Quick Recap

The Los Angeles Angels are back in the postseason after finishing the 2014 campaign with a solid 98-64 record.  The Halos finished the season in Seattle and were swept in the three game set by the M’s who were fighting for a Wild Card spot.  They will host the Royals Thursday evening.  

As for KC, they are coming off an exciting hard fought win over the Oakland A’s in the Wild Card matchup.  The game went 12 innings, but the Royals came out on top 9-8 after a wild and crazy game.  The 89-73 Royals had not made the postseason in 29 years, but here they are ready to battle.

Starting Pitchers

Jered Weaver (Angels): 18-9, 3.59 ERA, 169 strikeouts

Weaver is undoubtedly the Angels ace and will heavily be relied upon to set the tone for this series.  The 31-year-old knows how to win in big games, and is the guy to kick off this ALDS series on their home turf.

Jason Vargas (Royals): 11-10, 3.71 ERA, 128 strikeouts

Vargas, who was once a member of the Halos, will get the call for Game 1 after James Shields started the Wild Card game. Vargas is a veteran in the league and after a big win Tuesday night, the pressure is on Vargas to keep the momentum going.

Impact Hitters

Mike Trout (Angels): .287 Average, 36 Homeruns, 111 RBI, .377 OPB

The MVP candidate is always a threat at the plate, and someone you definitely don’t want to face with runners on base. The 23-year-old phenom  is not only a danger at the plate, but on the base path as well with 16 stolen bases; he was only caught stealing twice this year.

Albert Pujols (Angels): .272 Average, 28 Homeruns, 105 RBI, .324 OPB

Pujols is another key to this Angels lineup, and having Trout and Pujols in the order is a great advantage for the Angels against any team.  Pujols is always a threat to go deep, but he is also pretty clutch at driving in runs.

Eric Hosmer (Royals): .270 Average, 9 Homeruns, 58 RBI, .318 OPB

Hosmer missed some time this year due to injury, but his presence in the Royals lineup is crucial, which he proved in the Wild Card game going 3-4 with an RBI.

Alcides Escobar (Royals): .285 Average, 3 Homeruns, 50 RBI, .317 OBP

As the leadoff hitter, Escobar is a great guy to set the tone for the offense and get things going, while also creating havoc with stealing bases. He had 31 steals this year and was caught six times.  Escobar is an important hitter for this game to get an early jump on Weaver and throw off his tempo.

Pitching Advantage: The Angels have the pitching advantage here with Weaver on the mound.  Vargas is good, and the KC bullpen is solid, but Weaver is more than capable of going deep in a game and doesn’t give up too many runs.

Hitting Advantage: Again, the Halos have the advantage.  With guys like Trout, Pujols, and Josh Hamilton in the lineup they are always a threat for big RBI’s, especially off a guy like Vargas who has been inconsistent in his career.

Angels will take Game 1 behind a solid start by Weaver and timely hitting by their power hitters at home.

Final Prediction

Angels 5

Royals 3