Series Preview: Angels vs. Mariners vs. Clinch

This could be the clinchiest series the Angels ever clinched. They can clinch a playoff berth and the AL West title all in this series. They can also clinch at least a tie for their second-most wins in a season ever at 97. The only thing they can’t clinch is the best record in the AL, though they can push it pretty close.

The downside of that is that this could be the last semi-meaningful series of the regular season for the Halos. Let’s face it, they’ve been on cruise control for about a week now anyway, but once they officially lock everything up, even the great and mighty Sosh is going to have a hard time keeping everyone interested.

LAST TIME ON ANGELS VS. MARINERS…
The Angels are trailing 5-7 in the season series, but they did win their last meeting in July, taking two of three. It seems kind of crazy to me that they haven’t played each other since then, but the schedulemakers apparently sniff glue while doing their job sometimes. It is a shame, too, because that was a heck of a series with the Angels twice winning in walk-off fashion.

GHOST OF ANGELS PAST

Speaking of walk-offs, this GIF is from one of those. Pujols and Trout clearly didn’t take too kindly to former Angel Fernando Rodney‘s stupid arrow gimmick and shot some of their own at him en route to beating him. Let’s hope they still have a few arrows left in their quiver for this series.

MATCH-UP MASTERY
MONDAY, 9/15: Matt Shoemaker vs. Hisashi Iwakuma
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1LUCH0aFe4hLClLYbjD6bcwcwxkb9aLSWtT5aXUGADbk/pubchart” query=”oid=1165098026&format=interactive” width=”621″ height=”315″ /] Shoemaker has just one start against the Mariners this year, but it came in May, back when nobody trusted him very much. He didn’t pitch all that well in the game but he has also come a long way since.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1LUCH0aFe4hLClLYbjD6bcwcwxkb9aLSWtT5aXUGADbk/pubchart” query=”oid=1771411101&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”312″ /] The Angels’ history with Iwakuma is decidedly not good. He has completely owned both Trout and Pujols and really anyone not named Howie Kendrick. He faced the Angels just once this year and had his typical strong start, but the bullpen let him down. Iwakuma also seems to be unable to go past 100 pitches very often, so the Angels would be wise to try and work the count against him when possible. Then again, the Seattle bullpen is pretty great, so maybe they should just try and actually hit Iwakuma for once instead.

TUESDAY, 9/16: Cory Rasmus vs. Roenis Elias
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1LUCH0aFe4hLClLYbjD6bcwcwxkb9aLSWtT5aXUGADbk/pubchart” query=”oid=1813206077&format=interactive” width=”621″ height=”315″ /] Rasmus hasn’t made any starts against Seattle seeing how he hasn’t made any starts until the last few weeks. However, he does have some history against the M’s and has been quite successful. The big issue in this game though is going to be that Seattle’s lineup is almost entirely left-handed. How Scioscia employs Michael Roth and Joe Thatcher is probably going to have a bigger impact on the game than Rasmus’ 3+ innings.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1LUCH0aFe4hLClLYbjD6bcwcwxkb9aLSWtT5aXUGADbk/pubchart” query=”oid=1482336461&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”312″ /] Elias has faced the Angels just twice in his career. The first start was early in the season when the Angels had never seen him before. That start went decently. However, he got roughed up in his next start since the Halos actually had a book on him. He’s having an alright season, but is also a guy who doesn’t go deep into games either. In fact, this might be the one matchup where Rasmus might be able to outlast his opponent.

WEDNESDAY, 9/17: C.J. Wilson vs. James Paxton
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1LUCH0aFe4hLClLYbjD6bcwcwxkb9aLSWtT5aXUGADbk/pubchart” query=”oid=1997076384&format=interactive” width=”621″ height=”315″ /] Wilson’s history is a mixed bag. Cano has decimated him, but Wilson has dominated guys like Seager and Saunders. The bigger issue is that expanded rosters have given Seattle more platoon options, so Wilson won’t be facing as many lefties as he might normally. C.J. has already lost to the M’s twice this year and both of those came before he forgot how to pitch.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1LUCH0aFe4hLClLYbjD6bcwcwxkb9aLSWtT5aXUGADbk/pubchart” query=”oid=1170840483&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”312″ /] Paxton made a stellar start against the Angels at the start of the season and then had a tough time with them a week later. He’s mostly been out with injury since then.

TUESDAY, 9/18: Jered Weaver vs. Felix Hernandez
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1LUCH0aFe4hLClLYbjD6bcwcwxkb9aLSWtT5aXUGADbk/pubchart” query=”oid=76030192&format=interactive” width=”621″ height=”315″ /] Weaver is generally fine against the Mariners. The one guy he just can’t figure out is Justin Smoak. In fact, Weaver might be the sole reason that Seattle hasn’t given up on Smoak, who has three homers against Jered on his career.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1LUCH0aFe4hLClLYbjD6bcwcwxkb9aLSWtT5aXUGADbk/pubchart” query=”oid=1411312971&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”312″ /] Hernandez has an absurd amount of experience against the Halos, which is weird when you realize he is still just 28. Mike Trout is the only Angel that can hit King Felix, which is about what you’d expect from one of the best pitchers alive. Felix has already waxed the Angels three times this year, he’ll be going for a fourth.

OFFICIAL PREDICTION
The Mariners have really given the Halos a hard time this year. Combine that with the wildly different stakes for each team in this series and I see the Halos splitting the series. To be quite honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if they dropped three of four either.

UNOFFICIAL PREDICTION (so don’t hold me to it)
Going out on a limb here but I think that Josh Hamilton will…. NOT play in this series. However, I predict that by the end of the series we will at least find out a target return date for him. He’ll miss that return date, but at least we will get one.