Early schedule does Angels no favors

CINCINNATI -- If the Angels hope to avoid another rough start to the season, they'll have to beat some quality teams.

The 2013 season began in Cincinnati, will then head to Texas and return to Southern California for a series against the A's, making the Angels the first team since 2007 to start a year facing three straight teams that made the playoffs the previous season.

Seven of the Angels' first 10 series, making up 22 of their first 32 games, will come against teams that made the playoffs in 2012 (three against the Reds, six against the Rangers, six against the A's, three against the Tigers and four against the Orioles).

"The schedule's the schedule," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "The game at hand is important. You're going to face a tough game every night, and it just so happens that we're facing some teams that were playoff teams last year. In my mind, it's neither here nor there. You have the challenge of that game."