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ALDS preview: Can the Royals run past the Angels?
Perhaps the most intriguing LDS series begins Thursday night in Anaheim. The Kansas City Royals finally took the step many anticipated was coming this season, snapping their 29-year playoff drought by qualifying for the AL wild card. After beating Oakland in a 12th-inning, wild-card thriller, they'll play in their first October series since the 1985 World Series. The Los Angeles Angels have fallen short the past two seasons despite a very talented roster, but they too have put the disappointment behind them, allowing Mike Trout to make his much anticipated postseason debut.
The Royals don't look like a typical postseason team. They finished the season with a league-low 95 home runs. What they like to do is pitch, play defense, make contact and run the bases, while keeping constant pressure on the opposition.
Even though they won an MLB-best 98 games, the Angels have their problems as well. They enter October with one healthy and reliable starter in Jered Weaver, but they can definitely score in bunches with Trout, Albert Pujols and Howie Kendrick leading the offense.
The two teams were evenly matched during the regular season, splitting their six-game season series. That should continue in the postseason as the differing styles clash again with higher stakes. Can the Royals keep running? Or will the Angels ultimately overpower them?
SCHEDULE
Game 1: Thursday, Oct. 2, in Anaheim, 9:07 p.m. ET (TV coverage on TBS)
Game 2: Friday, Oct. 3, in Anaheim, 9:37 p.m. ET (TBS )
Game 3: Sunday, Oct. 5, in Kanas City, 7:37 p.m. ET (TBS)
Game 4*: Monday, Oct. 6, in Kansas City, time TBA (TBS)
Game 5*: Wednesday, Oct. 8, in Anaheim, time TBA (TBS)
*if necessary
PREVIOUSLY
The Angels and Royals split the season series 3-3, with both teams taking two out of three in their home ballpark.
PITCHING
Game 1: Jason Vargas (11-10, 3.71) vs. Jered Weaver (18-9, 3.59)
Game 2: Yordano Ventura (14-10, 3.20) vs. Matt Shoemaker (16-4, 3.04)
Game 3: C.J. Wilson (13-10, 4.51) vs. James Shields (14-8, 3.21)
Game 4*: Weaver vs. Jeremy Guthrie (13-11, 4.13)
Game 5*: TBA vs. Shoemaker vs.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia has already confirmed he'll be using a three-man rotation, so that means Matt Shoemaker would go again in Game 5 assuming he looks healthy. Shoemaker hasn't pitched since Sept. 15 after straining his oblique, making that far from a given. Wilson has also proven difficult to rely on after posting a 6.05 ERA in his last 16 starts. Even though Shields will only be available to start once, Kansas City's rotation looks a little more stable with former Angel Jason Vargas and rookie flamethrower Yordano Ventura going in Anaheim. They also have veteran Jeremy Guthrie available.
THREE KEYS FOR ROYALS
Shorten the game: The Royals were 65-4 when leading after six innings during the regular season, and that's all because of their three bullpen studs. Seventh inning ace Kelvin Herrera, set up man Wade Davis and closer Greg Holland posted a combined 1.28 ERA this season. That's flat out dominance, and it plays right into Kansas City's defensive and speed-based roster. While not sharp in the AL wild-card game, they combined to allow one run in 3 2/3 innings, which helped open the door for Kansas City's thrilling comeback.
Need for speed: The Royals are easily the most fun team still playing, and they're probably the most difficult for opposing teams to game plan against. Speed doesn't slump, and the ways Ned Yost uses his fastest assets prevents an opponent from neutralizing them. Typically, Yost will insert both Jarrod Dyson and Terrance Gore as late-inning pinch-runners and turn them loose, which often leads to chaos and instant offense for Kansas City.
Slow down Mike Trout: Impossible you say? It might seem so. Mike Trout is likely to earn his first MVP award based on his 2014 production, but he did show a few holes in his swing which Kansas City's staff might be able to exploit. Trout led the AL with 184 strikeouts this season, way up from his 137.5 average during his first two seasons. His power rose, too, to a career-high 36 home runs, one of which traveled 489-feet at Kauffman Stadium. But Kansas City may be able to take advantage of an extra-amped postseason Trout.
THREE KEYS FOR ANGELS
Need a second reliable starter: Longtime ace Jered Weaver was reliable as always, but manager Mike Scioscia's next most reliable starter was rookie Matt Shoemaker, who amazingly didn't even rank in their top prospects prior to the season. Shoemaker won 16 games and will start Game 2, but may not be healthy enough to count on. With C.J. Wilson also up and down, it may be spot starters/long relievers Cory Rasmus and Hector Santiago who emerge as the Angels' most important pitchers.
Strong defense: The Royals will keep applying pressure. It's up to the Angels to hold up, and they may be the AL team best equipped to handle Kansas City's attack. The Angels ended the season as the No. 1 fielding percentage team in the AL and the No. 2 team in errors. They are strong in the middle infield with Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick, and they're fast in the outfield with Trout, Kole Calhoun and Colin Cowgill. Also, starting catcher Chris Iannetta has done a respectable job throwing out baserunners at 30-percent. Continued solid defense would certainly throw a monkey-wrench in Ned Yost's gameplan.
Josh Hamilton's health: Every playoff team could use extra offense. A healthy Josh Hamilton could be that little extra for the Angels that helps push them over the top. Hamilton was slowed all season and has been limited to one game since September 4 due to shoulder, chest, and rib cage injuries. He has been declared healthy for the ALDS and will start Game 1, but what, if anything, can he give? That could be a major ALDS storyline.
FIVE IMPORTANT NUMBERS
• 7 — Numbers of stolen bases for the Royals during the AL wild card game. They will be aggressive.
• 4 2/3 — The average number of innings pitched for C.J. Wilson over his last 16 starts.
• .330 — Albert Pujols' career batting average in 74 postseason games.
• 52 — The Angels MLB-best win total at home.
•.400 — Billy Butler's batting average over the last eight regular season games. He had a disappointing season, but is heating up at the right time.
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is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
