How To Fuel A Rivalry: Angels Vs. East Coast Goliaths

Is it possible to fuel a rivalry? Do non-geographic rivalries actually exist in sports, let alone in baseball, anymore? Does vitriolic hate and general distaste and disgust exist for another uniform?

The (Los Angeles) Angels of Anaheim (orange county based writer) should hope that the answer to those questions is a yes.

At best, they hope for a maybe.

As a team that has consistently been among the top finishers in baseball under skipper Mike Scioscia, the Angels still fight for national relevance.

From the perennial favorites, the Yankees, to the recently curse-less Boston Red Sox,  the Angels are the quiet champions of the AL West for 4 of the last five seasons since their first World Series win in 2002.

This year is no different. Through today, the Angels lead all of baseball with a 74-43 record, leading the AL West by 14 games. Comparative teams? The media darling Tampa Bay Rays, 71-46, and Chicago Cubs, 71-47, are getting exposure by all national media outlets as they have great seasons.

It makes sense that the Rays get the attention. Not only do they play in the Yankees and Red Sox laden AL East, they've gone from zero to hero in one season, already bettering the 66-96 record they had last year, and doing so with relative unknowns.

The Cubs are the new Red Sox. Legendary skipper Lou Piniella took the helm last year and with a roster full of all stars and a decent pitching staff, this team is as poised to erase their World Series-less history as they have been since last winning it 100 years ago (1908).

And we all know that west coast teams are tough to follow out East because the time zones.

BLAH BLAH freakin' BLAH.

It's time to end the whining.

The Angels are the best team in baseball right now, and have been consistently under Scioscia. I wrote an article about a month ago saying  that the Angels still didn't have the bats necessary to beat Boston come October.

Lots has changed in a month.

Now, the Red Sox are without Manny Ramirez-he's doing his thing up the street for that other LA franchise (Dodgers).

The Yankees don't even factor into the playoff picture as it stands right now, and the Halos just finished sweeping them in Anaheim this past weekend.

Boston's streak of 9, yes NINE, consecutive playoff victories against the hapless Halos of years past looks like it's about to change. With the addition of I-think-I'm-a-rental Mark Teixeira, the Angels finally have a real one-two (three-four-five?) punch to counter the Red Sox bats come October.

Their pitching has been lights out, with two relative rookies, or youngsters anyway, potential Cy Young winners in Earvin Santana and Joe Saunders. Staff Ace John Lackey finally learned how to pitch in fenway (he had a no-hitter ended in 9th a few weeks ago), and Closer Frankie Rodriquez on pace to the single season save record, the Angels  are no longer that cute little team from Orange County.

They're they best team in baseball.

They've handled the Red Sox this year.

They've handled the Yankees for years.

They should be the ones with the national spotlight, and I think the only way for it to happen is to throw the gauntlet down, and say this:

We're better than the Yankees.

Our fans are better.

Our stadium is better.

Our Coast is better.

The Red Sox fans are the RAIDERS fans of Major League Baseball.

They are mouthy.

They are crude.

They are everywhere.

Bring it East Coast.

You may get the press, but we're the better team, and we're the better coast.

Let's see if this starts anything. :)