If you listened to the Angels-Vernon Wells press conference on the radio like I did, you may have set a record for shaking your head back and forth.  You may also have winced at the spin, rivaling that of a propaganda campaign during 1930’s Berlin.  In a cryptic quote that may foreshadow the Angels’ dark future, Angels’ owner Arte Moreno, when asked about not signing Carl Crawford, stated, “I guess for me…the 7 year…the 6, 7 year contracts are tough.”

That’s a scary thing if you’re an Angel fan, because the owner of the team basically just admitted that he won’t sign any premium player…ever. The elite players in the game want at least 6 years on a deal for security.  If Moreno is not going to offer that, then prepare for a bunch of 2^nd and 3^rd tier players to be passed off on the fan base as elite level.  When you add to Moreno’s quote his own ego-driven inability to work with the pain in the posterior that is Scott Boras, it certainly seems that the Angels will never land elite level talent.

For whatever a prick Boras has proven to be, he represents the best players in baseball, and if Arte’s chonies are still in a twist after the Mark Teixeira negotiations from 2008, the Angels will go back to the also-rans of the 1990’s in refusing to deal with the agent that represents the very best on the sport.  And guess who their poster boy, Kendry Morales’s agent is?  That’s right, Mr. Boras.  Morales is coming up on a contract year, so as long as he is represented by Boras, Angel fans can watch another prime time player walk out the door.  Unless Moreno actually opens his wallet for Pujols (who is not represented by Boras) in the 11-12 off season, the Angels will fail once again.  Since Moreno said in the Wells press conference that he doesn’t agree with the 6 and 7 year contracts and Pujols is rumored to be looking for a 10 year deal, or at least close to it, the Angels chances of landing him also seem to be about as good as Khloe Kardashian’s chances as a sex symbol.  (See our story, “Stanque Et Cannabis“)

With Angel fans excited about what might come to be, and he told the L.A. Times in December, “I’m not the Boston Red Sox.  I’m not the New York Yankees”.  Then maybe you shouldn’t suggest it in previous months.  Apparently Moreno was so disappointed in October, he told the L.A. Times that he was, “angry, disappointed, and would spend whatever it takes to return to the playoffs.”

"No, he's not Crawford. But his salary is."

So let’s get into the finances.  Wouldn’t it have been better to sign Crawford, and trade Napoli and Rivera for some middle relief?  They spent $23 million over the next 3 years on a 34 and 35 year old middle reliever.   Signing Crawford at $20 million and getting rid of Rivera and Napoli’s contracts for some cheaper, younger middle relievers that wouldn’t have cost anywhere near $23 million seems a lot more viable.  They actually would have saved money.

At 7 years and $142 million, Crawford comes with a price tag of 20.28 million a year.   And after Toronto absorbs a miniscule $5 million of the Wells contract, Wells comes in at $81 million over the next 4 years, roughly $20.25 million a year.   There have been conflicting reports saying Toronto absorbed $16 million of the salary, which would put Wells at a cost of roughly $17 million per season.  Regardless of which is true, when the contract expires, Wells will be the same age as if the Angels would have given the same deal to Crawford.  Crawford hit for a higher average, stole more bases and had more RBI’s than Wells did, and he’s 3 years younger, a gold glove last year, and has nowhere near the injury history Wells totes with him.

"Carl...how does it feel to be paid what you're worth?"

Additionally, Wells’ hitting in the middle of the order doesn’t benefit the rest of the lineup.  Crawford at the top will enhance everyone else’s RBI chances and increase the run scoring ability of the team.

The date is set for April 21^st in Anaheim.  That will be the first day Carl Crawford and the Red Sox come to town, and get to show the Angels fans’ what they are missing, and why their owner made a colossal mistake.  In the end, there has been much speculation that Moreno would have to raise ticket prices.  Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times did a piece recentlyThe average ticket price is said to be around $20, and to justify signing Crawford, it would take prices to around $30. Guess what Arte?  I wonder how many people will pay $20 a ticket to watch a loser.  I think most people are with me, and they would pay $30 to watch a winner.

Phillies vs. Dodgers

Attempting to avenge last year’s loss in 5 games, the Dodgers once again meet up with the Phillies in the NLCS.  This time, however, things may be different.

After dominating and dumping the St. Louis Cardinals, widely considered by many experts to breeze through the National League playoffs, the Dodgers seem to have found their early season form, minus Manny on Steroids of course.  While we cannot imagine a pennant winning pitching staff comprised of Clayton Kershaw, Randy Wolf, and Vicente Padilla, the Dodgers already blasted through the best staff remaining in the National league in Carpenter, Wainwright, and Pinero. On paper, the staff of Cliff Lee (maybe the best trade deadline acquisition this year) J.A. Happ (although he may be moved o the bullpen for soft throwing Pedro Martinez), and last season’s post season stud Cole Hamels should be far superior.  Then again, that’s paper.  And while the Manny isn’t hitting .600 like he did last year, other players have stepped up.  Matt Kemp might be one of the 5 best young players in the league.  He can do it all: defense, speed, power, and hit for average.  The Phillies have a lot of punch in that lineup, and may have the best 1-6 in the league.  They should score minimum of 4 runs a game, but even that may not be enough to get past the Dodgers, especially with their home field advantage.

KEY:  The Bullpen

The Dodgers bullpen is far superior to the Phillies, which is the Phillies’ Achilles heel.  Any time you have two opponents where the same attribute is one’s strength and the other’s weakness, the one who has that strength should win.

Angels vs. Yankees

The improbable story of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim-I’m just going to call them Anaheim Angels from here on out-continues against the best team in the league.  However, what’s different this time for the Angels is the fact that they exorcised the demon that was the Boston Red Sox.  And it wasn’t just who they did, it was the way they did it:  On the road in a ballpark that has been their biggest kryptonite.  Against a team that has eliminated them every time the play in the post season for the last 23 years, including 12 of their last 13 games, and against the best bullpen and closer in baseball, all with nobody on, down to and down to their final strike.

The Angels, going back to the late 90’s, are the only team in baseball with a winning record against the Yankees.  This includes the Joe Torre years of glory, where they won 3 in a row.  Based on this, and the fact that they beat Boston, the Angels feel that there’s no one they can’t beat, including the Yankees.

For the Yankees, there’s no more question about whom the best in the East, or in baseball.  The Yankees racked up 103 wins, and after spending close to half a billion dollars on free agents-that’s right, BILLION-the dividends have immediately been paid. The Yankees downfall this decade has been their lack of starting pitching, and they addressed that by going out and getting C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.  Their ability to strike guys out, not just get ground ball or fly ball outs, is critical.  Keep the Angels off the bases, and they will be rewarded.  Mark Teixeira has earned every bit of his $188 million dollar contract in the first year, and after using the Angels last year as a bargaining chip, it should be competitive.  Most importantly, Alex Rodriguez is finally coming through in the post season, something other hated and steroid filled hall of famers never did.  But now he’s not o the juice, and after missing over a month still finished in the league leaders in home runs and RBI’s upon his return.  See our article “Red October”-we predicted him to have his first great post season, and so far he’s not disappointing. The Angels bullpen has been shaky at best, and against Mariano Rivera, the Yanks definitely have the advantage.  Then again, the “experts” said that about the Angels vs. the Red Sox too.

KEY: Angels on the base paths.  If the Angels are able to get on base, distract the pitcher and go first to third, as they do better than any team, they can pull it off.  If the Yankees are able to strike guys out and keep the Angels off the bases that will go along way in securing their first pennant in 6 years.

Predictions

Phillies/Dodgers

Our proud Irish Friend and baseball nut, Mr. Reeve O’Leedus, has offered his predictions against mine.  He should be out golfing, drinking, peeling potatoes or getting in a fight.  He may do it all in one night, but he knows baseball, and its fun to see who he picked.  If he’s right though, I have to stroke his shillelagh (sha-la-lee).

“Ahh, to be sure, Phillies pitching is not as dominant as it were last year.  Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge have fallen back to earth to the peat.
Mr. Ryan Howard went 3-for-28 with 11 strikeouts against the Dodgers this year, and Utley and Jimmy Rollins both were a wee bit under 200.  Cliff Lee will be pitching on short rest, and the lads, Ethier, Kemp have grown up.  The Dodgers bench, their left handed pitchers against their left handed line up, and Manny’s a hittin again.  And the Dodgers have home field advantage”. –Irish Reeve O’Leedus

My Prediction:  Dodgers in 7                   Irish Reeve O’Leedus: Dodgers in 6

Starting Pitching        Phillies                   Phillies
Bullpen                      Dodgers                  Dodgers
Defense                      Phillies                   Phillies
Power                         Phillies                   Phillies
Run Production          Phillies                   Dodgers
Speed                         Phillies                    Phillies
Bench                         Dodgers                  Dodgers
Manager                     Dodgers                  Dodgers
Intangibles                 Dodgers                   Dodgers

Angels vs. Yankees

Irish Reeve O’Leedus offers his picks for the ALCS. The bet on this series is I have to bath him in a bowl of Lucky Charms if I lose.  I think I’d actually do the NLCS wager twice: stroking his shillelagh (sha-la-lee).

“ Mr. Sabathia is the only dominant pitcher the Yanks be havin’, Andy Pet it (please)  is below mediocre, so the pitching advantage goes to the Angels.  The Angels also have the “Do it for Adenhart story”.  The history of the Angels beating the Yanks does a wee bit further in helping them, to be sure that’s right.  Mr. Scoscia should outcoach Mr. Girardi
But can Vlad hit?  He has to in order for them to win.  However, Mr. Teixeira and his Portuguese blood is unstoppable.  If he were Irish he’d be puttin’ Shamrock Shake all over ya.”-Irish Reeve O’Leedus

My Prediction: Yankees in 7          Irish Reeve O’Leedus: Angels in 7

Starting Pitching       Push                        Angels
Bullpen                     Yankees                  Yankees
Defense                     Angels                     Angels
Power                       Yankees                   Yankees
Run Production        Angels                      Angels
Speed                        Angels                     Angels
Bench                        Push                        Angels
Manager                    Angels                     Angels
Intangibles                Angels                     Angels