Season of triumph and tragedy for Angels
Adenhart, playoff run highlight memorable '09 for club
Lyle Spencer / MLB.com
ANAHEIM -- By any reasonable evaluation, the Angels had an exceptional season. Yes, it ended too soon for their fans, but that's true of the faithful of 28 other Major League clubs. Only the World Series champion leaves behind complete fulfillment.
In time, after the disappointment of not winning it all dissipates and reason settles in, fans will realize how exciting, determined and resilient manager Mike Scioscia's 10th troupe was in reaching Game 6 of the American League Championship Series before expiring at the hands of the Yankees in the Bronx.
The Angels overcame extreme emotional distress and a sluggish start to claim a third consecutive AL West title, outlasting a persistent Texas club and producing a club-record 47 comeback wins. It was a surprisingly strong division with Seattle and Oakland both finishing strong, serving notice that they'll be hard to handle in coming seasons.
The highlight of the season for Scioscia and Co. came with a three-game sweep of nemesis Boston in the AL Division Series, punctuated by a memorable Game 3 comeback -- three runs with two out in the ninth against Jonathan Papelbon -- at Fenway Park. The Red Sox had eliminated the Angels the previous two seasons and two other times, making this a case of sweep revenge for long-suffering fans.
Unfortunately, the momentum of the ALDS triumph did not carry over with four idle days before the start of the ALCS. A dominant Yankees outfit prevailed, but only after the Angels rebounded from a pair of defeats to force a return to Yankee Stadium by taking two of three at home.
"We had to overcome a lot of obstacles this season, and we have nothing to hang our heads about," Torii Hunter said. "We had a great season."
An unspeakable tragedy surfaced in the season's opening week when 22-year-old starter Nick Adenhart, a rising star, was killed along with two companions when their car was broadsided by an alleged drunk driver.