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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim enter this holiday season with a rather sizable wish list. Now they might be able to check off three items with one deft move.

On Thursday, left-handed relief pitcher Hisanori Takahashi agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal with the Halos. It was not the high-profile signing many are expecting, and media coverage of the deal is all but non-existent.

But make no mistake, this is as meaningful a signing in the short term as any deal the Angels will make this offseason.

Takashi is as versatile a reliever as they come, having shown the ability to start, fill the setup role and even close games when necessary. And all for less money than it took to lock up the limited and inconsistent Fernando Rodney.

A longtime veteran of the Japanese league, Takahashi made his major league debut last year with the New York Mets at the tender age of 35. He posted a rather average 4-4 record in 12 appearances as a starter with a below-average 5.01 ERA. Where he did his real damage was out of the bullpen.

In 57 1/3 innings of relief, he dominated to the tune of a 2.04 ERA. The Mets were so impressed with his work, they even used him as a closer when former Angel Francisco Rodriguez was injured. He converted all eight of his save opportunities.

Angels general manager Tony Reagins should be arrested for stealing this guy off the market.

Takahashi, first and foremost, fills the the left-handed void in the bullpen in Anaheim. His 0.59 ERA against lefties last season is a more-than-welcome sight to the Angels’ beleaguered relief corps, and his experience both here and abroad should rub off on young guys like Jordan Walden and Kevin Jepsen.

But the Angels also have questions at both the closer and No. 5 starter slots. Or at least, they had questions.

After the departure of closer Brian Fuentes, the previous token lefty reliever, setup man Fernando Rodney struggled mightily to find saves and now seems to have fallen out of favor with the coaching staff.

Walden and Jepsen could be the heirs apparent to anchor the back end of the ‘pen, but both lack the experience and neither has shown enough consistency to be handed a closer or setup role outright.

Takahashi, meanwhile, thrived in both roles last season, making him the ideal candidate to step up if the Angels fail to sign a closer or if his new teammates falter.

On the other hand, if the Angels do manage to find a new closer or the youngsters prove trustworthy in the late innings, his experience starting games means he can comfortably take over as the long-reliever and spot-starter.

That kind of protection alone makes this deal worthwhile.

As much as the Angels don’t like to admit it publicly, they know Scott Kazmir was a serious liability in an otherwise formidable starting rotation last season.

Whether it was the arm strain he suffered early on or a simple lack of confidence, he rarely made it through six innings successfully and was frequently hit hard early in games.

His history as a strikeout king and former ace has kept him in the rotation for now, and there is still some hope for a rebound in 2011. But if Kazmir can’t return to his old form quickly, he’ll find himself the new lefty specialist in the bullpen while Takahashi takes over every fifth day.

Most importantly, however, the acquisition of Takahashi provides strong support to what Angels owner Arte Moreno said when his team entered the offseason earlier than expected: he will do what is necessary to make this a winning club again.

Their first losing season in seven years left a bitter taste in a lot of mouths, but none more than Moreno, and he’s not afraid to do something about it.

The Angels needed a lefty reliever. They got it.

The Angels needed options at the closer and starter position. They got it.

Next on the list, the Angels need speed in the outfield and power at third base. They will get those too.

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In 2002, the Anaheim Angels won a thrilling seven-game series against the San Francisco Giants to capture their first World Series Championship.

In 2010, the Giants beat the Angels. No, not in the World Series, but rather back to it. In doing so, they also won a championship for the first time since moving out of New York.

Meanwhile, the now Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim finished the season with their first losing record in nearly a decade. Now they face a tumultuous offseason with plenty of work ahead of them.

General Manager Tony Reagins will have his hands and phone lines full trying to plug the holes of a ship on the verge of sinking into a sea of mediocrity. Most notably, he’ll be looking to patch up the leaks at closer, corner outfielder, and possibly third base.

Former Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Carl Crawford is rumored to be the favorite target of the Angels, though management has remained typically silent about any names floating around. And that’s fine, Crawford is a terrific player with game-changing speed, a great glove in the field, and a little pop in his bat.

But just because the Angels hail from Southern California doesn’t mean they should become starstruck with every big name that could potentially fill a need. Sometimes the lesser known players tossed in the bargain bin are really just struggling artists waiting for their big break.

Just look at the World Series champs.

The Giants managed to overcome giant opponents in both leagues, and with no true superstars in the lineup–save for a certain mop-topped pitcher.

Tim Lincecum mans a very important position, but only works once every five days. It was the rag-tag assembly of position players who shouldered the load and propelled their team to a championship.

Aubrey Huff suddenly lead the Giants in home runs and RBI. Juan Uribe was somehow sensational in place of Pablo Sandoval. Buster Posey didn’t even make the big club out of Spring Training.

At the trade deadline they failed to land a slugger like Dan Uggla, instead opting for aging veterans like Jose Guillen and Pat Burrell who couldn’t be traded away fast enough by their respective teams.

Not to mention, the transformation of Cody Ross from a no-name bench warmer for the Florida Marlins to a playoff monster and NLCS MVP.

Like the ’02 Angels who bested them before, the ’10 Giants put together a group of solid role-players with a little experience and a scrappy determination to never give up.

Now it’s the Angels’ turn to replace the halo that once donned that World Series trophy, and they don’t need Cliff Lee or Adrian Beltre to do it.

What about Pedro Feliciano? What about Uribe? What about players who don’t cost an arm and a draft pick to sign?

Don’t get me wrong, Crawford is on my wish list this holiday season, but his inclusion is unique. I’d also love Rafael Soriano and a 50-inch flat screen too, but it doesn’t mean I need them.

We’re in a recession, after all. The Angels should be looking at getting the best value for their money.

Throwing an exorbitant contract at an inconsistent run-producer like Beltre while surrendering two top-flight draft picks on both Crawford and Soriano is not smart holiday shopping.

Instead, let’s shop around a little and find those deals that richer consumers like the Yankees pass up and poorer souls like the Royals only dream about.

The Angels’ path to the promised land once ran through the Giants. Now, it runs parallel.  

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The 2010 MLB postseason has been defined by a few old faces and a whole lot of new ones. The regular season awards voting should follow the same trend.

Veterans like Roy Halladay, C.C. Sabathia, and Albert Pujols are sure to garner the attention of some voters, but a yet-unheralded group of youngsters is likely to steal many of the accolades the way they stole the show in the regular season.

One of those youngsters is Peter Bourjos.

The 23-year-old outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is one of the brightest young stars the game had to offer this season and is in every way deserving of his first Gold Glove award.

How good is he? In his major league debut, Bourjos replaced Torii Hunter, the reigning nine-time Gold Glove center fielder, forcing him to permanently shift to right field.

Bourjos’ defense was nothing short of outstanding, and much of it came as a direct result of his incredible speed. His lone error in 51 games at the big league level came when he overran a ball most outfielders would never have reached in the first place.

Carl Crawford, Brett Gardener, Juan Pierre – none have anything on Bourjos’ fleet feet.

And speed is just the beginning. Bourjos also displayed an arm that is as strong as it is accurate.

The Angels as a team lead the majors in outfield assists with 16. Bourjos had 10 of those, throwing out more base runners by himself than 18 of the 30 teams in baseball. Again, in just 51 games.

However, there are those who will see Bourjos’ limited playing time as a vice rather than the virtue it should be. With fewer opportunities to prove his worth, players like Crawford, Ichiro Suzuki, Josh Hamilton, and Nelson Cruz will get more attention from voters.

But games played isn’t always a determining factor in handing out awards, least of all the Gold Glove. Let’s not forget Rafael Palmeiro, who’s Midas mitt in 1999 came after appearing in just 28 games at first base.

As is the case with so many Gold Gloves handed out, Palmeiro’s defensive award was more likely a result of his offensive statistics. And it is here that Bourjos is lacking.

A .204 average in 181 big league at-bats won’t jump out at any voters, no matter the award.

Perhaps, though, we are on the cusp of major changes in major league award voting. Just look at the American League Cy Young debate.

Zack Greinke tied the record for fewest wins from a Cy Young winner (16) in 2009 and this year, Felix Hernandez could set a new all-time low. Despite winning 12 games, there is an enormous groundswell of support for the Mariners ace who finished second in strikeouts and lead in nearly every other major pitching category.

If the honor of best pitcher can be bestowed on a man who headed up a last place team and lost nearly as many games as he won, surely Bourjos can overcome the “mid-season call-up” label and earn his rightful place among the game’s best fielders.

Ichiro is a lock to repeat as a Gold Glove winner, but the other two spots are still up for grabs at this point.

By virtue of Bourjos replacing him, Hunter will certainly be left out for the first time in a decade, leaving the remaining gloves to be spread between Hamilton, Crawford, Gardener, possibly B.J. Upton, and, with a little luck, Bourjos himself.

A new era is dawning in baseball. The stars of old are starting to fade and new ones have begun to shine in their place. Elvis Andrus is better than Derek Jeter. Matt Cain can outduel Roy Oswalt.

And Peter Bourjos is faster, stronger, and more accurate than nearly every one of his peers.

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Mike Napoli struck out in Monday’s 2-1 victory over the Oakland A’s. It was the final game at Angels Stadium in 2010.

And it might have been Napoli‘s final strikeout as an Angel.

Last month, Napoli was among a flock of Angels to be placed on waivers and was one of the few to be claimed. The Boston Red Sox were ultimately unable to win their claim, but the fact remains: Napoli is wanted, just not by the Angels.

As I pointed out in a previous article, the Angels are short on power but not on catchers or first basemen, and while Nap has shown surprising versatility in both positions, he is no sure thing at either.

What that versatility does do is add to his league-wide appeal, which has only increased this season along with his career highs in home runs (26) and RBI (68). Give him 500-600 at-bats and there is no reason he can’t hit 30 homers and 90-100 RBI.

Last winter, Napoli was rumored to be a key piece in a potential deal that would’ve landed Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Jays were in need of a power bat behind the plate, as well as a solid shortstop and a replacement starter in the rotation—allegedly Erick Aybar and Joe Saunders would’ve satisfied their needs.

For whatever reason, the Angels felt hamstrung by the deal and the Jays eventually found their backstop in 2010 All-Star John Buck. But power-hitting catchers are still a rare breed and Napoli should be a hot commodity on this year’s trade market.

The Red Sox were the first team to make their interest public by placing the claim back in August and their tastes likely haven’t changed. Victor Martinez is locked in negotiations for an extension with Boston, but the scuttlebutt around the league seems to be that V-Mart is on his way out, possibly to another AL or NL East team.

If so, the Angels’ worst postseason nemesis could become their newest trade partner.

L.A.’s farm system is somewhat depleted as a result of mid-season acquisitions between this year and last. This year alone, six minor leaguers switched uni’s in return for Alberto Callaspo and Dan Haren. Any deal for Napoli would likely net more Boston farmhands than major leauge-ready starters.

And if you’re going to deal present-day talent for the on-the-horizon variety, Boston is a good partner to have. Perennial all-star Hanley Ramirez began his career with the Sawks before being dealt to Florida for Josh Beckett.

Speaking of Florida, while all the focus will probably surround the Red Sox with regard to a Napoli deal this offseason, the Marlins are my sleeper team to snatch him off the market.

The fish have already made their desire for a new catcher known and several names, including Martinez, are rumored to have passed through the GM’s office more than once. But Napoli might just be a perfect fit in Miami.

A Hollywood, Florida native, Nap played high school ball just a stone’s throw away from both the Marlins’ current and future ballparks. His hometown hero status, along with his power and versatility, could go a long way toward filling those notoriously empty seats by pushing Florida back into NL East contention.

The deal I’d most like to see go down would include another Florida boy—second baseman Howard Kendrick.

The once-shining star of the Angels’ minor league system has yet to find consistency in the majors. He hit .322 in his rookie season before struggling with injuries the next two years. Last year, he started off so poorly he was sent back to Triple-A for a month before returning to hit .357 down the stretch.

This season has been a mixed bag for Kendrick, at times good and at others highly disappointing. The youngster still has plenty of room to grow though, whether in Anaheim or Miami.

Packaging his offensive potential and improved defense with Napoli‘s defensive potential and big bat could net an impressive return for the Angels.

I’m thinking Dan Uggla.

His negotiations with the Marlins aren’t progressing as quickly as some thought, and the teams’ attempts to shop him to contenders this season were no secret.

If Florida is still interested in moving the slugger, a young replacement with all the talent in the world and a power-hitting catcher would be a nice return for them as well. Meanwhile, the Angels still have three catchers on their roster without Nap, and more infielders than they know what to do with at this point.

Giving some of these youngsters like Hank Conger and Bobby Wilson room to grow, while adding a known quantity like Uggla to the middle of that lineup, would do as much to improving this ball club as inserting Carl Crawford in left field.

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Mike Napoli will be traded this offseason. There is no question about it.

As paradoxical as it seems, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a team severely lacking in power and RBI production this year, are headed down an inevitable and potentially dangerous path toward trading their current team leader in home runs.

Last month, the Angels’ catcher/first baseman was placed on waivers and eventually claimed by the Boston Red Sox. The move in itself is hardly meaningful. Angels General Manager Tony Reagins said nearly every player on the roster was placed on waivers.

The Red Sox claim ultimately proved fruitless as well. The two sides were said to be in negotiations briefly, and the Angels declined Boston’s offer, as predicted.

What’s important to take away from this scenario is the intent behind the Angels’ actions.

Often times, teams will put players they have no intention of trading on waivers as a means to gauge the league’s interest in them. If a player is claimed, both teams must come to some mutual agreement on a swap before the player is offered to another team or is pulled off waivers altogether.

The Angels, however, seemed to have a plan in mind when they dangled Napoli to the rest of the league. Not only did they want to see what teams—particularly contenders—would offer for him, they wanted the league to know he is available to the highest bidder.

Reagins didn’t plan on trading Napoli in August, but you can bet the slugger won’t be donning a halo come April.

The catcher’s troubles started in Spring Training this year, when he lost the starting job to his good buddy Jeff Mathis, despite a terrific month of March in which he lead the majors in home runs.

Napoli griped about his new bench assignment until an injury to Mathis allowed him to reclaim his spot behind the dish. A much more devastating injury to the Angels’ phenomenal first baseman Kendry Morales gave Nap the opportunity to play every day, and overall he’s done well.

His batting average is down this season, almost 30 points from a year ago, but he’s already set new career highs in home runs (24) and RBI (65) with his added playing time.

The Angels are having a season to forget, but it could’ve been much worse had they not been able to pluck Napoli from the depth chart.

The problem is, they don’t need him anymore.

At first base, Morales is expected to make a full recovery and should return to playing form by spring, bringing with him a massive power threat in the middle of the lineup and a morale booster in the clubhouse.

Napoli could be a useful backup at first, but we’ve already seen how well he takes to that role. The last thing the Angels need is another grumpy face in the dugout who whines to the press about his playing time. Gary Matthews, Jr. was enough.

Besides which, the Angels already have a suitable backup at first. In fact, they have two.

The veteran Kevin Frandsen was terrific in his time with the big club, batting well over .300 for much of that time, and filling in nicely at both first and third. Mark Trumbo, the Angels’ powerful minor league first baseman, is also going to get a good look this spring.

Trumbo‘s first major league at-bat didn’t go quite like he probably had hoped (he struck out on three pitches), but if can bring some of that Salt Lake swagger to Anaheim, he’ll get plenty more chances.

Napoli is also in the middle of a logjam at the catching position. Aside from Mathis, who had already beat him out for the starting gig, youngsters Bobby Wilson and Hank Conger are quickly on the rise.

Angels Manager Mike Scioscia still likes Mathis for his defense, but no team can support a sub .200 hitter, no matter his other assets. Wilson, on the other hand, has more home runs, nearly as many RBI, and is hitting for a higher average than Mathis, and is doing it all in almost 100 fewer at-bats.

Conger, like Trumbo, made his major league debut this season and, also like Trumbo, it could’ve gone a little better. But striking out on four pitches won’t be the sum total of his big league career and if he can show some improvement in Spring Training, look for him to at least be an early season call-up.

With all of that in mind, the Angels will have a hard time fitting Napoli into their 2011 plans. As the saying goes, though, “have bat, will travel.” And with his potential to hit 30 home runs a year on the market, teams will be lining up to offer major and minor league compensation for his services.

Napoli‘s days in this league are far from numbered, but his time with the Angels is running out.

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This week, I went to my first Angels game in almost two months and for a number of reasons, the trip was surprisingly difficult.

First of all, despite the fact that Los Angeles is listed first in its formal name, the team still resides in Anaheim. It’s a fun little town in north Orange County, but it is hardly convenient to me in my suburban home in Temecula.

There is no direct path to the stadium from where I reside, leaving two opposing routes that either force me to make a giant loop north or a giant loop south. Both involve multiple freeways, on-ramps, and exits, and each offers its own unique set pros and cons to weigh.

Not mention, southern California’s legendary rush hour traffic, which arrives just in time for most 7 p.m. starts.

Normally, these are minor speed bumps for die-hard fans like myself who would brave any peril for the thrill of seeing their sporting heroes up close and personal.

But this season, dodging reckless drivers and fighting back road rage only adds to the torment that is watching Angel baseball.

As we approach September and the final stretch run toward the playoffs, the Angels sit a whopping 10 games back in the AL West, mired in third place behind the division-leading Texas Rangers and the surprisingly decent Oakland A’s.

Now, facing an uphill climb in the final weeks of the 2010 season is not exactly an unexpected position for the Halos. I, along with many other baseball, correctly predicted the Rangers would have a breakout season and become the No. 1 contenders to claim the division crown.

That said, this wild west brawl was supposed to be a shoot-out at the Big A corral. Instead, the Angels look too weak to even lift their six-shooter.

Their 10-game deficit in the division is the furthest back they’ve been since 2003 and for the first time since that season, they risk finishing the year with a losing record.

But it’s not the losses that make this squad so frustrating to watch.

It’s the sad fact that there is simply no positive aspect to the Angels’ game. Not one area could you point to and say, “well at least they’re doing that right.”

For the most part, the starting pitching has failed to live up to the standard set in recent years, the bullpen is shaky and unreliable, the defense has all but disappeared with the exception of Peter Bourjos in center field, and the bats are quieter than a nun on Sunday.

Plenty of teams around the league have struggled to compete in the standings but still manage to be exciting on the field. The Milwaukee Brewers are playing sub-.500 ball once again, and yet players like Corey Hart, Prince Fielder, and Ryan Braun continue to draw fans in.

The San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies are both fighting for their playoff lives in the NL West and NL Wild Card, and while there are certain aspects of each team that must infuriate their fans, they still have a captivating show to look forward to every night.

As Angel fans, what do we have to look forward to?

Perhaps we’ve become spoiled in the last decade. Six postseason appearances, five division titles—including the last three in a row—and a World Series title have washed away the years of mediocrity and worse that preceded them.

Throughout the 1990’s, Angel Stadium routinely housed meager crowds during the week, usually no more than 15,000 or so. On the weekends, attendance would shoot up when the extremely casual fan-base at the time saw taking in a game as an interesting social activity for a Friday night.

Following the ’02 championship season, however, the Angels pack in 3-4 million fans every year, often ranking second or third in the majors in attendance.And the team always made it worth our while.

This year, and particularly this point in the year, there is little if anything to be excited about anymore.

Heading into the game this week, the second of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, I hoped for the best, but I fully expected the worst. And I got it.

Awful starting pitching from Ervin Santana who allowed six runs, a miserable effort from a relief corps. that combined to give up four more runs, another non-existent offense that managed to produce just three runs while leaving 12 men on base, and a defensive breakdown on the infield like I’ve never seen.

True to my die-hard roots, I sat and suffered through all nine blowout innings. Not that it was easy.

On the way to the car, my family and I briefly discussed the embarrassment we had just witnessed, if only just to get it out of the way. The pitiful effort, and season, was the elephant in the room and it had to be acknowledged.

But the conversation quickly to turned to more appealing sports fare. Football season is almost here, and while I’ll always choose baseball first, I’m looking forward to a distraction from the heartbreaking season here in Anaheim.

Besides, there’s always next year.

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Like a kid finding socks beneath the brightly colored wrapping paper on Christmas morning, Angels fans once again felt short-changed on Saturday after baseball’s trade deadline passed.

Since 2005, it seems Los Angeles has been in the market for another big bat to bolster their lineup. Only once did they succeed.

In 2008, Tony Reagins made a splash in his first year as general manager when he landed the highly prized Mark Teixeira for first baseman Casey Kotchman and a minor league pitcher.

The move was seen as a bold step, not to make the playoffs, but to get deeper into them.

At the time of the acquisition, the Angels were already 10 games up in the AL West.

This year, they are eight games back of the Texas Rangers, perhaps the reason for their unwillingness to do what it takes to bring another Teixeira into the mix.

Because, although Tex himself was not on the block this year, there was certainly no shortage power-hitting, game-changing names out there, ripe for the plucking.

Before we examine the trades this team could have or should have made, it must be said that one guy is not all that’s missing from the Angels’ lineup.

Bobby Abreu, Hideki Matsui, Juan Rivera, and Jeff Mathis all have to step up at the plate before the Angels can hope to make the playoffs.

Still, the threat of a little pop in the batting order couldn’t hurt.

It also should be noted that Reagins did come through with a big trade before the deadline, swapping Joe Saunders for Dan Haren. He’s a tremendous addition to the rotation and has a career batting average over .300.

Too bad pitchers in the American League don’t hit.

With that, I give you the top five trades the Angels failed to make at the 2010 MLB trade deadline.

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July is an early month to give up on a team like the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but Tuesday night’s lackluster performance may have been the final nail in this season’s coffin.

The Angels scored just two runs against John Lackey and the Boston Red Sox, the second consecutive game they failed to score less than three.

In fact, in July alone, the Angels have scored four runs or more only eight times in 23 contests, contributing to a miserable 8-15 record this month and an 8½ game deficit in the AL West.

Prior to that, the Angels had averaged close to six runs per game in the month of June and remained competitive after a slow start to the season. But after all the hard work it took to claw their way back to respectability, they now stand just one game over .500.

Now, every team goes through its peaks and valleys in a given season. It’s difficult for any player or squad to maintain a consistently high level of play over the course of 162 games.

But unfortunately, the Angels have timed their downfall rather poorly.

While they suffer in the midst of a prolonged slump made of spotty pitching, sluggish defense, and inconsistent offense, the division-leading Texas Rangers continue to surge forward, putting miles of ground between themselves and their divisional rivals.

What’s more, the inverse paths of these two teams have given the Angels a problem no outside force can solve.

Where once it looked like the addition of another heavy hitter in the lineup would make the Angels contenders again, it now looks like they are too far back for any bat acquired in a trade to make a significant impact.

This is because the problem is not the lack of one guy, but rather the missing production of several.

Despite Bobby Abreu’s two home runs against the Red Sox this week, he is still batting .210 in July and has only five RBI in his last 10 games.

Hideki Matsui’s magical playoff run for the New York Yankees last season that culminated in a World Series MVP may have been the last violent flicker of a candle that’s all but burned out. His .253 average is not what the Angels had in mind with they gave him a one-year deal this offseason.

Juan Rivera is starting to emerge from his season-long slump and heat up here in the second half, as is his MO. Still, he is far from the consistent power threat this team needs him to be.

In the infield, Alberto Callaspo has yet to adjust to his new old surroundings, while Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar are swinging well below their capabilities.

As a whole, the Angels struggle like mad to find hits with men in scoring position, produce extra-base hits, get runners in motion with stolen bases and hit-and-run plays, or show any confidence whatsoever at the plate when trailing late in games.

Only Torii Hunter continues to be a reliable source of offense, and even he is starting to show signs of frustration at the plate, arguing with umps as he watches called strike threes go by.

Surely, his knees are buckling under the full weight of the team he carries on his back.

Meanwhile, Manager Mike Scioscia stubbornly clings to the notion that the run-on-contact play—where the runner on third with less than two outs breaks for the plate when the batter makes contact with the ball—is still a good idea with the infield pulled in.

Ridiculous. Because if the ball gets through the defense for a base hit, the runner can practically walk home. But if the ball is hit at an infielder, the runner is a dead duck at the plate, just as Rivera was on Tuesday.

And now it seems the Angels’ disturbing lack of offense is finally starting to affect their defense. There is simply no other excuse for talented veterans and brilliant youngsters to play as poorly as this.

Abreu and Rivera, age aside, have no business stumbling around the outfield like rookies playing out of position. The infielders aren’t immune either, making spectacular grabs but still faltering where teamwork is involved.

Even Kendrick, who has improved his defense by leaps and bounds at second base, still manages to commit mental errors like the one on Tuesday, when he threw a ball to no one in particular and resulted in a run for Boston.

These kinds of weak errors, this frightened and anemic offense, not to mention the unaccountable bullpen—they aren’t just costing the Angels games, they’re costing the season.

And they’re not the kind of issues that a Ty Wigginton, a Jorge Cantu, or even an Adam Dunn can help this team address.

At this point, the Angels are a sinking ship and one more bucket, no matter the size, just isn’t going to do much to bail them out.

General Manager Tony Reagins has already pulled off his annual big-time trade and he may well have a few more calls to make before Saturday’s trade deadline.

But if he hopes to save his team from the nightmare of a lost season in July, the call must come from inside the house.

Scioscia lit a fire under his team last season when the Angels were scuffling at the .500 mark in mid-June, threatening to send each and every man down to the minors if something didn’t change.

The Angels finished the season with 97 wins and a franchise record for runs scored.

This year, the motivation might be too little too late, but it must come all the same.

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On Thursday, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim acquired Kansas City Royals infielder, and former Angel farmhand, Alberto Callaspo.

So?

For months, Angels fans sat fidgeting in front of computer monitors and television screens, desperate for news that their team pulled off some sort of trade to make up for the loss of Kendry Morales, to make up for the failure of Brandon Wood, or just to make up ground on the Texas Rangers.

It didn’t matter, as long as the organization showed some interest in its own future.

But this move is far from what most expected, and even further from what they had hoped.

Callaspo is basically a light-hitting utility infielder with good speed, a decent glove, and a little pop. Any Angel fan worth his salt could name three guys like that on the current roster, and at least two more in the minors.

What’s most perplexing is that there is certainly no shortage of holes on the big club’s roster, but Callaspo doesn’t fill any of them.

The Angels still need an everyday catcher who can hit better than .230, established corner infielders who bring consistent power to the lineup, younger corner outfielders with solid gloves and better bats, and at least one reliable reliever who doesn’t put the game in doubt when he picks up the ball.

The Callaspo trade addresses none of those issues.

His .275 batting average this season is no mind-blowing statistic. His whopping eight home runs and 43 RBI are nice, but not overwhelming. He’s good, but not great.

And he’s no vast improvement over Maicer Izturis.

The silky smooth infielder, who was recently reactivated by the Angels, is good for nearly identical offensive numbers to Callaspo, not to mention his knack for getting hits in key situations.

So why make the trade?

Sure, the Angels didn’t give up much in return. Right-hander Sean O’Sullivan, the centerpiece in L.A.’s offer, had a strong showing against the Yankees on Wednesday but isn’t exactly a can’t-miss prospect, and minor leaguer Will Smith has wracked up a 7.00-plus ERA in Double-A this year.

Some posit that the Angels are simply trying to build depth in their infield. Izturis is somewhat injury prone, already spending more than a month on the disabled list in 2010, and Erick Aybar has had his share of ailments as well.

But Kevin Frandsen and, yes, even Wood, already fill those backup roles. They might not be the greatest bench players in the league—particularly Wood—but again, infield depth isn’t a pressing issue for the Angels right now.

Which means either General Manager Tony Reagins has no clue what he’s doing, or he’s gearing up for a much bigger trade down the line.

The Angels have very few players to sweeten any deal for potential trade partners. One rival scout was quoted as saying that L.A.’s minor league cupboard is bare. Teams don’t want to buy what we have to sell.

But the acquisition of Callaspo gives the Angels four solid middle and left-side infielders, plus the two aforementioned backups. That’s six guys for three positions (second base, third base, and shortstop).

Or as I like to call them, trade pieces.

Write it down: The Angels are not done yet. Not in the divisional race, and not in the trade market.

Callaspo to Anaheim sets up big things for this team as it enters a lengthy set of games against the division-leading Rangers.

The future of the AL West could be decided this week, both on the field and off.

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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim stand at a very precarious spot in the season.

At 46-41, just slightly past the halfway point and 5 1/2 games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers, they must make a decision: give up and tough it out with the players they have, or make a move and wrest back control of a division they’ve owned for the better part of a decade.

The Angels are in a bad spot right now, particularly where their offense is concerned. In the last seven games, they’ve gone 2-5 and have scored more than two runs only once, thanks to a seven-RBI day from the team’s only consistent player, Torii Hunter.

That was also the last game in which any Angel hit a home run.

How did they ever win two?

After securing a key series victory over the Rangers, it looked as though the Angels were back on track and headed in the right direction.

The starting pitching slowly came around, the patchwork infield was starting to mesh, and even the bullpen hadn’t blown any leads in awhile.

Since then, however, it’s been a steady downhill slide. Errors, poor pitching—especially from the relievers—and a stagnant offense like we haven’t seen from this team in years, have all joined forces to put the 2010 season in serious jeopardy.

Because, well, where do you go from here? The Angels are certainly not out of contention by any means. After all, it’s only July. Even the Baltimore Orioles have a shot to make the postseason.

Technically.

But the ways in which the Angels can turn the season around right now are few and far between. It is more likely they will make their big moves in the offseason, when guys like Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford hit the free-agent market.

Still, the Angels can’t be content to trudge along with what they have in the meantime. Paul McAnulty, Cory Aldridge, Robb Quinlan, Brandon Wood, Reggie Willits—these are not intimidating names in any lineup.

Couple that with the dismal slumps of supposed run-producers like Hideki Matsui, Juan Rivera, and Bobby Abreu and the Angels aren’t going anywhere this season. Not without a little outside help.

Over the last month, the rumor mill has been buzzing around the Big A pretty loudly. Paul Konerko was surely going to be the next Angel. Then it was Adam LaRoche and Hank Blalock. Last week, Adam Dunn was all but a lock in Anaheim.

This week, the rumors have faded and the buzzing silenced. The only sound around the Big A now is the soft echo of brooms sweeping up in preparation for the coming All-Star festivities.

This can only mean one thing: Tony Reagins is making calls instead of just taking them.

L.A. has always been a tight-lipped organization, jealously guarding its hand like Doyle Brunson at a no-limit hold ’em table. Sure, sometimes a card or two gets spotted by some enterprising reporter or MLB insider.

But when the chips are down and the season hangs in the balance, the Angels clam up.

If that’s the case here, then the Angels have to be addressing at least one of the holes on their team and the most glaring one of all is the offense. The bullpen certainly needs help, but fewer options are available there than at the plate.

The Baltimore Orioles have already hung the “For Sale” sign on the 2010 season and are making available pretty much everyone not named Adam Jones. Ty Wigginton or Miguel Tejada would make fine additions in Anaheim.

The Houston Astros, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, and Milwaukee Brewers are all on the verge of doing the same thing. Each has at least one player the Angels could reasonably deal for.

Even the Boston Red Sox could be willing to deal Victor Martinez if the price is right. The once-mighty BoSox have been bitten by the injury bug this season and are in desperate need of fresh bodies in the field.

If the Angels do make a move, it likely won’t come until after the All-Star break, which should give them just enough time to consider their options as they stand at the precipice of a season that could be very good, or very bad.

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