Do or Die Angels (Died)

Boy, it's got to be frustrating if you're an Angel fan. Your ace gives you a quality start in Game 1 and you're only able to muster a single run. Your offense manages to wake up in Game 2, but your second started gets lit up. You finally muscle out a huge do-or-die Game 3 win in 12 innings in what you're hoping to the series-changer. Your ace tosses you yet another quality start in Game 4, and once again your offense isn't able to give him a decision. But your team hangs tough, and the game is tied heading into the 9th.

Your offense has been struggling all game, With GA, Vladi and Teixera all hitless. This inning doesn't look too promising either, with the bottom of the order due up. Miraculously, pinch-hitter Kendry Morales smokes a lead-off double off the green monster. You're in business. Howie Kendrick then executes a perfect sacrifice bunt, sending the pinch-runner Reggie Willits to third. Man on third with one out. Any ball put in play will likely score the go-ahead run. Then you'll be able to send out the most prolific single-season closer in MLB history to dig yourself out of what was once a 0-2 hole, suddenly making this a one-game series to be played at Angel Stadium...

Eric Aybar is at the plate. All he has to do is not strike out, put the ball in play. But Scioscia was desperate, and made a move he hoped the Red Sox were not expecting. He tried to squeeze Willits home. Unfortunately, Aybar's bunt attempt whiffed, and by the time Varitek plucked the ball out of his glove, Willits was stuck halfway between third and home. With two eyes on the back of his head, Willits did his best to scurry back to third, but Varitek chased him down and tagged him out. Suddenly, there were two outs, and the bases were empty. Aybar grounded out to end the top half of the 9th, Shields proceeded to blow the game in the bottom half, and that's the end of that story.

You can chew Scioscia out all you want for putting the entire season on one risky play. But the truth is, this was a great call. If the play had worked, the Angels may have escaped the game, the series, and we'd all be hailing Skip as a genius. So Scioscia rolled the dice. He gambled that Aybar would be able to lay the bunt down, or at least get his damn bat on the ball. If the bunt had sprayed foul, they could have easily reverted back to the original plan, getting Willits home on a sacrifice fly or ground out. Who would've guessed that a major league ball player would have whiffed on a bunt? Not you, not me, and not Mike Scioscia. There's a reason why Scioscia is a World Series champion, and the rest of us aren't. He makes the calls that the rest of us don't have the cajones to make.

Unfortunately, the dice isn't always kind. I guess you crapped out this time, Skip.