Sure enough, we have a rematch of the 1968 World Series. Heading into the playoffs, I wonder what the Vegas odds were for a Tigers-Cardinals’ series? Enjoy the show.

In the meantime, Spikes Up presents you with its penultimate column at CREATiVESPORTS. This week, I’ll take a look at a couple of Western teams – one in the American League and one in the National League.

Will Angels Finally Be Players?

The Angels’ 2006 season was doomed by a horrible start (17-28) and an (as per usual) inability or unwillingness to add anything significant at the trading deadline.

Despite the best record in baseball after June (54-29), the Angels missed out on post-season play for the first time since 2003. They won 89 games – more than three-quarters of the NL’s playoff teams, but couldn’t corral the AL West and were too far behind Detroit to ever seriously compete for the Wild Card.

The team needs to improve its attack and beef up its defensive play if it hopes to get back to the top of the AL West heap.

However, there’s plenty of reason for optimism. The Angels, already with the third-highest payroll in the majors, plan to be big players in the off-season market. In fact, owner Arte Moreno has guaranteed that the club will make moves to improve. And now that the Angels are turning a profit, there should be more cash to spend, assuming general manager Bill Stoneman knows how to use a phone. His reputation as a stand-pat GM is becoming legendary.

The list of names being bandied about as possible acquisition targets is extensive and impressive:

• Scott Spiezio will be a free agent, and if the Angels decide they like him better than reserves Robb Quinlan and Maicer Izturis, they could look to bring him back to Anaheim.
• For a couple of years now, the Angels have needed another big stick or two in the lineup to complement Vladimir Guerrero. Names that are sure to peak the team’s interest include Gary Matthews Jr., Carlos Lee, Nomar Garciaparra (who desperately wants to stay in the area if the Dodgers don’t re-sign him) and Alfonso Soriano (whom the Angels tried to land at the deadline).
• Barry Zito has expressed a desire to play in either Southern California or New York, so if the Angels want him, they have a chance to bag the best pitcher on the market. With Bartolo Colon’s health in question heading into 2007, Los Angeles may want to add another top starter. One of Joe Saunders or Ervin Santana will probably be dealt this offseason, which would open another rotation spot.
• If Aramis Ramirez decides to exercise his out clause and become a free agent, the Angels would love to add him to solve their third base problem. Even Barry Bonds has been discussed as a great option at DH.
• Alex Rodriguez will definitely be a target if he really is on the market. The Yanks need young pitching (Santana?) and the Angels have it in droves. This has long been thought to be a good match.
• If the A’s choose not to re-sign Jay Payton, LA might be interested in him.
• If the team chooses to explore the trade market (not exactly Stoneman’s forte), big names like Vernon Wells, Manny Ramirez and Miguel Tejada could be had. The Angels have tremendous minor league depth – something that could come in very handy in any deal.

Rox Bullpen Looks Steady

While the infamous humidor didn’t exactly turn Coors Field into a pitcher’s park, the differences this season were quite notable. Colorado finished 13th in the league in team ERA (anywhere out of the basement seems to be an improvement), and its 4.66 mark, was almost half a run lower than 2005.

The bullpen was even better, posting a mark just over four and a half runs per game, and looking forward, Colorado is beginning to assemble a bullpen that could legitimately be a team strength. Gone are the days when if a pitcher kept his ERA under 6.00, he’d be a key component of the Rox pen.

Colorado actually has the makings of a pretty darn good pen:

• Brian Fuentes has quickly established himself as a top closer, recording back-to-back 30-save seasons. Signed through 2007, Fuentes’ ERA rose by a half a run this year, but he was actually much harder to hit (.209 BAA).
• Ramon Ramirez is an arm I really like. The 25-year-old rookie worked his way into a set-up role (10 holds) by keeping the ball in the park (just five homers in 61 games).
• Manual Corpas, another rookie, was called up in mid-July and performed very well. The 23-year-old righty also developed into a set-up man, with a 1-2, 3.62 mark in 35 games. He surrendered 36 hits in 32 1/3 innings.
• Jose Mesa is 40 years old now, but is still effective as a set-up man. His strikeout rate dropped, but he was harder to hit, going 1-5, 3.86 with one save and 19 holds. Mesa pitched in a career-high 79 games. Colorado owns a $3 million option on him with a $500,000 buyout. It might be playing with fire to expect him to repeat a sub-4.00 ERA, however.
• If Mesa fails, however, it might provide an opportunity for someone like Nate Field. The 30-year-old righty got a September call-up, but earlier this month he was removed from the roster and outrighted to Triple-A. The Rox want to try to re-sign him, as in 14 games and nine innings, he looked better than he ever had in the majors, going 1-1, with four holds and a 4.00 ERA. Field struck out 14, but walked five.
• Another veteran arm is David Cortes, who turned 33 last week. He was sent down to the minors in mid-July, but was not horrible (30 games, 4.30 ERA, 35 hits in 29 1/3 innings, but just 14 Ks). The Rockies didn’t bring him back in September, so he’s still not arbitration eligible.
• Colorado’s top left-handed set-up man is Ray King, 32. But after a second straight season in which his command weakened (23 K/20 BB in 44 2/3 IP), it’s doubtful the team will exercise its $2.75-million option on King, especially when they can buy him out for just $250,000. In fact, the team already told him it’s unlikely it will re-sign him.
• Mike Venafro pitched very well in a September call up (1-0, 2.45), and deserves a shot to make the club out of spring training, even if he is 33.
• Veteran Mike DeJean should be back in 2007 after season-ending surgery in June. There’s a $1.5-million mutual option on him with a $150,000 buyout, but if he returns that will only add to the depth. Latest word is that Colorado plans to rework a deal with him.
• A dark horse to enter the fray next year is Bret Prinz. He’s coming off two straight injury-riddled seasons, but was almost untouchable at Triple-A when he could pitch this year. The 29-year-old righty signed a minor-league deal with Colorado in December after the Angels cut him. He’s got a fair amount of big-league experience though, and in five seasons, has a 5-4 record with nine saves and 95 hits allowed in 88 2/3 innings.

 

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NEXT: Spikes Up will return on October 30, for its final appearance at CS.

Comments? Questions? Criticisms or witticisms? You can reach me at rob@creativesports.com if you’d like further information or have a question you’d like me to answer in an upcoming column. Have a suggestion for a column or want to hear analysis about a particular player? Feel free to write. I might even answer!

Rob Blackstien is a freelance writer and the principal of Pen-Ultimate (www.pen-ultimate.ca), a Toronto-based writing and editorial services firm. He posts fantasy baseball news daily on Rotoworld and, on Thursdays, writes Offseason Lowdown. Rob’s baseball work has also appeared on BaseballNotebook.com and in the Fantasy Baseball Guide magazine. He has also written baseball and basketball columns for usatoday.com and foxsports.com.