With all Southern Californians hoping for a Freeway Series, both the Dodgers and Angels failed to step up to the plate and were summarily eliminated from World Series contention. From a questionable pitching change in the third and final game of the Angels-Red Sox series to the dismal pitching and hitting display for the Dodgers-Cardinals series, it's very difficult to watch when the home-town team fails to rise to the occasion.
Two bright spots for the both series however, were the rising production of Jose Lima and Francisco Rodriguez. Lima time is real in Los Angeles, which is amazing considering Lima hadn't produced anything significant at all until he arrived in LA. His intensity and dedication to the team is not alarming, it's inspiring. Now if only the fans would stick around until the end of the 9th inning during the regular season.
Francisco Rodriguez has the same intensity, and has already proved himself with the World Series experience in 2002. I'm incredibly impressed with how a player so young can come into a playoff situation and remain calm. Most of the time, opposing batters are left shaking their heads, trying to figure out what it is that K-Rod is throwing up there. He's got incredible speed, and his slider has to be seen to be believed. He's the future of the Anaheim organization, and it was with great trepidation that I saw him replaced with Jarrod Washburn in the 10th inning this last weekend.
It was a good season for both teams, and we can only expect great things from both next year.
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