Wednesday Halolinks: Jered Weaver Reaches 100, Angels Have 14 Left

Over the weekend, a fifteen year-old girl said something very enlightening that carries some meaning in yesterday's game...Hey Rangers, "it sucks to suck". Today's Halolinks might not suck, but I make no guarantees:

• With 14 games left in the regular season, the Angels are going to need help from some other teams...or basically any team playing the Orioles and Yankees. Angels' Path to the Postseason: Sept. 19, 2012 - angels.com. "They're now 3 1/2 games back of the American League Wild Card-leading A's, who lost, 12-2, in Detroit. But they're still three back of the Orioles and Yankees -- both also tied atop the AL East -- for the second AL Wild Card spot. The Angels had a chance to move up a game, but the O's snuck out a 4-2 victory over the Mariners in 18 innings." Those damn Seattle Mariners can't do anything right.
  
• It's always fun watching your team score 8 runs in one inning, especially against a division rival: Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels - September 18, 2012 - MLB.com. "There were no complaints from Weaver, only the occasional smile. Because as he waited patiently that half-inning, the Angels hit ferociously, battering Rangers pitching to the tune of eight runs in a 39-minute slugfest that led to an 11-3 rout and allowed them to move up on each of the teams that sit above them in the American League West."
• Congratulation to Jered Weaver on his 100th career win: Angels smack Rangers 11-3, stay in playoff chase - Yahoo! Sports. "The ace right-hander, who has spent his entire career in Anaheim, matched his single-season high for victories and became just the sixth pitcher to win 100 games with the club. ''It's an honor to do it all in an Angels uniform,'' said Weaver, a Los Angeles-area native. ''I wouldn't have it any other way. Hopefully these fans see 200 more, but I don't know. We'll see what happens.'' Three hundred wins would be fantastic, but getting there will be next to impossible: 100 down for Weaver; 200 to go? - Gonzo and 'The Show'. "Does Weaver even stand a chance at 300? Well, he’s averaged just over 14 wins during his first seven years (granted, he made only 19 starts as a rookie in ’06). Since he’s got three starts left this season, though, let’s put that number at 15. At an average of 15 wins, Weaver would reach No. 300 in his 21st season — or, more specifically in the early portion of the year 2026. By that time, Weaver will be 44 years old and Albert Pujols‘ contract will have expired five years ago." This was an interesting tidbit Rob Neyer posted: Arthur Joseph Griffin - Baseball Nation. "Susan Slusser reports an astounding fact: Oakland's A.J. Griffin is just the second pitcher since 1912 to go undefeated in his first dozen major-league starts and post a sub-2.00 ERA. The first? Jered Weaver in 2006." Too bad Griffin took the loss to the Tigers last night, giving up 5 runs over 4.2 innings. Way to go Neyer, you big jinx.
  
• Weaver's not the only hot Halo: 3 up, 3 down: Angels 11, Rangers 3 - ESPN Los Angeles. "Aybar on fire: Shortstop Erick Aybar had another three-hit game, his third in the past four games. He reached base four times, scored twice and drove in a run. Aybar has at least one hit in 16 of his past 17 games and is batting .379 (58-for-153) since the beginning of August. He is batting .348 (64-for-184) since the All-Star break -- the highest batting average ever by an Angels shortstop after the break." Aybar's post-All-Star batting average really surprises me considering the past players to play short for the Angels. You know, guys like Gary DiSarcina and Dick Schofield.
  
• It's time for everyone to step-up their game, especially C.J. Wilson: Rangers-Angels Preview - FOX Sports. "He allowed a season-worst eight runs in 5 1-3 innings of Los Angeles' 15-9 defeat Aug. 2 in the most recent outing. Wilson's best start against the Rangers came in the only matchup in Anaheim, when he pitched six scoreless innings in the Angels' 3-2 victory June 2. The Angels have won Wilson's last five starts despite his 5.67 ERA over his last six. He gave up four runs - three earned - in five innings of Los Angeles' 9-7 win over Kansas City on Friday" A repeat of his last Anaheim start against Texas would be perfect. Additionally, the Angels need Wilson's former bud to stop pitching so well: Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels - September 19, 2012 - MLB.com. "Holland has settled into a groove in September, striking out 24 batters and boasting a 2.05 ERA while holding hitters to a .205 average in three starts."
• Eighty-one percent of the people who responded to the poll tagged on to end of this post think the Angels will miss the playoffs (as of 6am this morning): Will the Angels and Tigers Miss the Playoffs? - MLB Daily Dish. "If the season ended today, two American League teams that entered 2012 with World Series aspirations would be on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. I am of course referring to the extremely talented yet ridiculously inconsistent Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels." I was going to write something defending the "inconsistent" label, but then I realized I've used that word many times to describe the Angels this season...so never mind.
• Yes, it's come to this; posting Orioles' recaps: A little extra: Orioles outlast Mariners in 18 innings - Yahoo! Sports. "The Mariners gave themselves plenty of chances to win, only to be stopped at nearly ever turn. They combined to go 0 for 17 with runners in scoring position and stranded 16 overall. The M's put the leadoff man aboard in the 10th, 12th, 16th and 17th, but Baltimore's bullpen kept Seattle off the scoreboard for 12 2/3 innings." This is what happens when other teams (this time the Mariners) hit like the Angels do with runners on base. Now we have to root for Felix Hernandez to pitch like Felix Hernandez and not Keith Hernandez: Orioles-Mariners Preview - Yahoo! Sports. "The Orioles also have a chance to win five in a row at Seattle for the first time since April 30, 1989-May 4, 1990. To accomplish that feat, the Orioles likely need to get the best of Hernandez (13-8, 2.92 ERA), who is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA since going 9-0 with a 1.40 ERA over his previous 14 starts. The right-hander has struggled mightily over his last two outings while allowing 13 runs and 21 hits in 8 2-3 innings."
• What';s to worry about, he's going to get paid regardless if he's sitting in the dugout or next to his backyard pool: Scioscia isn't worried about his job security - Yahoo! Sports. "The combination of underachievement and questions about the relationship between first-year general manager Jerry Dipoto and Scioscia (who acted as a de facto GM during Tony Reagins' tenure in the position) have raised speculation about whether Scioscia will continue as the manager beyond this season if the team fails to make the playoffs for a third consecutive season."
• This is what happens when someone hastily throws together an idea, "Hey, I got it, let's add another wild card team!": Play-in teams won’t need to carry more than one starting pitcher on their roster - Yahoo! Sports. "ESPN's Buster Olney confirms that each of the four teams will be able to set a 25-man roster specifically for that game and then select a different 25-man roster if they win and make the next round of the postseason. Translation: Teams won't need to carry starting pitchers who don't have a chance of throwing that day, opening an opportunity to load the roster with more pinch runners, pinch hitters and relief pitchers."
• The ultimate comeback, "I may be the world's largest douchebag, but I'm rich and you're not": Mike Francesa Gets Destroyed By His Callers For Nodding Off, Kindly Reminds Them He Is "Paid A Fortune To Sit Here" "Francesa, getting more and more agitated with each call, finally just drops his checkbook on our heads: "I'm still gonna be here tomorrow, the next day, the next day, and get paid a fortune to sit here and do this. So, just remember that." I do like the line, "drops his checkbook on our head". I'll have to copy remember that for later.
  
  
• Here's a follow-up: Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar suspended 3 games for gay slur on eye-black - FOX Sports. "Escobar insisted the word is often used within teams and by Latinos and ''I didn't see it as something bad at the time. For us, it doesn't have the significance to the way it's being interpreted now,'' he said. ''It's a word without a meaning.'' Baseball commissioner Bud Selig had a very interesting comment about the entire situation. Seriously though, I can understand Escobar's reasoning. Although slurs are never right in any language, different cultures put different meaning on words and gestures.
  
• In my opinion, NFL Films is one of the main reasons football has surpassed baseball as the most popular sport in the United States. If MLB had the forethought or intelligence to market their product the way the NFL has used NFL Films, there would be no talk about declining attendance and the baseball market would be even stronger. Steve Sabol, President Of NFL Films, Is Dead. "Steve Sabol, the president of NFL Films, died today following an 18-month battle with brain cancer. He was 69." If the NFL puts non-players in their Hall of Fame, Steve Sabol should be enshrined.
  
• Another baseball movie for bloggers to write about in the off-season: Paint Your Corners. Clint Eastwood's Baseball Movie, Trouble With The Curve, Reviewed. "The film is full of small pleasures, whether it's Eastwood and Adams whispering baseball facts to each other, or Timberlake and Adams clog-dancing, or Eastwood—in the film's best scene—attacking a guy in a bar who dared touch his daughter on the thigh. I don't feel proud recommending Trouble with the Curve. It does so much wrong, and it is so proud of itself for it. But it's too much fun watching these actors have such fun."