Series Countdown: Dodgers @ Angels

VS.

Counting down to the Angels’ Freeway Series against the Dodgers in which the Angels will be looking to kick the Dodgers while they are down.

Los Angeles Dodgers (38-31) @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (39-33)

Game 1 Starters: LAD – Clayton Kershaw (7-3, 2.96 ERA)  LAA – Ervin Santana (6-5, 3.91 ERA)

Game 1 Info: 7:05 PM PT TV-Fox Sports West; Radio-ESPN Radio, KLAA 830 AM, KWKW 1330 AM

Game 2 Starters: LAD – John Ely (3-4, 4.15 ERA)  LAA – Joel Pineiro (6-6, 4.45 ERA)

Game 2 Info: 7:05 PM PT TV-Fox Sports West; Radio-ESPN Radio, KLAA 830 AM, KWKW 1330 AM

Game 3 Starters: LAD – TBD (0-0, -.– ERA)  LAA – Scott Kazmir (7-5, 5.08 ERA)

Game 3 Info: 7:05 PM PT TV-Fox Sports West; Radio-ESPN Radio, KLAA 830 AM, KWKW 1330 AM

5. Awww, poor Dodgers.  It seems like their sweep at the hands of the Angels earlier this month put them into a bit of a tailspin.  Really, I feel terrible.  It just breaks my heart.  I just don’t know how I could live with myself if the Halos swept you again to send you all the way down to fourth place in your division.

4. So what is the decision on Erick Aybar already?  We were promised he would either be placed on the DL today or not.  Now we site here just a few hours before gametime and still no decision has been made.  It isn’t that I don’t enjoy watching Brandon Wood fumble around at shortstop so much as I don’t like uncertainty and wish the Angels would just quit vacillating and make a move on way or the other.

3. The Angels need to get Ervin Santana back on track in this series.  He was going great for most of May, but things are starting to get sideways for him here in June.  The Angels need two top starting pitchers if they are going to make deep post-season run and Santana has the ability to be that second pitcher, he just isn’t pitching like it right now.  I would dare say that starting today, the Angel front office will have all eyes on Ervin as they try and decide if they need to go out and acquire some pitching help (Dan Haren anyone?).

2. Can the Dodgers solve Joel Pineiro?  And I don’t just mean that from his pitching perspective though they certainly have their work cut out for them since he did throw a complete game against them a few weeks ago.  I’m talking about the Dodgers finding a way to prevent Pineiro for killing them with his bat after he walked twice and scored three runs in that game.  Maybe Sosh should consider having Pineiro hit for himself in his start and using the DH for someone like Bobby Wilson instead?  OK, that is probably just my 102 degree fever talking.

1. Interleague series like this one are loads of fun for the fans, but sometimes the disparity in schedule that it creates is downright unfair.  Take, for example, the fact that the Angels have to play against a strong Dodger team while the Rangers get to beat up on a tragically terrible Houston Astro squad.  I know it evens out over time and all that, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it this year.