1. Who is the leading the Angels in batting average?
If you guessed Juan Rivera with a .371 average, you’d be correct. Yea, I know…shocker. He’s only played 20 games with 70 at-bats, but has been effective in his limited time. He’s been sitting more often because of the outfield experiment we’re going through, but in the past three series against Texas, Baltimore and Detroit, he’s had 4 multi-hit games in 6 games he’s played in with 8 RBIS and 0 strikeouts.

2. Who is leading the team in RBIs?
This was kind of a trick question, because it’s a tie. Not between Hideki Matsui and Torii Hunter, who both have 8, but between Bobby Abreu and Mike Napoli, tied at 14. And third place is Maicer Izturis. Napoli has been doing it with the long ball (4) and Bobby with doubles (9).

3. The Angels have scored __ runs in the past 30 days.
104. That puts us 18th in the majors in the past month. Not great, but above the Texas Rangers (101), Boston Red Sox (98), Detroit Tigers (91), Kansas City Royals (86), and Seattle Mariners (72). The only team that has more that we’ve played is the New York Yankees (131), yet we have a losing record since the break.

*Side Note* We also have a .265 batting average, 12th in the majors. None of those teams listed above have a better batting average, which means we’re getting more people on base, but leaving them there and scoring runs when it doesn’t matter.

4. What’s our team ERA?
4.64. We’re currently 23rd in the majors and third to last in the American League. We also lead the majors in wild pitches and are second in stolen bases allowed. We’re literally giving up bases.

5. What’s the winning percentage of our starting pitchers?
Including Joe Saunders, Sean O’Sullivan and Scot Shields’ random start, our starters have won 8 games and been tagged with 11 losses. Our bullpen has suffered 4 losses and have recorded 1 win, meaning the Angels are giving up runs late in the innings. 4 pitchers have a sub 3 ERA. In the past 30 days, Shields is a perfect 10, sarcastically meaning he’s allowed 10 runs and 10 walks in 10 innings.

Again, these are all stats from the past 30 days. Doesn’t mean that’s how we’ll always play (hopefully), but this has been the trend as of the last month. And for the most part, it looks like our team has been ok playing like this. It doesn’t look like we have any fire. That’s why I’m so glad to see players like Peter Bourjos get some great playing time like he’s had, and even see Torii Hunter get fired up, even if it means he had to take a four game suspension. I know Angels fans are tired of watching a losing team, especially when we know how good they can be. I just have to wonder if the players are as upset as the fans, and when we’re going to see it. Come on, boys, the turnaround starts right here!

When ranking candidates for AL MVP I look at a few things. I look first for the player to manufacture a huge chunk of the teams runs, to the point where the team would be hurting without the player. I also look for the player to not hurt the team in any particular stat category. Finally, I look for a player one of the overall best pure hitters in the American League.

1. Joe Mauer – runs(73), avg(.378), HR(25), RBI(77)
(This was pretty clear to me as Mauer may be one of the greatest hitters of our time)

2. Justin Morneau – runs(79), avg(.298), HR(28), RBI(94)
(He seems to be in this race every year. He is not flashy, but sure does put up the numbers)

3. Carl Crawford – runs(78), avg(.321), HR(12), SB(54)
(Stolen bases are like a guaranteed double, and that’s a lot of extra base hits)

4. Kendry Morales – runs(66), avg(.302), HR(27), RBI(81)
(I know this is a surprise, but look at the numbers)

5. Bobby Abreu – runs(74), avg(.311), HR(11), RBI(81), SB(26)
(Probably the best overall numbers in the American league)

6. Ichiro Suzuki – runs(72), avg(.365), HR(8), SB(24)
(Really just here because he is hitting .365)

7. Chone Figgins – runs(94), avg(.305), HR(3), SB(37)
(Chone Figgins might be the most important player for the Angels offensive production)

8. Mark Teixeira – runs(73), avg(.283), HR(31), RBI(89)
(I had to put him on hear even though I didn’t want to)

9. Miquel Cabrera – runs(71), avg(.335), HR(24), RBI(72)
(His RBI’s are down, but that really isn’t his fault)

10. Evan Longoria – runs(69), avg(.276), HR(24), RBI(88)
(He may move up in this race with an end of season surge)

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Who would have thought at the beginning of this season that Kendry Morales would be the Angels MVP, and that Juan Rivera would be putting up numbers similar to those that Vlad has been putting up in years past. We all expected big things out of Bobby Abreu and he did not disappoint. And despite Torii Hunter’s injury that has sidelined him since the All-Star break; he is still considered one of the top candidates for the American League MVP. So if he’s being considered, why not the rest of these guys?
Many experts have Mark Teixeira at the top of their A.L. MVP list, but let’s compare some numbers here. Big Tex is batting .288 with 29 HR and 85 RBI, not too shabby. Now let’s look at our first baseman. Kendry “Give Me Some More” Morales is batting .303 with 25 HR and 76 RBI, stellar numbers considering his role with the team last season, and he’s only getting better. Since August 1, his average has gone from .295 to .303, and incredible leap. Put aside my love for the Angels, I still pick Morales over Teixeira. Why? Teixeira is making so much money. Morales, on the other hand, is making the same amount as a superstar in the WNBA. If I can get Morales’ numbers for the price of Lisa Leslie, I’ll take it.
Now we move onto our insanely stacked outfield. When the outfield is healthy, they boast a 1-2-3 punch of Juan Rivera, Torii Hunter and Bobby Abreu. All three of these guys are having monster-like seasons. Coming off of an injury to his leg that sidelined him for a majority of last season, no one thought that “The Chosen Juan” Rivera would be doing this well. This season has been a very large step in the development of Juan Rivera as a player. Torii Hunter has been one of the biggest names in all of Major League Baseball in the last decade. Not only has this guy’s glove been made of pure gold this season, his bat has also been formed from some of America’s finest silver, he’s a monster! He has been out since the All-Star break and still has numbers at the top of many American League batting categories: .305 AVG, 17 HR and 65 RBI. I have one word for that, amazing. Tony Reagins signing of Bobby Abreu in the offseason has been nothing short of genius. If you don’t think he is worthy of the AL MVP award then there is either something wrong with you or you are a dirty Yankee fan. Batting .306 with 9 HR and 77 RBI, many Angels fans consider him to be our MVP. But those aren’t his most impressive numbers; the number that sticks out the most is his OBP (On Base Percentage), .403. That is unreal. This guy is doing exactly what we need him to do, getting on base and scoring some runs. His patience at the plate is what puts him on base more than anyone in the American League. So Angel’s fans, we don’t miss Mr. Teixeira too much now do we.
These four Angels have been a vital part to our success this year and they all deserve to be recognized by the MLB.
Other Notable Angels having breakout seasons: Jered Weaver, Chone Figgins, Erick Aybar, Brian Fuentes
By: Zach B

It was seven months ago, Christmas was right around the corner and the Angels were in the midst of an off-season in flux. General manager Tony Reagins was too busy to be sitting around drinking egg nog in a Christmas sweater with family and friends. It had only been eight weeks since the Angels were bounced from the post-season by the playoff nemesis Red Sox. This off-season posed big questions about the roster and his A job required him to tighten up his GM chinstrap and come up with answers.

After setting the single-season saves record in 2008, Francisco Rodriguez took his violent delivery to the Mets bullpen in the Big Apple. Two days before Christmas, the Angels other marquee free agent, Mark Teixeira, joined Rodriguez in New York, signing an eight-year, $180 million contract with deep-pocketed Yankees. Missing out on two premium free agents, Reagins began piecing together answers.

He started by deciding to let life-long Angel Garret Anderson seek employment elsewhere for the first time in his career. Reagins quickly filled the void by inking then platoon outfielder Juan Rivera to a three-year extension. A week and a half later, he replaced the electric Rodriquez with mild-mannered three-time All Star, Brian Fuentes.

Reagins and the Angels’ brass felt confident moving forward with Kendry Morales as the everyday first baseman. The opportunity for Morales was much anticipated, as the buzz of his pure ability had been swirling ever since the Cuban defector’s signing with the Angels in 2004.

The final piece was added shortly before spring training would begin. Making perhaps the best bang-for-your-buck signing of the off-season, Reagins added the disciplined Bobby Abreu with a $5 million, one year deal. Abreu’s professional, consistent approach at the plate has been instrumentally infectious in the Angels’ lineup in 2009.

Losing Teixeira to free agency essentially altered the direction of the organization for the next decade. By allowing the Yankees to outbid him, Reagins was able to use the money allotted for Teixeira to improve the club in several areas, while maintaining much more financial flexibility in the coming years. That flexibility will likely prove to be extremely valuable come November and December, as the Angels are faced with the free agency of a number of their core players (Chone Figgins and John Lackey among them). It’s also worth mentioning that the financial flexibility will also be a factor in possibly acquiring a front-line player via trade – ala Halladay.

Essentially, the Angels added Morales, Abreu, and Rivera to the everyday lineup in exchange for letting Teixeira sign the more lucrative deal with New York. The way all three players have performed thus far, seeing Tex head east has been much easier on Angel fans than expected. Morales’ ceiling is sky high and has established himself as the team’s first baseman for years to come, as he has posted 20 HR’s and 60 RBI’s before August. Rivera has provided a steady power source in the middle of the order. And there’s no question that Abreu’s professionalism has rubbed off on the entire team, resulting in the team scoring the second most runs in baseball.

For an organization that has seemingly done little wrong over the last decade, it appears the trend will continue. Tony Reagins found the answers he was looking for. This 2009 Angel team has fans throughout Southern California saying, “Mark who?”

By: Blake Warren

Bobby Abreu gave us a sign of things to come this weekend, knocking two out of the park for his first multi-homerun game as an Angel, and contributing 4 of the 5 totals runs scored by the Halos. He’s now second in RBIs for LA with 48, only trailing Torii Hunter who has 59.

With the 5-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles, the Angels stop a two game skid after a visit to Texas , which almost resulted in giving first place back to the Rangers. This was not because of run support, as the Angels tallied 17 runs in the three game series. Rather, it was shaky pitching from Joe Saunders (3.2in, 8ER 5BB 2K) and Jered Weaver (5.1in, 7ER 3K). Juan Rivera tried to salvage Weaver’s outing by tying the game at 7-7 in the top of the 9th inning with a 3-run homerun, but Hank Blalock would hit a 2-run shot in the bottom of the 9th to win the game.

This was a great game for the Halos. Fans saw a flash of Bobby Abreu’s power and John Lackey had a very solid outing, throwing 8 innings, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits, fanning 7 with 114 pitches. Brian Fuentes also earned his 23rd save of the year.

Look for the Angels to continue their hot play during the holiday weekend. Everyone have a happy and safe 4th!

Noteables: Ervin Santana (1-3, 7.47ERA) will pitch for the first time since June 11th after a brief stint on the DL with right tricep inflammation. Against the Orioles, he is 2-2 in 7 starts with a 4.60 earned run average, and nearly has a 1:4 BB/K ratio.

Torii Hunter has a 7-game hit streak, scoring 3 times and knocking in 7 during the span.

Kenry Morales also has a 7-game hit streak, scoring 4 times, earning two doubles, a triple, and a homerun. He is 10-26 during the span with a .385 batting average.

Matt Palmer came out of the bullpen two days ago and did not allow a hit. Although he walked 1, he struck out 2 in 2 innings.

By: Kevin H

There seems to be something different about the Angels offensively this year. Although the last few nights have been a struggle, the Angels went through a stretch where they were scoring 9 runs a game. They have been putting up runs in bunches much like we saw in 2002. Some would say that the Angels have had some breakout power performances from the likes of Torii Hunter(16HR’s), Juan Rivera(10HR’s), and Kendry Morales(12HR’s). This is true, but I think it is something deeper. A culture change you might say.

Since the Angels lost Tim Salmon, Troy Glaus, David Eckstein, and Darin Erstad they have been known throughout baseball as free swingers, possibly due to the influence of Vladimir Guerrero. This year however the Angels are working counts and getting on base. There on-base-percentage is 12 points higher than it was last year. They are even breeding their minor leagues to take a few pitches which is why we have yet to see Brandon Wood permanently in the Majors.

I attribute the Major League version of this to the resurgence of Chone Figgins, and the addition of Bobby Abreu. Angel fans can be pretty confident that with those two at the top of the order one of them will likely get on base. This season Chone Figgins is sporting a .403 on-base-percentage, and Bobby Abreu’s is at .390. This is something that I have never seen from the Angels. The organizational change is something Mike Scioscia has implemented out of necessity.

With the end of the steroid era, baseball games are going to be won by getting on base, getting over, and getting in. To date the Angels have been missing the former, but things have changed and league will notice come playoff time.

-Tony C

Many critics have been saying pessimistically that the Angels (35-29) have only been scoring runs because they have been facing the terrible pitchers in the National League West. It is true the Angels have not face the best the San Diego Padres (28-35) and San Francisco Giants (34-31) have to offer, but I still thought it was something to be excited about because they were averaging 9 runs a game during a 5 game winning streak. We haven’t seen this kind of production at all in past years.

Today, the Angels offense proved its critics wrong by scoring 4 runs against the reigning Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum (8in, 3ER 9K). This is not the 9 runs they were averaging, but it was a solid number against arguably the best pitcher in baseball.  Not to mention this was without Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter and Bobby Abreu in the starting line-up.

This offense is for real and is ready to take down the best the National League has to offer, our cross town rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers (43-22).

Notes:

Brian Fuentes (4.43ERA, 24K) nailed down his 18th save of the season as is starting to lock down the back of the rotation for the Angels.  However, I still think I would be more comfortable with Kelvim Escobar (0-1, 3.60ERA) there.

-Tony C

Image By: redheaded_pirate

The Angels lose another to the Chicago White Sox tonight, but there were some positives to be noted. Most importantly, Bobby Abreu (.302, 17 RBI, 15 SB) hit his first home run of the season. Abreu has been great for the Angels this season, however the power has not been there. His home run off Bartolo Colon (3-4, 3.80 era) was nice to see. We also saw Matt Palmer (5-0, 4.82 era) come out of the bullpen, which may seem negative at first glance, however this is likely a move to open up a rotation spot for Kelvim Escobar, who threw 4.1 innings with 4 strikeouts and no earned runs in his AAA start last week with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. As Mike Scioscia says, when Escrobar is healthy, he is one of the best pitchers in the game. Finally, Joe Saunders (6-3, 3.26 era) continues to prove his stability as a starter by going 6.2 innings and only allowing 3 runs. All in all, this was a tough loss but there are a lot of things to be hopeful for.

By: Tony C