Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city that was their original home, Los Angeles. They are informally known by many fans as "the Halos". The Angels have been based in Angel Stadium of Anaheim since 1966.
An expansion franchise, the club was founded in Los Angeles in 1961. Then the Los Angeles Angels, the team was based at Los Angeles's Wrigley Field (not to be confused with Chicago's legendary stadium of the same name). The team has gone through several name changes in their history, first changing to the California Angels in 1965 to emphasize their status as the only AL team in California. When the Disney Company took control in 1997, they extensively renovated Angel Stadium on the condition that both the stadium's name and the team's name contain the word "Anaheim". Disney was hoping to make Anaheim, the home of Disneyland, a major tourist destination and thus the team became the Anaheim Angels.
In 2005, new owner Arte Moreno wanted to change its name back to the original "Los Angeles" in order to better tap into the Los Angeles media market, the second largest in the country. However, the standing agreement with the city of Anaheim demanded that they have "Anaheim" in the name, so they became the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This name change was hotly disputed by the city of Anaheim and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who wanted sole possession of the title "Los Angeles," but the change stood and still stands today.
The Angels are the incumbent American League West Champions.

In 2004, newly acquired free-agent Vladimir Guerrero won the American League Most Valuable Player Award as he led the Angels to a fourth American League West championship, their first since 1986.
Also in 2004, the Angels mounted a spirited comeback to overcome the division leading Oakland Athletics in the last week of the regular season, clinching the title in the next-to-last game. However, they were swept in the American League Division Series 3 games to 0 by the Boston Red Sox, who went on to win their first World Series since 1918.
In the 2005 season, the Halos became the first team in the American League to clinch their division, doing so with 5 games left in the regular season. It was also the first time the team had made the playoffs in back-to-back years. The Angels went on in 2005 to beat the New York Yankees in the Division Series in 5 games, but lost in the American League Championship Series to the eventual World Series Champions Chicago White Sox in 5 games. Pitcher Bartolo Colon, who went 21-8 for the season, was voted A.L. Cy Young Award winner in 2005, only the second Angel to be so honored (Dean Chance won the award in 1964).
While the Angels were not able to play October baseball, several players met or broke individual records in 2006. Closer Francisco Rodriguez led the major leagues and broke a franchise record in saves with 47, and became the youngest closer to record 100 career saves. Scot Shields led American League setup men in holds with 31, and was second in the league in innings of relief pitched with 87.2 innings. Chone Figgins was second in the American League in stolen bases with 52. Jered Weaver tied Whitey Ford's American League rookie record by winning the first nine decisions of his career.
The Angels finished in second place in the American League West for the 2006 season, missing the post-season for the first time since 2003. While a disappointing development for the franchise, the 2006 campaign was the Angels' third straight season with a winning record, a first in club history. Owner Arte Moreno vowed that the club would make "major" changes during the offseason, a comment that generated talk in trades or free agent signings of players such as Carlos Lee, Miguel Tejada, Aramis Ramirez or perhaps even Alex Rodriguez.Nevertheless, the Angels had a disappointing offseason as they did not manage to add any of those marquee players. Center fielder Gary Matthews, Jr. signed a 5-year, $50-million contract in a deal that was widely criticized as being overvalued. However, Matthews has answered his critics by playing stellar defense and providing sufficient protection for Vladimir Guerrero in the lineup.
The 2007 season proved to be a success for the Angels. The Angels got off to the best start in club history, becoming the first club in the major leagues to win fifty games while maintaining a lead in the American League West. Chone Figgins set a club record for the most hits in a single month with 53, and became just the second Angel to go six-for-six in a single, nine-inning game. Ace John Lackey was the first starter in the American League to win ten games. Lackey, along with Francisco Rodriguez and Vladimir Guerrero, were chosen to represent the Angels at the 2007 All-Star Game in San Francisco. Guerrero became just the third Angel to win the Home Run Derby, and Rodriguez was the first to earn a save in an All-Star Game.
2007 has also been a resurgent year for veteran outfielder Garret Anderson. On August 21, Anderson set a new club record for most RBIs in one game with 10 against the New York Yankees. He also posted a new Angel record with eleven consecutive games with an RBI on September 6 after hitting a single off Indians pitcher Paul Byrd. On September 7, Anderson again posted a new Angel record with twelve consecutive games with an RBI single against Cleveland's pitcher Jake Westbrook. Since the All-Star break, Anderson has posted fifty-seven RBIs, the most in the major leagues.
On September 23rd, the Angels defeated the Seattle Mariners to clinch the championship of the American League West Division. This is the club's sixth division title and seventh overall playoff berth in its history. The Angels were unable to follow up their success in the regular season with playoff success, as the club, depleted by injuries, was swept by the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS. The Angels have now lost 7 straight postseason games, dating back to game 2 of the 2005 ALCS.

**wikipedia.org