Tuesday Halolinks: Angels Look To Extend Win Streak, Get New Closer

Jered Weaver will be handling the "Top 10 List" on the Late Show tonight with David Letterman - #Angels

— Eric Kay (@EKayAngels) May 8, 2012

The Angels return to Minnesota, Tuesday Halolinks are here on Tuesday (Hazzah!):

• MLB Recap - Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins - May 07, 2012 - CBSSports.com. "Weaver threw 121 pitches in his start against the Twins last week, and didn't have much left when he took the mound on Monday night. "I just felt gassed there a little bit," Weaver said. "Obviously I'm one to kind push through stuff and ask to go one more, but I don't know if it was mentally draining or physically draining. I don't know what it was but I just felt a little gassed out there towards the end of the game."
• Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins - May 8, 2012 - MLB.com. "With the bullpen struggling, (David) Pauley got the call up to the Majors from Triple-A Salt Lake to replace reliever LaTroy Hawkins, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a broken right pinkie finger." Pauley had a 2.29 ERA in 19.2 innings. In those 19.2 innings, he struck out 16 while walking just 4 batters.
  
• If my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle: Angels-Twins Preview - Yahoo! Sports. "If Albert Pujols can continue emerging from his slump, the Los Angeles Angels might have a good chance for their longest win streak of the season. The Angels will seek that fourth consecutive victory Tuesday night against the major league-worst Minnesota Twins." Okay, I'm not trying to be a negative Nellie (aunt Nellie?) as I think the Angels are getting closer to being the dominate team we all thought they'd be before the season started.
  
• Two powerhouses weigh in on Albert Pujols: Baseball ProGUESTus - Matt Welch: Splat Albert - Baseball Prospectus. "That's right: the guy was so damned good he slugged .500 at his worst, putting up an OPS+ in the second-worst month that matched Torii Hunter's seasonal career high. But in 2011, after a month of uncomfortable and unprecedented attention to his contract situation, Pujols came out of the gate looking more like Vernon Wells" And: La Russa weighs in on the Pujols slump - STLToday.com. "During a speaking engagement last week La Russa told a crowd that Pujols is bothered deeply by the time spent away from family, which is in St. Louis until school is out for the summer. "I don’t think he wants sympathy," La Russa said. "I just have an understanding of what he’s going through." Part of Pujols’ mantra is that he has moved on from St. Louis, that nothing has really changed. However, friends of Pujols inside and outside his former organization describe a proud man wounded by what he considers an incomplete depiction of failed talks with the Cardinals, who never approached the same contract structure after he rejected a nine-year, $198 million bid in January 2011."
• Walden, Frieri to close while Downs recovers - angels.com. "That's my dream," Frieri said. "My dream is to one day be a closer and to save a game in the Major Leagues. I think that's every reliever's dream -- to be a closer. If that does happen, I think I'd be mentally ready for it. I have confidence in myself, no matter who's up there hitting."
• Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels suspended five games, fined for throwing at Bryce Harper - FOX Sports. ''I was trying to hit him,'' the two-time All-Star lefty said Sunday night. ''I'm not going to deny it." Hamels began serving his suspension Monday night."
• Former MLB player Chad Curtis under investigation - wzzm13.com. "Barry County Prosecutor Tom Evans says the investigation involves inappropriate touching of students."
• Be sure to check this GIF out, it's pretty funny in a sad sort of way: Buck Showalter Still Gets No Respect - Bugs & Cranks. "He’s leading what is arguably the best team in baseball right now. He built a foundation in the Bronx, for which Joe Torre took all the credit. He did the same in Arizona years later. Yet, his own team won’t even throw the man some love. Hail Buck Showalter."