Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ervin Santana goes for 17th win tonight

The Los Angeles Angels are playing out the string. Faced with missing the postseason for the first time in four years, the Halos can only look at attaining personal goals at this point.

Outfielder Bobby Abreu attained one of those goals on Sunday, reaching the 20 HR and 20 SB plateau for the ninth time in his career. Starter Jered Weaver is within two strikeouts of Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez for the major league lead, and tonight, Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Ervin Santana goes for his 17th win of the season, a career personal-best.

Santana has been terrific over the past several weeks for the Angels, winning his past three decisions and eight of his last 10 decisions. He has thrown seven innings or more in five of his last seven starts (4-0 in that span). He's 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA against the Texas Rangers this year, the team he is facing tonight.

The Rangers, on the other hand, received some potentially damaging news yesterday, when it was revealed that slugger Josh Hamilton is suffering from small fractures in two of his ribs, leaving his status for the rest of the season in doubt.

Hamilton, who has been the Rangers' offensive catalyst much of the season (31 HR, 97 RBI, a league-leading .361 BA), has not played since falling into the center-field wall while making a catch in a Sept. 4 game against the Twins.

The Rangers are optimistic that Hamilton will be able to return before the end of the regular season. Team doctor Robert Watkins administered an anti-inflammatory injection in the area of the pain, and it will be 48-72 hours before it can be determined that the pain has receded enough to where Hamilton can resume baseball activities.

With Hamilton out of the lineup, David Murphy has taken over in left field, with Julio Borbon in center. Borbon took a grand-slam home run away from Juan Rivera in yesterday's game with a diving catch at the wall, and Murphy has been hot at the plate, hitting .375 with 3 HR and 12 RBI in his last 19 games.

While the Rangers have gone 8-6 since Hamilton went down, and their magic number to clinch the American League West division is six, there is no question that Hamilton's presence will be needed come postseason time, and with the current medical care plan, the Rangers are certainly hoping for just that.

Former Angel Vladimir Guerrero has helped to pick up the slack as well. Guerrero is hitting .415 over his last 13 games, raising his average back above .300, and he has reached the 100-RBI plateau for the 10th time in his career.

Guerrero has also hit .333 this season against his former team, with 5 HR and 14 RBI in 13 games.

While the Angels will be looking forward to playing golf in early October, the Rangers are gearing for an improbable postseason run, and if Hamilton can find his way back into the lineup, opposing teams will be fearful of what may lie ahead.

Looking for more? Click here to read other excellent articles about your Angels by fellow Examiner William Martinez.

Click the "subscribe" button at the top to subscribe and receive updates when new articles are published. Also, be so kind as to click the “comments” button so that your voice can be heard!

Sponsor an examiner! Advertise your business by clicking the button!