ALCS Preview: A-Rod, CC and "The Dynasty Boys" vs. Scioscia's Running Rebels

So here we go. After a ridiculously long wait, the ALCS is finally upon us. Angels vs. Yankees III. I didn't think the Angels would be able to get over their postseason demons against the Red Sox so quickly, but they dispatched with them in 3 games. The final game was the most sweet for the Angels as they came back from 4 down and 2 down with two outs in the 9th to win Game 3 against Jonathan Papelbon. The Yankees swept through their first-round series as well and with a huge comeback of their own in Game 2. The Angels and Yankees were both 1 and 2 in many offensive categories and they also were the two best teams in the American League. They went 5-5 against each other in the regular season.

So who wins? Let's see how they stack up

The New York Yankees:
Breaking in the New Stadium with #27!

• They're due. It's been 5 years since they've been in the ALCS, 6 years since they've been in the World Series and 9 years since they've won it all. You can hold down a team with Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera only so long. They've added their missing pieces in Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Nick Swisher and they're ready to take down anyone in their path.
  

• The Yankees have a far superior bullpen. They have a much better closer in Mariano Rivera and two dominant set-up men in Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. David Robertson (13 K/9) could be the set-up man for most teams. Alfredo Aceves (10 wins out the bullpen) is a great asset for them to have. Phil Coke (.584 LH OPS against) and Damaso Marte (.494 LH OPS against) both can get out lefties. And Chad Gaudin (3.43 ERA with NYY) is about as good a long-man as you need to have.
  

• Overall, the Yankee pitching was the best of the first round. In 29 innings the Yankees pitchers had a 1.55 ERA and had 34 strikeouts.

• Their lineup is relentless. A-Rod is on a tear right now and has hit the Angels well in his career, especially in Anaheim. Derek Jeter is having an MVP-caliber season from the lead-off spot and Mark Teixeira has been an MVP-caliber acquisition both offensively and defensively at first base. The bottom third of their lineup is Nick Swisher (.869 OPS, 29 HR), Robinson Cano (.871 OPS, 25 HR) and either Melky Cabrera (13 HR) or Brett Gardner (26 SB). You can't pitch to anyone (except maybe Jose Molina).

• There is a special feeling about this team. Between the walk-offs and the pies and the general good time the players seem to be having, it seems like it's a different team. Even Alex Rodriguez looks loose.

• There's a Democrat in the White House. I know you think this doesn't matter but Ken Davidoff explains:

The Yankees haven't gone all the way with a Republican in the White House since 1958, when Dwight Eisenhower presumably congratulated the Yankees on his Twitter account.

In the past 50 years, no team has won more titles than the Yankees' eight. Yet they have been timed so that Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and both George Bushes never presided over such a triumph. Instead, John Kennedy (1961-62), Jimmy Carter (1977-78) and Bill Clinton (1996, 1998-2000) called the shots.

The Yankees can't beat these Angels!

• The Yankees have been demonized by Mike Scioscia's Angels. Despite the Yankees reign of dominance over baseball since 1995, they have a losing record against the Angels. The Angels came in as underdogs to the 2002 and 2005 ALDS and won both of those series. This team looks relentless and fearless and that should scare the Yankees quite a bit.
  

• If Game 1 gets rained out, the Yankees won't be able to bring CC Sabathia back for Game 4, that probably means Chad Gaudin in Game 4 and CC won't be able to start a possible Game 7. There is a big drop-off between CC and Gaudin and that could doom the Yankees.

• The Yankees barely got by the Twins and couldn't hit their crappy pitching. The Twins went 8 for 28 with RISP and left 32 men on base. The Angles are a much better team than that and actually have some of the best hitters with RISP in the league.
  

• A-Rod has looked good against the Twins before and then choked in the ALCS (2004). He also was awful against the Angels in the 2005 ALDS so there's some caution attached despite the hot start. Also, Only Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and A-Rod had more than two hits in the first round so it's not like the whole team mashed against the Twins.
  

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
There are Angels in the outfield (AKA, they have destiny on their side)

• Never underestimate the importance of a rallying symbol like the Nick Adenhart jersey hanging in their dugout. The Yankees had Frank Torre in 1996 and Darryl Strawberry's colon cancer a few years later. The Angels are playing for a former teammate and sometimes that can be more powerful than anything else.
  

• The Angels won Games 1 and 2 on starting pitching. John Lackey and Jered Weaver combined to throw 14.2 innings, giving up only one run, 6 hits, 3 walks and 11 strikeouts. Brian Fuentes, for all his troubles in the regular season, allowed only one baserunner en route to picking up two saves. Scott Kazmir kills the Yankees.
  

• Kendry Morales (1 HR, 3 RBI) and Torii Hunter (1 HR, 3 RBI) provided the power and Bobby Abreu (.556/.692/.778), Erick Aybar (.364/.364/.636), and Vladamir Guerrero (.400 average) provided the hits needed for victory in the ALDS. Morales is playing the "no one paid attention to me even though I should get MVP votes" factor. Abreu is playing the "Yankees didn't want me now I need to prove something" factor. Vlad is playing the "no one thinks I can play anymore but watch how I can hit" factor.

• The Angels will run-run-run on the Yankees. CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett can get very unnerved by baserunners and the Angels plan to keep those baserunners moving.
  

The Angels run ends right here

• The Angels bullpen is suspect and their closer, Brian Fuentes, isn't that good. The Yankees are a comeback team and those comebacks are against relievers. If the Yankees can get two runs in the 9th against Joe Nathan (one of the steadiest in the league), they should be able to hit Fuentes who doesn't pitch well against the Yankees or in the Bronx.
  

• If CC pitches 3 games, you have to give the Yankees the advantage in each of those games. And I think that Mike Scioscia is making a big mistake going with Joe Saunders in Game 2. If the Yankees can match-up well with the Angels on starting pitching, then it could be a tough series for the Angels to win with the difference in bullpens

• With Freddy Guzman added to the roster and Brett Gardner, A-Rod, Jeter, and Johnny Damon already there, the Yankees should be able to fight speed with speed. The Angels were not good at throwing runners out and the Yankees should take advantage of this.

My prediction: This one is close. I almost came as far as to pick against the Yankees. But in the end, homefield advantage is so important. The Yankees were 57-24 at home during the regular season and have won two games at home there in the postseason. Thy don't play as well in Anaheim. I think this one is going the distance and it will be a good one, but I believe we will see the Yankees emerge victorious. Yankees 4 - Angels 3

What do you think? Let's see some of your predictions of how this series is going to turn out below in the comments

Key Yankees Hitters:



Key Yankees Pitchers:



Key Angels Hitters:



Key Angels Pitchers: