Los Angeles Angels: It Just Keeps Getting Worse

August 6, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Ernesto Frieri (49) pitches in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

These Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim should get on their knees and thank the Good Lord that MLB Commissioner Bud Selig moved the Houston Astros from the National League to their division, because they would be in dead last place otherwise:

A 51-62 record, good for fourth place in the American League West.

13 games behind the Oakland Athletics and the Texas Rangers, who just completed a second three-game sweep of the Halos.

At this rate, I reckon that it’s only the die-hard Angel fans that think that their team is going to make a huge move and win the West, as Mike Scioscia’s team is being pretty much written off this year.

True, they recently won three out of four games against the Toronto Blue Jays, but that team was in last place in the American League East, going nowhere just like these Angels, and any momentum that might have come from that was quickly snuffed by the Rangers.

How else can you describe a team where nearly half of their starters were recent call-ups from Triple-A? If you looked at their lineup in their games against Texas at Angel Stadium, it almost seemed as if the Rangers were playing the Salt Lake Bees with guys like Kole Calhoun and Chris Nelson in the batting order.

Not to mention other youngsters like Grant Green, an ex-minor leaguer from Oakland who came to the Angels in the recent Alberto Callaspo trade, and Colin Cowgill getting significant playing time.

To be fair, injuries to Albert Pujols, Peter Bourjos and now Howie Kendrick, who ranks in the league’s top ten in batting – have badly hurt this team, but the Halos’ sub-par pitching performance – other than Jered Weaver – has been the main factor in the team’s disappointment of  season as they have surrendered runs by bunches and blown late inning leads.

A perfect illustration of this was on August 4th, when the Blue Jays scored two runs in both the 8th and 9th innings to overtake the Angels, costing them a four-game sweep.

Ernesto Frieri was the culprit in that loss, suffering the second of two recently blown saves, his earned run average now a whopping 4.79 .

Normally a closer with numbers like that would be replaced, but the Angels bullpen has been so bad that there’s honestly no one that can be trusted to do significantly better than Frieri; the team is more-or-less stuck.

August 4, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) rounds the bases after he hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Two questions remain concerning this Orange County team:

1.  Is it time to officially wave the white flag and call this season a disappointing bust?

and…

2.  Will Mike Scioscia be able to stay on as manager after what is looking to be his third consecutive year without a playoff appearance?

My quick answers to these questions are yes and probably, because (as far as the first question) there are no signs that these Angels’ fortunes are going to improve anytime soon with the way things are going, combined with how the Rangers and A’s are playing.

As for Scioscia, it seems that owner Arte Moreno remains loyal to the former Dodger catcher and longtime Angel skipper; if his seat was growing hot, Moreno would have let it be known as he doesn’t seem to be the type to keep things a secret.

Angel fans can take solace in one thing:

Mike Trout is having another incredible season, the just-turned 22-year old having recently hit his 20th home run while driving in 70 runs on the season and batting .333, which is second only to the Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera. The center fielder is tied for the A.L. lead in hits and runs scored and – in case it’s not already known – is clearly the face of the franchise and will be for years to come.

However, in what should be a good lesson to all the little leaguers out there, baseball is not a game that can be won by one person; the Angels are the epitome of that as unfortunately, Trout can’t pitch.

If the Angel fans are smart, they’ll get realistic and start echoing what the Brooklyn Dodger fans shouted for years:

“Wait ‘Til Next Year!”

WHAT DO YOU THINK L.A. SPORTS HUBBERS – IS IT TIME FOR THE ANGELS TO PACK IT IN FOR 2013?

SHOULD MIKE SCIOSCIA STAY ON OR SHOULD HE GO?