The Hail Storm Continues, Angels Lacking Defensive Fundamentals; a Dysfunctional Symphony

Post date: Aug 11, 2010 3:12:13 AM

I was able to catch two live games this week Friday and Saturday night, and again I must reiterate our offense looks fine, Juan Rivera hit his first home run on Friday, and the second this afternoon. Hideki Matsui has been a clutch hitter for the Angels every time he has stepped up to the plate as evident by his walk off hit on Saturday night.

Jared Weaver on Saturday pitched a good game, Joe Saunders followed up Weaver's performance by pitching a solid game himself, the bullpen however, concerns me. It seems that our defense cannot hold the lead their offense gives them, that just won't get it done, although it has subsided a bit, the hail storm of home run balls continue, home runs have negated any offense that the team has produced thus far, compound that with defensive errors the Angels have made over the last few games and you have a recipe for disaster.

The Angels'pitching staff has not been in sync, when the starters look sharp the bullpen doesn't and vice versa, it's like watching a dysfunctional symphony, all the pieces are there, and the potential is limitless, but as soon as they play the first note you know something is terribly wrong, it just doesn't sound right. I can't help but wonder if the offense will be able to hold it together long enough for the pitching staff and the defense to get in tune with one another.

I'm reminded of 2002 when the Angels started with six wins and fourteen losses, I know it's a different team and that there is only one holdover from the championship team, however I strongly believe that the conductor of the Angels will get this team to play beautiful music again. If he does, he will once again win Manager Of The Year because he is all about fundamentals something that the Angels need to get reacquainted with.

I am aware that is still very early in the season but it's gut check time, if they can't beat teams in their own division, how did they expect to beat teams like the Yankees and the Red Sox?

Even with Saturday's win, it really came down to Oakland's defensive errors that lets us back in the game that gave Matsui the opportunity to have that walk off hit. I know the Angels are the best symphony in the entire major leagues and they are serious contenders for a World Series Championship, but they need to get in tune pretty quick, or else we will be hearing sweet chain music. I know we can do it, or just have to carry the rally monkey in our back pocket for every game this season just in case.

As always I look forward your comments, and hopefully we can figure out which going wrong together.

-ICE