Tuesday Halolinks: As summer starts, Angels still hot

Now that the Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, summer has unofficially began.  With the baseball season in full swing, the Angels find themselves 2.5 games behind Oakland and 2.5 games up on the injury depleted Texas Rangers.  Here are your short, but definitely sweet Halolinks:

• Gotta give Jerry Dipoto big props (so far) for dealing Mark Trumbo for Skaggs and Santiago.  Although Santiago is down at Triple A working things out, the addtion of Tyler Skaggs has boosted the questionable Halo rotation: Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners - May 26, 2014 - MLB.com.  "Tyler Skaggs gave up five runs (two earned) in the first two innings, yet somehow managed to pitch deeper in the game than his opponent, Chris Young, who didn't allow a hit through the first 5 1/3 innings. The Angels' 22-year-old lefty completed seven innings -- compared to Young's 6 1/3 -- thanks to a stretch in which Skaggs retired 14 of 15 batters. Skaggs needed 49 pitches to get through his last five innings, but 49 others to get through his first two."  And he's so young!  Angels share Skaggs' growing pains in loss - The Orange County Register.  "Of all the numbers attached to Tyler Skaggs, the one that should override all others is this: 22. Skaggs, who might have set expectations unreasonably high when he blistered through April without a hitch, is still just 22 years old, an age when most pitchers are working out the kinks in the minors."
• All those division-winning teams from a few years ago had one thing in common; a good bullpen.  It looks like we fans might be able to witness that again: Bullpen rounding into form - angels.com.  "Sean Burnett has returned after a long rehabilitation from August left elbow surgery, Ernesto Frieri has regained his command and confidence, and the bullpen is starting to represent the deep and effective group that was expected at the start of the season -- the group that showed glimpses of greatness in Spring Training before ranking 25th in the Majors in ERA after the first six weeks of the season. Since May 14, Angels relievers rank sixth in the Majors in ERA (2.03), fourth in the Majors in WHIP (1.01) and, perhaps most important with this group, sixth in the Majors in fewest walks per nine innings (2.36)."
• Every good team needs a great leader...the Angels have Weaver: Angels-Mariners Preview - Yahoo Sports.  "Weaver was 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in his first three outings but is 5-1 with a 1.70 ERA in his last seven. His latest effort was arguably his finest of the season. Weaver (5-3, 2.85 ERA) yielded a solo homer, one other hit and one walk in his first complete game in 2014, a 2-1 win over Houston on Wednesday."  Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners - May 27, 2014 - MLB.com.  "During the offseason, Weaver committed himself to an intense regimen of stretching and massage therapy. He's said this is the healthiest his arm has felt in about five years. Weaver wasn't seeing results early in the year, but recently started working out with free weights -- before that he was working out with cable exercises that wouldn't put too much strain on a bicep tendon that had been tender for a few years -- and has been getting stronger every five days."
• Seriously, the Angels need to acquire Mike Carp: Angels outfield prospect Mike Fish hits walk-off homer - angels.com
  "Facing right-hander Tyler Brunnemann with one out and a runner on first, Fish pulled a pitch out to left, ending the game. It was his second homer of the day."
• It must be like living in an alternate reality being a Cubs fan.  Having a starting pitcher lead the lead in ERA, but still not have a win?  Only in Chicago: Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants - Recap - May 26, 2014 - ESPN.  "The right-hander entered with six no-decisions in his first 10 outings this year despite leading the majors with a 1.46 ERA. Chicago had lost nine of Samardzija's first 10 starts."