ALCS PERSPECTIVE

By Dean Swanton

The Chicago White Sox are looking for their first World Series win since 1917. Unlike the cross-town Cubs they haven't exactly been loveable losers through their years of futility. The Southsiders are looking to put an exclamation point on a season which saw them win 99 games and cruise through the divisional series against the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox. The White Sox swept the Red Sox in 3 games behind solid pitching and an offense that hit 7 home runs in the series.

The Los Angeles Angels won the World Series in 2002 when they were known as the Anaheim Angels. At the time they were owned by Disney. Arte Moreno is the owner now, and he has invested plenty of money into the team and is looking to win his first World Series as the Angels owner.

The White Sox and Angels play game 2 of the American League Championship Series tonight at U.S. Cellular Field. (8:00 PM EST) The Angels won game 1 of the series last night 3-2 behind the pitching of Paul Byrd. Byrd pitched 6 strong innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits and walking only 1 batter. The Angels bullpen was money once again as Scot Shields pitched 2 scoreless innings and Francisco Rodriguez nailed down the win in the ninth.

The Angels were supposed to be showing signs of fatigue after playing their third game in three nights-all in different time zones. Byrd was pitching on only 3 days rest after a poor outing in New York against the Yankees. Angels manager Mike Scioscia didn't have many options other than Byrd but the crafty right-hander came through with a solid performance and helped take away the home field advantage that the White Sox started the series with.

The game 2 and game 3 pitching match-ups are set. Tonight's tilt features a battle of lefthanders as Jarrod Washburn takes the mound for the Angels and the White Sox counter with Mark Buehrle. Unlike his teammates, Washburn is well rested as he was unable to pitch in the opening round of the playoffs because of strep throat. He last pitched on October 1st in the final series of the regular season. The White Sox will be looking for a strong start from Buehrle as they do not want to head to Anaheim down 2-0. When the series does go west for game 3 on Friday night, the Angels will start John Lackey against the White Sox Jon Garland.

The Angels have some concerns in their rotation as Bartolo Colon has been left off the roster for this series. The right-hander has an inflamed shoulder and is awaiting the results of an MRI that was scheduled for today.

The series features two teams that love to play small ball when the opportunity arises. "Get 'em on, get 'em over and get 'em in" is a philosophy that both White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and Angels manager Mike Scioscia don't mind subscribing to. Knowing that either manager could call for a squeeze play at any time makes this series intriguing.

The winner of the series advances to the 2005 World Series which will begin in the city of the American League champion on October 22.