Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

September baseball can often feel like October playoffs. Monday night, Mike Scioscia managed his squad like it was the last game of the World Series.

On the cusp of what could be the most important week of the season for his Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Scioscia took over the one-game make-up contest against the New York Yankees as if his whole season was riding on it.

He pinch ran, pinch hit, and defensively substituted players all over the field. In every way, Scioscia outfoxed and out-managed his counterpart in the Yankee dugout.

Since the Yankees swept that early-August series against the Red Sox, they have had a very comfortable lead in the AL East that has allowed manager Joe Girardi to run the team with comfort most managers wish they had.

Maybe their lead is comfortable in the east, but the race for the best record in the American League is on. Even with a five-game lead over the Angels, there's a lot at stake here because the Angels own the Yankees, 6-19 since 2005, in their home ball park.

For years, the pitching staff of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was an embarrassment of riches.

The starting rotation and bullpen rosters over the last decade have read more like the baseball equivalent of a Forbes Fortune 500 list, with names like Bartolo Colon, Francisco Rodriguez, and a healthy Kelvim Escobar throwing hostile takeovers from the mound each night.

That was then.

The Los Angeles Angels are currently in 1st place in the AL West and could represent the American League in the World Series.

The Angels are not out of the woods yet in the West as the Texas Rangers are playing well and still making a charge. The Angels are in good position to make the playoffs as a division winner or wild card with the regular season getting shorter everyday.

Let the Matt Holliday free agent speculation begin. From Buster Olney:

"But I'll venture a guess (and it's nothing more at this point): Holliday winds up signing with the Angels, effectively replacing Vladimir Guerrero within their salary structure."

Now comes the obvious question: could it actually happen?

More struggles in Anaheim.

On July 10th, and 11th, the Yankees sent out Joba Chamberlain and Andy Pettitte to the mound to counter the Angels lineup, who were missing Torii Hunter and Vladimir Gurrerro to injuries.

Both times the Yankees stormed out of the gates fast, holding 5-1 and 4-0 leads respectively. Joba, and Pettitte were on their way to quality starts, and the Yankees' reliable bullpen was set slam the door in the late innings. However, they started to wilt, and the Angels took advantage.

Last night’s win against the Yanks notwithstanding, the next month is going to seriously test the mettle of the Angels. Hunter and Vladdy out means more pressure on...the pitchers.

The Angels are not going to outslug teams on a regular basis. They’re hitting better for sure—with the exception of Matthews, who is a stiff waiting to happen...oh, wait, it did happen! But Hunter is a huge loss and even Vladdy was coming around.

The Chicago Cubs looked like a steaming pile of hot garbage on Friday in an 8-3 loss to division leading St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of a crucial four-game series before the All Star Break.

Whether it's been Rich Harden's inability to gets outs past the second inning, Ryan Dempster's high jumping ability or Geovany Soto's new love handle contusion, the Cubs are giving off the vibes of a team completely out of it in the National League Central.