The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim stand at a very precarious spot in the season.
At 46-41, just slightly past the halfway point and 5 1/2 games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers, they must make a decision: give up and tough it out with the players they have, or make a move and wrest back control of a division they've owned for the better part of a decade.
The Angels are in a bad spot right now, particularly where their offense is concerned. In the last seven games, they've gone 2-5 and have scored more than two runs only once, thanks to a seven-RBI day from the team's only consistent player, Torii Hunter.
That was also the last game in which any Angel hit a home run.
How did they ever win two?
After securing a key series victory over the Rangers, it looked as though the Angels were back on track and headed in the right direction.
The starting pitching slowly came around, the patchwork infield was starting to mesh, and even the bullpen hadn't blown any leads in awhile.
Since then, however, it's been a steady downhill slide. Errors, poor pitching—especially from the relievers—and a stagnant offense like we haven't seen from this team in years, have all joined forces to put the 2010 season in serious jeopardy.
Because, well, where do you go from here? The Angels are certainly not out of contention by any means. After all, it's only July. Even the Baltimore Orioles have a shot to make the postseason.
Technically.
But the ways in which the Angels can turn the season around right now are few and far between. It is more likely they will make their big moves in the offseason, when guys like Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford hit the free-agent market.
Still, the Angels can't be content to trudge along with what they have in the meantime. Paul McAnulty, Cory Aldridge, Robb Quinlan, Brandon Wood, Reggie Willits—these are not intimidating names in any lineup.
Couple that with the dismal slumps of supposed run-producers like Hideki Matsui, Juan Rivera, and Bobby Abreu and the Angels aren't going anywhere this season. Not without a little outside help.
Over the last month, the rumor mill has been buzzing around the Big A pretty loudly. Paul Konerko was surely going to be the next Angel. Then it was Adam LaRoche and Hank Blalock. Last week, Adam Dunn was all but a lock in Anaheim.
This week, the rumors have faded and the buzzing silenced. The only sound around the Big A now is the soft echo of brooms sweeping up in preparation for the coming All-Star festivities.
This can only mean one thing: Tony Reagins is making calls instead of just taking them.
L.A. has always been a tight-lipped organization, jealously guarding its hand like Doyle Brunson at a no-limit hold 'em table. Sure, sometimes a card or two gets spotted by some enterprising reporter or MLB insider.
But when the chips are down and the season hangs in the balance, the Angels clam up.
If that's the case here, then the Angels have to be addressing at least one of the holes on their team and the most glaring one of all is the offense. The bullpen certainly needs help, but fewer options are available there than at the plate.
The Baltimore Orioles have already hung the “For Sale” sign on the 2010 season and are making available pretty much everyone not named Adam Jones. Ty Wigginton or Miguel Tejada would make fine additions in Anaheim.
The Houston Astros, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, and Milwaukee Brewers are all on the verge of doing the same thing. Each has at least one player the Angels could reasonably deal for.
Even the Boston Red Sox could be willing to deal Victor Martinez if the price is right. The once-mighty BoSox have been bitten by the injury bug this season and are in desperate need of fresh bodies in the field.
If the Angels do make a move, it likely won't come until after the All-Star break, which should give them just enough time to consider their options as they stand at the precipice of a season that could be very good, or very bad.
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