Monday, October 26, 2009

ALCS Game 6 - Yanks Finally Swat Aside Angels

The Yankees finally vanquished the annoying Anaheim Angels, winning Game 6 of the ALCS and will face the Phillies in the World Series, starting Wednesday. They won 5-2 despite Jorge Posada's best attempts to sabotage the game at all costs. The game's dumbest player went 0-5, leaving 10 men on base, hitting into 2 double plays and failing miserably twice with the bases loaded. He wasn't the only culprit of the game though, but he was by far the worst. The Yanks put 20 men on the base paths, but only mustered 5 runs. 2 of those runs came in courtesy of the Angels horrendous defense.

Fortunately for the Yanks, the grizzled veteran, Andy Pettitte was on the mound, as he picked up his record 16th postseason win. They also had the great Mariano Rivera to finish up this game and toss aside a team that had no business being on the same field as the Yankees. Joe Girardi wasn't going to fool around in the 8th inning - he went straight to Mo to record the game's final 6 outs. Mo did surrender his first postseason run in a home game, but struck out Gary Matthews, Jr. to end the game, and series, in style, as the Yankees celebrated their accomplishment.

Thoughts on the game and the series:

- Mike Scioscia is a fraud. For all the flak Joe Girardi received, Scioscia made just as many puzzling moves. He should have removed Saunders after 3 innings. Clearly, Saunders was walking the tightrope, stranding the New York National Guard on the base paths. It was a matter of time before the Yanks broke through. It came in the 4th. His use of Kazmir was bizarre, too. Let's not forget his removal of John Lackey in Game 5 or removing lefty Darren Oliver to bring in righty Kevin Jepsen to face Robinson Cano. And why, oh why, would you continue to bat Chone Figgins in the leadoff spot.

- Other fraudulent Angel players: Choney, of course. He must have cost himself millions with his utterly horrendous performance in the playoffs. Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter, Kendry Morales and Juan Rivera all belong on that list, too. Where the hell were they? Let's not forget Brian Fuentes. If he were the Yankees closer, I would have died of a stroke in mid-May.

- Angels pitches had 9 walks in Game 6. Smells like this team needed to change their underwear.

- Boston Red Sox should be embarrassed they lost to this Angels team. This was by far the worst Angel team that has made the playoffs. After Lackey, they had no pitching whatsoever.

- Another double for Jeff Mathis. He had 5 in the series. He only had 8 all year. Unbelievable.
- Tex had 2 hits and a sac fly. Hopefully, he's heating up in time for the World Series.

- There was a Nick Swisher sighting at the Stadium. And I'm not talking about his great defensive play doubling up Vlad Guerrero at 1B on a line drive. Swisher singled and scored the 2nd run. He still sucks. He is 4-32 in the playoffs. What does he have on Girardi?

- What happened to the Angels hard-nosed style of play? Their defense stunk, their base running was atrocious, and for a team that relies on speed, I can't recall any major stolen base that led to big run in the whole series.

- Kudos to Erick Aybar - you finally look like a man when you shaved your head instead of looking like Manny Ramirez' little girl.

- Girardi, are you nuts for bringing in Joba? Pettitte must have thought you were crazy when you went to take him out of the game. Thank God the move paid off.

- CC had a great series, but ARod's was better. ARod deserved the MVP, if not co-MVP.

There's just a maximum of 7 stressful games left. My heart can't wait.

Yankees Postseason Record: 7-2
ALCS Series: Yankees Win, 4-2

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