Angels-Red Sox in ALDS: What to Watch for

The playoff picture in the American League isn't quite finished being painted, but one thing is certain: the Angels and Red Sox will be at it again come October.

For the Red Sox, this could be the best news they've had, especially of late. They have absolutely owned the Angels, historically, having beaten them in nine (yes, NINE) consecutive playoff games dating back to 1986.

For the Halos, it's also a chance to dispel history and chase all aspects of their own mini Boston curse out of sports columns everywhere.

In a sense, though, the Boston Red Sox can't lose this series—not in a media sense, anyway. Their fans, too, already have a built-in excuse, which leads me to my first of three key factors to this series.

1. Red Sox Injuries

The Red Sox limped into the postseason this year, with a spatter of injuries to a pretty solid core of their talent.

Mike Lowell, for starters, is banged up, and taking him out of the lineup takes out a proven October performer from the offense. Defensively it's a minus too, because Kevin Youkillis is a downgrade at third base.

J.D. Drew is nowhere near 100 percent, and that is another significant minus to the team's offensive production.

Limited to just 28 games in the second half, Drew has had some nagging injuries this season, and has only played recently. He started the first game of the Yankees doubleheader in right field and went 0-2 at the plate. 

Both Drew and Lowell will work out at Anaheim today, and Coach Terry Francona is evaluating both players' levels of ability before he finalizes his playoff roster.

The bigger question has to be Red Sox ace Josh Beckett. Beckett's usual Game One start has been pushed back to Game Three in this series, and that has to play into the Angels' favor.

2. These Angels and These Red Sox

The league, and especially media, are of the opinion that the Angels still can't swing with the big boys in the A.L.

Looking at select stats, the Angels led the league with 61 victories that were by one or two-run margins.

Maybe I'm a bit of a fan, but isn't that all it takes to win ballgames? Do the rules change in October and require that every team win by huge margins? I mean, sure, the Yankees put up great numbers of runs this year—good enough to finish third in the A.L. East and out of the playoff picture.

Angels GM Tony Reagins, in his first full year behind the team, made some aggressive maneuvers this season. He plucked perennial Gold Glove center field Torii Hunter out of last season's free-agent market, then traded heralded youngster Casey Kotchman for potential rent-a-slugger Mark Teixeira at the trade deadline.

Teixeira's numbers match up almost identically to another trade deadline deal. Namely, the one that sent Mr. Kill-the-Angels-in-October Manny Ramirez up the I-5 freeway to the Dodgers.

Teixeira's glove is a plus at first base, and his bat is a huge upgrade. He's hit .358 since coming back to the AL with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 54 games. He's also heading into his first October, and he's an unproven playoff performer, but the Angels will take those odds any day of the year. 

The Red Sox are banged up—we've already established that. However, they're also not the same team that swept last year's Angels en route to another World Series victory. 

Say what you will, but Manny Ramirez has absolutely owned the Angels in the postseason. Jason Bay is much more than a serviceable fielder and player. He's even among the upper echelon of ability in the league, but he is no Manny Ramirez.

The rest of the Red Sox can hurt you, too, any day of the week. But being banged up, and missing the ManRam, this team isn't quite as frightening come October as they once were, with perhaps the best one-two punches of the modern era in Ortiz and Ramirez.

3. Mike Napoli, ALDS Stud

What? A platooned catcher? You bet your baked beans a platooned catcher.

Napoli is a great catcher and works particularly well with Angels ace John Lackey. He has been absolutely murdering the ball of late, and hitting for average amazingly well in the second half.

He hit .453 in the month of September with six home runs and 13 RBI, and is, dare I say, en fuego, of late.

Watch for him to continue his hot streak and put some power into the bottom of the Angels' batting order.

All in all, the ALDS is shaping up to be a great series, with a variety of undertones that stand poised to take their moment in the spotlight.

After it's all said and done, though, the Red Sox have their injured excuse built right into this series. Even when the Angels win, they'll not get full credit.

But I'm pretty sure the Angels and their fans are okay with that.

Halos in four.