Angels Still Can't Mess With Texas

So there were the Rangers, no less bullish as Power Rangers than the ballclub was as an American League contender amid a tight, tense pennant race, aiming to remain atop the AL West and hinder the Angels from giving chase.

What the Rangers desire for an industrious crusade is the aid of hopefulness, exuberance and victories to stay in contention and, if possible, be in pursuit of back-to-back World Series glory. Sure, it's been seen before in baseball, such are tight races and sometimes an extreme fight last until the final day of the 162-game season, but it doesn't seem like the Angels are fully capable of catching the Power Rangers to tie the division.

The first necessity is for the Angels to continue a surge and induce fear, when the Texas Rangers clearly have been in a funk of late ineffective in pummeling the Angels in a pennant race of dubiety and nerves. The momentum came suddenly and inexplicably, just as we were optimistic in the Angels, just as we were telling ourselves not to discount the Angels and relight the Halo.

It happened so quickly we could feel the streak of a miraculous turnaround, a convergence of Angels in the Outfield to evoke miracles for the red-hot ballclub. With merely one swing of the bat, or maybe even multiple swings -- I might add -- the Angels were thrashed in the Heart of Texas.

This was a night when the Rangers couldn't be reckoned with, a night when the Angels couldn't mess with Texas, a night the boys from Orange County were burnt like Texas toast. When David Murphy lofted his second career grand slam in the fifth inning off Angels starter Dan Haren, this after Nelson Cruz broke out of his slump and opened the fourth with a drive to center field, he had secured a crucial 11-7 win for the slumping Rangers.

The horror exist still as it was last week when the Angels were said to be dead and buried by the Rangers and it was so bad that the majors could've staged a funeral in tribute of the fallen Angels. The moment before all of this, the Angels weren't even in contention, but were done for the season after a rebuilding stage crumbled under the inept general manager Tony Reagins and cheap owner Arte Moreno.

We all screamed amazed by the Angels resurgence, as the Rangers never panicked and had indicated to be the stronger, hungrier and powerful ballclub in this showdown worth raving about only for what is at stake between a pair of clubs with the objective to win its division and clinch a postseason berth. All of the sudden, the Rangers came alive in their own ballpark in Arlington to ignite fireworks that brightened the humid air on an ideal night for baseball.

Even more important was the Rangers finding an identity, when the Angels strayed in the first game of the most critical weekend series and were stonewalled by Texas, an ambitious club that began the stretch 6-1 and finished 2-5. But stunningly, the streak that the Angels rode, playing with plenty of heart and talent, is missed and disappeared instantly.

It was missing in action when the Angels were absent and never challenged the Rangers, losing in a lopsided fashion, getting pushed and shoved around in an uncompetitive meeting and falling in the AL West standings. And when it comes to the Angels, as a reminder to you all, they have no consistent or solid power hitters in the lineup, lacking that one power bat in the batting order to produce RBIs without leaving too many runners on base.

Despite the Angels juggernauts and a crafty pitching rotation, if you haven't noticed by now, this is the team that relies on aggressive base running and scoring runs by doing the little things to collect a win. Now the Angels are finally enduring a real test. A more painful test or an uphill battle the Halos flunked ever so badly against a dexterous offense with the ability to compile runs on the scoreboard swiftly.

The night for the Angels wasn't all so bland, even if a six-game winning streak became commonplace at a time when all the momentum was positive and used to their advantage. It's undoubtedly one of the must-win situations the Angels wish they could have back, another chance to redeem themselves after the Rangers badly stomped them for 18 hits and three homers at Rangers Ballpark -- a loss snapping the Angels season-high winning streak.

It's not a perfect world, at least not for the Angels -- come to realize that the Halos left the happiest place on earth and traveled to Texas for a three-game showdown with division foes. But now it's much clearer that the Angels can't match the Rangers' incomparable depth, from the pitching rotation to the batting order. To a certain extent, there's just not enough talent. It's largely for the fact that the Angels have no solid hitters, and sometimes the pitching is a bit shaky, erratic and subpar as manager Mike Scioscia has no choice but to depend on his wayward bullpen.

"It's one loss," Scioscia said. "We need to turn the page and move on to tomorrow's game. Obviously, everything is magnified tonight because we're playing the team we're trying to catch. But it's one loss and there's still a lot of baseball to be played."

But now, he's giving his team the best opportunity to win by choosing to send Ervin Santana and Jered Weaver on three days' rest to the mound in a critical series.

Leave it to Weaver, it appears.

It's actually a brilliant decision, simply because Weaver is in the running for the 2011 AL Cy Young and MVP award. It's actually a splendid move, mostly because he is the face of the Angels, particularly after signing a five-year $85 million contract extension as the ace prefer to reside in Southern California and continue wearing an Angels uniform. His family roots exist in California, his prior accomplishments are in Orange County and his likeability is beyond amazing.

He probably could, even though he's a human and not a robot that can throw a 90 mph fastball without getting tired after a grueling 100-plus pitch night on the mound, be the man who wins the division single-handedly for the Angels. The other night, where the Angels shut out the White Sox in an 8-0 victory at Angel Stadium, a place closer to the Happiest Place on Earth, he tossed seven scoreless innings for a 15-6 record.

He potentially is a 20-game winner and leads the MLB with a 2.03 ERA. Without him, the Angels aren't closer to heaven, but are useless and futile. If the Angels are trying to purge woes and compete for the division title, then they'll need to win the next two games of this series. Until then, the Angels can't slow down Texas, unless the two teams are playing different clubs in another series.

This time, Scioscia was confident and gusty -- enough, in fact, to juggle his rotation and shift his starters around as Weaver and Santana give the Angels an edge in the series. On the flip side, it can all backfire if Weaver and Santana struggles in their next outings, but the Angels are in a pursuit, angling to keep momentum and remain in a tight race with the Rangers.

For the worse, he and Mike Butcher can generate criticism if all fails over the weekend, like a player suffering an injury or giving away a meaningful contest. They also know nobody is keen to see Joel Pineiro and Jerome Williams. If many had the choice, they'll rather see Weaver and Santana every other day on the mound.

With one swing, Cruz ended his slump when he was 4-for-27 in his last seven games and was swinging wildly without a conscience and discipline. It was huge as Cruz laced a two run-scoring double in the second to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. And he wasn't done. The man of the night was a triple shy of the cycle in the sixth and demolished the Angels, hitting a bullet to left-center and scoring three more runs. That marked his third six-RBI game of the season.

Even if it seems as if the Angels are back in the running for winning the division, in reality, it doesn't seem real but surreal, until Los Angeles convince the public that they can beat the Rangers at least twice in a series to win a three-game showdown.

For now, it seems, we have to wonder if the Angels have it in them.

Tony Reagins Prolong Woes, So Angels' Fans Might As Well Boycott

It's as if spirit has suddenly vanished on Katella Ave.; almost as if the Angels couldn't care less in revamping an inactive ballclub faced with tremendous emptiness and shame, unable to lure a blockbuster free-agent in an offseason attempt.

Before, the well-respected ballclub that resides near Disneyland was as popular as the other team in town and the city of Anaheim had been emblazoned with seas of red attire to adore the best baseball franchise in town.

At this point, the Angels are in oblivion, even if this is one of the main attractions in Orange County, even if this is one of the most mediocre clubs in baseball and even if Tony Reagins, the inept Angels general manager, is a toxic waste in a town that once was accustomed to postseason splendor.

These days, as the Halo in the parking lot of Angel Stadium doesn't brighten the sky as much, the organization is failing so miserably to improve and helplessly transforms into dysfunction.

It was one of baseball's well-operated businesses, until the owner Arturo Moreno purchased the franchise when the Walt Disney Co. decided to relieve itself of the responsibility in running a profitable business.

And just as much as he downplays the magnitude of becoming the first Hispanic owner, he pathetically denies to confess that he has sabotaged the Angels and disgusted devoted fans in a depress community, unless they drive down the street and spend countless hours at Disneyland to release all the disillusionment and affliction.

Beyond the duplication of his failures as owner, so largely that fans are bickering in an outcry for losing on every bid this winter, it has lifted the insanity and the sport has strangely teetered.

For all the belief that the polarizing Bill Stoneman, the former general manager who built the Angels World Series championship team, wasn't aggressive in reaching deals or assembling talent, he's now truly missed since stepping down after eight years.

And yet, what turned into futility to expand upon the twinge of unsuccessfulness, the malcontent fans might as well just boycott the Angels next season, until Reagins is canned by his softhearted boss and until the Angels make adjustments, erecting a profound club and reinstalling exuberance.


The Angels are wrapped in tremendous disarray, until Moreno is reluctant in believing in Reagins' horrendous implosions as a nugatory executive, relied on to renew a depleted and lifeless culture. Reagins, by further note, isn't criticized of his botched inactivity after he hasn't solidified or rehabilitated normalcy.

Whatever it is, he's poorly tearing down the essence of Angels’ baseball, ruining a franchise that has plunged mightily and he is heavily not suitable for the task.

The Angels were never on the verge of pulling off a valuable deal to benefit long term, nor were they considered likely the favorites of the AL West, but blameworthy losers and could replicate another awful season.

Honestly, the deranged Angels couldn't care less about winning a World Series, let alone spending wisely on a few leading candidates, losing on Carl Crawford and Cliff Lee.

What the hell?

It's not particularly hard to notice that the Angels are cheesy in the way they run a lousy business, unless you are blind or either in denial. Every season, this time, it's a suspenseful scenario and the Angels constantly keep the fans guessing on any potential upgrading pieces.

But in the end, while other franchises bid aggressively for the best slugger or ace available, the Angels are deprived of putting together the repertoire of necessary players, befitting for rising into top contention in a ripened division.

In all, it figured that the Angels were endangered of losing Crawford based on its history in the past, even if they informed other clubs he was a targeted free-agent amid the pursuit.

The most recent story in the midst of such a misunderstanding, around the time when teams are actively upgrading to add missing pieces, is that Reagins acknowledged he was busy calling other organizations. For now, it's not easy to believe a damn thing and it feels sometimes as if he's overwhelmed by a shortage of finances, unsure whether or not he desires to ensure a player of a long-term deal.

"I think when you hear the marquee names being shopped around or portrayed in the media as 'that player is coming to your market,' there's an excitement level, and then when he doesn't come, obviously there's some disappointment by some." Reagins said.

If you haven't notice, he's been saying the same thing repeatedly during his tenure and still, he hasn't done anything to reform the defenseless Angels.

"But you have to go and play 162 games every year," he said. And being able to add bullpen pieces are significant. When you don't have those pieces and your bullpen doesn't perform the way it can, it can really show itself. I'd rather have those pieces than not have those pieces, I can say that."

I'd rather have a dignified player, too.

In an effort to not fortify a misplaced era, the Angels aren't anywhere near returning to its usual form.

So the understanding, for some, is that the Angels prolongs an epidemic of woes, wrongly at a time when the high-market franchises are rebuilding and aiming to rightfully be the elites of baseball.

This is the town that Mark Teixeira was traded to as a rental and then hightailed his way to New York, where he signed a sizable deal with the Yankees.

This is the town that Paul Konerko turned down millions, just to stay in the Southside of Chicago, a place he gladly calls home.

This is the town that had a chance to bid for Lee and, at one point, had been in the sweepstakes to potentially finalize an unforeseen deal with the unhittable ace, but as usual the Angels lagged, allowing the Phillies to present a fitted amount and stun the baseball world by signing the peerless left-hander.

This is the town that was in the running for Roy Halladay in midseason, but opted to rebuff interest in grabbing the Cy Young winner.

When it comes to baseball in a tepid town that has dysfunctional owners, oddly enough, fans tend to become furious with the lack of aggressiveness in adding a relentless texture.

There has been, on the other hand, gossip that teams from smaller markets with limited profit are forced to overpay to attract top-tier free-agents. And believe it or not, it's very obvious these days.

The latest deal of insanity came on a $126 million contract for Jayson Werth that the Washington National foolishly gave to a role player who had a fairly superb season as an outfielder for the Phillies.

Then, it was the Boston Red Sox giving Crawford a ridiculous $142 million deal. It was, by far, one of the most overpaid and mismanaged deals in baseball history, but reports were released that Moreno came close to proposing a contract within a pricey range.

Hell, the last time the Angels signed a top-notch free-agent happened two winters ago, when they brought in Torii Hunter, but since then the Angels famously become known for offseason blunders.

If what is destroying the Angels isn't visible for people, then either the folks of Orange County are simply humiliated or could be unaware of Reagins.

What's more important, for the moment, is the destruction and it has held the fans hostage, wondering if the Angels were ever coveted to obtain one of the finest free-agents on the market.

The situation probably turns burdened for the well-respected manager Mike Scioscia. For now, at least, the responsibility of assembling a refinable aspect falls on the skipper.

Just the other day, however, it was an amusing party that generated holiday cheers to more than 200 children at the annual Angels' Children's Holiday Party at Downtown Disney's ESPN Zone, but so far, that is as much holiday cheer the Angels have treasured this offseason.

Don't expect much, until Reagins is given his final paycheck.

Good Vibes From Angels, But Must Continue Surge In October

Just consider the intriguing streak an exhibition season, as the calendar reads mid-summer. Still, October hasn’t arrived yet, and it is normally a month their perplexing power surges are doubtful.

And when the Los Angeles Angels fail to advance pass the first round of the playoffs as results advertises fiascoes. In previous postseason appearances, they’ve being victims of agonizing collapses, and have taken the route to early exits.

A favorable season quickly relapsed and suffered a bizarre letdown to the Chicago White Sox in 2005. For a majority of rally monkey die-hards, it was painful to experience catcher A.J. Pierzynski strike out swinging and race to first base when umpire Doug Eddings ruled the call that Angels’ catcher Josh Paul never applied a clean tag.

It was also grueling to assimilate heart throbbing losses to the Boston Red Sox three times in the postseason, misfortunes that have wasted propitious pitching dominance because of inabilities and futile hitting that wasn’t enough to subdue a level of compulsory.

Truthfully, the rally monkeys were just a marketing crusade, not a bail out of troubling meltdowns. If it was the case, the Angels wouldn’t have suffered agonizing disappointment, swept by the Red Sox in the AL Division Series in ’04 and ‘07.

And a year ago, the 100-win Angels swings deteriorated and cleared advantages for the Red Sox unstoppable and dynamic pitching to seize eminence, which led to a 3-1 first round loss.

At 63-40, a problem that has hinged advantages, and weaknesses in the batting order whenever the postseason comes. But right now, it isn’t a concern. Instead it might draw attention this fall, but until then, let’s all anoint the Angels as the hottest team.

Because they’re clearly the best team in the American League, if not all of baseball, it’s brainwashing to mention their failures in recent years. Maybe it is convenient to believe they’ll survive blunders and batting droughts in October.

For many seasons, the Angels have being a team known for its aggressive base running and stealing bags to secure scoring position, following a bunt or a wild pitch that would allow agile players to race home.

But it is small ingredients that haven’t being enough for avoiding postseason anguish, which fans wonder why the front office prefers holding on to their farm system. Yes, a promising future is well-established, consisting of depth and growing stars that will emerge into important role players and superstars.

But if the Angels expect to escape a series without any troubles and refuse to go home, they will need to survive with a powerful hitter in the middle of the order. By virtue, it doesn’t seem dropping hits into gaps or depositing forceful shots are disadvantages.

It still doesn’t justify it’s sufficient to call the Angels a championship contender, having much to prove when winning is meaningful, other than playing a solid 162-game season.

After failing numerously to obtain a forceful hitter to blend into the batting order, the Angels have being criticized for not adding depth at non-waiver trade deadlines in previous season.

Although general manager Tony Reagins takes much bashing from critics and disgruntled fans for the lack of effort shown in acquiring remedy on an indecisive club, credit him for pulling off the biggest mid-season deal at the deadline a year ago and acquired switch-hitting first baseman Mark Teixeira from Atlanta in exchange for first baseman Casey Kotchman.

They knew exactly what they were getting themselves into with the acquisition of a rental player, particularly a high-profile player like Teixeira, who was seeking $200 million contract as a free agent.

Negotiating with baseball’s powerful agent Scott Boras is usually a bidding war for teams that are too manageable in conserving money. After all, the Angels knew exactly that they were consulting with a stubborn and egotistic agent who demands that all of his clients agree on the richest deals available.

So clearly, retaining the slugging first baseman was a steep price that the Angels assumed wasn’t worth squandering in a long-term deal, still offering Teixeira an eight-year, $160 million but he turned down a premium offer to explore the market for hire.

As a result the Angels lost the bidding war, and Teixeira migrated to New York and signed an eight-year, $180 million contract deal with the Yankees.

Kendry Morales was an indefinite first baseman a year ago, but has made Reagins into one of baseball’s cleverest general managers, voicing adventurous personal decisions by giving Morales the everyday first base assignment. Much optimism and gambling a potential disappointment turned into a surging option in the Angels unfathomable lineup, entering this season.

On Sunday, Morales captured a pair of three-run homers that resulted in a career high of six RBIs and assaulted the Minnesota Twins in a 13-4 rout, finishing a three-game sweep. Maybe if the Angels can translates late a multiple RBI and home run spectacle, then odds will favor them as felicitous contenders.

Maybe if they continue to locate and execute satisfying pitching qualities, there’s a considerable chance they could wreak a Dodgers-Red Sox or a Red Sox-Phillies fall classic, a pair of series matchups everyone is eager to check out in late fall.

Aside from postseason matchups, the Angels allowed the clock to strike 12 a.m. ET without acquiring a big-name pitcher or slugger. There were speculates that the Angels were in discussions for Toronto’s ace and best pitcher in baseball Roy Halladay, but pulled out at late for steep prices, similar to when they removed from significant bidding wars in competitive sweepstakes.

Over seasons, the Angels missed out on trade opportunities that could’ve benefited in the future, which generated one-and-done postseason series to condense and relinquish in an extravagant season.

Having a robust John Lackey, who is developing into mid-season form, has thrown effectively with phenomenal command and continues to control momentum in the pitching department.

Early on, rust mangled Lackey’s usual form on the mound, but now, he is solid and won four straight starts. His last win came against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday, when he pitched seven reliable innings, yielding on three hits and one earned run. As the rest of the rotation continues to struggle with up-and-down pitching complications, Lackey ensures the rotation stays ideal.

Ervin Santana is having trouble to recover from an elbow injury, with a 3-6 record and a 7.29 ERA in an 11 starts. Many remember Santana has a young phenom who adapted into the majors relatively quickly, but injuries have slowed down legitimate pitching perfection. If he can recover and revamp into 18-game winning form, the Angels rotation can pose a threat on a competitive American League. Image a hitless pitching duo, overpowering an entire league.

Meanwhile, imperfection stifles pitching commodities that describes the Angels and resources for building into a contender. Joe Saunders can contribute by avoiding droughts and relocate his pitches to bolster a rotations dimension.

Currently, he is 9-6 with a 5.07 ERA, as it has being difficult escaping innings without allowing a run to score. And by limiting run production, Saunders is a suitable reinforcement among pitching.

They’re fortunate for the scorching batting surges. It continues to keep the Angels atop the American League, as October looms closer to prove it they’re tangible in the postseason or just dominance in the regular-season. A winning streak is glorifying, but it’s unknown if it will come a few months from now.

One thing they’ve ensured is that they can maintain balance without Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero, two ideal players who are nursing injuries on the disabled list. Manager Mike Scioscia has utilized successful options and getting run production and aggressive batting from a numerous of players.

The Angels shouldn’t miss the two main producers, with a supporting cast, of which stepped up their roles. Now the team is a vital threat, consisting of Bobby Abreu, who is patient at the plate and knows win to swing at pitch that enters the strike zone. He is a factor to the Angels surging streak, with essential contributions in hits and runs score, which has turned around a few games this season.

Juan Rivera returned to the lineup after nursing a hamstring injury, but has deposit a few long shots out over the wall, emerging into arguably the teams best hitter, including sizzling muscles from Erick Aybar’s 13-multi-hit game in July, and Mike Napoli’s hard swings to connect with a fastball that results into a homer.

Chone Figgins who continues to play small ball with aggressive base stealing and speed to advance 90 feet closer often, and second baseman Howie Kendrick was giving a message when the Angels demoted him to triple-A Salt Lake in June for his offensive struggles has suddenly emerged and grasped a sense of awareness, knocking in a career high five runs in a win against the Indians last week.

As it stands, the Angels have won 13 of 15 games and are 16-3 in its last 19 road games. In an appealing three-game series the Angels was historical, managing to amass 52 hits in the entire series and almost set a club record by compiling 35 runs. It's just a demonstration of how hot the Angels are as an entire.

It is definitely a contending team, if they continue to surge on offense efficiently. But effortless offense is meaningless, if the Angels can’t light up the halos in or believe rally monkeys, when it counts.