Teixeira deal serves notice to AL, Angels are the team to beat

In case you weren’t aware the LA Angels are currently the best team in baseball. If you don’t believe me just ask the Boston Red Sox, the defending World Series champions, who lost their sixth consecutive game to the club last night. And not only were they beaten by the Angels at Fenway for the fourth time this season they were completely shutdown. John Lackey pitched 8 1/3 innings of no hit baseball in the Angels 6-2 victory. The win pushed the Angels’ league leading win total to 66 and their lead in the AL West to an astounding 11.5 games. Now to the good news, well depending on what team your managing. The Angels appear to be pulling it all together. Their pitching staff is as sound as any, with three pitchers that could be number ones in many cities; Santana, Lackey, Saunders and a fourth option in either Weaver or Garland that are streaky but can be just as good as the others. Then of course their is the Angels bullpen headlined by the record breaking pace of the Angels closer Fransisco Rodriguez, who currently has 44 saves. The Angels are good at home (31-21) and even better on the road (35-19) and to make things even worse on opponents the Angels hitting coach Mickey Hatcher finally has this team swinging the bat they way they were expected to. To add to the mix the Angels went out and got the best available hitter on the trade market.

The Angels sent first baseman Casey Kotchman and double-A pitcher Steve Marek to the Braves for two time gold glover Mark Teixeira. Teixeira brings a .283 average, 78 RBI’s (sixth in the NL), and 20 home runs to an already strong Angels lineup. The trade deadline acquisition by LA signifies a drastic switch in team policy. For years Mike Scioscia’s club has stood pat in July and consistently seen their season fizzle out in October. First year general manager Tony Reagins was not willing to take that chance with this club. He explained the deal before the Red Sox game last night, “Our goal is to win a world championship, the team is playing well, but being able to add a player like Mark Teixeira makes us that much better.” Teixeira who will be in the lineup tonight wearing the number 25 and batting third shared Reagins enthusiasim for the deal, “”A World Series, for me, would make this trade successful.” Reagins and Teixeira will have to wait and see but as of today this trade is the Angels making a definitive challenge to the Red Sox, Yankees, and White Sox of the world, come and get us.

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