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End not the desired result, but far from one predicted by many
October 25th, 2009, 10:38 pm · 11 Comments · posted by Earl Bloom, staff writer
Wow. I bet some of you never thought it would end this way.
Surely, the Angels would’ve been swept by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the playoffs again.
In July, there was no way the Angels could cope with the improved Texas Rangers.
And, in April, all those Oakland Athletics 
offseason moves clearly indicated a changing of the guard atop the AL West (just ask PECOTA).
Even before then, the Angels’ fate was sealed when Mark Teixeira and Frankie Rodriguez got away (there might be some truth about Teixeira, since he finally got a big hit for New York — but not $20 million worth more than the year Kendry Morales had).
The Angels somehow overcame the devastating loss of Nick Adenhart, and got this far.
Their season finally ended on a cold Sunday night at new Yankee Stadium, when New York finally closed them out in Game Six and earned its first World Series berth since 2003.
And, it might mean saying goodbye to Vladimir Guerrero, Chone Figgins (right), John Lackey, Bobby Abreu and others.
I saw something on this blog Thusday that startled me. The comment actually asked, how much longer would fans settle for getting in the playoffs every year, only to lose in the postseason?
That person clearly did not follow the Angels in 1961-2001, when the franchise made a total of three playoff trips, none to the Fall Classic (now known as the Winter Classic).
Some of the fans in the seats near you in Anaheim were at those games in the first 41 years. They are disappointed, too, but they would not trade constant playoff berths of the Scioscia Era for a return to the old, more frustrating ways.
Think the folks in Buffalo who suffered through four Super Bowl losses would now trade almost anything for the Bills to go to the playoffs?
We’re spoiled here folks, clearly we’re spoiled. At least some of us.
Are Yankees fans better than Angels’ fans?
New York goes against defending champion Philadelphia this week, seeking its first World Series victory since 2000. Yet the Yankees clearly have kept their fans.
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I remember during the 2002 run some bozo called a local sports talk show and said he refused to step foot in Angel Stadium until the Angels won a World Series.
If he kept to his word, he missed a world championship.
People like that aren’t fans. They’re customers.
A customer demands a return on his dollar. A fan does not.
The basic difference is that with the fan, the primary question is, “What can I do to help the team win?” With the customer, it’s “What are you going to do for me?”
There are a lot of customers who call themselves fans, but they’re not.
Great post, Earl!
I wouldn’t trade the Golden Era of Angels baseball for the days of futility when the Halos would get smoked by the Royals, White Sox and Twins in the AL West!
You’re totally right - customers have a right to want to be entertained, they have a right to want to see a World Series winner every year and right to complain if it doesn’t happen.
However, fans understand that winning is a privilege, not a right.
My thanks to the Angels customers who help Arte Moreno afford to put a quality product on the field.
My thanks to the Angels fans - especially in row 517 during Game 5 who never gave up and helped me lose my voice.
And finally - my thanks to the 2009 Angles, who finally retired the ghost of Dave Henderson, got the BoSox monkey off our backs and ended Mariano Rivera’s postseason scoreless streak - which will make Joe Buck and Timmy Mac slather about something else!
Hey Earl,
Wanna know what I am tired of? All the comments year after year:
“They did so well this season”
“Look what they accomplished”
“Be proud of our boys”
That is almost as tiring as the player cliches:
“I’m just happy to be here, and I hope to contribute, and God Willing, we’ll win a few games.”
See that picture of Figgy in the clubhouse? I think it;’ the same one we have been seeing since 2003. Same story. Same team. Same ending. The only thing that changed was the venue…from Boston to New York.
I think my disillusionment with this team has run it’s course.
I hate the “we had a great season” speech, too. It should be delivered after the regular season. You had a great postseason if you went to the World Series.
But if you’re disillusioned with the Angels, I suggest you switch to the Royals or Orioles. That way you won’t have a miserable October.
Touche’. I don’t think I could be a Royals or O’s fan though. I don’t think I could root for another team in the AL. Maybe switch leagues?
Great article Earl
I couldn’t agree more. As a diehard fan it’s tough to watch the team you love fall apart after such an uplifting year but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The ups and downs are what make October baseball so much fun to watch. As the Angels proved in that stunning victory in Boston with 2 outs and 2 strikes you have to keep watching. Yes, expectations were high and we didn’t get to the World Series but we need to stay positive and support this team no matter what. I can’t wait for next year
True fans stay with their team through thick and thin. I’d rather know that we have a legit chance to go to the playoffs year in and year out, even though the odds are will be stacked against going all the way to the World Series, then about 25 or so other teams, that can’t even imagine making the playoffs. People like Randy are fair weather fans, or customers as Earl put it. They are not really Angel fans anyway. They are the people that you will meet at a holiday party in December donning a Yankee cap or a Philly cap, depending of course who ultimately wins the World Series.
If you persist in offering perspective and balance, you should probably stop blogging.
I consider this one of our greatest seasons just because we beat the Red Sox. What a mountain to climb, and the Angels did it!
As far as the Yankee series goes, we played below par and still won two games. Against what looks like a superior opponent, as long as they have Rivera. The Angels showed some fighting spirit.
So I’m not disallusioned at all. Beating the Sox was the hurdle we needed to overcome. The development of Aybar, Mathis, Morales and Weaver was stunning progress with the youth program.
Can’t wait until next year.
The Angels are set up to have an opportunity to compete for a title EVERY YEAR. That is all we can ask as fans of the team. The playoffs are a crap shoot in many ways.
Regardless of how we played, the Yanks proved to be the better team — even if just by a little — that is all it takes. There is no shame in that. Disappointment? Sure. But no shame. Those guys gave everything they had.
Scioscia is a Top 3 manager in baseball and Moreno has set up an organization that will continue to be right in the thick of it each year. For guys like me that have been a fan since 1968 when I went to my first Angels game, we appreciate that immensely. For guys like Randy, we won’t miss you a bit..
Playoffs are a crap-shoot? That assumes everything else being equal, either team can win. But you also said the Yanks were the better team so its not really a crap shoot. The model for success in the post-season has proven simple- have a good bullpen and hit for power.