By Gil LeBreton
glebreton@star-telegram.com
ARLINGTON -- In a season filled with ifs and buts, the American League's biggest ifs came calling Friday night.
If only the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hadn't begun the baseball season 7-15...
If only free-agent lottery prize Albert Pujols hadn't waited until May 8 to start hitting ...
If only Mike Trout hadn't spent the first month of the season grooming in Salt Lake ...
If only the ever-erudite C.J. Wilson was still pitching in Texas ...
OK, that's a cheap shot. C.J., Angels fans may recall, had an All-Star first half.
And if only the Angels can ride the crest of Friday night's 7-4 stomping of the Texas Rangers all the way to next week, then maybe, possibly, the Orioles and Athletics willing, they can also win their way into the AL wild-card game.
That's a lot of ifs, in other words, for a team that spent $317 million in the off-season to remove all those contingencies and uncertainties.
The Texas Rangers won't be sending their old rivals any sympathy bouquets, of course. Any team that can send Jered Weaver to the mound to start a do-or-die three-game series, as the Angels did Friday, can't be asking for mulligans.
On Aug. 22 of last season, right-hander Weaver signed a five-year, $85 million contract extension to remain in Anaheim. It was the smartest thing the Angels did over the past 14 months.
Friday night's was a game the Angels couldn't afford to lose. Don't bore me with the math -- I know there were still enough games to catch the A's or Orioles.
A defeat Friday could have pushed the Angels three games out of the wild-card chase with only five games left to play.
More than that, however, manager Mike Scioscia had his ace on the mound. The pitching matchups the next two days aren't as favorable.
And Weaver delivered, as expected. The victory raised his season record to 20-4 and was his fourth straight over the Rangers.
Who wants to face the Angels and Jered Weaver in a short, October series?
The Rangers can help take care of that, however, over these next two days.
Their mathematical possibilities have much more wiggle room. One victory over the Angels this weekend and one next week in Oakland, and the Rangers clinch the AL West.
Two victories over the Angels, on the other hand, and it's likely that LA owner Arte Moreno spent a whole lot of money these past 14 months to finish in third place.
Rangers fans, of all people, need no convincing about the marketplace value of Pujols. He had a co-starring role in their worst nightmare last October.
Why Pujols only had one home run through the season's first five weeks, however, remains a $317.5 million mystery.
Was it his unfamiliarity with American League pitchers? Those awful DirecTV commercials?
I'm no doctor, but Albert doesn't appear as svelte and chiseled as he once did. He's had leg issues since August, and it seems to have slowed him considerably. Pujols began the day batting a modest .282 in September.
If only all the Angels were Mike Trouts ...
For all their payroll -- a reported $155 million this season, fourth most in the majors -- they are an odd mix, the Cherubs.
Local star Vernon Wells began Friday hitting .234 with 29 runs batted in. Second baseman Howie Kendrick, said to be one of their cornerstones, has a .314 on-base percentage.
First-half hero Mark Trumbo had three hits and drove in three runs Friday, but the big guy was hitting .204 since the All-Star break and .121 for September.
Too many good players, the headlines from Southern California said back in spring training.
If only the Angels' April didn't count ...
They were ready to play Friday night, of course. Weaver is a walking confidence boost for Scioscia's team -- a luxury that the Rangers can't match.
But do the math. With Weaver now behind them, the Rangers still have the standings and the calendar on their side.
Gil LeBreton, 817-390-7697Twitter: @gilebreton
Looking for comments?
