The final straw for the one who stirs the Angels’ drink was running into his own pathetic topper in front of the plate for an out in the sixth inning of the Yankees’ 5-2 ALCS-clinching victory over the Angels in Game 6 last night at the Stadium. Chone Figgins never could get out of his own way during an ALCS in which he went 3-for-23 and a postseason in which he went 3-for-35.
An eighth-inning bloop single off Mariano Rivera put Figgins on base for Vladimir Guerrero’s RBI that briefly cut the Yankees lead to 3-2. But in the end, the Angels’ leadoff hitter continued to be the leading reason why all five of their postseason appearances in his six seasons as the regular third baseman have ended short of the World Series.
Figgins played to his value just once in this series, drawing a leadoff walk off A.J. Burnett in Game 5 that started a four-run inning. In the end that proved only the perfect illustration of how the Yankees were in control of this series as long as they controlled Figgins.
“Huge,” said manager Joe Girardi about containing Figgins. “He’s a pest, and we know the problems that he can cause. I thought our pitchers did a great job against him.
“He had a wonderful year this year,” Girardi added. “When he was on base in games that we played against them, he created a lot of issues. And keeping him off base was a big part of our success.”
Just like it was a big part of Boston’s success in two series wins over the Angels until this year’s ALDS, when the Los Angeles won despite him. But unless it becomes only a matter of time until Figgins begins to consistently get on base, it is only a matter of time until the Angels are eliminated.
The Angels leadoff hitter had compiled a career .172 batting and .225 on-base percentage over 10 series. Figgins has had one good one series, a 7-for-21 in 2008 against the Red Sox. Otherwise he has performed nothing close to the catalyst who led the Angels this year with 183 hits, the American League with 101 walks, and ranked second in runs scored (114) and times reached base (285).
The only player to reach 30 stolen bases in each of the last six seasons couldn’t steal first in this series, transforming a dynamic top of the Angels lineup into the beginning of their end.
“They kept me off base, that’s a tough thing to do, but they obviously did it,” Figgins said. “That kept us from putting a lot of runs on the board.”
“I have to tip my hat to them, they knew what they were doing. That’s some pitching staff.”