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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim already owned baseball's best record when they acquired two-time Silver Slugger and Gold Glove first baseman Mark Teixeira on July 30th. The trade puts the Angels, currently 69-41, as the favorites to win the 2008 World Series. They Angels are baseball's most balanced team. They have one of baseball's best bullpens and starting rotations, great defense, speed in their lineup, and now with the addition of Teixeira, a power hitter besides Vladimir Guerrero. However, can this team bring home what would be the second World Series championship in franchise history?

Pitching and defense win championships. The Angels have the defense part of that equation. However, history tells us that power arms dominate the postseason. Almost every single one of the greatest postseason pitchers were all power-pitchers. Carl Hubbell, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Josh Beckett, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, and Mariano Rivera all are power pitchers that are almost unhittable once the playoffs roll around. The Angels on the other hand, are loaded with finesse pitchers in their starting rotation. John Lackey (0-2, 5.07 ERA in last 4 playoff starts), Jon Garland (1-0, 2.25 ERA in 2 playoff starts), and Joe Saunders (no playoff experience) are three finesse pitchers in the Angel rotation that will likely struggle when the playoffs begin. One more side note: even though Garland pitched well in the 2005 playoffs, he had a career year that year, as his ERA was almost a full run lower than his career mark. His second stint in the playoffs, like Lackey's, likely won't be as fruitful.

The advantage the Angels have lies in their bullpen, which houses an abundance of power arms, including baseball's best closer this year in Francisco Rodriguez. K-Rod owns a 5-3 playoff record with a 2.76 ERA, 3 saves, and 39 strikeouts in 29.1 innings (11.98 K/9). By the way, K-Rod is having the best season for any closer all-time, as he is on pace to shatter Bobby Thigpen's record for saves of 57 this year. There is only one closer more feared come October, the greatest of all-time, Mariano Rivera.

Scot Shields, the Angels set-up man has been equally as effective in the playoffs. Shields is 1-1 with a 2.75 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 19.1 innings (8.39 K/9). The Angels will also be breaking in a rookie that has been absolutely lights out this season. Jose Arredondo is 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, 11 holds, and 29 punchouts in 31 innings (8.42 K/9). Shields and Arredondo give the Angels likely the best pair of set-up men in the American League, a pair that uses pure power to dominate hitters. Shields will likely continue to be very successful in the playoffs while Arredondo follows his lead.

Another problem in the Angels quest for a World Championship lies in their offense. The Angels have very little beyond Teixeira, Guerrero, Torii Hunter, and Howie Kendrick. Hunter is the only proven playoff performer in that group. Teixeira has never played in a playoff game so there is no telling if he can live up to the pressure. Kendrick hit .200 in his only playoff series last season against Boston. Guerrero owns a .183 batting average, a .269 OBP, just 1 home runs, and only 7 RBIs, in 16 postseason contests. The Angels will not be able to win a World Series if their only offensive production comes from Hunter and Teixeira while all their other bats are silent. They need their table-setter Kendrick, and their big bopper in Guerrero to perform when it matters most.

While the Angels are a very, very balanced and talented team, they are not built for the postseason. Parts of their bullpen are the only part of their team proven to handle the playoffs, but that is only including two of their pitchers. Jose Arredondo, who figures to play a huge role in the playoffs, is unproven and has zero playoff experience. As does starter Joe Saunders and first baseman, who also will play major roles in the playoffs for Los Angeles. Those Angels that do have playoff experience have struggled, and they are the most important parts of the team. The Angels cannot win a World Series if Vladimir Guerrero, John Lackey, and Howie Kendrick do not perform. As of now, those three have yet to prove they can handle the postseason. Until they do, the Angels have little hope of a World Series title.