Yesterday as my heart sang for America, I was bleeding from wounds inflicted on the Angels from the Indians. Talk about coming back to earth. Before Wednesday’s game, I was assuring my Mom that the Angels are a shoo-in for the wild-card and still have a chance to catch the Rangers as the heat ratchets up in Texas.
Guess I wasn’t considering what might happen when the heat catches up to the Angels. This week it turned out to be a series loss, with the Angels losing 12 to 3 on the 4th of July. Series totals were 21 runs for the Indians to 11 for the Angels when we had Weaver, Haren and Santana going. It’s not that I’m unwilling to tip my hat to the Tribe, but Haren and Santana combined for 127 pitches over 5 2/3 innings in two games.
I’m about to send Scioscia a case of Tums. What I’d like to send Butcher is not legal in the US mail and not appropriate outside of a stall.
Heat or pressure appears to be catching up to the Angels, as starting pitchers crumble. At the beginning of the season, I honestly thought that Haren and Santana would have tremendous years given they both have option years coming up in 2013 and playing for the Angels seems like a good bet with an outfield that will include Trout and Bourjos. Surely, despite some nasty comments from some fans about Ervin’s fortitude, motivation is not in question. It’s not like they don’t want to win, it’s not like they don’t want to remain Angels.
Haren is not healthy, that much has been made clear by his recent comments although it was apparent by his performance for a month or so. Later this week we’ll probably hear Haren has been pitching with a back injury worse than any Red Sox bloody sock. Santana is not such an easy read. Not a stats guy, I tried earlier in the year to suggest he could only get better and he did for a while, but now he’s nowhere. How quickly a team’s strength becomes a weakness. Believe it or not, the Angels will need to bring up Brad Mills, Greg Smith or Ariel Pena soon. The once declared quiet trade deadline will be filled with rumors of Wandy or other expensive options, although I’m not too worried with Dipoto running the numbers.
I do have to think, that with the team so close to real and true championship caliber, and an option to buy out both the Haren and Santana options next year, taking on multiple year salary for a starting pitcher might be considered. It’s only half way through the season, this team has incredible potential, and we’ve seen that current management will make moves.
I hear Wells is working on a knuckler and Joe Saunders is getting healthy. So you see my desperation is near the surface.