Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Jordan Walden slammed onto the scene last season and made waves as the new closer for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  While his start was strong and secured the job for himself, his overall performance wasn't as sweet. 

Walden finished with 32 saves in his rookie season, but 10 blown saves to shadow his otherwise solid numbers.  He notched 67 Ks in 60 innings and finished with a nice 2.98 ERA. 

Jered Weaver's Final Line: 9 IP 7 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 10 K 1 GB/FB Ratio

Jered Weaver continued his dominant 2011 campaign with his second consecutive complete game and his first shutout of the season against the struggling Oakland A's lineup. Weaver lowered his ERA to 0.99, and he has struck out 49 batters in 45.2 innings this season.

Maicer Izturis is off to an impressive start. He's 27-for-75 (.360) with eight runs, seven doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and two stolen bases. He has a .407 on-base percentage and a .940 OPS. The switch-hitter is hitting .327 against right-handed pitching and .435 against southpaws.

It took all of last season and the first few days of this one for it to happen, but the LA Angels are finally back in contention. 

Too early, you say? We're only a handful of games into the season?

Well, it was obvious last year after only a couple of games that the team was DOA.

The reason for the turnaround is simple: talent.

Until the Texas Rangers went on their run last season, defeating the New York Yankees and making it to the World Series, most people around baseball viewed the American League West as the weakest division in the American League.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s Jered Weaver pitched an absolute gem on Sunday, limiting a potent Blue Jays lineup to just one run on four hits in 7.6 innings. Weaver walked four and fanned a career-high 15.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitching prospect Tyler Chatwood has been promoted from Triple-A Salt Lake and will make his major league debut Monday against the streaking Indians.

The Los Angeles Angels entered the 2011 season with a lot of unanswered questions.

When will Kendrys Morales return to the lineup? Will Scott Kazmir keep his spot in the starting rotation? Can Vernon Wells live up to his enormous contract?

A week into the season, these questions have yet to be answered.

The Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim is the first club to ride the closer carousel, promoting Jordan Walden to the close position after veteran Fernando Rodney’s shaky performance against the Royals. 

In Monday’s Closer’s Corner, I singled out the Angels bullpen and suggested Fernando Rodney’s struggles could soon lead to a change.

On Tuesday, Mike Scioscia stripped Rodney of his ninth inning duties until “he gets back in touch with some things.”