It’s a rare occasion in baseball where a two-week stretch can ultimately make or break a team’s season. But that certainly seems to be the case with the 2010 Angels here in late July. Starting with Tuesday night’s rout of the Yankees, the Angels embarked on the most pivotal 12-game run of the year with the remaining 11 games against the American League’s toughest competition. After taking on the AL’s best team in New York Wednesday, the Halos will travel to Arlington for a four-game series against the team they’re trying to chase down in the AL West. Then they will make their way back to Anaheim for three against Boston and another three against the Rangers. Oh yeah, and all of this will take place during the countdown to the July 31 trade deadline.

Entering Wednesday’s contest in the Bronx, the Angels find themselves five games back of Texas, who has shown few signs of letting down so far in this second half. With the Rangers acquisition of stud lefty Cliff Lee and the uncertainty of who the Halos may be able to acquire during this year’s trade season, these next seven games against Texas become highly critical. It would be safe to say that the Angels need to take at least four of the seven to keep the heat on the Rangers in the division race. If the Halos can do that, and manage to hold their own against the Red Sox, they could find a new-found confidence that could carry them down the stretch and force Texas to feel the pressure the whole way – something the team from Arlington has rarely had to deal with.

Tuesday’s romp of New York revealed some positive signs. Maicer Izturis returned from the DL to drive in three, including a 2-run bomb. Mike Napoli continued to stay hot in the second half with a homer and four RBIs. And Mike Scioscia is hoping Matsui’s late homer will spark a turn-around for the DH in the weeks to come.

Angel pitching has been solid in recent weeks, but has often been done in by a lack of run support. If the Angels can stay healthy and find some consistency on offense, they will win their share of games. Maybe GM Tony Reagins can find them some help in the coming days to bolster their lineup or perhaps add an arm to the bullpen. A little help would likely be welcome. With the Rangers continuing to surge, it might even be necessary.

One thing is certain. The time is now for the Angels to take charge of their season and keep their post-season hopes in their own hands. It will be a tall task with a brutal schedule ahead and facing a fluctuating trade market, but it is still the Angels for the taking if they can find their mojo.

By Blake Warren

The recent news of the injury to Erick Aybar hits the Angels hard as they already without their best hitter, Kendry Morales. However, for Angels manager Mike Scioscia, this is nothing new.

If you remember, last year the Angels began the year without John Lackey or Ervin Santana. And later that season, they lost Torii Hunter for a significant amount of time, but the Angels still went on to win 97 games. They found support through their strong minor league system and roster depth. We saw the emergence of Matt Palmer, Sean O’Sullivan, and best of all, Kendry Morales. But even with those things, I don’t know of a single team in baseball (aside from the Yankees and Red Sox because of their budget) that could maintain one of the best records in the league with injuries of that magnitude.

“Attitude reflects leadership, captain” – Remember the Titans. Even with the injuries to Morales and Aybar, you will not see panic from the Angels players, because you won’t see it in Mike Scioscia. He isn’t the best coach in baseball because of his superior baseball intellect. He’s the best coach because of his steady confident attitude. “We can’t look at the standings. If we play the way we are capable of playing, we will reach our goal.” – Mike Scioscia. This is the attitude the Angels look to, and believe in. Every season they know that if they come out and do what they are supposed to do, they will reach their goal.

So now that the hangover is over, it’s time to focus. So how do we beat those damn Red Sox? Here are the GoHalos.com top ten on how to beat the Red Sox.  Not that the Angels don’t already know these things, but it will be interesting to look for.

10.  Most obvious – win a game at home.

9.  For the fans – don’t sell your tickets to Red Sox fans.

8.  Start Kazmir in Fenway.  He is a proven winner there.

7. Score runs early. I know the Angels set a club record for comebacks, but the Red Sox are lights out after the sixth inning.

6.  Avoid our bullpen by throwing our starters late in the game.  Although with Santana out of the bullpen this may not be as necessary.

5. Steal relentlessly. Jason Varitek doesn’t have the arm he used to, and should allow us to take bags at will.

4. Out-pitch John Lester. Even with the injury, he is going to pitch well in the playoffs so we are just going to have to take a one to two run lead into the bullpen.

3.  Save the rally monkey!  The rally monkey rules have been relaxed lately.  Let’s save him for when it matters most.

2. Utilize the green monster. The Angels are stock full of doubles hitters, so they don’t even have to change their approach.

1. RELAX!  Nerves create mistakes.

-Tony C

For now, Mike Scioscia has decided to use both Brian Fuentes and Kevin Jepsen in save situations. This is an unusual situation for the Angels. In the past we have always had a natural progression. In 2002 we had Troy Percival, who made you nervous at times, but always got the job down. Waiting in the wings was Franky. When Franky took over we had Scott Shields who could have easily done the job. And last year it looked like Jose Arredondo was runner-up. Angels fans are used to a near guaranteed victory after the sixth inning. Now we have a situation with a very shaky closer who does have over 40 saves, and a guy in Kevin Jepsen who is clearly ready to get in the mix.

Many believe Scioscia is simply hiding Jepsen and going to release him into the closer role when it matters, October. Others think Scioscia always sticks with his veterans, for better or for worse, and this situation will be no different. I have always believed that baseball is stuck with this closer position. Closers are usually, with one or two exceptions, over paid and overrated. The ideal way to bring your reliever in is when you can him the best match-ups. Why should the closer role be any different. Major League Baseball is becoming too caught up with star power and it’s just unnecessary.

I don’t believe the closer situation will change at all from the way it is now. If the Red Sox have the top of their lineup coming up in the ninth, that will likely consist of Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz, two lefties. Perfect situation for Brian Fuentes. So we end up with closer by committee, which what most teams should have anyway.

Welcome back, Kendry Morales. Just when Gohalos calls you out for your poor performance the past week, you come back and immediately make your presence felt against the Yankees. Another great decision by manager Mike Scioscia to sit Kendry at the start of the game, and bring him in as a pinch hitter. It shows that Scioscia still trusts Morales enough to send him in when the Angels really need a hit.

But this article won’t touch too much on the Yankees series, but the following series. I’m talking about finally three series of the year. The Angels will get the Athletics and Rangers at home before traveling out to Oakland to take on the A’s for a final 3 game series.

The Angels are 8-5 against Athletics this year, with a 3-4 record at home and a 5-1 record away.

It looks like the Angels have the division wrapped up. As long as they win three of the next four series, they’ll come out on top. The only team the Angels are worried about are the Rangers, who they have had trouble with all year. This year, the Angels are 5-10 against the Rangers, earning 2 of those wins in the previous 3 game series. When the Halos are hosting Texas, they are 2-5. The have a 7.5 game lead over the Rangers, and will make a four-game homestand within the next couple weeks. The outcome of that series may have a big effect on the AL West standings.

The Rangers don’t exactly have a cake walk. They’ll take on the Rays at home with and have a 4-2 record against Tampa Bay this season. They are 3-0 and have outscored the Rays 20-7 while in Texas. They are currently playing the A’s, but have a surprisingly weak 6-8 record against Oakland.

Texas will also take on the Mariners, and have a 10-6 overall, 3-3 away record.

The Angels have 12 games left, and if the these stats are any indicator of what is to come, the Angels should have the division locked up by the 25th

While starting pitching was hard to come by at the beginning of the season, the tables have turned. In September, the Angels have only allowed more than 4 runs in 5 out of 20 games and have one of the best ERAs in the American League this month.

Gohalos wants you to make a bold prediction in our comments section of when the Angels will have the division wrapped up. You can bet that we will have an article announcing when the Halos have locked up first place, so check back and see how close you were.

The Halos are close to winning the division, and just need to hold it together for a few more weeks. Then we can focus on the playoffs and winning another championship.

-Kevin H.

Joe Saunders takes the mound tonight for what could be a possible postseason preview between the Angels and Yankees. The Angels have not had much trouble with the Yankees in the past, but this is a new Yankee team with a different manager. This team is more aggressive, and as Torii Hunter says, “they have a fire in them that I didn’t see last year.” It will be important for the Angels to keep the Yankees from building to much confidence against them for the playoffs.

The Yankees are definitely out to prove something this year, but so are the Angels. In fact, maybe more so. The Angels are currently fourth on ESPN’s power rankings, but have been higher than that for most of the second half of the season. An yet the story of the year seems to be the Yankees, Dodgers, and Cardinals. Yahoo Sports is really the only site that has given the Angels there fair share. Even so, I think Mike Scioscia and Angels prefer it that way. Without the spotlight the team can focus on the prize: another World Series.

Things to look for:

Kendry Morales has been in a major September slump, and in the last week he is hitting .138 with 12 stikeouts. He may have ruined his MVP chances, but look for him to try and gain some momentum for the playoffs.

Right now Scott Kazmir has the lead on a three way playoff rotation spot. Saunders had a rough last outing, so look for him to rebound tonight. There is still a chance Scioscia goes four deep, but it’s unlikely.

Pitching Match-ups:

Game 1: Saunders (13-7, 4.75 era) v. Pettitte (13-6, 4.14 era)

Game 2: Santana (7-8, 5.43 era) v. Gaudin (5-10, 4.81 era)

Game 3: Kazmir (9-8, 5.08 era) v. Burnett (11-9, 4.22 era)

Closer by committee seems to be Mike Scioscia’s temporary solution the end of game blunders that previously affected the Angels. Last night Scioscia brought in Kevin Jepsen to face the right hander, Jason Bay, and he struck him out. He then brought in Brian Fuentes to finish out the game. In addition Scioscia brought in Reggie Willits at the end of the game and kept him at left for Juan Rivera. Maybe a message?

The reason I say temporary solution is because Kevin Jepsen, or Jose Arredondo if he get out of this mental funk, will be the closer of the future. As we saw last night Jepsen came in and struck out probably the Red Sox best hitter with some nasty pitches, including a 98 mph fastball. Brian Fuentes just seems like a very good set-up guy. Not necessarily a closer.

In the end the Angels won. They defended, they pitched, and most of all they played aggressive. This could have something to do with Torii Hunter’s Comment that the teamed choked and they were playing nervous. He sure is a great addition to this team, isn’t he?

I don’t need to go through the history of the Angels losing to the Red Sox in the postseason. We all know it. For some reason when October rolls around, and the Red Sox show up to town they can’t be beat. So why is that?

In 2004, when the Red Sox came back from three games to none against the Yankees, Manny Ramirez was interviewed after game three and asked if he was worried. He said, “If we lose, we lose.” I addition, the Red Sox that year were always laughing and very loose. Nothing seemed to bother them. You wouldn’t think a curse even existed if you saw them in the locker room.

Mike Scioscia runs the Angels like a business. This has worked for him against ever other team in baseball except for the Red Sox in the postseason. When the Angels play the Red Sox it seems to be less of a business mindset and more of a stick up there ass. Our hitters never come through with runners in scoring position because, even though they won’t admit it, they are nervous.

Now this may seem very doom and gloom, but here is why I think this year will be different. We have confidence. Now that Torii Hunter is in his second year with the Angels, and Kendry Morales seems ready to hit anything, this year will be different. My friends will tell you I say that every year, but we’ll see. Like the Yankees, the Angels have a new fire, and if it is to be put out, I don’t think it will be the Red Sox.

Also, as we saw a little bit last year with Teixeira, but he was only here for two months so it didn’t really have a chance to take hold, we have plate discipline. Two of the top five walks leaders in the American League are on the Angels, Chone Figgins and Bobby Abreu. This is what the Red Sox have had over us in previous years. We make Daisuke Matsuzaka look like a god because we swing at everything, and he doesn’t throw strikes. We saw a glimpse of this last night, but I don’t think it will be a trend.

So again, if the curse is going to be broken, it will be this year. Lets hope.

- Tony C