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How the Angels won the AL West
If baseball games were played on paper, the Los Angeles Angels would probably be working on a third straight division championship. After spending money and adding big name free agents like Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and C.J. Wilson to the roster, the expectations rose with the payroll, but the results remained disappointing.
Until now. The 2014 Angels currently own the best record in baseball at 95-57, and they've officially punched their ticket to the ALDS after clinching their first AL West division championship since 2009.
It wasn't always easy. Even with the remarkable record, the Oakland A's, who won the West each of the past two season, remained one step ahead deep into August. But it was the Angels who sustained excellence while the A's fell back. Here's a look at five big reasons why the Angels are in the postseason and on pace for 100 wins.
The existence of Mike Trout
Mike Trout has arguably been the best position player in baseball since debuting as a 21-year-old in 2012. He's now 23, and aside from a somewhat concerning rise in strikeouts, he's still getting better.
Check out the third-season numbers: Trout is currently slashing .291/.381/.565 with a career-best 34 home runs and an MLB-high 107 RBIs and 109 runs scored. He's only swiped 14 bases, down from 49 and 33 in his first two seasons, but the Angels will gladly trade those bags for more power and run production.
Chances are Trout will walk away with his first MVP this season, which would already be his third if not for Miguel Cabrera. Regardless, it's scary to think how many more are coming with the arrow still pointing up. It'll also be interesting to see how he fares in the postseason, because the microscopes will be out in full force and the spotlight will be brighter than ever.
One powerful, sustained surge
Entering play on June 20, the Angels were 38-33 and six games behind Oakland in the standings. Since, they are an MLB best 57-24 and are now 11 1/2 games up in the division with 11 to play. That's an incredible 17 1/2 games shift in the standings. It just seemed like the Angels flipped the switch into a higher gear we all suspected they possessed, but hadn't seen on display. They kept pushing and pushing, eventually pulling even with the A's on Aug. 25. Once they did, the A's have basically collapsed under the pressure, allowing the glide home.
The unexpected emergence of Matt Shoemaker and his beard
To sustain such success over 162 games, every team needs contributions from unexpected sources. For the Angels that source has been 27-year-old right-hander Matt Shoemaker.
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2008, Shoemaker started the season ranked outside of the Angels top 30 prospects. An amazing factoid considering the Angels farm system was almost universally ranked as the worst in MLB. He was on no one's radar as a potential breakout player, but when his chance came this season, he ran with it posting a 16-4 record with a 3.04 ERA in 20 starts and seven relief appearances.
Those aren't just good numbers. They're All-Star caliber. Unfortunately, he's currently dealing with a mild oblique strain. He'll have two weeks to get well for the postseason, and the Angels will need him and his immaculate beard one-hundred percent because their rotation depth isn't nearly on par with potential postseason opponents like Oakland, Detroit, Seattle and perhaps even Kansas City.
Protecting the home field
The biggest home field advantage in the American League belongs to the Los Angeles team that actually plays in Anaheim. Currently 51-26, the Angels are just ahead of the Baltimore Orioles (49-29). Not surprisingly, that's the same team they're directly competing with for home-field advantage through the entire AL playoffs. The Angels are also an impressive 44-31 on the road. They can definitely play anywhere with any team, but owning the home field is a big advantage.
Kole Calhoun takes charge
The Angels showed a lot of faith in Kole Calhoun when they shipped Peter Bourjos to the St. Louis Cardinals during the offseason. So far, it's paying off nicely as Calhoun has established a strong presence atop the Angels lineup. The soon-to-be 27-year-old outfielder doesn't necessarily provide a speed element, but his .799 OPS currently ranks 43rd in MLB, right ahead of Josh Donaldson, Ryan Braun and Albert Pujols. In other words, he has some pop and keeps the lineup moving, allowing Trout and Pujols to do their thing. He is going to be a postseason difference maker.
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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
