Out in the cold

In my ALCS preview, I wrote the cold weather would be the X-factor in the series because the Angels just weren't used to near-freezing temperatures, howling wind, and a steady mist. Actually, was I said of the Angels was: "You cannot adequately become used to these conditions, no matter how hard you try, if you live where they filmed Baywatch."

Maybe the reference was dated. But after Game 1, the sentiment appears to be absolutely right.

From the first inning of the Yankees' 4-1 win, the Halos looked miserable in the chilly, wet conditions and played like a badly coached high school team. Four separate miscues by Mike Scioscia's club led to three of the Yanks' four runs and forced the Angels to play from behind all night.

To say Los Angeles couldn't get out of its own way isn't quite right. It was more like the Angels left their fielding skills -- and their brains -- in balmy Southern California.

Leading the race to the bottom was left fielder Juan Rivera, who reminded the Yankees why they let him go when he threw to no one on a Johnny Damon single, allowing Damon to advance to second and setting the early standard for defensive futility.

Three batters later, shortstop Erick Aybar did Rivera one better. With two outs in the first, Damon was still on second and the Bombers led 1-0. Hideki Matsui lofted a mile-high popup between short and third, and it looked like the inning was over.

Only it wasn't. As the ball fell toward the infield, Aybar and third baseman Chone Figgins stood stock still 10 feet apart, neither player making any move to catch the ball. The ball fell to the dirt between them, a stunned Matsui stood on first with a "single", Damon scored and the Yanks led 2-0.

It's hard to articulate how monumentally bad this play was, or how much it cost Los Angeles. But it's easy to assign blame. Scioscia chewed out Figgins in the dugout, but that was probably more getting on the veteran infielder for not picking up Aybar's slack. Aybar's the shortstop. He runs the infield. He's got to make that play or be 100 percent sure that Figgins has it.

One Yankee fan brought a banner hailing Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter as "Captain October." Jeet's counterpart on the Angels is Captain Moron.

The Angels went largely mistake-free for the next few innings, though Aybar bounced a routine throw to first that Kendry Morales had to make a nice scoop on. But as the game wore old, the cold wore its way into everyone in the stadium, including Halos' starter John Lackey, who braved the elements in short sleeves but made a critical mistake on a pickoff attempt in the sixth with Melky Cabrera on first and two out. The errant throw got past Morales, and Melky scooted to second. Jeter laced the next pitch up the middle, and center field Torii Hunter booted the ball for the Angels' coup de grace.

Hunter has won eight consecutive Gold Gloves. When the best defensive center fielder this decade is making errors, you know you're in trouble.

The cold unquestionably played a major role in the Angels' mistakes. Aybar was wearing a shellaclava that covered most of his face, and he didn't hear Figgins yell for him to take Matsui's pop fly. And the Angels appeared more uncomfortable than the Yankees on the field throughout the game, as if they couldn't wait to hit the clubhouse for a steaming mug of hot cocoa.

The Yankees didn't exactly look happy on the field either. But ace C.C. Sabathia (eight innings, one run, four hits) could pitch at the North Pole and still turn in a quality start.

The weather may actually be worse for tonight's Game 2, with temperatures around 40 and heavy rain likely. The teams may face multiple rain delays, as the MLB will be reluctant to postpone the game until tomorrow and fight Sunday Night Football for ratings. Forget Jeter and A-Rod -- Mother Nature may turn out to be the Yankees' ALCS MVP.