The Angels run. The Red Sox can't stop a running game. The Red Sox struggle on the road. The Angels have home-field advantage. So much tells you that the Angels should win this series, then you remember 2004, 2007, and 2008. Three times the Angels and Red Sox have met in the Division Series, three times the Angels have gone home disappointed. Three series, 10 games, and the Angels were victorious in only one of those games. Is this a different Angels team? Maybe, because adding Bobby Abreu in the middle of the lineup has helped give them a different look. The late-inning bullpen, with shaky closer Brian Fuentes, doesn't terrify you the same way that Troy Percival and K-Rod bullpens of the past could. Is this a different Red Sox team? Sure, because catcher Jason Varitek looks 20 years older than he did last year, and 40 years older than he did two years ago. But with Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Sox have the best four-man rotation of any playoff team. With Victor Martinez, they're better in the middle of the order than they were last year. It could make for a great series. It could also make for another Angels disappointment.
Beckett has been Boston's key to success in the postseason. In 12 career postseason starts, he's 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA. He has World Series and ALCS MVP honors already, but will the Sox get good Beckett or the bad Beckett? Both were on display this season.
In his first full season in the majors, Morales had a huge breakthrough season. He is a solid defender and the switch-hitter exploded at the plate in the second half.
Video
Photo Gallery
On and off the field, eight-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter is a leader for the Angels. (Getty Images)
This is the third straight, and fourth in six years, Red Sox-Angels AL Division Series. Boston swept the Angels in 2004 and '07 and eliminated them in four games last October.
As of Oct. 3, OF Jason Bay made zero errors in left field this season. He joins Jacoby Ellsbury (2008), Carl Yastrzemski (1977) and Ken Harrelson (1968) as the only Sox outfielders in club history to finish off a full season in the outfield without making a single error.
Los Angeles has won just one playoff series since winning Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.
OF Bobby Abreu reached the 100 RBI mark. He and Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols are the only players to drive in at least 100 runs in each of the past seven seasons.
C Victor Martinez had a career-best hitting streak which ended at 25 games on Sept. 26 in the loss to the Yankees.
Notable quote: "He's literally been our MVP. He's delivered big hit after big hit for us. He's run the bases well. He's been our staple, pretty much all year."
-- C Jason Varitek, talking about OF Jason Bay
The Angels run. The Red Sox can't stop a running game. The Red Sox struggle on the road. The Angels have home-field advantage. So much tells you that the Angels should win this series, then you remember 2004, 2007, and 2008. Three times the Angels and Red Sox have met in the Division Series, three times the Angels have gone home disappointed. Three series, 10 games, and the Angels were victorious in only one of those games. Is this a different Angels team? Maybe, because adding Bobby Abreu in the middle of the lineup has helped give them a different look. The late-inning bullpen, with shaky closer Brian Fuentes, doesn't terrify you the same way that Troy Percival and K-Rod bullpens of the past could. Is this a different Red Sox team? Sure, because catcher Jason Varitek looks 20 years older than he did last year, and 40 years older than he did two years ago. But with Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Daisuke Matsuzaka, the Sox have the best four-man rotation of any playoff team. With Victor Martinez, they're better in the middle of the order than they were last year. It could make for a great series. It could also make for another Angels disappointment.
.270
.285