2007: Where the Big Bats Roam

Oct 10th, 2007:
By Sean Scanlon - Angelswin Columnist

Part 3 of the Red’s 2007 Season Recap (Part 1 – pitching, Part 2 – infield)

If the Angel’s infield is where the young bucks reside, the emerald green (actually, I’m a tad bit color blind so for all I know it could be Kentucky bluegrass green) Angel Stadium outfield is where the grizzled, and hobbled, vets reside. Led by future hall of famer Vlad Guerrero most of the Angel pop resides in the outfield, and most of next year’s roster questions also reside in the outfield as well.

Without further machinations let’s get to it.

Vlad Guerrero – A- - Another spectacular year from what should be the first hall of famer to be inducted wearing a Halo. Vlad is the straw that stirs the Angel’s drink, the man, the wonder, the freak who has never seen a pitch he won’t hack at. While noticeably hobbled Vlad continues to put up dominating numbers, near the league lead in most offensive categories. Watching Vlad hobble around the bases, questions start to arise; have those years playing on the concrete turf of Montreal started to catch up with Vlad, how long will his knees hold up? Moving forward I think you’ll start to see Vlad spend more time at the DH position as his bat will continue to be a critical factor in the Angel’s offensive production.

Another question has also reared its ugly head. Does Mike Scioscia’s edict that the Angel’s will not retaliate make Vlad a human bulls-eye? Seeing as the league will not take matters in to their own hands I think it’s time for the Angel’s to revisit this policy. If opposing teams know their star players can expect some nice backside bruises, it might afford some protection to the increasing number of pitches that “accidentally” end up around Vlad’s head. It’s nice and dandy to be good sports and all Mike, but enough is enough.

Garret Anderson – D/A - In Angel's land there are two rites of spring…pitchers and catchers reporting and wondering what ailment will slow GA during the upcoming year. For a man who has arguably been the greatest career Angel of all-time (notice I said arguably), more "discussions" have occurred about GA and his abilities than Erstad and his grittiness. Starting the year knicked up, once again GA seemed destined to end up back on the DL and leave the Angel’s without a presence behind Vlad…and then suddenly out of nowhere, as if Scioscia lit up the bat signal (available for $9.98 at your local costume shop), the GA of old appeared. Hitting the ball out of the park, hustling down the line (some may say he never actually did that before), driving in runs...it was 2002 all over again. Until the whole cyclops incident that is.

So now the question begs…who is the real GA? The dinged up grizzled vet who has more desire than ability or the middle of the order run producer we saw down the stretch? A huge question moving forward, though my expectation is that GA will be penciled in to the LF/DH role next year. I can already see the arguments…Scioscia only likes vets and why won’t GA do what’s best for the team on the right…look what happened last year on the left…let the dead horse beating begin, there is no surer sign of spring in Haloville!

Gary Matthews – C – Probably the most controversial free-agent signing in recent Angel's history, and that was before allegations of HGH use. Destined to become the new Erstad whipping boy in the near future Gary’s first year with the Halos had mixed results. Defensively Gary was close to as advertised, chasing balls down in the gaps and making numerous game saving plays. There are statheads who will throw out zone rating, Pythagorean theorem’s and Capt. Cheeze Whiz’s defensive twister percentages…but the reality is Gary played a solid center field especially when you consider the two aging warriors to his left and right.

At the plate was another story, Gary’s average was below his career year in Texas, but his number's weren’t atrocious. If he can provide solid defense and similar offensive numbers the next 2-3 years the Angel’s won’t be getting a bargain for their 10 million…but they won’t be getting ripped off either (hey Finley…feel guilty enough to send back some of that cash yet?). And for those hang wrining about the 5 yr. deal...do you really think it's a coincidence only the first three years include a no trade clause?

Reggie Willits – B – A surprise starter at the beginning of the year when GA was slowed out of the gate, Reggie Willits opened a lot of eyes. His patient approach, Elvis like sneer and grit factor won a lot of fans (as the Reggie…Reggie…Reggie…chants will attest). Tapering off towards the end of the year as teams learned their best bet was to throw the ball down the middle of the plate and make him swing, Reggie still had a solid first year. Roaming the outfield is another issue…his routes and reads are definitely below average and he relies on his speed to make up for mistakes. This is a definite downside, making it hard to envision Reggie as a 4th outfielder…if he’s a defensive liability. But, with his work ethic, I would hope he could improve in those areas.

What is the future for Reggie? To be honest I’m not sure. He’s an Orlando Palmiero type of 4th outfielder who can play all the outfield positions (but none of them all that well). Reggie’s future with the Angels is most likely tied to who they pursue during the offseason. If the Angels bring in a power bat it will be in the OF or at 3b (which would move Figgins to the OF), meaning Reggie’s days with the Halos could be numbered.

Nathan Haynes – B – I know, a B for Haynes is ridiculous, but seriously…that’s simply for his helping out Figgins. The Curtis Pride feel good story of the year, Nathan was the “oh yeah, he’s still on the roster” guy. Lightening fast with a solid glove, we didn’t see much from Nathan at the plate this year. I actually don’t expect to see him with the Halos next year, but he’ll be a nice role player, 4th outfielder, for some team next year.

Juan Rivera – INC – After a solid 2006 year the Angel’s had penciled in Juan to be a power bat in the lineup, only to see him go down late in Winter ball with a horrific broken leg (leading to the signing of Shea Hillenbrand (ha...who saw that link coming?)…for that he should get an F!). A big question surrounds Juan, going in to 2008 do you pencil in Juan as a corner OF’er/DH? Or, is he a valuable trade commodity who can be packaged with an arm?

Terry Evans – C – Another career minor leaguer who seemed to find himself last year with St.Louis (as well as provide a moment of comedy as his dad was caught videotaping his first big league homerun). He provides a nice arm in the outfield with some pop, but really doesn’t figure in to the Halos long term plans in the outfield unless something changes.

Tommy Murphy – D – My choice for breakout player of the year (which is why he gets a D...make me look stupid will you) Tommy lost out to Reggie coming out of spring training and then saw Reggie grab the bull by the horns and win a big league job when GA went down. Probably one of the best defensive outfielder’s in the Angel’s system the same problems he had as a no-hit shortstop in the minors plague him still…he still can’t hit. Another guy who could probably catch on with another team as a 4th/5th outfielder.

Overall Outfield Grade – B-

Outside of Vlad, and solid half seasons from GA (second half) and Reggie (first half) the Angels offensive production from the outfield was hit and miss. Time will tell about the GMJ contract, and questions exist about who the real GA is. I wouldn’t expect much to change with the Angel’s outfield next year as their hands are somewhat tied unless the Angel’s do some very surprising things. Next year’s most likely scenario is who will man the DH/corner OF role with Vlad and GA…Rivera or Figgins.

This concludes my three part analysis of the Angel’s 2007 season that was. Oh, don't cry...Next up we'll start on moving forward and 2008, with the first question probably setting the tone for this offseason….to Bill or not to Bill....check in, you may be surprised! (but probably not).

2007: First to Third

Oct 10th, 2007:
By Sean Scanlon - Angelswin Columnist

Part 2 of Red’s 2007 season recap. (pitching can be found here)

Going in to the 2007 season the big question was…who was going to provide some pop and protect Vlad in the lineup. For the most part, neither of those questions were answered, and a third was added…when were the Angels going to protect Vlad from becoming a human bullseye. But it’s safe to say the Angels exceeded even the most optimistic projections offensively. Built on an aggressive approach at the plate, putting the ball in play, situational hitting, and speed on the bases the Angels confounded the stathead community by finishing 4th in the AL in offensive output. As Rex and Hud liked to point out repeatedly…over and over…again and again…continuously…the Angels led the league in going first to third. Important? Yes…but really guys…we get it.

Unfortunately for Halo fans, ultimately the Angels offensive philosophy finished with a resounded implosion as their inability to hit with runners in scoring position meant a quick exit in the playoffs. After three quick playoff exits in the last 4 years, does this mean the Halos offensive philosophy is a non-starter? Well, that’s a nice topic for another post…someone get on it.

Let’s break things down a little more…we’ll start with the infield today and move on to the outfield tomorrow (or the day after...or sometime in the future...I do have a job).

Mike Napoli – C – Never projected to be a big offensive force behind the plate Mike didn’t disappoint…he wasn’t a big offensive force behind the plate. He provides occasional pop and some nice plate discipline, but he’s never going to hit for average and is very streaky. Behind the plate Mike continued to make solid strides, though he needs to work on his throwing as clubs ran rampant on Mike, especially during the beginning of the year. Going in to his third year this is probably what we can expect from Mike, a decent major league catcher.

Jeff Mathis – C – After a disastrous 2006 campaign where Jeff was returned to Salt Lake for being downright awful (both defensively and offensively) Jeff returned due to injuries and appeared to have made some strides. Jeff has a fantastic arm that he is not afraid to show off and calls a good game. At the plate Jeff brings back unfond memories of no hit all defensive catchers of days gone by. Long term Jeff may improve at the plate, but he’ll never be confused with Johnny Bench.

Casey Kotchman – C+ - 2005…06…I mean 07 was supposed to be Casey’s break out year. After missing most of 06 due to, hell…how do you explain mono? I mean…have you ever heard of a pro athlete going down with mono? Oh well…After a 2006 Casey returned and didn’t embarrass himself. At one point in the season prior to being beaned with a pickoff throw Casey appeared to be the missing bat behind Vlad, only to struggle when he returned from a concussion. I also think he tends to be a very streaky hitter…when he’s on the line drives pound the gap and he can hit some monstrous shots…when he’s off you can just write down 4-3 in the scorebook. The big question re: Casey is will power develop or will he be Mark Grace? On a team lacking power Mark Grace isn’t really the best option. My guess, Casey continues to make strides and the power develops, .310, to 20-25 bombs is within his reach.

Howie Kendrick – B – For stretches this year we all saw what the scouts have been raving about, Howie is a hit machine. Still prone to chasing breaking pitches, Howie needs to work on his plate discipline. He also struggled hitting with runners in scoring position. Personally I expect Howie to win a few batting titles, hit at the top of the lineup, and be an Angel stalwart at second for years to come.

Orlando Cabrera – A – You could make the case he was the Angel MVP this year. A career year offensively, and a gold glove caliber year in the field. I would not expect a repeat performance from OC at the plate and the Angels brass needs to think long and hard about his future with the team. He’s not getting any younger and can be expected to regress at the plate. Do you block a talent like Wood or sign OC to a 2-3 year extension? OC’s performance in 08 will go a long ways towards determining what the Angels do in that regards.

Chone Figgins – A- - Chone really should have been considered for the comeback player of the year award, not just from his lackluster 06 campaign…but just for how he started 07. At one point he probably wasn’t hitting his weight and he went on a year long tear starting in mid May finishing in the top 10 in AL batting. Was it a career year? Personally, I’m not so sure, his improvements weren’t due to being lucky, or just hot…but a whole new approach at the plate. Suddenly Chone started to lay off pitches, drove the ball to LF, and stopped trying to yank the ball out of the park. He may not be at 3rd next year, but I would expect Chone to be the leadoff hitter come April 08 for the Halos.

Maicer Itzuris – B+ - Folks laughed when they saw Maicer penciled in at the #5 slot to open the postseason, but his .400 average with runners in scoring position was best on the team (actually, I didn’t check…but I’m guessing). Maicer also was the most productive hitter in the Angel’s lineup during the postseason hitting .333 with an .833 OPS. A solid utility guy who could start for a lot of teams, don’t be surprised if his name appears in lots of trade rumors this offseason.

Robb Quinlan – C – More useless hand wringing occurred over Robb than any player on the Angels come post season roster time. What does Robb provide? A solid right handed bat who can play the corners and hit lefties (though he did struggle some this year). Signed to a reasonable deal next year expect Robb to play a key role on the bench next year.

Kendry Morales – C+ - Kendry had some fantastic moments for the Halos this year, with a key 2 run dinger in early May vs. the Indians in a game that helped set the Angels season straight. He also returned from Salt Lake and immediately went on an offensive tear and looked like he could provide some pop come post-season. Alas, Vlad’s injury threw a monkey wrench in to those plans, as Kendry drew the short straw and returned to the bench so Vlad could DH. Finally showing signs that he could be the impact back the Angels have long thought he could be (hey, did you know he defected from Cuba?) he should be given an opportunity to win a regular job with the Halos next season. Expect Kendry to spend lots of time playing winter ball in LF and RF (and really, have they given up on the 3b idea?).

Erick Aybar – C- - Erick started off the season getting thrown out twice trying to steal ending ball-games. And that was the highlight! Kidding. Erick showed flashes of brilliance with the glove and that he could be a solid utility guy. Does he still project as a top-tier major league short stop? I don’t think so. He needs to spend some time with Nathan Haynes to work on his approach ala Figgins.

Brandon Wood – C – Only mentioned because he will play prominent in upcoming decisions. Is he the real deal? Can he be a .280/30hr hitter in the middle of the order? During his brief callups Brandon didn’t show much. He played solid defense but didn’t necessarily impress at the plate. I would expect Brandon to start 08 in Salt Lake where he needs to work on his plate discipline and continue to cut down on his strikeouts.

Season Grade: B (not counting the postseason)

To wrap it up, the Angels infield had a solid year, with guys like Figgins and OC providing the spark for the Angel’s offense. Howie showed flashes of brilliance and why he can be considered a future batting title winner and middle of the order presence. Questions going in to the offseason still exist though. Is Kotchman the long term answer at first base and will he develop the power needed from a first baseman? Will Figgins stay at 3rd or be moved to the OF in place of a monster bat (cough…arod…cough)? Does Wood work his way in to the lineup anytime soon? How do you get AB’s for Kendry? Do I know these answers? Nope…that’s why I’m not on the Halos payroll (or get paid to write for this blog).

Next up…the Angels Outfield

2007: Arms Control

Oct 9th, 2007:
By Sean Scanlon - Angelswin Columnist

So, now that you’ve had a chance to soak up my brilliant analysis (editor’s note…what a jackarse) of the 2007 postseason that abruptly wasn’t, let’s take a deeper look at the 2007 in general, and what it potentially tells us about the Angels moving forward to 2008. I’m not going to get in to deep statistical analysis, there’s plenty of people who can do that and personally if I wanted to spend all day looking at stats I would have stuck with engineering in college instead of drinking and chasing skirts.

In today’s edition of Red’s 2007 Season Analysis we shall start with pitching. Why? Because it's my posting and I can do what I want. (As you’ll see, there are a lot of B’s…which I think is appropriate. For the most part the Angel pitching was above average and not spectacular).

Projections called for the Angels to be one of the elite staffs from top to bottom in all of baseball. Outstanding seasons from Lackey and Escobar helped at the front-end, but it’s safe to say the Angels did not necessarily get what they were looking for from the bottom of the rotation in guys like Colon and Santana. Overall the Angels starting staff was solid, kept the team in games, and at the end of the season was considered one of the deepest in the AL.

The bullpen, a stalwart of Angel teams past, was brilliant to start the season but down the stretch slumped and is probably one of the biggest off-season questions for the Halos moving forward.

The Starters

John Lackey – A+ - 2007 was the year Lackey became the ace many thought he could be, leading the AL in era and finishing just shy of the 20 win mark (thanks bullpen!). With a free and easy throwing motion there is no reason to believe John won’t continue to be one of the top starters in the AL and a regular contender for the Cy Young.

Kelvim Escobar – A+ - Kelvim also harnessed his lofty abilities and could easily be considered 1A on the Halos staff, making Stoneman look like a genius for signing him to a below market extension. But, unlike Lackey, there are still questions regarding Kelvim and his on-going health. Knee and shoulder injuries sidelined Kelvim for brief periods and unless he finds GMJ’s magic pouch you have to expect he is going to continue to be sidelined in the future as he gets older. I would still project him to be a mainstay in the Angel rotation and one of the top starters in the AL.

Jered Weaver – B – Jered had a solid second season as he started to make adjustments, as the league made adjustments to him. I would no longer consider him a top of the rotation guy, but he looks to be a solid #3 starter in the bigs. Concerns have arisen as Jered seemed to lose velocity at times during the year and also experienced some shoulder issues. Jered admits coming in to the 07 camp out of shape which led to him missing a few starts to miss the year and may have contributed to the decreased velocity. Jered’s off-season assignment…get your arse in shape and stop hanging out with Deion Sanders.

Joe Saunders – B – Saunders showed that he belongs in the bigs and can be a nice change of pace guy who can win 12+ games a year while eating up innings. Extra credit goes to Joe for keeping his head while on the Salt Lake shuttle. Moving forward, unless he’s part of a trade, I would expect Joe to settle in to a bottom of the rotation role for the Halos and break camp…wearing Halo red instead of that funny looking Salt Lake Bees cap.

Bartolo Colon – F - The less said about Bartolo Colon the better…but I wish him well pitching for Tampa Bay next year. Florida all you can eat restaurants…you’ve been warned.

Ervin Santana – D- - And as for Ervin…Ervin…Ervin…Ervin…such a tease. You flash those legs and…sorry, wrong thread. So much potential, so young, and yet he continues to implode. Going in to 2008 that is going to be a huge question for the Halos. I think this is a nice topic for further discussion later in the year.

Overall starters grade: B

Bullpen

Frankie Rodriguez – B – Absolutely dominating in the first half…with some struggles in the second half. The league is on to Frankie and unless he begins to control his fastball it’s going to be another year of high-wire acts for the Halos. To be effective Frankie needs to use his devastating slider and when he can’t control his fastball teams have learned to lay off that pitch. Maybe the biggest question going in to the off-season…what to do about Frankie?

Scot Shields – C – This might be a little harsh as Scot was nails in the beginning of the year but looked like a completely different pitcher late in the year. This grade is more of a reflection on comparing Scot to his past performance. Is he worn down or is this just a mechanical issue? More than anyone I think Scot missed Bud Black this year and hopefully, with time, Mike Butcher will get on the same page with Scot. Scot’s troubles at the tail end of this year also play in to any discussion regarding Frankie’s future as his 4 yr. deal was done in part to give the Angels some cushion if they decided to part ways with Frankie in the upcoming years.

Justin Speier – B – Probably Stoneman’s best off-season signing Justin came down with a mysterious illness (folks…stay away from Kotchman!) early in the season. But overall he did a solid job in the setup role and looks like he could be a solid bullpen man, and even close if required.

Darren Oliver – F/A- - Darren really deserves two grades. The first half of the season he was a candidate for a death pool…but he suddenly found the fountain of youth and was a completely different pitcher the second half of the year, showing the ability to be a situational guy as well as eat up middle relief innings. As he reached his appearance clause he’ll be a welcome returnee to the Halo bullpen next year at a reasonable cost.

Dustin Mosely – B- - Thrust in to a starting role early in the season due to injuries…and then in to a setup role when Speier went down, Dustin had a solid season for the Halos. As the season wore on, Dustin’s performance became a bit erratic. Overall it was a solid season for Dustin who looks like he could be a decent middle relief guy for the Halos or have some value on the trade market as he could start for many teams in the league who suck.

Chris Bootchek – B- - In reality he gets extra credit for his perseverance. Left off the Angels 40 man roster he easily could have left with his tail between his legs and caught on with one of the AAAA teams in the league. Instead he decided to recommit himself and show the Angels he had what it takes. Sporting a 94mph fastball, with little to no movement, if Chris isn’t hitting his spots he gets lit up. Probably nothing more than a middle of the pen type of guy he adds nice depth.

The Salt Lake Crew – Throughout the year various guys were called up to add depth to the pen. Frankly, none of the callups made you stand up and say “wow” and you wouldn’t necessarily expect any of them to push their way in to the bullpen next year without improvement. Two candidates who could be considered for the 2008 pen include Rich Thompson, who has a nice fastball (which is straight as an arrow at times) and Jason Bulger who has fantastic movement, but can’t throw strikes consistently.

Overall Bullpen Grade: B

What the Future Holds

I’ll regale everyone with my thoughts on 2008 later, but just some quick musing on the future of the Halo staff (which are likely to change).

From a starter’s standpoint the Angels are well set for 2008. The biggest question will be what to do with Ervin and do the Angels need to part with a guy like Saunders in order to bring in a bat. But experience tells us the staff is pretty much set. Lackey, Escobar, Weaver, Saunders and most likely Santana or a veteran brought in to provide depth if the Angels have lost all faith in Ervin. Dustin Mosely could be given an opportunity as well, but the reality is he is nothing more than a swing guy on this club. The wildcard is Nick Adenhart, who most likely will start the season in AAA and could be on the Joe Saunders frequent flier program next year.

The bullpen is really where the Angels have the most questions next year pitching wise, and those questions revolve around the two biggest locks going in to the 2007. What are the Angels going to do with Frankie? Does he warrant a long-term commitment or is he the chip you use to bring in a bat? Will Scot regain his form? Could Scot or Justin handle the closer’s role if Frankie is sent packing? Is Bootchek more than a middle relief arm? Do the Angels have faith that someone from the Salt Lake crew could step up or do they sign another veteran free agent? If there are any significant changes in the Angels pitching staff, this is where you will see it happen.

Next stop…the Angels 2007 offense…”Bill doesn’t dig the longball”…

Monday, October 8, 2007

It’s hard to imagine that a season that had so much potential, great memories, can end with such a resounding thud, as if the Angels and their fans were given a collective gut punch after eating a heavy meal and downing a 6 pack of beer. I imagine this is how it feels to get home early from work, walk in, and find your significant other diddling Frank Caliendo on your bed while screaming out…never better. And just a side note...I will never...ever watch Frank Caliendo or whatever the hell is name is...the upshot to the early exit (and the fact I won't watch much of the NL playoffs)...no more Frank TV commercials. Seriously TBS...we get it...some fat guy who does impressions has a new tv show coming up.

Well, I imagine this is how some feel, because to be honest I’m not shell shocked, this wasn’t a series the Angels deserved to win. They were outplayed by a better team. There was no Fenway mystique, no boneheaded fielding error, or late inning dinger to grasp victory away from the Halos (see Bill Simmons re: Levels of Losing). And in part I think that makes it a little easier for me to swallow.

Without going in to did the Angels have the right roster, or how the team is constructed (there’s plenty of time for that to analyze over the off-season), I’d like to take a moment to review why the Angels lost and all the various message board geniuses who suddenly crawl back out of the woodwork proclaiming…"I hate to say I told you so…but see…I told you so." And the reality is most of those “I told you so” moments are little more than ignoring the reality of the situation…the better team at this stage in the season won. Boston didn’t win because they had two power bats to the Halos one. They didn’t win because of a deadline deal. They didn’t win because of a curse, or HFA. They won because at this stage, this moment in time, they were a better team and the Angels failed to produce when it mattered most.

So, without further ado…let’s dissect the prevailing wisdom on the Boston beatdown.

The Angels Didn’t Care and Are Losers

The less time spent on this incredibly ignorant theory the better. A team doesn’t win 94 games, play through significant injuries and juggled lineups, and suddenly not care come October. If anything the Angels put too much pressure on themselves as their complete inability to hit with RISP showed. This is lame and really doesn’t deserve more time; but I wanted to give a special shout out to the stupidity that is this theory and the tough guys sitting on their couches who can call other people losers while reaching for another bag of Doritos.

Scoscia Is An Idiot For Not Fighting For HFA

Would HFA been nice? Absolutely, though I think the reality is it didn’t make much difference. To win in the postseason the Angels were going to have to play well on the road, and at home. They were most likely going to have to beat Boston, if not in the first round, then the second round. Hell, the biggest beat down of the series came during their only home game. Some fans like to talk about the Fenway curse…as if somehow a team in 2007 had nightmares about a series in 1986 (when most of these guys weren’t even teenagers and probably knew less about the 86 series than the casual Angel’s fan).

The Angels had been hit with injuries all year, and key guys going in to the final week were obviously dinged up. I believe you had to rest up guys like Vlad, GA, and OC to try and get them healthy. And while I don’t believe the Angels lost this series due to injury, the fact is having so many folks dinged up as it was didn’t help. Maybe opening at home against the Yankees is a completely different postseason, but you have to win the games that are scheduled and I find it hard to fault Scioscia for trying to rest up his guys. If they Angels pushed for HFA and Vlad went down, everyone would be crying what an idiot Scioscia was for trying for HFA when Vlad needed rest.

The Angels Lost Due to Injuries

A favorite of the botox laden Steve Stone, though I don’t think this had a huge impact either. After a 162 game season every team is dinged up. Did it help having Vlad injured, GMJ out, GA looking like the villain in a bad Stephan King made for TV movie, Escobar coming off late season shoulder problems? Of course not, but this isn’t like 2004 where Alfredo Amazega and Adam Riggs were on the playoff roster. The Angels did a marvelous job playing through injuries throughout the year, but the reality is they had most of their horses, if not at 100%, when it mattered.

Angel Pitching Didn’t Show Up

I actually haven’t read many people bring this up, and I think that’s appropriate. The Angel pitching wasn’t stellar, but against a very tough Boston lineup they kept the team in every ballgame (sans late yesterday after the game was pretty much over). This doesn’t go for Frankie who the Angels need to think long and hard about come extension discussions.

The Angels Aren’t Built For The Playoffs

And by that I mean the “chicks dig the long ball mentality”, Angels need more power bats mentality. I’ll spend more time on this in another posting later, but the long and short of it is…the Angels were 4th in the league in runs scored this year. This team knew how to score runs and did it on a regular basis throughout the year. Could the Angels have used another power bat in the playoffs? Probably. Is that the reason they lost? No. The Angels had a very productive offense this year based on an aggressive approach at the plate, putting the ball in play, speed on the bases, and most importantly…hitting with runners on base. They never relied on the home run to win this year and showed they could do it on a regular basis (94 times to be exact). It’s easy to point to the lack of home run power, but the reality is the Angels did not lose because they couldn’t out mash Boston…but rather….

The Angels Choked the Sawdust Out of the Bats

This year the Angels hit .284 for the season, they had an OBP of .345…and they hit .284 with RISP, .301 with an OPS of .803 with runners on base.

During the postseason debacle they hit a collective .192, they had an OBP of .250…and they went 2 for 9,234 with runners on base. Ok, the reality is they hit .116 with runners on base and .091 with runners in scoring position, going a collective 2 for 22.

Why did the Angels lose? Look no further. The Angels had their opportunities and didn’t come through when it mattered, bats turning to sawdust as they expanded the strike zone and failed to produce in situations they had produced all year. Sac Flys became pop-ups, grounds balls through the hole became double plays. Line drives down the line landed softly in OF’ers gloves.

Let’s look at some specific scenarios.

In Game #1…well, Beckett was simply masterful and no team was going to hit Josh. But even then the Angels set the tone for the series in the first inning with Figgins leading off with a hit and then being left on both second and third by Vlad and GA. Would pushing across a run have made a difference at that point? I tend to doubt it, but who knows; maybe it sets a different tone for the game.

But more importantly let’s look at crucial game #2. The Angels had Dice-K on the ropes numerous times, including the first inning, and continuously failed to produce. Sure, Manny hit the dramatic game winning home run, but the Angels never should have been in that situation.

1st inning - Maicier failed to deliver with first and third and 2 outs

2nd inning – Angels score 3, but Vlad leaves OC on second with 2 outs

3rd inning – GA leads off with a double, commits a cardinal running sin trying to advance to 3rd on a ball hit in front of him and both Kotch and Morales fail to drive in Itzuris from second

4th inning – OC leaves Howie at second with 2 outs

5th inning – Morales leaves Itzuris on 3rd with 2 outs

8th inning – Figgins leaves runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs

6 innings where the Angels had the chance to push runs across and failed.

That’s where the Angels lost game #2, and it had nothing to do with lack of power. The opportunities the Angels created all year were there, and they didn’t deliver.

Now, let’s move on to Game #3, where the Angels were knocking Schilling around early and yet had nothing to show for it.

The third inning was key to this game. The Angels are able to load the bases and are poised to take an early important lead. The crowd was in to this game, Weaver was mowing people down. Scoring two here potentially redefines the whole series…and Reggie meekly pops out to the catcher.

The seventh inning is just another expose in failure to produce. With the game still 2-0 and the Halos in striking distance Itzuris gets to 3rd with 1 out…and a pop up to first and strikeout later the Angels are pretty much done.

So, Sum It Up Already Red

A lot went wrong in this series, and there is plenty of blame to go around. But sometimes it simply comes down to the players producing when they need to produce. All these theories about HFA, not being built for the postseason, the players have no heart…nothing more than chaff. Boston did what they needed to do, they got timely hits (of the long and short variety), their ace stepped up when he needed to, and they played solid baseball. The Angels didn’t. They had plenty of opportunities to win this series, regardless of not having HFA, players being dinged up, no power, etc…and simply failed to produce when it matters. 1-2 key hits and game #2 is a different story. If they strike versus Schilling early, game #3 plays out differently, and hell…if they push across an early run vs. Beckett who knows what happens (though I think he still shuts down the Halos).

So, what does that mean for moving forward? Does this mean the Angels need to take a look at how the club is built? Does this mean an overhaul is required? Go big in the offseason? Are they suddenly the Braves? Stoneman fired? Well…it’s a long offseason and there’s plenty of time to get to that.

And finally, it ended with a thud, but thanks to the Angels for a thrilling season. The fact that people can get so upset about an early playoff bounce shows just how far this organization has come, where simply competing is no longer enough and expectations are much higher. And maybe that, more than anything, tells you that even after this trouncing it’s a great time to be a Halo fan.

It had been four years since Josh Beckett last pitched in the post-season. The 2003 World Series Most Valuable Player, who allowed just two earned runs in his two starts and 16.1 innings to the New York Yankees in that series, continued his October dominance on Wednesday night. Beckett held the Angels to just four singles in a complete game shutout as the Boston Red Sox took a 1-0 series lead in front of their home fans, winning game one 4-0.

Beckett’s shutout also marked the fifth consecutive post-season game in which the opposing pitcher has tossed a complete game against the Angels.

John Lackey was just 1-4 in seven starts at Fenway Park in his career and was not sharp on Wednesday, especially early. Lackey fell behind Kevin Youkilis in the first and grooved a 2-1 fastball. Youkilis didn’t miss it, homering over the green monster in left center field. For the next couple of innings, Lackey fell in love with his curveball, and made two mistakes in the third. Youkilis doubled on a hanger in front of David Ortiz, who hammered another into the right field seats. After a walk to Manny Ramirez and a wild pitch, Lackey gave up an RBI single to Mike Lowell on yet another curveball, albeit a better one than those to Youkilis and Ortiz. When Lackey rediscovered his fastball he settled in nicely and gave the Angels three scoreless innings.

But the offense could not respond. Beckett, after a lead-off single to Chone Figgins in the first, retired 19 straight Angels. It’s hard to fault the Angel hitters as Beckett lived on the corners with a 97MPH fastball, changing eye levels and mixing in sharp breaking balls and devastating change-ups. He certainly proved to everyone that he is worthy of being 2007’s American League Cy Young winner.

To get through these Red Sox, the Angels will likely have to face Beckett again.

Also working against the Angels is recent history. The team has lost seven straight post-season games to the Red Sox dating back to 1986 and has not played well at Fenway Park in the Mike Scioscia era. The team will have to win at least one game in Fenway if they are to advance to the ALCS.

And they will.

That’s right, Angel fans, be ready to celebrate as the Angels have the pitching edge for the rest of the series.

Kelvim Escobar takes the hill on Friday night against Daisuke Matsuzaka. Escobar’s 3.40 ERA is a full run lower than Dice-K’s. He also has a winning record in his career at Fenway, and has been at his best on five or more days of rest, which will be the scenario tomorrow night.

Offensively, it’s simple. Angel hitters must step up. Though their collective performance on Wednesday night was reminiscent of the “attack” they put on the Chicago White Sox in the 2005 ALCS, this is not the same team. Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera are better now than they were then. Vladimir Guerrero and Garret Anderson are healthier, and the rest of the 2007 Angels are much more productive than the role players of the 2005 team.

It will be the first time that the Angels will have seen Matsuzaka. The team was 26-20 in such games this season.

Expecting a carryover or hangover by the Angels on Friday is as ridiculous as thinking the Red Sox will ride the “momentum” of a game one win. First, the Angels were dominated by arguably the best pitcher in the American League. They didn’t blow opportunities or squander the game away late. They were beaten – a much easier pill to swallow. Secondly, the existence of momentum as it relates to the expected outcome of one baseball game based on the results of another is debatable in its own right. If momentum in this context does exist, it certainly will be less of a factor on Friday night as the teams have Thursday off.

The Red Sox did what they were supposed to. They won game one at home on the shoulders of a great pitching performance by their ace. Nothing shocking about that. Mike Scioscia and the Angels traveled to Boston with one goal in mind – to earn a split.

And they’ve got the right guy on the mound to get it done.

After the Angels ride the shoulders of their own ace to victory on Friday night, get out to the stadium on Sunday for the START of the ALDS – a best of three series, with the Angels having the home field advantage so many believe is crucial.

Los Angeles vs Boston - Take Three
By Eric Denton

Here we go again.

The match up Angel fans were dreading. With memories of Dave Henderson versus Donnie Moore and Jarrod Washburn versus David Ortiz still fresh in the minds of Angel fans, the Angels vs Red Sox will meet for the third time in Halos post season history.

So, does this mean Angel fans should save their playoff ticket money and not bother showing up ? Does this mean that history is going to repeat itself yet again ?

I say no. Why did I come to this conclusion ?

Because frankly, the Angels haven't played that poor against Boston this season especially if you take away the three game sweep Boston handed the Angels in April when the Halos couldn't have beaten the Bad News Bears. The Angels are 4-3 over their last seven games against Boston, which includes winning two of those four games in Fenway Park.

As of this writing, neither the Angels or Red Sox are playing exceptionally good baseball. Boston is 4-6 over their last ten games while the Angels are 5-5. However, things appear better for the Angels at this point than for Boston.

First off, the 2007 Angels are a much more talented team than the one that took the playoff field in 2004. There will be no Adam Riggs or Alfredo Amezega in the starting lineup this season. Under performing starters like former Angels Darin Erstad and Adam Kennedy have been replaced by Casey Kotchman and Howie Kendrick.

The Angels will need Vladimir Guerrero, Garret Anderson, Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera primarily to keep up their production while the rest of the line up doing their job of getting runners on, over and in. If the top four in the Angels line up produces the offense should be able to score some runs. Even more so if Guerrero is able to play right field and the Angels can add slugger Kendry Morales into the lineup at designated hitter.

On the pitching front, the Angels will be able to use Kelvim Escobar as a starter instead of out of the bullpen. The thing Mike Scioscia is going to want to avoid is John Lackey and Scot Shields bringing their historical bad showings against Boston into the playoffs.

As far as injuries go. There is some question about the availability of center fielder Gary Matthews Jr., but other than GMJ the rest of the roster seems to be as healthy as to be expected this late into the baseball year.

Unlike 2004, it will be the Red Sox who will face the Angels with many of their contributors at less than 100%.

Sluggers David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, while always dangerous aren't having seasons up to their normal power standards. Rookie of the Year front-runner Dustin Pedroia is slumping. Kevin Youkilis and Hideki Okajima are nursing injuries. On top of several starters having disappointing seasons like J.D. Drew, Julio Lugo, Coco Crisp and Jason Varitek.

As far as the Red Sox pitching goes. Other than likely Cy Young award winner Josh Beckett and closer Jonathon Papelbon, it's hard to call any Red Sox pitchers dominant. So the Angels should get chances to score off Boston, and it will come down to their execution with runners in scoring position.

Prediction : Angels in 4 games. They'll split in Boston and win their two home games.

John Lackey will oppose Red Sox ace Josh Beckett in Game 1 Wednesday in Fenway Park, and Kelvim Escobar will start Game 2 Friday against Curt Schilling.

Figgins and Guerrero Look to Forget Playoffs Past
By Adam Dodge

As Vladimir Guerrero and Chone Figgins celebrate a third division title in four years after yesterday’s 7-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners, they have to be itching to get a crack at either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox in the upcoming ALDS. Arguably the Angels’ co-Most Valuable Players during the regular season, neither Figgins nor Guerrero have been particularly good for the Halos in the postseason. In 2004 and 2005 combined, Figgins reached base just 9 times in 54 plate appearances and was a disappointment defensively. Vladimir Guerrero wasn’t much better hitting just .180 with a homerun and 7 RBI in his playoff career.

A repeat of these offensive performances by the club’s key hitters and the Angels will likely be one and done regardless of which AL East team they play.

Luckily for Angel fans, a repeat of 2004 and 2005 is not likely.

After all, the Chone Figgins of today is much different than the Chone Figgins of seasons past. His swing is shorter, his discipline better and his up the middle/other way approach has Figgins hitting .344 – nearly 50 points higher than his career average. A free swinger in the past, and a hitter that tried to do way too much, look for Figgins, a league leader in on base percentage to take many more pitches and gladly accept walks this go around.

Fans need only look at Sunday’s AL West clinching game to see the change. Twice up with a man on third base, a left handed hitting Figgins went the other way, each time flying out deep to left field for sacrifice flies. The former pull happy hitter was unwilling to negotiate pitchers’ pitches like the newer version.

A different regular season Figgins should logically mean a different postseason Figgins as well and a much different Angel offense with one of the games best baserunners on base.

It’s hard to pin point Guerrero’s past playoff struggles. It’d be easy to say that he placed too much pressure on himself and tightened up. But Guerrero did hit a game tying grand slam in game 3 of the 2004 ALDS against Mike Timlin and the Boston Red Sox. It’s hard to get a bigger hit under more pressure than that one.

In 2005 the White Sox did successfully, what other teams could not do during the regular season – bust Guerrero in with fastballs, before living several inches off the plate away with off-speed pitches. The recent and unexpected return of a healthy Garret Anderson as a legitimate middle-of-the-order hitter should allow Guerrero to see better pitches this time around. Also consider that the Red Sox, Yankees and Indians do not present the quality or depth of starting pitching the White Sox had in October, 2005, which shut down not only Guerrero and the Angels, but each team it faced in the 2005 postseason.

In any case, Vlady will have to be “relatively selective” if he is to have a break out post-season for the Angels and lead his team to a World Series. That is to say that with Anderson, Maicer Izturis and Casey Kotchman producing with runners in scoring position, teams should be reluctant to completely pitch around the Angels’ slugger.

Another factor in the Angels’ favor is the overall offensive depth the team has shown this season. Top to bottom, this Angel club can hit, and is more patient than past versions. Orlando Cabrera is having a career year. Kotchman has emerged as a plus hitter with patience and pop, and having a .320+ hitting Howie Kendrick makes the bottom of the line-up formidable. Once THE offense, Figgins and Guerrero are now - simply part of a unit.

Figgins and Guerrero are two of the biggest reasons the Angels are AL West champions for the third time in four years. And though they still have to carry the team if it hopes to hang another World Series flag in left center field, when Manager Mike Scioscia says they don’t, he’s not exactly lying either.

August 27th, 2007

2002 saw the unlikely emergence of the then Anaheim Angels into the American League West pennant race. Many thought at the time that the Angels would falter down the stretch. Of course, that did not happen. The Angels could not overtake the Athletics in the division, but did win the Wild Card and ultimately the World Series.

Likewise, many have waited for the 2007 Seattle Mariners, who sit atop the AL Wild Card race and just two games behind the Angels, to finally come down to earth. It's August 27th and with just five plus weeks remaining in the season it's time for all to concede that the Mariners are good. Very good!

For the Angels, nothing's new. The next game the team lines up completely healthy will be the first in what seems like five years. They enter this series without leading hitter, Chone Figgins, first baseman, Casey Kotchman, who are both nursing minor injuries, and with Juan Rivera, Bartolo Colon and Mike Napoli still rehabbing their own injuries.

In contrast, the Mariners have been perhaps the healthiest team in baseball this season, losing not one regular for any significant time.

At 8-4 against the Mariners this season, the Angels will send John Lackey (15-8, 3.34 ERA) to the mound in game one. Lackey was hit hard by the Red Sox two starts ago, and faltered late against the Yankees in his last appearance. Lackey will be opposed by Seattle starter, Miguel Batista, who leads the Mariners' staff with 13 victories, and who beat the Angels the last time the two teams met. In the key game of the series, Lackey must return to form. Another bad outing here could set the tone for the series, which could see a reversal in the standings if the Angels are swept.

Game two on Tuesday will see a battle of inconsistent right-handers as Ervin Santana (5-12, 6.03) will oppose ex-Angel, Jeff Weaver, who has won his last four decisions.

The series will conclude with a day game Wednesday and a potentially great match-up between young hurlers Jered Weaver and Felix Hernandez.

The Mariners enter the series having been somewhat cooled in the last couple days, as they dropped two to the Texas Rangers over the weekend.

The Angels are glad to be done with Toronto after a four game split of their own.

KEYS TO THE SERIES

For the Angels it has to be production from the top of the line-up. With Chone Figgins likely to miss all three games, Reggie Willits will have to get on base from the lead-off spot. Vladimir Guerrero has been a Mariner killer since arriving in the AL in 2004 and can be expected to continue his hot hitting. Garret Anderson is in the midst of his most productive stretch of the season. If Willits and Orlando Cabrera are able to create action ahead of them, the Angels will score plenty of runs.

After dominant outings in their last appearances, Scot Shields and Frankie Rodriguez appear to have worked out the mechanical issues, which caused their struggles. If given a lead, the Mariners will have their work cut out for them if they're to come back.

This is a big series, especially for the Mariners, who face a much tougher road than the Angels the rest of the way.

PREDICTION

The loss of Figgins proves too much.

Mariners take series 2 games to 1

As the players align for their respective team pictures after nine innings of softball it is apparent that the individuals within the group know their place in this world. Their faces red from the midday sun, their shirts and hats covered in sweat and dust, most with grimaces expressing agonizing discomfort…these guys are not cut out for the daily grind faced by ballplayers.

What is this collection of gentlemen ranging in age from 19 to 65? Baseball fans. Specifically, Angel fans that spend much of each day of the baseball season discussing their favorite team on the increasingly popular Angelswin.com, a fan site created and developed along side Don Mason & Eddie Valencia, by long-time Angel Fan and Systems Support Engineer, Chuck Richter.

The Softball game and after party at Danny K’s Sports Grill and Billiards is the first all inclusive get-together for this community of fans since the site went live in February, 2003.

Since then, the site has grown into one of the best places on the web for Angel fans to meet. Richter did not have a mission statement for the site, just a motto – "A site from the fans for the fans."

Angelswin.com is just that as the site’s content is provided directly from Angel fans. The writing staff-Eric Denton, an admin for a major software company, Victor Varadi, a project manager for a web design company and myself, an office manager and stand-up comedian- produces feature articles, columns and series previews and provides game recaps on a weekly basis. The articles can be found on the Angelswin.com homepage and on the site’s accompanying blog.

Angel fans can also get information directly from the Angels, as Vice President of Media Relations, Tim Mead and Angels’ scout, Eddie Bane frequently provide Angelswin.com readers with their insight as to the state of the franchise, the direction it may be moving as well as analysis on minor league prospects. In addition, Richter has taken advantage of Spring Training in Tempe, AZ. annually interviewing coaches and prospects for the site's season preview, a must read for all Angel fans.

Richter has also been fortunate enough to find contributors in or near the team’s minor league affiliates. For example, Angels fans can read weekly updates from Kevin Mark of Salt Lake City, who covers the Bees, the Angels’ AAA affiliate. Mark attends many of the Bees’ home games and provides insightful analysis as to the progress made by Angel prospects and rehabbing veterans. Because of this unique insight Angelswin.com readers already knew what to expect from young players like Howie Kendrick, Mike Napoli and Joe Saunders before they made their Major League debuts.

Every Wednesday afternoon, look for the weekly prospect hotlist as Jason Sinner and Chuck Richter team up to compile a top 10 list of who's hot in the minors, as well as Richter's annual top 20 Prospects list following the season.

On the site’s message board, the most active forum on the net and a real lure for readers, fans can be found posting their thoughts on issues related to the team, its players, front office and other issues related to Major League Baseball, other sports, pop culture, even religion and politics. Discussions and arguments are a 24 hour per day occurrence. These arguments sometimes become heated, but are always entertaining and the board’s moderators never allow things to get out of hand, a major reason why so many have flocked to Angelswin.com.

Geoff Bilau, one of the site’s first regulars and creator of many of the logos found on the site and its new clothing line agrees. "Many of the (message board) posters came over from the message board hosted by ESPN which were seriously flawed by a lack of moderation powers and steady flow of outsiders who sought to exploit that weakness."

As with many message boards, Angelswin.com has had its share of "trolls," whose sole purpose seems to be to cause mischief and mayhem by antagonizing members of the online community with repugnant rants comprised mainly of vulgarity and bad grammar. The board’s moderators are quick to delete the tasteless posts and ban the users who express them.

For the most part, fans will find good natured discussion on the message board, as posters tackle important issues such as Scot Shields’ diet, Kelvim Escobar’s heater and Garret Anderson’s demeanor on the field.

Beware first-timers as sarcasm seems to be the communication method of choice by most of the site’s members, who themselves are often the topic of conversation. Whether it’s someone’s taste in women, adventures in travel, or alma mater the community can be relentless in poking fun at one of their own.

Most everyone who frequents the Angelswin.com message board does so under a pseudonym, which typically provides insight as to some aspect of the poster. For example, "Halo N ‘Zona" resides in Arizona. "Red321" has red hair, "Angel25Fan" for his 25 years + as an Angels fan, and ex-ESPN forum moderator and "ChiliDavisEyez" is apparently a big fan of the former Angel designated hitter’s ability to see the baseball. Although, I am still trying to figure that one out.

"Chonito,", "GlausGirl," "Baseballmom" and "Napacious44" make up the female population. Outnumbered by men by more than 100 to 1, the women often pool their efforts and collectively bash whichever male poster decides it’s his day to play a chauvinist. Often that man is "Angel In Red" (or simply, AIR), the elder statesman if you will. AIR receives grief from all as he is admittedly the oldest regular (based on age) on the site. These spats are all in fun and never serious, but provide entertainment to all that read along.

The greatest topic of debate deals with Angels' General Manager, Bill Stoneman. There are two groups of fans on the board and choosing a side is a requisite of becoming a frequent poster. The Anti-Stonemans and Pro-Stonemans wage daily battle as the two groups debate whether or not Stoneman is good at his job. Some say that his ineffectiveness at the trade deadline through the years is reason enough for Arte Moreno to find a new, more aggressive team architect, while others will argue that the Angels are in the midst of their best run in franchise history in large part due to Stoneman's ability to build a deep farm system. This schism in the Angelswin.com family has not yet led to civil war, but how the Angels finish the season and the manner in which they do so could change that.

During Angels' telecasts, those who are not in attendance often spend some or the entirety of the game in the site's gameday chatroom, typing away cheers for their favorite Angels and curses for Angel opponents. The chatroom is a great way for Angelswin.com members to share in the excitement of the game while also getting an oppurtunity to get to know each other on a personal level. Much like the site's message board be prepared for sarcasm and banter. Keep in mind for when things aren't going the Angels' way, the chatroom is uncensored and many like to express their frustration, present company included.

Angelswin.com provides fans with an alternative to the major baseball websites, focusing solely on coverage of LA's best team from a fan's perspective. The site's graphics and logos are second to none and most importantly it provides a fraternal atmosphere where people can share their love of Angels' baseball without fear of being attacked by the obnoxious sect that flood the other homes of baseball fans on the web.

Aside from the team’s first road trip, a lackluster 1-7 performance and a 4-8 stretch to heading into the All-Star break, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim played outstanding baseball in the first half. At 53-35, the team sits atop the American League Western Division 2.5 games ahead of the surprising Seattle Mariners.

In a bit of a role reversal from the last few years, it was the Angels’ offense which has carried them to the second best record in the American League. Strong first half performances from Orlando Cabrera, Vladimir Guerrero, Reggie Willits, Chone Figgins and solid contributions from Casey Kotchman, Howie Kendrick and Gary Matthews Jr. have the Angels near the top of the league in batting average and runs scored.

For the Angels to hold off the surging Mariners, the offense will need to continue to shine. No one expects the Angels’ top hitters to hit at their current pace. Reggie Willits has cooled of late and Orlando Cabrera has not produced as well over his past few weeks. Likewise, Chone Figgins set an impossible pace by hitting better than .460 in June. The Angel bats will collectively cool off a bit in the second half. But that does not mean the production has to. Expect big halves from MVP candidate, Guerrero and hard hitting second baseman, Kendrick who is rounding into shape. Guerrero had a good first half by his standards, hitting over .320 and driving in more than 70. But consider that he only hit 14 homeruns, a number he is certain to surpass in the second half. Kendrick suffered a couple of injuries in the first half, but has been swinging a hot bat of late and looks primed to take off down the stretch.

Gary Matthews Jr. has been consistently productive for the Angels, but has lacked RBI production since mid-June. After starting the season in the lead-off spot, Mike Scioscia has primarily used Matthews in the 4 and 5 spot since May. Expect more tinkering, especially if Willits continues to struggle. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Matthews finds himself in one of the top three spots as the season progresses.

What is noticeably certain is that Scioscia has to adjust his current line-up, which has Guerrero hitting clean-up, rather than third. A healthy and productive Garret Anderson (no pun intended) could go a long way in helping Scioscia with that decision. Any thought of the Angels’ all-time hits and RBI leader as a legitimate clean-up man has evaporated more quickly than an Al Gore III doobie. But if Anderson can produce in 2007’s second half the way he did in 2006, or even in the last week, the Angels could hit him 5th or 6th, allowing Kendrick to possibly move up in the line-up as well.

The Angels have enough good players to absorb slumps from a few provided the team stays relatively healthy.

Juan Rivera may also return in the second half and could play a huge role protecting Vlad down the stretch. Rivera, a proverbial long shot at this point due to his slow recovery, is nonetheless yet another quality bat Scioscia can use as the Angels reach the pennant race.

Assuming that the Oakland A’s are unable to overcome their early season hole and injuries, a big assumption based on their performance in the second half in recent years, which has been the best in baseball, the Seattle Mariners will be the Angels’ sole hurdle to another AL West championship. From the Angels’ “been there, done that” perspective, only with a World Series Championship will the 2007 season be a success.

So, how do they get there?

While the offense has been for the most part outstanding, and should function well in the second half, the Angels must pitch their way to another ring. Expected to be the strength of the team entering the season, the pitching has underachieved.

Sure, John Lackey, an All-Star and Kelvim Esocbar, an All-Star snub are having career years, but the rest of the rotation has not pitched as advertised. Jered Weaver has been good, not great but appears to be hitting a stride at the right time. Expect a very good final 15 or so starts from Weaver who missed a lot of spring training and has looked really good of late.

The problem with the Angels’ pitching lay in the four and five spots in the rotation. The Angels are above .500 when Bartolo Colon pitches, but hardly due to the stocky right-hander’s efficiency. Colon got off to a good start but has been lunch meat on the mound for the last 5-6 weeks as fans have seen his ERA rise to the mid 6.00’s. It seems unfathomable that Colon will continue to pitch as poorly as he has and improvement can be expected. Colon’s first half in 2007 is reminiscent of his 2004 first half – bad! Let’s hope he replicates his second half from that season. With the All-Star break, and the second half rotation set, Colon will receive nine days off before his next start, which could be key to his ability to get off to a good start in the second half.

Most alarming has been the performance of Ervin Santana, who was off to great start to his career, posting 28 wins in less than two years of service. Santana has been awful on the road and just adequate at home. There’s no doubt that Santana has Major League stuff, but the fire he showed in big games in his first two seasons has been non-existent in 2007. His face has exuded defeat from the very first pitch of most all of his starts. If he’s unable to get on track immediately after the break, expect Santana to be sent down or to the pen and replaced by Joe Saunders, who has pitched well and with grit and determination is his handful of spot starts this season.

If the Angels are to win the West and go deep into post-season, they will not only need the starting staff to improve, but also the bullpen. Only Scot Shields and Frankie Rodriguez have excelled. Middle relief has been a huge problem for the club and must get better. Dustin Moseley has been good, but can’t be expected to continue to consistently pitch as well as he has. A 4.00+ ERA in the minors suggests that Major League hitters will catch up to the right hander, something that has already begun recently. It seems that hitters have already figured Chris Bootcheck out, as he has been shelled in his most recent outings. The Angels have already designated an ineffective Hector Carrasco for assignment. Darren Oliver has been better of late, but will need to continue to improve in the second half if he is to be counted upon to get left-handers out late in games.

The good news is Justin Speier appears to be on the verge of returning to the Angels in the second half. Speier was lights out before a viral infection sidelined him early in the season. Speier, along with an improving Oliver may or may not be enough to solidify the bullpen.

Bill Stoneman has been ridiculed for his stubborn attitude towards trades since he took over GM duties. With the Angels’ offense performing consistently well, it’s the pitching that can use an upgrade in 2007. As Stoneman is a pitching first general manager, he may be motivated to move pieces to gain an arm, specifically for the bullpen.

The Mariners may not go away. Regardless, the Angels have enough to get by them and capture another Division title. The Mariners have played beyond their ability and should be taken seriously. However, their bullpen cannot be expected to pitch as effectively in the second half as it has in the first based on past performance and their rotation has over achieved. Offensively, they are good, but lack consistent production in the middle of the line-up as Richie Sexon and Adrian Beltre are prone to long hitting slumps. Losing Hargrove and his leadership is huge. Ichiro Suzuki’s contract situation and the always volatile Jose Guillen are potential distractions down the stretch. Look for the M’s to fade around mid-August.

Once in the playoffs, Mike Scioscia can shorten the rotation. Lackey, Escobar and Weaver are as formidable a trio as any in the American League. But against patient hitting teams like Boston, Detroit and Cleveland, the Angels will be hard pressed to get their starting pitchers through seven innings. The bullpen will be a huge factor in determining whether or not the Angels can get past those teams. Another quality arm in the bullpen might make the difference between winning a World Series or being knocked out in the first round, even more so than the elusive “big bat,” which does not appear to be available, and unlikely to be acquired even if it was.

We can analyze and speculate all we want, but in the end, as with every season it will come down to the games played on the field. The Angels, to reach their ultimate goal will need to beat the Mariners (and A’s for that matter) head to head. With ten games remaining against Seattle the opportunity is there for either team to seize control of the division.

How will it turn out?

You just never know.

No one is crowned “Champion” in June, but one of the great things about baseball is the ongoing speculation as to which team is best at any point of the season. And on seemingly any given day an argument can be made for one of a half-dozen teams. Today, to say that any team is better than the Los Angeles Angels would result in a difficult to win argument to be sure.

And truly there is only one team in baseball that one could argue is in the Angels’ class. The Boston Red Sox, who have cooled of late, are still percentage points ahead of the Halos in the standings. The New York Mets are often called a “great” team. Well, if a great team is good hitting team with a weak pitching staff that plays in a bad league, then yes, the Mets are great. With arguably the top five or six teams all playing in the American League, the Angels’ franchise best 46-27 start is even more impressive when you consider they match up with the likes of Cleveland, Detroit, Oakland, Boston and the New York Yankees, who are on a torrid streak of winning games at the moment.

Most baseball related arguments are based on statistical data and a comparison between teams. That is an efficient, if not effective way of settling such debates. However, to fully appreciate what the Angels are doing, we must look beyond statistics. The brilliance of Scioscia’s bunch must be witnessed first hand. The Angels are winning games in every way possible. They will shut you out, blow you out and come from behind. We all knew the Angels would out pitch their share of opponents, but it’s been the hitting that has led the Angels to the top of a lot of power rankings. They lack power and rank near the bottom of the American League in homeruns, but they can score with anyone right now. The Angels are second in MLB in hitting, fourth in runs scored, fifth in on base percentage and sixth in team ERA. Define “balance.”

And unlike last season, which saw the Angels win 89 games, the difference this year is that the team is winning games it has no business winning largely due to the frenzy hitting offense. Take Tuesday night’s game for example. John Lackey was uncharacteristically awful. The defense was bad. The Angels found themselves down 9-4 entering the bottom of the 7th inning. Some 20 minutes and 3 outs later the game was tied. This team resembles the 2002 group. They’re never out of a game, and they know how to ride and maintain momentum. Last night the Angels found themselves in a 4-2 hole entering the bottom of the 7th inning and scored 6 runs to put the game away. The amazing thing…they scored all 6 runs while getting just 1 hit. Unlike Angel teams past, this group has shown an ability to work counts and take walks thanks in large part due to Reggie Willits and Gary Matthews Jr.

The Angels have been lucky. For example, the injury to Garret Anderson allowed Willits to enter the line up. Willits has responded by posting a .400+ OBP, and is hitting around .330, while fitting in nicely to the Angels running game.

This team is not Vladimir Guerrero and a bunch of throw ins. Still in the midst of their hottest streak of the season, which has seen the Angels win 8 consecutive series and 12 of 13, they’ve done in large part without a hot Guerrero or Matthews. The two have been okay over the past month, but not what they were in April. Chone Figgins, Casey Kotchman, Mike Napoli and Howie Kendrick have been blazing hot recently. And this is noteworthy because many fans and media members were of the opinion that Scioscia and the Angels should bench both Figgins and Kotchman in favor of Maicer Izturis and Kendry Morales. This is a case of Scioscia’s loyalty and patience paying off. Ironic because it’s his patience and loyalty, which often earns Scioscia the majority of his criticism. In 2007 it might be responsible for the team’s best start in franchise history.

At 46-27 the Angels look to be cruising towards the playoffs. They’ve done it by displaying better balance than any team in the bigs. Their starting pitching, back end of the bullpen and surprisingly good offense makes the Angels good. That they’re beating good teams when they themselves play poorly, that makes them great. And right now, there is no one greater.

TEAM OF STARS
Angels Should be Well Represented in San Francisco
By Adam Dodge - Angelswin Columnist
June 6th 2007

With their 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins last night the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim earned their lea