The debate this week is supposed to be the topic of who “choked” more, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim or the Chicago Cubs? My editor, Tony Pizza, assigned me this task because I’m a Boston fan. So you would think I would love to tear into the Angels about how they choked, but here’s the thing8212;they didn’t.
Sorry Tony, I’m going to disagree with you on this one. So instead of debating Bryan, I’ll debate the topic.
To be considered a team that “choked,” the Angels would have to be in the situation to do so, and they weren’t. In the first game of the series, the Red Sox put four runs on a team that has been revered for its pitching this season with “K-Rod” Francisco Rodriguez and John Lackey. But Lackey gave up eight hits and four runs in that game and K-Rod couldn’t stop the Red Sox from putting up two runs in the ninth inning of the second game. They didn’t choke, they just got outplayed.
There wasn’t any time in that series in which anyone could say the Angels choked. It was hard fought for most of the games, and it gave us a look at the Fall Classic at its finest.
The Angels were the only team in the league to win 100 games this season. The Red Sox were only five games off the mark and owned the third-best record in the league. It’s not like the Angels went up against a team like the Dodgers, who squeaked their way into the playoffs and upset the Cubs. It was a great match up that led to a great series.
The Angels were arguably in the worst division in baseball this season (aside from the NL West) and didn’t have much trouble picking up wins against these foes. They ended with 21 games up on Texas, who was second in that division. If the BoSox were in this division, they would have won more than 115 games. Just because the Angels have the best record doesn’t mean they have the best team. Stick the Angels in the AL East and they would be in the same picture as the New York Yankees8212;big name players, no results and no Fall Classic.
Give credit to the Angels for picking up a win at Fenway and avoiding the embarrassing post-season broom. What they couldn’t avoid was the grace of Jon Lester, who has become an ace pitcher in the playoffs over his short career. Lester didn’t get the run support he needed and since I’m on the topic, the Red Sox almost choked. The game on Monday easily could have gone either way, thus ruining any chance of writing this story8212;god bless you, Jed Lowrie.
I’m going to agree with Bryan on this debate, the Cubbies absolutely blew it. I’ll leave it to him to tell you why, but the curse must go on.
As for the Angels, swallowing a big, fat postseason bat and ultimately choking on it? No way. They were out-pitched, out-hit and straight up out-played. It’s tough to argue that a team choked when they played virtually the same team8212;minus Manny Ramirez8212;that won the World Series last year.
So to all Angels fans, put the rally-monkeys away for another year before you start some sort of curse. The Angels will be back to the playoffs next season as the team with the best record. They won’t choke or blow it again either, they’ll just get out-played by better A.L. teams in better A.L. divisions.