Ervin! Los Angeles sports fans haven’t screamed that name since the heyday of the Lakers’ Showtime era (sort of), but a scrawny kid with a big arm game them reason to once again. Rookie Ervin Santana led the Angels to a Game 5 victory over the Yankees to clinch the ALDS with 5 1/3 innings of sudden relief after starter Bartolo Colon went down after just one inning with a shoulder injury. Santana did......

The glory and allure of the their 2002 World Series run has long faded away, but even though these ain’t your older brother’s Angels, they also ain’t facing your grandpa’s Yankees. Going up 2-1 after a beatdown of Randy Johnson, the Angels are primed to take the series sooner than later, although Saturday’s rainout makes “later” an equally possible option. Jarrod Washburn’s experience three years ago undoubtedly gives him the edge over the talented......

What a horrible day for our local teams. First the Dodgers were blitzed by the Cardinals 8-3, and the Angels were ravaged by the Red Sox 9-3. The losses underscored the obvious fact that both LA and Anaheim are playing against offensive super powers with two of the best lineups in baseball. Going from Larry Walker to Albert Pujols to Scott Rolen, and then still having to worry about Jim Edmonds down the road......