Jered Weaver's Best Sees Angels Lose West

Final Score in Anaheim: Angels 1, Athletics 3

The Angels offense might have made you want to cry this season. But it was a hackathon, undeserving of our sympathies. The sight of Jered Weaver walking off the mound, though, well, there is the cue for your tears.

The Angels were eliminated from the American League West with their loss on Saturday night in front of a raucous crowd desperate and anxious for anything to cheer for, to have one last weekend of summer hope before the long winter ahead. And so the wailing of our lungs and the gnashing of our teeth begins.

Congratulations to the Texas Rangers on their second consecutive Western Division Title. No matter any criticism I could have dug deep for, all season long that run differential just kept fattening up. I wrote something snarky but I just erased it. The scoreboard finally shut me up. Someone somewhere in that big state has a dad or grandfather or relative or friend who might not see November and maybe their team making it is all they have to hang on to, the dream in a world gone wrong, the hope in dark times. I've seen that scoreboard shine in my time and in the abstract to know someone somewhere is eased in their worldly pain makes it alright. It doesn't make it any less painful, but the pain pretty much came and went already, in fits and starts and halted here and there three weeks ago but there have been bigger heartbreaks. My team will redeem my love another night. Enjoy the champagne, the six pack, the look in a fellow true believer's eye. You never know if it is the first of many or the last view from the mountain and that is why every single one is special.

The Angels are technically still in the wild card race but to watch the dumbfounded look on Mike Scioscia's face the emotional angst on Torii Hunter in the dugout after making an out to lead off the 9th inning, the only thing these guys are in together is Sundays football pool. This has been a second place team at best that had glimmers of glory but fatal flaws that shone every time that shiny surface was lightly scratched. All that glitters is not gold. At the moment it is fifth best int he American league and to take a step back it is a little shocking this team has been even that great.