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 crushed 10-1 by the New York Yankees in game four tonight and things do not look promising for the Angels, now down 3-1 in the series.  The Angels did not get a quality start out of starting pitcher Scott Kazmir, who only lasted four innings.  He gave up four runs on four hits and really struggled with his control, walking four batters.  The Yankees offense exploded for five runs in the fourth and fifth innings and got five more in the eighth and ninth.  The Angels have not been able to stop Alex Rodriguez, who had his third homer tonight in as many games.  The Angels got terrible production from their 1-4 hitters tonight, with Chone Figgins, Bobby Abreu, Torrie Hunter, and Vladimir Guerrero going a combined 1-14 tonight.  If that continues their season will be over after game five.

The Angels had a big opportunity in the 5th inning to get themselves back in the game, but failed to get much out of it.  After Kendry Morales led the inning off with a homer the Angels got a little rally going, but with two men on Bobby Abreu popped out to center on a hanging slider.  The Angels had a bad performance by their starting pitcher as well as their bullpen.  The offense could only get five hits, while the Yankees offense was able to get 13.  So, this was not a good effort by the Angels tonight and it looks like their World Series hopes are floating away.  It is now desperation time for the Angels and they will have their ace John Lackey going in game five, and they are still at home so it is not impossible to get themselves back in this series.  Lackey had a decent start in game one for the Angels, but errors killed them and Lackey lasted 5.2 innings and gave up four runs (only two earned).  The Yankees will have A.J. Burnett starting who gave up 2 ER in 6.1 innings pitched in game two.

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 now down 0-2 in their ALCS against the New York Yankees, and errors have really been hurting their chances in this series.  The Angels had three errors in their 4-1 game one loss where C.C. Sabathia shut them down, and a solid start by John Lackey was wasted.  They followed that poor defensive performance with another one in game two, as they had two errors.  None were more costly than Maicer Izturiz’s 13 inning throwing error, as Jerry Hairston Jr. came around to score the game winning run on the play.

The Angels got a huge, clutch RBI single from Chone Figgins in the top of the 11th to put the Angels up 3-2.  That lead did not last very long though, as Alex Rodriguez hit a lead-off homer in the bottom of the 11th to tie it up.  It stole all of the momentum as Yankee fans went nuts and the 13th inning error by Izturiz handed them the victory.  The Angels really need to sharpen up their defense or they will be swept.  I think they can turn things around at home and the nice California weather will be a good change after the terrible conditions in New York.  With Alex Rodriguez acting more like Derek Jeter this October, the Angels have their hands full.  David Robertson got the win for the Yankees and Ervin Santana got the loss for the Angels.

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.