A.J. Pierzynski likes this baseball broadcasting stuff

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski is working for Fox as an analyst during the World Series between Texas and St. Louis, which begins Wednesday night. If you Google "A.J. Pierzynski" you find lists for "A.J. Pierzynski fight," and "A.J. Pierzynski jerk" and "A.J. Pierzynski meanest."

Maybe soon, A.J. Pierzynski, excellent broadcaster, will be a popular search term. Pierzynski, an Angels-killer in his day job as Chicago White Sox catcher, made baseball fans notice when he had an insightful discussion during the ALCS about how well Texas catcher (and former Angel) Mike Napoli blocked the plate in the series against Detroit, especially a play at home.

Pierzynski pointed out the way Napoli raised both legs up on that play, in contrast to  San Francisco Giants catching star Buster Posey, who had broken a leg early in the season and missed most of this year while blocking the plate on a similar play.

"You take the blow, you roll with it, you get your feet out of the ground. That's the proper way to stay healthy and still get hit hard but you get up and walk away," Pierzynski said.

Bill Dwyre: Angels honor Derek Jeter the right way

This weekend, the Angels tiptoed nicely around a ticklish situation, where public relations met baseball tradition and fan blind spots.

A couple of weeks after Derek Jeter got his 3,000th hit, a baseball milestone achieved with a home run on a five-for-five night and one that means automatic Hall of Fame inclusion, a reporter asked the Angels whether there might be any ceremony at the Big A honoring Jeter. The Yankees were scheduled to come to town Sept. 9-11.

It seemed like a fairly harmless and appropriate thing to do. Baseball lives by its numbers, honors them and especially honors those who achieve them without any blemish of steroids or gambling. Jeter fit that description perfectly.

The reporter was told that the Angels respected Jeter greatly and that the team’s public relations staff had already been discussing how to honor him “as a player and a person.”

They even had a precedent. Years ago, the team had had a formal ceremony to pay homage to Cal Ripken’s record streak of longevity.

The reporter wrote of the potential ceremony, and the emails started pouring in to the Angels.

Many fans hated the idea. Jeter was a Yankee. Angels fans said they are to be hated. One woman called him, in an email, “Little Lord Fauntleroy.” Others were even less kind.

First place at stake for Angels, Rangers

Angels Manager Mike Scioscia hesitates to call this weekend's showdown with the Texas Rangers "crucial." But with his team coming into the three-game set trailing Texas by just two games in the American League West standings, it's hard to call it "just another series."

"We're too early to talk about meaningful games or a must-win series," Scioscia said Friday. "But any time you see a goal ahead of you that's attainable and you're playing games that are obviously going to impact you getting your goal ... the fun stays in the game."

That's a departure from last year when the Angels entered the final weekend in August under .500 and in third place in division, 9 1/2 games off the lead.

"Games take on a little different feel," Scioscia says of late-season games that have little impact on the playoff field. "The fact that you're in a pennant race and you have an objective, you have a goal, and you're trying to reach that goal, keeps those juicing flowing."

The Angels are certainly going with a playoff-worthy rotation against the Rangers with Dan Haren pitching Friday's opener to be followed by Ervin Santana and Jered Weaver, who will both be pitching on three days' rest for the first times in their careers.

Scioscia also said reliever Scott Downs, who hasn't pitched in more than a week because of tightness in his left hamstring, will be available this weekend.

The lineups:

Angels

CF -- Peter Bourjos

DH -- Bobby Abreu

2B -- Howie Kendrick

RF -- Torii Hunter

1B -- Mark Trumbo

LF -- Vernon Wells

3B -- Alberto Callaspo

SS -- Erick Aybar

C -- Bobby Wilson

P -- Dan Haren

Texas Rangers

2B -- Ian Kinsler

SS -- Elvis Andrus

LF -- Josh Hamilton

3B -- Michael Young

C -- Mike Napoli

1B -- Mitch Moreland

RF -- Nelson Cruz

DH -- David Murphy

CF -- Endy Chavez

P -- Derek Holland

-- Kevin Baxter in Arlington, Texas

Angels sit Howie Kendrick for Jered Weaver-Justin Verlander duel

The Angels will go into Sunday's marquee pitching matching between Jered Weaver and the Tigers' Justin Verlander with one of their chief offensive weapons, All-Star infielder Howie Kendrick, on the bench.

Kendrick, the team's leadng hitter at .304, is sitting out his third game on the team's 10-game road trip but Manager Mike Scioscia said his day off has nothing to do with injury and everything to do with matchups. Kendrick has hit .235 in his career against Verlander while switch-hitter Maicer Izturis, the man who will take his place, is batting .455 against the Tigers right-hander.

The pitching matchup, which the Tigers have been hyping in billboard ads around town, figures to be one of the best of the season. Weaver (14-4) and Verlander (14-5) are tied for second in the majors in wins. Verlander has won nine consecutive decisions while Weaver has won eight in a row.

Weaver leads the majors with a 1.79 ERA and a 1.04 ERA in day games. Verlander in second-best in day-game ERA at 1.32.

"You never know how that ball's going to bounce on the field," Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. "Both guys have a different gear when you do happen to put pressure on them, they get in trouble. And they both have a knack for getting out of a jam. They both command the game very well.

"I'm sure, as good as those guys are, the margain [for error] is going to be probably very slim who comes out on top."

The lineups:

Angels

2B -- Maicer Izturis
RF -- Torii Hunter
DH -- Bobby Abreu
LF -- Vernon Wells
3B -- Alberto Callaspo
SS -- Erick Aybar
1B -- Mark Trumbo
CF -- Peter Bourjos
C -- Jeff Mathis
P -- Jered Weaver

Detroit Tigers

CF -- Austin Jackson
LF -- Brennan Boesch
RF -- Magglio Ordonez
DH -- Miguel Cabrera
1B -- Victor Martinez
SS -- Jhonny Peralta
2B -- Carlos  Guillen
C -- Alex Avila
3B -- Don Kelly
P -- Justin Velander

-- Kevin Baxter in Detroit

Photos: Jered Weaver (36) and Justin Verlander lead the majors in earned-run average and the American League in strikeouts, respectively, heading into Sunday's matchup. Credits: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times and Kyndell Harkness / McClatchy-Tribune

Mike Scioscia denies Angels have interest in Rafael Betancourt

Only a day before Sunday's trade deadline, the Angels have reportedly turned their attention to middle- and late-inning relief help. But Saturday, Manager Mike Scioscia (pictured above) said he and General Manager Tony Reagins have not talked about Colorado's Rafael Betancourt, one name to which the team has been linked.

"His name has not come up in any conversations I’ve had with Tony," Scioscia said.

Asked what the chances are that Reagins would send him a player he hadn't known about, Scioscia grinned and answered, "He hasn't as of yet."

Another player the Angels are reportedly pursuing is Baltimore's Koji Uehara. But several other teams have inquired about him as well and it's unlikely the Angels will be able to put together an attractive enough package of prospects to make that trade happen.

Teams have until 1 p.m. PDT Sunday to make deals. After that time, players must past through waivers before they can change teams.

RELATED:

Angels display split personality in 12-2 loss to Tigers

Mike Scioscia torn over how to handle rookie Mike Trout

Peter Bourjos improves batting but remains unsatisfied

-- Kevin Baxter in Detroit

Photo credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

Scioscia denies Angels have interest in Betancourt

Only a day before Sunday's trade deadline, the Angels have reportedly turned their attention to middle- and late-inning relief help. But Saturday, Manager Mike Scioscia said he and General Manager Tony Reagins have not talked about Colorado's Rafael Betancourt, one name to which the team has been linked.

"His name has not come up in any conversations I’ve had with Tony," Scioscia said.

Asked what the chances are that Reagins would send him a player he hadn't known about, Scioscia grinned and answered, "He hasn't as of yet."

Another player the Angels are reportedly pursuing is Baltimore's Koji Uehara. But several other teams have inquired about him as well and it's unlikely the Angels will be able to put together an attractive enough package of prospects to make that trade happen.

Teams have until 1 p.m. PDT Sunday to make deals. After that time, players must past through waivers before they can change teams.

-- Kevin Baxter in Detroit