The Angels have now been shutout twice in four games, first by Scott Feldman and then by Chris JarJarBinks or whatever. The Angels offense is bleeding out, they need a doctor, STAT!
Someone page Vladimir Guerrero! We need him immediately before this line-up dies on the table. The team is getting by with smoke and mirrors of late and now may have to go without Bobby Abreu for a time after he left this game with an injured toe (whatever will the Angels do without his massive power bat?).
Now, I already know what some of you are saying, Vlad isn’t the same monster he used to be. That is entirely true, but he also isn’t a waste of space either as some would have you believe. “Washed up” Vlad still hit over .300 last year with 27 homers, a feat that no current Angel hitter seems likely to accomplish this year. Too often the Angels have found themselves in a position where they must scratch and claw to manufacture every single run in a game. This line-up needs some pop and the best way for them to get that back is with Guerrero, even if that means cutting short his rehab stint or skipping it altogether. Or they could call up Brandon Wood, I’m just saying…
The fact of the matter is that the Angels blew their wad when they traded for Mark Teixeira last year and his exit via free agency left a bad taste in Arte Moreno’s mouth, so the odds of Tony Reagins being allowed to even consider adding a big bat via trade are equivalent to the odds of Amy Winehouse becoming the next Pope.
Good News:
- Ervo is looking gooooood. Not that the Mariners are a scary line-up, but he was very sharp last night. Too bad the offense totally let him down.
- Kendry drawing two walks last night. Morales gets some flack as not being a legitimate middle of the order bat because he isn’t patient enough. But from watching him this season, I think he actually has a very good idea of the strike zone, he just simply chooses not to walk. Aggressively attacking the ball is his style. Take his ninth inning at-bat last night, he knew they needed a baserunner and worked the count to draw a walk, laying off some good pitches in the process. It is just a question of mindset for Kendry and I think that is actually more valuable than a guy like Bobby Abreu who is overly focused on drawing a walk when the team badly needs him to swing the bat and drive in a run.
Bad News:
- I am going to gouge my eyes out if this Abreu injury is serious. I don’t think I can handle what is sure to be countless games of Maicer Izturis hitting in the three-hole.
- What the hell are the Angels paying Mike Butcher for? Jose Arredondo hasn’t been able to find the strike zone all season. He threw only 9 strikes in 23 pitches last night. Waiting for guys to “start clicking” or “find a rhythym” is not coaching, it is sitting on your ass.
It’s All Your Fault:
- Mike Scioscia
What kind of line-up was that? You sit Mike Napoli and replace him use Maicer Izturis at DH? The Angels have three guys that have displayed consistent power all season and you bench one so you can use an offensively inept back-up catcher and a slap-hitting middle infielder. At least DHing Juan Rivera gives the Halos a chance at some pop in the line-up. No wonder this team can’t score.