MVN: Most Valuable Network

With the Halo's power numbers significantly up, even before the acquisition of Mark Teixiera (see Joe's previous post) it seemed like the team had finally addressed their one glaring weakness.  But just as the problem is resolved there are rumblings in the bullpen as Halo hurlers are suddenly giving up runs in bunches late in games.  Take last night's contest against the Baltimore Orioles in which Joe Saunders started.  Saunders could have led the the league (along with Cleveland's Cliff Lee) with 15 victories if he got the win last night.  Big Joe pitched well, allowing just 1 run over six innings and departing the game with a comfortable 5-1 lead.  Justin Speier and Jose Arrendondo held their own with scoreless innings but in the 9th Scot Shields came on and promptly gave up a single to Kevin Millar.  Shields got the next two hitters out but then allowed a hit to pinch-hitter Alex Cintron.  So the call goes out to Frankie to close this thing up and Rodriguez gets Bip Roberts to hit a ball to Mark Teixiera who gets a rare error and the bases are loaded.  There are still two outs so all we need in a patented K-Rod strikeout and we can all go home.  Instead Rodriguez gives up another single that plates two runs.  The score is 5-3 and all we need in that one out.  With only one runner in scoring position we are still in good shape ---oops--- until Frankie unloads a wild-pitch and both runners advance.  Next batter is Melvin Mora who doubles and wham-bam we have a tie game.  No 15th win for Saunders.  Finally K-Rod gets his strikeout and the inning ends.  The Angels do score in the bottom of the ninth to win the game but it was far more work than it should have been.

Then of course there was the horror show on Sunday in New York.  The Angels ace had struggled a bit but John Lackey left the game after the 6th inning with a 5-4 lead.  But the rickety bullpen was nowhere near up to the task.  Jose Arrendondo had his worst game of the season by far, allowing 3 hits and 4 runs in one inning.  But a heroic grand slam by Texieria seems to save the day as the Angels, in the top of the 8th, took a 9-8 lead.  But that triumph as quickly eclipsed by further collapse in the Halo pen.  Scot Shields (yes the same guy who started the trouble last night) could not buy an out.  How about this for a pitching line:  0.1 IP  1 H  5 R  2 BB  0 K.  A couple of errors by Erick Aybar and Jeff Mathis definitely hampered Shields but the comedy of errors ended with the Angels losing 14-9 in a game they should have won.

Both recent bullpen melt-downs have something in common, fielding errors coupled with bad pitching.  The relievers are not showing much composure when the players behind them make a mistake.  I would expect a rookie like Arrendondo to have trouble maintaining concentration but he will mature as the season wears on.  But what is Shields' excuse?  Each year he seems to go through this mid-season swoon when he forgets how to pitch.  And each year it seems to take him a little longer to pull himself out of it.  It could be an injury or simply dead-arm from fatigue.  But whatever it is Shields and the coaching staff better figure it out before he spoils some more solid starts.  Shields has allowed 8 runs in his last 2 innings of work.  His ERA was a mediocre 4.50 in July after posting a superb 0.90 in June.  During these dog-days of summer the relievers and fielders are both showing a stunning lack of concentration thanks in part to an 11 1/2 game lead in their division and the national accolades that the Angels are the best team no one talks about.  Now they are talking and the eyes are on this team.  The Angels had a 13 game lead over the Mariners in 1995 and blew that so they better not be getting too comfortable.  The Texas Rangers are lurking and have played some pretty good ball lately, notching 5 wins in their last 7 games.

Don't get me wrong, I realize the Angels just swept the Red Sox and split a 4 game set with the Yankees.  This is no Chicken Little 'the sky is fI am just starting to see some cracks in the armor and now is the time to address them.  We don't want this team to limp into the post-season.  We want a sustained drive that culminates with them peaking at the end of September.  That is the task for Mike Scioscia who will need to call on all his managerial skills to fix whatever is ailing his bullpen and keep the rest of his team sharp and focused heading towards October.