In case you had forgotten, the Yankees kicked off their current hot streak by taking three of four from the Twins and then two of three from the Angels at Yankee Stadium in the final two series before the All-Star break. Since then, the Angels have gone a modest 19-16 in the second half. Along the way they’ve lost series to the D-Rays, Twins, A’s (twice), M’s, Blue Jays, and most recently split four games with the Red Sox. The bad news is that the Halos have maintained their considerable home-road splits over that stretch, going 8-12 on the road and 11-4 at home, the latter including a series win against the Red Sox and sweeps of the Twins and Tigers. Indeed, the Angels have a losing record on the road for the year, but have played .702 ball at Angel Stadium. Meanwhile the Yankees are still a game below .500 on the road.
The good news is that the Yanks, who have played .717 ball dating back to that Twins series, have also gone 12-5 on the road since their disastrous swing through the NL West in late June. That sets up the three-game series in Anaheim that kicks off tonight as a real battle of the titans. Indeed, the Angels are just 2.5 games ahead of the Yankees in the overall American League standings and are one of just three teams in baseball that has won more games than the Bombers (Boston and upstart Arizona being the other two). Of course, every stat about the Yankees recent success comes with the caveat of the quality of their second-half competition, but now that the Yankees have taken six of seven from the Indians and Tigers, with three of those coming on the road, one needn’t sound that warning quite so loudly.
As for the Angels, rookie sensation Reggie Willits has crashed back to earth in the second half, returning the left field job to Garret Anderson, who had a hot July, but has been awful in August. With Anderson in the field, Mike Scioscia has been using the DH spot to give rotating rest to his three outfielders, with Willits picking up most of those spot starts and some extra time at DH himself. Elsewhere, the team’s young catcher Mike Napoli just can’t seem to stay healthy. That’s why Jose Molina was starting for the Angels earlier in the year and that’s why backup Jeff Mathis is doing so now. Mathis, who started five games over the season’s first four months,has started 19 games since Molina was traded and has hit .237/.299/.373 over that span, which is actually a fair upgrade from what Molina had done as the Angel starter. Fortunately, Molina, who should get a start against his old team as Posada has now started four straight, has stepped up his game since coming to New York.
Tonight, the Yankees send Phil Hughes, who has been excellent in his two major league road starts, to the hill to face fellow rookie Dustin Moseley. Though a starter by trade, Moseley has spent most of the year in the Angel bullpen after opening the year with two solid starts in place of the injured Jered Weaver. Moseley returned to the rotation in late July after the Angels optioned the disappointing Ervin Santana to triple-A and Bartolo Colon hit the DL with elbow trouble once again. Moseley’s made four starts since then, but failed to make it out of the sixth inning in any of them alternating stinkers against Detroit and Boston at home with solid, but short outings against the A’s and Jays on the road. Moseley’s back home facing another good offense and due for one of those stinkers. Here’s hoping his trend continues. Either way, with Santana having made a triumphant return in Boston on Friday, it appears Moseley will be heading back to the pen after tonight.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2007 Record: 72-51 (.585)
2007 Pythagorean Record: 69-54 (.563)
Manager: Mike Scioscia
General Manager: Bill Stoneman
Home Ballpark (2007 Park Factors): Angel Stadium (95/96)
Who’s Replacing Whom?
Jeff Mathis replaces Jose Molina behind the plate while Ryan Budde (minors) replaces Mathis on the bench
Joe Saunders (minors) replaces Bartolo Colon (DL)
Marcus Gwyn (minors) replaces Chris Resop (DL)
Justin Speier (DL) replaces Kendry Morales (minors)
25-man Roster:
1B – Casey Kotchman (L)
2B – Howie Kendrick (R)
SS – Orlando Cabrera (R)
3B – Chone Figgins (S)
C – Jeff Mathis (R)
RF – Vladimir Guerrero (R)
CF – Gary Matthews Jr. (S)
LF – Garret Anderson (L)
DH – Reggie Willits (S)
Bench:
R – Robb Quinlan (1B)
S – Maicer Izturis (2B)
L – Nathan Haynes (OF)
R – Ryan Budde (C)
Rotation:
R – Kelvim Escobar
R – John Lackey
R – Ervin Santana
R – Jered Weaver
L – Joe Saunders
Bullpen:
R – Francisco Rodriguez
R – Scot Shields
R – Justin Speier
L – Darren Oliver
R – Chris Bootcheck
R – Dustin Moseley
R – Marcus Gwyn
15-day DL: R – Mike Napoli (C), S – Erick Aybar (IF), R – Bartolo Colon, R – Chris Resop
60-day DL: R – Juan Rivera (OF), L – Dallas McPherson (3B)
Typical Lineup:
S – Chone Figgins (3B)
R – Orlando Cabrera (SS)
R – Vladimir Guerrero (RF)
L – Garret Anderson (LF)
S – Gary Matthews Jr. (CF)
L – Casey Kotchman (1B)
R – Howie Kendrick (2B)
R – Jeff Mathis (C)
S – Reggie Willits (DH)
