Los Angeles Angels News

Reliever Darren Oliver and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to a one-year contract worth US$1.75 million Monday with a club option for a second season. Oliver appeared in 45 games for the New York Mets last season, going 4-1 with a 3.44 earned-run average. The 36-year-old left-hander walked 21 and struck out 60 in 81 innings. Oliver will earn $1.5 million next season and $2 million in 2008, with a ...

Justin Speier thinks general managers around the majors realize more than ever the importance of a strong bullpen. That concept landed the former Toronto Blue Jays right-hander a four-year, US$18 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. ``This is a dream job with a team that's going places, a team that's definitely in championship contention,'' Speier said Tuesday on a conference call. ``It was an opportunity I could not pass ...

The Los Angeles Angels declined a 2007 option Friday on left-handed pitcher J.C. Romero, who can become a free agent after the World Series. Also, Darin Erstand had arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle, fixing an injury that limited the former Gold Glove first baseman and centre-fielder to 40 games for the Angels this season. The surgery, done at Kerlan-Jobe Surgery Center in Los Angeles, revealed no major structural damage, Dr. Phil Kwong said. Erstad's ankle was placed ...

Brendan Donnelly's throwing error enabled Jeremy Brown to score the go-ahead run in the 10th inning Sunday, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 11-10 to avoid being swept in a season-ending four-game series. The A's, who played the finale like an exhibition game, open their best-of-five division series Tuesday at Minnesota, the AL Central champion. The Twins went 6-4 against Oakland this season, including 5-1 at the ...

Chone Figgins, batting fourth for the first time in his career, drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth inning with a bases-loaded single and Francisco Rodriguez set a club record with his major league-leading 47th save as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 7-6 Saturday night. Figgins, who has spent most of his career as a leadoff hitter before getting dropped to the ninth spot ...

Ervin Santana allowed three hits in seven innings and Chone Figgins hit his first inside-the-park home run to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Oakland Athletics 6-0 Friday night. Santana (16-8) struck out two and walked three. It's the first time the right-hander has won consecutive outings since July 15, when he won his seventh straight decision in a span of eight starts _ including the last three. The ...

Francisco Rodriguez needed the save more than John Lackey needed his sixth career shutout. So with the Los Angeles Angels' season dwindling to a precious few games, Lackey graciously came out after allowing four hits over eight innings. ``It definitely had something to do with it,'' Lackey said after Rodriguez tied Bryan Harvey's franchise record with his career-high 46th save in a 2-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday ...

Tim Salmon, playing out the final week of his major league career, hit his 299th home run and Howie Kendrick drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Texas Rangers 6-5 on Wednesday night. Mark Teixeira had two homers and five RBIs for the Rangers, but the Angels wouldn't allow Salmon's first-inning homer to go to waste. C.J. Wilson (2-4) gave ...

Vladimir Guerrero hit two home runs, Chone Figgins added a solo shot and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Texas Rangers 8-3 on Monday night for their third straight victory. Going into the game, the Angels trailed AL West-leading Oakland by six games after staving off elimination with two victories over the weekend in the Bay Area. Joe Saunders (7-3) gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings, ...

Ervin Santana pitched eight strong innings, Vladimir Guerrero hit a two-run homer and the Los Angeles Angels kept the Oakland Athletics from winning the AL West for the second straight day with a 7-1 victory Sunday. Maicer Izturis hit a two-run triple, Adam Kennedy added a sacrifice fly and Orlando Cabrera and Howie Kendrick also drove in runs as the A's saw their lead in the AL West trimmed to ...