Series Preview: LA of A Angels @ Sox

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (12-8) at Red Sox (14-7)
3 game series

Game 1 Tuesday 705
Weaver (1-3, 3.72) vs. Beckett (2-1, 5.12)
Game 2 Wed 705
Garland (2-2, 4.81) vs. Matsuzaka (4-0, 3.14)
Game 3 Thu 1:35
Saunders (3-0, 2.15) vs. Lester (1-2, 5.06)

What to watch for: rematch of the 2007 ALDS
The Sox and Angles have become familiar foes these last few years despite playing on opposite coasts thanks as both of Boston's championship runs have begun with ALDS sweeps of the Halos.

Who to watch: Torii Hunter .319/4HR/11BI/12R
The newest, and most expensive, addition to the potent Angels lineup. Hunter brought his solid hitting and stellar defensive play to the West Coast from Minnesota when the Angles signed him to a 5-year, $90 million contract in the off season. He's already made one hightlight reel, game saving, home run-robbing catch this season, and his prescense in the lineup provides extra protection for Vlad Guerrero and Garrett Anderson.

Preview:
The series hasn't even started yet and already the Sox have been beset with bad news.

Tonight's scheduled starter Josh Beckett was scratched from the game due to a stiff neck. According to the Globe, the injury popped up out of nowhere and the team is not sure if it will cause Becks to miss his next start.

PawSox righthander David Pauley, who made 3 starts for the parent club in 2006, will make his first start in the majors since June 11th of that year when he spells Beckett tonight.

On top of that bitter pill Boston will also be without the services of Jason Varitek for the second straight game and Manny Delcarmen, who are both suffering from flu like symptoms (aka the flu) and will not be available tonight.

So as the team is riding high on the 4-game sweep of Texas, winners of 9 of their last 10 games, they will have to take on one of the best teams in the American League without their top starter, catcher and valuable set up man.

Who smells another come-from-behind win?

Anaheim won't be shedding any tears for Boston, though, as they have been without their top 2 starters, John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar, for the entire season so far and have been booted from the playoffs 2 out of the last 4 seasons by the Sox.

That alone should give tonight's starter Jered "don't call me Jeff" Weaver extra motivation to beat Boston, and if that doesn't do it how about the fact that the Sox lit him up for 6 runs in 4+ innings last August in Fenway, then defeated him in Game 3 of the ALDS to complete the sweep.
Assuming Weaver is able to best the youngster Pauley, the next two pairings should even out. Matsuzaka will take his AL best 4-0 record to the mound against the artist formerly known as Jon Garland tomorrow night, and then on Thursday the enigma that is Jon Lester will oppose pleasant surprise starter Joe Saunders for Anaheim.

The series figures to ve a high scoring one anyway, with Boston and LAA 1-3 in the AL in runs scored and 1-2 in batting average. Look for both bullpens to be busy early and often in this one, and with Boston scoring 5+ runs in each of the last 9 games, Anaheim's pen men best be up to the task or it could be a repeat of the comeback kings again.