MONDAY HALOLINKS: Erick Aybar Most Improved Angel?

Saunders leads Angels past lowly Royals - FOX Sports on MSN
Saunders won his third straight start, Bobby Abreu drove in three runs and Los Angeles beat Kansas City 7-2 on Sunday. The Angels improved to 9-0 against the Royals this season and have won 33 of the last 43 games between the two clubs.

Two innings enough for Angels | innings, angels, runs, hits, royals - OCRegister.com
The Angels' offense woke from its summer nap, stretched and yawned – but didn't quite muster the energy to get out of the hammock yet.

Angels-Royals Preview - FOX Sports on MSN
Ervin Santana's resurgence has been a big part of the Los Angeles Angels' success. A matchup with the Kansas City Royals should help him stay on track. Santana, having regrouped after a tough start, looks to help the Angels sweep their season series with the lowly Royals on Monday.

Team Reports- CBSSports.com
DH Vladimir Guerrero got the day game off Sunday "to freshen him up a bit," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. Guerrero is 4-for-17 on the road trip but two of those hits were home runs Monday in Seattle and another was a game-winning two-run single in Kansas City on Friday.

Team Reports II - CBSSports.com
SS Erick Aybar tripled in each of his first two at-bats Sunday, tying the club record for triples in a game. Aybar was the 17th Angel to have two triples in a game, most recently OF Reggie Williams on June 30, 1999, against the Texas Rangers.

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips - 09.06.09: Bats back Saunders in decisive victory - angelsbaseball.com
Daily Recap: Bobby Abreu collected three RBIs on the day to help lift an uneven outing from starter Joe Saunders

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips - LAA@KC: Abreu lines a two-run double to right field - angelsbaseball.com
Bobby Abreu lines a double to right field, scoring Howard Kendrick and Chone Figgins in the top of the fourth inning

Stretch run: Breaking down MLB playoff races - nbcsports.msnbc.com
This Week: Seven games (one at KC, three vs. SEA, three vs. CWS)

Bobby Abreu knows the problem with his hitting -- latimes.com
"I've been pulling the ball too much -- that's why I'm in such a big slump," the Angels' right fielder said. "They're pitching me different now, especially with runners in scoring position. I have to be patient and get back to my normal approach, which is hitting middle-away."

The most improved Angel - Angels Unplugged - Los Angeles Times
Aybar has moved his game up to a whole new level. He could always make spectacular plays in the field, and that hasn't changed. The difference now is that he makes the routine ones, too. Nobody in the American League has more range, and there aren't many shortstops in either league who can match his arm.

Cubs join Sox in Figgins quest - FOX Sports on MSN
''I would think that we'll probably try to add more speed, but we'll see,'' Piniella said Sunday when asked whether Kosuke Fukudome was in his 2010 plans for the leadoff spot. ''That's just conjecture, nothing more, nothing less.'' Piniella didn't name any specific free-agent targets, but the Cubs had Figgins penciled into their fantasy lineup even as they pursued Baltimore Orioles leadoff hitter Brian Roberts before last season.

Stats are with Figgins at the hot corner - angelsbaseball.com
Chone Figgins hasn't heard too much about these advanced defensive statistics that stat geeks love to tout. He couldn't tell you what they measure, or how stats such as Ultimate Zone Rating are even calculated in the first place. But tell Figgins that most of these stats say he's one of the best third basemen in baseball and a wide smile forms across his face. "Is that what it says?" he asks.

September 7 - BR Bullpen
Events, births and deaths that occurred on September 7.