So we are all pretty confident that the Angels are going to clinch the division during this series against the Rangers. Last year the team clinched the division with three weeks left in the season and the team became complacent. They lost there fire and weren’t ready for the, again, Red Sox.

This year winning the division would come with less than a week left in the season, and given what the Angels have gone through this year I doubt the leaders of this team will let them lose their fire. But this still leaves us with a final weekend series in a crowd-less Oakland Coliseum. So how should the Angels treat this final weekend?

Part of the success of the Red Sox has come with their “I’m not worried about it” mentality, but the Angels just aren’t this way. Many have called for the Angels adoption of this New England style, but that’s not are game.

In Rocky IV, because it’s always relevant, Rocky isolated himself with one thing on his mind, Drago! Vladdy should have a picture of Josh Beckett on his mirror, and Torii Hunter should be listening to “Hearts on Fire” on loop. Oakland will be the perfect place for the Angels to get their heads straight. In baseball, there is no better isolation than Oakland.

Focus, and keep your eye on the prize.

- Tony C

As Vladimir Guerrero returned from his second trip to the DL, it seemed as though his bat speed was just not up to par. As we have have learned time and time again, we really should just trust the expertise of the greatest coach in the league, Mike Scioscia. Mike Scioscia has insisted for two months now that Vladdy looks great in batting practice and he should come around any time now.

Tonight, we finally saw the Big Daddy of old, as he belted two home runs against Joe Maddon’s Rays, becoming the 45th player to hit 400 homeruns. In addition to Kendry Morales’s two home runs, the Angels were able to get back on track and returned to there winning ways. When Torii Hunter returns there is no telling what is in store for these High Flyin’ Angels.

By: Tony C

I know it is only one game, but this could be the beginning of Vlad’s turnaround. Tonight the Angels gave the Rockies their first series loss in a couple of weeks and Vladimir Guerrero went 2 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBI. The shaved head seemed to just have a delayed reaction, but it sure did work tonight.

We still may be lacking starting pitcher, and our relief pitching may not be up to par, but we have our MVP back. As I said last night, it was really only a matter of time. Vlad isn’t a fluke player, he is a potential hall of famer. As we saw with David Ortiz, these older players just need to make a few adjustments and they will be productive again.

This is the first step in a series of holes that need to be filled for the Angels, but it is sure something to be excited about.

-Tony C

As we all know Vladimir Guerrero has not been the Big Daddy Vladdy that we all know and love. However today he decided that was all going to change. At 3:45pm I was driving home from work, listening to The Drive on 830am only to hear Jeff Biggs announce the news of year. Vladimir Guerrero had shaved his head. The dreads are gone. He wasn’t happy with the status quo and was ready to turn his season around.

Unfortunately, Vlad’s shaved head did not turn his season around tonight as he went 0 for 4 with a strikeout. It did however snap the Angels 3 game losing streak and give the Colorado Rockies only their second loss in 19 games.

I was at the game tonight and Vlad seemed to striking the ball hard, but the swings just resulted in ground-outs. He will come around. He may not be the former MVP anymore but he has the will, the talent, and he is mostly healthy. It is only a matter of time before the ball exits the park.

Game Notes:

Sean O’Sullivan made his second solid start in a row and has been exactly what we needed right now.

Juan Rivera hit another home run to continue his great season.

-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: SD Dirk

As we all know, the Angels have had an incredible stream of bad luck to start the 2009 season.  This includes the tragic death of Nick Adenhardt, and the injuries of John Lackey, Ervin Santana, Vladimir Guerrero, Kelvim Escobar, and Dustin Moseley.  However, due to their incredible resilience, the coaching of Mike Scioscia, and a week division; the Angels have been able to remain above .500 and within a few games of the first place Texas Rangers.

Although it is amazing what the injury depleted Angels have been able to do, during the course of a long season, they will need some help.  The good news is the help is here.  Lackey and Santana are back in the rotation, Vlad is due back by the weekend after being sidelined for six weeks with a torn pectoral muscle, and Escobar is set to make a minor league rehab start at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga tonight against the Lake Elsinore Storm.  If all goes well, he will take Matt Palmer’s spot in the rotation.  However, if Palmer keeps pitching like he’s been (5-0 in 5 starts), Escobar will likely be used out of the bullpen when he returns.

With these welcomed returns and a starting rotation that consists of Lackey, Santana, Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders, and either Palmer or Escobar; there is no reason to think that the Angels won’t coast right into the playoffs.

By: Tony C