After their 81st game of the year Tuesday night, the Angels are 41 - 40 at the halfway point of the season. All mediocrity considered, this comes as a pleasant surprise as does the incompetence of any other team in the American League West to run away with the division. Here is a player-by-player letter grading on the Mid-Season Report Card...
PITCHERS:
Trevor Bell - D+ ...unreliable out of the pen besides one great extra inning effort over Boston.
Bobby Cassevah - C ...from afterthought to hopeful but don't get your hopes up.
Tyler Chatwood - A- ...Who'da thunk it ? ! ? !
Scott Downs - B+ ...almost earning that paycheck as a Lefty Shields.
Dan Haren - A- ...an occasional longball smudges things a little for him.
Kevin Jepsen - D ...high hopes any time jersey #40 is assigned.
Michael Kohn - C ...responded well to that AAA demotion
Joel Pineiro - C+ ...just good enough to take the ball and put us in a hole.
Fernando Rodney - F ...just retire already.
Ervin Santana - C+ ...from Ace to Chased and back again.
Hisanori Takahashi - C+ ...overpaid, sketchy.
Rich Thompson - C+ ...glimmers of greatness if only innings were two-out affairs.
Jordan Walden - B- ...control abandonment needs lots of work aka on the job training.
Jered Weaver - A+ ...and in the master's chambers, they gather for the feast.
CATCHERS:
Hank Conger - C ...why give up on him now?
Jeff Mathis - D- ...occasional glimmer of trade value but close to talentless 3 games out of 4.
Bobby Wilson - C ...like a forgotten Beach Boy.
INFIELDERS:
Alexi Amarista - D ...see ya in 2013, be like a steak and get more seasoning.
Erick Aybar - B ...in the mix often enough not to be scorned.
Russell Branyan - F ...Kazmir at bat.
Alberto Callaspo - C ...above average at being average.
Maicer Izturis - C+ ...they stab it with their hamstring knives but they just can't kill the beast.
Howie Kendrick - B+ ...average at being above average.
Mark Trumbo - B ...that glove is now the lodestone.
OUTFIELDERS:
Peter Bourjos - B ...that bat is slowly developing.
Torii Hunter - C- ...the complete package, just a rapidly aging version of the package.
Vernon Wells - D- ...too relieved to achieve.
Bobby Abreu - B+ ...good but not great.
INCOMPLETES: Reggie Willits, Andrew Romine, Chris Pettit, Matt Palmer, Francisco Rodriguez
EXPELLED: Jason Bulger (readmitted to minors), Scott Kazmir, Brandon Wood