "The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" — can't change those truths.

Said Lasorda: "The Angels are our neighbors, I never wish them bad luck."


Said Salmon: "Each team has their own traditions, their own communities, two separate entities, that's why it would be so great if they finally got together."

The history of the franchises, however, are deliciously intertwined, dating back to their starts. In some ways neither team could have been created without the other.

Nearly 50 years before Moreno decided to take the Dodgers' city name, the then Brooklyn Dodgers actually swallowed the Angels whole, as owner Walter O'Malley purchased the minor-league Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League in 1957 to gain exclusive major-league territorial rights that would allow him to move the Dodgers here a year later.

The Dodgers' interlocking LA logo? It is actually a modified version of the old Los Angeles Angels logo. When Gene Autry was given an expansion team in 1961 and wanted to call it the Angels? He had to buy the name from O'Malley for $350,000. The Angels spent four seasons playing in Dodger Stadium before moving to Anaheim, but Autry was too proud to feel like O'Malley's tenant, so his club referred to it only as Chavez Ravine.

Since then, the Angels have exacted much revenge, beginning in the winter of 1999, when they made a stunning hire of a former Dodgers great who had been rudely discarded by his beloved team. His name was Mike Scioscia, and 15 years later he has become the greatest manager in Angels history with 1,331 wins, six West Division titles and one World Series championship.

The Dodgers may have been created from the Angels, but the Angels created greatness from the Dodgers, and so it would be only fitting they finally meet, if only to celebrate the coolest highway in the game.

"It would be a testament to the history of Southern California baseball, a tribute to all of the baseball greatness that has come out of our region," Salmon said. "And, you know, maybe we'd finally find out which team is better."

The first game would be Oct. 21 in Anaheim. Until then, our cars will be idling, our steering wheels gripped tight, and, for once, the pavement that usually occupies our nightmares will be the freeway of our dreams.

Howie Kendrick's postseason track record hasn't been a hit By Mike DiGiovanna Five years would seem long enough for Howie Kendrick to distance himself from a postseason resume that is nowhere near as glowing as his nine-year body of work for the Angels.

But reputations die hard in baseball, especially those forged in October, and until Kendrick defines and deletes his, the numbers will dog him: a .196 average, .208 on-base percentage, 11 strikeouts, one walk, two runs batted in and four runs in 13 playoff games.

"The playoffs are different," said Kendrick, who will play his first postseason game since 2009 when the Angels open an American League division series against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday in Anaheim.


"The blood flows for every game, but in the postseason, there's more hype, a different aura, a different feel, and everything you do is amplified. Some guys tend to put more pressure on themselves. I did the first few years. I tried to do more than I normally do."

Kendrick is an aggressive swinger with a knack for squaring up the ball, an approach that has produced hundreds of line drives and a .292 career average, but October has at times made him even more anxious at the plate.

The second baseman has averaged 3.65 pitches per plate appearance over his career, a figure that improved to 3.75 in 2013 and 3.72 this season, in which he drew a career-high 48 walks, eclipsing his previous high of 33 in 2011.

But Kendrick averaged 3.33 pitches in 50 playoff plate appearances from 2007 to 2009, and five of his 11 strikeouts were three-pitch whiffs. He put the first pitch in play nine times, swings that produced two of his nine hits.

Kendrick hit .322 at age 23 in 2007 but .200 (two for 10) in three division series games against Boston. He hit .306 in 2008 but .118 (two for 17) with seven strikeouts in four division series games against the Red Sox.

His 2009 postseason was better — Kendrick hit .263 (five for 19) with a home run and a triple in six games against the Red Sox and New York Yankees — but he did so in a second base platoon with Maicer Izturis.

"I learned from my first two years, and my third year, I played a little better," Kendrick said. "Having that experience, it's easier to calm yourself down. You're so amped, you're so hyped, you don't want to over-do it. The more experienced you get, you realize you just have to play like you did during the season."

The Angels' chances of making a deep playoff run would improve if Kendrick can maintain the swing that led to a September surge.

Kendrick hit .293 with 33 doubles, 85 runs and 75 RBIs this season, and he was superb in the clutch, batting .326 (56 for 172) with runners in scoring position. But he has been on a tear since Sept 4, batting .407 (33 for 81) with seven doubles, two triples, two home runs, 13 runs and 19 RBIs in his final 22 games.

One game into his streak, Kendrick replaced the injured Josh Hamilton in the cleanup spot, a move Kendrick admits may have intimidated him a few years ago.

But the fact that Kendrick did not change his approach by trying to hit for more power shows the kind of maturity that should serve him well in the playoffs.

"I don't think he put me there because he thought I would change my approach. I think he put me there because he thought I'd stick to the same things," Kendrick said of Manager Mike Scioscia. "My at-bats don't look any different, do they? So there's nothing attached to it.

"I'm doing the same things I'd be doing if I was hitting fifth, seventh or first. Just because you hit fourth, it doesn't mean you have to change anything. Just keep doing what you're doing. There's going to be some failure. There's going to be some success. You have to accept both."


Kendrick started 11 games in the cleanup spot in his first eight years, but he has made 39 starts there this season, batting .305 with four home runs and 28 RBIs.

Even if Hamilton finds his power stroke in the playoffs after sitting out most of September because of right shoulder, chest and rib-cage injuries, it's highly unlikely he will push Kendrick out of the fourth spot.

"Howie is our cleanup hitter, that's the look we're going to stay with," Scioscia said. "He's done a great job. He's getting big hits, having good at-bats and hitting the ball hard."

Kendrick, who did not have the softest hands or greatest range as a rookie in 2006, has also evolved into a solid-to-above-average defender. He's in the third year of a four-year, $33.5-million contract that has provided financial security for his family.

He's not the most colorful quote in the clubhouse, and he avoids controversy as if it were a runner barreling into him on a double-play pivot. He's not a superstar, but he's comfortable with who he is as a player and person, all of which might help him relax more in the glare of October's spotlight.

"I was a different hitter four or five years ago as far as the mental side of the game," Kendrick said. "Now, I feel like I'm not out there trying to prove anything. I'm just trying to play the game and get the job done.

"I don't think I'm going to put any more pressure on myself. The game is not going to change for me. I don't need to 'step up.' I'm just going to go out and play and try to win."

Angels can go only as far as starting pitchers take them By Mike DiGiovanna Superb starting pitching can carry a team to a World Series title, as the Chicago White Sox showed in 2005, when Jose Contreras, Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland and Freddy Garcia combined for a 9-1 record and a 2.84 earned-run average, four complete games and nine quality starts during an 11-1 postseason run.

The Angels don't need to replicate that kind of performance to play deep into October, but they'll need competent starting pitching to keep them in the game long enough to turn things over to a dominant bullpen.

In Game 1 starter Jered Weaver, the Angels can trust. The veteran right-hander is not overpowering, but his ability to change speeds and command a wide array of pitches and his pitbull mentality has made him one of baseball's most effective starters for eight years.

Beyond Weaver, who is 2-1 with a 2.61 ERA in six post-season games, there are more question marks than exclamation points.

Left-hander C.J. Wilson was erratic in September and has struggled in the postseason, going 1-5 with a 4.82 ERA in 10 games for Texas in 2010-11, giving up 10 home runs, striking out 43 batters and walking 29 in 52 1/3 innings.

If he throws a dud as he did Sept. 22, when he gave up six runs and four hits, and walked four in two-thirds of an inning of an 8-4 loss to Oakland, the Angels will have no chance.


Matt Shoemaker helped ease the loss of Garrett Richards and Tyler Skaggs to season-ending injuries, but the right-hander hasn't pitched since Sept. 15 because of a mild left rib-cage strain. He is scheduled to start Game 2.

And swingman Hector Santiago was as inconsistent as Wilson in September, giving up 10 earned runs in three innings of losses to Houston and Texas before rebounding to throw 51/3 scoreless innings against Oakland on Sept. 24.

The hitters could ease the pressure on the rotation by scoring early, and to do so they'll have to end a mini-funk in which they scored five runs in the final three regular-season games.

Leadoff man Kole Calhoun, who closed the season in a four-for-33 slide, could be key. When he's on base, it will provide run-producing opportunities for the middle of the order and make it tougher for opponents to pitch carefully to Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.

The bullpen is so deep that if the starters get through five, maybe even four, innings with a lead, the Angels will be in good shape.

The Angels must contain or slow the running game of the Royals, who led the major leagues with 153 stolen bases and swiped seven bags in Tuesday night's wild-card victory over the A's.

Weaver has an excellent pick-off move, and having the left-handed Wilson should help. Catchers Chris Iannetta and Hank Conger improved this season by catching 27% of would-be stealers, up from 21% last season, but the Angels still ranked 17th in caught-stealing percentage in 2014.

Jarrod Dyson (36 stolen bases) and Alcides Escobar (31) are among the fastest Royals, and Terrance Gore is a lethal late-inning pinch-running weapon if he is on the division series roster.

“You saw what they can do in the game [Tuesday] night, where they had seven stolen bases and five of them scored,” Weaver said. “You just try to mix up times to the plate, try to mix up how long you hold the ball for, just the little things to try to put a damper in their running game as much as possible.”

This postseason, Angels will face a new opponent By Houston Mitchell The Angels will be making their seventh appearance in the American League Division Series, and it will be the first time they won't be playing either Boston or New York. A look at their previous six ALDS matchups:

2002

Angels 3, New York Yankees 1

The wild-card Angels weren't expected to do much against the Yankees, who had won four of the last six World Series. The Yankees, backed by four home runs, won Game 1, 8-5, but the Angels stormed back to win the next three. Troy Glaus hit .313 with three home runs in the series.

2004


Boston 3, Angels 0

The Angels hit only .226 in the series as the offense was stymied by the Red Sox trifecta of Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe. Glaus again was the Angels' star on offense, hitting .364 with two homers.

2005

Angels 3, New York Yankees 2

After splitting the first two games in New York, the Angels erupted for an 11-7 win over New York in Game 3. The Yankees pulled out a come-from-behind 3-2 victory in Game 3, setting up the decisive Game 5, where the Angels chased Mike Mussina early and held on for a 5-3 victory. Bengie Molina hit .444 with three homers.

2007

Boston 3, Angels 0

After losing Game 1, 4-0, to Josh Beckett, the Angels were tied with the Red Sox, 3-3, heading into the bottom of the ninth of Game 2. Manny Ramirez launched a three-run homer to end that game, and the Angels went down meekly to Boston, 9-1, in Game 3.

2008

Boston 3, Angels 1

The Angels faced their old nemesis the Red Sox again and quickly fell behind 2-0 before winning Game 3, thanks to two homers by Mike Napoli. Tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth of Game 4, Scot Shields gave up a double to Jason Bay and a single to Jed Lowrie to end the series.

2009

Angels 3, Boston 0

The Angels finally defeated the Red Sox in an ALDS, and made it look relatively easy. John Lackey and Darren Oliver shut down Boston in a 5-0 Game 1 victory, and Jered Weaver, Oliver, Kevin Jepsen and Brian Fuentes held the Red Sox to four hits in a 4-1 Game 2 win. It looked like the Red Sox would win Game 3, but the Angels scored three runs off of Jonathan Papelbon in the top of the ninth to sweep the series. Vladimir Guerrero had the key hit with a two-run single.

The Angels in postseason play By Times Staff Position players

Player; G; AVG; HR; RBI; OB%; SLG; Better/Worse

Albert Pujols; 74; .330; 18; 52; .439; .607; Better


Howie Kendrick; 13; .196; 1; 2; .208; .304; Worse

Erick Aybar; 14; .220; 0; 4; .235; .300; Worse

David Freese; 48; .289; 7; 29; .357; .518; Better

Josh Hamilton; 34; .227; 6; 22; .295; .424; Worse

Colin Cowgill; 2; 1.000; 0; 2; 1.000; 1.000; Neutral

John McDonald; 2; .000; 0; 0; .000; .000; Neutral

Pitchers

Player; G; IP; ERA; W-L; Saves; Better/Worse

Jered Weaver; 6; 20.2; 2.61; 2-1; 0; Better

C.J. Wilson; 10; 52.1; 4.82; 1-5; 0; Worse

Huston Street; 8; 9; 9.00; 0-3; 3; Worse

Joe Smith; 1; 0.2; 0.00; 0-0; 0; Neutral

Kevin Jepsen; 5; 5; 3.60; 1-0; 0; Neutral

Fernando Salas; 16; 19; 3.32; 0-0; 0; Neutral

Jason Grilli; 9; 6.1; 0.00; 0-0; 1; Better

Angels against Royals makes the blood boil again By Chris Foster Oh, it’s the Royals.

No team was more disliked by Angels fans during my salad days than the Kansas City Royals. They had the audacity to be the first expansion team to win an American League division title. It should have been the Halos.

Who could stand the Royals?

They had those wedding white uniforms. They had reliever Dan Quisenberry, who threw like some beer league fast-pitch softball lug. Their stadium had a fountain beyond the fence. Who would put a fountain in their stadium? Oh, wait, scratch that one.

They had George Brett. We got Ken Brett.

From 1978 through 1985, the Angels and Royals were often scuffling for the West Division title. It was a rivalry, with plenty of September moments.


1978

The Angels take three of four in a late September series, with Don Baylor hitting a first-inning grand slam in the Sunday afternoon finale, cutting the Royals' lead to one game. The team’s first division title was a real possibility … expect the Angels imploded in Texas and the Royals won eight of 10. By the time the Halos staggered into Kansas City, they were done.

1979

A time when “Yes We Can” was something other than a political slogan.

The Angels' magic number was two with Those People coming to town. Nolan Ryan picked off a runner at second base in the ninth inning to end the first game. Frank Tanana found enough of his pre-elbow-surgery self to go the distance the next night in a 4-1 victory. A ground ball to Rod Carew, who bobbled it then threw to Tanana, clinched the division. The view was good from the upper deck.

1982

The Angels and Royals met in Anaheim in September tied for the division lead. It was pretty much over in a three-game Angels sweep.

Geoff Zahn was a better soft-throwing left-hander than Larry Gura in the opener. Daryl Sconiers' ninth-inning single off Quisenberry won it the next night. Doug DeCinces hit two home runs to win the third game. The Royals circled the drain. To go to the World Series, all the Angels needed to do was win Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers … or Game 4 … or Game 5.

Rats!

1984

The teams met in September, with the Royals up half a game, to hash things out in Anaheim. Kansas City won the opener, 10-1. The Angels' only run was Reggie Jackson’s 500th home run. They handed him a microphone and he screamed, “Let’s win this thing.” The Royals won the next night, 10-0. The Angels lost three of four in Kansas City the following week, saving them the embarrassment of being mauled by the Detroit Tigers.

1985

The Angels lose two out three in Kansas City and can’t overtake the Royals the last week of the season, finishing one game out. Ah, but this one was blown in Cleveland, to the 60-102 Indians. On the way into Kansas City, the Angels dropped by Lake Erie. In one game, they had a 5-0 lead in the eighth and Manager Gene Mauch brought in Donnie Moore to close things out. He gave up two homers and five runs. The Angels lost in the ninth. It turned out to be a game they needed.

Fortunately for Angels fans, Moore would never do anything like that again.

Wait, scratch that.


FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Miller: It's playoff time for the Los Angeles Angels of Any-heim By Jeff Miller

ANAHEIM – So now the postseason returns to Angel Stadium, and we can all bask in the simple glory of this beautifully poetic game.

Everything now is about Jered Weaver and Mike Trout and Albert Pujols and the threat of the Angels bolting their home of the past 49 seasons, possibly doing so under the cover of darkness while extending a collective middle foam finger at Mickey Mouse himself.

Delightful. Impacted wisdom teeth have better timing. This team’s fans have waited since 2009 for a home playoff game and, with one finally arriving Thursday night, there’s a suddenly increased rumble about the team leaving home.

Hang some red, white and blue bunting on that facade, folks, while keeping in mind that this franchise is all about winning championships in October, at least until it becomes convenient to also chase another trophy.

Nothing accentuates the unbridled purity of playoff baseball quite like the introduction of lawyers, city officials and the debate between public and private financing.

I’d suggest the timing isn’t just a coincidence, that there’s something painfully political about all this, but no one would be that calculating as to try to take advantage of a situation so blatantly, right?

In one sense, the Angels’ very public decision to break off negotiations with the city of Anaheim fits in perfectly at a time of year when baseball is its most bombastic, a game full of silent signs and signals swallowed in relentless clatter.

They could unleash a squadron of blimps over this sport’s postseason and it still wouldn’t match the amount of hot air circulating below. It is impressive, really, that we can maintain a level of gas-bag emissions this lethal even with the retirement of Tim McCarver.

We are entering a phase when the games will be as dissected as North and South Dakota are bisected. Each moment will be broken down to its DNA. This isn’t Angels versus Royals. This is NCIS: ALDS.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly spent much of the 2013 postseason justifying every one of his decisions, up to and including the way he parted his hair. Donnie Baseball was repeatedly portrayed as Donnie Goofball.

The situation reached a point where I actually felt sorry for Mattingly. I even thought about not ripping him for stupidly removing Adrian Gonzalez for a pinch-runner in Game 1 against St. Louis. But then I remembered it was the playoffs.


If the Angels remain alive long enough, Mike Scioscia will be accused of lifting his starting pitcher too soon, as surely as he’ll be accused of leaving his starting pitcher in too long. The only reason we’ll stop scrutinizing the moves he makes is to start scrutinizing the moves he doesn’t make.

More hot air will be expelled in the coming days about all the wonderful chemistry that exists within baseball’s playoff teams. It’s an amazing quirk that the most successful teams also happen to have the best chemistry. I mean, what are the odds?

Not sure about you, but I’m convinced teams don’t win because they get along; they get along because they win.

But chemistry is a great, mystical storyline to promote when trying to explain why a team is successful and the real answer is the same one that has existed since the invention of baseball, anywhere from 300 to 1,000 years ago: superior execution.

Oh, there is teamwork in this sport, on defense and hit-and-run plays and sacrifices and the like. And there’s an enormous amount of “picking each other up” in baseball.

But this game is an abundantly more individual endeavor than our other three major team sports, and how chemistry between teammates figures into something that so often is reduced to a one-on-one battle isn’t entirely clear.

It’s also funny how the clubs that win this time of year almost always do so with a tremendous display of character. So that means the Royals had more character than Oakland did on Tuesday? I’d argue that all they really had was one more run.

After Kansas City’s dramatic wild-card victory, first baseman Eric Hosmer spoke defiantly and joyfully to TBS, explaining that “no one believed in us!”

His words were difficult to hear over the 40,000 people roaring in support behind him, TBS’ commentators repeatedly noting during the game that – even as the Royals trailed entering the bottom of the eighth inning, 7-3 – no one had left the stadium.

But that’s the thing about Kansas City; they have some of the most faithful nonbelievers in baseball.

It’s just so much hot air, folks, an atmosphere’s worth of gas rising over a postseason that will take a month to sort out.

It should be interesting. It should be entertaining. It should be fun.

Everything now is about baseball, only when it isn’t. Then, it’s about the Angels fleeing their home for a place where the grass – and the money – is greener.

So, after four years with no postseason around here, play ball! That goes for the Angels and Royals, too.


Smith: Here are 15 reasons the Angels are the best-run team in baseball right now By Marcia C. Smith ANAHEIM – There’s talk among a few executives around the majors who don’t want to be named, quoted or lie-detector-linked to a certain admission. Here it is: The Angels just might be the best-run franchise in baseball – right now. Understandably, as a non-Angels baseball exec, you’d never want to give props to the competition, especially as the Angels return to the postseason (starting tonight) while you’re making tee times or planning deep-sea fishing trips. But we can get why the Angels have struck some jealous chords. Everything from the fans’ ballpark experience to the team’s on-field performance is finally – after a four-season playoff drought – coming together beneath one big, bright, golden halo of awesomeness. “Every season is a wild card. Even if you spend and you assemble the best pieces, it doesn’t always lead to a successful season,” said Kenneth L. Shropshire, a sports business professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. “Winning definitely matters, but even that can be a surprise. When you’ve got a successful team, everything seems to go right.” And that’s how Shropshire sees the Angels. He grew up in Los Angeles, viewing the Angels as a “stepchild” of the Dodgers. But he has since recognized how the Angels, the 2002 World Series champions and a playoff team for the sixth time since 2004, have carved out their own identity. As the hunt for Angels-red October begins with Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Angel Stadium against the Kansas City Royals, here are 15 ways the Angels are getting it right: 1. Mike Trout If this season were an action blockbuster, Trout, 23, would be the leading man – a Jason Bourne-type, five-tool, tank center fielder from New Jersey. He plays with the exuberance of a Little Leaguer but produces like a seasoned All-Star. In 2014, he had a .287 batting average, a team-high 36 home runs and an American League-leading 111 RBIs and 115 runs scored – probably the worst of Trout’s three full seasons. But having arguably the game’s best performer is only part of the deal. Modern baseball requires teams to nail down their superstars, and the Angels have done that with Trout, a player who looks like the heir apparent to replace Derek Jeter – Trout’s boyhood hero – as the face of baseball. In February, the Angels signed Trout to a six-year, $144.5 million contract extension. He’s sealed with the Angels through 2020. He keeps delivering.


Tonight, the Mike Trout Show opens in postseason theaters for the first time. 2. Free stuff The Angels had more promotional nights this season than ever. The top five freebies, according to Angels giveaway guru John Rozak, were the Angels cowboy hat, Trout bobblehead, Hawaiian shirt, Oktoberfest Stein and the Guinness World Records-night Santa hat. But those were just part of the tchotchke buffet. You also could have picked up an Angels sombrero, an Albert Pujols blanket and Trout and Jered Weaver gnomes. And you could have played with your free stuff while taking in postgame fireworks on Saturday nights. Free is fun. And, businesswise, fun is smart. 3. Affordable tickets A seat to an Angels game could’ve been had this season for $6. According to the 2014 Team Marketing Report, the average MLB ticket price is $27.83, with the average premium ticket going for $83.41. The bargain Angels rank 11th-most expensive on overall average ($27.40) and the 15th priciest ($76.74) in the premium category. The not-in-the-playoffs Boston Red Sox lead baseball at $52.32 for an average ticket. The Yankees are tops in the premium-ticket ranks at a breathtaking $305.39. The Dodgers’ average ticket is $25.80 (nearly $2 less than the Angels’) but Dodgers’ premium seats average a whopping $254.19. 4. Plum parking It costs $10 to park in the big, well-lit, security-patrolled Angel Stadium lot. You don’t have to worry about an MMA event breaking out. The league average for parking is $15.08, with 19 of 30 teams charging more than an Alexander Hamilton to bring your car to the park. 5. Good eats, guilty pleasures Traditionalists still have the Angel Dog. But new to Angel Stadium this season is Legends Hospitality, the same firm that feeds the in-stadium fans of the Yankees, Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. The company poured several million dollars of upgrades into giving Angel Stadium fans greater and more varied gustatory delights. Can you go wrong with Helmet Nachos, Helmet Sundaes, short-rib grilled cheese sandwiches (The Big Cheese), carne asada waffle fries (Spuds) and 14-hour smoked brisket sandwiches (Smoke Ring BBQ)? You cannot. 6. Beer goggles (optional) The league average for a small beer is $6.09. At Angel Stadium, it’s $4.50, third cheapest in the majors. The beers available include standbys; you can swill away at the Budweiser Patio, the Coors Light Centerfield Bar and the Corona Beach. But “Draft Pick” stands and free-standing keg carts tap into some of Southern California’s better craft brews, among them Fullerton-based Bootlegger’s and Redlands-


based Hangar 24, sought by the more sophisticated hops lovers. The first move Arte Moreno made as owner of the team was, famously, lowering beer prices. It was smart in 2003, and it’s smart now. In baseball, beer matters. 7. Beautiful ballpark Angel Stadium is the fourth-oldest ballpark in the majors, behind Boston’s Fenway Park, Chicago’s Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium. But like many things in Southern California, the Big A has benefited from cosmetic surgery to hide its true age (48 years). Though it might lack the mystique, charm, odor or ghosts of vintage ballparks, or the palatial appointments of the newer behemoths, it’s almost always as clean, comfortable and serviceable as a Residence Inn. Its cantilevered design provides unobstructed views and perches that make you feel on top of the action even from the top deck. The Angels field is perfectly manicured, thanks to the Barney Lopas-led grounds crew who keeps the grass (a Bermuda rye blend) fed, watered, mowed and free of dips, divots and puddles. By comparison, the home of the Oakland A’s – the O.Co Coliseum – has all the allure of a Greyhound bus station men’s room. (I’m told.) 8. Clean commodes If you’ve donned your HazMat suit to watch the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium, you’ll appreciate the regular maintenance of Big A bathrooms. Each has many stalls and spacious walking room in front of the sinks. Nobody is making you wash your hands in a hip-high bathtub with an opposing team’s fan. 9. Arte Moreno So he’s no Gene “The Singing Cowboy” Autry; and he’s not as tied to Orange County as Disney Corp. was. But the Angels’ owner (who can stunt-double for Dos Equis’ Most Interesting Man) is a master marketer, an Arizona man who made a fortune in billboards. He’s also, at heart, a baseball fan. Moreno has been in “win-now” mode for several years. He signed sluggers Pujols and Josh Hamilton to mega-deals, losing top draft picks in the process. His management made trades this season that further gutted the farm system. His payroll this year was ninth in baseball, at $156 million, and it’s only going up. The spending isn’t killing him. Moreno paid $184 million to buy the team. In March of this year, Forbes magazine pegged the Angels’ value at $775 million. “We’ve seen teams built to win now, or for the short-term,” said Shropshire, referring to the NBA’s Miami Heat. “There’s nothing wrong with that – if you can pull it off.” He’s embroiled in stadium lease issues, and is threatening to move the club to an unbuilt, unfinanced stadium in Tustin. It’s a long shot to happen. But can you blame a producer for wanting to take his blockbuster to the best possible theater?


10. ‘Happy customer’ service Operating in the backyard of both Disneyland and Hollywood, and with the beach lapping at our heels, the Angels’ business engine is always thinking about the competition for fans’ attention. Once in the ballpark, we can’t walk anywhere without seeing a red-shirted, straw-hatted usher, or an A-logoed team staffer willing to keep us happy and amused. There’s a reason the Angels have drawn 3 million fans to the ballpark for 12 consecutive seasons. Only the Yankees have matched those numbers. 11. Pujols power Though Trout regularly steals the show, let’s not forget we’re in the midst of “The Machine.” Where else can you see two “greatest of their generation” players batting 2 and 3 in a lineup? Talk about bang for your buck. Pujols, 34, is having his best season as an Angel, appearing in 159 games and batting .272 with 28 home runs and 105 RBI. This season he also surpassed 500 career home runs (he’s now at 520) and 1,600 RBIs (1,603). 12. community guys When they’re not on the field, the Angels are often visiting schools and hospitals and hosting visitors during batting practice. How can we not root for good guys? Even after Trout and infielder John McDonald learned that 7-year-old Luke Galvan was a Dodgers fan, they invited him to the Big A anyway. Galvan, who was getting away from a stint in the hospital, was brought to batting practice before an interleague game. There, courtesy of Trout and McDonald, he got to meet his favorite player – for now – Dodgers slugger Adrian Gonzalez. 13. Historical ties Statues of Autry and Michelle Carew, wall displays of Angels history and a 2002 World Series exhibit in the Team Store keep the Angels’ heritage alive and the generations of fans linked. Popular former Angels and fan favorites Rod Carew, Tim Salmon, Bobby Grich and Clyde Wright remain a presence at the ballpark and at team and Angels Baseball Foundation functions. 14. Fan atmosphere Next time you’re in the stands, look around. See the families. See the longtime fans cloaked in well-worn Angels hat apparel. Feel the baseball. Notice that you’re not at a Raiders game where some over-served zealot won’t pipe down. That isn’t to say there’s no booing (refer to the Vernon Wells’ years or the slumping months of Hamilton’s first year as an Angel), but, generally, Angel Stadium is more Wisteria Lane than Bourbon Street. 15. Winning After four seasons without an October, the wait is over. The Angels enter the playoffs with the best


record in majors, 98-64, and the AL West title. Mike Scioscia, the longest-tenured manager in the majors and a survivor of several hot seats, cobbled this team together despite losing two starting pitchers – Garrett Richards and Tyler Skaggs – before season’s end. Stalwart right-hander Weaver and a rebuilt, reliable bullpen got the Angels through along with the flexed muscle of the offense, with the AL’s third-best .259 batting average and the league-most 773 runs. A medley of young players like leadoff hitter Kole Calhoun, of dependable veterans in Howie Kendrick (team-high .293 batting average) and Erick Aybar and of stars in Trout and Pujols all aligned to become the team that Scioscia asked simply to “go out, have fun and play ball.” Of all the reasons the Angels have become the envy of baseball, winning enough to make the postseason counts the most. It’s also harder to control than the ticket prices, the jalepeño ratio in nachos, the frothy head on beers, the flushing toilets, the chalk lines on the field or the contract of the best player in baseball. Beginning tonight, we’ll learn whether everything keeps coming together for the Angels. They have the opportunity to prove why they’re the sport’s best franchise. And the conclusion won’t need to be anyone’s off-the-record secret.

Angels' Weaver thrives on savvy, not speed By Pedro Moura

ANAHEIM – The last time Jered Weaver pitched in the postseason, he threw harder than he had since his rookie year and harder than he ever will again.

The Angels ace popped the catcher’s glove over and over: 92 mph, 91, 92 again, with a curveball mixed in at 68. His last two appearances, every fastball he threw hit at least 90.

But that catcher was Mike Napoli, and those appearances were relief outings against the Yankees in the ALCS five years ago.

Since then, Weaver has lost a considerable amount of velocity while remaining one of baseball’s better pitchers. Rarely has he dominated, but often has he been successful.

The Angels’ starter in Game 1 of the ALDS on Thursday night against Kansas City at Angel Stadium, does it primarily by being unpredictable. Weaver throws five different pitches – or six, depending on whom you ask and when. Major-league starters rarely throw more than four different pitches 10 or more times a game, as he does with his five; many of the best throw only three.

“You just don’t know what you’re going to get,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He works the throttle. When you start looking soft, he goes hard. When you start looking hard, he goes soft.”


Weaver’s curveball averages 70 mph, his changeup 78, and his slider 80. The two-seamer he uses the most averaged 86.5 this season, and the classic four-seamer came in at 87.5. Some say he throws a cutter, a pitch he worked on with then-teammate Dan Haren a few springs ago. If he does, which PITCHf/x believes, that comes in around 86, too.

The point is, everything is different enough to make it confusing. None of them is a true out pitch – an offering a pitcher can count on for strikeouts more times than not. That, along with his lack of velocity and his corresponding tendency to serve up homers, is his weakness.

But all of them can induce whiffs in the right situation. And Weaver’s strength is that he can often find that situation.

“You can’t think along with Jered,” said teammate Brennan Boesch, who homered off Weaver four years ago but considers him one of the toughest at-bats in baseball. “You just can’t. He’s going to be able to throw what he wants in what count he wants. That’s what makes him exceptional.”

Weaver’s velocity has never been exceptional. His fastball averaged 90 mph his second year in the big leagues. But, in recent weeks, he has flashed back closer to what he displayed in the 2009 postseason.

It began in a dominant start at home against Houston on Sept. 13, when he struck out 12 over seven one-run innings.

“He’ll tell you himself he was below where he wanted to be early in this season,” Boesch said. “But, objectively, if you look at the last couple of starts, he’s hitting 91 regularly, and even 93 a couple times. When he’s doing that, it just gives him a whole other dynamic, in that he doesn’t have to be as dynamic.

“I don’t want to say he can make more mistakes, but he can be more aggressive with the fastball.”

Indeed, Weaver has acknowledged the recent velocity uptick and admitted how hard he’d worked to get it back. And, perhaps predictably, that aggressiveness did appear along with it. The first time he reared back against the Astros, he fell down, literally. And that fastball was clocked at 90, right where it averaged for the night.

After that start, Angels manager Mike Scioscia openly marveled. Unprompted, he gushed about the velocity, volunteering it was the best he had seen Weaver pitch in five years.

The last time Weaver averaged 90 mph on his fastball while throwing at least 100 pitches? May 2, 2012 – the night he threw a no-hitter.

He’s been learning how to operate with lesser stuff ever since. And so it’s not as if he can’t have success if he tops out at 87 on Thursday.

“I think that the biggest thing we’ve seen from Jered is at times his velocity maybe hasn’t been as crisp,” Scioscia said. “A couple years ago (in 2012), he won 20 games pitching at 86, 87 mph. As a pitcher, he has the ability to create when he’s not at 100 percent.

Scioscia joked Wednesday that Weaver “looked like he was back at Long Beach State” in September, referring to the velocity. But even in college, Weaver wasn’t a particularly hard thrower.


“It’s hard to quantify how important velocity is when you’re still getting results without it,” said Angels catcher Chris Iannetta, who will be behind the plate Thursday. “It obviously doesn’t mean a ton to him.”

To get positive results, Weaver really needs only one thing: Location. But it has escaped him at times in 2014, including in his last start of the season in Seattle. Overall, he posted his highest walk rate in five years.

“Locating has been hit-or-miss for me this year,” Weaver said. “I haven’t really been the pitcher that I’d like to be.”

But he still can be, beginning Thursday. And, just maybe, Monday, in a potential Game 4, two days after he turns 32.

Runnin' Royals will test Angels' defense Kansas City led the majors with 153 stolen bases this season, and has already shown a willingness to run wild in the postseason. By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM – On the first day of October, spring training broke out at Angel Stadium.

After most of the Angels had completed a typical workout the day before Game 1 of the division series, once the cage and all the screens were stripped off the field, only the catchers remained.

Chris Iannetta and Hank Conger took turns taking pitches out of a crouch, popping up and firing to second base. Then they did the same to third.

It’s the type of drill catchers do routinely in spring training, not so much once the season begins.

But Iannetta and Conger were preparing for the track team known as the Kansas City Royals, who stole seven bases on their way to a wild -card victory that sent them to Anaheim.

“Kansas City definitely pressures you on the bases,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “There is no doubt about it. We’ve seen them during the season. They’re good at it. They have some difference makers on the basepaths.”

It’s no exaggeration to say the Royals’ speed was one of the difference makers in their 9-8 victory over the Oakland A’s on Tuesday, and it will be one of the most important elements of the best-of-5 division series against the Angels.

“You have to pay attention to some things,” Scioscia said. “We’ll do what we can do. Obviously, with that much speed they are going to put it to use, and we’ll have to contain it the best we can.”

The Royals stole 153 bases, the most in the majors. Shortstop Alcides Escobar stole 31 and center fielder Lorenzo Cain nabbed 28. Jarrod Dyson, who doesn’t even start, stole 36. He will be a pinch-running threat that Royals manager Ned Yost can drop into a game at a critical moment.


The Angels, who were exactly league average in their success rate throwing out would-be base-stealers, allowed seven stolen bases in nine attempts against the Royals in six regular season games.

“They are going to get on base and run,” Iannetta said. “The best thing we can do is try to keep them off base.”

Beyond that, the pitchers will need to be quick to the plate, and vary their looks to first base so the runners can’t time their deliveries. Weaver, who has an outstanding pickoff move, also figures to throw to first frequently.

Weaver said one of the Angels’ best weapons against the Royals running game is Scioscia. Not only was Scioscia a catcher, but he has used the running game plenty in his earlier years as a manager, although not so much with his current team.

The Royals’ speed doesn’t simply affect the game with stolen bases, but it impacts the positioning of the infielders.

“When you are trying to hold guys on, you are giving up a little range to keep them close,” said infielder Gordon Beckham, who held plenty of Royals at second when he was a second baseman for the Chicago White Sox. “Guys in the middle are going to have to work to keep them tight, because they like stealing third as much as they like stealing second.”

The Royals figure to also pressure the Angels outfielders to make throws to the bases, and the infielders will have to hurry throws on ground balls.

All of it has helped the Royals to score runs, despite doing little of what normally drives offenses these days: walks and homers. The Royals are last in the league in both.

“They’ve got guys in the batter’s box that can hit, but maybe what they miss in slugging percentage as far as not hitting the ball out of the ballpark, they make up for with the ability to manufacture,” Scioscia said. “There is no doubt they can manufacture runs with anybody in our league.”

Scioscia: Weaver would start Game 4 By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM – Mike Scioscia is rolling the dice with his rotation.

On the eve of the Angels division series opener against the Kansas City Royals, Scioscia said Matt Shoemaker, who has been out because of a strained oblique, will start Game 2, putting him in line to also start Game 5.

Scioscia also said Game 1 starter Jered Weaver will come back on three days rest in Game 4, an unorthodox move in this day and age. C.J. Wilson will start Game 3.

So the Angels are entrusting Shoemaker, a rookie who is coming off an injury, with two critical games and asking Weaver to do something he has done just twice in his career, three years ago.


As for Shoemaker, Scioscia has apparently been convinced that his workouts over the past week have been good enough to balance any concerns about the injury or the time off. Shoemaker hasn’t pitched in a game since hurting his oblique Sept. 15, and he went two weeks without throwing off a mound.

“Matt Shoemaker is doing remarkably well,” Scioscia said. “He hasn’t had any setbacks at all.”

Scioscia said they are expecting Shoemaker to “pitch as deep as he can into the game.”

Normally in the division series with its current alignment, teams use four starters, and have the option of either their Game 1 or Game 2 starter for Game 5. The Angels, though, will be counting on Shoemaker because they plan to use Weaver in Game 4.

Scioscia said the way Weaver has looked in his workouts lately has encouraged him and pitching coach Mike Butcher that he’s capable of pitching on three days rest for the first time since 2011. Weaver gave up two runs in six innings in one of the starts and seven runs in six innings in the other.

“Mike Butcher feels really good at the prospects of how Weaver was throwing his (bullpens) in between starts, how he was bouncing back, and really feeling that if he had to pitch on three days rest, he’s ready for it,” Scioscia said. “We don’t have any reservations at all about wanting to get Jered out there again in Game 4.”

HAMILTON TOO

As expected, Josh Hamilton will be penciled into the lineup in left field, batting seventh. Hamilton has played in just one game since Sept. 4, missing nearly a month because of shoulder and rib cage issues.

He barely participated in any baseball workouts for much of that time, but he cranked up the intensity this week. He passed the final test by hitting live pitching – from Drew Rucinski – in a workout Tuesday. That was enough for Scioscia to put him in the lineup, albeit not in his normal cleanup spot.

“I think it would be unfair to put on Josh the expectations that everyone would have of what he would do, and that’s why he’s down in the lineup,” Scioscia said. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if, after a couple at-bats, you’re starting to see him attack the ball the way he can, and we need it.”

DIRTBAGS

When the Royals made the somewhat surprising announcement that Jason Vargas would start Game 1, it set up a matchup of old friends. Weaver and Vargas were teammates at Long Beach State. Weaver said the two are actually planning a vacation together with their families this winter.

“He’s one of my best friends,” Weaver said. “We formed a really cool and special bond at Long Beach. It didn’t take long for us to become friends.”

NOTES


The Royals will start Yordano Ventura in Game 2, followed by ace James Shields in Game 3. The Royals have not announced a Game 4 starter, but the choices are Danny Duffy and Jeremy Guthrie, unless they bring Vargas back on short rest. ...

Scioscia said C.J. Cron will start at designated hitter in Game 1. He hinted that Efren Navarro would also be on the roster, which will be announced Thursday morning. The Angels will have a 12-man pitching staff, so the likely bench players are Navarro, Gordon Beckham, Collin Cowgill and Hank Conger. The nine relievers are most likely Huston Street, Joe Smith, Kevin Jepsen, Jason Grilli, Fernando Salas, Mike Morin, Vinnie Pestano, Cory Rasmus and Hector Santiago. ...

The Players’ Association has Shoemaker on its list of three finalists for the AL rookie of the year award. Shoemaker is joined by Jose Abreu and Danny Santana. Abreu is likely to win this award, as well as the traditional Rookie of the Year Award from the writers.

Will Royals' Yost manage to succeed? By Pedro Moura

ANAHEIM – Kansas City Royals designated hitter Billy Butler gathered his things, packed his bag, put on his polo shirt and directed his heavyset frame toward the team bus outside Angel Stadium’s visiting clubhouse Wednesday afternoon.

On the television near the exit-leading corridor, MLB Network pundits were reviewing the Royals’ extra-innings victory over Oakland in the AL Wild-Card Game not 16 hours prior, the thrilling, almost unbelievable win that sent Butler and his teammates on an overnight flight here.

The longest-tenured Royal stopped when the TV talk turned to him and his misguided attempt to steal second base early in Tuesday’s first inning, an attempt that hung teammate Eric Hosmer out to dry between third and home. The pundits were soon laughing at Butler’s expense.

Young left-hander Danny Duffy, watching from a corner of the clubhouse, looked at his teammate, incredulous.

Duffy called out to Butler: “Is this real life right now?”

Collectively, the Royals are in a weird place approaching the American League Division Series against the Angels that begins Thursday at 6:07 p.m. They might be America’s sentimental favorite to win the World Series, mostly because it’s been so long since they’ve come anywhere close. They’re fast, fearless and fun.

But they are also in some ways the laughingstock of the sport, mostly because of their manager, Ned Yost. No current leader in baseball inspires more regular ridicule than the Royals’ Yost, whose designated bullpen roles are as rigid as any manager’s ever. And his belief in the benefit of sacrifice bunting is seemingly even stronger.


It is not a matter of whether Yost will make decisions in the ALDS that will be widely questioned. It is a matter of how many of them he will make, in how short of a span, and how much they will cost Kansas City.

Yost’s decision to remove starter James Shields after two batters in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s wild-card game was sensible. Shields had settled into a groove in the middle innings, but the two batters reached base, and starting pitchers consistently lose effectiveness their third time through an opponent’s batting order.

What didn’t make much sense was his choice of a reliever: rookie right-hander Yordano Ventura, who started Sunday’s game for the Royals. Ventura throws hard and has a bit of relief experience, but Yost also has at his disposal three dominant relievers in right-handers Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland.

He has used them in the same order almost all year long: Herrera in the seventh inning, Davis in the eighth, Holland in the ninth. And he ran into trouble when he refused to use Herrera in the sixth in a key spot last month.

But surely in the most important game of the season – the franchise’s most important game in a generation – three Royals relievers could combine to mine for 12 outs?

“Could I have put Herrera in that game?” Yost asked in response to a question about his decision. “Yeah, I could have put Herrera in that game at that point and let him finish in the sixth. …You can look at this 90 different ways and hindsight is 20/20 and it’s easy for everybody to look back.”

Ventura allowed a monster three-run homer, and Yost ended up pulling him and using Herrera in that inning anyway.

“It’s one of those deals where he comes in and throws a 94-mph two-seamer, (the hitter) rolls over it, and I look like a genius,” Yost said Wednesday. “He comes and throws a fastball and (the hitter) hits a home run, I look like a dope.”

“Well, I was a dope last night for a little while. Just because it didn’t work doesn’t mean it wasn’t the right move and I wouldn’t do it again.”

Publicly, his players have stood firmly behind all of Yost's decisions. They say they choose to ignore the widespread criticism.

“We don’t listen to that,” said Royals left fielder Alex Gordon, the unofficial team captain. “That’s a part of baseball. You’re going to make decisions, and if it doesn’t go well, people are going to criticize you. That’s just how the game works. Collectively, as a team, we feel like we’re one group. It doesn’t matter what happens. We lose as a team, we win as a team.

“There is no pointing fingers at anybody.”

Said Yost: “Look, I’ve been criticized my whole career. So it doesn’t really matter.”


Angels know starting pitching isn't everything By Pedro Moura

ANAHEIM – Conventional wisdom says you need to have dominant starting pitching to go deep in the postseason.

Mike Scioscia has a World Series ring that says otherwise.

Sure, it helps to have dominant starters, but the wild card era is filled with teams that show it’s not mandatory. They are teams that won despite their rotation, rather than because of it.

Like the 2002 Angels.

The Angels went into that postseason with the eighth-best starters ERA in the majors. Once there, they got worse. A rotation of Jarrod Washburn, Kevin Appier, Ramon Ortiz and a rookie named John Lackey combined for a 5.38 ERA in October.

In 2002, Angels starters failed to get an out in the sixth inning 10 times in 16 games, the most of any World Series champion in the wild-card era.

The Angels won because of their bullpen, led by Troy Percival, Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez. They also hit .320, tops among all teams that postseason, to slug their way to the title.

This year, the Angels again have a rotation of question marks. Jered Weaver is an established No. 1 pitcher, although no longer a Cy Young-caliber pitcher.

After that, Matt Shoemaker has had an outstanding season, but he’s a rookie who hasn’t pitched in three weeks because of an injury. C.J. Wilson and Hector Santiago have been inconsistent throughout the season. Wilson has a 4.82 ERA in 10 career postseason games.

Still, the Angels fashioned the best record in the majors, with an updated version of Percival & Co. Huston Street, Joe Smith and Kevin Jepsen have helped the Angels win games throughout the second half when the starters came up short. The Angels also led the majors in runs.

“It might work out the same way (as 2002),” Scioscia said. “We might not have the length from some of our starters, but you can still get it done. We’ll see how it goes.”

The Angels also may work around their rotation issues the way other teams with shallow rotations have done it, by using only three starters. The Angels are expected to bring Weaver back for Game 4 on three days rest if they trail 2-1 in the division series, and possibly even if they’re ahead 2-1.

Overcoming a less-than-dominant starting rotation is nothing new. In fact, the best rotation rarely wins. Only once in the 19 years of the wild card era has the team with the best starters ERA in the regular season won the World Series.


About half of the champions – nine – have finished in the top seven, while 17 of 19 were in the top half. The other two were the 2006 Cardinals (20th) and the 1996 Yankees (19th). The Angels ranked 12th this season, but they had Garrett Richards for most of the year.

The 2011 Cardinals – a team that included current Angels Albert Pujols, David Freese and Fernando Salas – also finished the season with a rotation ranked 12th.

In the division series they played a Phillies team that had the best single-season rotation ERA (2.86) in the wild-card era, a group including Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee.

If ever a team was supposed to win a World Series because of its rotation, that was it.

The Cardinals, who countered with Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Edwin Jackson and Kyle Lohse, knocked off the Phillies in five games and eventually won the World Series.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa had a quick hook on his starters the whole month. He rode his bullpen, which had a 3.31 ERA in the postseason, to the title. The Cardinals also averaged 5.6 runs per game in the postseason, with Pujols and Freese providing some of the biggest hits.

“Every postseason is different,” Freese said. “If you have a list of starters who are considered the best in the game, that doesn’t mean you are going to take the prize.”

Angels vs. Royals: How they match up By Jeff Fletcher

OFFENSE

The Angels scored the most runs in the majors, and they ranked fourth in the league in OPS. Mike Trout leads a balanced group that has an above average producer at every position. The Royals were ninth in runs and 10th in OPS. Their offense is built on speed. They led the majors in stolen bases. Advantage: Angels.

DEFENSE

The Royals have three players who are considered by many to be the best in the league at their positions: left fielder Alex Gordon, shortstop Alcides Escobar and catcher Sal Perez. FanGraphs’ all-encompassing defensive metric rated the Royals the best defense in the majors. The Angels, who ranked seventh, have improved their defense from last year, and they don’t make many mistakes. Advantage: Royals.

STARTING PITCHING

The Angels’ Jered Weaver and the Royals’ James Shields are the only true aces among the group. Because the Angels had time to set their rotation, Weaver will get to pitch twice in the series, while Shields only goes once. Among the other pitchers, all are either unproven or inconsistent. Advantage: Angels.


BULLPEN

Both teams believe a lead after six innings is money in the bank. The Angels finish with Kevin Jepsen, Joe Smith and Huston Street, while the Royals have Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland. Advantage: Royals.

BENCH

The Angels’ lineup is deep enough that they rarely use pinch-hitters. In fact, they are having trouble even finding someone to DH. The Royals have speedsters Jarrod Dyson and Terrance Gore who can steal a base.Advantage: Royals.

MANAGER

The criticism Mike Scioscia has withstood is nothing compared to the Royals’ Ned Yost, who has been publicly hammered lately – even in the wild-card game – for his offensive philosophy and bullpen management. Yost has never managed a postseason series. Advantage:Angels.

INTANGIBLES

If momentum counts for anything, the Royals have it after their emotional wild-card win. The Angels have not truly played a pressure game in weeks. Advantage: Royals.

PREDICTION

Angels in 4.

On deck: Royals at Angels, Thursday, 6 p.m. By Jeff Fletcher

Where: Angel Stadium

TV: TBS, 6 p.m.

Did you know: The Royals are riding a four-game postseason winning streak. Of course, three of those games were in the 1985 World Series.

THE PITCHERS

RHP JERED WEAVER (18-9, 3.59)

Weaver finished his season by allowing four runs in six innings in a loss to the Seattle Mariners, a game that snapped a streak of six straight quality starts. He will be facing the Royals for the first time since 2012. He was injured when the teams played in 2013, and simply missed them in two series this year.


• Vs. Royals: 7-4, 2.21

• At Angel Stadium: 69-28, 2.66

• Loves to face: Alex Gordon, 4 for 20 (.200), 9 Ks

• Hates to face: Raul Ibañez, 15 for 36 (.417), 4 HRs

LHP JASON VARGAS (11-10, 3.71)

After one year with the Angels, Vargas signed a four-year, $32 million deal with the Royals. He delivered a season right in line with their expectations, tossing 187 innings. Vargas has allowed 18 earned runs in 18 innings in his last four starts. Vargas pitched one good game and one bad game against the Angels this year. Ironically, the Royals won the bad one and lost the good one.

• Vs. Angels: 5-4, 3.02

• At Angel Stadium: 9-3, 2.86

• Loves to face: None

• Hates to face: Brennan Boesch, 8 for 15 (.533)

FROM ANGELS.COM

Weaver hungrier for title after two close calls By Lyle Spencer ANAHEIM -- Jered Weaver has been close enough to taste championships twice, in college at Long Beach State and with the 2009 Angels, only to fall short on each occasion. Weaver was scheduled to go in Game 7 of that 2009 American League Championship Series, but the Yankees prevailed in Game 6 and went on to beat the Phillies in the World Series. "I appreciate you bringing that up," Weaver, in a relaxed mood, said Wednesday in anticipation of his Game 1 start against the Royals on Thursday night in the AL Division Series (6 p.m. PT on TBS). "I think that just means I'm the bad-luck charm in everything." Turning serious, he said, "Like you said, I've been really close in a lot of situations. In college, we were one game away from going to the World Series. Even getting as far as playing the Yankees there [at Yankee Stadium] and losing in that Game 6. "I think that it just makes you strive for more. Obviously, the only thing I play for is to win, and that's all

http://www.mlb.com/r/player?player_id=450308


I've played this game for, is to win and the competitive nature of it. Whenever you fall short being that close, it pushes you to work harder for the next season and pushes you to get to that level." Weaver faces former Long Beach State and Angels teammate Jason Vargas in Game 1 at Angel Stadium. "We have that opportunity again to extend our season," Weaver said, "and it's up to us to try to decide on how far we want to go with this. We've got a great group of guys. It's been a fun clubhouse to be part of this whole season, and we're going to push on to get our main goal -- and that is to win."

Trout primed to assume Mr. October mantle By Lyle Spencer ANAHEIM -- It wasn't the first time third baseman David Freese had heard the question, but the Mr. October of the Cardinals' 2011 World Series championship slalom run was still amused. Asked if Angels superstar Mike Trout had gone to him seeking insight on the eve of his postseason debut against the Royals on Thursday night in the American League Division Series, Freese smiled. "He's a cool customer," Freese said. "He doesn't need to be told anything." Pausing for effect, he added, "I'd probably be better off learning from him." A fairly universal consensus has formed that the kid from Millville, N.J., is the game's best all-around talent at 23, the man most likely to succeed Derek Jeter -- Trout's favorite player growing up -- as the face of baseball. George Brett, the Royals' driving force when they most recently graced the postseason, in their 1985 championship season, is sold on Trout -- hook, line and sinker. "I think he is the best player in the game," Brett said. "Taking nothing away from the guys on our team, he's the best player in baseball. He hits for average, he hits for power, he runs, throws, fields. There is nothing he can't do." When the Yankees visited Anaheim in May, another Hall of Famer, Reggie Jackson, raved about Trout for a good five minutes. The original Mr. October marvels at Trout's athleticism, demeanor, speed, strength and unflagging confidence. "He knows he's good," Jackson said. "You can feel it in everything he does, but there's nothing arrogant about him. Trout has all these gifts and knows what to do with them. He's really coming into his power, and with that speed, he's the perfect three-hole hitter. "He's in the elite of the elite -- and he's going to get better." Batting second between Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols, Trout led the AL in runs scored (115), RBIs (111) and total bases (338). His average (.287) fell and his strikeouts (184) rose, but Trout has Mr. October's approval without reservation. "Trout's a run producer," Jackson said. "You want him swinging the bat. Nothing wrong with striking out when your job is knocking in runs."








The all-time leader, with 2,597 strikeouts, Reggie collected home runs (563) and World Series rings: five titles in five Fall Classics. He met the moment as few ever have. He burns to be that kind of player, but Trout -- smart beyond his years -- understands that you can't force things in a sport in which less is often more. "Sure, I'm excited, but you have to tell yourself it's just another game," Trout said. "Don't look into it too much, or you're in trouble. You can't put pressure on yourself." He will carry to his first postseason at-bat, against former teammate Jason Vargas, the same mind-set he took to his debut in an Angels uniform in a Cactus League game at 18. He tripled to right-center in Tucson on March 20, 2010, against the Rockies. "Even at that age he was confident," manager Mike Scioscia recalled. "Before [the game] we're talking around the cage, and I said, `Mike, hit a ball in the gap, are you thinking three?' He said, 'Absolutely. I hit a ball anywhere in the outfield, I'm thinking three.' "He pinch-hits [and] hits a ball in the right-center [gap], and he has a standup triple. Actually, he makes a turn at third base like he's going to keep coming. He was pumped." The 2014 All-Star Game MVP with a double and a triple, driving in two runs in a 5-3 win that gave the AL champion home-field advantage in the Fall Classic, Trout lashed a single off R.A. Dickey in 2012 in Kansas City in his first plate appearance in the Midsummer Classic. "Good memories," he said, grinning. "This is like Opening Day, your big league debut. New season. Be yourself, have fun." Freese, the 2011 World Series and National League Championship Series MVP, has watched Trout radiate good times from mid-February through September. "The last couple of years, watching him on TV and playing against him last year, I'd see him smiling all the time," Freese said. "That's for real -- that's who he is. He loves the game. He'll be like this his entire career. It's something you don't see very often. "His confidence is through the roof -- even when he's struggling. When guys go into slumps, it's more mental than mechanical. Albert can be 0-for-20, but he goes up there confident. Mike's like that. There's a way to go about it when you're not going well. That's what makes you elite." Pujols encourages Trout to stay within himself under the bright lights. "He doesn't need to be Superman to go out there and carry this ballclub," Pujols said. "We didn't win 98 games because he did everything. Everyone here has one piece in this puzzle to help this ballclub win the division. We just need to go out there and do the same thing." Scioscia first saw something special in Trout, then a recent high school graduate, in an Angel Stadium workout after he'd been taken in the first round, No. 25 overall, in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. He was 17.




"He was hitting balls opposite field out of the ballpark like a left-handed power hitter in the Major Leagues," Scioscia said. "We couldn't believe it. We kept saying, 'Wait a minute -- how old are you? That's incredible.'" He's 23 now, ready to climb onto the big stage, the favorite to claim the AL MVP Award after finishing second to Miguel Cabrera the past two years. Jeter, another legend sold on Trout, knows his game is in good hands.

Vargas-Weaver: From LBSU to ALDS matchup By T.R. Sullivan

ANAHEIM -- The Angels' Jered Weaver ran into Jason Vargas of the Royals on Wednesday afternoon in the basement of Angel Stadium.

"I didn't know if I was supposed to give him a hug and say hi or not," said Weaver, who will start for the Angels against Vargas in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Thursday.

It was more than just a chance meeting of two opposing pitchers. Weaver and Vargas are close friends, and not just because they were teammates with the Angels last season: They were teammates on a 2004 Long Beach State squad that also featured Troy Tulowitzki and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals.

Now they will face off on the big stage.

"We go back a while," Vargas said. "To be able to toe the same slab in the playoffs, I know is pretty cool for a lot of other people than just us. I'm looking forward to it."

He should be. Weaver brings out the best in him. The two have faced each other as starters three times in their careers, and each time, Vargas has been outstanding.

The last time they faced off was on Aug. 12, 2012, in Anaheim. Vargas, then with the Mariners, allowed one run in eight innings in a 4-1 victory.

They also had a tremendous pitching duel on Aug. 11, 2011. Vargas did not allow a run in six innings, and Weaver was scoreless over nine in a game won by the Angels, 1-0, in 10 innings. On May 18, 2011, Vargas pitched seven scoreless innings in a 3-0 win over Weaver and the Angels.

Whatever happens, they will have plenty of time to talk about it this winter, as the two have planned a vacation together.

"He's one of my best friends," Weaver said. "We formed a really cool and special bond at Long Beach. It didn't take us long to become friends. He's a mellow guy off the field. I feel like I'm a mellow guy off the field. But once we get on the field, we're competitors, and we want to win. I think that's shown throughout our careers; that when we do get on the mound, it's all about winning.

"He's one of those special guys that comes into your life, and I don't really talk to too many people that you come in contact with away from playing baseball. You kind of lose relationships and things of that



nature, but that's one relationship that I've held on to through the years. It's nice to be able to call him and talk to him."

Both are from Southern California. Vargas pitched at Apple Valley High in San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles. He started at LSU, transferred to junior college after one season and then ended up at Long Beach State for his junior year.

Weaver is from Simi Valley, north of Los Angeles. He went to Long Beach State for three years and was the 2004 National College Player of the Year after posting a 15-1 record to go with a 1.63 ERA and 213 strikeouts in 144 innings. He was the 12th overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft that June, by the Angels.

Vargas, who also starred at the plate at LBSU (.354 batting average in 2004), didn't go until the second round, to the Marlins. The Royals are his fifth franchise, but he did get to play with Weaver for one season, in 2013, with the Angels.

"Well, he really didn't change much til now," Vargas said. "The competitiveness has always been there. It's always been the same raw emotion on the mound, and off the mound, it's a different person. He's a really easygoing, easy guy to be a friend with. So he's a tough competitor out there on the mound, and we better be ready."

Angels: Overwhelming advantage in playoff experience The Angels may not have been in the playoffs since 2009, but their players have a combined 253 games in the postseason. The Royals have just 110 combined games of postseason experience. That includes 17 players who made their postseason debut on Tuesday night in the Wild Card playoff win over the Athletics.

Two members of the Royals have combined for 75 of those 110 games. Raul Ibanez, who did not play on Tuesday night, has appeared in 44 games (with the Mariners, Phillies and Yankees), and second baseman Omar Infante has played in 31 games (Tigers and Braves).

The Angels' postseason experience comes from their former Cardinals and Rangers. First baseman Albert Pujols played in 74 playoff games, third baseman David Freese played in 48 and reliever Fernando Salas appeared in 16 games during their time with the Cardinals. Outfielder Josh Hamilton played in 34 postseason games with the Rangers, and C.J. Wilson pitched in 10.

Royals: Yost shrugs off criticism The Royals rallied twice to beat the Athletics in the Wild Card Game, but that didn't keep manager Ned Yost from being criticized for his managing -- most specifically, when he brought in rookie Yordano Ventura to replace James Shields in the sixth inning.

"Look, I've been criticized my whole career, right?" Yost said. "There is so much as a coaching staff and a manager that we know that they don't know. I'm not talking about the player, I'm talking about situations, I'm talking about internal things that go on our team that help us make decisions that factor into our decisions that nobody knows. What they do is, they take something that they can jump on and then jump on it and bark about it, and that's fine. That's the way it is, and that's the way it's kind of supposed to be.

"If the manager puts in a player and he gives up a three-run homer, it's the manager's fault. I put him in. It's something that we all deal with every day, and it doesn't really bother us too much."


Worth noting • Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton, who will be in the lineup on Thursday, is 6-for-27 with three career home runs off Vargas. He is one of two left-handed hitters with three home runs off Vargas. The other is Hideki Matsui.

• Ibanez has four home runs off Weaver. The only players with more are Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson (five).

• The two teams split six games during the regular season, with each team winning two of three at home.

Angels aim to avoid rust during downtime By Quinn Roberts ANAHEIM -- As the Royals fought tooth and nail to make it to the American League Division Series with a 9-8 extra-innings win Tuesday night against the A's, plenty of Angels players and coaches were watching the contest from the comfort of their own homes. "I was watching it as much as my little boy would allow me to," joked Jered Weaver, the Angels Game 1 starter. "I was kind of chasing him around and watching the game at the same time." The Halos had little drama on their way to the ALDS, clinching the AL West on Sept. 17 and then home-field advantage throughout the playoffs on Sept. 26. While the sleep-deprived Royals will have just one day between their AL Wild Card win and Game 1 of the ALDS on Thursday, the Angels will be playing on three days' rest. "It is nice to win your division. You know that with the way the playoffs work now that you are going to get a couple of days off because of that. You get to relax and reboot your system," Angels third baseman David Freese said. "I know all about being hot coming in as a team and being a Wild Card team and this and that. Sometimes it has a benefit because you just get to keep playing and don't have to sit around and think about it. "This is a pretty loose group, we always have been all year. A couple of days were good for us. We can rest up and get the body right to be ready for Thursday. Some pros and cons are to each side of it." Angels manager Mike Scioscia knows the challenges of having such a large chunk of time off. As the longest tenured manager in the Majors, Scioscia has taken the Angels to the playoffs in seven of his 15 seasons. While the Angels took Monday to relax, they had full workouts at Angel Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday. "Well, you have to balance. There is an absolute need after the grind of a season to catch your breath a little bit. I think we have worked out aggressively yesterday, have another one today and will be ready to go tomorrow," Scioscia said before Wednesday's workout. "There is not much more you can do to keep your edge.




"I think at that point of where you are in the season, our guys played all the way through the weekend. We really had one day off after we clinched, and that was it. I don't think that's much of an issue right now. I think our guys will be ready to go." While the Royals and Angels have taken opposite paths to get to the ALDS, both teams come into Thursday's game with the same goal. "We can't get complacent in what we do," Weaver said. "We have to go out there and not take anything for granted and go out there and try to pick up where we left off, and that's playing great baseball and battling as a team like we have been all year."

Hamilton aims to atone for injury-riddled season By Alden Gonzalez ANAHEIM -- It's very easy to be skeptical about Josh Hamilton going into the American League Division Series, because he's coming off a poor year, he still isn't fully healthy, and he was only able to play in one of the Angels' last 23 regular-season games with nagging ailments in his right shoulder and right side. But maybe, in some weird way, these dire circumstances will actually help the Angels' mercurial outfielder. Maybe going into the postseason without any expectations, and batting lower in the lineup, and not really having the time to tinker with his swing or think about his struggles can finally get Hamilton going. "I could have been healthy all year and [stunk] in the playoffs, or missed a month and come back and done really well," Hamilton said. "That's the nature of the game. That's what it is. Expectations, as far as not finishing the season where I wanted to be, it [stinks]. But I'm very excited and happy that we're in the playoffs and I have a chance to help my team out in any way I can." Hamilton will bat seventh and play left field for Thursday's Game 1, with first pitch from Angel Stadium slated for 6:07 p.m. PT on TBS. Angels manager Mike Scioscia made the announcement during a pre-workout news conference Wednesday afternoon, and with it, he officially ended a four-week rehab that felt like an odyssey for his All-Star left fielder. From Sept. 4 until the final day of the regular season, Hamilton experienced pain that went from his right AC joint to his right trapezius muscle to the area where his right chest and right ribcage meet. On Sept. 20, he received seven cortisone injections to treat "sharp, stabbing pains" in his right side that made it "difficult to breathe." It wasn't until Sunday morning, hours before the regular-season finale from Safeco Field, that Hamilton was able to strike a baseball without experiencing that troubling sensation. "There's always pain," Hamilton said. "The point is not having the muscle spasm." Hamilton is no longer feeling those spasms, but he's also quite rusty.



Outside of some pitches he saw from right-hander Drew Rucinski during Tuesday's workout, Hamilton hasn't seen any velocity since the Sept. 16 game he started at designated hitter and was sandwiched between his shoulder and ribcage ailments. He's hit on the field three times since then, in the three days that bled into Game 1. And he wasn't able to throw without pain until the team showed up to Seattle for its final regular-season series on Friday. "I think it would be unfair to put on Josh the expectations that everyone would have of what he would do, and that's part of the reason why he's hitting down in the lineup right now," said Scioscia, who will go with Howie Kendrick at Hamilton's customary cleanup spot. "But it wouldn't surprise me if after a couple at-bats you're starting to see him attack the ball the way he can, and we need it. We need Josh. We're hopefully going to see that." Scioscia -- and Hamilton himself -- keep thinking back to Hamilton's MVP season of 2010, when he missed 24 games with two fractured ribs, came back with three regular-season games left, batted .111 in the ALDS and then was named MVP of the AL Championship Series. He remembers Spring Training, when Hamilton missed three weeks of Cactus League games with a calf strain and didn't miss a beat upon returning in mid-March. Then again, Hamilton was a different guy then. "He had his swing down in Spring Training," Angels hitting coach Don Baylor said. "Right before he got hurt, I thought it was going to be one of those MVP-type years for him. I really did. But when you injure your hands, your shoulders, as a hitter, that's one of the toughest things to get over and come back from." Hamilton batted .444/.545/.741 in the season's first eight games, then injured his left thumb on an ill-fated headfirst slide into first base. He missed eight weeks, lost his power, slumped, spent most of September rehabbing, and now here he is, coming off a second straight down year in an Angels uniform. After batting .250 with 21 homers and 79 RBIs in 151 games in 2013, Hamilton hit .263 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs in 89 games in 2014. This time, though, he has a chance to salvage it in the postseason. "I start thinking that way, that puts stress on me," Hamilton scoffed. "I'm going to be healthy, I'm going to play. Like I said before, Spring Training at-bats -- see pitches, put the ball in play and don't try to do too much, because I can't make up for the time I lost."

Tale of the tape: Game 1 By Jackson Alexander Jason Vargas, Royals Against the Angels 2014: 2 GS, 0-0, 6.10 ERA Career: 14 GS, 5-4, 3.02 ERA





Loves to face: Josh Hamilton, 6-for-27, 5 K Hates to face: Mike Trout, 6-for-15, 1 HR Game breakdown Why he'll win: Vargas possesses a long, successful history at Angel Stadium, with a 2.86 ERA in 19 career starts. Pitcher beware: The last time he faced his former team, Vargas surrendered six runs, and the longest home run at Kauffman Stadium this year, courtesy of Trout. Bottom line: Vargas' track record in Anaheim bodes well for the left-hander. Jered Weaver, Angels Against the Royals 2014: Did not face Kansas City Career: 12 GS, 7-4, 2.21 ERA Loves to face: Alex Gordon, 4-for-20, 9 K Hates to face: Raul Ibanez, 15-for-36, 4 HR Game breakdown Why he'll win: Weaver's favorable career vs. the Royals and his postseason success (2.61 ERA in 20 2/3 innings). Pitcher beware: The Royals make a lot of contact, and Weaver allows a lot of contact -- a potentially troublesome mix for the right-hander. Bottom line: Don't be surprised if the wily starter uses his repertoire to baffle a young, aggressive Royals lineup.

Against lefty Vargas, Halos go with Cron at DH By Alden Gonzalez ANAHEIM -- The Angels will go with the right-handed-hitting C.J. Cron at designated hitter against Royals lefty Jason Vargas for Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Thursday, manager Mike Scioscia announced prior to Wednesday's workout. Cron, who figures to bat eighth, walked twice and lined out against Vargas on May 25 and hit two homers against him on June 27. The Royals' 31-year-old left-hander, who spent the 2013 season with the Angels, held opposing left-handed hitters to a .661 OPS this season, while righties had a .731 OPS against him. The Angels' other options at DH were lefties Brennan Boeschand Efren Navarro, though only one of them figures to crack the postseason roster. Cron, 24, sported a .256/.289/.450 slash line with 11 homers and 37 RBIs in 79 games with the Angels this season. The Angels have had a revolving door at DH ever since releasing current Royals veteran Raul Ibanez on June 21, with Cron, Navarro and Boesch all seeing time there.













Shoemaker gets Game 2 in Halos' three-man rotation By Alden Gonzalez ANAHEIM -- The Angels have some serious rotation questions heading into their American League Division Series showdown against the Royals, but they have a plan to counter it -- a three-man rotation, a 12-man pitching staff and their ace going on short rest. Jered Weaver will pitch Games 1 and 4, marking only the third time in his nine-year career that he'll pitch on three days' rest. Matt Shoemaker, rehabbing from a mild left oblique strain for the last two weeks, will pitch Game 2, lining him up to start a potential Game 5. And C.J. Wilson, coming off his worst regular season as a starter, will be pushed back to Game 3. Wilson, who posted a 4.51 ERA and walked 4.4 hitters per nine innings this season, will only start the one game. Fellow leftyHector Santiago, who had a 3.75 ERA but a 3.7 walk rate, will be part of a nine-man bullpen that is quite rare for a five-game playoff series. Shoemaker, who won 16 games and posted a 3.04 ERA in a surprising rookie season, has been nursing the strain since Sept. 15, but he threw bullpen sessions on Sunday and Tuesday and is "doing remarkably well," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We're expecting Matt to be fine and pitch as deep as he can into the game," said Scioscia, who must submit his ALDS roster by 10 a.m. PT on Thursday. "That is one consideration. The other is, we really like the matchups. We like the way Matt has been pitching, and I think Weaver getting out in Game 1, followed with Matt, gives us the best look here in the first couple of games." Weaver hasn't started on three days' rest since 2011, when he did it twice, giving up seven runs in six innings on Aug. 28 and two runs in six innings on Sept. 18. But the 31-year-old right-hander was at his best from Aug. 24 to Sept. 20, posting a 2.72 ERA over a six-start stretch in which his average fastball velocity was about three ticks higher than usual, at 92 mph. And his last three starts, including Thursday's ALDS opener, will come on six days' rest, five days' rest and five days' rest, respectively. The ALDS is the only round for which teams can get away with a three-man rotation. So Scioscia, down to just four starters since Garrett Richards injured his knee on Aug. 20, will take full advantage. "Our medical staff feels really good at where Jered is, and Jered feels 100 percent behind the fact of coming back on three days and being effective," Scioscia said. "We don't have any reservations at all about wanting to get Jered out there again in Game 4."







FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A capsule look at Royals-Angels playoff series A look at the best-of-five American League Division Series between the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels:

---

Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Thursday, at Los Angeles (9:07 p.m.); Game 2, Friday, at Los Angeles (9:37 p.m.); Game 3, Sunday, at Kansas City (7:37 p.m.); x-Game 4, Monday, Oct. 6, at Kansas City (TBD); x-Game 5, Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Los Angeles (TBD). (All games on TBS).

x-if necessary.

---

Season Series: Tied 3-3.

---

Projected Lineup:

Royals: SS Alcides Escobar (.285, 3 HRs, 50 RBIs, 31 SBs), RF Nori Aoki (.285, 1, 43, 17 SBs), CF Lorenzo Cain (.301, 5, 53, 28 SBs), 1B Eric Hosmer (.270, 9, 58), DH Billy Butler (.271, 9, 66), LF Alex Gordon (.266, 19, 74, 12 SBs), C Salvador Perez (.260, 19, 70), 2B Omar Infante (.252, 6, 66), 3B Mike Moustakas (.212, 15, 54).

Angels: RF Kole Calhoun (.272, 17, 58, 5 SBs), CF Mike Trout (.287, 36, 111), 1B Albert Pujols(.272, 28, 105), 2B Howie Kendrick (.293, 7, 75), SS Erick Aybar (.278, 7, 68), 3B David Freese(.260, 10, 55), LF Josh Hamilton (.263, 10, 44, 89 games), DH C.J. Cron (.256, 11, 37), C Chris Iannetta (.252, 7, 43, .373 OBP).

---

Projected Rotation:

Royals: LH Jason Vargas (11-10, 3.71, 128), RH Yordano Ventura (14-10, 3.20), RH James Shields (14-8, 3.21, 180).

Angels: RH Jered Weaver (18-9, 3.59 ERA, 169 Ks), RH Matt Shoemaker (16-4, 3.04, 124), LHC.J. Wilson (13-10, 4.51, 151).

---

Relievers:

Royals: RH Greg Holland (1-3, 1.44, 46/48 saves), RH Wade Davis (9-2, 1.00), RH Kelvin Herrera(4-3, 1.41), LH Brandon Finnegan (0-1, 1.29), RH Jason Frasor (3-0, 1.53), LH Francisley Bueno (0-0, 4.18), LH Scott Downs (0-2, 3.14), RH Aaron Crow (6-1, 4.12), LH Danny Duffy (9-12, 2.53 ERA, 113 Ks), RH Jeremy Guthrie (12-11, 4.13, 124).

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/kan/

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/laa/


http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7634/














Angels: RH Huston Street (1-2, 1.71, 41/44 saves in San Diego and Los Angeles), RH Joe Smith (7-2, 1.81, 15/19 saves), RH Kevin Jepsen (0-2, 2.63, 75 Ks), RH Cory Rasmus (3-2, 2.57, 6 late-season starts), RH Jason Grilli (1-3, 3.48), RH Fernando Salas (5-0, 3.38) , LH Hector Santiago (6-9, 3.75, 108).

---

Matchups:

The teams met only six times in the regular season, each taking two of three at home. ... They haven't met since June 29, when the Royals beat Los Angeles 5-4 to knock the Angels 5 1-2 games behind Oakland in the AL West. The Angels won the division by 10 games. ... Los Angeles has won eight of their last 11 meetings, including six of eight in Kansas City. ... The Angels have won 15 of the last 18 season series against the Royals, going 70-38 since 2002. ... Angels ace Weaver has dominated nearly every hitter in the Royals' lineup during their careers, allowing more than six hits to just one batter: former teammate Raul Ibanez. The 42-year-old slugger, 15 for 36 with four HRs against Weaver, was released by Los Angeles on June 21 and rejoined Kansas City nine days later.

---

Big Picture:

Royals: After ending a 29-year postseason drought, the Royals continued their winning ways in the playoffs. They won the last three games of the 1985 World Series against St. Louis. So after their thrilling 9-8, 12-inning win over Oakland in Tuesday night's AL wild-card game, Kansas City has now won four straight playoff games. .... The Royals win with strong starting pitching, a stingy bullpen and daring on the basepaths. They swiped seven bags against the A's, including one that helped set up the tying run in the 12th inning. ... The Royals burned through all of their shut-down relievers against Oakland - Brandon Finnegan, Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and closer Greg Holland. But with a day off Wednesday they should be rested and ready against Los Angeles.

Angels: Los Angeles streaked through the final months of the regular season and finished with the majors' best record at 98-64, earning home-field advantage throughout the postseason. ... The Angels are back in the postseason for the first time since 2009 with their sixth AL West title under manager Mike Scioscia. ... Los Angeles had the majors' most productive offense in the lowest-scoring big league season since 1981, plating 773 runs with a deep, balanced offense led by likely AL MVP Mike Trout, who will make his first postseason appearance. ... Trout led the majors with 115 runs scored, 84 extra-base hits and 111 RBIs, becoming the Angels' second RBI champion after current hitting coach Don Baylor, who did it in 1979.

---

Watch For:

-HAMILTON'S HEALTH: The Angels' $125 million slugger missed 21 of the last 22 games with various upper-body injuries, but will return to left field for the postseason. Scioscia must figure out how much to use Hamilton's inconsistent bat, which didn't provide a homer at the Big A all season long. Hamilton will ease into his return, batting seventh instead of his usual cleanup spot.

-SHORT ROTATION: Scioscia plans to use just three starting pitchers in the division series, gambling on short rest to shore up his injury-depleted rotation. Weaver pitches the opener, and rookie 16-game


winner Shoemaker will take the mound in Game 2 after recovering from a strained oblique muscle. Inconsistent Wilson will start Game 3 in Kansas City, and Scioscia is confident Weaver can pitch well on three days' rest in Game 4.

-EXPERIENCE COUNTS: The Angels haven't been to the postseason in a half-decade, but they've got ample playoff experience on their roster. Pujols has two rings and that famed three-homer performance in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series, while Freese was the MVP of the NLCS and the World Series with St. Louis just three years ago while setting the postseason record with 21 RBIs. Hamilton has appeared in three postseasons, while Weaver and Wilson have both pitched in the playoffs.

-TROUT'S TIME: The top young player in baseball is getting his first taste of October after an MVP-caliber regular season - even if it wasn't as statistically impressive as his first two major league campaigns. Trout grew up in New Jersey watching Derek Jeter's postseason presence for the Yankees, and it's time to see what he can do under the spotlight in Orange County.

-ROYALS HANGOVER: Their epic, emotionally draining win over Oakland took 4 hours, 45 minutes. By the time they boarded a plane, flew to Los Angeles and checked into their hotel, the sun was probably rising Wednesday. Will the quick turnaround hamper them in the series opener and beyond?

-MANAGERIAL MOVES: Royals manager Ned Yost made two highly questionable moves against Oakland, both of which backfired. He yanked Shields for rookie Ventura in the sixth inning, and that turned into a five-run outburst for Oakland. He also put on a bizarre delayed steal with lumbering DH Butler that resulted in the final out of the first inning.

-KARMA, BABY: The Royals believe this is their time. They were counted out most of the season, languishing below .500 on July 22. They were counted out again on Tuesday night, twice rallying against Oakland. Perhaps the same karma that won them Game 6 of the 1985 World Series - the infamous Don Denkinger game - has reared its head for a franchise that has suffered for decades.

Royals-Angels Preview By Greg Beacham ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Mike Trout asked Albert Pujols for advice on his playoff debut before theLos Angeles Angels stepped into the October spotlight, and the veteran slugger with two World Series rings had some simple guidance for baseball's best young player.

''He told me to just be myself, and not try to hit that home run when you don't need it,'' Trout said. ''Just keep that same swing that got you here, and go from there. (But) it's definitely a bigger game, for sure. All eyes are on you.''

Trout reaches the milestone he craves most Thursday night when he runs out to center field at the Big A for the Angels' AL Division Series opener against the Kansas City Royals, who must concoct a quick encore to their incredible 12-inning comeback victory in the wild-card game.

Trout led the majors in RBIs, runs and extra-base hits this season for the major league-leading Angels (98-64), capping nearly three full seasons of electrifying play with a likely MVP campaign - and a playoff berth.






http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/kan/


It sure beats last October, which the New Jersey native spent back home in a tree stand when he wasn't watching the playoffs on television.

''Now I'm hunting a ring instead of deer,'' Trout said with a laugh.

While the Royals are in their first postseason since 1985, the Angels hadn't been in the playoffs since 2009, and several regulars share Trout's lack of experience on the big stage. But Pujols has a vaunted postseason history from his time in St. Louis, and third baseman David Freese was the MVP of the World Series and the NL Championship Series for the Cardinals just three years ago.

While Freese was having the best month of his career in 2011, Trout was coming off his season in the Double-A Texas League. Trout spent just 20 more games in the minors before heading to Orange County to stay.

''I don't think I need to say anything to Mike Trout,'' Freese said. ''He's been in the spotlight since Day One, and he's going to be in it again. The game is better with Mike Trout in the postseason. I think we all understand that, and it's exciting to get him in there and get Albert back in there.''

Indeed, the big-budget Angels are getting a return on their lavish investments in Trout, Pujols and Josh Hamilton, who will return to the Angels' lineup for the opener, batting seventh and playing left field after missing 21 of the last 22 games with injuries.

Angels ace Jered Weaver (18-9, 3.59 ERA) starts against Kansas City's Jason Vargas (11-10, 3.71), who pitched for Los Angeles last year. The pitchers have been close friends since their days at nearby Long Beach State - but before their families take their joint vacation already planned for this winter, they'll attempt to keep their clubs rolling.

''There aren't very many players like (Trout) that come along,'' Vargas said. ''(But) you're going to have to negotiate that whole lineup, and if you think about one hitter, your work is going to be cut out for you.''

The Royals' long-awaited playoff return has already been memorable. Kansas City is still buzzing after the club's rally from a late four-run deficit and another 12th-inning hole for a dramatic 9-8 victory over Oakland on Tuesday night.

The Royals celebrated with champagne and goggles after a game that lasted nearly five hours, but they were clear-headed and clear-eyed by the time they arrived Wednesday for a light workout.

''Not a lot of sleep, but that's OK,'' left fielder Alex Gordon said. ''We'll take the lack of sleep for moving on and coming to L.A.''

Kansas City realizes the stiff challenge posed by the Angels, who overcame numerous pitching injuries with a boost from the majors' most productive offense. The Royals struggled to score all season, but made up for it with steady starting pitching and a dynamic bullpen, which means the ALDS matches strengths against strengths.

If the Royals hope to return to raucous Kauffman Stadium with some of the momentum still intact from their win over the Athletics, an early victory in Anaheim would be helpful. Manager Ned Yost is confident that his raw roster gained experience quickly this week.



''You couldn't have had a more charged atmosphere, more pressure, more intensity than we had,'' Yost said. ''Our backs couldn't be more against the wall than being four runs down against Jon Lester in the eighth inning, and they didn't fold. They kept fighting and getting after it and found a way to win.''

FROM THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

Mike Trout in spotlight on cusp of first playoffs with Los Angeles Angels By Robert Morales Mike Trout has been a full-time Major League Baseball player for only three years. He’s done a lot.

He was Rookie of the Year in 2012, and could win the AL Most Valuable Player award for his efforts during this 2014 regular season.

He has not toiled in the postseason yet, however. And since the baseball world is looking at him as the new face of baseball, what with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter retiring, there is tremendous anticipation to see what the 23-year-old from New Jersey does with that first taste.

Will it be bitter? Sweet? Somewhere in the middle? The answers will begin to emerge Thursday night when the Angels play host to the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of the ALDS at 6:07 p.m.

Trout has two teammates with successful playoff experience.

First baseman Albert Pujols helped the St. Louis Cardinals World Series championships in 2006 and 2011. His teammate on that 2011 team was third baseman David Freese, who won the Series MVP award that year.

When Freese was asked what kind of wisdom he might impart on Trout heading into the ALDS, he laughed.

“I don’t think I need to say anything to Mike Trout,” said Freese, who is in his first season with the Angels. “I think he’s been in the spotlight since Day One and he’s going to be in it again. And the game is better with Trout in the postseason; I think we all understand that.

“And it’s exciting to get him in there.”

Pujols gave a reporter that kind of, “Really?” look, when he was queried about how Trout might fare.

“He’s just going to play the game the way he has the last three years, and that’s it,” Pujols said. “There’s no extra pressure, and he’s just going to go out there and be Mike Trout. And that’s it.”

Freese and Pujols have nothing but confidence in Trout. Or they are trying to say just the right thing about a young teammate who will be expected to shine the way he did during the season.

Trout admitted there is some apprehensiveness. But nothing more than usual.

“You’re always anxious,” he said. “I’m anxious before every game. It doesn’t matter what game it is. I think if you get out of your game, that’s when you get hurt. Whether it’s a regular-season game or a playoff game, I’m always going to keep the same approach.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pujolal01.shtml?redir

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/freesda01.shtml


“I’m not going to put any pressure on myself. I’m just going to go out there and play. You can’t try to do too much, or else you’re going to get in trouble.”

If it sounds like Trout has been listening to Pujols, he has been.

“I’ve talked to Albert a little bit and he told me to just be myself and not try to hit that home run when you don’t need it,” Trout said. “Just keep that same swing that got you here and go from there.”

Trout batted .287 this season. He hit a career-high 36 home runs and drove in a league-leading 111 runs — also his best. He led the league in runs scored for the third consecutive season with 115, and had a league-high 338 total bases.

But Trout also struck out a league-high 184 times, 45 more than he ever had.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia on Tuesday said he had no concern about that at all.

“None whatsoever,” Scioscia said. “In 2002 (when the Angels won their only World Series), virtually our whole team — even guys that had great seasons — it was their first go-round in the playoffs and they performed remarkably well, so I don’t think there is any track record that says a guy is or isn’t going to do something in a situation. Mike’s going to play baseball and that’s the way our whole team feels ... just go out there and play baseball. It’s a baseball game.

“There is no such thing as a spring-training game or a regular-season game or a pennant-race game or playoff game. It’s a baseball game and if you’re going to be successful, you need to bring those concepts onto the field, bring that mind-set onto the field where you’re playing free and you’re just playing baseball. I think Mike’s always been good at that. He won’t have any issues.”

Maybe, but no matter what anyone says, there has to be more stress in the playoffs. Even Trout seems to realize that.

“It’s definitely a bigger game, for sure,” he said. “All eyes are on you, just like the All-Star game. I’m just happy we’re in the playoffs. ... After that first at-bat, you just calm down and play baseball.”

Besides, Trout said, last year at this time he was hunting deer. Not playing baseball.

“I’m definitely more excited to be here,” he said. “Now I’m hunting a ring instead of deer.”

Playoffs pitching matchup for Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals has Long Beach flavor By Robert Morales Jered Weaver pitched in the post-season for the Angels in 2007, 2008 and 2009. In 20 2/3 innings, he went 2-1 with an ERA of 2.61. On Wednesday he talked about how that experience might help him when he takes the mound against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday in Game 1 of the ALDS.

“I think it helps out a little bit,” said Weaver, whose Kansas City counterpart will be fellow Long Beach State Dirtbag Jason Vargas, a former Angel. “Obviously, the atmosphere and the way the game goes about is a little more exhilarating, I think, than the regular season, just as far as how amped up the crowd is and how amped up everybody is individually.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30836/mike-trout


“So to have a little experience is, I think, a plus. But at the same time, that is the great thing about baseball, nobody knows what’s going to happen. And you just go out there and try to treat it - I know it’s cliche and everybody says it - but try to treat it like a regular-season game and try to get as deep as possible and go from there.”

Vargas, who pitched for the Angels in 2013, spoke to reporters before Weaver did. Interestingly, he said he had just seen Weaver inside Angel Stadium before entering the interview room. Both 31, they were teammates at Long Beach State.

“It’s funny you say that,” said Vargas, when asked what he thought about going against another Dirtbag. “I just ran into him outside in the hallway. We go back a while. To be able to toe the same slab in the playoffs I know is pretty cool for a lot of other people than just us. I’m looking forward to it.”

Weaver also was queried about the LBSU connection. He showed his sense of humor.

“On the field Dirtbags; don’t take that the wrong way, guys,” he said, drawing laughter. “But he’s one of my best friends. We formed a really cool and special bond at Long Beach. It didn’t take us long to become friends. He’s a mellow guy off the field, I feel like I’m a mellow guy off the field.

“But once we get on the field, we’re competitors and we want to win.”

Weaver this season posted a record of 18-9 with an ERA of 3.59. The right-hander is 7-4 with an ERA of 2.21 in 12 career starts against the Royals. Weaver has not faced Kansas City since July 2012, however.

Vargas, a southpaw, went 11-10 with an ERA of 3.71 this season. That ERA was 3.14 before it ballooned after his 6.57 ERA in the month of September. Still, Royals manager Ned Yost had no qualms about giving Vargas the nod.

“Well, Vargy is on regular rest for us right now,” Yost said. “We like the fact that he commands his fastball. He’s got an outstanding changeup. We like him pitching in this park. His ERA is two runs less on the road. We feel like Vargy can get us off to a good start.”

Albert Pujols looks to lead Los Angeles Angels to the promised land, where he’s no stranger To say Angels first baseman Albert Pujols has been there before in the postseason would be putting it mildly. He has previously been in the playoffs in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2011 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He toiled in the World Series in 2004, 2006 and 2011, helping St. Louis to titles in ‘06 and ‘11.

Since so many of his Angels teammates have not tasted the fruits of the postseason, Pujols realizes he may be looked to for leadership when his team squares off with the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS beginning today at Angel Stadium at 6:07 p.m.

“I think I’m the guy that’s been more in the postseason here, but I mean if they want advice, that’s what I’m here for,” said Pujols, who can back up any wisdom he has with a .330 average in 267 postseason at-bats. “I think if I can help my teammates get better, we can be better, I can be better. Our goal is to win and however I can help any of my teammates, whether it’s during the season or this moment, I think that’s my job.”




Pujols, now 34, was only 21 when his Cardinals lost to Arizona in the 2001 NLDS. He mentioned the likes of Edgar Renteria, Placido Polanco, J.D. Drew, Woody Williams and Mike Matheny as those from whom he gained knowledge.

“The whole reason I say that’s my job is because somebody did it for me,” Pujols said. “There were so many guys that helped me out early in my career, to get the experience that I needed so that way I can just block everything and focus on what I need to do.”

JEPSEN EXCITED

Relief pitcher Kevin Jepsen is one of many standouts who make up an outstanding Angels bullpen. He was around in 2009 when the Angels last made the playoffs and pitched five innings combined in the ALDS and ALCS.

But Jepsen was not the pitcher then that he is now. He had an ERA of 4.94 during the ‘09 regular season; this season it was 2.63. That seems to have him extra pumped to see what he can now do on the postseason stage.

“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “I mean, that definitely plays into it with what I’ve done this year, just consistency over the whole year. Yeah, I know what I’m going to be bringing to the table and, yeah, I’m excited to go out there and take what I’ve been doing all year into the playoffs and see what happens.”

Jepsen, 30, had an ERA of 3.60 in the 2009 playoffs.

SHOEMAKER TO START GAME 2, HAMILTON OK

Angels manager Mike Scioscia had some good news Wednesday. He said rookie right-hander Matt Shoemaker is recovered from his left oblique strain and will start Game 2 of the ALDS on Friday.

Shoemaker (16-4, 3.04 ERA) had not pitched since Sept. 15. He will go against the Royals’ Yordano Ventura (14-10, 3.20 ERA).

“Matt Shoemaker is doing remarkably well and had no setbacks at all during these last 10 days when he started throwing,” Scioscia said. “He threw a great up-and-down (bullpen session) the other day and he’ll start Game 2 for us.”

Hamilton missed 22 of 23 games down the stretch with a variety of injuries, including spasms in his rib cage and chest, as well as right shoulder discomfort.

“Josh Hamilton will be ready to go, he’ll be in the starting lineup tomorrow and he’ll be hitting seventh,” said Scioscia, who said Hamilton would be in left field.

ROYALS’ GORDON: WHAT LACK OF SLEEP?

Kansas City left fielder Alex Gordon said he couldn’t care less that he and his teammates were somewhat sleep deprived Wednesday following a late-night flight after their thrilling 9-8 wild-card victory over Oakland on Tuesday in Kansas City.

“Not a lot of sleep, but that’s OK,” he said. “We’ll take it — the lack of sleep for moving on and coming to L.A. It was a well-fought game by both teams and either team could have moved on. A wild-card game is some kind of exciting. You either win or go home. You’ve got to put it all on the line, and that’s what we did. We’ve got a lot of fight in us.”

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20140916/los-angeles-angels-right-hander-matt-shoemaker-diagnosed-with-mild-strain-of-left-oblique

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/10/01/kansas-city-royals-defeat-oakland-athletics-in-12th-inning-during-wild-card-thriller/

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/10/01/kansas-city-royals-defeat-oakland-athletics-in-12th-inning-during-wild-card-thriller/


ALSO

Jepsen, Jered Weaver, Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick are the only players remaining from the Angels’ most recent postseason appearance in 2009. ... Mike Trout is batting .361 (26 of 72) lifetime against Kansas City, Aybar is at .348 (77 for 221) and Pujols is at .333 (92 for 276).

With the Dodgers, Angels in the playoffs, L.A. could be baseball’s capital By David Montero Marty Acosta, a 47-year-old working in East Los Angeles, can’t name a single player on the Los Angeles Dodgers, hasn’t been to a baseball game of any kind in three years and was only vaguely aware they were in the postseason. She’s glad the Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are doing well and she’ll even cheer for them from afar. Dodgers first, though. It was her dad’s team after all.

At a coffee shop on Sunset Boulevard just down the hill from Dodger Stadium, Tara Busch and her friend Tiffany Anders said they hadn’t watched an inning all season. Both said, however, they’d take notice of the team getting to the World Series and might take a measure of regional pride if they won.

That’s how it is with October baseball as it seems to have a way of drawing people like Acosta, Anders and Busch into the fan fold.

Sure, the Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim drew 6.88 million people to games this year — easily topping New York’s Mets and Yankees total of 5.5 million. But having both teams in the playoffs seems to elevate the region’s baseball profile and draw the attention of those who rarely follow the teams closely. It’s only happened three times before this year that both teams made the postseason simultaneously; 2004, 2008 and 2009.

And each time it’s happened, cue up the talk of a potential Freeway Series — an event that could boost baseball’s popularity in the region to off-the-charts levels. Given the superstars on both teams — Clayton Kershaw, Yasiel Puig, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols — and with both teams winning their divisions, might it be enough to make the Los Angeles metro area the capital of baseball after documentary filmmaker Ken Burns made that moniker famous for New York and its three teams in the ‘50s?

Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully said there has always been a major obstacle for Los Angeles: Geography.

“New York is the capital of this and the capital of that — I don’t quite get that feeling here — again because of the geography where, in New York, if I went to a ballgame in the Polo Grounds, I’m looking at Yankee Stadium,” Scully said. “It’s just on the other side of the river. The Yankees and the Giants were looking at each other. Here it is more diffused I think.”

It’s 30 miles between the two stadiums and sometimes on the I-5, a multi-hour slog. The fan bases extend out beyond San Clemente to the south and into Riverside County, San Bernardino County and up through Ventura County.

There is also stiff competition from other franchises in the area that can quickly draw the spotlight.


David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute, said it is “pretty remarkable” that the Angels and Dodgers draw so well given UCLA and USC both have their football teams in the Top 20 and the Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings kick off their season next week. Add in the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers — sans Donald Sterling — and Carter said the baseball teams “almost need to be in the playoffs to remain above the fold in Southern California.”

That hasn’t stopped some from boasting of the region’s baseball prowess.

Radio station K-EARTH 101 is calling the area “The Baseball Capital of the World” and with both teams owing a quarter of their roster spots to either native-born Southern California players or those who played for colleges in the Los Angeles metro area, few will argue the region is brimming with baseball talent.

Tim Wallach, a Cal State Fullerton star and coach with the Dodgers, said the weather makes the area a baseball mecca.

“You can play as much baseball as you want to play. There are baseball fields filled every day and you can find a baseball game going on somewhere to watch,” Wallach said. “Weather-wise, opportunity is there for you if you want to watch or play any time of year.”

The stars on both teams are young and high-profile, too. Trout has been the American League’s runner-up for MVP twice and is a strong candidate to pick up the trophy this year. Dodger pitcher Kershaw is being talked about as National League MVP and could snag a third Cy Young Award. And Pujols continues to pad his career stats as he tries to get to 600 home-runs before he retires.

Add in Derek Jeter’s retirement from New York and no visible, iconic face for the Yankees and it seems the area is ripe to seize some of the baseball spotlight.

But it’s being in and capturing the World Series ring that still seems to be the best measuring stick if an area is a center of power for a sport.

Acosta’s last baseball game she attended three years ago — she couldn’t remember who played or who won.

In 1988, though, she remembered the Dodgers winning the World Series. She was 21 at the time and it wasn’t hard to forget the excitement of the Dodgers defeating the Oakland A’s in five games.

She said she would watch a few games with a friend if there was a social gathering and she could even try and learn some of the strategy of the game. The sense of belonging to a group of people with a similar passion, she said, is nice to be a part of.

Acosta said she wouldn’t buy any merchandise, but she was pretty sure who she’d root for if this ultimately leads to a Freeway Series.

“I might paint my toenails blue,” she said.


FROM ESPN.COM

My predictions for the ALDS matchups By Keith Law I'm of the opinion that most playoff series odds are no better than about 55-45, even when one team is clearly superior to the other, because of the randomness inherent in short series and in baseball in general. The two AL Division Series matchups this year strike me as even closer than that because of key injuries on the rosters of both teams with home-field advantage. Here are my predictions for both series, with some general reasons behind them. I'll have NLDS predictions Friday.

Kansas City Royals versus Los Angeles Angels

The Angels aren't the Angels, so to speak, not without their ace, Garrett Richards, and withMatt Shoemaker coming back very quickly from a rib-cage muscle strain. The Royals enter the series with the better pitching staff -- both rotation and bullpen -- and one of the majors' best defensive units, and they're likely to put up more of a fight than you'd expect if you just look at the two teams' regular-season records. The Angels' advantages come on offense and in the dugout, where their manager "over-manages" less than the Royals' manager over-manages, as you might have surmised if you saw Ned Yost's tour de farce on Tuesday night. The Angels led the American League in runs scored despite playing in a pitchers' park; in fact, they play about 100 games a year in pitchers' parks just within the AL West. They do most things well and nothing poorly at the plate, but the offense depends on Mike Trout to a greater degree than you'd like to see -- given Trout's known susceptibility to pitches near or at the top of the strike zone -- and the fact that Josh Hamilton is coming back from injury and might not be 100 percent. The Royals have a lot of guys who throw hard, especially from the right side, and they have a good chance to neutralize Trout and hold the Angels' offense in check. The Royals' offense is vulnerable to lefties, but they do a good job putting the ball in play and running the bases, which works well against inferior defensive teams (such as Tuesday's version of the Oakland Athletics). Meanwhile, the Angels are above-average defensively, and they do a better job of controlling the running game than the A's could with Derek Norris. I think the series will be close, with the Royals outplaying the Angels, but with Yost giving a win to L.A. at some point over the course of five games. My pick: Angels in five.

Detroit Tigers versus Baltimore Orioles I'll take Detroit's starting pitching advantage over everything else that favors Baltimore, a list that includes the O's bullpen and manager Buck Showalter. A full-strength Orioles squad would be formidable in October, but they've lost two key defensive contributors in Matt Wieters andManny Machado, and two significant offensive contributors in Wieters and the all-or-nothingChris Davis (with just enough "all" to balance out the "nothing").

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/kc/kansas-city-royals

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/laa/los-angeles-angels

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30892/garrett-richards

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/32058/matt-shoemaker



http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/4652/josh-hamilton


http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/oak/oakland-athletics

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30608/derek-norris

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/det/detroit-tigers

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/bal/baltimore-orioles

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29287/matt-wieters

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/31097/manny-machado

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/31097/manny-machado

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29170/chris-davis


The Tigers had the league's second-best offense in terms of runs scored, led the league in OBP and slugging percentage, and despite being overwhelmingly right-handed, they hit right-handed pitching pretty well this year. The Orioles' approach to run prevention has relied on throwing strikes and letting their defense work, with a below-average strikeout rate from their starters, probably not the ideal plan against a good offensive club or without "Brooks" Machado at third base. One of the Tigers' biggest weaknesses is the back end of their rotation, but the fifth spot is irrelevant in the postseason, and as bad as Rick Porcello was in September, he could return to form this month (assuming he's not hiding an injury), and the Tigers can back him up withAnibal Sanchez if he gets knocked around early. Max Scherzer and David Price are both legitimate No. 1s, better than anyone that the O's can roll out there. I'd bet on one of Porcello and Justin Verlander -- who looked like he had a better pitching plan in September, yet without great results until his final two outings -- having a good start. The margin between these two teams isn't big. The Orioles could win a game in which Verlander or Porcello stinks, win a bullpen game and take one in which Showalter outmaneuvers Brad Ausmus, taking the series. But I think it's just a little more likely that we see some dominant starting pitching from the Tigers, and that a good Baltimore rotation that doesn't miss enough bats gets victimized by the heart of Detroit's order one time too many. My pick: Detroit in four.

Angels rely on their glue guys By Arash Markazi ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The oversized portraits loom over the entrance of Angel Stadium like a monument to the overindulgence of big-money baseball.

There's Albert Pujols, who has a 10-year, $240 million contract, and Josh Hamilton, who has a five-year, $125 million contract, and Jered Weaver, who has a five-year, $85 million contract, and C.J. Wilson, who has a five-year, $77.5 million contract. They are the top-heavy contracts on a Los Angeles Angels payroll that is the ninth-highest in Major League Baseball. The Angels have been in the top 10 the previous four years before this season but failed to advance to the postseason each time after a run of making the postseason in six of eight seasons, including five division titles and one World Series championship. This season, however, the Angels finished with the best record in baseball (98-64) and will play their first postseason game since 2009 on Thursday in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Kansas City Royals thanks in large part to a group of players making six figures on a team filled with multimillionaires.

They are scattered throughout the clubhouse -- "glue guys" -- holding together and often holding up a high-priced roster that needed a breath of fresh air and a shot in the arm.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/29966/rick-porcello

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6472/anibal-sanchez

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28976/max-scherzer

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28958/david-price

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6341/justin-verlander

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/2937/brad-ausmus

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/4574/albert-pujols


http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6479/jered-weaver

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6311/cj-wilson


http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/kc/kansas-city-royals


By the end of last season, it was clear the Angels needed to shake things up. They weren't so much a team but a collection of contracts, some more regrettable than others. They were an unhappy bunch, which happens when you finish below .500 and have fewer than 80 wins for the first time in a decade.

If you randomly picked four Angels players to sit together for lunch, there was a good chance, at best, you'd get awkward silence during the meal or, at worst, a fight before dessert came, according to one source.

"That's not the case this season," said one Angels player. "There are no cliques. We're a different team."

A once-fractured locker room has been healed and pieced back together by a collection of players who are playing beyond expectations while finally helping the Angels reach theirs.

Most of the players who have helped spark the Angels' turnaround this season were already with the organization. Whether they were called up from the minors or finally blossomed into the players the team had hoped for, the Angels didn't have to throw cash at their problems by signing high-priced veterans.

Garrett Richards, 26, had been with the Angels since 2011 after being selected by them in the first round of the 2009 draft. He had a 4.42 ERA coming into this season but then became the Angels' ace before tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee. Richards, who is making $520,000 this season, had a 13-4 record with a 2.53 ERA before going down. He was holding opponents to a .194 batting average with 164 strikeouts in 167 innings. He had become one of the best pitchers in baseball, as he had a 1.79 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 14 starts from June 4 until his injury on Aug. 20.

When Richards went down, the Angels were in a neck-and-neck battle with the Oakland A's for the best record in baseball and the AL West lead. By the end of the season, the Angels won the division by 10 games.

"It just shows the resiliency that we've had in situations like that," Weaver said Wednesday. "I think that everybody picked themselves up and realized that we've got to do some things to get over that, to overcome that. We've played some pretty good baseball since then."

One of the reasons the Angels were able to survive without Richards was another unknown gem before the start of this season in Matt Shoemaker, who had spent all of last season in the minors. Shoemaker, 28, had 16 wins this season, a franchise rookie record, and had a .800 winning percentage (16-4), which led the majors and established a franchise record. Since July 1, Shoemaker posted a 2.09 ERA and a 1.49 ERA across his final 11 outings. Shoemaker, who is making $500,500 this season, was also named the AL pitcher and rookie of the month for August. When he was presented his award, many of his teammates wore fake beards on the field to greet him for a team picture.

"It was very special," said Shoemaker, who will pitch in Game 2 on Friday. "I had no idea that was happening. It was definitely an honor. It was pretty touching, too. You see that and it shows how much our teammates care about each other. It made me laugh in a very emotional way."

One of the Angels' biggest surprises this season has been Kole Calhoun, who spent most of last season in Triple-A Salt Lake. The 26-year-old outfielder, who is making $506,000 this season, had 17 home runs and 58 RBIs from the leadoff spot this season, tying him for first in the American League. His .473 slugging percentage batting leadoff leads the AL, and his .337 OBP ranks fifth and the Angels are 35-4 since July 1 when he scores a run.



http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/31413/kole-calhoun


"I'm trying not to be comfortable," Calhoun said. "Every day is a blessing up here. Especially coming from where I've come from. I'm happy to be here, and I want to help this team win. There are a lot of different personalities in here, but the one thing we all agree on is we're going to need each other to do something special here. A lot of egos get checked at the door, and we go out there and we play together as a team."

Calhoun's locker is next to Collin Cowgill, who is making $506,000 this season and having a career year as 28-year-old in his fourth season in the majors. He established career highs in hits (65), runs (37), doubles (10), home runs (5), RBIs (21), walks (26) and games played (104), and he hit his first career walk-off home run on June 10 in the 14th inning.

"Shoot, I just showed up to spring training just wanting to help the team win," Cowgill said. "Obviously, I wanted to have a good year, everyone wants to come in and have a career year, but my job is just to play when I play."

Spring training was the first hint John McDonald received that this Angels team could be special. He signed a one-year, $850,000 contract after winning the World Series with the Boston Red Sox last season. The 40-year-old has been a veteran clubhouse leader and Mike Trout's clubhouse neighbor since the start of the season. The stats won't show it, but he has helped change the mood in the clubhouse and on the field. The Angels are 78-16 in games in which he appears.

"When we left spring training, everybody was excited to see what we could possibly accomplish this year," McDonald said. "You're not always thinking when you leave spring training that you can win a World Series, but on a team like this, when you're talking about it in spring training, it's special. We don't just want to make the playoffs when you have a team like this. We want to see how far we can go, and we've been thinking about that since spring training."

The list of young Angels role players who have helped turn around the team goes on and on, from C.J. Cron, 23, who despite three trips to the minors this season had 11 home runs to tie him for sixth overall by an AL rookie this year, to reliever Mike Morin, 24, who has stranded 34 of 43 inherited runners this season. "There's no doubt that a lot of the youngsters that have helped us in the minor leagues the last couple of years that came are having an impact," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "You need to get depth in a lot areas and a lot of positions and these guys have come up and provided a huge foundation for our club, and I think we've become more of a team one through nine in the batting order as opposed to just focusing on some guys in the middle."

The big names and big contracts on the Angels probably will grab the headlines to open the postseason, but if the Angels' run is going to end with a World Series rather than an early exit, chances are America soon will be introduced to some of the team's many glue guys who have quietly powered the team's turnaround.

"The character on this team is amazing," Angels general manager Jerry DiPoto said. "We had much more depth than people thought we had. Every time we reached down to the minor leagues to pull somebody up or acquired somebody in a trade it worked out great. That kind of karma works. They have persevered, and that's what championship teams do."

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30485/collin-cowgill

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/4108/john-mcdonald

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/bos/boston-red-sox


http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/32155/cj-cron

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/32155/cj-cron

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/32949/mike-morin


Five questions for Royals-Angels By Tim Kurkjian Other than to maybe some people in Kansas City, it looked like the Oakland A's would be playing theLos Angeles Angels in the American League Division Series. Jon Lester pitching with a four-run lead in the eighth inning seemed like a lock, and then, amazingly, came the first magic of the 2014 postseason, which surely will provide more.

So, from nowhere, it's the Royals against the Angels.

Here are five questions.

Is something special happening in Kansas City? Suddenly, it is a valid question. The Royals became the first team in postseason history to win a winner-take-all game that it trailed by at least four runs in the eighth inning or later. They did everything to lose that game, yet somehow found a way to win a game that they trailed by four in the eighth, one in the ninth and one in the 12th. To start a postseason that way -- their first postseason appearance in 29 years, mind you -- might be a sign that something predestined is going on in K.C. It's remarkable that the Royals are here to begin with given that no team had ever made the playoffs after finishing last in the major leagues in home runs and walks. At least offensively, they defy the odds, but in the wild-card game, they somehow scored nine runs, via beg, borrow and steal, especially steal.

How good is the Angels' lineup? It led the league in runs scored (773). In this era of dominant pitching, you have to be able to score runs, even a few of them, to win in the postseason. Last year, the highest-scoring teams in their respective leagues, the Red Sox and Cardinals, played in the World Series. That likely is not a coincidence. The Angels can score. And now they will have Josh Hamilton back in the lineup. He missed 21 of the Angels' last 22 games with shoulder and other upper body injuries. He played in only 89 games this season, and hit 10 home runs, none at home. We're assuming his return to the lineup is a good thing. We'll see about that.

How much of a weapon is Kansas City's speed? It helped win the AL wild-card game. The Royals tied a postseason record (with the 1907 Cubs and the 1975 Reds) with seven stolen bases. Six of those steals came while they were trailing, which no one had ever done in a postseason game. In the eighth inning, they stole four bases, the first team ever to steal four bases in one inning of a postseason game. The Royals led the league in stolen bases with 153, 31 more than any team in the league. It's a big weapon for them.Jarrod Dyson's steal of third base with one out in the ninth inning -- he scored on a sacrifice fly -- was one of many huge plays in that game. To beat the Angels, a superior offensive team, the Royals are going to have to push the action, as always.

What is the status of the Angels' rotation? Unsettled. It is miraculous how well the Angels have done without Garrett Richards, who was lost for the season in August with a knee injury. But two days before the LDS was to begin, manager Mike Scioscia still wasn't ready to announce his rotation plan because he didn't know how it would look. Jered Weaver will start Game 1, he's an ace, but after that, things are unclear. Matt Shoemaker last pitched on Sept. 15 due to a mild oblique strain. He threw a bullpen session on Tuesday, and he said he anticipated having no setbacks. But will he be the guy who went 14-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 20 starts? "Matt Shoemaker saved our season," said Scioscia. A lot could be riding on C.J. Wilson, who has won 43 games the past three seasons with the Angels, but has control issues (4.4 walks per nine innings this year), and

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/oak/oakland-athletics



http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28487/jon-lester


http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30461/jarrod-dyson





http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6311/cj-wilson


postseason issues: He's made 10 appearances, nine starts, and is 1-5 with a 4.82 ERA, 29 walks and 10 homers allowed in 52 1/3 innings.

What is the status of the Royals' rotation? It is also unclear after manager Ned Yost took out his best pitcher, James Shields, after 88 pitches, and inexplicably replaced him with another starter, Yordano Ventura, in the sixth inning of the wild-card game. Shields likely won't start again until Game 3. Until then, two of Danny Duffy, Jeremy Guthrie and Ventura will have to keep things together against a very good Angels lineup. And when Shields does pitch, will he be the guy they call "Big Game" James, the guy whom Royals DH Billy Butler calls "the most competitive baseball player I've ever been around"? Or will the Royals' ace be pulled again after 88 pitches?

The pick: Angels in five

FROM FOX SPORTS

Vargas vs. Weaver: Two ex-Dirtbags to square off in ALDS opener By Abbey Mastracco ANAHEIM, CALIF. — In the fall of 2003, a shaggy-haired southpaw walked on to the Long Beach State Dirtbags practice field. There, he met a right-hander with long blonde hair and a long delivery. The duo established themselves as two of the best pitchers in Division I as well as the best of friends.

But come Thursday night, that friendship will briefly turn into a rivalry, as they will oppose one another on the pitching mound at Angel Stadium in the first game of the American League Division Series. Jered Weaver, pitching for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; and Jason Vargas, pitching for the Kansas City Royals. It's Dirtbag vs. Dirtbag, meeting only 15 miles away from where their friendship began 10 years ago. "On the field, Dirtbags," Weaver said Wednesday during the team's workout. "It's pretty funny in how it's come full circle. We're playing together and now here we are battling against each other in the postseason." Their pitching coach at Long Beach, Troy Buckley, noticed the two of them hanging out together early on. They were two very different players: Weaver was fiery and flashy, the headliner of one of the most successful pitching staffs for a team that has historically been full of them; Vargas was determined and mature. "Those two guys, they hit it off pretty good," Buckley, now the Dirtbags head coach, said. "I think the maturity in Jason was something that Weave really respected. The work ethic, the maturity, the ability to do things the right way. ... "Vargas would come to practice in the morning on Saturday or for workouts on Tuesday afternoon and he would have a cup of coffee. We would all be looking at him like, 'Look at this guy, looking like he's a five-year vet.'" For Weaver, 2004 was the year he became a sensation. He won nearly every major award and, as college baseball finally was starting to grab a foothold with the public, Weaver became its face that

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28474/james-shields

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/31876/yordano-ventura

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/31114/danny-duffy

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5370/jeremy-guthrie

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6396/billy-butler

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/player/jered-weaver/388093?q=jered-weaver

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/team/los-angeles-angels/71589?q=los-angeles-angels

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/player/jason-vargas/340421?q=jason-vargas

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/team/kansas-city-royals/71593?q=kansas-city-royals


season. Fans in the Southland (Los Angeles) have followed his career from day one to the day he became the face of the Angels. Long Beach locals still remember the game where Weaver struck out 10 straight to start the game. But Weaver never hogged the spotlight, Buckley says, and the attention was never a distraction. "It was just attention from all aspects. And back then, the media wasn't even as crazy as it is now with the social part of it," Buckley said. "But he prepared for every start. And he gave us a chance every single time out. It wasn't about the draft, it wasn't about where he was at, it was about the things that he wanted to accomplish to win." For Vargas, that was the year when the former two-way player worked to establish his future as a pitcher. "I think what people forget that year was that was Jason's full year committing to pitching," Buckley said. "He had been a really good athlete before that process. You could put him on first and he had dabbled on the mound but there was really no commitment to one area. That was the thing — for this guy not ever having pitched full time at the Division I level, for him to do what he did was pretty impressive." The two only played at Long Beach State for one season. Both were drafted following the 2004 Super Regional run, Weaver in the first round and Vargas in the second. They were reunited briefly last season when Vargas played for the Angels. Their lockers were next to each other. Vargas' kids would laugh and play with Weaver much like they did with their dad in the clubhouse. "That's one relationship I've held on to throughout the years," Weaver said. "He's one of those special guys that comes into your life." It's not the first time the former Dirtbags have played against one another; it's happened a handful of times when Vargas pitched for the Mariners. Buckley always hopes for the same outcome and Thursday will be no different. "I always say, let's go eight innings for both of them and lets go 1-1, then let's see how the bullpen handles it from there on out," he said. "I root for them both. These guys care about winning it right. That's why it's special."

Angels' Morin and Pujols returning to KC during ALDS By Abbey Mastracco ANAHEIM, CALIF — Like most young people that call Kansas City home, Mike Morin has never seen the Royals in the playoffs.

The Angels' right-handed reliever grew up just a stones throw from Kauffman Stadium in Overland Park, a suburb on the Kansas side. With each year, his baseball career would grow more and more successful while the team he rooted for went in an opposite direction.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/team/seattle-mariners/71598?q=seattle-mariners




Even Albert Pujols, who used to watch the Royals as a high schooler on the Missouri side in Independence, has never seen the team play in October. Pujols was still living in the Dominican Republic when the team beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1985 World Series. That once-great geographic rivalry wasn't much of one when Pujols was Redbird. But the kid in Morin wanted to jump up and down and cheer while Pujols was happy to deal with the myriad of ticket requests that came along with the Royals Tuesday night win in the AL Wild Card game. Finally, they get to experience playoff baseball in Kansas City. "I can't even imagine what it will be like going back there for Game 3 and 4," Morin said. "Just seeing all of my friends posts, the thousands of people that went to that practice, the Chiefs played on Monday Night Football and they share the parking lot. The focus these last 24 hours or 48 hours has been on Kansas City and that's something that's really cool to see." Kansas City might be the forgotten sports city. Fans found disappointment in their two pro teams and the NBA team promised after their gorgeous downtown arena was built never materialized. Fans found solace in the Kansas basketball team and the Missouri and Kansas State football teams but what were baseball fans like Morin left with? Not much. But the way locals yell 'Chiefs' instead of the word 'brave' during the national anthem shows how hard they hung on to hope. "A lot of my friends have become Chiefs fans but would just badmouth the Royals on a constant basis," said former Royals third baseman George Brett. "But all of the sudden, they're texting me or I'm playing golf with them and they're saying, 'I watched the game last night on TV. They look pretty good.' "It just put a shot in the arm for that city." But Morin would like them to keep holding out hope for a repeat of 1985 for a little longer. Yes, he's happy to go back home and play at the K, but he's a Halo now. "I don't want it to look like I'm rooting for the Royals. It's cool to see because it's been so long - it's been my whole life," he said. "But it kind of turns into business and it doesn't matter who we're playing, we're going to do what we can to win."

Mike Moustakas returns home with Royals to face Angels in ALDS By Jill Painter Lopez ANAHEIM, CALIF. — The Royals already have a feel-good vibe going, having won that wild 12th inning comeback victory over the A's in the Wild Card Game.

Mike Moustakas can add to those good feelings since he feels right at home in Southern California. Moustakas was born in Los Angeles and starred at Chatsworth High before the Royals drafted him second overall in 2007.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/player/albert-pujols/85809?q=albert-pujols



The Royals haven't been to the playoffs in 29 years, and Moustakas' first ALDS is against the Angels in front of friends and family. Moustakas has lived in Laguna and Newport Beach in Orange County, but he said he recently bought a home in Malibu. Home is where the heart is, and with family and friend here, Moustakas is thrilled to play here. "It was such an emotional game. Both teams were unbelievable,'" Moustakas said. "Both teams battled as hard as we could. Glad we were able to come out on top. Someone had to win. Someone had to lose. Celebrating with the boys and getting to celebrate with everyone was an awesome feeling. Words can't describe how cool it is to pop champagne bottles with everyone." His dad, Mike Moustakas, a former UCLA football player, flew out for that game in Kanas City. The 26-year-old Moustakas won't have to worry about family members flying anywhere for the ALDS road games. "It's crazy it ended up being in Anaheim," Moustakas said. "It's really special." Moustakas batted .212 this season with 15 home runs, but he's been heating up as of late. He was 4-for-12 with 2 RBI and a double in the Royals' four-game season-ending series with the Chicago White Sox. "The season was up and down, but that's what this game is," Moustakas said. "This game is so up and down. It's a roller-coaster ride. Felt good going into Chicago. Got a couple hits here and there and some confidence going into the end of the season. Just never stop playing. Never stop working. I was able to figure some stuff out and get some hits." He had a big hit in Tuesday's Wild Card Game as he got the two-run, third-inning rally going with a leadoff single to spark the Royals. "If it was 0-for-4, 1-for-4 we were just trying to do something to help the team win at all costs," Moustakas said. "If it had to be a bunt to get a guy over or whatever it was. To get a hit off (Jon) Lester, who threw the ball fantastic, was nice and got the boys going a little bit. It definitely felt good." Moustakas said he felt like this was the Royals' time to break the drought of nearly three decades without postseason baseball. "No one knew how good of a team we really had here and how much desire and will to have win we have on this team," Moustakas said. "Everyone on this team knew we were going to win through the entire season." And it took a big rally from the Royals to get here to the ALDS, but it was one for the ages. "Getting all those text messages and phone calls from my family after the game was awesome," Moustakas said. "Seeing how proud of us they are and how amazing a fight that was." Moustakas can see his family in person after Game 1 of the ALDS Thursday since they'll be driving from Northridge to Anaheim. Moustakas has 10 tickets for family and friends, but he expects to see plenty more friendly faces. And even through his season's struggles, he isn't complaining.



"I enjoy playing this game so much," Moustakas said. "Work is fun for me, taking ground balls and hitting, that's fun. I'm very blessed to have the job I have." And to be doing that job in October.

Angels' Trout happy to be hunting a ring instead of deer By Jill Painter Lopez AHEIM, CALIF — Mike Trout looked as relaxed as usual, blowing bubbles with his gum during batting practice and sharing laughs with teammates on Wednesday.

This is anything but a usual situation for the Angels superstar. The past three Octobers, he's been in the woods of New Jersey hunting for white-tailed deer. Mike Trout won't be camouflaged this postseason. "Now I'm hunting a ring instead of deer," Trout said. The 23-year-old Trout will make his first postseason appearance Thursday when the Angels â€ “ who had the best record in baseball during the regular season and own home-field advantage a€ “ play the Royals in Game 1 of the ALDS. All eyes will be on Trout, who was the MVP of the All-Star Game and could win the AL MVP honors as well. He led the AL with 111 RBI and was third in home runs (36). He led MLB in runs, extra-base hits and total bases. "You always want to play good," Trout said. "You just have to take it as another game. You can't look any more into it. That's when you get into trouble. My goal Thursday is to go out there, have some fun and go play baseball. You can't try to hit a 400-500-foot home run every at-bat. You have to keep your approach and keep what got you there." Veteran Albert Pujols sought Trout out after the Angels clinched the AL West title, hoping to impart some of his playoff wisdom from those two World Series victories with thisCardinals. Pujols said he did it because veteran players helped him when he was a young player and that made him more comfortable. He doesn't want Trout to feel like he has to do too much. "I just told Mike to be himself,'" Pujols said. "You don't need to be Superman. We didn't win 98 games because he did everything. Everybody here was one of the pieces to help this ballclub win the division. He just needs to go out there and do the same thing." Which is Superman-like. Trout has been doing his thing for the Angels, but he's never had a chance to do it in the postseason. This is all new, so was eager to hear postseason tales from someone who's been there and done that.



http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/player/albert-pujols/85809?q=albert-pujols

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/team/st.-louis-cardinals/71610?q=st.-louis-cardinals


"Just happy I have a teammate on the team that's been through it. Been through a lot of them," Trout said of Pujols. "I talked to him a little bit about controlling your emotions and just playing your game." For Trout, that means pop from his bat and highlight-reel catches on defense. Yet he'll be trying to convince himself that these are similar games, even though the intensity of the postseason is different. "You're anxious to get out there," Trout said. "You've got to tell yourself it's just another game." Trout can put even more shine on his star by performing well in the postseason. He's considered by so many to be the new face of baseball now that Derek Jeter has retired, and Jeter knew a thing or two about successful Octobers. "Just to be in the same sentence with Jeter means a lot to me," Trout said. "He was a role model growing up, watching him play. Just the way he carried himself on and off the field. I have such respect for him." The praise is high for Trout as well, especially from the Royals. George Brett, who helped the Royals win the World Series in 1985 (the last time they made the postseason before Tuesday) was in the Royals dugout during Wednesday's workouts. He was the 1980 AL MVP and sure is impressed with Trout, who might join him in the prestigious MVP club. "I think he's probably the best player in baseball,'' Brett said. "What don't you like about him? He hits for average, hits for power, runs, fields, throws. There's nothing he can't do." Trout said he'd never met Brett, but he appreciated the support. Royals manager Ned Yost weighed in on the Trout challenge for his pitching staff, too. "Trout is such a weapon," Yost said. "He's such a threat every time he steps to the plate. You have to make sure you don't make a mistake on him. He's as good a low-ball hitter as I've ever seen and can power a pitch down and away on to the rocks in centerfield. "You've got to pitch him aggressively, but you've got to pitch him carefully, too, because he can pop a ball out of the ballpark at any time." Any time has turned to October. And for Trout, this October has nothing to do with white-tailed deer.

FROM USA TODAY

Angels await euphoric Royals after wild rally By Jorge L. Ortiz ANAHEIM, Calif. – The running theme among the Kansas City Royals as they traveled overnight to Southern California was that Tuesday night's epic win over the Oakland Athletics was the best game every participant had ever played in.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/player/derek-jeter/85268?q=derek-jeter


That's to be expected from a youthful club that had not sniffed the playoffs for ages, but the notion gained extra gravitas when 19-year veteran Raul Ibanez, who has played in 10 postseason series, chimed him with his own assessment.

"I've never seen anything like that,'' Ibanez said of the Royals' 12-inning comeback win in the American League wild-card game. "Down 7-3 against Jon Lester in the eighth inning … Incredible.''

Indeed, the Royals' first incursion into the postseason since 1985 – the year they won their only World Series – became an instant classic, punctuated by seven stolen bases, a tying run in the ninth inning and a two-run rally to overcome another deficit and win it in the 12th.

The topic continued to resonate after the Royals' early-afternoon workout at Angel Stadium, where they will face the Los Angeles Angels tonight in the opener of the AL Division Series.

"We're all so excited, everybody still talking about last night's game,'' shortstop Alcides Escobar said. "Everybody's like, 'Wow, I can't believe it.' 'Wow, this happened.' 'Wow, look how we came back.' We're all talking about it.''

Now the trick will be to carry that energy and confidence into a series against the team that registered the best record in baseball, one planning to send out ace starter Jered Weaver twice in the first four games. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Weaver, would start Games 1 and 4 – the second on short rest – if the series does not end in a sweep.

Weaver won 18 games this season and has a history of success against the Royals, with a 7-4 record and a 2.21 ERA in 12 career starts.

"He mixes well,'' Royals left fielder Alex Gordon said. "You never see the same pitch twice, so he's going to keep you off-balance. You just take what he gives you.''

Surprisingly, Scioscia plans to start Matt Shoemaker instead of veteran lefty C.J. Wilson in Friday's Game 2 even though the rookie has not pitched since Sept. 15 because of a strained left oblique.

Shoemaker, who went 16-4 and helped Los Angeles overcome the loss of two starters, reported feeling well after throwing bullpen sessions Sunday and Tuesday.

"We're expecting Matt to be fine and pitch as deep as he can into the game,'' Scioscia said, adding that Wilson would start Game 3 in Kansas City. "We like the way Matt has been pitching, and I think Weaver getting out in Game 1 followed by Matt gives us the best look here.''

The Royals, who were pushing until the last day of the season in a fruitless effort to win the AL Central, won't have their ace available until Game 3 and instead will go tonight with former Angel Jason Vargas, who lost three of his four decisions and had a 6.57 ERA in September.

He will be followed in the rotation by rookie Yordano Ventura, with staff ace James Shields taking the mound Sunday.

Shields and Ventura were involved in the most debated maneuver of Tuesday's game, as Royals manager Ned Yost yanked his top pitcher with a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning to bring in the fireballing


rookie. Ventura promptly gave up a three-run homer to Brandon Moss, eliciting a torrent of criticism of Yost, most pointedly from TBS commentator and former Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez.

Yost responded by saying the club had planned on bringing in a hard-thrower in the sixth inning if the game was close, to bridge the gap to its terrific bullpen combination of Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and closer Greg olland.

"It's one of those deals where (if) he comes in and throws a 94 mph two-seamer, (Moss) rolls over it and I look like a genius,'' Yost said. "He comes in and throws a fastball and (Moss) hits a home run, I look like a dope. OK, well, I was a dope last night for a little while. Just because it didn't work doesn't mean it wasn't the right move and I wouldn't do it again.''

With their combination of clutch hitting and daring base-running, the Royals spared Yost – who was booed by the capacity crowd at Kauffman Stadium when he lifted Shields – from further abuse.

Instead, the Royals enter their first playoff series in 29 years full of confidence that they can overcome any obstacle.

"They'll definitely be on a high,'' Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun said. "They just won a big game and they're going to come in here and try to win Game 1. And that's exactly what we're trying to do. Don't think for one second our intensity won't match theirs, because we're an intense ballclub.''

Told that they'd be viewed as the bad guys if they knock off America's new darlings, Calhoun laughed.

"That's fine, we'll be the bad guys,'' he said. "We'll keep playing hard.''

They could be heroes: Trout, Harper have stage to seize By Bob Nightengale ANAHEIM, Calif. - They grew up as baseball prodigies, one from the East Coast, the other from the West, sharing the same dream, vowing to emulate their hero.

So many years were spent in front of their TV sets, they said, vividly remembering Derek Jeter producing those huge hits. The New York Yankees winning those World Series championships. The ticker-tape parade in lower Manhattan.

And, of course, seeing their idol, Jeter, clutching that World Series trophy.

Now, after gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated as teenagers, catching the eye of Madison Avenue with a slew of endorsement deals and revered by their organization's passionate fan bases, they have a chance to carve their own niche in baseball folklore.

Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels and Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals will step on center stage, at opposite ends of the country, beginning today, with the baseball world eagerly watching.


After all, this is October.

It's a time when heroes emerge and legends are born. And it's what separated Jeter from every other shortstop in America.

"This is what both of us have been waiting for," Harper tells USA TODAY Sports. "You grow up, you watched Derek Jeter every October. You watched him go to the postseason and win five titles and get those five rings.

"To be able to do what he did every year in the postseason, and get those clutch base knocks, is pretty unbelievable.

"Hopefully I can do that. I'm sure Trout feels the same.

"Who knows, maybe we can do it together."

This is first postseason since 1989 that the Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves are sitting at home. Half of the playoff teams have gone 29 or more years without a title. Some have never won.

It's a time for new heroes.

Jeter's Yankees did not make it, and now he is gone from the game for good, retiring with almost universal admiration of fans, teammates and opponents.

Today, Trout will play his first career playoff game, against the Kansas City Royals at Angels Stadium. Friday, Harper will return to the playoffs since a one-and-out division series loss in 2012, his rookie year with the Nationals.

Save for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the game's biggest brands are at home, and its pre-eminent face — and pitchman — is now launching websites and writing books.

While the sport — nor these playoffs — don't lack for star power, there's a grander opportunity to seize the moment.

"It sure beats sitting at home and watching the playoffs," says Trout, the overwhelming favorite to win the American League MVP Award. "It was the greatest feeling in the world when we won the AL West. I can't imagine what it would be like to win the whole thing.

"But I'd sure love to find out."

From Mantle to Rose

Three years have passed since these two kids broke on the scene together, playing in amateur tournaments together and forging a casual friendship.

They once were considered equals, with Harper receiving more acclaim, but now Trout — twice runner-up to Miguel Cabrera for AL MVP — is the star Harper desperately wants to become.


Trout is already being called the next Mickey Mantle — beloved, adored and respected by his teammates and peers.

"How can you not love Trout?" says teammate Albert Pujols, who has two World Series rings. "This guy is so talented. Players like Trout don't come around too often, maybe every 30 or 40 years.

"The country already knows about Trout and how special he can be, but now he's at a different level in the postseason. I'm going to tell him the game doesn't change just because you see more cameras, more writers and more interviews."

Harper is being called the next Pete Rose, an old school player who tends to aggravate opposing players, sometimes even annoying his own teammates, but he still gets the job done.

"The spotlight has been on Bryce since he was in high school," Nationals teammate Kevin Frandsen says. "It's always been on him, and it's always bright. But when people get on him, and crush him, that's when he rises to the occasion. He loves that.

"It's like when we were in Seattle this year and some guy above our dugout was just crushing him. Screaming at the top of his lungs. Bryce then hit one off the café. Off the window. It wasn't like he was saying. 'I'll show you,' but it's his way of thriving in the moment."

In many ways, they are polar opposites, with their different personalities and playing styles. They each are supremely confident in their abilities, but Harper isn't shy about letting you know, while Trout is protective of his emotions.

Yet no matter your view of them, they will be judged largely by October. They crown only one champion every year, and if Harper or Trout happen to be that star on the winning World Series team, the comparisons to Jeter surely will begin.

"History has shown us that when you start talking about the greatest players of all time," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo says, "it usually starts with how many rings do you have.

"That's the next level."

Building a legacy

And that might be where where Trout, 23, and Harper, 21, are headed. Trout's statistical résumé is almost unmatched — he's the first player to lead a league in runs his first three seasons, has a .395 career on-base percentage and has averaged 32 home runs and 34 stolen bases per 162 games.

Harper's appeal still lies in what might be, although his career .465 slugging percentage and .816 on-base plus slugging (OPS) suggest a big breakthrough is very much possible in a career stalled by injury.

Now, the opportunity to build a more intangible legacy beckons both prodigies.


"Being a regular-season MVP and an All-Star is all fine and dandy," Nationals center fielder Denard Span says, "but the postseason is where legends are born. This is where they are made, when the game is on the line and when the season is on the line, and you come through in the big moment.

"You look at what David Freese did a couple of years ago in St.Louis during the World Series. He'll be forever remembered. You look at what Reggie (Jackson) did. You look at Derek Jeter.

"If Jeter didn't do what he did in the postseason, we wouldn't be celebrating his career the way we did. Yeah, he had 3,000 hits, but there are a lot of guys who had 3,000 hits. What makes it special is how many times when he came up big in clutch moments when it really mattered, especially on that New York stage, and how young he was.

"These guys have a chance to do the same thing."

Game faces

Jeter, who calls himself a big fan of both of the young stars, says he will be watching like everyone else. He doesn't know what to expect in October but is eager to find out, believing both of them will be perennial All-Stars.

"Everyone knows these guys will be good," says Angels hitting coach Don Baylor, the 1979 AL MVP, "but now they will have pressure on them. They have to perform because of the expectations. It can be overwhelming, and nothing prepares you for it.

"You can be in all of the All-Star Games and everything you want, but the playoffs, that's center stage."

It's the stage where Alex Rodriguez wilted and Bernie Williams thrived, and now the scrutiny begins for baseball's two youngest stars.

"With Jeter going out, these guys can be the face of baseball in a lot of ways," Angels pitcher C.J. Wilson says. "This is the big spotlight. This is their chance."

The baseball world will be watching.

"I'm just going to play my game," Trout says. "That's all you can do. I'm not going to put any more pressure on myself. If I just play my game, I'll be fine. Both of us will."

They famously shared an outfield with the 2011 Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League, one of baseball's most casual, developmental environments.

A reunion this October would come in the game's brightest spotlight.

"That's how it should be," Harper says. "I like going to the stadium knowing I'm either going to be booed or cheered. I kind of thrive on that. It's the same thing now. I'm not going to worry about what people think or say. Really, I kind of have fun going into these hostile environments. Let's see what happens.

"And if me and Trout ever get to the World Series together — oh, man."


Let the hype begin.

AL Division Series: Breaking down Angels vs. Royals By Jorge L. Ortiz A look at the best-of-five American League Division Series between the Los Angeles Angels and Kansas City Royals:

Game 1: Jason Vargas vs. Jered Weaver, 9:07 p.m. ET, at Anaheim Game 2: Yordano Ventura vs. Matt Shoemaker, 9:37 p.m. ET, at Anaheim Game 3: James Shields vs. C.J. Wilson, 7:37 p.m. ET, at Kansas City. Game 4: Monday, at Kansas City, if necessary Game 5: Wednesday, at Anaheim, if necessary

In the Angels' favor: They have the most prolific offense in the majors, anchored by likely AL MVP Mike Trout and a rejuvenated Albert Pujols. Josh Hamilton will also return to the lineup Thursday after missing most of September with injuries. The Angels had time to rest and set their rotation, which is welcoming back 16-game winner Matt Shoemaker. The Los Angeles bullpen thrived after the acquisition of closer Huston Street and setup man Jason Grilli.

In the Royals' favor: Speed never slumps. While power hitters are often silenced by superior pitching in the postseason, fast runners can have an impact by merely getting on base. The Royals led the majors in stolen bases and bedeviled Oakland with seven steals in the wild-card game. They put tremendous pressure on the pitcher and the fielders. Kansas City has a nearly impenetrable late-innings bullpen, which – like the rest of the staff – benefits from the club's excellent fielding.

Watch this guy: Alcides Escobar. The Royals' offense improved by nearly half a run a game after Escobar was moved to the leadoff spot on Sept. 13. He batted .375 in his last 14 games and is one of three Kansas City players who stole at least 25 bases. Escobar is also an outstanding defensive shortstop.

In the end: The Angels have too many weapons for the Royals, whose storybook run figures to end. Having to rely on the struggling Vargas against the Angels' loaded lineup is a major handicap. A Mike Scioscia-managed club is not likely to allow the sort of baserunning liberties the Royals took against the A's. And as Albert Pujols said,"They have to get on base first.'' Angels in four.

FROM SI.COM

The road to a title — or not — for every Division Series team By Tom Verducci Kansas City has waited a long time for this month; as has Baltimore … and Detroit … and Washington … and Los Angeles … Five baseball cities that haven’t celebrated a World Series championship in at least a quarter of a century have a shot at seeing those droughts end. While Anaheim, St. Louis and San Francisco have been home to championship teams in the past dozen years, the majority of hopes this postseason belong to fans of the long-suffering variety.


Who will win? If you want the city with the longest drought, you go with Washington (last champion in that city: 1924). If you want the most deserving ballpark to host a champion you go Baltimore (1983); for old-school tradition you go Detroit (1984); for the biggest surprise you go Kansas City (1985); and for a Hollywood ending you go Los Angeles (1988). If you want more prosaic reasons why your team will win the World Series (or not), read on for a preview of the eight teams still standing, presented in alphabetical order.

Baltimore Orioles The common complaint about Baltimore is that it lacks an ace. Just imagine if the Orioles had someone who was nearly as tough to hit as Stephen Strasburg and who went 8-4 with a 2.24 ERA in his past 21 starts. Of course, they do, and it’s Chris Tillman, whose .671 OPS against was a fraction better than Strasburg's mark (.672). Even if he's not an eight-inning pitcher (he reached that mark just five times this year), he need not labor much more than six because of a tremendously deep bullpen. Under pitching coach Dave Wallace and bullpen coach Dom Chiti, the Orioles are at the cutting edge of the game; no team throws more fastballs, and those fastballs are always sinking, cutting and running. And the defense is rock solid; no team still playing has a lower batting average against on balls in play (.282).

The offense is heavily home-run dependent — Baltimore led the majors in percentage of runs scored via the long ball — but that’s not a complaint this time of year. Even though home runs grow scarcer in postseason play, the quickest way to come back is with one swing, and with Nelson Cruz,Adam Jones and Steve Pearce, the Orioles have more bats to change a game quickly than anybody.

How they win the World Series:Defense, bullpen and home runs — that's a reliable recipe to navigate October.

How they get eliminated: Righthanded power pitching shuts down their righthanded power bats of Jones, Cruz, Pearce and J.J. Hardy.

Detroit Tigers No team has more truly great players than the Tigers: three Cy Young Award winners (David Price, Max Scherzerand Justin Verlander), a two-time MVP (Miguel Cabrera), and one of the best switch-hitters in baseball (Victor Martinez). But does Detroit have enough complementary players to make this star system work? Its aggressive lineup can wear down even the best of pitching, and its offense passes the most important test these days: Can it hit relief pitching when the heat gets turned up and managers play matchups? The Tigers batted .270 against relievers, the best in baseball.

But there are enormous questions in two key areas of October baseball: the bullpen and defense. Only the White Sox, Rockies and Astros posted a worse bullpen ERA than Detroit (4.29). And when it comes to defensive efficiency — how often a team turns batted balls into outs — only the Twins were worse than the Tigers. The other nine playoff entrants all ranked above the major league average in defensive efficiency.

How they win the World Series: With three aces and the reliable Rick Porcello, the Tigers have a chance to win every game they play on the strength of a well-pitched start. And for a team to get through Cabrera and Martinez in the late innings with the game on the line is the toughest assignment in playoff baseball.

How they get eliminated: Relievers Joe Nathan, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Coke,Al Alburquerque, et al. fail to deliver in front of a poor defense.

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/baltimore-orioles

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/stephen-strasburg

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/chris-tillman

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/nelson-cruz

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/adam-jones

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/adam-jones

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/steve-pearce

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/jj-hardy

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/detroit-tigers

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/david-price

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/max-scherzer

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/max-scherzer

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/justin-verlander

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/miguel-cabrera

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/victor-martinez

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/chicago-white-sox

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/colorado-rockies

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/houston-astros

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/minnesota-twins

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/rick-porcello

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/joe-nathan

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/joba-chamberlain

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/phil-coke

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/al-alburquerque


Kansas City Royals OK, this makes no sense, but it sure is fun, right? The only team ever to finish last in the league in home runs and walks and still make the playoffs just knocked out Oakland by coming from behind three times to win the Wild-Card Game. The Royals used 14 position players for that night and half of them stole a base — the seven thieves set an all-time postseason record, displacing the 1907 Cubs. Kansas City made Oakland — the erstwhile state-of-the-art wonks — look like it was playing an outdated brand of baseball. The Athletics' roster of patient, swing-and-miss flyball hitters with poor defensive range fell (okay, barely) to a hacktastic bunch of athletic speedsters. The Royals are the most athletic team in baseball and also the best two-strike hitting team in baseball.

Kansas City may be this year’s version of last year's Pirates — it was fantastic to see the postseason back in a great baseball town, and the team seems to ride community enthusiasm to survive a razor-thin margin of error. Enthusiasm only takes you so far; Pittsburgh didn’t have enough offense to get through the NLDS last year. But if the Royals can scratch out a lead by the end of six innings, their bullpen will make them, at that moment, the toughest team to beat in baseball.

How they win the World Series: Smoke, mirrors and a bullpen. The offense is challenged. No team hits the ball on the ground more than Kansas City. The Royals need to stitch together groundball singles, bunts and stolen bases. But putting the ball in play has tremendous value in today's strikeout-prone game.

How they get eliminated: The offense just isn't deep enough. And the game management of Ned Yost (use a rookie starter in the middle of a jam while asking him to work on one day’s rest after 73 pitches? Really?) always seems a story waiting to happen.

Los Angeles Angels The Angels' bullpen ranked 24th in ERA halfway through the season (3.89). But thanks to changes made on the fly by general manager Jerry DiPoto (who traded for Huston Streetand Jason Grilli), in the second half the upgraded 'pen ranked ninth (3.12). Sadly for Los Angeles, though, its best starting pitcher, Garrett Richards, blew out his knee, following lefthanderTyler Skaggs to the done-for-the-year list. The Angels can still run out Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and Matt Shoemaker, but none of them ranks among the top-40 qualified pitchers as ranked by OPS. That is, they’re not going to out-stuff anybody.

The offense is what makes this team special. At 4.77 runs per game, it's the best in the majors. Not only do the Angels have the best player in baseball in Mike Trout, but they also take the extra base more often than any team in the league (46 percent). Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick — all-fields hitters who are tough outs — are more important than the banged-up Josh Hamilton.

How they win the World Series: The Angels flip the script on what baseball has become and ride offense to a title. Trout, in his first postseason, begins his October highlight reel in his opportunity to succeed Derek Jeter as the game's national ambassador.

How they get eliminated: Shortened rotations, rested bullpens and even more in-depth scouting reports thwart L.A.'s offense, and the pitching isn't good enough to win low-scoring games.

Los Angeles Dodgers Will manager Don Mattingly push aceClayton Kershaw on short rest again? He did it in NLDS Game 4 last year — when he was ahead in the series, two games to one, and when Kershaw never had pitched on three days rest — and it may have contributed to the NL Cy Young winner's empty tank when the Cardinals waxed him in the NLCS Game 6 clincher. It may be tough for Mattingly to resist again. When he gives the ball to Kershaw or Zack Greinke, his team wins 71 percent of the time (42-17). When

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/kansas-city-royals

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/chicago-cubs

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/pittsburgh-pirates

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/los-angeles-angels

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/huston-street

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/jason-grilli

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/garrett-richards

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/tyler-skaggs

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/jered-weaver

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/cj-wilson

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/matt-shoemaker

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/mike-trout

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/erick-aybar

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/howie-kendrick

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/josh-hamilton

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/derek-jeter

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/los-angeles-dodgers

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/clayton-kershaw

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/st-louis-cardinals

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/zack-greinke


he gives it to anybody else, his team is mediocre (52-51). (Greinke, by the way, has only two career starts on short rest.)

The Dodgers' offense was the best in the league in September as Matt Kemp's bat sprung to life — and right on time, as the power disappeared from the bat of Yasiel Puig (five home runs in his last 100 games). They posted the best average in the league with runners in scoring position (.286) and the best OBP from the top two spots in the batting order (.354). This is a team that hits good pitching and is an impressive rally team.

How they win the World Series: A quick LDS sets up enough rest for Kershaw and Greinke to give a reasonable facsimile of Arizona's Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling from 2001.

How they get eliminated: The defense is at best average and is problematic in key spots (shortstop, centerfield), and the bullpen in front of closer Kenley Jansenis an issue.

St. Louis Cardinals The idea that St. Louis should "save"Adam Wainwright rather than "waste" him in a Kershaw game is absurd, and nothing you would ever hear from an actual baseball person. Wainwright can flip the entire NLDS by beating Kershaw in Friday's Game 1, and he has the stuff to do it. Lance Lynnbullies hitters with his fastball andShelby Miller (past six starts: 1.69 ERA and .185 batting average against) deservedly gets the ball over a still-rusty Michael Wacha. John Lackeyhas lost a tick or two of velocity late in the year.

St. Louis' problem is an offense that has been inconsistent at best and poor at worst. The Cardinals have neither power (last in the league in homers) nor speed (next-to-last in steals) and often become too passive. Their .369 slugging percentage would be the worst by any world champion since the 1988 Dodgers.

How they win the World Series: Relying on their quantity of quality arms andYadier Molina behind the plate, they turn every game into a pitcher's duel. St. Louis and Baltimore had the best record in one-run games this year of any team still playing (32-23). The Cardinals allowed three runs or less more times than they didn't, going 70-20 in those games.

How they get eliminated: The inconsistent offense falls flat for a week.

San Francisco Giants

Now let’s see: The Giants' rotation ranks 10th in the league in ERA; they blew a 10-game lead in the NL West and finished six games out; their rightfielder finished in a 3-for-54 slump; their starting leftfielder, in a win-or-go-home game, was starting there for only the fourth time in his career; and they have a losing record in one-run games (18-22) and games against teams .500 or better (27-31). So it makes perfect sense that they are playing in the postseason.

What San Francisco has is a tough-minded team with a sage of a manager, Bruce Bochy, who knows how to deploy bullpen pieces about as well as anybody in the game. The Giants allowed the second fewest runs in the seventh through ninth innings. (Only San Diego permitted fewer.) They have a big game pitcher inMadison Bumgarner, whose career road ERA in the best among active starters in the non-Kershaw division. And they have plenty of experience — and success — when it comes to playing must-win games.

How they win the World Series: The same way they did in 2010 and 2012: with a different star of the game every night from one of the most resourceful rosters in the playoffs.

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/matt-kemp

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/yasiel-puig

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/kenley-jansen

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/adam-wainwright

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/lance-lynn

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/shelby-miller

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/michael-wacha

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/john-lackey

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/yadier-molina

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/san-francisco-giants

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/madison-bumgarner


How they get eliminated: The starting pitching isn't deep enough to keep them in every game.

Washington Nationals Imagine you are a rookie manager — with little to no managing experience whatsoever — and your toughest decision involves how to line up a bunch of starters who all could be number ones on another staff. That's the job description of not just Matt Williams in Washington but also Brad Ausmus in Detroit, two of the most fortunate first-year managers in recent memory.

Williams has the best team in the postseason because it has balance on offense, defense and in the pitching staff. Starters Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez are a quartet reminiscent of the staffs of the late '90s Yankees: The Nationals can line up their number four against your number one and still feel good about the pitching matchup. Even the bullpen, with Drew Storen taking over the closer’s role, has been solid (3.00 ERA, second-best in the league.) The Nats this year allowed two runs or fewer in almost half their games (72, winning 65 of them), the most by any team in the past 12 years.

Strasburg is pitching his best ball of the year and could be the biggest star this October. One trouble spot to watch: He's been much worse in his career with runners on (.251 batting average against) than with the bases empty (.212), a trend that held again this year (.267-.234) and forebodes difficulty in a key spot.

How they win the World Series: The staff with the greatest strikeout-to-walk rate in baseball history (3.7 strikeouts for every walk) provides a fitting cap to the Year of the Pitchers.

How they get eliminated: The offense, populated with strikeouts, goes cold.

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES

Angels’ Albert Pujols Is Back in Form and Back in the Postseason By Billy Witz ANAHEIM, Calif. — With each of the four new baseball bats leaning against a wall next to Albert Pujols’s locker, the procedure was the same.

Pujols used his teeth to tear off the cellophane wrapper. Then he held the black barrel of the bat next to his right ear and hit it with an open hand, listening to make sure the density was just right. Then he took a couple of truncated chops — as if he were casting for trout — making sure the bat felt good in his hands.

Pujols did this as he prepared for what has been, for him, another familiar routine: playoff baseball.

A dominating presence during his 11 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pujols was a fixture of October, leading the Cardinals to the playoffs seven times, including three trips to the World Series, two of which they won.

But Pujols left for the Los Angeles Angels before the 2012 season, lured by a 10-year, $240 million contract, and quickly took on the look of a diminished star, eclipsed by his teammate Mike Trout. His contract looked like a millstone rather than a totem of the Angels’ revival as they slogged through two disappointing seasons.

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/washington-nationals

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/jordan-zimmermann

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/doug-fister

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/gio-gonzalez

http://www.si.com/mlb/team/new-york-yankees

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/drew-storen

http://www.si.com/mlb/player/drew-storen

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/baseball/majorleague/losangelesangels/index.html?inline=nyt-org


Now, with the Angels beginning an American League division series against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, Pujols is returning to the big stage.

“It’s great,” Pujols, 34, said. “That’s what you play for — to get to the postseason. Obviously, the last couple of years we had that dream, and we didn’t accomplish that dream. But this year, obviously, a different team, different faces, a great ball club, and we have a pretty good chance to run this thing for a while.”

The Angels, who surged to the best record in baseball (98-64), did so with a strong contribution from Pujols, who hit 28 home runs and drove in 105 runs, batting in his familiar third spot in the order, right behind Trout. No longer hobbled by an injured knee and heel as he was last season, when he played only 99 games, Pujols also regained his defensive form.

It was the type of season many players would be happy to claim, and it came with three milestones — his 500th home run, his 1,500th run and his 2,500th hit — that brought his career accomplishments into relief.

But it was also judged against his contract and the standard he set as a three-time National League most valuable player and the most feared hitter of his generation. His .790 on-base plus slugging percentage was the lowest of his career other than last season’s .767, and more than 200 points below his career average. His on-base percentage was a career-low .324.

“Albert’s much closer this year than he’s been in the last couple years,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. “But I think it would be unfair to Albert to turn back time to when his on-base percentage was .420 and he was doing things that nobody’s really done in the batter’s box. To ask him to do what he did six, seven years ago, I don’t that’s fair for anybody.”

Scioscia said Pujols’s ability to deliver critical hits for the Angels — particularly in the second half of the season — showed how important he was to their success.

In a win over Minnesota in early September, Pujols singled to start a two-run rally that tied the score in the eighth. Then, after Trout drew a walk in front of him in the ninth, Pujols ripped a two-run double to put the Angels ahead, one of his 28 go-ahead hits this season. He sealed the 8-5 victory by starting a 3-6-1 double play.

“When he’s ready to take off, it’s like a shark in the water,” Angels pitcher C. J. Wilson said. “You can feel it; you know he’s there even if you can’t see it.

Wilson added: “He still has the body language — the stance, the hands, the sneer, the wiggle in the box. But there’s something about him, like an aura. You see it, and you think this poor pitcher has no chance, and then, boom, it’s a home run or a game-winning hit.”

Wilson said he remembered what it was like when he faced Pujols in two starts during the 2011 World Series, when Wilson was pitching for Texas.

“It was, don’t let Albert beat you,” said Wilson, who hit Pujols on the foot with a two-strike pitch in Game 1.

Whether Pujols’s form carries over to these playoffs will be one of the intriguing subplots in the Angels-Royals series. Pujols’s postseason performance has mirrored his regular-season output: Over 74 playoff games, he has hit .330, with 18 home runs and 52 runs batted in.


“He’s the best I’ve ever seen at controlling his emotions, controlling the magnitude of the game,” said Angels third baseman David Freese, who was named the most valuable player of the 2011 World Series, when he played for the Cardinals. “Obviously, you have to be talented, but the way he goes from February to October, it’s exactly the same. I don’t care if it’s Tempe in the sixth inning or the World Series, he has the same look on his face in the batter’s box.”

Pujols said it was important in the playoffs not to try to do too much — to make the game simple and try to forget the packed stadiums and the increased news media attention. But it may be a little more difficult this time. Pujols is returning to Kansas City, where he lived as a teenager after moving from the Dominican Republic.

“There’s only three times I get nervous,” Pujols said. “In spring training, my first at-bat; during the season, on opening day; and my first at-bat in the playoffs.”

Then he reconsidered. Unwrapping his thoughts was not as simple as unwrapping his new bats.

“I don’t think it’s nervous,” he said. “I think it’s just that you can’t wait for that moment to get there.”

FROM YAHOO SPORTS

It’s yet another step in the brilliant career of Mike Trout By Tim Brown ANAHEIM, Calif. – The words, like the game, seem easy enough for Mike Trout. Here, on the eve of his first playoff game, they were the same as they were when he arrived in the big leagues, then as he embarked on his first full season, and then when he was asked if he possibly could duplicate that, and when he went off to play in his first All-Star Game.

He’s gonna play his game. He’s gonna have fun. He’ll live with what comes.

Days before, his idol, Derek Jeter, had retired, and the word around baseball was Trout, at 23 years old, had next. Hours before, George Brett – the George Brett – had sat in the other dugout, right over there, and said, “I think he’s probably the best player in the game.”

If that kind of stuff registers with Trout, you’d have to read it in his shrug, in his lazy smile or in the way he instinctively studies his shoe tops. A man does not carry himself on a ball field the way Trout does, however, if being next, being the best, had not already occurred to him.

A little more than three seasons in, he also is 572 hits, 98 home runs, 373 runs and 307 RBI in. Four hundred and ninety-three games in, already he’s led the American League for a season in runs (three times), RBI, walks, strikeouts, steals, total bases and other, more complicated, things. Those three years in, he comps out with people like Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson, Hank Aaron and Al Kaline. He’ll probably be the league’s Most Valuable Player.

That’s him playing his game, having fun, living with what came. That’s him shrugging and looking at his feet, and that’s apparently not going to change with the calendar.

“You always want to play good,” he said. “You try to think of it as another game. You can’t put more into it. You know, have some fun and play some baseball.”



The Kansas City Royals were in town, fresh from their game the night before in K.C., the win – and spectacle – manager Ned Yost called “a giant step forward” for a franchise that had shuffled for the better part of three decades. They arrived well after 5 o’clock in the morning, after they’d played 12 innings and partied until they swayed and then flew west. Still, they moved around in batting practice without the sogginess you might expect, and into a best-of-five series that won’t see James Shields until Game 3, that will see Matt Shoemaker on 17 days’ rest, and that has Angels manager Mike Scioscia presenting a three-man rotation.

So, yeah, maybe an offensive series, maybe Royals running without conscience on the base paths and Angels pushing their runs from the batter’s box, and along comes Trout, whose postseason life starts Thursday. In 22 at-bats this season against the Royals, he’s batted .409 with three home runs. Over his three-plus seasons against the Royals, so often against other pitchers in other times, Trout has batted .361 with seven home runs. In fact, against teams he’s played more than three times, Trout’s highest OPS – 1.154 – is against the Royals.

Whatever that means. Maybe something, maybe nothing.

“Trout is such a weapon,” Yost said. “He’s such a threat every time he steps up to the plate. So, I mean, you have to make sure that you don’t make a mistake on him. He’s as good a low-ball hitter as I’ve ever seen, and can power a pitch down and away onto the rocks in center field.

“You’ve got to pitch him aggressively, but you’ve got to pitch him carefully too, because he can pop a ball out of the park at any time.”

There’s the issue, of course.

He did, however, strike out 184 times. He did hit .257 in the second half. He did hit .219 in the final couple of weeks.

He can be pitched to, and the strategy seems to call for pitches at the top of the zone. And the game is about to get bigger, a time when those letter-high pitches may look especially good to a jumpy hitter.

Albert Pujols has had a word with Trout about that. On the eve of his 75th postseason game and 322nd postseason plate appearance, Pujols said he told Trout to, yeah, play his game, have fun, and live with what comes. Thirteen years ago, Placido Polanco told Pujols the same thing. All these years later, Pujols is a career .330 hitter in the playoffs.

“Keep it simple and be you,” Pujols said he told him. “What got you here, that’s enough. You don’t have to be Superman.”

Trout has spent the past few Octobers, he said, “In the woods.”

“Hunting,” he said. “I like to hunt.”

Maybe, near the end of the month, he’d turn on the television and watch parts of the World Series. Now he’s playing to get closer to that, to come out of the deer stand, give October ball a shot, play a few games, see how that goes.

Easy enough.



FROM SPORTS XCHANGE

Team Report – LOS ANGELES ANGELS SEATTLE Los Angeles Angels right-handed starter Matt Shoemaker could be back sooner than originally expected, and if all goes well, the Angels might get their No. 3 starter back in time for Game 2 or Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Shoemaker threw off a bullpen mound Tuesday and said he felt fine. The Angels are scheduled to start right-hander Jered Weaver in Thursday's Game 1 of the ALDS against the Kansas City Royals. Shoemaker and left-hander C.J. Wilson, in some order, are likely to be the next two starters. Shoemaker carries a seven-start winning streak into the postseason, but he hasn't pitched since straining his rib cage in a Sept. 15 win over Seattle. Since the beginning of August, Shoemaker has gone 8-1 with a 1.66 ERA. Had he been unavailable, the Angels might have been forced to depend on right-hander Cory Rasmus. The converted reliever has been solid as a starter since moving into the rotation at the end of August, although his Sunday start in a 4-1 loss to Seattle fell short of impressive. He allowed three earned runs on three hits in three innings in that game. Of the Angels' three starters in the Seattle series, only Wilson was impressive. The rotation isn't exactly rolling into the postseason, and the three-game sweep at the hands of the Mariners could be viewed as a change in momentum for the Angels. However, it is more than likely just a blip on the radar, kind of like the four-game series sweep in Seattle ahead of the Angels' 2002 road to a World Series title. RECORD: 98-64, first place in American League West NEXT: American League Division Series, Game 1, Thursday Royals (TBA) at Angels (RHP Jered Weaver, 18-9, 3.59 ERA) PLAYER NOTES: LF Josh Hamilton will be back in action when the Angels open the playoffs after missing the last two weeks of the season due to a sore rib cage. He took batting practice Tuesday. Manager Mike Scioscia said he would pencil Hamilton lower in the lineup than normal to take pressure off the veteran. RHP Matt Shoemaker, who sustained a mild oblique strain Sept. 15 and missed the rest of the regular season, threw a bullpen session Tuesday. He declared himself ready to go in the AL Division Series, and he is likely to start Game 2 or Game 3. LHP Joe Thatcher had a forgettable performance during his short stint Sunday. He faced just three batters after coming on for starter Cory Rasmus in the fourth inning and allowed two of them to get hits. Thatcher's 1/3-inning performance included two hits and two runs allowed to put his season ERA at 8.10.


CF Mike Trout had another short outing Sunday, going 0-for-2 in the loss to Seattle, but he still managed to finish as the American League's leader in runs (115), RBIs (111) and extra-base hits (84). The last player to lead the AL in all three categories in a season was Seattle's Ken Griffey Jr. in 1997. RHP Cory Rasmus got one final chance to prove himself as a starter before the postseason on Sunday, when he allowed two earned runs off three hits in three innings. Rasmus wasn't as effective as he had been in previous starts, but he showed enough that the Angels might use him if RHP Matt Shoemaker isn't healthy enough to pitch. RHP Jered Weaver appears to be the Angels' target to start Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Thursday. He went 18-9 with a 3.59 ERA during the regular season but struggled in his final start Friday night in Seattle. Weaver went 2-2 with a 4.32 ERA in four starts against Oakland this season; he did not face the Royals. QUOTE TO NOTE: "It all starts again on Thursday. You're always trying to carry momentum and you want to play every time you're out there. ... I think we'll be ready (for the playoffs). There's no doubt." Angels manager Mike Scioscia, after his team lost its final regular-season game Sunday. MEDICAL WATCH: LF Josh Hamilton (sore right side) last played Sept. 16. He took swings off a batting tee Sept. 22-23. He took batting practice Sept. 30, and he should be in the lineup for the postseason opener. RHP Matt Shoemaker (mild oblique strain) left the Sept. 15 game, and he missed the rest of the regular season. He played soft catch for the first time Sept. 22, and he threw a bullpen session Sept. 30. He is expected to be ready for a start in the AL Division Series. RHP Garrett Richards (torn left patellar tendon) went on the 60-day disabled list Aug. 21. He underwent season-ending surgery Aug. 22. He might not be ready for the start of the 2015 season. LHP Tyler Skaggs (strained flexor tendon in left forearm) went on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 1, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on Aug. 10. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery Aug. 13. He will miss the rest of the 2014 season and all of the 2015 season. LHP Sean Burnett (torn left ulnar collateral ligament) went on the 15-day disabled list May 29, and he was transferred to the 60-day disabled list June 3. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery June 5. RHP Ryan Brasier (right elbow strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 16. LHP Brian Moran (left elbow inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 13. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in mid-April. ROTATION: RHP Jered Weaver


RHP Matt Shoemaker LHP C.J. Wilson LHP Hector Santiago RHP Cory Rasmus BULLPEN: RHP Huston Street (closer) RHP Joe Smith RHP Jason Grilli RHP Kevin Jepsen RHP Michael Morin LHP Joe Thatcher RHP Fernando Salas RHP Yoslan Herrera LHP Michael Roth RHP Cam Bedrosian LHP Wade LeBlanc RHP Vinnie Pestano RHP Jairo Diaz RHP Drew Rucinski CATCHERS: Chris Iannetta Hank Conger John Buck INFIELDERS: 1B Albert Pujols 2B Howie Kendrick SS Erick Aybar


3B David Freese INF John McDonald INF Gordon Beckham INF Grant Green INF C.J. Cron INF Luis Jimenez INF Efren Navarro INF/OF Shawn O'Malley OUTFIELDERS: LF Josh Hamilton CF Mike Trout RF Kole Calhoun OF Collin Cowgill OF Brennan Boesch OF Tony Campana

Team Report – KANSAS CITY ROYALS KANSAS CITY, Mo. After a dramatic win in the American League wild-card game, the Kansas City Royals believe the impossible is possible. The Royals will ride of a surge of momentum into an AL Division Series matchup against the Los Angeles Angels after recording a 9-8, 12-inning victory over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday. Kansas City trailed Oakland 7-3 heading to the bottom of the eighth inning, and the A's had ace Jon Lester on the mound. The Royals scored three in the eighth and one in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Then, after the A's took the lead on a two-out hit in the top of the 12th, Kansas City scored twice in the bottom of the 12th to win the game. "That's the most incredible game I've ever been part of," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "The fans were unbelievable. Our guys never quit. When we fell behind in the sixth inning, they kept battling back. They weren't going to be denied." Yost admitted to feeling beat after the A's scored five runs in the sixth inning to take a 7-3 lead. His team convinced him otherwise.


"Your mind wants to think it's dire until our guys came into the dugout and they didn't think it was dire," he said. "They were like, 'We got this. Let's go. We can do this.' To a man, it was impressive to hear the confidence they had." Next up for the Royals are the Angels, whose 98-64 record was the best in the major leagues. The teams split six games this season, with each team taking two of three in the other team's park. The Angels will pitch right-hander Jered Weaver (18-9, 3.59 ERA) in the series opener Thursday night in Anaheim, Calif. The Royals have not announced a starter. The candidates to start for Kansas City are Jason Vargas, who last pitched Sept. 24; Jeremy Guthrie, who last pitched Friday; and Danny Duffy, who last pitched Saturday. James Shields was ineffective as the starter in the wild-card game, and the Royals also used starting pitcher Yordano Ventura in relief. Two days after throwing four innings, Ventura allowed two runs on two hits, including a three-run homer by Brandon Moss, while facing three batters Tuesday. The Angels are roaring into the postseason. After trailing the Athletics by 3 1/2 games on Aug. 12, the Angels finished 27-15 down the stretch, including a 15-2 stretch. They wound up winning the division by 10 games. Los Angeles boasts the nearly certain American League MVP, center fielder Mike Trout, and plenty of power around him. The Angels scored a major-league-high 773 runs, and they led the American League with 1,464 hits. First baseman Albert Pujols, who grew up in the Kansas City suburbs, had his best season since joining the Angels, finishing with 28 home runs and 105 RBIs. Weaver and left-hander C.J. Wilson are a talented and experienced one-two pitching punch, though Weaver endured an inconsistent year. The midseason acquisition of closer Huston Street strengthened the Angels' bullpen. Rookie right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who emerged as a key starting pitcher for Los Angeles, should be ready to face the Royals after recovering from an oblique injury. Left fielder Josh Hamilton also will be back in action after missing the last two weeks of the season due to a sore rib cage. The Royals are riding high in their first postseason appearance in 29 years, especially the way they reached the next round. They will get a stiff challenge from the Angels, but they believe they can prevail. RECORD: 89-73, second place in American League Central; won AL wild-card game over Oakland A's NEXT: American League Division Series, Game 1, Thursday Royals (TBA) at Angels (RHP Jered Weaver, 18-9, 3.59 ERA) PLAYER NOTES: C Salvador Perez delivered the third walk-off win in Kansas City's postseason history, and the first since Game 6 of the 1985 World Series. Perez failed to get the ball out of the infield in his first five at-bats, including two strikeouts. However, he pulled a slider from RHP Jason Hammel past third base for the game-winning hit. "I took a few pitches. I cut down (my swing) a little bit, and I got a base hit," he said.


LHP Brandon Finnegan was pitching in college four months ago. The Royals' first-round pick in June made his major league debut in September and gave up one earned run in seven appearances. That put him in line to play a key role in the AL wild-card game. He pitched 2 1/3 innings and gave up the go-ahead run in the 12th, but manager Ned Yost couldn't have been more pleased. "Phenomenal," he said. "He came in and banged strikes. He got 2 2/3 innings. I was hoping he'd get his first major league win in a game of this caliber." RHP Kelvin Herrera threw 36 pitches in 1 2/3 innings of relief. It was the second-highest pitch total of the season for Herrera, behind a 47-pitch outing in Toronto May 30. 1B Eric Hosmer recorded his first postseason RBI in the third inning when he drove in Lorenzo Cain with an RBI single. He went 3-for-4 with two walks, including a one-out triple in the bottom of the 12th inning. He scored the tying run. His triple caromed off the top of the wall in left-center. "I definitely hit it good," Hosmer said of the triple. "Nighttime in this ballpark, if you hit a ball and you know it's gone, you've got some serious power." DH Billy Butler went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs. Butler came into the game 4-of-28 against LHP Jon Lester, and he went 1-for-3 against the Oakland starter. He was the first batter after RHP Luke Gregerson replaced Lester, and he hit an RBI single in the eighth inning. QUOTE TO NOTE: "We had opportunities two or three times. We just couldn't get the big hit until Salvy did it in the 12th." Manager Ned Yost, after the Royals' 9-8, 12-inning win over the Oakland A's in the AL wild-card game. MEDICAL WATCH: RHP Michael Mariot (strained right hamstring) was recalled from the minors and placed on the 60-day disabled list Aug. 28. RHP Luke Hochevar (Tommy John surgery in March 2014) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 2. He is out for the year. Hochevar did his first throwing Sept. 10. ROTATION: RHP James Shields RHP Yordano Ventura RHP Jeremy Guthrie LHP Danny Duffy BULLPEN: RHP Greg Holland (closer) RHP Kelvin Herrera RHP Wade Davis


RHP Jason Frasor LHP Brandon Finnegan CATCHERS: Salvador Perez Erik Kratz INFIELDERS: 1B Eric Hosmer 2B Omar Infante SS Alcides Escobar 3B Mike Moustakas DH Billy Butler INF Jayson Nix INF Christian Colon OUTFIELDERS: LF Alex Gordon CF Jarrod Dyson RF Nori Aoki OF Josh Willingham OF Lorenzo Cain OF Raul Ibanez OF Terrance Gore

Date post:	24-Jul-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	0 times
Download:	0 times

Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/1/8/0/97314180/October_2_2014_Clips_h19… · They could be...

Documents