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Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (65-55) @ Toronto Blue Jays (60-59)
Pitching Probables: LAA – Dan Haren (12-6, 2.91 ERA) TOR – Brett Cecil (4-5, 4.31 ERA)
Game Info: 10:07 AM PT; TV – KCOP; Radio – KLAA 830 AM
Let’s fact it, we all just want to get this game and series over with as soon as possible. I know that it is considered a cardinal sin in sports to look past your current opponent because you have a big showdown looming with a rival coming up next, but, you know what? I don’t care. No matter what happens today, it is really the next four games against Texas that is going to determine whether or not the Angels have much to play for the rest of the season. Sure, the Angels should try their very best to win today, but win or lose, it isn’t going to change the importance of the next series.
If the Angels win and Texas loses today, the Halos then would be two games back and in position to either sweep the Rangers and move into first by two games or get swept and fall six back.
Conversely, if the Angels lose and Texas wins, then Angels can range from tying the Rangers to falling eight back. Either way, the Angels will be deciding in the next series, not today, whether or not they stay in contention or fall straight out of it. All this series finale in Toronto will do is gently nudge them in one of those directions a bit more.
Monkey See, Monkey Do – Do wonder when Alberto Callaspo became the team’s best hitter. Funny that everyone complains whenever Howie Kendrick gets benched, but nobody complains when Callaspo sits, even though he and Kendrick are even in batting average, Callaspo is superior in OBP and comparable from a power perspective if you remove Howie’s April surge. Alberto is even a better situational hitter. He is the one fans need to start grumbling about getting benched, especially when Aybar and Izturis keep getting loads of time despite both being in major slumps.
Monkey See, Monkey Don’t – Don’t be happy that Alberto Callaspo is the team’s best hitter. Nothing against Callaspo, but this lineup is pretty pathetic when some punchless contact hitter with no speed is considered invaluable. I know Scioscia has said that he needs this team to start scoring runs, but he has to realize it is a talent issue more than an underachieving issue, and Alberto’s status in the lineup is proof of that.
The Monkey’s Bananas Prediction of the Game: I can’t say what is going to happen today, but I do have a premonition that the title of the game recap this evening is going to be “Woe is Canada – Blue Jays 8, Angels 3.”