Angels emerge as the team to beat in the American League

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are proving to be a tough team to beat this season with a well balanced team.   Manager Mike Scioscia can be given a lot of credit for bringing over his National League style of "little ball" to make the Angels the best team in the American League.  At the All-star break the Angels had the best record in the majors at 57-38.   The Angels were rewarded with three pitchers in the historic last All-Star Game played at Yankee Stadium.  It was the first time the Angels had three pitchers in an All-Star Game.  Two starters, Joe Saunders (12-5 3.07) and Ervin Santana (11-3 3.34) and closer Francisco Rodriguez with 37 saves and a 2.41 ERA.

"K-Rod" has an excellent shot at breaking the single-season save record of 57.  He became the fastest closer in Major League history to 40 saves, collecting his 40th save on July 20th and it came against the defending World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, which made it even sweeter as he preserved a 5-3 win.  The win also made the Angels the first team to 60-wins this season as K-Rod has saved 40 of the Angels first 60 wins.

The Angels proved they are the team to beat in the AL sweeping the Red Sox twice after the All-star break, with three wins in Anaheim, including a dominating 11-3 win July 18th, them swept them in Boston, including a 9-2 win in the finale July 30th.  The Halos have been the hottest team in the AL since the All-star break going 11-2 and finished the month of July with a 19-6 record.

What makes LA tough to beat is they have arguably the best starting pitching rotations in the majors with the potential of having three 20-game winners.  Saunders has been the surprise ace of the team at 14-5, 68 strikeouts, 3.09 ERA thru August 3rd; Santana has the second most wins for the Angels at 12-5, 143 ks, 3.38; John Lackey has comeback from injuries to go 9-2, 85 ks, 3.10. John Garland (10-6, 63 ks, 4.30) was a key free agent signing in the off-season, and even the fifth starter Jered Weaver (9-9, 101 ks, 4.37) has nine wins.  The only blow to the Angels pitching staff was when Kelvin Escobar, an 18-game winner last season, had season-ending shoulder surgery in July.

Along with pitching, the halos do it with speed and defense.  The only weakness was the need for another power hitter in the lineup and the Angels broke from tradition and made a trade during the trade deadline acquiring Mark Teixeira (.283, 27 doubles, 20 home runs, 78 RBI and a .512 slugging percentage) from the Atlanta Braves for Casey Kotchman in a swap of first baseman.  Kotchman, in his fourth season as an Angel is having a career year with 47 runs, 12 HRs, 54 RBI and a .287 batting average in 100 games.  The addition of Teixeira was a great move for LA who automatically becomes the leader of the Angels with his 20 HRs.  He joins sluggers Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero with 18 HRs each.  Hunter (leads the team with with 65 runs, 25 doubles, has 59 RBI, 10 SBs, .281) has been a key free agent addition too to the outfield and Garrett Anderson has adjusted to the designated hitter (DH) role scoring 46 runs, leads the team with 111 hits, has 11 HRs, 59 RBI and a .285 avg.  Catcher Mike Napoli has shown surprise pop in his bat with 12 HRs in just 47 games, but is struggling with a .204 average.  Despite battling injuries this season, Chone Figgins is steal leading the team's speed with 21 SBs, has scored 44 runs and leads the team with 43 walks, .287.

You won't find the Angels in the Top 10 of any hitting stats because teamwork is the key to the halos play, everyone knows their role.  I predict the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels to make it to the World Series.  They are currently the top two teams in the majors with the Cubs under Manager Lou Pinella the best team in the National League.  The Cubs are trying to win the World Series for the first time in a century.  If the Angels win the World Series will the city of Los Angeles accept them?  They have adopted the Los Angeles name back in their name and have the longest name in the majors as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  They originally were the Los Angeles Angels when they joined the Majors as an expansion team in 1961 before moving to Anaheim in 1966.  If they win they will bring a World Series championship to LA for the first time since 1988.  The Dodgers have been in a slump since then not even winning one playoff game.