MVN: Most Valuable Network

I have a lot of disjointed, random thoughts after the Angels were eliminated from the playoffs on Monday night. Here they are:

- There are many, including myself, who will say that this 2008 season is a disappointment because the Angels did not make it to the World Series. Still, I appreciate that for the Angels, the World Series is a goal and not a pipe dream. This team will compete again next year.

- Also, I, like a lot of Angels players, did not feel the Red Sox were as talented as the Halos. The Angels beat themselves, rather than letting the Red Sox beat them. The silver lining, if there is one from this series, is that the Halos made all four games competitive unlike in 2007; if a ball had bounced this way or that way - or if a bunt had been placed correctly - it could have been the Angels advancing.

- The squeeze play. There have been thousands upon thousands of words written about Angel Manager Mike Scioscia electing to have Erick Aybar bunt to bring Reggie Willits home in the top of the ninth. Aybar missed the bunt and Willits was tagged out at third.

I would have preferred Aybar swing away and try to get a hit or a pop fly to drive Willits in. Even if Aybar had failed, Figgins would then have had a chance to drive Willits home. I can only assume that Scioscia, knowing the Angels were struggling with runners in scoring position, wanted to force the issue. We can all second guess and Monday-morning quarterback Scioscia but if the play had been successful, we would be commending him. Live by the bunt, die by the bunt.

- I think the two key things that separated the Angels from the Red Sox this series were defense and hitting. The Angels played terrible defense throughout the series whereas the Red Sox played solid defense. Meanwhile, the Angels struggled all series long driving runners home in scoring position whereas the Red Sox did just enough of that to eke by. Plus the Angels did not start getting extra base hits until Game 3!!!

Scioscia has said that the Angels are built around pitching and defense. Unfortunately, only the pitching showed up this series.

- Is it time to adjust the ways the Angels play baseball? Understand, we are not fans of the Billy Beane "Moneyball" statistics-driven type of analysis that Rob Neyer has an orgasm over. However, the Red Sox have adopted some of those Moneyball standards and incorporated some speed into the lineup with the likes of Jacoby Ellsbury.

Do I think the Angels need to become like the Red Sox? Hell, no. I would be sickened if Angels batters reacted the way guys like David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis do when they get a called strike or a called third strike. Ortiz and Youkilis react like you said something about their mother whenever they get a called strike.

But the Angels do need to install some sense of patience into their lineup. Too often, Angels hitters were swinging at the first pitch - even if it was out of the strike zone. In some cases, the Angels hitters swung at the first, second and third pitch too - and here we are specifically referring to Howie Kendrick. And this all leads to......

- My friend suggested this one: Do the Angels need to release/fire/ask to step aside hitting coach Mickey Hatcher?

In 2005, 2007 and 2008, the Angels offense has disappeared in the postseason - along with the extra base hits.

Here's some staggering numbers - in 2002, the Angels were fourth in the American League in runs scored. But in recent playoff years and non-playoff years, the Halos' rank in the American League in runs scored has been pitiful.

In 2004 and 2005, the Halos were seventh in the league in runs scored. In 2007, the Angels again were fourth in the league in runs. However, this year the Angels were tenth(!) in the American League in runs scored.

And while both Torii Hunter and Mark Texieira were brought in to give some power to the Angels lineup, they did not hit any home runs nor did Vladimir Guerrero in the four-game series.

And Howie Kendrick seemed to swing at everything.

Maybe the Angels need to bring in a new hitting coach - one who is able to work with the Angels' young hitters and counsel them on how to take a few pitches. However, a new hitting coach would also need to be able to work with hitters to coach them on how to hit and run and work with runners on base.

I don't like to write that so-and-so should be fired and/or released but at this point don't Angels fans have to point at the offense as holding the team back? If you let Hatcher go and brought someone else in, couldn't the new hitting coach do at least a little bit better with the hitters?

- Speaking of letting people go: Here is my list of free agent Angels who should be kept and should be let go:

Francisco Rodriguez - Let him go. That J.D. Drew home run was Frankie's last dance at Angel Stadium. Let another team overpay him and let him save 70 games; he has been hittable all year.

Garret Anderson - Let him go. While I would like to see Garret Anderson stay and finish his career with the Angels, I don't see it happening. He would have to settle for a salary of $3 million to $5 million to stay with the Angels and I think he thinks he could get more elsewhere. Also despite his second-half surges in back-to-back years, GA is getting older.

Mark Teixeira - Keep him. Of course, I don't think the Angels will be able to keep him. Since he is a Scott Boras client, Tex will be asking for an eight to 10-year contract and Arte Moreno's first born child. Tex will also be seeking about $20 million or year a more and I don't believe that Moreno is willing to shell out that dough.

Vladimir Guerrero - Keep him. The Halos have a club option for 2009 for Vladdy but the thought is they will offer him an extension. Will he be satisfied if it is not as much as Torii Hunter received? By the way, Vlad still has only driven in one run now in about the last 80 postseason at bats.

John Lackey - Keep him. Like Vlad, Lackey has an option for 2009 but he made some cryptic comments to the L.A. Times about waiting to see what the Angels will do in the offseason offense-wise before he re-ups. But you have to keep Lackey; he kept the Halos in both games 1 and 4.

Jon Garland - Let him go. Thanks for the innings but not the memories, Jon.

Juan Rivera - Keep him. Again, if the Halos can get Rivera to stay, he provides some decent pop off of the bench and is a better offensive player than Gary Matthews, Jr. But again it depends on how much money Rivera is seeking; he might also take less and go somewhere where he can be a full-time player.

- That's about it for my postseason wrap-up. Again, the postseason was far too short for the Angels and their fans.

The good news is spring training begins in about 130 to 140 days. I will see you all in Tempe!