Thor'sLinks: Halos un-earn way out of WC spot

Can you believe it? The Angels hit 5 home runs in the same game, against the worst team in baseball, and lose.

I'd like to be blaming the fact t the Angels lost to Oakland on asymmetrical scouting. It's a favored theory of mine. I'd also like to be blaming Seattle and Detroit, who had only one job to do. But Holy Balls! This one is entirely on LAA. And, sure enough, this Buttercup moment came when barry Zito was in a uniform and participating. I knew it. I just knew it.

7 unearned runs and 9 men Left On Base by Cron/Pujols and the offense being stonewalled for 4 innings by a guy who might have just done the very last thing he will ever muster in a uniform and all we can expect is to hand away the WC lead. It's inevitable. And now this team has to clean up, pack up, get to the airport, fly 4 1/2 hours to Dallas, get moved in, try to get some rest, all before heading to Arlington and trying to be fresh for the Texas Rangers. And, no, they can't afford to throw any more games away.

It's a good time to polish off your freak out boots, for these are the last 4 chances to extend the season. Let's grab some Unearned Links.

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Angels Baseball

Range Warning: Just to alert the masses, the Rangers find these next 4 games to be particularly important to win and are doing their push-ups..............

Shoeless: In case you failed to notice above, the Halos will be trying to get through the Rangers this weekend without Matt Shoemaker. Here's to hoping we see him pitch again in 2015, because that means we made the playoffs...........

Grant Green: I had forgotten all about this guy. Too late. DFA'd. Probably gone forever............

Oldie Newbie: Green was released because Stoneman is busy looking for more arms over these last 4 games. Hmmm. Well, Green was most likely going to be cut loose before next season anyway. So with Green gone, Stoneman had room to add his arm. Jo-Jo Reyes. The guy hasn't pitched in MLB for 4 years. How do you even find a guy like that?............

Rip Off Alert: For $4, you too can not watch the Angels play any games between now and Sunday on MLBTV...........

Merch Alert: MLB Shop has vintage (style) jerseys now on sale. Off whites..............

Trout Porn: Angels MLB scribes busy pimping Mikey's cause by comparing favorably versus Donaldson..............

Trout Porn: "What a beast."..........Yeah, quite the beast...........

Trout Porn: If the Angels, Rangers and Astros all end up tied for the AL West lead, the Angels will be automatically entered into the playoffs because they have Mike Trout. Not really. Well, yeah, they will get the automatic entry. But not because Mike Trout is good for advertisers. So, um, no, not Trout Porn. But fun...............

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Elsewhere in Baseball

Trolling Oakland: Rob Neyer puts out the Oakland A's lineup that could have been - before Beane traded away all his players - and A's fan's everywhere experience their heads falling off their shoulders...........

Avoiding FA Mistakes: This piece dives into some of the theory behind selecting the proper value on the FA market. Bookmark it now and wait til the off-season, then read it while stuck on the tarmac. In the summary, though, is a tidbit that cannot be overlooked: "Yes, older players are risky, but when assessing risk, you always have to ask the question "compared to what other alternatives?"€ and then ask whether that risk is properly priced in the market. If it'€™s not, then like all mis-pricings, there's room to take advantage." The problem, however, is mostly about what do when the market itself is not properly priced?............

Cheating?: Wow. People are actually paying attention to stuff like this? The San Diego Padres have been fined for holding a workout, and apparently workouts are illegal. Actually, the violation sounds more like The Mann Act.............

Mother Nature: So, apparently, Mother nature is tired of the regular season, wants to jump right to the playoffs, and is threatening to shut down the remaining games where playoff slots are not at risk...........

Culture Clash: This conversation among players that, I think, has kickstarted by the Papelban/Harper clash continues to spin further and further out of control. Now it has gotten to the point where players are spouting off about foreign-born athletes............Quite the dust up that caused............

Youth Movement: I had no idea this was going on. The Reds are on pace to use a rookie starting pitcher in 64 consecutive games..............

Fail: Instant replay blows it again. I mean, really, isn't hte whole point to get calls RIGHT??...........

Goggles, please: America. The Land of Plenty.............