"Bobby Abreu has so many reasons to be upset: The Yankees didn't think he was worth the money. A number of teams expressed interest in him last winter but balked at the idea of giving him a multi-year contract. A tremendous career, including six straight seasons with 100 RBI and 20 steals, was given little value.

He is not unhappy, however. In fact, he is filled with glee. You can see it when you talk to him in the Los Angeles Angels clubhouse, and it was there in his smile on Sunday after his two-out double off Jonathan Papelbon knocked in the first of the three runs the Halos scored off Boston's closer to come from behind for a Game 3 victory and sweep of the ALDS.

"This is one of the most special wins," Abreu said afterward. "This is the win that helped me to go to another level to another series. I've never been in that situation to play the other series. Always shut it down in the first round. So now, to me, to go to the second round is something special. I wanted to play that round. I wanted to have the experience to go to the World Series. So now I'm close..."

And now Abreu finds himself in a thrilling but awkward situation. His Angels meet the Yankees in the AL Championship Series beginning Friday. As good as he was with the Bombers, he lacked the star power at the No.3 spot in the batting order. He never stood out.

But more importantly, the team that paid him $16 million in 2008 didn't think he was worth near that much in the off-season. They didn't even think him worth a multi-year deal.

"It will be fun to play the Yankees," he said after the clincher in Boston. "I've been thinking all year that I would like to play them in the playoffs."

Payback time? Probably not. Abreu doesn't have a demeanor that involves retribution. He is even-keeled, steady and a sturdy and reliable player. This season he hit .293 with 15 home runs, 93 RBI and 30 stolen bases for the Angels. But he is so much more."