▁to ▁make ▁the ▁ 2 5 - man ▁ro ster . ▁ ▁He ▁ultimately ▁made ▁his ▁Major ▁League ▁debut ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁playing ▁first ▁base ▁and ▁going ▁ 3 - for - 5 , ▁including ▁a ▁home ▁run ▁in ▁his ▁second ▁at ▁bat , ▁versus ▁the ▁Texas ▁R angers . ▁There after ▁he ▁performed ▁well ▁enough ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁Ang els ' ▁regular ▁first ▁bas eman ▁until ▁his ▁event ual ▁dem otion ▁back ▁to ▁Tri ple - A ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁season ▁Mor ales ▁enjoyed ▁a ▁break out ▁year ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁full ▁season . ▁He ▁hit ▁ 3 4 ▁home ▁runs ▁and ▁sl ug ged ▁. 5 6 9 , ▁ranking ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁AL , ▁behind ▁event ual ▁AL ▁M VP ▁Joe ▁M auer . ▁ ▁Mor ales ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁starting ▁first ▁bas eman ▁after ▁Mark ▁Te ix e ira ▁( the ▁Ang els ' ▁first ▁bas eman ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁season ) ▁left ▁the ▁Ang els ▁as ▁a ▁free ▁agent ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Mor ales ▁said ▁of ▁the ▁timing ▁of ▁his ▁promotion , ▁" The ▁guys ▁that ▁played ▁ahead ▁of ▁me ▁were ▁season ed ▁players , ▁and ▁I ▁didn ' t ▁des erve ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁big ▁le agues ▁yet . ▁The ▁one ▁thing ▁I ▁thought ▁about ▁-- ▁not ▁how ▁long ▁I ▁had ▁to