Where Is The Angel's Bullpen? (10/81)

It's hard to give an award to the worst bullpen in the majors with teams like Toronto B-Jays, the BoSox and the Angels, but Los Angeles of Anaheim are sure doing their best to stake that claim.

Dan Haren took a shutout into the 8th inning on an overcast Sunday afternoon, but the bullpen couldn't hold the lead. They blew their fourth save of the season to tie (appropriately) with the B-Jays. No wonder ace, Jered Weaver, insisted on going the distance the other day, not wishing to entrust the bullpen with a 3-run lead. Even the usually dependable Scott Downs got rocked by giving up two runs in the eighth. LaTroy Hawkins got tagged with the loss in extra innings when he gave up an RBI single to Baltimore Oriole's outfielder, Nick Markakis. Baltimore beat the Angels in 10 innings 3-2.

The bullpen, that has been Angel's Achilles' Heel for the past two seasons, was supposed to be upgraded this off-season with experience. The Angels added veteran relievers, Hawkins and 39-year old Jason Isringhausen, and hard throwing righty, Kevin Jepsen was returning healthy after an injury plagued 2011 campaign.

However, the Angels have seen strong starts come and enough times this season for a hush to overcome Angel Stadium whenever a relief pitcher gets brought into the game. On top of blown saves, the Angels relievers have inherited 26 runners and allowed 12 of them to score. Poor Dan Haren, who's lost two quality starts thanks to a revolving door bullpen. If I'm Haren, I'm never letting that ball out of my hand no matter how much manager Mike Scioscia insists.

Howard Homers

Howie Kendrick got his second home run of the season. With the bomb, he becomes the only second baseman besides Texas Ranger's Ian Kinsler to hit at least 12 home runs since August 15 of last year.

Vernon Wells: Scoring Machine

Baseball is all about scoring more runs than the other team. Say what you will, but Vernon Wells is helping this team win games by getting on base and leading the team in home runs (3) and runs scored (10). The stats still look insignificant next to another outfielder just down the freeway, but the much maligned hitter is producing at a relatively higher rate than some of the other guys on the team.

Final Note:

The Angels might possibly sign reliever Mike Gonzalez, a Scott Boras client. Angels fans are conditioned to hate the super-agent, Boras, thanks to all the stress he has caused them with the early handling of Weaver and the departure of Mark Texeira, but this would be a good thing.

Boras handles players with talent, and Gonzalez is no exception. Gonzalez was part of the Texas Ranger's solid bullpen last year that included Mike Adams, Koji Uehara, Darren Oliver, and Neftali Feliz, and owns a lifetime 2.94 ERA. The former Pittsburgh Pirates closer who notched 26 saves in 2006, would add a steady right handed arm for the middle innings that Isringhausen, Jepsen, and Hawkins have failed to deliver thus far.

It may sound like the Angels have a ton of relievers signed as it is, but you can never have too much quality arms in the pen. Doesn't matter how many runs you score if a bullpen can't hold a lead. Just ask the Boston Red Sox.