Carpool Lane: Trip To Angels vs. Twins

About the Carpool Lane

In the middle of the second inning in Tuesday’s second game of a three game series against the Minnesota Twins, said Jumbotron displayed the “laugh-break.” This featured Angels players telling jokes. “Why is it not a good idea to play cards in the jungle?” Howie Kendrick asked, “because there are so many cheat-ahs.”

Regardless of your affinity for bad puns, a laugh break could be exactly what Angels fans and players needed at this point of the season; but on the first day of the second month in this now dire portion of the season, it is probably a feature they didn’t appreciate then.

The Angels record is a pathetic 9-15, 8 games behind the Texas Rangers who lost on Tuesday. If there was not an extra playoff spot this year they might as well throw in the towel already, or the rally monkey. And the rally monkey in the room is the $250 million dollar man who is not making anyone smile.

May 1, 2012; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols (5) hits a ground out to score Los Angeles Angels catcher Chris Iannetta (17) against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-US PRESSWIRE

On a night where it threatened to rain, the 30,000 Angel fans in attendance Tuesday were anxious to see their team come home and get some wins. There were Pujols jerseys all over the ballpark, in all colors. Rustic red with white lettering, white with red lettering, red on red, And every time he stepped up to the plate there is still a sense of excitement. But that is uneasy, anxious excitement. Everyone hopes that this will be the at bat, at game they attended, which will be the one that he breaks through.

But every time Pujols stepped up to the plate and rolled a soft grounder to the left side of the infield, there is a collective sigh and release of any positive energy there could have been. Actually, in his first at bat he limply lined a ball to Josh Willingham in left field. In the fourth inning he came to the plate with one out, Iannetta on third and the crazy fast Mike Trout on second who bunted for a base hit before being sacrificed over by Callaspo. Pujols received a 3-0 count. At any other time in Pujols 12 year MLB career his green light would be so big you’d think the sun turned green. But considering Pujols’ impotent start, with the hot hitting Hunter behind him, the right play seemed to be to take the pitch. Pujols swung, hit a high grounder off the plate. It did manage to score Iannetta, but that fielder’s choice was hardly a best case scenario. The Angels fans mustered a sarcastic clap for Pujols as he jogged back to the dugout, slapping his hands together like he just missed that pitch, and got his fifth RBI of the season.

More than happy to be out-produced in the category of un-production is left fielder Vernon Wells. I do not know who picks the entrance songs for each player as they come to bat. I’d like to think it is the player, but I am not convinced it is. Whether its done with a sense of humor or trying to inspire his own production, Wells enters to Dr. Dre’s, “Forgot About Dre.” No Vernon, fans don’t “act like we forgot about Vern(on),” they are just occupied with even more expensive problems.

But it was in the middle of the second inning stadium personnel inserted the laugh break. What followed was a lead off home run by Torii Hunter, his fourth in the last seven days, and another solo shot came in the inning from Howie Kendrick. Kendrick followed his home run with a triple high off the wall in his next at bat (that a fan interfered with according to the lengthy protest from Ron Gardenhire), a single in his next at bat, and his bid for the cycle ended as his likely double lined down the line was nabbed by first baseman Chris Parmelee.

Sep 29, 2008; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels outfielder Torii Hunter (48) talks to the crowd with a rally monkey on his back during the postseason rally at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Maybe a little laughter is just what the Angels needed. Rather than pressing, worrying as the halo over Albert Pujols grows dark like a storm cloud, the Angels can laugh about their pathetic start. Tell some jokes, let Torii Hunter’s infectious smile spread like their batting woes, and let the laughter lead to the types of performances that made Tuesday’s win possible.

Following their victory Monday, 5th man in the rotation Jerome Williams stepped to the mound, and delivered the type of performance that can hopefully turn a team around. The fifth guy in the rotation, who fought through injury for that position all spring, threw a complete game shutout with six Ks, at a time when saying the bullpen is struggling is a generous euphemism. This hopefully is the kind of inspiring performance that can get a whole team back on track, along with some laughter. Just ask comedian Craig Shoemaker about the benefits of laughter performance and overall health.

The fans should breathe easy. Put on your Rally Monkey beanie (the awesome giveaway on Tuesday), listen to the random person in your section up the left field line demand you start the wave, ignore the game for half innings at a time as the beach ball in your area hasn’t made its way onto the field for an unprecedented amount of time. The sarcastic applause and groans and sighs accurately express fan soul crushing every time Albert rolls over another pitch, but it is not helping. So laugh it off. It has to turn around eventually, doesn’t it?