Sports Illustrated asked major league scouts who closely followed the American League Division Series to analyze the teams in the American League Championship Series. The scouts were promised anonymity in exchange for their candor. Here’s what they revealed. For National League scouting reports click here.
ANAHEIM ANGELS
LINEUP
BATS
SS
David Eckstein
R
.293, 63 RBIs, 21 SBs
A real pest. The way to get him out is with breaking balls; he'll see a lot of them in this series.
CF
Darin Erstad
L
.283, 10 HRs, 73 RBIs
Has home run power, but when he presses, he expands the zone and tries to do too much.
RF
Tim Salmon
R
.286, 22 HRs, 88 RBIs
He used to chase sliders away. Now to get him out you have to pound him inside with power stuff.
LF
Garret Anderson
L
.306, 29 HRs, 123 RBIs
One of the game's best hitters, he can turn around anybody's fastball. Also playing harder on defense.
3B
Troy Glaus
R
.250, 30 HRs, 111 RBIs
Make him chase breaking balls away, and pound him inside with fastballs. Cannon arm.
1B
Scott Spiezio
S
.285, 12 HRs, 82 RBIs
A big-time clutch player; very good fastball hitter and much improved from the right side.
DH
Brad Fullmer
L
.289, 19 HRs, 59 RBIs
A disappointing year, but has home run power. A good low-ball hitter, he tries to muscle all fastballs.
C
Bengie Molina
R
.245, 5 HRs, 47 RBIs
One of the AL's best defensively, but as a hitter he chases too many pitches out of the strike zone.
2B
Adam Kennedy
L
.312, 52 RBIs, 17 SBs
Had a breakout year offensively and improved defensively; makes all the plays he should.
Troy Glaus Damian Strohmeyer
ROTATION Jarrod Washburn, LHP (18-6, 3.15 ERA). He's frustrating for a hitter because he gets away with throwing 80% to 90% fastballs and cutters. Teams that take him deep into counts give him trouble.
Kevin Appier, RHP (14-12, 3.92 ERA). This guy battles, but he needs offensive support because he gives up runs. Has an ordinary fastball, a pretty good splitter and a slurvy slider.
Ramon Ortiz, RHP (15-9, 3.77 ERA). His inconsistency must drive the Angels crazy. He's prone to overthrowing, which makes him wild in the strike zone; that's why he gives up so many home runs. But he's got a real good fastball and slider.
John Lackey, RHP (9-4, 3.66 ERA). He has a good enough fastball and breaking ball to be a real solid rotation guy for a while.
BENCH Not much to choose from, but they don't go to the bench much. DH Shawn Wooten is a good fastball hitter and a dead pull hitter. IF Benji Gil is not a superior defensive player and doesn't have much power.
BULLPEN RHP Troy Percival has a tremendous closer's mentality.
He's got a high-octane fastball -- 95 to 98 mph -- and a real good curve. RHP Francisco Rodriguez is a nightmare for the Twins because they haven't seen him, and they're a team that gets too aggressive at the plate. Can LHP Scott Schoenweis get the tough lefties out in the eighth? He's one of the keys.
HOW TO BEAT THEM Pitch around Anderson. Throw inside to the big
righty hitters. Be alert on infield defense; they all bunt and they all run. Their Achilles' heel is starting pitchers: They're not as strong as the other playoff teams.
MINNESOTA TWINS
LINEUP
BATS
LF
Jacque Jones
L
.300, 27 HRs, 85 RBIs
Has some power and hits righthanders O.K.; not a classic leadoff hitter because he doesn't walk.
SS
Cristian Guzman
S
.273, 9 HRs, 59 RBIs
He's become a slap hitter but has some gap power -- though he hasn't shown much of it this year.
3B
Corey Koskie
L
.267, 15 HRs, 69 RBIs
Good defensive player and pretty good hitter who's using the whole field a lot better now.
CF
Torii Hunter
R
.289, 29 HRs, 94 RBI
Cooled off in second half. Good mistake hitter, especially on breaking balls. Gold Glove defender.
DH
David Ortiz
L
.272, 20 HRs, 75 RBIs
Has good gap-to-gap power, especially in the Metrodome, but righties can bust fastballs inside.
1B
Doug Mientkiewicz
L
.261, 10 HRs, 64 RBIs
Down year offensively but still very good defensively. Selective hitter who takes his walks.
RF
Michael Cuddyer
R
.259, 4 HRs, 13 RBIs
Good young athlete (23) who hit well down the stretch. Can get him out with breaking balls.
C
A.J. Pierzynski
L
.300, 6 HRs, 49 RBIs
Everything he hits this season seems to fall in fair territory. Not much power; pretty good defensively.
2B
Luis Rivas
R
.256, 4 HRs, 35 RBIs
Didn't make any offensive strides this year. Good bunter; should do that more often. Solid in the field.
Torii Hunter John Biever
ROTATION Brad Radke, RHP (9-5, 4.72 ERA).
Throws a fastball and change with superior command. He'd better have that command, because his fastball isn't what it used to be.
Joe Mays, RHP (4-8, 5.38 ERA). A Radke clone, but unlike his teammate he relies on his breaking ball and has only an average fastball. He had arm trouble during the season, but he seemed O.K. down the stretch.
Rick Reed, RHP (15-7, 3.78 ERA). A survivor who's been through the wars. Spots his pitches well while adding and subtracting velocity.
Eric Milton, LHP (13-9, 4.84 ERA). Has the best arm of anybody in the rotation; a plus fastball and a good cutter. He seems to be getting his command back, but he still doesn't have as much command as the other three guys.
BENCH C Tom Prince is one of the best backups in baseball. OF Dustin Mohr 's productivity dropped off significantly in the second half. OF Bobby Kielty is a switch-hitter with ability.
BULLPEN LHP Eddie Guardado , the closer, has been all over the
place the past few weeks. RHP LaTroy Hawkins has a big arm and a history of inconsistency. LHP J.C. Romero is a top-shelf setup guy with closer's stuff. LHP Johan Santana gives them three power arms from the left side.
HOW TO BEAT THEM Lefthanded pitching absolutely kills them. I
just don't think this club is good enough to win two playoff rounds. The X factor is the Metrodome. The roof and the noise are a problem for visiting teams. Put the Twins in an outdoor grass stadium and they're just another club.
