The Angels Are Mickey Mouse

Let’s face it, the Angels are just not taken seriously. They’re Disneyland, beach balls, happy fans.

They’re not charging the mound. Screaming at umps. Kicking dirt on a base.

They’re West coast cool. Snappy red uniforms. Big smiles. The best place to play.

And they’re getting scr***d.

Over and over again.

Anyone remember the 2005 playoff series against the Chicago White Sox? So many calls went against the Angels it felt fixed.

Happened again tonight against Boston. There were at least four calls that went against the Angels that would not have happened if the shoe was on the other foot, i.e. the Boston Red Sox.

Boston is mean. Tough as leather. Big green monster. Mouthy fans.

And umps gets intimidated, swayed by the atmosphere, weak willed.

Especially the mediocre ones.

That's not to say that's the only reason the Angels lost.

The Angels lost as well because they have a serious, possibly incurable problem with Boston.

Boston is full of savvy veterans who know how to close. The Angels are filled with talented young guys who do not.

Young guys like Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar and Kendry Morales in the infield, Kevin Jepsen and Jason Bulger on the mound. Can they handle the pressure?

Not yet.

This is a collision course we didn’t want to be on. But here we on. It’s gonna be Boston in the first round. We know that. It was almost predetermined before the season started. So what are the Angels going to do about it?

They’re going to have to do what the 2002 team did and beat the stuffing out of teams. They can’t leave 14 men on base. They can’t throw away pickoff throws. They can’t blow double play grounders one after another.

And they can’t rely on the umps.

Because if it’s a close call, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

And the Angels are about as squeaky as a mouse.