New starting DH Hideki Matsui has hit the ground running for his new team. In his first 7 games of the season, Matsui is 10 for 29 (.345 avg, 1.080 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 2 homers and 5 RBIs. Matsui is doing a good job of replacing the very popular Vladimir Guerrero at DH for the Angels and I think he will keep up the good work as long as his knees hold up. Tomorrow night, Matsui will get his World Series Ring at Yankee Stadium which should be a big night for him. Hopefully he feels at home and cranks a homer or two tomorrow night.

31-year old switch hitting 3B Chone Figgins tied with Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees for 10th in the MVP voting of the American League. Figgins played in 158 games for the Angels last year and he was 183 for 615 (.298 avg, .789 OPS) with 114 runs scored, 5 homers, 54 RBIs and 42 stolen bases. He has now played in 936 games in his 8-year major league career and he is 1,045 for 3,585 (.291 avg, .751 OPS) with 596 runs scored, 31 homers, 341 RBIs and 280 stolen bases. It will be very interesting to see if the Angels bring back Chone Figgins for the 2010 season and beyond as he is a free agent and a lot of teams like him.

UPDATE: Figgins has signed a 4-year deal with the division rival Mariners worth $36 million bucks. This leaves a hole at 3B and the Angels need to either add someone via trade or free agency unless they are willing to give Brandon Wood his big chance in 2010.

26-year old switch hitting Kendry Morales finally got a shot to show what he could do last season as he finished fifth in the voting for the American League MVP Award. Morales played in 152 games for the Angels last season and he was 173 for 566 (.306 avg, .924 OPS) with 86 runs scored, 34 homers and 108 RBIs. He has now played four years for the Angels playing in 279 games in which he is 267 for 943 (.283 avg, .839 OPS) with 126 runs scored, 46 homers and 153 RBIs. Look for Morales to even get better as this was his first real go around with the Angels.

The Angels have acted quick in re-signing 35-year old lefty swinging RF Bobby Abreu to a 2-year, $18 million dollar contract. The contract includes a option for the 2012 season worth $9 million bucks that can be bought out for $1 million dollars. Abreu played in 152 games for the Angels last season and he was 165 for 563 (.293 avg, .825 OPS) with 96 runs scored, 15 homers, 103 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. Abreu has now played in 1,951 games in his major league career and he is 2,111 for 7,053 (.299 avg, .897 OPS) with 1,270 runs scored, 256 homers, 1,187 RBIs and 348 stolen bases. This was a great move for the Angels who have rewarded Abreu for his outstanding season in 2009.

UPDATE: Bobby Abreu finished tied for 12th with Aaron Hill of the Blue Jays in the MVP voting in the A.L.

The Angels have three players that are swinging good bats against the Yankees. Erick Aybar has played in all 4 games for the Angels against the Yanks and he is 4 for 14 (.286 avg, .643 OPS) with 1 run scored, 1 RBI and 2 stolen bases. He has been a pest for Yankees’ pitchers when he gets on base. Howie Kendrick is swinging the best bat on the team right now. In three games against the Yanks, Kendrick is 4 for 11 (.364 avg, 1.182 OPS) with 3 runs scored, a triple, homer and 1 RBI. The Angels should consider batting Kendrick leadoff and dropping Chone Figgins to the bottom of the lineup due to his frigid bat. Backup catcher Jeff Mathis is also swinging a hot stick. He has played in 3 games against the Yanks in this series and he is 3 for 6 (.500 avg, 1.500 OPS) with 3 doubles and 1 RBI. The Angels need the rest of the lineup to start hitting or the next game will be their last of the year.

The Los Angeles Angels were able to defend their first game at home, with a thrilling extra innings win.  Jeff Mathis was the hero in game three when he drove in Howie Kendrick for the 5-4 11th inning win.  Although Mathis was the hero, manager Mike Scioscia is going with Mike Napoli as his starting catcher tonight in game four.  There is good reason for this though.  The Yankees are starting their ace C.C. Sabathia and Napoli was 8-12 (.667 avg) against Sabathia in the regular season.  He also had one of only four hits the Angels got off Sabathia in their game one loss.

Game three was a big momentum swing for the Angels and I think they should be able to ride that momentum to another home win to even the series.  If they don’t win tonight, I think they will be done.  They have Scott Kazmir starting, so if Kazmir can keep the game close with Sabathia, then the Angels may be able to get themselves another late game win.  He needs to be careful with Alex Rodriguez though, who has been a home-run machine this posteason.  Hopefully the Angels’ hitters can get to Sabathia early though, since the Yankee ace is pitching on short rest.  This has been an exciting series, with two games decided in extra innings.  I am expecting another exciting close one tonight, with the Angels edging out the Yankees to even the series.

The Los Angeles Angels are taking on the New York Yankees in the ALCS, and game one begins Friday night in New York.  The Angels need another great start from John Lackey, who went 7.1 innings in game one of the ALDS against the Twins where he held them scoreless.  He only gave up four hits and struck out four, and the Angels would like Lackey to make a statement in game one and slow down the hot Yankee bats.  Lackey will have his hands full with Alex Rodriguez, as he went 5 for 11 with two homers and six RBIs against the Twins.  If Lackey can shut Arod down in game one, then maybe it will get in his head and he will struggle all series like he did in past postseasons.

The Angels bats will face a challenge in Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia.  The big lefthander pitched well in the ALDS against the Twins, where he went 6.1 innings and gave up one earned run.  Sabathia is one of the top pitchers in the game so the Angels will need players like Bobby Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero to continue the hitting they did in the ALDS.  Abreu went 5 for 9 and took five walks, while Vlad went 4 for 10 with 2 RBIs including the series winner.  Both teams are hot coming into this series and it should be a  great match-up.  The weather may cool off both teams though, as the New York weather has been awful lately with forecasts not looking good for game one tomorrow night in the Bronx.

A lot of people were expecting the Los Angeles Angels to get beat down by the Boston Red Sox in their ALDS match-up, especially since the Red Sox have been dominating the Angels in recent postseasons.  The Angels reversed their fortunes this year against the Red Sox though and completed the sweep of the Red Sox last night in Boston.  Scott Kazmir did not pitch great for the Angels, giving up five runs in six innings.  The Red Sox had a 5-1 lead through four innings and things were not looking good for the Angels.

The Angels bullpen did a great job in this game as well as the whole series, and gave the Angels offense the opportunity to get back in the game.  Bobby Abreu had a huge game for the Angels with three hits, two runs scored, and an RBI.  Vlad Guerrero was the hero though, as he had a two-run game winning single in the 9th.  Brian Fuentes was able to hold the Red Sox off in the ninth and got the save.  The Angels scored three runs in the ninth off of Red Sox closer Jonathon Papelbon, who is usually lights out.  The Angels are squaring off against a very hot New York Yankees team in the ALCS, and both teams are playing great right now so it should be a very good series.  The Angels seemed determine to end the recent postseason struggles they have been having in recent years but they will have a great challenge in the New York Yankees.

Erick Aybar, Bobby Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero are all raking with the bat against the Red Sox. Aybar is 3 for 7 (.429 avg, 1.186 OPS) with a double, triple, 1 run scored and 2 RBIs. He has given the Angels a jolt at the bottom of the batting order. Bobby Abreu has been getting on base a lot in this series as he is 2 for 4 with 4 walks and 2 runs scored. Vladimir Guerrero is also having a decent series as he is 2 for 6 (.333 avg) with a run scored. With the Angels pitching like they are right now they don’t need too much help from the offense.

The Los Angeles Angels look like they are completely past the postseason hex the Red Sox seemed to put on them in recent years, as they took a 2-0 lead in their ALDS against the Red Sox.  The Angels once again got a great game from their starting pitcher, as Jered Weaver went 7.1 innings and only gave up two hits and one earned run, while striking out seven.  The bullpen followed that up with three innings of scoreless baseball.  The Angels are determined to get past the Red Sox and it looks like they have now reversed the hex, as the Red Sox are the ones struggling.

The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, but that was all they would get the rest of the night.  The Angels offense responded right away, tying the game in the bottom of the inning.  It was a pretty good pitching duel, as the Red Sox Josh Beckett was shutting the Angels down.  That all ended in the 7th inning though, as an RBI single by Izturiz gave the Angels a 2-1 lead.  They added some more when a two-run triple later in the inning by Aybar gave the Angels a 4-1 lead.  The Angels are playing like they are on a mission to win the World Series, but they can’t look past the Red Sox yet, as the next two games are in Boston and the Sox are great at home in the postseason.