The Red Sox have won nine straight playoff games against the Angels dating to 1986. The Angels were 8-1 against the Red Sox this season. Which is more relevant in the division series? Here's a look at the issues and matchups when the Angels play the Red Sox:
Numbers game
The Angels had the best record (100-62) this season, but that lofty status hasn't meant much to teams in the past.
Only twice since the advent of division series play in 1995 has the team with baseball's best record won the World Series, the 2007 Red Sox and the 1998 Yankees.
The Angels think that statistic is irrelevant, just like the Red Sox think their 1-8 record against the Angels this season won't be a factor, just like the Angels think their two division series sweeps at the hands of the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 and their 4-12 record in the playoffs since winning the 2002 World Series won't have a bearing.
"You have to throw all that stuff out the window," Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis said. "It's like when St. Louis (83-78) won the World Series in 2006 with the least amount of wins. Sometimes the team that wins 100 games doesn't win the World Series."
Said Angels center fielder Torii Hunter: "What you do in the regular season means nothing."
Run, Forrest, run
The Red Sox finished third in the league with 120 stolen bases and were caught 35 times, a 77% success rate. Jacoby Ellsbury led the league with 50 stolen bases, and Dustin Pedroia and Coco Crisp swiped 20 each.
Countering Boston's running attack will be Angels catchers Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis, who combined to throw out only 25 of 109 base-stealers this season.
"They absolutely run more, and they have a high success rate," Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. "And they do it at times that are important to the outcome of the game."
Expect Angels pitchers to vary their times in the stretch and to use an occasional slide-step to the plate.
"There are some things we'll put in place to help control the running game," Scioscia said, "but not to the point where you distract the pitcher from making a pitch."
The ice pack is on the other foot
Last year, it was the Angels who were ravaged by injuries during a division series in which they were swept by the Red Sox.
Gary Matthews Jr. sat out the series because of a knee injury, Vladimir Guerrero was slowed by bad knees and a triceps injury, Garret Anderson could barely see out of his right eye because of an infection, and Casey Kotchman spent Game 3 in the hospital because of food poisoning.
