Thank you, Bobby Abreu(notes).

While the New York media salivates over the potential of a Joe Torre vs. Yankees matchup in the World Series, you're serving up a hot revenge-tinged ALCS appetizer for the soap-starved masses. 

Bon appetit! 

OK, so you're not exactly making what people are specifically ordering, at least not with your words. Though you could be uber-bitter after the Yankees didn't offer you arbitration and you had to take an $11 million pay cut ($16 million > $5 million) to go play for the Angels, you're taking the high road as the ALCS draws near. 

Let's take a look at some of your comments on the team that employed you for three years before telling you to hit the bricks:

NYT: "I didn't know what was happening, really. I didn't expect that they would let me go like that, but business is business."

Star-Ledger: "It surprised me, but, well, here I am with the Angels having some Champagne, so that's what really matters."

Globe: "It would be fun to play the Yankees, I have a lot of friends there. I've been thinking all year that I would like to play them in the playoffs.''

Never has a soldier remained so loyal after being discharged, but it speaks to a classy nature that has made you among one of the most respected and admired players out there. Instead of pouting over having your salary cut to relative slave wages, you put on an Angels uniform and instantly became one of the best free agent bargains of all time.You posted a slash line of .293/.390/.435 with 15 homers and 103 RBIs. You were an OBP monster (.692) against the Red Sox in the ALDS, walking four times in Game 1 and going 5-for-9 in the rest of your plate appearances. You've added a lot of leadership to the Angels clubhouse.

And now? Well, you're set to rendezvous with the Yankees, who were able to artfully adapt to your departure. The cheaper Nick Swisher(notes) did a decent impersonation of you at the plate (while adding a little more power) and Brian Cashman was able to put the savings from your salary toward adding the three-headed free agency behemoth of Mark Teixeira(notes), CC Sabathia(notes) and A.J. Burnett(notes). It's sad to say, but your absence was noted in The Bronx this season about as much as ... what was that guy's name? Oh yeah, Xavier Nady(notes). 

Of course, you now have the perfect opportunity to remind the Yankees of what they're missing and to destroy that matchup with Torre, who aired his grievances with the Yankees in a bestselling book. You may not publicly stating your intents or motivations, but we're betting that you're privately planning on recouping some of your losses. It should be fun to watch. 

Related: 2009 postseason on the Stew, 2009 ALCS — Angels v. Yankees