Kendry Morales had big shoes to fill when he replaced departed free agent Mark Teixeira as the Angels' everyday first baseman this season. But Morales has stepped in so ably that he and Teixeira now stand side by side as MVP candidates in the American League.

"No doubt, absolutely no doubt. If you look at his individual stats and you look at what he's meant to our team, there's no doubt he's as much a candidate for MVP as any of the other names put out there," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Teixeira and Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter are considered the front-runners for the award (along with the Twins' Joe Mauer). Scioscia took a playful swipe at the East Coast bias in national media coverage that will pump up the two Yankees' chances.

"It seems word travels from west to east a little slower in the game of baseball than east to west," Scioscia said. "You're kind of swimming upstream. But I think the baseball world knows what Kendry has done.

"When you look at what Kendry has meant to our club as opposed to what some other candidates have meant to their clubs, I think the only guy (in the same category) is really Joe Mauer, who's having a great year. I know Tex (Teixeira) is having a great year with the Yankees. But if you take Kendry out of our lineup, I think you're looking at a different offense."

In addition to leading the American League with 45 RBIs since the All-Star break, Morales ranks in the top 10 in several categories this season, including batting average (.313, 10th), home runs (30, tied for fifth), RBIs (94, tied for fifth), slugging percentage (.594, second) and total bases (277, fifth).

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