The Los Angeles Angels are 1.5 games behind first-place Texas in the American League West entering play on Tuesday, so the Halos probably aren’t even pondering the AL Wild-Card race. But if they have any hope of having the Wild Card as a possible fall-back option should they not catch Texas, the Angels almost have to have an unlikely sweep of the Yankees in the series that starts tonight. Wild-Card leading New York is up seven games on second-place L.A. in those standings with just fewer than 50 games to go. These two do meet for three games in Anaheim starting Sept. 9.  This opens a tough 10-game stretch for the Angels, with three in the Bronx, three at Toronto and four vs. the Rangers.

Angels at Yankees Betting Story Lines

Is it fair to say the Boston Red Sox are in the heads of the Yankees? New York won the first game between those two to open a three-game set on Friday but then the Red Sox won the last two to improve to 10-2 against the Yanks this year. Against everyone else, New York is 67-34.

The Angels pitching staff, meanwhile, is on a roll right now. In a just-completed six-game homestand, in which L.A. won four of six combined vs. Minnesota and Seattle, Halos pitchers allowed three total runs in those four victories. In fact, in L.A’s past eight wins, its pitchers have allowed more than a single run just once (Ervin Santana’s no-hitter vs. Cleveland is in that run). L.A. is an AL-best 31-16 since June 6. They're 12-1-1 in their last 14 series.

Only with the Yankees could a guy hitting .230 with nine homers and 31 RBI make national news by being benched, but we are talking about possible future Hall of Famer Jorge Posada here. Yanks Manager Joe Girardi benched the struggling Posada for the series finale (and apparently the long term) vs. Boston even though the Red Sox were starting a right-handed pitcher; the switch-hitting DH already had been benched for good against left-handed pitchers back in May (as a right-handed hitter Posada was hitting .103, with no home runs and just three RBI). You can’t blame Girardi as since the all-star break Posada has not hit a home run. In those 17 games, he has a .232 average and two RBI. Posada is in the final season of a four-year, $52.4 million deal. The Yankees will not bring him back in 2012.

"He said he's going to put the best lineup on the field, and he doesn't know when I'm going to DH again, so right now I'm sitting the bench," Posada said.

Eric Chavez started at DH on Sunday and will certainly see more at-bats now (some at third base as well until Alex Rodriguez returns), with Andruw Jones being the DH against lefty starters. Chavez is hitting .306 with a home run since coming off the disabled list July 26. But look for the Yankees to call up top prospect Jesus Montero sooner rather than later and see what he can do at DH. Since the all-star break, the 21-year-old catcher is hitting .289 with four homers and 18 RBI. That call-up won’t reportedly come in time for Tuesday’s game, but it seems imminent. A-Rod, by the way, is likely back on Aug. 15.

Angels at Yankees Probable Pitchers

It’s a matchup of right-handers as the Yankees’ A.J. Burnett (8-9, 4.54), who has amazingly never won an August start in his New York career, faces the Angels’ Dan Haren (12-6, 2.81). Burnett is in this slot because the projected starter tonight, Phil Hughes, had to come on in relief against the Red Sox over the weekend. The inconsistent Burnett was given a 12-run lead vs. the White Sox in his last start and yet still couldn’t even get a win. He gave up seven runs in 4 1/3 innings and has now gone six straight starts without a victory. Haren has been terrific of late, going into at least the eighth in his past three outings and allowing one run on five hits during his most recent start against the Twins.

MLB Picks: Angels at Yankees Odds, Trends and Prediction

New York is -118 with the Angels at -102 on Bodog – with live betting available. The ‘over/under’ is 8.5. The Angels are 8-1 in their last nine after scoring two runs or fewer in their previous game. The Yanks are 4-17 in Burnett’s past 21 starts vs. a team with a winning record. The ‘under’ is 6-2 in L.A.’s past eight. The ‘over’ is 8-3-1 in Burnett’s past 12 starts vs. a team with a winning record. The Angels are 3-11 in their past 14 at the Yankees.

I have absolutely no confidence in Burnett whatsoever, while every Angels starting pitcher is dealing right now. And who knows if all this Posada nonsense is a temporary distraction. I like L.A. and the ‘over’.

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