Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim added Mark Teixeira to the best team in baseball Tuesday night, and then they proceeded to put a beating on the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Angels general manager Tony Reagins wouldn't go so far as to proclaim Los Angeles the "team to beat" after the deal, saying during a conference call, “What it means is we’re committed to try to bring a championship to Southern California.”

The Angels sent infielder Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Steve Marek to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Teixeira.

Kotchman had hit .284 with 12 home runs and 54 RBI for Los Angeles. Teixeira, who is slated to be a free agent at the end of the season, hit .283 with 20 home runs and 78 RBI at the time fo the trade.

Teixera said during the conference call that he plans to be in Boston in time for Wednesday night's game.

"Mark is going to bring a lot of things," Angels manager Mike Scoscia said. "He's a presence for sure. When he's hitting in the middle of the lineup it can make guys around him better. He's a terrific defensive first baseman. We'll see what he brings, but I can't image it not being part of our foundation in the middle of the lineup here as we move forward this season."

Reagins added that while he felt that they‘ve been a quality team, and a team that plays hard and plays the right way, other teams "will have to respect what we do.”

Between the deals and the on-field display, the Angels definitely got Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia’s endorsement.

“Both of their guys (Kotchman and Teixeira) weren’t here and they still whooped on us,” he said. “It gives them a middle of the order bat, another middle of the order bat. They’re an elite team. What can I say. They want to go to the World Series and win the World Series.”

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