Home Sweet Home

by Angel Aviator on Sep 22, 2008 3:18 PM PDT

I thought I would post a little something in regards to how important Home Field advantage is in the playoffs and how it is a lot more then one extra home game as previously reported by rally monkey.

I think it’s a big factor when you consider the Angels are a .500 team on the road against this years playoff teams (TB, CHI, BSX)

That winning record on the road against bad teams doesn’t mean squat when you’re talking about sleeping in your own bed and playing in front of your home crowd. Pitching on a mound that is tailored for each pitcher makes a difference as well. Lot more reasons to play for the HFA then there is not to. It’s always nice to play that 5th game of the ALDS at home and games 6&7 of the ALCS in front of your home town fans

If there is 2 teams out of the east (looks that way) its going to be a tough travel schedule should TB get past the first round………

The biggest thing about having HFA might be the AL team with the best record gets to choose its first-round schedule. One choice is Game 1 on Oct.1 and stretches the best of 5 series over eight days. The other format starts Oct.2 and has just 2 days off.

The eight day format allows both teams to go with just 3 starting pitchers. No pitcher would have to start on short rest either. This would allow Lackey, Santana and Saunders to all pitch with the rest needed and Lackey and Santana to pitch games 4 &5 if needed. Personally I think the extra days off make for a healthy team through the playoffs.

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.

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The other side

of the argument (re: schedule) is that the Angels probably have a better 4th starter than any team they’d face, and then they’d have Santana (who’s more like a #1A than a #2) available to pitch game 1 of the ALCS. Personally, I think the HFA is more important than the schedule.

by jjackflash on Sep 22, 2008 4:12 PM PDT reply actions

damn you jjackflash for posting my argument when i was like 10 seconds away from finishing

Exceeding expectations is less a matter of luck than possession of certain assets.

by anaheim angels on Sep 22, 2008 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions

well, lets not get too hasty about choosing.

i think that strategically, with the angels being so strong 1-4 in pitching, no other team can match that. The BoSux have beckett, daisuke, and lester. then they have wakefield. id rather have wakefield also pitch.
If its the 8 day schedule, then the matchups would be Lackey-Beckett, Santana-Lester and Saunders-Daisuke, then again with Lackey-Beckett and Santana-Lester. Those pitching are about even, with us getting the edge in the saunders-daisuke matchup.
If however it were an 8 day schedule, the matchups would be Lackey-Beckett, Santana-Lester, Saunders-Daisuke, and then Weaver-Wakefield and Lackey-Beckett. WE have the clear advantage with weaver-wakefield, and it might be better to do a 4 man rotation then a 3 man

Exceeding expectations is less a matter of luck than possession of certain assets.

by anaheim angels on Sep 22, 2008 4:14 PM PDT reply actions