Red Sox Nation reminds Angels who won: Part 1

Editors note: Links to Part 2 and Part 3 of "Red Sox Nation reminds Angels who won" added at 5:06 p.m.

Angels pitcher John Lackey's declaration that his team “lost to a team that’s not better than us” prompted a strong response from fans, most of them from the New England area.

So did Torii Hunter's statement that “We’re a better team than those guys.”

Red Sox Nation fired back:

"Been there, done that. Perennial losers to a team that just always seems to get the break that makes the difference...you guys play in the AL West division, a sorrier bunch of also-rans never existed. If the Angels played in the AL East, they would not have won 100 games. So for John Lackey and others on the Angels to emphatically declare themselves the better team and lament the 'bad luck' that kept them from moving on in the playoffs is sad. Man up and admit you were outpitched and outplayed. Simple as that.''

Jim Darsigny, Boston

"The running theme with this team is we are better...Sox would have won 114-plus games in that pathetic division. Whatever helps you sleep at night, I suppose.''

George J. Pierce, Bellevue, Wash.

"Wow, Lackey has issues, huh?

"He must be great all year for soundbites. If you could tell him, for all of us here in Red Sox nation: the better team always wins. Make sure Hunter's nearby, too.

"The better team always wins. They couldn't win in their own house. They won 100 games playing 60 or so against three of the worst teams in the league. The Angels aren't all that. Maybe Scioscia could find a way to beat the Red Sox before his players go making World Series plans.''

Eric M. Taddeo, Boston

-- Mike DiGiovanna

Photo:  From the left, John Lackey, Mike Napoli and manager Mike Scioscia sit on the bench as the Red Sox take a 2-0 lead in Game 4 of the ALDS at Fenway Park on Oct. 6, 2008. Credit: Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Sox won]

You angels (and your fans) are a sad bunch of whiners. Couldn't win the series so now you try to say you were the better the team and the sox got lucky. At least you guys have one team left in the postseason.

[frieda]

who won the series? the angels? no, they did not. the red sox won. 3 out of 5. and barely lost the 4th game. if not the better team, then what are they? sour grapes galore.

[Mark Whitney, Boston]

Wow - After reading the vitriol spewed by Lackey and Hunter in the LA Times, they need to redirect their anger. Regarding Lackey's complaints about the Green Monster, Lackey apparently forgot that the first two wins were on his home turf. Also, last time I checked the wall was there for his teammates to use as well - except that they didn't hit the ball that far. I wonder what the Angels' record would have been if they had to play 19 games against the Rays, Yankees, and Toronto (instead of Seattle, Texas and Oakland). The 2008 injury-plaigued Sox won 95 games in the AL East. Just 5 games off of the Angels, who play in a "cake" division. The 4 game ALDS were great games, and the team that made fewer mistakes and had more timely hitting with RISP won. Plain and simple.

[DAN RIVER]

DO THEY PLAY BASEBALL IN L.A.? I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ANOTHER SCREEN ILLUSION MADE IN HOLLYWOOD... DAN RIVER, BOSTON

[Rick Carey]

What was really pathetic was watching lackey throw a tantrum on the mound every time someone behind him made a mistake. Good teammate John. I did not see any one of your teammates throw a tantrum when you gave up a bomb to Jason Bay on a MISTAKE pitch in game 1. I didn't see them go down to one knee and yell every time you walked a batter. You really suck as a teammate. John Lester is better than you, period. I watched it and now I've heard all over the sports shows today. You, personally, got out pitched by an early 20 something year old man 1 year out of remission from cancer. The bottom line is this. The Sox staff was better than yours, period. The fans are correct in saying that the Angels MIGHT have won 85-90 games playing in the AL East.

[Roger MacDonald]

Lackey also criticized Dustin Pedroa for celebrating his pop-fly wall double "that would have been an easy out in any other ballpark." Maybe if his teammates had managed to hit even one or two of these "bloopers" off Jon Lester, Lackey wouldn't be making a fool of himself today. Sour grapes. The "best team" doesn't lose three out of four, despite having home field advantage.

[Study Econ]

Funny, but I remember many of the Red Sox players saying the same thing when Grady Little left Pedro in too long in a collapse to the Yankees. When one team owns the other like the Red Sox own the Angels now (as the Yankees owned them until 2004), it never really matters who is the better team. The haunted team always finds ways to lose as many longtime Red Sox fans (there are a few who existed before 2004) well know. It eventually turned around for Boston and will one day for the Angels as well. Only the Cubs have no hope...100 years of ghosts is impossible to overcome!

[Rob McMillin]

The point of running this piece was what, exactly? Smack-talk is juvenile and bo-ring.

[Colin Principe]

Sorry Angels fans that the Halos couldn't get it done for you this year. Sorry as well that you have a team that places petty blame on external factors instead of looking within to see how they can improve. The "better team" always finds a way to win.

[Arthur P. Reilly]

In reference to Mr. Lackey's comment regarding the Angels being the "better team", there is a stat that is listed on the MLB.COM standings page that isn't familiar to a lot of folks, but sheds some light upon the true rankings of teams based upon the differential of runs scored vs. runs allowed. X W-L is calculated as follows: RS^1.82/((RS^1.82)+(RA^1.82)). Now wait a few moments until your head stops spinning and focus on the REALLY interesting part. Here are the predicted W-L records of the teams that qualified for the playoffs in the AL this year: Boston (95-67), Tampa (91-71), Chicago (89-74), Los Angeles (88-74). This reflects the Angels playing in a "soft" division and the Red Sox playing in the most competitive division in baseball. In fact, according to the X W-L, the Rays would have missed the playoffs and the Toronto Blue Jays (93-69) would have been the Wild Card team. Interesting, eh?

[Bone Doc]

My theory (tongue in cheek), the series was fixed. Given the current economic situation in our country, the US pharmaceutical industry advised the government that it would not also be able to handle the run on Valium & Prozac in New England if the Red Sox lost. One could sense the 90+ year angst as the Angels got close in games 2,3 &4. (old habits die hard). Can you imagine what would have happened if the Angels won game 4 & came back for game 5?

All kidding aside, the Red Sox where the better team in this series, but barely. Considering all of the Angels errors and poor hitting with RISP, the games should not have been that close.

[Blue Jay fan]

haha...the jays in the playoffs last year. They should decide the playoff places by the X W-L