Kuzul

California’s upcoming gubernatorial election is about as bleak as the state’s financial funk. It’s time we made a change.

This state deserves a governor we can believe in, someone who knows how to convince the public of even the most obvious lies and keep a straight face while delivering them.

Someone like Mike Scioscia.

The manager of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is the perfect candidate to be California’s next governor. In the first place, it’s not as if he’s got any real competition from the rest of the so-called political candidates out there.

On the right, two miserable shills are locked in a heated battle to convince voters that each is slightly less liberal than the other. One Republican candidate, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, claims she wants to simultaneously cut spending and fix the education system.

Because those ideas aren’t mutually exclusive or anything.

On the left, lone Democratic candidate Jerry Brown has been so invisible in the campaign that the only time his name is mentioned is in Republican attack ads. Pathetic.

Scioscia, on the other hand, has all the earmarks of a successful politician. He is a highly recognizable figure, a man who is in the public eye on a nightly basis and can handle the press with effortless style.

Not to mention, he has the uncanny ability to don a warm smile and deliver a blatant fabrication. Perhaps his greatest political asset.

Take this week, for instance. On Tuesday, Scioscia’s Angels sat a precarious 4 ½ games back of the division-leading Texas Rangers, who just happened to stop by for a highly anticipated three-game series.

To everyone else, both on and off the field, this series looked like kind of a big deal. But not Sosh.

“This season, this division, isn’t won or lost right now,” he said, without so much as a hint of sarcasm. “You have to keep hopefully playing good baseball and moving forward. We know [the Rangers] are a good team, we know what our capabilities are.”

Brilliant. In one swift turn of phrase, Scioscia managed to take a completely irrelevant fact—that the season does not hinge on one series played in June—and make it the centerpiece of his answer.

Of course this series won’t ultimately decide the future of the Angels’ season, or the Rangers’ for that matter. But it could very well be the turning point in the season for these two teams.

The Angels were swept in a brief two-game set in Texas back in May and have taken a few steps backward in the division with the Rangers’ recent surge, despite L.A.’s improved performance. Although that’s not the term Scioscia would use.

“I don’t know, improved seems to me there’s a lot of changes,” Scioscia said. “There haven’t been a lot of changes other than obviously Kendry’s not going to be able to play.

“I think from top to bottom, we are playing at a higher level, and I think that’s more indicative of what we feel the talent-level is on our team than I think when we saw these guys last month.”

It’s true, guys like Kevin Frandsen and Howie Kendrick did a lot to carry the Angels to an 18-9 record in the month of June, with series victories over teams like Seattle, Oakland, Los Angeles, and Colorado.

The key now will be to carry over that success into a tough July schedule that includes New York, Boston, and yes, Texas.

If they want to have any confidence whatsoever going forward this month and this season, the Angels need a series victory here at home against their division-leading Rangers.

The series is not going to make or break the year, but it will set the tone for future encounters between the two teams.

Unless you talk to Scioscia, who will tell you this is “no bigger than any other game or series you’re going to have during the season.”

Right. And the plan to fix the education system in California will in no way be hindered by proposed massive spending cuts.

Meg Whitman, you don’t stand a chance.

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Garret Anderson just finished what will likely be his final trip to Anaheim—and his first

as a member of the visiting team. But a new G.A. could be waiting just over the horizon.

With the Baltimore Orioles’ acquisition of Jake Fox from the Oakland A’s this week, Garrett Atkins will be in line to join a new team very soon.

And the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have need of a power-hitting corner infielder.

The A’s-O’s swap has all but sealed Atkins’ fate, destined to be designated for assignment by the worst team in the majors. His .219 average with one home run and nine RBI in 137 at-bats might have something to do with that.

It might not be a match made in heaven, but the Angels still have use for a guy like Atkins.

The former UC Irvine Anteater can play both corner infield positions, where the Angels would like a little stability. Not to mention a little power.

The left side of the Angels’ infield in particular has been an unfortunate mess.

First, it was Brandon Wood, who couldn’t hit a beach ball with a tennis racket. His replacement, Maicer Izturis, was playing admirably until a left forearm strain put him on the 15-day disabled list.

Over on the right side, the primary source of run production for the Angels was lost for the year when Kendry Morales broke his leg, ironically in celebration of a walk-off grand slam.

Since then, the daily lineup around the horn has been a mixed bag of subs and guys playing out of position. Oh, and Wood, who is only on the field because the Angels literally have no other option.

Atkins could help alleviate some of these issues. Particularly, the Angels’ infield power outage.

Despite his poor showing at the plate this year, Atkins spent seven terrific years with the Colorado Rockies and is still batting .285 for his career, while averaging 20 home runs and 97 RBI per season.

The Angels, meanwhile, have four total home runs from their four third baseman this year. Izturis and Wood both have two.

Robb Quinlan and Kevin Frandsen are still looking for their firsts, though that hasn’t discouraged Frandsen at the plate—he is hitting .354 coming into Friday night’s contest.

Over at first, Mike Napoli is tied for the team lead with 12 big flies, but the career catcher is playing well out of position, and although he seems to be getting better on defense, a little backup never hurt anyone.

Atkins could easily easily provide that, spelling both Frandsen and Napoli on defense, giving Hideki Matsui a break at DH, and inserting a veteran presence into the Angels’ patchwork lineup.

Best of all, Atkins’ numbers this season, coupled with the fact that he is on a miserable team, all but guarantee a low asking price from Baltimore, a point that could hinder trades the Angels might otherwise pursue.

Ty Wigginton, another Orioles infielder, is also being shopped this month. But Baltimore has already asked for a young shortstop in return, a hefty price tag for many teams but not entirely unreasonable given Wigginton’s performance this season.

Over in Chicago, Paul Konerko is also swinging the bat surprisingly well, and with his White Sox climbing back into contention in their division, it would likely cost far more than the Angels are willing to pay to retain his services.

Angels general manager Tony Reagins and his predecessor, current team adviser Bill Stoneman, have never been the type to mortgage the future for a shot at success in the present.

Guys like Wigginton and Konerko, as well as other trade targets like Lance Berkman and Adam LaRoche, would cost at least a couple of top-flight prospects to help rebuild their respective franchises.

But not Atkins.

Once he hits the waiver wire, the Angels could easily pick him for a lesser-known prospect or two without risking bigger names like Mark Trumbo or Hank Conger.

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There has been no easier out for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in recent memory than Brandon Wood.

His abysmal campaign of striking out, popping out, and failing to provide any degree of meaningful offense is no less a hindrance to the Angels’ success than a brick wall between third base and home.

In 125 at-bats this season, Wood has hit .152 with two home runs, one double, seven RBI, and a whopping 36 strikeouts.

He was placed on the 15-day disabled list May 25, more likely due to his distinct inability to produce at the plate than his purported strained hip flexor.

After a week’s rest and recuperation, he marched out to the minors on a brief rehab stint to test his body—and his mind.

But Triple-A was no kinder to the troubled third baseman.

A career .284 hitter in the minors, Wood batted nearly 100 points below that mark in 13 games with the Salt Lake Bees. He managed just one home run in 51 at-bats, 17 of which resulted in strikeouts.

However, despite his failure to improve his performance at any level, the Angels were forced to make a decision on Wood’s future this week. Players on the DL can only spend a maximum of 20 games in the minors before their big league clubs must either call them up or re-evaluate their injured status.

Wood was called up.

He avoided striking out in his return to the Angels’ lineup Tuesday, but his offensive production was just as limited, grounding out weakly twice and flying out to center.

He has not given the Angels any reason to keep him around and at this point there’s no reason to expect that he ever will.

Wood has had ample opportunities to prove his worth in the big leagues, and so far all he’s proved is he doesn’t belong.

It’s time to make a change. Particularly in light of Kendry Morales’s devastating injury.

When the Angels stud first baseman broke his leg and ended his season, manager Mike Scioscia told the press his team would not settle for a mercenary to stand in for the next three months.

Instead, he and general manager Tony Reagins will look for a player to help out beyond this season.

Read: Someone who can fill in at first this year and take over third in the future.

As Scioscia clearly stated, this team will not settle for a player who’s impact only extends to the offseason. The Angels are on the hunt for a versatile infielder with some pop in his bat and an adequate glove.

Kevin Frandsen (.377), Mike Napoli (.249), Maicer Izturis (.233), and Michael Ryan (.205) have all played the substitute role at both corners with aplomb, but none has been able to lock down their respective spots for the foreseeable future.

Frandsen has exhibited no power whatsoever and his defense is highly suspect anywhere he plays. Napoli’s streaky hitting and inexperience at first make him just as much of an asset as a liability.

Izturis is far more valuable when he can be moved around from position to position. And Ryan, well, he suffers from a little of each of the above symptoms.

With Wood back to the bigs, the Angels will almost certainly return to their nice-guy tactics, giving him every possible chance to break out of his funk and live up to the hype that’s surrounded him for so long.

But they are fooling themselves if they try the same approach and expect a new outcome.

Wood will fail as surely as the Angels are already thinking about replacing him.

And although the key to this organization has always been its ocean-like depth on the bench and in the minors, this year they just don’t have the pieces to cobble together another championship season.

If the Angels expect to contend this year, both in the division and in the playoffs, they must add depth.

To do that, they must first eliminate Wood’s shallow reservoir of talent from their roster.

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Who’s on first? Who cares?

The timeless Abbott and Costello comedy bit about baseball has become a real-life drama for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Since Kendry Morales’ break heard ’round the world on May 29, fans and baseball pundits alike have wondered aloud in a unified voice: Now what are they going to do?

But the answer may not come as quickly as some have anticipated. And it may not be the one most would like.

Morales, the Angels’ rising superstar first baseman, was leading his team in batting average, home runs, and RBI before he broke his left leg celebrating a walk-off grand slam against the Seattle Mariners. He underwent season-ending surgery on Thursday.

Without their biggest offensive threat, the Angels looked dead in the water, a pitiful end to a struggle-filled season.

Except that it wasn’t.

In the wake of that devastating injury, new players have done a miraculous job filling the void and, incredibly, the team is playing its best baseball of the season without its best player.

Without Morales, the Angels are 8-3 with 81 runs scored in that time. Names like Mike Napoli, Robb Quinlan, and Michael Ryan have become synonymous with clutch-hitting and timely quality at-bats.

And don’t look for that to change any time soon, especially with Jeff Mathis’ imminent return to the lineup in the next week or so.

When that happens, he will likely resume his starting catcher duties, leaving Napoli and his big bat to take over at first base, with Bobby Wilson backing up both men.

That may not be the most threatening lineup in the league but it will suffice for the time being, and that’s really all the Angels need.

The question for this team isn’t “who’s on first,” but rather “who’s going to help us the most?”

The next three to four months will be tough without a significant threat like Morales to anchor the offense. However, as manager Mike Scioscia pointed out to the press this week, this team is not interested in a short-term rent-a-player.

The Angels already suffered through one of those when they acquired Mark Teixeira at the trade deadline in 2008, and the breakup after was messier than either side had hoped.

This time around, they’ll be looking for a player that can help in the future, and that means potentially addressing the other huge hole in their infield: third base.

Morales’ injury was a disaster, but Brandon Wood has been a catastrophe.

His sub-.200 average, non-existent power, and astonishingly high strikeout rate forced the Angels to place him on the 15-day DL in hopes that he just needed a little time to get his head right.

So far, nothing has changed.

Wood’s rehab stint in Triple-A is going about as well as his major league tryout this season. He’s not hitting, he’s not walking, he’s not even making contact with the ball.

At this rate, by Spring Training he’ll be milling around local beer leagues.

In the meantime, the Angels are stuck using subs to fill in at the hot corner. Kevin Frandsen and Maicer Izturis have both done well so far, but neither appears to be the third baseman of the future. Or even for the rest of this season.

Frandsen’s defense leaves much to be desired and Izturis, while smooth as silk in the field and clutch at the plate, is far more valuable as an everyday utility player, bouncing from position to position as the team sees fit.

To fill their needs, the Angels may try to kill two birds with one trade.

Despite the dynamic offense that Paul Konerko or Lance Berkman could bring to a roster, they are fairly limited on defense, solidly anchored to first base. That might be okay this season, but remember, the Angels are looking to the future.

Morales’ defense has improved by leaps and bounds and, barring any contractual power plays from agent Scott Boras, he will remain the Angels’ starting first baseman. It is unlikely the team will look to acquire anyone for him to compete with.

A guy like Mike Lowell probably fits better with what the Angels are trying to do.

His numbers aren’t too spectacular this season, most due to his limited and inconsistent at-bats, but he is still a highly coveted threat in the middle of any lineup and his glove is stellar at both first and third.

Of course, the Angels are not going to want to give away too much talent to a team they regularly face in the playoffs, a point that will certainly affect any future trade talks.

Still, something has to be done. And with the July 31 trade deadline slowly approaching, GM Tony Reagins will have to make his move soon. 

The only question is which corner of the infield he’ll move toward.

The Angels have been able to beat up on the weaker sisters of the league (Royals, Mariners, A’s) without their brightest star, but a replacement will have to be found before tougher competition risks turning the lights out on this season.

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Losing Kendry Morales was just about the worst thing that could have happened to the lackluster Los Angels of Anaheim.

Or, at least, that’s the way it seemed.

However, since Morales broke his leg celebrating his walk-off grand slam at home on May 29, the Angels have gone 5-1 with 37 runs scored.

More importantly, though, is that they’ve been included in numerous trade rumors as they look to add more power to the lineup―something that desperately needed to be done prior to their big slugger going down.

At the time of his injury, Morales lead the team in batting average, home runs, and RBI.

Even with their first baseman in the middle of the order, the anemic Angels still ranked right around the middle of the American League in nearly every major offensive category.

Now without his primary source of power and production in the lineup for the foreseeable future, General Manager Tony Reagins is searching high and low for a suitable replacement, someone who can get the job done but won’t butcher the position on defense or stick around long enough to cause a logjam at first.

At least for now, there are no such options in-house. Robb Quinlan is a nice utility guy, but can’t match the production Morales provided. The same could be said for Kevin Frandsen and Michael Ryan.

Mike Napoli is the most logical choice at the moment. With his bat finally starting to heat up, it will be important to keep him in the lineup as often as possible.

But his defensive abilities behind the plate are questionable enough, to say nothing of his lack of experience in the infield.

And speaking of lacking experience, Angels first base prospect Mark Trumbo is hitting well in Triple-A but has yet to make his major league debut, so it is unlikely he will be called upon to shepherd the big club through its sudden power outage.

A trade, then, is the only reasonable option left.

Several names have already been tossed around by various sources and while some have already been refuted, others remain intriguing possibilities.

Here are the top five most likely options for a trade to fill the Angels’ gap at first this season.

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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Now is the summer of our discontent.

After crushing a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, first baseman Kendry Morales suffered a potentially season-ending injury when he broke his leg—along with Angels fans’ hearts—while celebrating with his teammates at home plate.

Oh, the irony.

From stadium-wide cheers to statewide groans, hope to despair, light to dark. The Los Angels of Anaheim and their fan-base are still recovering from the whiplash.

Unfortunately, the pain will only get worse from here.

Through the first two months of the season, the Angels are playing below .500 and remain firmly behind the Texas Rangers and Oakland A’s in the AL West. 

Team pitching is at or near the bottom of almost every category—the worst it’s been in at least a decade—and the offense is mediocre at best.

Consistency in any part of their game this year has been nothing more than a myth for the Angels. The only thing they had going for them was Morales.

The first baseman lead the team in average (.290), home runs (11), RBI (39), and was the only player to start every game this season. 

Over the last 10 games, Morales was batting .342 with two home runs and 10 RBI. He’s come through in the clutch, he’s shown power to all fields, he’s even flashed some leather on defense.

And now it’s all gone.

Even with Morales in the lineup, the Angels are only 24-27 following Saturday’s heroics…and subsequent tragedy. Irony at its finest.

But what’s most ironic of all is that as devastating as Morales’ injury might seem, it should force the brass to finally do the one thing they’ve needed to do since game one: take swift action to keep this team competitive.

Robb Quinlan is the most likely candidate to be called up from the minors when Morales is placed on the DL on Sunday, but he is hardly a sufficient replacement.

In 23 games at Triple-A Salt Lake, Quinlan is hitting just .253 with zero home runs and only five RBI. He struck out twice and failed to record a single hit in six at-bats at the major league level this season.

The Angels’ next best option, 24-year-old first baseman Mark Trumbo, is hitting .275 with 11 homers and 39 RBI in Salt Lake, but has yet to play a game in the big leagues.

No, if the Angels want to have a prayer of competing in their division this year, they will have to seek the help of a higher power. Or at least power from outside their organization.

Several interesting names have already surfaced this year as potential trade candidates, including Prince Fielder and Lance Berkman.

The struggling Milwaukee Brewers and pitiful Houston Astros are both well back in the NL Central and could be willing to part with their respective All-Star first basemen.

Fielder, on the verge of free agency, would more than make up for the lost offense from Morales without putting the Angels in an awkward position with two top-notch players vying for one spot.

At the end of the year, Fielder walks away to pursue a new contract while the Angels simply stick with their freshly healed star.

On the other hand, it will take a tremendous force to move the hefty Fielder. The Brewers will no doubt demand at least one major leaguer along with several strong prospects to help rebuild their franchise.

The same will be true for Berkman, though it’s unlikely Houston would ask for as much in return as Milwaukee, given that Berkman is older and off to a slow start after returning from an injury earlier this season.

Things will heat up as we get deeper into the summer and new names are sure to surface on the trade market. Of course, everything will depend on the severity of Morales’ injury and where the Angels sit in the standings.

If Kendry spends his summer on vacay and the team hasn’t fallen too far back, don’t bother trying to call the stadium. GM Tony Reagins will be tying up the phone lines from morning ’til night in search of a new leg to stand on.

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There are only three things you have to do in baseball: catch the ball, throw the ball, and hit the ball.

Right now, the Los Angeles Angels are struggling to do any of those.

Coming into Saturday’s game, the Angels have made the fourth most errors in the American League (30 in 44 games, including four at the catching position), leading to 19 unearned runs.

Which hasn’t done anything to help a beleaguered pitching staff that has no problem giving up runs on its own.

Angels hurlers are riding neck-and-neck with the Boston Red Sox for the worst team ERA in the league, while L.A.’s bullpen is by far the worst in that category at 5.42.

As a whole, the team has given up the most doubles, the most triples, the most home runs, the second most walks, and the second highest batting average against.

And as for hitting the ball, a nearly identical lineup to the one that set franchise records for batting average and runs scored in 2009 is maddeningly inconsistent here in 2010.

The Angels currently sit in the bottom half of league with a .249 team average and just 185 runs scored. They are also last in triples with only one, although they reside in the fifth spot in the AL with 79 doubles and 43 home runs.

Catching the ball has not been easy, throwing the ball has been a disaster, and hitting the ball hasn’t been enough to make up for the first two areas of concern.

With all of that in mind, here are the top five changes the Angels must make if they want to stay competitive in the American League West.

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When GM Tony Reagins said his Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim would look to solve their problems internally, he meant it. Sort of.

On April 29, the Angels picked up infielder Kevin Frandsen off waivers from the Boston Red Sox.

Frandsen, 28, spent six years bouncing back and forth between the minors and major leagues after he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2004. His longest stay in the bigs came with the Giants in 2007 when he batted .269 with five home runs and 31 RBI in 109 games.

But the Northern Californian’s dream to stay by the bay eventually came to an end.

Frandsen left his heart in San Francisco when he was traded on March 26 to the Boston Red Sox, who eventually released him after he hit .258 in 17 games for Triple-A Pawtucket.

For his minor league career, Frandsen is a .314 hitter and has shown remarkable versatility, playing every infield position as well as both corner outfield spots.

The Angels are still looking for Brandon Wood to solidify the starting third baseman’s job, but given his experience at the big league level, Frandsen may turn out to be a more-than-capable replacement this season.

Already in his Angels debut, Frandsen went 3-for-4 and scored a run en route to a 4-3 extra-inning victory over the Seattle Mariners. He is currently 3-for-6 with one walk as a Halo.

Wood, meanwhile, is mired in a miserable slump, with just four hits in his last 30 at-bats and only 19 hits in 111 at-bats this season. He’s also struck out in 30 percent of his plate appearances and is hitting .171 overall with three extra-base hits and seven RBI.

If those numbers don’t improve drastically in the next two weeks—and at this point, there’s no reason to expect that they will—then look for Frandsen to start picking up the slack.

Especially if super utility man Maicer Izturis continues to struggle with injuries.

Tightness in his throwing shoulder landed the valuable Izturis on the 15-day disabled list back on May 8. He is eligible to return just in time to kick off interleague play when the Angels face the St. Louis Cardinals this Friday.

Over 14 games played this season, Izturis leads the Angels with a .500 average with runners in scoring position, a hallmark of his offense throughout his career.

His smooth fielding style and refined athletic ability also make him an outstanding fielder with tremendous range. Like Frandsen, Izturis can play any infield position, save for first base. 

And it is for that exact reason that Frandsen may be able to stick with the big league club after Izturis returns to the lineup. 

At present, the Angels’ only backup option at first base is Bobby Wilson—a catcher who has only just recovered from a terrific collision with Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira.

Robb Quinlan, the usual suspect to give Kendry Morales a break in the field, couldn’t get into a rhythm at the plate this season and was sent back to Triple-A to get some regular playing time.

His absence, coupled with injuries and poor play from the rest of the bench, created the perfect environment in which Frandsen will thrive.

Frandsen will provide the kind of infield support the Angels so desperately need, and could easily become the No. 2 man at any position around the horn should Izturis wind up on the DL. 

Or when manager Mike Scioscia finally realizes Wood just can’t cut it in the majors.

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Mike Napoli hit his fourth double of the season on Sunday.

It should have been his second triple.

What does it say when a struggling hitter fails to do everything he can to help his team on offense? Only that it won’t be his team much longer.

Down by seven runs late in a game against the Seattle Mariners, Napoli punched a ball down the left field line just out of the third baseman’s reach, a universal signal for the hitter to take extra bases.

That sure-fire double became a gimme triple when the left fielder misplayed a carom off the stands in foul territory, allowing the ball to dribble all the way into the corner.

All of this played out directly in front of the Angel catcher as he rounded first base and any other player would’ve immediately recognized the situation and taken advantage of the miscue. Instead, Napoli broke into a home run trot on his assumed double.

Why he wasn’t replaced on the spot is anyone’s guess.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia is not one to tolerate his players giving anything less than their absolute all—whether it’s a struggling rookie or veteran masher. Napoli is no rookie, but he’s hardly mashing this season.

In 2010, the typically powerful Napoli has just one home run amid six extra-base hits and is batting a lowly .221 with 24 strikeouts. If there was ever a player to forgive for loafing, he isn’t it.

Napoli’s slow start was initially attributed to his lack of playing time. The former No. 1 backstop lost his starting job to the defensively superior Jeff Mathis at the start of the season.

Mathis got off to a blistering pace, hitting .324 through the Angels’ first 10 games before landing on the disabled list with a broken wrist. 

Following a fairly successful Spring Training, Napoli was vocal about his displeasure over being named the backup to Mathis. Among his complaints, he suggested his defense had greatly improved and he wanted the chance to show it.

With Mathis out, Napoli has now had 20 chances to show it. He still can’t play defense.

Pitches in the dirt routinely skip past his glove, although they are more often credited as wild pitches (of which he’s allowed nine) than passed balls (one). What’s worse, base runners are stealing on him at will.

Coming into this week’s series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Napoli has thrown out only 19 percent of potential base stealers, failing to prevent 22 thefts in 27 attempts. The Rays, meanwhile, rank third in the AL with 29 swiped bags.

Facing the best team in the major leagues will tell a great deal about the Angels’ future in several aspects, but none more than at the catching position.

The window for Napoli to show off his improved abilities is closing fast. If he doesn’t prove himself to be a legit starter before Mathis returns from the DL, he may not even be granted the backup spot for long.

Bobby Wilson is out of options and the Angels will not risk sending him back to the minors when he makes his own return trip from the DL, meaning they would have to make another roster move before activating him.

Ryan Budde has had limited success with the Angels, but his lone start in 2010 resulted in a 8-0 shutout of the Mariners, not to mention his first major league home run. 

And that’s just the current competition. Halos prospect Hank Conger has performed well in Triple-A and could earn his big league wings as early as this summer.

Unless he’s dedicated to being the subject of a mid-season trade, Napoli should be doing everything he can to help his team win. Instead, we’ve seen him lolly gag in the field and whine in the clubhouse. 

The Angels face some tough questions heading into this week. Their starters’ ERA, bullpen ERA, walks and home runs given up, and runs scored per game all rank among the worst in the AL.

Change must come to Anaheim if the team wants to have any hope of competing in 2010. Now, Napoli can’t be blamed for all of the Angels’ worries, but he is in a unique position to make a significant impact on every one of the aforementioned categories.

If he can’t, they will use him to find someone who can.

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The bullpen was supposed to be a key strength for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2010.

All the talk about lacking a true No. 1 starter didn’t matter, because the relievers would be there to secure any lead.

That bravado hinged, in no small way, on the return of Scot Shields.

Shields has indeed returned, but his pitching form has not.

Once one of the brightest young pitching stars to emerge from the Angels’ farm system, Shields burst onto the scene like a supernova in 2001 before going on to help his team secure its first World Series Championship the following year.

That season, he posted a career-best 2.20 ERA and would follow it up with six consecutive years of sub-3.90 work. 

It was only because of a bum knee in 2009 that the ERA streak came to an end. Shields was forced to have season-ending surgery after posting a 6.62 ERA in just 20 appearances.

This year was supposed to be different.

The addition of Fernando Rodney, along with the emergence of both Kevin Jepsen and Jason Bulger, gave the Angels’ relief corps an effective mix of youth and experience to lock down those late-inning leads.

It also provided the perfect cushion to support Shields as he slowly worked his way back into his usual set-up role. With his knee fully healed and rehabbed, it was only a matter of time.

But after 10 appearances, that time has still not come.

Shields has lost his form entirely. He struggles to find the strike zone with consecutive pitches, and his misses aren’t even close.

Through 7.1 innings this year, Shields has allowed 19 baserunners, including 10 hits and nine unintentional walks, resulting in eight earned runs and a 9.82 ERA.

He’s only given up one home run, but considering it was a walk-off blast to Johnny Damon, who had not homered yet this season, it’s hard to look at that as a positive.

For the time being, manager Mike Scioscia has started to use Shields in situations where the game is not on the line. On Sunday, he was brought in with the Angels down by five. After loading the bases, he managed to escape without further damage.

But Shields is no mop-up reliever and his role as such will be limited. Scioscia is trying to do him a favor by using him in low-pressure situations to help regain his form. If he can’t do it, serious changes may be on the horizon.

What form that takes is anyone’s guess.

Ironically, the most sought-after player on the Angels roster at one time may no longer have any trade value. What can GM Tony Reagins hope to get in return for a 34-year-old reliever with nothing left in the tank?

Given his age and veteran status on the team, it is also unlikely the Angels will send Shields down to the minors to right himself.

At this point, all that Scioscia and the rest of the staff do is wait and hope he works out his mechanical issues at the major league level before the team is forced to cut him.

Because that’s exactly what will happen if he can’t turn things around in the next couple of months.

Amazingly, the Angels are still running in the middle of the pack with a 4.32 bullpen ERA. Jepsen has been a revelation this season, while Rodney continues to justify his $11 million contract.

Even newcomer Brian Stokes, while shaky at times, is still working on a 3.65 ERA.

With the starting rotation not yet in a groove, the Angels bullpen may indeed become the strength of the team, as so many predicted in spring. 

Whether that strength comes from the addition of Shields, or his subtraction, is still a question waiting to be answered.

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