The #'s say it all:
IN THE POSTSEASON, ANAHEIM HAS THUS FAR BEEN PLAYING BETTER BALL THAN SAN FRANCISCO.
Only 2 Angels batters with 10 or more at bats have a less than .300 batting avg and less than .350 on base pctg. Conversely, the Giants have only 2 batters with a .300 or more batting avg and at least a .350 OBP. And only Barry Bonds can claim to be one of the two in both of those categories for SF. So what does that tell you? Bonds is leading (almost carrying) his team, while the Halos are playing like a team.
On the basepaths, Halos have been aggressive. 7 players have successfully stolen a base, San Fran only 2. Anaheim bats and baserunning have produced 26 extra base hits, while SF has 15.
IN THE WORLD SERIES through 3 games, only 2 Angels (with 5 or more at bats) are hitting less than .300, while the Giants have only 3 hitting more than .300. Halos have 9 extra base hits, SF only 1.
Most telling of SF's baserunning and getting on base woes, they have scored 18 runs while hitting 9 homers, for a 2:1 ratio! Angels have only 4 round trippers while scoring 24 runs, for a run to HR ratio of 6:1. Clearly the Halos have been better at getting runners on base and getting them home, the small ball way.....advancing runners, stealing bases, and manufacturing runs.
The Giants were able to win the NLCS not by hitting, but with pitching. St. Louis got men on base, outhit SF at PacBell, but lacked clutch hitting and couldn't get runners home. Angels in the postseason have come through with hits when it counted most.
GAME 4 PREVIEW: (no prediction)
A shakey Kirk Rueter (7.07 postseason ERA) is on the mound. Here is a starting pitcher who usually is gone by the 6th inning. Dusty might not be as confident in his middle relief having utilized it so much in the past couple of games. Rueter has only 4 K's in 14 innings this postseason. He cannot afford to go after Anaheim's hitters. Halos bats need to be disciplined and patient enough to hit the right pitches. Lackey, meanwhile, may be wise to attack everyone in the SF lineup except Bonds, and be careful with Sanders and Snow.
IN THE POSTSEASON, ANAHEIM HAS THUS FAR BEEN PLAYING BETTER BALL THAN SAN FRANCISCO.
Only 2 Angels batters with 10 or more at bats have a less than .300 batting avg and less than .350 on base pctg. Conversely, the Giants have only 2 batters with a .300 or more batting avg and at least a .350 OBP. And only Barry Bonds can claim to be one of the two in both of those categories for SF. So what does that tell you? Bonds is leading (almost carrying) his team, while the Halos are playing like a team.
On the basepaths, Halos have been aggressive. 7 players have successfully stolen a base, San Fran only 2. Anaheim bats and baserunning have produced 26 extra base hits, while SF has 15.
IN THE WORLD SERIES through 3 games, only 2 Angels (with 5 or more at bats) are hitting less than .300, while the Giants have only 3 hitting more than .300. Halos have 9 extra base hits, SF only 1.
Most telling of SF's baserunning and getting on base woes, they have scored 18 runs while hitting 9 homers, for a 2:1 ratio! Angels have only 4 round trippers while scoring 24 runs, for a run to HR ratio of 6:1. Clearly the Halos have been better at getting runners on base and getting them home, the small ball way.....advancing runners, stealing bases, and manufacturing runs.
The Giants were able to win the NLCS not by hitting, but with pitching. St. Louis got men on base, outhit SF at PacBell, but lacked clutch hitting and couldn't get runners home. Angels in the postseason have come through with hits when it counted most.
GAME 4 PREVIEW: (no prediction)
A shakey Kirk Rueter (7.07 postseason ERA) is on the mound. Here is a starting pitcher who usually is gone by the 6th inning. Dusty might not be as confident in his middle relief having utilized it so much in the past couple of games. Rueter has only 4 K's in 14 innings this postseason. He cannot afford to go after Anaheim's hitters. Halos bats need to be disciplined and patient enough to hit the right pitches. Lackey, meanwhile, may be wise to attack everyone in the SF lineup except Bonds, and be careful with Sanders and Snow.
