Tough test coming up

[nate]

3 wins would be good, 4 would be great.  STL and BOS have the second and third best records in MLB.  Gotta keep up the momentum.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

It would be nice to win both series. I don't expect to sweep either of them, but would love to take four of six.

[mancini79]

With the Angels being swept by the best record in baseball, 3 wins during this stretch will be tough.

[nate]

With the Angels being swept by the best record in baseball, 3 wins during this stretch will be tough.

 

Agree, but with the hole they have dug, they cannot afford any less.

[Chimi]

Luckily for us, the Cardinals have been struggling a bit over the past couple weeks.  Hopefully that will extend into a few more games.

[bloodbrother]

I'd be pleasantly surprised with 3-3.

[haloman]

Hopefully Pujols wakes up for his old team. We're gonna need him.

[disarcina]

We are 4 games under .500 right now.

 

Would be great to get to .500 by the All Star Break.

 

We have 11 games before the All Star Break; 6 game home stand, then 5 on the road, 2 at Wrigley Field, 3 at Safeco.

 

So, I'm thinking if we can keep up the momentum -- 2-1 vs. St. Louis (a tall order); 2-1 vs. Boston (a tall order); 2-0 sweep at Wrigley (do-able); 2-1 at Seattle (well, we'll see).

 

That would put us at 8-3 for the 11 games and place us 1 game over  .500 at the break.

 

If we split in Chicago or lose either the St. Louis or Boston series (1-2) at home (very likely to happen, at least lose one of them), then 7-4 and 1 game under .500.

 

I hope we can keep the momentum up, thought the run to .500 before the break was pretty much 'not in the cards' after the Pittsburgh sweep at home but the 6-0 road trip (finally sweeping Houston as we should have been doing all season -- that's really the difference between us and Oakland right now -- I think the A's are something like 12-0 vs. Houston and we're 4-7 or something).

 

Am very concerned about our rotation as we enter the second half........if we're buyer's at deadline time, the cost for pitching help may be too expensive.

[nate]

I REALLY hope that we do not trade for any pitching.  Our farm system cannot afford it.  I really don't think we have anything to give in the first place.  Unless some contender needs a light hitting poorly fielding Alberto Callaspo.

[Glen]

I'm expecting two wins but hoping for more.  We really need more.  

[The God of Runs]

No way man. Next Sunday we will be talking about the Halos current 12 game win streak.

[AngelArcher]

Hopefully Pujols wakes up for his old team. We're gonna need him.

The team does need him to step up, but I can see him being a liability. Trying to do too much and end up sucking more. It's been a screwy season so who knows.

[tdawg87]

Blanton vs. Wainwright on Thursday. By all accounts that should be a blowout win for the Cards. That is why the Angels will win 8-2.

[Jason]

Say what you want about Blanton but he has been solid his past few starts. Hopefully his head is removed from his rear now.

[fan_since79]

Luckily for us, the Cardinals have been struggling a bit over the past couple weeks.  Hopefully that will extend into a few more games.

They still have the best road record in baseball, at 27-16.

[nate]

Blanton will have to pitch well for sure but the bats will need to come through as well.  STL can really pitch.  Boston can really hit.

[Angel Oracle]

I'll take 7-4 heading into the break, virtually being a .500 team with that.

The first 3 post-ASB weeks will be a big challenge, as only the Twins series here won't be a tough one.

[fan_since79]

I'll take 7-4 heading into the break, virtually being a .500 team with that.

The first 3 post-ASB weeks will be a big challenge, as only the Twins series here won't be a tough one.

 

13 of the first 19 games are against Oakland and Texas.

[shellback]

the level of competition will certainly increase. it's gonna be interesting to see how we respond- will we battle 'em or go through the motions?

apologys and excuse making REALLY suck. lets see some heart and good decision making in the next few series.

[nando714]

13 of the first 19 games are against Oakland and Texas.

We're either still in it by the end of July or dead. At least we'll know by the end of the month. Either getting ready for football in August or watching meaningful baseball

[robblin17]

I got us taking 4 of 6. Let's just get it done and no excuses.

[Chimi]

I hate these off days when the team has momentum going and on a win streak. Need to keep this going.

[Angel Oracle]

I just don't want to be buyers, if they do somehow get to within 3-4 games of the 2nd WC in late July.

 

This org is not currently built for buying in July.

[markb]

If they can get back to .500 or just above by the ASB, then I think there's reason to hang onto a glimmer of hope.  Especially with how tough these next two series will be.  

 

Weaver looked good in his last start, Blanton has been good for the better part of a month, and Vargas will hopefully be back shortly after the ASB.   And of course the non-zombie version of Josh Hamilton seems to have finally shown up.  

[Angel Oracle]

CJ Wilson is finally getting back towards what he was over the first half of 2012, and has just 17 BBs in his past 58 innings, after having 28 BBs in his first 48 innings. 

Time to puts the Nibs moniker on the DL for now.

 

Hopefully by August 1, Weaver/Wilson/Vargas/Blanton/Williams is the starting rotation for the rest of the season with Hanson as the long innings reliever.