Just 25 games left in the red hot MLB season and the Angels are embroiled in a red hot divisional race and they themselves are… decidedly lukewarm. Just a few weeks ago, the Halos were rattling off 15 wins in 20 games and building a nice cushion over the Rangers in the AL West, but since then they have dropped 10 of their 19 contests. That big lead over Texas has now been slashed in half and the Angels can feel the Rangers breathing down their necks. Certainly no team can stay on fire all season long, but the Angels’ struggles are extending to the point of making one wonder if their best days are behind them.
Looks like the Angels might have congratulated themselves a bit too soon.
For years, the Angels have been plagued by an impotent and inconsistent line-up, but back when the Angels were tearing up the league, their offense was nearly unstoppable. Now the Halo bats would have a hard time out-slugging the winner of the Little League World Series, having scored just 18 runs in their last seven games. Their old bad habits are back again: poor situational hitting, inconsistent power hitting and an over-aggressive approach at the plate. A month ago it seemed like the Angels were going to ride their bats to the World Series, but now it looks like the hitting, or lack thereof, will once again be the Angels’ undoing.
Having blown their offensive wad too soon, the Angels must now rely on their pitching to not only secure a post-season berth, but carry them through the playoffs as well. The good news is that this plan might actually work, a notion that would’ve been unthinkable back when the Angels could still hit. But the arrival of Scott Kazmir combined with the resurgence of both Jered Weaver and Ervin Santana plus John Lackey hitting his stride has turned around the Angel rotation. Heck, even Joe Saunders isn’t a liability anymore. If they can keep this quality pitching up, they just need a little bit of offense and they might finally be able to break that ALDS jinx.
Could another Angels ALDS meltdown be just a few weeks away?
But is it too late? The Angels only have 25 games left to regain their hitting mojo. On paper, that is plenty of time, but factor in the pressure of a playoff race and the fatigue of a long season and a turnaround doesn’t seem quite so certain. If the bats can’t come alive now in what is essentially a playoff atmosphere, what are the chances that they’ll suddenly reignite when the real post-season starts? It is often the hottest team entering the post-season that makes the deepest runs (see Tampa and Colorado the last two years for an example) and the Angels are simply treading water right now. With a tough slate of opponents filling up their remaining schedule, the Angels time to catch fire may have come and gone. Barring an unexpected offensive explosion before the end of the month, Halo fans are probably going to wish the post-season started back in August.
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