Give credit to Vlad and Fuentes

They were the Angels' two biggest question marks coming into the postseason.

But on a cool, sun-splashed Sunday in Boston, in maybe the biggest moments of their respective careers, Vlad Guerrero and Brian Fuentes turned the question marks into exclamation points.

With one postseason run batted in since 2004, coming off a season when his skills had clearly eroded, Guerrero no longer looked like a legitimate cleanup hitter. Lots of us thought so. Apparently, so did the Red Sox.

In the dramatic top of the ninth at Fenway Park, after yet another clutch hit by Bobby Abreu, Boston Manager Terry Francona walked Torii Hunter to load the bases to get to Guerrero. Earlier, in his prime, that never would have happened to Vlad. But here it was, the rallying Angels down one run, 6-5, and the game and the possible end of the American League division series riding on his shoulders.

Jonathan Papelbon has long been a nemesis to Mike Scioscia's guys, but he was struggling this time and on his first pitch, a low fastball, Guerrero lined it into center field to score two runs and double his postseason RBI total since 2004 with one swing.

Now it was 7-6, and Fuentes, who led the majors with 48 saves but had been wobbly for weeks, was coming in to try to close the game and get three precious outs. All over Orange County, Angels fans grimaced and groaned. Some turned away from their television sets, unable to watch.

They needn't have worried. Fuentes calmly threw nothing but strikes, getting ahead of all three batters and retiring the Sox without allowing a run, or even a murmur from the Fenway faithful.

An Angels team that had lost nine of 10 previous playoff games to Boston completed the three-game sweep in impressive fashion, matching its L.A. buddies 40 miles to the north.

A Dodgers-Angels Freeway Series? Hey, the way this October has started, anything is possible.

-- Steve Bisheff

Comments

[Dave from Fullerton]

What up Bisheff? No comments about Vlad's lack of patience? I believe he swung at the first pitch off Papelbon there in the 9th.

[john gligo]

If your a fan of baseball nothing hurt's worse than having a lead with two out's in the top of the 9th and watch it all blow up in your face.Bringing back Dave Henderson in a lame attempt to jinx the Angel's was a low blow from a organization with a rich basrball histoty.The Red Sox and their spoiled arrogant fan's can spend the winter wondering what happened to the curse of Fenway.Somewhere Donnie Moore is smiling.

[Mike]

Steve, sloppy writing - Vlad had a grand slam in Boston back in '04. The hit today doubled his post-season RBI tally SINCE THEN, not in his lifetime. Otherwise, your sentiment about giving them credit is perfectly on target.

[Adam R.]

I'd love to see the Angels vs Dodgers in the World Series, just to see if Torre has the marbles to send Padilla against them.

[alan]

I do enjoy reading Bisheff's blog to get my Angels fix, but I have noticed a couple of occasions when Bisheff's have had to eat crow. Always second-guessing the Angels...such as lambasting them earlier in the season for not making an aggressive move on a pitcher like Halladay or Lee. Then suddenly they pick up another quality SP in Kazmir, without having to give up a crucial piece like Aybar, and we find out the deal had been in the works for some time.

Lately, Bisheff's really been on Vlad, repeatedly saying that Vlad's skills had "eroded" and didnt belong in the cleanup spot. If you look at Vlad's numbers they arent bad and primarily are lower than usual, because, well, HE WAS INJURED for much of the year.

I'm glad Vlad got a chance to strut his stuff in this game. Who knows, if Vlad won't be returning, at least he'll have one championship to claim before he leaves.

[daniel m.]

Time to be a MAN Bisheff. YOU NEED TO GIVE CREDIT TO FUENTES AND VLAD. YOU NEED to say that the Angels suprised YOU, and then now you need to do some better research into learning about baseball since clearly you know nothing.

I cant wait to hear you write how you were wrong and how you DONT KNOW the Angels and how YOU need to apologize to all the fans that apparently knew more about the potential the Angels have than YOU DID

For being a so called reported of the angels for decades you did a poor job of realizing that this team is built for hitting, moving base-runners and occasional power, and that it was a recipe for success in 2002, 2005 and this whole decade.

You would have also known that this was the best pitching staff the team has had without or without Kazmir, and that Kazmir your prize and joy (finally traded for somebody) was almost the goat of the game since he got rocked for 5 runs.

Of course, you just like to preach and claim at know it all atttitude towards the other Angels fans who you believe are beneath you to not criticize your clear lack of knowledge

Of course, you probably wont do such a thing and you'll be exactly what you want to be, an east-coast media-ite who just goes with whoever is winning or losing at the time. I'll read about more praise you give to the Angels, that you knew all along would win due to your DECADES of covering the Angels.

[Alex]

Thank you

[Bob J.]

Steve,
Check your facts, because Vlad despite his struggles in the last 19 playoff games, actually has more than one RBI on his playoff resume. Lest you forget the grand slam he hit against Boston in '04. Not that he should be proud of the relative dearth of RBIs, but don't short him on the ones he does have.

[Ed]

"double his lifetime post-season RBI"? He hit a grandslam in Fenway in 2004!

[Brian C.]

FINALLY!!!!!!

[Richard Ghormley]

This is so incredibly, INCREDIBLY sweet! This one was for Donnie Moore and all of us who died with the Angels on that heartbreaking day in in 1986. The World Series of 2002 helped, but this one lays all of the Angels ghosts to rest once and for all.

[Eric]

Vlad had 6 RBI in the 2004 postseason.Remember he hit a grandslam against Boston that year.

[eeebayou]

Give Vladdy his due, he had a whopping SEVEN post-season RBI's coming into today's game. That total is now NINE.

Awesome series for the Halos. I was dead wrong about Lackey (how many millions did he make in one start?), but what clutch performances by Team Teixeira (Abreu, Rivera, Morales and Fuentes)!!

[shaun]

I kept thinking to myself-please Vlad, don't swing at the first pitch...but he came through, which was huge.

I was really nervous about Fuentes as I don't think he is a shutdown closer. The big key for him was that he kept throwing first pitch strikes

Wow, I still can't believe we wrapped it up.

Abreau needs to be kept long-term and made hitting coach when he retires.

[ACE]

What the dodgers did does not compare with what Angels did-beat the Boston Red Sox. The teams in the National League playoffs do not compare with the teams you have playing in the American League playoffs.There is more talent in the American League.

[PapaVito]

The freeway World Series is one game closer. My hat is off to Vlady. He out smarted the sox, who seemed to know when to throw one down the middle and when to throw him one out of the stike zone. They quessed that he wouldn't swing on the first pitch and they quessed wrong. I also think it was obvious that redsox nation didn't really give the Angels a thought, and were just awaiting their meeting with the Yanks. Too bad for them.

[Angels in the Outfield]

Pretty sure Vlad didn't double his post season rbi total with one swing. His first year with the Angels, he hit a grand slam in the first round against Boston.

[Robin]

Steve has come on before and said he was wrong. Honestly, do you guys just want another homer scribe saying everything is beautiful or do you want somebody questioning moves/lack of moves?

[Tom S]

Pretty amazing stuff. When you look at all they did with 2 strikes and 2 outs. Wow. Inspirational and the fans feel it.