Postseason Notebook--October 6, 2008

Despite a number of gaffes in the field and on the basepaths, and a continued inability to hit with runners in scoring position, the Angels find themselves alive in their Division Series against the Red Sox. In a series filled with talented position players on both sides of the field(Vlad Guerrero, Torii Hunter, and Chone Figgins for the Angels, and Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, and Jason Bay for the Red Sox), none has been as impressive as Mark Teixeira. He has hardly had a bad at-bat in the series, working the count masterfully and handling pitches both up and down in the strike zone. He has treated his first postseason experience in such a graceful, relaxed manner that he has actually increased his already high level of marketability this winter, when he becomes the cream of the free agent class. He may not get the ten-year contract that has been whispered, but he could come close, maybe eight years at better than $20 million a season...

Torii Hunter narrowly escaped becoming the goat of Game Three. His failure to take charge on Jacoby Ellsbury's shallow fly between center field and second base allowed three runs to score, giving Boston an early 3-1 lead. Hunter also allowed a catchable fly ball to clang off his glove in Game Two, lending some credence to the belief that his reputation for sterling defense in center field is a tad overrated. Another Angel who has struggled is second baseman Howie Kendrick, who did pick up two hits in Game Three, but has otherwise looked clueless at the plate. Kendrick was supposed to be the next Bill Madlock for the Angels, but he has hit more like Jon Matlack...

In the National League, the Cubs certainly did not provide us with a representative display of their abilities in their three-game sweep at the hands of the re-charged Dodgers. But the series did underscore a Cub weakness; as good as they can be offensively, they are top-heavy from the right side, leaving them vulnerable to an opponent with good right-handed pitching like the Dodgers. With Jim Edmonds contemplating retirement and Kosuke Fukudome trying to scratch his way out of a second-half funk that put him firmly in Lou Piniella's doghouse, the Cubs need a premier left-handed bat for their order. They have several options, one of which is free agent left fielder Adam Dunn, which would then force them to move Alfonso Soriano to center or right, or trade him. Another possibility would be dealing Soriano for a left-handed bat of similar ability, if the proper match can be found.