The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim' 2011 season was the franchise's 51st season and 46th in Anaheim. The Angels began the season following a disappointing 2010 campaign where they missed the postseason for the first time since 2006, after winning the American League West three times in a row from 2007–2009. During the 2011 season, the Angels celebrated the franchise's 50th anniversary and because it was the "golden Anniversary", a gold trim was added to the uniforms including the halo on both the cap and uniform. The date of the franchise's actual 50th anniversary is December 6, 2010.
2010–11 Offseason
After an incredibly disappointing 2010 season, the Angels' priority in the offseason was to fix what went horribly wrong so the team can return to the postseason in 2011. Owner Arte Moreno has gone on record saying that money will not be an issue, and that he is willing to spend as much as possible to put a winning product on the field. Going into the offseason, the Angels had both Hideki Matsui and Scot Shields eligible for free agency with Kendrys Morales, Jered Weaver, Erick Aybar, Howie Kendrick, Kevin Frandsen, Alberto Callaspo, Reggie Willits, and Mike Napoli being arbitration eligible. As of December 3, 2010, the Angels have declined to offer Matsui arbitration, tendered contracts to Morales, Weaver, Aybar, Kendrick, Callaspo, Willits, and Napoli. The Angels also declined to tender a contract to Frandsen, who would become a free agent, and Shields, who would retire from baseball. The Angels expressed interest in Rays outfielder Carl Crawford, Red Sox third baseman Adrián Beltré, Rays closer Rafael Soriano, Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth, and were considered a wildcard in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes. On December 2, 2010, the Angels signed former Mets reliever Hisanori Takahashi in their first move of the offseason. then signed Blue Jays reliever Scott Downs, and also acquired outfielder Vernon Wells from Toronto in exchange for outfielder Juan Rivera and catcher Mike Napoli.
Regular season
The season for the Angels began Thursday, March 31 with a road game against Kansas City. Their first home game was Friday, April 8 against Toronto. Their longest homestand will be from June 27 – July 10, and their longest road trip will be June 13–26. Their final game of the regular season will be on Wednesday, September 28 at home against Rangers.
March/April
After winning the first game of the season against Kansas City, the Angels stumbled dropping their next three games against that same Royals team. The Halos led at one point in each of those three losses and the suspect bullpen was a large reason why they dropped those three in a row. After the Kansas City series, manager Mike Scioscia shook up the bullpen by demoting Fernando Rodney from the closer's role and giving Jordan Walden that position. The Angels proceeded to sweep the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg and win and go 4–2 on their opening homestand against the Blue Jays and Indians. The Angels winning ways continued into their second road trip of the season sweeping the Chicago White Sox and taking 2 of 3 from division rival Texas and taking sole control of first in the American League West. However, the Angels hit a wall when they returned home to Angel Stadium being swept by arch-rival Boston in a four-game series and only scoring a total of five runs over that four game stretch. Texas, in the meantime took back the top spot in the AL West. After their abysmal showing against Boston, the Angels rebounded slightly by taking 2 of 3 from division rival Oakland finishing out the homestand 2–5. Going back to Tampa Bay, the Angels took the series 2–1 only losing the second game of the series on a wild pitch by relief pitcher Fernando Rodney in the 10th inning. The second game of the series also featured Joel Piñeiro's first start of the season where he only gave up one run over 7 innings pitched.
May
The Angels started out the month of May by finishing off a series with Tampa Bay that they won 2–1. After that series, the Angels flew to Boston to take on the team that swept them in Anaheim just a week prior. The Halos ended up dropping the first two games of that series, but ended up winning the third game of the series in a marathon 13 inning game that lasted 7 hours and 35 minutes thanks to a 2-hour and 35 minute rain delay. In the fourth game, the Angels pounded out 8 runs off of their former ace John Lackey and ended up winning the game 11–0 to earn the series split 2–2. Returning home to Anaheim where the Angels had a 6–7 mark, they were to face the red-hot Cleveland Indians in a three-game series. They won the first game in extra innings behind an excellent outing by rookie Tyler Chatwood and the bullpen, however the Angels then proceeded to drop the second game of the series. They did win the rubber game of the series on Mother's Day in a game that saw the lead change many times. The win against the Indians on May 8, marked manager Mike Scioscia's 1,000th career victory.
