Alex Rodriguez entered the 2009 Major League Baseball playoffs with a rep as being a poor postseason player. In a matter of days, he has altered that rep and has now authored a number of memorable postseason moments. His latest chapter came Saturday night.
With the game tied 2-2 in the top of the 11th inning, the Los Angeles Angels got an RBI single by Chone Figgins to take a one-run lead. The Yankees needed to score in the bottom of the 11th. Rodriguez, who led off the inning, quickly took care of that issue by blasting a solo shot.
In the …read more

The Los Angeles Angels have had no recent success against the Boston Red Sox in the postseason. This year, things were different. With a 7-6 victory, the Angels completed a three-game sweep of the Red Sox.
When the Red Sox entered the eighth inning with a 5-2 lead, the Angels’ chances didn’t appear to be too great. But, with the Angels trailing by a run in the ninth, Vladimir Guerrero hit a two-run single to give Los Angeles the lead. Brian Fuentes pitched a perfect ninth to put the Red Sox to bed.
Guerrero finished the contest 2-for-4 with one run and …read more

The Los Angeles Angels had a slow start to the 2009 baseball season but on Monday they were able to clinch the American League West division title. Their clinching win came against the Texas Rangers — the very team the Angels battled with atop the division for much of the campaign.
This victory, which improved the Angels record to 92-64, didn’t require much effort. Los Angeles was up 3-0 after one inning and 8-0 after four innings. Eventually, the Angels claimed an 11-0 win over the Rangers.
Ervin Santana, who struggled for most of the season, was very good on Monday as …read more

After pitching very well last season, the 2009 baseball season has been a struggle for Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. On Tuesday, the native of Japan took a big step toward salvaging his campaign.
In his first start since June 19th, Matsuzaka pitched six scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels. He gave up three hits, three walks and struck out five. He was able pick up his second win of the season and lowered his ERA from 8.23 to 7.02.
Thanks to Matsuzaka’s effort on the mound, the Red Sox topped the Angels by a final count of 4-1. …read more

Coming up with the Chicago Cubs, Felix Pie was thought of as a great prospect. After fizzling out in Chicago, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. So far this year Pie was mostly a disappointment in Baltimore. However, on Friday, Pie illustrated some of his potential.
With a single and a triple in the seventh inning, Pie was able to hit for the cycle. It was the seventh time this season that a player hit for the Cycle in Major League Baseball. Earlier this week, Troy Tulowitzki hit for the cycle.
With Pie supplying the heroics, the Orioles were able to …read more

Ervin Santana, the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels who began the season on the disabled list, will miss his next start. After undergoing an MRI, the team diagnosed him with a forearm strain.
Santana reportedly believes that after skipping the start, which would have been on Tuesday, he’ll be able to go again when it’s his turn.
Last year, Santana was 16-7 with a 3.49 ERA. This year hasn’t been nearly as productive. In six starts, he has a 7.47 ERA and a record of 1-3. In 31.1 innings of work, he’s given up 45 hits and 13 walks while …read more

Kelvim Escobar, who hasn’t pitched in the major leagues in more than 19 months, will return to the mound on Saturday for the Los Angeles Angels. His return will be against the Detroit Tigers.
Shoulder surgery is the reason why he’s missed so much time. He didn’t pitch at all in 2008 and missed the beginning of this season while still recovering.
In 2007, Escobar was one of the best pitchers in the American League. In 30 starts, the native of Venezuela had an 18-7 record to go along with a 3.40 ERA.
Now 33 years old, Escobar has a lot to prove. …read more

Andrew Gallo, the alleged driver responsible for killing Nick Adenhart and two of Adenhart’s friends, was indicted by a grand jury on six felonies. Three of those felony counts were for murder.
Adenhart was the young pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels who lost his life in an automobile accident on April 9th. Gallo, who later was found to have a blood-alcohol level of almost three times the California legal limit, was immediately arrested. With a long history of driving under the influence of alcohol, most legal experts expect that Gallo will have the book thrown at him.
Prior to his death, …read more

Josh Beckett of the Boston Red Sox started a brawl recently when he threw the ball over Bobby Abreu’s head after the Los Angeles Angels slugger had called a timeout. On Tuesday, Major League Baseball decided to suspend Beckett for six games for his role in starting the brawl.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander wasn’t too pleased with the decision:
“I respect the job they have to do,” said Beckett, “but I don’t agree.”
After the incident, Angels manager Mike Scioscia called for Beckett to be suspended. Once he heard of the suspension, he agreed.
“It makes us feel good that Major League Baseball really …read more

A day after Nick Adenhart was killed by a drunk driver, his Los Angeles Angels teammates got back to work. After remembering Adenhart in an emotional pregame ceremony, the Angels were able to beat the Boston Red Sox by a score of 6-3.
When Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver took the mound, he put Adenhart’s initials in the dirt. He then threw 6.2 great innings in which he gave up only four hits and two walks, while striking out eight and allowing no earned runs.
To put the runs on the board, the Angels got big games from Bobby Abreu, Vladimir …read more