"He might never get to Cooperstown, but his name sure pops up in the conversation with many of the game's all-time immortals.

Bobby Abreu is the fifth player in big-league history with five seasons of at least 30 stolen bases and 100 RBI, joining Honus Wagner, Hugh Duffy, Ty Cobb and Barry Bonds.

And he is the fifth player to have played in 150 or more games for 12 consecutive seasons, joining Willie Mays (13), Billy Williams, Pete Rose and Cal Ripken Jr. (12 each).

But he doesn't have a World Series ring, and [0x07]Abreu is hoping to get a step closer to that, at the expense of his former team in his first-ever league championship series.

"It means a lot for me, especially in my career, I've never been in this situation before," Abreu said Thursday. "I always get cut off in the first round. I know those guys (the Yankees) have been in this before, so it's exciting for them, but it's even more exciting for me."

Abreu said there are no hard feelings, that he has nothing to prove to the Yankees, who made a financial decision to let him go.

"I've been consistent all my career, so I don't have to prove anything," he said. "I don't have to change anything to be like the hero. All I want is to contribute, to help get the wins and be on base and start rallies and produce winning runs."

Abreu made $15 million last year and was arbitration eligible. Coming off a .296-20-100 season, he would [0x07]certainly have gotten a raise if the Yankees chose arbitration. So the Yankees, with Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady aboard and with [0x07]mega-millions ear-marked [0x07]for CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett, let Abreu go.

And the economic climate made him a late-signing-season bargain for the Angels, who lost Teixeira. Abreu signed for $5 million, with a $1 million bonus for 650 plate appearances, which he reached.

Angels general manager Tony Reagins said Abreu's greatest impact has been in the clubhouse, where he talks baseball and about approach. You hear that from every corner of the Angels' room, that he's taught teammates, young and old, better patience at the plate."