GOD BLESS AMERICA.
This was the series that the Angels were supposed to use in order keep up with Texas. I know it. You know it. They know it. Everyone knows it.
The Halos are toying with a .500 record and lacking in anything resembling capitalization.
Seattle and Oakland decided to put the smack-down on their fellow AL West teams (and by smack-down, I mean they just flat out won) this week and thankfully, the Angels and Rangers suffered the same amount of losses.
The line up didn’t have the temporary consistency that showed up during that miraculous win streak. But, I don’t want to blame the line up for this loss. I have something else in mind.
Mike Scioscia is not handling the bullpen the right way and it is affecting the ball club in the most negative ways…as in…they lose the lead and then lose the game.
The Angels found themselves in a similar situation tonight when Mike Scioscia decided to bring Bobby Cassevah in to finish off the top of the 6th inning (and when I oh-so conveniently decided to take my dog for walk). Cassevah isn’t ready. Plain and simple. It takes a lot more than physical ability to maintain a one run lead for your team. Not only is Cassevah not ready in terms of skill (losing a game of hide and seek with the strike zone), he isn’t ready mentally. That’s the case for a lot of younger ball players. It takes some getting used to, but he just isn’t ready yet. Scioscia is testing Cassevah’s limits and throwing him in high pressure situations. A pitcher may gain confidence from that if they get lucky and go lights out. Not the case for Cassevah…at all.
Scioscia’s bullpen choices of late have left me begging for Hisanori Takahashi and that’s saying a lot.
On a more positive note: Kendrys Morales is finding a rhythm. After going yard for the fourth time this month, we may be seeing a glimpse of the old Kendrys. He’s set to get some time in at first base as the Angels head to Colorado to play the Rockies, and back to southern California to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time this year. Interleague play will give him the opportunity to play defense for the first time in two years.
If Morales would like to lead by example, I think the Angels would benefit from their teammate. The game of baseball is about finding a rhythm. If the Angels can mimic Morales in finding a rhythm (more home runs would be nice, too), they can go take care of business during interleague play.
Off to the Mile High City they go.