ALCS Game 1 Preview – Angels and Yankees Battle for AL Pennant
After going a perfect 6-0 over the course of both ALDS opening round matchups, I am prepared to put devoted MLB baseball gamblers on the path toward making a plethora of winning wagers on, both, the outcome of this ALCS matchup between the New York Yankees (106-59 SU, 90-75 RL, 77-80-8 O/U) and Los Angeles Angels (100-65 SU, 93-71 RL, 84-74-6 O/U) and its individual contests.
With the first pitch for this series being thrown out in a mere matter of hours, let me get down to the business at hand – breaking down what promises to be an absolutely thrilling ALCS matchup between the two biggest winners in all of baseball this past regular season.
Angels
The Angels have a veteran lineup, peppered with just enough youth, giving them a fine balance between the two. Los Angeles also knocked the Yankees out of the postseason in 2002 and 2005, beating New York in the ALDS each time, so don’t expect fear or awe to be a factor for L.A.
The Angels also have the better manager in this series by far with Mike Scioscia being the only big league manager in the long history of the game to lead his team to the playoffs six times in his first 10 years managing in the majors. Last but not least, this years Angels team became the first and only squad in MLB history with a whopping 11 players record at least 50 RBI.
Yankees
New York won more games – and hit more home runs – than any team in baseball this season, though their new bandbox stadium undeniably contributed to the latter fact. The Yankees also have the highest payroll and some of the biggest ‘name’ players in the game, including a player many think is the second-best hitter on the planet (behind the unmatched Albert Pujols) in third baseman Alex Rodriguez, not to mention one of baseball’s best leaders – and most clutch players of all-time in beloved shortstop Derek Jeter.
Offense
The Yankees and Angels finished 1-2 in the majors in runs this season, but they got there in totally different ways with New York mashing a major league-leading 244 home runs (20 more than Philadelphia) while the Angels ranked third in all of baseball in stolen bases (148) and manufacture runs much better than their long-ball hitting counterparts.
The Angels had the highest team batting average in the majors this season (.285) just in front of … you guessed it, New York (.283) while New York bashed 325 team doubles and L.A. hit 293 team double-baggers.
The Yankees averaged 5.7 runs per game while the Halos put up 5.5 runs per contest and both teams rapped out an identical 9.9 hits per contest.
Los Angeles had a whopping eight players with at least 370 at-bats hit at least .287 or high while five players with at least 500 at-bats hit .290 or better and that’s not including 2004 AL MVP Vladimir Guerrero, the best ‘bad-pitch’ hitter in all of baseball. Kendry Morales and former Yankee Bobby Abreu each drove in over 100 runs while emotional leader Torii Hunter added 90 RBI.
The Yankees saw two regulars (Jeter, Robinson Cano) hit .320 or better while five other batters hit .274 or better. Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira each topped 30 home runs while five other batters hit at least 20 home runs or more and nine players drove in at least 50 runs.
The fact of the matter BetUS MLB sports betting enthusiasts, is that these two teams can both hit the ball like nobody’s business and are just about dead-even, no matter which team you like more.
Edge: Even
Defense
Both teams gave up an identical 4.7 runs per contest with New York allowing 8.6 hits and 3.5 walks per contest and L.A. giving up an average of 9.4 hits and 3.2 walks per contest. New York averaged 7.8 strikeouts per contest while L.A. averaged 6.6 K’s per contest. It might not be a very big edge here MLB fanatics, but the Yankees are just a wee bit better according to the numbers.
Edge: Yankees
Starting Pitching
Five starting pitchers recorded double digits in wins this season for L.A. with Jered Weaver, Matt Palmer and John Lackey all posting ERA’s under 4.00 and left-hander Joe Saunders putting up a team-high 16 wins.
Four Yankees starters reached double digits in wins this season with CC Sabathia and Alfredo Aceves each posting ERA’s under 4.00. However, A.J. Burnett, an aging Andy Pettitte and Aceves don’t compare to Weaver, Palmer and Saunders.
Edge: Angels
Bullpen
L.A.’s bullpen tossed a combined 350.1 total innings, compiling a 4.24 ERA while allowing 349 hits, 37 home runs and 138 walks while the Yankee’s relievers pitched 389.0 total innings, allowing 338 combined hits, a whopping 53 home runs and an identical 138 walks with a 3.68 ERA.
Angels’ closer Brian Fuentes recorded 48 saves in just 55.0 innings pitched with 46 strikeouts, 24 walks and a high 3.93 ERA.
Yankees’ Hall of Fame-bound closer Mariano Rivera recorded 44 saves in 66.1 innings pitched with 72 K’s, 12 walks and a fantastic 1.76 ERA.
Edge: Yankees
Analysis: While the New York Yankees have home-field advantage in this series, the much bigger ‘name’ players and the far better closer, one thing they won’t have going for them in this matchup is the ‘intimidation’ factor as the Angels know full-well they can, not only play with the vaunted Yankees, but actually beat them.
The longtime rivals split 10 games dead-even during the regular season, but I believe the fact that L.A. has the far better manager in Mike Scioscia will come back to haunt the Yankees at some point during this series, not to mention the fact that L.A. has what I believe is a better group of starting pitchers, will help them win this series in the end.
I also like the fact that L.A. has hit a blistering .300 against CC Sabathia as a team this season and has a slew of gifted right-handed hitters that are both, patient and powerful, will help the Angels win this series, particularly if Sabathia takes the mound in three games as manager Joe Girardi plans on having his staff ace southpaw do.
Scioscia holds a 50-41 career record against the Yankees -- making the Angels the only American League team with a winning record against New York over the past nine years.
Also think gifted switch-hitter Kendry Morales and the late-season addition of southpaw Scott Kazmir will help the Angels overcome the fact that they failed to add either Sabathia or Mark Teixeira in free agency during the last free agent signing period.
It should also be interesting to see how Bobby Abreu fares against his former team after they basically parted ways with the smooth veteran in part because they lost confidence in him.
In the end, I like the Los Angeles Angels to win and advance to the 2009 World Series.
Prediction: Angels in 6
ALCS Series Odds
Los Angeles Angels +145
New York Yankees -175
