Freeway Series

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim–Los Angeles Dodgers
History
First Meeting	June 17, 1997
Last Meeting	June 13, 2010
Next Meeting	June 22, 2010
Number of Meetings	74
All-Time Series	LAA, 44-33
Regular Season Series	LAA, 44-33
Longest LAD Win Streak	4 (6/17/1997-7/3/1997 & 5/19/2006-6/30/2006)
Longest LAA Win Streak	6 (6/22/2003-6/26/2004)
Post Season History
Post Season Meetings	None

The term Freeway Series refers to a series of baseball games played between Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the American League and the Los Angeles Dodgers of the National League. The series takes its name from the massive freeway system in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, the home of both teams; one could travel from one team's stadium to the other simply by traveling along Interstate 5. The term is akin to Subway Series which refers to meetings between New York City baseball teams.

History

The first exhibition game between the two clubs (won by the Angels) was played in 1962 in Palm Springs, at the time the spring training home of the Angels. The first pre-season series was played at Dodger Stadium, at the time the home ballpark of both teams April 6-7, 1963. The Angels won both of the two games played. After the Angels added Los Angeles to their official name in 2005, the rivalry took on renewed interest, as the series took on a more inter-city atmosphere.

Throughout the 2005 season, Dodger Stadium listed the Angels as ANA on its out-of-town scoreboard and team schedules, as it was prior to Angels' name change. However, the Dodgers now post "LAA" on both their scoreboard and schedules. Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully refers to the team as just the Angels when mentioning them on the air. Dodgers tickets still refer to the Angels as the "Anaheim Angels."

Regular- and post-season games between the two teams take place at either Angel Stadium of Anaheim or Dodger Stadium. The two stadiums are located approximately 30.92 miles apart. [1]

At one point, both teams were owned by major media conglomerates: the Angels had been owned by the Walt Disney Company, and the Dodgers were owned by News Corporation (both companies each own 1 of the MLB broadcast partners). Both teams have been sold in recent years.

Common players

Brothers

An interesting note between these two teams are the different sets of brothers who have currently played for either one of both of these franchises. They include:

Vladimir and Wilton Guerrero
Orlando and Jolbert Cabrera
Maicer and Cesar Izturis*

*Maicer and Cesar Izturis were half-brothers. They played against each other during the 2006 season.

Erick and Willy Aybar*

*Erick and Willy Aybar played against each other during the 2006 season.

Jered and Jeff Weaver*

*Jered and Jeff Weaver both played for the Angels during the 2006 season. Jeff Weaver played for the Dodgers during the 2004, 2005 and 2009 seasons. On June 20, 2009, they pitched against each other, in the eighth matchup between sets of brothers in Major League history. Jeff won, in a 6-4 Dodgers victory.

Other notable players

Several players have played for both teams, including:

• Don Sutton—Dodgers 1966–1980, 1988; Angels 1985–1987
• Bill Buckner—Dodgers 1969–1976; Angels 1987–1988
• Bobby Valentine—Dodgers 1969, 1971–1972; Angels 1973–1975
• Hoyt Wilhelm—Angels 1969; Dodgers 1971–1972
• Tommy John—Dodgers 1972–1974, 1976–1978; Angels 1982–1985
• Frank Robinson—Dodgers 1972; Angels 1973–1974
• Fernando Valenzuela—Dodgers 1980–1990; Angels 1991
• Glenn Hoffman—Dodgers 1987; Angels 1989; Dodgers interim manager 1998
• Eddie Murray—Dodgers 1989–1991; Angels 1997
• Raúl Mondesí—Dodgers 1993–1999; Angels 2004
• Rickey Henderson—Angels 1997; Dodgers 2003
• Jim Leyritz—Angels 1997; Dodgers 2000
• Jeff Weaver—Dodgers 2004–2005, 2009–present; Angels 2006
• Garret Anderson - Angels 1994-2008, Dodgers 2010-present

Also of note is that much of the Angels' present-day coaching staff played for the Dodgers, including:

• Mike Scioscia—Dodgers catcher 1980–1992; Angels manager 2000–present
• Ron Roenicke—Dodgers outfielder 1977–1983; Angels bench coach 2000–present
• Mickey Hatcher—Dodgers first baseman, third baseman, and outfielder 1979–1980 and 1987–1990; Angels hitting coach 2000–present
• Alfredo Griffin—Dodgers shortstop 1988–1991; Angels first base coach 2000-present
• Dino Ebel—Dodgers minor league utility player 1988-1994; Angels third base coach 2006–present

In addition to Scioscia, the following Angels managers played for the Dodgers:

• Gene Mauch—Brooklyn Dodgers 1944 and 1948; Angels manager 1981–1982, 1985–1987
• Dick Williams—Brooklyn Dodgers 1951–1954, 1956; Angels manager 1974–1976
• Norm Sherry—Dodgers 1959–1962, Angels manager 1976–1977

Additionally, Dodgers manager Joe Torre was a broadcaster for the Angels from 1985–1990

The series

Pre-season series

2003: (March 28-29)
Game 1: Dodgers win, 5-0
Game 2: Dodgers win, 6-0

2004: (April 2-4)
Game 1: Angels win, 6-1
Game 2: Angels win, 10-4
Game 3: Angels win, 13-5

2005: (April 1-3)
Game 1: Angels win, 8-3
Game 2: Angels win, 6-2
Game 3: Angels win, 6-0

2006: (March 31-April 2)
Game 1: Tie, 6-6
Game 2: Tie, 0-0
Game 3: Angels win, 10-2

2007: (March 29-March 31)
Game 1: Angels win, 6-1
Game 2: Dodgers win, 13-4
Game 3: Angels win, 4-2

2008: (March 22-March 27)
Game 1: Angels win, 4-2
Game 2: Tie, 2-2

2009: (March 23-April 2)
Game 1: Angels win, 10-4
Game 2: Dodgers win, 6-2

2010: (April 2-April 3)
Game 1: Angels win, 4-3
Game 2: Angels win, 6-4

2003-2010 Standings: Angels 13, Dodgers 4 (3 ties)

Regular season results

Year	Series Winner	Dodgers W	Angels W	Notes
1997	Dodgers	4	0	2-game home-and-away format, First and only season series sweep
1998	Angels	1	3
1999	Dodgers	4	2	First year of 6-game home-and-away format
2000	Angels	2	4
2001	Angels	2	4
2002	Tie	3	3
2003	Angels	2	4
2004	Tie	3	3
2005	Angels	1	5
2006	Dodgers	4	2
2007	Angels	1	5
2008	Tie	3	3
2009	Tie	3	3
2010	Angels	0	3	Angels host All-Star Game
Overall	Angels (7-3-4)	33	44

Postseason series

As of 2009, the Angels and the Dodgers have never met in the postseason. To meet in the postseason would require that they both advance to the World Series in the same year. To date, the two teams have made the playoffs in the same year three times, 2004, 2008 and 2009. In 2004, both teams lost in the Division Series, whereas in 2008 the Angels lost to the Boston Red Sox, 3 games to 1 while the Dodgers swept the Chicago Cubs in 3 games only to lose to the Philadelphia Phillies in 5 games in the NLCS. In the 2009 playoffs, both teams advanced to their respective League Championship Series, which each team needed to win for there to be a freeway World Series. However, the Dodgers lost game 5 of the NLCS to the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Angels lost the ALCS in six games to the New York Yankees.

Bibliography

• DiGiovanna, Mike (June 18, 2007). "Freeway Series is Turning into a Romp". Los Angeles Times.
• Newhan, Ron (March 31). "Freeway Series Pits Dodgers Against Bad Angels". Los Angeles Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)