Playing the blame game: Fernando Rodney.

Wow. What the heck is going on? Yesterday may have finally been proof that God has turned his back on the Angels. La Piñata appeared to be our big hope to avoid this sweep, and he goes down for the season with an oblique injury in the pregame. Scot Shields gets the emergency start, and Halo fans dream of him making a return to being the Rubber Arm of old, and he gets lifted in the second after two jacks and loading the bases. Then, somehow, the bullpen holds it together and we seem like we're in it, and 2011 closer Fernando Rodney basically says, "Wait, we're supposed to lose," and hands the game to Boston. It's just another Halo defeat, 3-7 at the hands of the Beantown Bastards (who love cargo pants, I am led to believe) and it's just another reason 909'ers everywhere are jumping in their jacked up trucks with Fox Racing stickers on the back, and driving off the bandwagon.

I think if we weren't so bad lately, this would be an easy loss to shrug off because how could we stand a chance with our bullpen pitching the entire game? But, since we're all in a bad mood, we are kind of like, "How could the Angels not win this?" But seriously, come on! Losing Joel Piñero couldn't have come at a worse time. We're planning on rolling with the 4 man rotation as a way of getting a fire lit under this team, and bam! Are we going to roll 3 now, or is it "enter: Matt Palmer" time again? I'll be honest, I was day dreaming that Shields would go like 6 innings of 2 run ball, and kind of find himself with this emergency start. Well, I got the 2 runs right (thanks mostly to Hat-Cisco Rodriguez), but my IP were a bit off. Gas Can made it just 1.67 innings before getting lifted thanks to second inning ding a lings to Beltre and Hall and then loading the bases. Luckily for Shieds and his already obese ERA, Francisco Rodriguez came in and did the only hope inspiring thing of the game. Not only did he get us out of the jam he came into the game with, but he hurled 2.3 innings of 3 hit shutout ball. He was followed up by Rich "Put Another Shrimp on the Barbie" Thompson giving us an underrated 3 innings of 1 run stuff. At this point, we were all thinking, oh man, we still have a chance. Then, Mr. Sweaty himself, Fernando "Like My Change?" Rodney comes in against the bottom of the lineup and all hell breaks loose. He walks Hermida. He walks Hall. He sees an infield single at Callaspo pulled off by Pattetson. With former Chokeland A Marco Scutaro (do we like "scoot-a-row" or "scoo-tar-o?"), I'm still pulling for a double play, or at least a hard throwing punch out. Instead, Scoots sees a straight change, and blasts the eventual game winner into the seats. After the game on Angel Talk, you even had LSF fav Jeff Biggs calling out Rodney for the pathetic mound work. Then Biggs gave us all a chill up our spine when he said Fernando is our most likely closer for next year. I'd rather bring Percy out of retirement (ah, the memories). In all seriousness, if you read the blog, you know I've tried to point out Rodney's good performances that seem to go unnoticed, and in the grand scheme of things blowing this inning isn't that big of a deal. But it wasn't just that he blew it, it was how he blew it, and I think that's what Biggsie was saying. You just don't walk the bottom of the lineup. Throw some strikes, and let Hermida beat you far and square.

P.S. Kohn giving Ortiz his 4th K of the game was fun. Maybe he can sign up for closer if Tito leaves?

Of course, the offense still wasn't anything to write home about (or, to write on a blog about, for that matter). Did anyone elese feel like we were a boxer past our prime? Punchout after punchout (2 points for cross sports reference!). 9 Ks in all, Ma$e, Napolini, and Wilson getting 2 a piece. It was tough to watch. But really, when you have Aybar, Maicer, Abreu, and Matusi all go 0'fer in a game against the Red Sox, and Hunter gets a day off to rest before the Rangers series (even though he may have gone 0'fer too, the way he's been going lately), you just aren't going to win. The Reggie Willits and Bobby Wilsons of the world aren't going to lead this team back to the division lead. Sadly, it doesn't seem like the Hunters, Howies, or Abreus will either. Even though it didn't really matter, former fan favorite Reggie Willits did have a fantastic offensive day and deserves to be noticed, going 2 for 3 with a RBI and a run scored. Will the crowd be chanting his name once again? 

Hm. Maybe another closed door meeting would help, eh, Scioscia?

One positive we can take from yesterday was the Oakland 3-1 win over Texas. So, since I didn't think we were out of it in my last post, I still don't think we're out of it today! Do I? At 52-52, we are a .500 team once again with 58 games to go (110-52?). 8.5 back from Texas, we stand alone in third place, smelling the fumes of an Oakland team walking slightly ahead of us. Good news is that we could be just an even 8 back around 8:15 tonight, if Vin Mazzaro (the name of Doogie Howser's Italian buddy?) can keep up the good work against CJ Wilson (actually Doog's bud was Vinnie Delpino, but I was close). Then, all bets are off for the weekend series between the Red Hats and Tejas. I usually try to make bold predictions, but I'll pass this time. We have Ervin, Haren, and Weaver as our pitching probables (unless we suffer another injury akin to the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant's softball team), and I'd say that gives us a great chance...to lose 3 games 0-1. Just kidding, Halo fans. Hold you head up this weekend. Let's get us some.

Before I sign off, I just want to address one other thing I heard on Angels Talk (often a great way to gain insight into the "average" Angel fan's thoughts). In between calls suggesting a Prince Fielder for Brandon Wood and Scott Kazmir swap (okay, even I'd pull the trigger on that one) and a lady calling to simply say "I still support this team no matter what" (no one cares, Lynn on the 91 East), we had a caller suggest that our outfield is too old, and there isn't anyone in the minor league system who could come up and make a difference in that spot. If you read this blog (I say that a lot, don't I?) you know that I'm a huge fan boy of the minor leagues (I'm the guy who thought we'd win the World Series when Kotch, Mathis, and McPherson were all finally starting, and actually forced my wife to choose a D-Mac t-shirt jersey when she went to buy an Adam Kennedy), and I think I've pointed out plenty of options in our MiLB outfielder pool that could make this team both younger and possibly better. So, Bill in San Clemente (I made that up), this is for you:

+Peter Bourjos: I'll go with the easiest pick first. Gorgeous Bourjos is our star 23 year old OF, hitting .313/.365/.485 with 11 HR, 47 RBI, 12 3B, and 27 SB in 31 attempts. He will definitely be up eventually. 

+Terry Evans: Part of one of my favorite Halo trades in history (straight up for Jeff Weaver!), the 28 year old OF is a straight up slugger. Hitting .258/12/40, he's #3 on the Bees in total bases this year.

+Mark Trumbo: I know it's not his natural spot, but the Halos have been playing Mumbo Trumbo in Right Field to help him avoid the Kendry log jam at first base. The 24 year old may be our most exciting offensive prospect (hold your, "what about Mike Trout" comments. He's good, but really early on, and you just like him because you can call him King Fish, Jr.), and is ripping AAA at a .290/23/83 clip, and is so very legit. 

I think I'll leave it at three to wet your whistle, but you could also call up fan favorite Robb "The Extra B Is For Bees" Quinlan, and we could see him continue to celebrate walk offs on the far outter regions of the dog pile. My wife and I always get a kick out of that. I guess I'd just like to implore Jeff Biggs to bring our MiLB talent up when callers suggest none exists. The kind of fans who call into Angels Talk after the game to complain that Reagins is holding us back by not trading Juan Rivera for Albert Pujols could use all the help you can give them.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē