Mike Scioscia Has King Kong Biscuits

The tag heard 'round the world? If you're an Angels fan, yes. In the 9th inning of last night's ultimately deciding Red Sox/Angels contest, Mike Scioscia pushed all his chips to the center of the table. He was called and beaten, drawn out on the river. With a guy on 3rd and 1 out in a tie game and a good bunter at the plate, Scioscia called for a suicide squeeze. Erick Aybar missed the bunt. Willits was dead in the water, run down by Varitek near third. For a second it looked like Varitek may have dropped the ball but the umpire got it right. Varitek tagged him and dropped the ball as he hit the ground well after the tag.

The game was still tied going into the bottom of the ninth. Juan Rivera was pinch hit for in the 9th by Kendry Morales. Willits entered the game when Morales hit a lead-off double. After the third out in the top of the 9th, Willits stayed in the game to play RF. Jason Bay hit a short fly to RF that Willits tried to run down. He layed out and missed it. The ball bounced into the crowd for a ground rule double. Two batters later, Jed Lowrie hit grounder through the infield to Willits who threw a late strike to the plate. Bay slid in and sealed Boston's series win.

What could the Angels have done? Hindsight tells us that a number of things could have changed the outcome. What if Scioscia let Aybar swing away? A fly out would have most likely driven in the fast Willits. A grounder through a hole or to a ranging infielder would have sent Willits home. I don't necessarily think the call was wrong. Scioscia new the risks and thought it was a good situation. If Aybar puts bat on ball, the Angels are up one run. K-Rod would have likely entered the game (despite pitching a long inning the night before). Instead Scot Shields went out for his second inning and gave up the winning run.

Here's another scenario. What if Scioscia put Vlad (the DH) in at RF? Sure Vlad has lost a step or 10 over the years but his arm is still one of the best in the league. He wouldn't have been fast enough to even have a bid on the Bay hit. Maybe the ball falls in front of him and he stops it from going in the stands and holds Bay at first. The next batter Kotsay drilled a liner to Teixera who dove to snag it. Teixera was playing off first base but if Bay was on at 1st, he plays closer. Maybe Bay goes on contact, the ball is hit right to Teixera and he doubles off Bay.

Say Bay makes it to second on the original pop up. Scioscia inserts Vlad in right knowing that any ground ball or short fly will mean a play at the plate. Does that increase in arm strength make up for him being slow of foot? Maybe... probably not. It was a bad way to lose. I'm sure Aybar and Willits will be replaying it in their heads the entire offseason.