If this 2009 Post Season as taught us anything, it's that even premium closers can be rattled. Joe Nathan of Minnesota, Jonathan Papelbon of Boston and Brian Fuentes of Los Angeles are some of the more recent victims of having their bells rung by opposing teams when the game was on the line and their teams needed outs.

                 Joe Nathan blew a 9th inning lead in game 2 of the ALDS to the Yankees when A-Rod hit a 2 run homer over the right center field wall to tie the game. Ultimately leaving the door wide open for the Bronx Bombers to step in and sweep the series. Despite a terrific regular season converting 47 of 53 saves with a 2.10 ERA and striking out 89 in 68 1/3 innings, Nathan will forever be attached to A-Rod’s break out Post-Season.

                 Jonathan Papelbon is the Red Sox go to guy in closeout games with that glaring stare and blazing fastball. But even him and his amazing streak having never giving up a run in the Post Season in 26 innings was no match for an Angels team that scored 3 runs off him in a rally that started in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs. Papelbon boasted a 1.85 ERA in 68 innings, striking out 76 in the regular season and converting 38 of 41 save opportunities. But In the end, it was his control that faltered him in the decisive lose to the Angels that sent Boston packing.

Fuentes who has been the Angels replacement for the departed closer Francisco Rodriguez has a history this season of running into trouble. With a 3.93 ERA, Fuentes has allowed 53 hits in 55 innings. He’s allowed 24 runs, 6 homers and has struck out 46 while converting 48 of 55 in the regular season. He has been anything but Lights Out.

Mistakes

Wings Clipped – ALCS Game 2 (Angels vs. Yankees)

The first batter Angels closer Brian Fuentes faced last night in the bottom of the 11th inning against the Yankees was Alex Rodriguez. Having a one run lead, and the Angels post season future on the line, Fuentes started him off with 2 fast balls for strikes. Having A-Rod down 0-2, Fuentes threw another Elevated “Smash Me” fastball that A-Rod pounded into deep right-center for the game tying run that sparked a comeback win for the Yankees.

1)    You’re going to have good days, and bad days

2)    Laughter is the ultimate healer

3)    You never throw an 0-2 fastball over the plate in a big game.

Pitchers are taught back in Little League to throw outside the zone on 0-2 counts. Get the hitters to chase at something and get themselves out - A low and outside slider or curve ball or a low “off the plate” fastball, nothing in the hitter’s zone where they can get solid contact on the ball. Fuentes must of forgotten this and I'm sure Mike Socia let him know all about fundamental baseball when they got back to the club house. You can't put all the blame on Fuentes though. Catcher Jeff Mathis called for the pitch and location and Fuentes hit his target. But he still should of known better.

Fuentes isn’t really a Premier Closer, but he plays for a Premier Team. So it’s up to him to do what he can to help his team carve out wins. In the absence of raw talent, intelligence and hard work should emerge. Just ask Tom Glavine.

In the end....... A-Rod should never have homered. Fuentes should have made better pitch selections and the Angels should be tied 1-1in the series against New York going back to Los Angeles. But we all know should of’s and suppose to’s don’t exist in October.

It’s mistakes like these that get magnified in the post season. Weaknesses become clear to the millions of fans watching and we are often left scratching our heads at what transpired.

I guess that’s the adventure of October Baseball.