MVN: Most Valuable Network

The LA Angels of Anaheim were the first to punch their post-season ticket and Manager Mike Scioscia has used the last couple of weeks as a sort of extended Spring Training.  Several key players have been given time off to get healthy and some potential playoff bench players have been given valuable big-league at-bats.  Now the injured players are getting put back in the everyday line-up to get their timing back and position the club for a long October run.

Kevin Baxter has a nice article in today's LA Times describing the club's on-field and clubhouse chemistry.  This is a team that is enjoying playing together and has blended well.  The question is whether or not they will have that 'edge' that they will need to propel them past some of the best baseball teams in the league.   It is certainly entertaining watching the Angels beat-up teams like Oakland, Texas and Seattle but the Halos have not played a "playoff caliber" team since they lost two-of-three to the Chicago White Sox September 5 - 7.  Are the players going to be able to kick-it-in to the next gear come October?  I keep dwelling on teams like the 2001 Mariners who set the mark for most wins in the regular season (116) and then collapsed in the first round of the playoffs.  Momentum plays a significant role for baseball teams (see 2002: Angels, Anaheim) and there just does not seem to be a way to gear a team up when their last 17 games of the regular season come against teams who have been out of serious playoff contention since July.

Since who they play and how soon they clinched is essentially something that is out of their control we can only look at what Mike Scioscia has done with his team these past few weeks to prepare them for October.  I for one think he has handled it as well as one can possibly hope:

Vladimir Guerrero -- Status:  Back as starting right-fielder.  Arguably the heart-and-soul of this team.  But Vladdy was hurting last October and the Angels have made a point of it all season to limit his work in right field and preserve his back and legs for the playoffs.  Guerrero has frequently received days at DH as well as regular days off, spelled by Juan Rivera, Reggie Willits and Gary Mathews, Jr (to name a few).  Guerrero also received the last week off to rest his injured right knee (inflammation) but he returned to action on Saturday and has a pair of doubles over his first two games back.   Vlad should be in much better form this post-season.

Howie Kendrick -- Status:  Close to returning.  Since taking over last season as the primary second baseman Kendrick has not exactly been an iron man.  The sweet-swinging infielder has not appeared in a game since August 27th due to a strained hamstring and the Angels have not tried to rush their young star back.  But Mike Scioscia was impressed with a Kendrick workout over the weekend and the club will likely try to get him some big league AB's starting this week in hopes of having him ready for the playoffs.  There are no guarantees that Kendrick's balky hammy's will hold-up but the Angels have shown tremendous patience with the youngster and no matter the outcome, it was the right course of action.

Chone Figgins -- Status:  Back as starting third baseman.   Figgy has had a battery of ailments to contend with this season, most recently a bruised triceps.  But the Angels third baseman was back in action on Sunday and registered a hit.  Figgins remains an integral part of the Angels offense and having him at 100% is vital.  Scioscia has been patient with Figgy as well but make no mistake, he will be in the line-up for the post-season even if he is only at 75%.

Erick Aybar -- Status:  Back as starting shortstop.  One side of the Angels two-headed shortstop, Aybar became the lone-headed shortstop when Maicer Izturis was lost for the year.  But Aybar was another hamstring victim and missed almost three weeks of action.  But he came back last week with a vengence, collecting six hits in his last three games (.461 avg) including two doubles.  Aybar is the kind of player the Angels will need to come up with big hits as opposing pitchers try to work around more established hitters in the Angels' line-up.

Sean Rodriguez --  Status:  Starting second baseman until Kendrick returns then...?   There were no expectations when Rodriguez was recalled from the minors to help shore-up a suddenly depleted middle infield (Maicer Izturis, Erick Aybar & Howie Kendrick all injured).  But slowly Rodriguez has found his groove and come up with timely hits including a 3-run home-run in last night's victory over Texas.   Given the Angels lack of depth behind Kendrick and Aybar S-Rod should be a lock to make the post-season roster.

Juan Rivera --  Status:  Should return from Hip Flexor injury this week then bench player and occasional outfield starter.  Rivera has not quite found his form as an everyday outfielder (.244 avg) but he does have power (12 HR, 13 2B) and that is attractive weapon for Scioscia to have when he needs a pinch-hitter.

Gary Mathews, Jr. --  Status: Back-up outfielder.  GMJ may go down as one of the biggest free-agent busts in history but in filling-in for Guerrero this past week Mathews made a strong case to be included on the post-season roster (10 hits, .454 avg).  GMJ was probably a lock anyway simply as a defensive back-up but having a hot-stick of late might even give GMJ a couple of starts and some DH opportunities in the playoffs.  No one wants to get the stink of the regular season off them more than Mathews and nothing can make the public forgot all the money he got to hit .239 this season than a heroic playoff run.

Brandon Wood -- Status:  Back-up third baseman/shortstop. It is hard to call Wood a bust this early in his career but clearly he is not adapting to the big league game as quickly as the Angels had hoped.  His strikeouts remain high (40 in 52 games) particularly when compared to his walks (3 -- yep -- three!).   But since he began getting regular at-bats in late August Wood has notched 7 multi-hit games including 4 HR and 3 doubles and a respectable .288 average.  Wood has moved ahead of Robb Quinlan as the primary backup at third and more than likely earned himself a spot on the postseason roster.

Kendry Morales --  Status: Backup first baseman/right fielder.  Morales is another guy given some opportunities to show what he could do the past month and he has delivered.  Morales has raised his average 62 points since September 9th though that is a bit misleading considering he only had 19 AB's prior to that.  But Morales is showing the kind of development that helps Angel executives sleep at night knowing Mark Texiera will be a free-agent in November.   It also gives Scioscia another name to pencil in to his post-season wish list.

All tolled things really could not have gone better for the Angels since clinching the division two weeks ago.  Injured players have been given the time to mend and bench players have been given an opportunity to audition for post-season roster spots.  Barring a sudden losing streak the Angels are almost certainly a lock to wind-up the season with the best record in the American League, assuring them of post-season home-field advantage throughout the playoffs (including the World Series thanks to an AL victory in the All-Star Game).   Now we can only wait to see how the Angels finish out their final week of the regular season and with what kind of momentum they enter October.