Red Sox again stand in the Angels way

Tag : Stand By Power
Dustin Pedroia hadn't seen that on television, but he rolled hiseyes when he heard about it. They have a saying around the Red Sox,if you will: Papelbon being Papelbon.

"I came up with him in the minor leagues," Pedroia said. "Anythinghe says really doesn't surprise me."

The Angels have the best record in the American League. The Red Soxhave the second-best record. The teams open the second half facingeach other, in a three-game series that starts tonight at AngelStadium.

The Red Sox are not scheduled to visit Anaheim again this season --unless, of course, they return in October.

That would be a double shot of good news for Boston: The Sox wouldbe back in the playoffs, against a team they own in October.

Nothing could help Papelbon back up his boast more than the Red Soxdrawing the Angels in the postseason, or so history suggests. TheRed Sox have won nine consecutive playoff games against the Angels,dating to 1986, including sweeps of the division series in 2004 and2007.

The Red Sox smoked the Angels last fall with power and pitching,and the Angels do not appear to have closed that gap.

The Red Sox outscored the Angels, 19-4, and outhomered the Angels,5-0, in last year's division series.

Boston leads the league in on-base percentage this year and rankssecond in slugging percentage. The Angels rank 12th and 10th,respectively.

Boston has five players with more than 12 home runs, including theinjured David Ortiz. The Angels have one, Vladimir Guerrero.

Call the pitching even -- the Sox have given up 363 earned runs,the Angels 362 -- and give the edge to Boston.

Not so fast, says Pedroia, the Boston second baseman. The Angelshad four key offensive players -- Guerrero, Garret Anderson, CaseyKotchman and Gary Matthews Jr. -- injured or ill during last year'splayoffs.

"They weren't at full strength," Pedroia said. "The Angels are agreat team. They play the game the right way. They're fast. Theyplay great defense. They pitch. They're tough.

"I know we've had success against them, but they're definitely notfun to play against."

Still, the Angels had no home runs in 99 at-bats in last October'sseries. Ortiz and Manny Ramirez had four home runs in 15 at-bats.

So has the power -- the balance of power -- shifted between theteams?

"Not really," Angels pitcher Joe Saunders said. "They're going tohit their home runs.

"This year, we've hit our fair share of home runs, but we seem todo the little things a little better. That's what's given ussuccess."

Even in Boston. The Angels were 8-20 in Fenway Park over the lastfive seasons, playoffs included, but they won two of three there inApril.

"I think that really instilled some confidence in us," Saunderssaid. "We've struggled at Fenway.

"But we can pitch with those guys. If we can scratch out a few runsagainst their pitching staff, I think we have a chance."