We have seen three consecutive terrible pitching performances by Angel starters. Each was unique and each was awful. Wednesday afternoon John Lackey gave up 6 ER with a tight strike zone, a hostile home plate umpire and a sapping first inning that saw nearly 30 pitches thrown. Tuesday saw Jered Weaver throw almost 80 pitches in 3 innings and leave with a knot in his back. Monday saw Ervin Santana pitch better than Weaver or Lackey – 4 ER in 7 IP - and get bad-lucked by absolutely nothing with runners on base – and there were plenty of ribbys to be had.
Lackey has had a terrible July and Weaver seems to be on a 2-great starts/2-bad starts coin flip. Santana is still leaving the occasional fastball belt-high in the middle and Joe Saunders puts a few HR pitches on the tee for opposing hitters more often than is comforting. Jon Garland needs the defense but manages.
This team lives and dies with its starting pitching. July has seen some marvelous performances – even Moseley wiped the floor with the Athletics going into the break after a testy first inning. But the occasional mediocre performance – especially coupled with a lack of action with Runners in Scoring Position – should remind us all of what will transpire if we try to grab a big bat – every trade partner will want some arms. They will not settle for Kotchman and Adenhart. They will want Weaver or Santana. At the minimum.
This is as good as it gets, folks. This is as great as this team can be. Pull out a starter and we are Oakland with Red and Vlad. Add a big bat in its place and we are Texas three nights a week.
Anyone clamoring for a trade who understands the real demands that another team will hand Tony Reagins – anyone clamoring for an addition thru subtraction, well... that clamorer is just stupid or not an Angels fan.
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