It didn't work out that way, though. They stumbled terribly out of the gate, recovering in the summe

Talk about symmetry. The Red Sox last made the playoffs wine tours portland oregon in 2009, when they were swept in three games by the Los Angeles Angels. Two weeks later the Angels were eliminated in the ALCS by the New York Yankees, and the Angeles haven't returned to the playoffs since.
Following the 2010 season the Boston Red Sox embarked wine tours portland oregon on a mission to acquire the best available talent. They traded for Adrian Gonzalez, whose impending free-agency made him expendable in San Diego, and then signed him to a lucrative contract extension through the end of the 2018 season.
Then the Red Sox inked free agent Carl Crawford to a seven-year, $142-million deal. The Red Sox dominated the offseason headlines and were everyone's pick to win the American League when the 2011 season began.
It didn't work out that way, though. They stumbled terribly out of the gate, recovering in the summer only to endure a historic collapse that ultimately led to missing the playoffs all together and set the stage for this year's struggles.
In one dramatic 24-hour period last December, the Angels not only signed the top free agent and player on the market in Albert Pujols, but added the top starting pitcher on the market as well in C.J. Wilson.
wine tours portland oregon Yet with just three games remaining in the 2012 season the Angeles find themselves on the outside of the playoff race, looking in. They're not eliminated yet, but they are three games back with three games left, and the chances of them missing the postseason for the third straight season, in spite of a sky-high payroll, are very good.
The 2012 Angels never had a chance to pull off a historic September collapse. They started off the season by going 8-15 in April and never fully recovered. They've been looking up at division leader Texas all season, and have never been in position to comfortably hold a wild card spot.
The 2012 Angels have suffered from some of the same issues that plagued the 2011 Red Sox. No, I'm not talking about chicken or beer in the clubhouse. I'm talking about players underperforming wine tours portland oregon or not having a fit on the team.
They also neglected to shore up their bullpen. The Angels lead all American League teams in blown saves. They've allowed wine tours portland oregon more stolen bases than all but one AL squad and they're eighth in the AL in team earned wine tours portland oregon run average.
The Angels roster looks like that of a World Series team. Jared Weaver won 20 games in just 29 starts wine tours portland oregon and 2009 AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke was added at the trade deadline. Pujols got off to a horrid start, hitting just .217 without even one home run in April. Since then he's come back into form and is hitting .288 with 30 home runs and 104 RBI.
Unlike Boston, the Angels probably can't ship off their most cumbersome contracts. Vernon Wells and his remaining two years and $42 million aren't going anywhere. C.J. Wilson, who has four years and $65 million left on his deal, probably can't be moved either. Not after a 12-10 year with a 3.86 ERA that has featured a second-half swoon in which he went 3-5 with a 5.74 ERA.