Halos Heaven

Boston Red Sox sweep Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim -  FOX Sports on MSN
The Angels were swept in a four-game series at Fenway Park for the first time since 1967. They are 0-7 on a road trip that ends with three games in Seattle, and have lost seven in a row for the first time since the final seven games of the 2001 season. ``Those guys are taking this streak hard and that's part of the problem,'' said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who held a team meeting after the game. ``We have to turn the page. We are carrying ghosts from this week. I thought that was always the strength of this group, but guys are starting to press because of something that happened three days ago.'  "The way we started the game was awesome,'' Abreu said. ``They started to score runs and we laid down.''

I think Abreu's quote has more truth in it than does Scioscia's.  As an outsider watching the games on TV, I don't get the feeling that the players are "pressing" or trying too hard, but rather are playing like they expect to lose.  The defense looks sluggish and the pitching seems tentative as the pitchers nibble at corners and look like they're afraid to "announce their presence with authority".  It appears the Angels have forgotten how to play their style of baseball - aggressive base running and solid pitching.  I'd say this team is playing like a bunch of girls, but I wouldn't want to insult the girls.  Oh, here's the highlights...Napoli's dinger cuts the deficit to one run and Kendrick plates a pair with a long double.

Angels-Mariners Preview -  FOX Sports on MSN
While the losses keep piling up for the Los Angeles Angels on their current road trip, the Seattle Mariners are suffering the same results at home. Los Angeles (12-18) had won three in a row and four of six on the road prior to a 10-game trip where it's lost seven straight to Detroit and Boston. Seattle (11-17), meanwhile, had won seven of nine at Safeco before losing the first six of its current nine-game homestand. That might not be easy while facing Mariners ace Felix Hernandez (2-2, 3.10 ERA). Though Hernandez has dropped his last two starts, he's 1-0 with a 0.42 ERA in his last three versus the Angels. Hernandez, 4-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 16 starts against Los Angeles, had his string of 18 consecutive quality starts snapped after back tightness forced him to leave after giving up five runs in 4 1-3 innings of a 6-3 home loss to Texas on Saturday. The Angels, who've posted a 7.83 team ERA during the losing streak, turn to Jered Weaver (3-1, 3.19). He allowed four runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 5-1 loss at Detroit on Sunday. "One of those games you have to take with a grain of salt,'' said the right-hander, who's 8-3 with a 4.61 ERA in 14 starts versus Seattle.

This is going to be an interesting series as both teams are mired in slumps.  It's probably going to come down to which team will suck the least.

Major League Baseball GMs are underpaid - Ken Rosenthal - FOX Sports on MSN
The GM is arguably the most important person in any organization — more important, perhaps, than even a superstar player.

This post is about the salaries that major league general managers make, but it made me wonder why isn't there any comments coming from the Angels front office?  I agree with Rosenthal's comment that the GM is the most important person in the organization, but why isn't any of the local media covering the Angels asking Tony Reagins anything?  How accountable for this team is Reagins?

MORE LINKS AFTER THE BREAK...

Angels’ Mike Scioscia sticks with lineup, for a reason - BostonHerald.com
The Angels would have preferred to play a day game in Fenway Park [map], and teams often schedule day games on getaway days as a courtesy to the visiting club. But the Angels have been notorious for scheduling 7 p.m. starts on getaway days - though they moved several of those starts to 4 p.m. this season - so it’s not surprising the Red Sox didn’t give them a break.

Pretty interesting.

Same nine guys, same order - - ESPN Los Angeles
Manager Mike Scioscia met with his coaches Thursday afternoon and talked over multiple new looks, but they’re all being stymied right now by a shoulder injury to utility infielder Maicer Izturis. Izturis is the Angels’ only other viable leadoff man and he’s the only player they would consider playing every day at third base. Izturis hurt himself diving for a ball Monday night while playing third. He said it aggravated an injury to his labrum that he had surgically repaired when he was in the minors in 1999.

Since when did Maicer Izturis become such a integral part of this team?  And he's not the only other viable option to bat leadoff (why not try Abreu in that spot with Kendrick hitting second?).  It just seems like Scioscia's trying to prove a point by not making any changes.  Kind of like, "This team is good enough to win as it is, why try something different just because we're losing."

Wood's stance tweak pays quick dividend - angelsbaseball.com
"I've spread out about four or five inches," Wood said. "It's subtle, not too much of a change. It gives me balance and allows me to get into my lower half more."

This has so much potential to be funny, but I'm just not in the mood.

May 7 - BR Bullpen
1917 - Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox allows only two hits as he outpitches Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators, 1 - 0, at Griffith Stadium. Ruth helps himself by driving in the winning run with a sacrifice fly.
Happy b-day to Roy's lesser-known, older brother...
1893 - Bill Hobbs, infielder (d. 1945)

Three hours and 45 minutes of crap: