Play-off Rotation: Who Starts Game 3?
One of the main strengths of the 2008 Angels is been their pitching, specifically their starting pitching. This year's five primary starters have combined to win 66 games in 118 starts. All but 11 games have been started by the Angels quintet and the Angels have used just 7 starting pitchers the entire year (compared to Boston, who have used 11 different starters this year). The other two starters have been Dustin Mosely for 8 starts (2-4) and Nick Adenhardt with 3 starts (1-0). All but two of Mosely's starts and Adenhardt's 3 May starts came while filling in for injured John Lackey when Lackey started the season on the disabled list. Lackey and Santana will be the one-two punch to start the series, but who's to follow? If the play-offs were to start today and the Angels have home field advantage, games 1, 2 and 5 would be in Anaheim, while games 3 and 4 would be on the road for the Halos.
2008 - As of 9/16/08
| IP | H | BB | SO | ERA | WHIP | |
| Lackey | 149.1 | 138 | 34 | 113 | 3.25 | 1.15 |
| Santana | 205.1 | 183 | 46 | 200 | 3.33 | 1.12 |
| Saunders | 185.0 | 179 | 50 | 90 | 3.65 | 1.24 |
| Garland | 189.1 | 216 | 58 | 84 | 4.47 | 1.45 |
| Weaver | 165 | 158 | 51 | 136 | 4.25 | 1.27 |
|
Total |
894 | 874 | 239 | 623 | 3.80 | 1.24 |
Post Season - Career
| IP | H | BB | SO | ERA | W | L | |
| Lackey | 44.2 | 45 | 18 | 33 | 3.63 | 2 | 2 |
| Santana | 11.2 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6.17 | 1 | 1 |
| Saunders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Garland | 16 | 11 | 3 | 11 | 2.25 | 2 | 0 |
| Weaver | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3.60 | 0 | 1 |
|
Total |
77.1 | 68 | 29 | 55 | 3.72 | 5 | 4 |
Since the Angels have already clinched a play-off spot, they have the luxury of setting up their post season
rotation the way they want it. It's undecided as to who they will play in the first round, but here are the number for each of the starters against both Boston and Tampa Bay.
vs. Boston - Career
| IP | H | BB | SO | ERA | W | L | |
| Lackey | 76.1 | 97 | 30 | 58 | 5.54 | 3 | 6 |
| Santana | 22 | 21 | 7 | 18 | 5.73 | 1 | 2 |
| Saunders | 37.1 | 38 | 15 | 19 | 2.89 | 4 | 0 |
| Garland | 69.2 | 79 | 30 | 44 | 5.30 | 4 | 5 |
| Weaver | 33.2 | 41 | 9 | 27 | 5.35 | 1 | 2 |
|
Total |
239 | 276 | 91 | 166 | 5.04 | 13 | 15 |
vs. Boston - 2008
| IP | H | BB | SO | ERA | W | L | |
| Lackey | 16 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 2.81 | 2 | 0 |
| Santana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Saunders | 18.2 | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3.38 | 2 | 0 |
| Garland | 12.2 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 4.26 | 1 | 0 |
| Weaver | 10.2 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 6.75 | 1 | 0 |
|
Total |
58 | 55 | 21 | 31 | 4.03 | 6 | 0 |
Boston Splits - 2008
| AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | |
| vs. Left | 1177 | 190 | 348 | 84 | 8 | 40 | 181 | 148 | 227 | .296 | .375 | .483 |
| vs. Right | 4020 | 608 | 1119 | 242 | 21 | 124 | 579 | 454 | 762 | .278 | .356 | .442 |
The Angels have dominated Boston this season, both at home and at Fenway. They sport an 8-1 record against
the Sox, while none of the starters have lost a decision. I don't think it really matters who starts game 3, the Red Sox are balanced with their lefty/righty splits, but Saunders has done slightly better than Garland during this season.
vs. Tampa Bay - Career
| IP | H | BB | SO | ERA | W | L | |
| Lackey | 80.0 | 63 | 18 | 68 | 2.36 | 9 | 1 |
| Santana | 49 | 58 | 13 | 51 | 5.51 | 3 | 3 |
| Saunders | 10.2 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 7.59 | 0 | 2 |
| Garland | 74.1 | 70 | 22 | 40 | 3.27 | 5 | 2 |
| Weaver | 20 | 13 | 3 | 18 | 2.70 | 2 | 0 |
|
Total |
234 | 217 | 62 | 184 | 3.58 | 19 | 8 |
vs. Tampa Bay - 2008
| IP | H | BB | SO | ERA | W | L | |
| Lackey | 7.1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2.45 | 1 | 0 |
| Santana | 12.2 | 13 | 3 | 16 | 4.26 | 0 | 0 |
| Saunders | 10.2 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 7.59 | 0 | 2 |
| Garland | 14 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 2.57 | 0 | 1 |
| Weaver | 14 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 2.57 | 1 | 0 |
|
Total |
58.2 | 53 | 19 | 49 | 3.84 | 2 | 3 |
Tampa Bay Splits - 2008
| AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | |
| vs. Left | 1544 | 189 | 376 | 76 | 8 | 45 | 183 | 174 | 373 | .244 | .325 | .391 |
| vs. Right | 3517 | 499 | 946 | 183 | 26 | 114 | 470 | 393 | 734 | .269 | .346 | .433 |
Tampa Bay has been tough on the Halos this season, beating the Angels 6 times in 9 games, but the starters
have done fairly well. The Rays are a bit weaker against left-handers, but Saunders is winless this season versus Tampa.
If it were up to me, I'd start Garland in game 3 against both Boston or Tampa Bay, moving Saunders to the pen. Garland is 2-0 in post-season starts with an ERA of 2.25. The Angels' bullpen has Darren Oliver as their lone lefty, with the addition of Saunders, the pen gets a little deeper if the need arises early in games for a situational lefty or someone to keep them in the game if the starter should falter. Saunders has never relieved, but would that really be a problem for him? Probably not.
Daily Notes:
- Lackey didn't look sharp in his start last night against Oakland, giving up 4 runs in 5.1 innings. Lackey usually is very effective against the A's, having gone 14-4 in his career. Winless in his last 3 starts, Lackey has given up 9 hits in each, but has walked just 4 hitters in 17.1 innings.
- The bullpen looked terrible last night, especially Jason Bulger who couldn't find the plate. Bulger faced 5 batters, walking 3, hitting 1 and giving up a single to Ryan Sweeney. Darren O'Day worked 2 innings and gave up a run on 2 hits and a walk. The one bright spot was rookie Kevin Jepsen who relieved Lackey in the 6th and retired the only two hitters he faced, striking out one.
- Home field standings, with 12 to play:
W L Pct GB Angels 92 58 .613 - Tampa Bay 89 60 .597 2.5 Boston 89 62 .589 3.5 Chicago 84 65 .560 8.0
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