But Teixeira, as well as the likes of John Lackey, Chone Figgins, Vlad Guerrero, Garret Anderson, Jon Garland, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, Hunter and Rodriguez -- the core of a team that leads the majors with a record of 97-59 -- doesn't move the needle in L.A. like the Dodgers and Manny.
One astute baseball observer, the columnist who types on Page 2 of this sports section, pointed to a reason for this. Speaking of various methods of inducing sleep before surgery, Page 2 typed, "Instead of anesthesia to put you to sleep, they have you listen to Mike Scioscia being interviewed."
That means the Angels' manager is boring.
Also, dumb like a fox. Nobody is happier than Scioscia at the ease with which his team has clinched a playoff spot early and has drifted easily beneath the radar. Scioscia is not a Joe Namath-call-the-shot guy. He would rather you wake up the morning after he has beaten you and have you wonder what hit you. His Angels may end up with the quietest 100-win season in baseball history.
The Dodgers have Joe Torre, celebrity manager, proven commodity. He dealt with the New York press for more than a decade, including tabloid types who could get a big story or a nasty headline out of a wink or a sneeze. After that, the L.A. media are a walk in the park for Torre.
The Dodgers also have Vin Scully, who doesn't just move the needle. He is the needle. If there is a better thing than listening to Scully describe a game on a warm summer night, then somebody better bottle it.
The Angels, by comparison, offer several competent game-describers and one unique talent in Rex Hudler, who once remarked that a pitcher had "slown down" his fastball. As mesmerizing as Scully is, Hudler is enthusiastic. The Dodgers have a poet laureate, the Angels a master malaprop, and both serve their constituencies well.
The days ahead will be exciting. All eyes will be on the Dodgers, as clinching time approaches. The headlines will get bigger, the news broadcasts louder. Those who get paid handsomely these days to count website hits will do so joyously, because Dodgers buzz always drives Internet clatter.
It is late September, almost always Dodgers time here. All eyes will be focused on Chavez Ravine. In this city, the Dodgers will have it all.
Except the better team.
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Bill Dwyre can be reached at bill.dwyre@latimes.com.
To read previous columns by Dwyre, go to latimes.com/dwyre.
