Going to one World Series is one thing. Going to two in a row means you are really onto something. Just like losing two in a row means you are missing something.
A Texas Rangers team with the best lineup since the mid 90s has dominated AL pitching for two years straight and definitely is favored to do it for a third. So why the long face Nolan Ryan? You would think after signing Yu Darvish, the Japanese phenom and Rangers ace, that you would be all smiles. But it’s not so much the moves that Texas made or didn’t make that has Ryan in feeling so caddywampus.
It’s more of what their AL West rival in Los Angeles did in the offseason, putting themselves in serious contention to put a whooping on the world by signing Albert Pujols and former Ranger ace C.J. Wilson.
Pujols gets added to a lineup that includes the perfect little jitter bugs at the top of the lineup that have a knack for getting on base. He has immediately made an impact in spring training going 4 for 4 yesterday. Don’t sleep on Kendry Morales either, as Morales has finally returned to actual game activity hitting the sweet potato out of his first pitches he’s seen. Wilson joins a rotation that already featured Dan Haren and Jared Weaver, making the Angels silly good.
I mean, it’s not like the Rangers are underdogs really with their lineup being so good. If everyone stays healthy (which they won’t), they can still beat the best pitchers in the league. It’s just the sad truth that Nelson Cruz’s hamstring is a hater, Josh Hamilton will be fighting to maintain, and Ian Kinsler just plays too hard for his body’s good The pitching is good but not great. Derek Holland and Colby Lewis are by no means aces on a staff but have shown an ability to win games with that lineup.
So the division rivalry is now so much more than it has been in last few years. Instead of Angels pitchers feeling pressed to go deep into games, they can relax a little knowing that they have a game changer right in the middle of the lineup. Albert Pujols is such a big deal to the team that when Jered Weaver woke up to the news, he literally ran around the house like a little kid in celebration. The Angels are pumped and the rally monkey is wiping the sweat off of his brow tiredly saying “finally”. The Angels are arguably the favorites to win the pennant this year but how can you bet against the team that has gone to the World Series two years straight? The current odds per the latest season series betting odds on bovada.lv has each team at dead even to win the most games head-to-head with – 115 both ways. It’s a question of whether the Rangers can stay healthy and whether Pujols’ tummy is growling come game time. The complete 
list of meetings this year is featured below.
June 1-3: @ LA Angels
July 20-22: @ LA Angels
July 30-31: @ Texas Rangers
August 1-2: @ Texas Rangers (Continued)
September 18-20: @ LA Angels
September 28-30 @ Texas Rangers