Chen pitched an outstanding game for six innings, allowing only three hits and no runs. Aaron Crow came in to pitch in the seventh inning and was brilliant, striking out the side; however, coming back for the eight inning, the Angels hit him fast and hard. This was the inning that fans bought their Angels ticket to see.  With one out, Morales singled and Amarista was sent in to run for him. Trumbo then singled followed by the catcher Iannetta getting a single. With bases loaded Crow was relieved, but it was too late for the Royals. Bourjos singled in Amarista from third, and with bases still loaded, Aybar hit a three RBI triple. With four runs scored in the inning, Torri Hunter was able to hit Aybar in, making it a spectacular eighth inning.

Due to the length of time of the inning, Weaver’s arm was getting cold and Manager Mike Scioscia decided to keep him on the bench. It was the first game of a long season and there was no reason to jeopardize the arm of his ace pitcher. Having only thrown 97 pitches, Weaver had a chance for a complete game shut-out and under other circumstances, he would have been given the chance to finish the game. Left handed pitcher Downs was brought in for the top of the ninth and retired all three batters he faced. If play like this continues all season long, I am sure those that bought LA Angels tickets will surly get their moneys worth.

There were several things to like about the home game opener if you are an Angels fan. The first is that Weaver continues to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. If he stays healthy, he will be in the running for a Cy Young award like he was last year. The second thing to like is how explosive the Angels offense was. Everyone knows they could hit in pre-season, but seeing it late in a game in a single inning gives confidence that the Angels will be able to come back and win a game. Therefore, when using your Angels tickets to see a game live, you shouldn’t count them out of the game until the very last out has been called.

Many fans expected more hitting early, especially against the Royals. But early in the season, it is the pitchers that have the advantage over the hitters. They arrive earlier to spring training and put in more time, therefore they are sharper in the first couple of weeks. Also the Royals do well against the Angels. Last year the Royals had a terrible record of 71-91, but they were 7-3 versus the Angels.

All things considered, the team and fans that bought Angels tickets should be pleased with the first game of the season. The game was played before a sold out crowd in Anaheim and many people were disappointed that superstar hitter Albert Pujols did not get a hit. In fact, he was the only starting player that did not get a hit. Fans need to remember that even the best hitters have games without a hit, and the season is long. Be patient.

If preseason is an indication of things to come, Pujols could make the Angels a strong contender to go all the way to the World Series. When I used my Angels tickets to see the game on Wednesday, March 14, Pujols hit his first home run in an Angels uniform. In fact, he hit two in the same game. In the 3rd inning, he hit a three run homer and then a solo home run in the fifth inning. The latter hit was to center field and was a stunning demonstration of his power. I wish I had bought Angels tickets for the sections he hit a home run to, it would have made my day to catch a home run ball. These home runs were no accident, Pujols has racked up 445 home runs after playing eleven seasons in the MLB. So far, Pujols is 8 for 16 and is starting off on the right track to carry his new team.

Of course, Angels fans may remember using their Angels tickets to cheer on rookie Mark Trumbo. Last year, he was ranked among one of the best run producing hitters in the league. This year, Manager Mike Scioscia will have his hands full with finding the right position to play Trumbo. As a first base player, Trumbo will no longer be playing there because that is the position Albert Pujols specializes in. Manager Mike Scioscia has been experimenting with using Trumbo at third base. He has had a couple of fielding mistakes, but Scioscia is looking to be patient with the transition as Trumbo’s bat is too important to be sitting on the bench. He is a solid 5 for 14 at the plate at the time of this writing. I am sure by the time the regular season starts, Trumbo will be ready to play. I look forward to using my Angels tickets to see these two players dominate the plate.

During Thursdays games, left handed starting pitcher C.J. Wilson worked four innings against the Reds, giving up only one run. One of the better pitchers in the American league, Wilson was signed as a free agent during the off season. He looks to make the Angel starting rotation one of the best in baseball. Wilson will be joining elite pitcher Jared Weaver along with Haren, Santana and last year’s end of season sensation, Jerome Williams. With a pitching staff like this one, I am sure that every time I use my Angels tickets to see a game, I can assume that the pitching will be great!

The injuries in the first two weeks of spring training have been minor. Ervin Santana was hit by a line drive in Wednesday’s game and suffered a bruised shoulder, but the injury is not considered serious and he will not miss any playing time. Jerome Williams, who looked to be the fifth starter, pulled a hamstring at the start of preseason. He is working to make his way back to earn the job in the starting rotation.

Looking at the roster for this year, there hasn’t been a huge change. Their starting rotation will be better than last year, which is a scary thought for the rest of the league. Their hitting is obviously going to be better with the addition of Pujols, however, with Trumbo working his way to becoming a starting third baseman, and the potential of Vernon Wells bouncing back from last year’s disappointing year, and the possible return of a Kendry Morales as a DH; the Angels may have enough hitting to complement their stellar pitching. They are clearly a top contender for the World Series in 2012. Buy your Angels tickets now so that you do not miss your opportunity to see this great team!

The Deals

The Angels have long believed in an institutional philosophy of developing young players and not overpaying for free agents. Well, that philosophy appears to have been tossed on the garbage heap. The money the team has thrown at Pujols and Wilson is simply staggering.

Most fans know that Albert Pujols is arguably the best player in the game. This fact has sparked huge interest and many cant wait to use their Angels tickets to see him play.  He has performed consistently well over the last decade and always puts up the big numbers. Now he’ll be paid like it. The Angels committed $254 million to him over 10 years with a full not trade clause. That is an average of $25.4 million a year for a player who is about to turn 32 and will be 42 at the end of his deal. The contract is also the second or third biggest in the history of baseball depending on how you calculate the first contract the Texas Rangers gave Alex Rodriguez.

Having just spent over a quarter of a billion dollars, one might think the Angels credit card would’ve melted. Apparently not. The team also went out and signed starting pitcher C.J. Wilson away from the division rival Texas Rangers. The contract is for 5 years and $77.5 million dollars or an average of $15.5 million a year.

How much money are we talking about? To give you some perspective, consider the total team payroll of the Florida Marlins [now the Miami Marlins] in the 2010 season – $36 million. The angels just committed over $40 million a year to two players!

Good Deals?

The question many are asking is whether these are actually good deals for the team? Let’s take a look at each.

Albert Pujols is a stud. There is simply no other way to state it. He has a .328 career batting average, which is amazing for a power hitting first baseman who has averaged 42 home runs and 126 runs batted in a year over his career. The fact he is a good citizen as well who gives back to the community only makes fans want to buy Angel tickets more.

Still, there is some risk with Pujols. First, he is 32 years old. The Angels are going to be paying him till he is 42. Few power hitting players have lasted that long. Pujols most likely can since he will ultimately become the teams designated hitter to save on the wear and tear of playing the field. Still, it is the rare player who brings much to the game at 42. Considering his large physical size, one has to think Pujols will break down well before the end of his contract. This is not a man who does yoga!

If anything, C.J. Wilson is perhaps the more risky deal. Yes, he was an All Star in the 2010 season with a 16-7 record and a 2.94 ERA. However, he has only been a starting pitcher for two seasons after spending the previous five in the bullpen with the division rival Texas Rangers. The Angels are undoubtedly counting on him continuing to grow into the starting role, but free agent pitchers are notoriously bad signings and this one has to make Angels’ fans nervous.

Overall

Ultimately, I think we can say the Angels came out big winners today. Pujols will revive the entire organization and its fans. Even if Wilson is not a stud, his signing hurts the rival Rangers. Angel owner Arte Moreno has shown that he will not stand for missing the playoffs and has put his checkbook where his mouth is. With the Yankees and Red Sox in apparent decline, Moreno is making his big move. All I can say is…it is a very good day for anyone who owns Angels ticket!

The modern era of the Angles came into being in 1961when Gene Autry, the first owner, took over the franchise name from O’Malley.  Gene Autry owned the franchise for the first 36 years.  The MLB considers the current Los Angeles Angels franchise to be an expansion team since the team was not in the major league prior to 1961.   In 1997 The Walt Disney Company took control of the team.  They sold the franchise to Arturo Moreno in 2005.

Initially the Angels played in the Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. They moved in 1962 to the Dodgers Stadium in Chavez Ravine as tenants.  In 1965, they shifted to the newly constructed Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim just in time for the1966 season.  When the Walt Disney Company took control of the team in 1997, after extensive repairs and renovation of the stadium, they renamed it Edison International Field of Anaheim.  The city of Anaheim had contributed $30 million towards the renovations with the proviso that the name Anaheim be retained as a part of the Stadium name.

The name Los Angeles Angels originated in 1892 and continued with the first franchise in 1961.  In 1997, as a part of a deal with the city of Anaheim, the owners of the Los Angeles Angels, The Walt Disney Company, renamed the team to “The Anaheim Angels.”  In 2005, the new owner Arturo Moreno, renamed the team, “Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.”  This new name brought him in conflict with the city of Anaheim, but Moreno prevailed and the name stands till date.

In its inception year 1961, the Angels finished the league with 70 to 91 which was a 0.435 winning percentage, which was the best for a rookie team in the League.  The first notable players were Bilko, El Monte and Pearson.  In 1962 the Angels had an even better year.  They were contenders of the American League pennant for a major part of the season, before dropping to third place.  Bo Belinsky created history by pitching the first ‘no hit’ game at the Dodgers Stadium against the Orioles.  In 1964 they finished fifth.  The 70’s were characterized by mediocre years except for the efforts of Nolan Ryan’s ‘no hitter’ pitching.  He set a 383 strikeout mark in 1973.  In 1979, the Angels won their first American League West Division championship under manager Fregosi.  In post season 1982, the Angels missed making the World Series by a whisker.  This happened again in 1986 with a loss to Boston 7-6.  The fans found a scapegoat in pitcher Moore. This led to tragic consequences with Moore taking his own life three years later.  For most of the 90’s, the Angeles played below par with 0.500 baseball, in part due to confusion of ownership due to Autry’s old age and ill health.  In 1995 the Angels had a nightmarish year with the worst collapse in franchise history.  They lost key players such as DiSarcina.  They got a 9-1 drubbing in the playoffs against the Mariners.  The first whiff of success came when the Angeles beat the Giants by 6-5 in the World Series Championship in 2002.  Glaus, Rodriquez and Lackey were some of the key players.  In the 2005 season, they became the first team in American League to clinch their division but lost to the Chicago White Sox in the Championship Series.  2007 was a good year for the Angels.  They won 50 games in the West division.  The notable players of this season were Lackey, Guerrero and Rodriquez.  They also won the West division championship.  In 2008, the Angels won their seventh West division title.  The players who made their mark were Saunders, Adenhart, Oliver, Palmer, O’Sullivan and Hunter.  The 2010 season proved to be a mediocre year for the Angels.

The Los Angeles Angels have had a loyal band of fans who support their team by purchasing Angels tickets. They flocked to watch their team games and have broken attendance records with the sell of Angel tickets.  The Rally Monkey, the Mascot of the Angels, appears at crucial times in the game to help fans rally behind the team with raucous support.  The Los Angeles Angels are a team which looks towards the future with a sense of optimism.

We’re offering you a chance to watch the Los Angeles Angels play live at one of MLB’s most classic stadiums, Angel Stadium of Anaheim. This stadium is packed full of traditions that you and your family will enjoy. For example, come watch the halo light up on top of the 230′ tall, 210-ton sign outside of Angels stadium. This sign is lit up after every time they Angels win; therefore, you should purchase your Angel tickets now to rally them towards their next lighting of the halo!

With Angel tickets, you can watch America’s team make another run for the playoffs and make history. And we offer them at the lowest prices, with access to the best seats in this truly advanced stadium, whether they’re luxury suites or club seats. We’ve also got great seats available for away games so that die-hard fans can make themselves heard and show their support. But these seats aren’t available for very long; in fact, they’re usually the first to go, so better act fast to make sure you can have a slice of Angels history.

We’ve got tickets available for all the Angels games this upcoming season, including the pre-season games. We make a point of securing tickets for even the most in-demand games so that you can have a shot at watching every game live. As real Angels fans ourselves, we know the value of watching a live Angels game, and we’re more than happy to share that opportunity with you.

So if you’re looking for Angels tickets with the lowest prices and the best seats in the house, then we’ve got exactly what you’re looking for. Feel free to check back for any updates or contact us for inquiries. Just remember, Angels tickets sell faster than hot cakes and you’ll need to be quick on your feet to take advantage of this great deal.