Juan Rivera is no longer left out

The Angels were so confident that Rivera's second-half numbers from last season -- he hit all 12 of his homers after July 2 and drove in 16 runs in his final 17 games -- were indicative of his potential that they bid farewell to veteran left fielder Garret Anderson and rewarded Rivera with a three-year, $12.75-million contract.

He has turned out to be quite the bargain. Rivera leads the Angels with seven game-winning runs batted in and is hitting .369 with runners in scoring position, second in the American League. He has five homers in his last 10 games, giving him 11 homers and 38 RBIs on the season.

"We knew he was a good player," Angels General Manager Tony Reagins said, "and sometimes all you need is an opportunity to get out there and play every day.

Los Angeles Times