Here we go again, seven rounds for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the American League:
CATCHER
Jorge Posada vs. Mike Napoli
This is closer than you would think. Napoli has delivered 20-homer seasons the last two years, and he ripped the Yanks this season, hitting .500 (11-for-22) with two homers, five RBIs and seven walks. Posada smacked a key homer in ALDS Game 3 and remains one of the league’s best backstops. Both starters should give way to their backups for individual starting pitchers (Jose Molina will catch A.J. Burnett, and Jeff Mathis will handle John Lackey).
Inside the numbers: From either side of the plate, Posada has trouble with the slider (.100 righty, .118 lefty). But don’t try to sneak a slider past Napoli when he’s ahead in the count. He hits an incredible .727 in that situation.
EDGE: Yankees
FIRST BASE
Mark Teixeira vs. Kendry Morales
This possibly is the best individual matchup, pitting two terrific switch-hitters. Teixeira will go against his former team coming off a monster regular season, though he struggled in the ALDS other than his walk-off homer in Game 2. Morales, enjoying a career year, paced the Angels in homers (34) and RBIs (108). He hit .341 at home.
Inside the numbers: Batting left, Teixeira murders sliders early in the count (.543), when he’s behind (.435) and with runners on base (.500). Morales is a deadly fastball hitter with two strikes and runners on base (.438), but hits just .111 on changeups behind in the count.
EDGE: Yankees
SECOND BASE
Robinson Cano vs. Howie Kendrick
The righty Kendrick (who hit an absurd .358 since the All-Star break) started ALDS Game 1 against Boston lefty Jon Lester, and the switch-hitting Maicer Izturis started the next two against righties Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz — though Izturis hit .380 vs. lefties this season. Both have good averages, some stolen base ability and decent pop. Cano easily is the best player of the three, despite his poor ALDS showing (2-for-12). And he batted .341 (14-for-41) against the Angels this season.
Inside the numbers: Scott Kazmir, Joe Saunders and Brian Fuentes should know Cano hits .438 on changeups from lefties. Kendrick takes a lot of first-pitch fastballs from lefties and righties, and hits .095 on changeups with two strikes.
EDGE: Yankees
SHORTSTOP
Derek Jeter vs. Erick Aybar
Not many win matchups against Jeter, and though Aybar is a nice player, he is not going to snap that trend. Jeter remains terrific in October, as evidenced by his sensational ALDS Game 1 performance. The switch-hitting Aybar (the Angels sometimes start four switch-hitters) had his best season. He rarely strikes out, committed just 11 errors (fourth-best among AL shortstops) and turned an AL-shortstop-high 102 double plays.
Inside the numbers: Jeter hits .436 against fastballs from left-handers. Aybar hits .421 on fastballs ahead in the count, but just .167 on fastballs with runners on base.
EDGE: Yankees
THIRD BASE
Alex Rodriguez vs. Chone Figgins
A-Rod is on fire, and he was the Yankees’ most fearsome and clutch hitter in the ALDS. If he’s in the midst of a tear, this matchup isn’t close. But if he’s a mere mortal, then this is a battle of two All-Stars. Occupying the leadoff spot, the switch-hitting Figgins is a .300 hitter who gets on base, steals bags (42) and scores runs (114). He’s one of the Angels’ best players and is auditioning for free agency.
Inside the numbers: A-Rod is a changeup killer, especially early in the count (.500). Figgins takes a lot of fastballs for strikes, but can handle the ones he likes, especially with runners on base (.368).
EDGE: Yankees
LEFT FIELD
Johnny Damon vs. Juan Rivera
Morales led the Angels in homers, but Rivera, the former Yankee, was second, as the righty-swinging slugger went deep
25 times. And in case you forgot, in the 2005 ALDS, he torched the Yanks by hitting .353 in the Angels’ five-game win. Not quite how Damon performed in the Yanks’ just-finished ALDS, as he went just 1-for-12. Nevertheless, Damon had a terrific season and is sandwiched after Jeter and before Teixeira and A-Rod in the lineup — an opportunistic slot to be in.
Inside the numbers: Damon’s three coldest zones are inside (high, middle, low), so look for him to be pitched there. Rivera is a high-ball hitter who mashes curveballs early in the count to the tune of .545.
EDGE: Even
CENTER FIELD
Melky Cabrera vs. Torii Hunter
It took a while, but here is the Angels’ first positional edge. The gregarious Hunter remains a terrific all-around player, actually posting the best OPS of his career this season. Cabrera slumped in the ALDS and even at his best is no Hunter. Brett Gardner could get a chance here if Cabrera keeps struggling.
Inside the numbers: Cabrera’s hot zones include anything inside when batting left-handed. Hunter hits .484 on fastballs when he’s ahead in the count, but his out pitch is the changeup with two strikes (.125).
EDGE: Angels
RIGHT FIELD
Nick Swisher vs. Bobby Abreu
Swisher, who has taken Abreu’s spot in The Bronx this year, had a fine campaign and does several productive things offensively — draws walks, hits for power and is a switch-hitter. But Abreu is a back-end MVP candidate. Abreu had a great ALDS vs. Boston — hitting .556 and getting on base 70 percent of the time.
Inside the numbers: Swisher will see plenty of splitters batting left (.091) and curves batting right (same .091). Abreu has a huge problem with the curveball. He takes 56 percent of them, and hits just .102, and .079 on curves with two strikes.
EDGE: Angels
DESIGNATED HITTER
Hideki Matsui vs. Vladimir Guerrero
Love this matchup between two former stars who still are capable. Matsui actually had the better season, but Guerrero comes in having delivered the Angels’ advancing hit — a two-run, ninth-inning single off Jonathan Papelbon. Guerrero hasn’t homered in his last 73 postseason at-bats (his last came in Game 3 of the 2004 ALDS). But the likely future Hall of Famer gets a slight win.
Inside the numbers: Matsui is a splitter hitter (.500). Guerrero hits .588 on changeups early in the count, but just .083 when he’s behind.
EDGE: Angels
BENCH
The Angels feature whoever doesn’t start between Kendrick and Izturis, as well as Mathis, pinch-runner Reggie Willits and backup outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. Not a shabby group, but they have little power. The Yanks’ bench has good balance — pinch-runner Gardner (and perhaps Freddy Guzman), utility man Jerry Hairston Jr. and backup catchers Molina and Francisco Cervelli. If Eric Hinske isn’t on the team, this unit lacks a power threat, too.
EDGE: Yankees
STARTING PITCHING
Some weather wild cards here, because Mother Nature might affect how many starters are used. For now, assume it’s CC Sabathia (three times), Burnett and Andy Pettitte for the Yankees, with Lackey, Joe Saunders, Scott Kazmir and Jered Weaver for the Angels. All three Yanks delivered in the ALDS. Kazmir was hit hard, but Lackey and Weaver were outstanding. Pettitte (0-2, 7.88 ERA) and Sabathia (0-2, 6.08) struggled against the Angels this season, but overall, the Yanks still have a more formidable trio.
EDGE: Yankees
RELIEF PITCHING
With Joba Chamberlain scheduled to stay in the ’pen, the triumvirate of him, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera is scary. Lefty Phil Coke probably will face Abreu, and David Robertson scripted a brilliant escape job in ALDS Game 2. Angels closer Brian Fuentes saved 48 games but blew seven (by the way, all six homers the southpaw has allowed this year have been to righties). Journeyman lefty Darren Oliver had a great year and appeared in all three ALDS games, while RHPs Kevin Jepsen and Jason Bulger (who averages more than a strikeout per inning) are available. But this isn’t close.
EDGE: Yankees
MANAGER
Joe Girardi vs. Mike Scioscia
It could be another Manager of the Year award for Scioscia, who is 2-0 against the Yankees in his postseason career, having beaten them in the 2002 ALDS (when the Angels won it all) and the 2005 ALDS. Girardi is perfect in his postseason managerial debut so far, but he’s not yet at the same dugout level as his opponent.
EDGE: Angels
INTANGIBLES
The Yankees remain baseball’s best home team, and they will have home-field advantage, which shouldn’t be discounted. The Angels, however, own the postseason history between the teams. Keep in mind that if there are rainouts this weekend, that seemingly benefits the Angels, who have a better fourth starter (Joe Saunders) than the Yankees do (Chad Gaudin).
EDGE: Even
mark.hale@nypost.com