Angels can embrace clinching division but has to prove it when counts

In the ninth inning, the crowd roared and gave the Angels a standing ovation.

One run on, two out, Francisco Rodriguez was on the mound, trying to help the Angels clinched yet another division title.

Indeed, Rodriguez threw a ball pass Hideki Matsui for a called third strike to record another Angels’ victory and clinched a playoff berth.

Suddenly, the crowd roared as the scoreboards displayed “2008 AL West Champions”, and Angels’ fans held up signs, including one which read “I want to go to the World Series.”

Angels’ owner Arte Moreno came to the field, acknowledging his players and crowd by clapping and singling thumbs-up to the fans wearing red. In response he received chants of “Arte! Arte”!

In the clubhouse, Torii Hunter and his teammates put on goggles, popped the champagne corks and celebrated. Even Arte Moreno and general manager Tony Reagins celebrated, after the Angels won their fourth AL West title in five years, becoming the quickest AL west team to clinch the division, since the Oakland Athletics in 1971.

Rodriguez earned his 56th save, closing out a 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees, moving within one of Bobby Thigpen for the most saves in a single season.

On Wednesday, Dustin Moseley got the start, winning his first game since April 9th against Cleveland. He is 1-3 in his last eight games, and Robb Quinlan gapped the victory with a go-ahead, two run-scoring single in the fifth inning.

Absolutely, the Angels will embrace the moment, however, clinching their division is great for advancing to the postseason, but it is meaningless if they fail to advance to the big stage in the postseason. In the past few years, the Angels have proved that they have success during the season, but they have yet to prove that during the postseason.

In the past few years, the Angels have not advanced pass the first-round. They would always get eliminated early and would get a fast start to vacation.

In 2007, the Boston Red Sox swept the Angels in a three-game series of the ALDS. Boston’s slugger’s Manny Ramirez, who was traded to the Dodgers and David Ortiz, would both abuse the Angels rotation with their long-ball shots, and Josh Beckett struck out most Angels’ batters that he faced.

In the postseason, the Red Sox have the Angels number, after sweeping them in a three-game series of the 2004 ALDS. The Red Sox are 6-0 against the Angels in the postseason.

However, the Angels finished 8-1 against the Red Sox this season, winning the final eight meetings. The Angels troubles are not against the Red Sox this season, the Angels are not intimidated as they once were against the Red Sox.

Now, another AL East team is giving the Angels a challenge.

No, it isn’t the Yankees.

Surely, the Angels prefer to play the Yankees if they could choose. The Angels won seven of the teams 10 meetings this season against the Yankees, including a three-game sweep in August.

This season the team that is challenging the Angels is the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. The Angels can’t win at Tropicana Field, where they went 1-5, winning one game there the entire season. Reliever Scott Kazmir seemingly struck out nearly every Angels’ opposing hitters, as well as James Shields, who has become the ace on the Rays. The Angels has had problems hitting against the Rays tough rotation and bullpen.

The Red Sox and definitely not the Yankees are a primarily concern. The concern are the Rays and their tough pitching, they have one of the top bullpens in the league and one of the top starting rotations.

But the Angels finally brought over a power hitter in Mark Teixeira, who has been a big surge on offense, over the last month. Another key factor is the Angels starting rotation, including John Lackey, Joe Saunders, who got the Angels off to an early surprising start with his great pitching and Ervin Santana, who struggled last season and was demoted to the minors to work on his mechanics, has rebounded with a strong season.

Don’t forget Hunter, who the Angels signed to a 5-year deal, $90 million contract. He is known for his defense, but can also swing the bat well.

Still, the Angels have to get pass the tough obstacles before they can celebrate. The Angels have not accomplished anything yet, and they have to prove they can win when it really counts.