If you were to take out your 2008 baseball magazine preview of choice you might find that the standings as of today in the American League aren’t exactly what was expected. The Angels predicted by many to finish second in the AL West, sit at 57-38 and are tied with the Chicago Cubs for the best record in baseball. Their lead in the West is a very comfortable six games and perhaps the best news for Angels fans at least is this team’s offense for the most part has still been dissapointing. The Angels sit eleventh in batting in the AL at a paltry .257 and their OBP is twelfth in the league at .318. So how are the Angels possibly sitting in first place at the All Star break?

The Angels had three representatives in this years’ Midsummer Classic, all three of them pitchers and realistically the genuine reason this Angels club sits in first. Ervin Santana ( 11-3, 3.34), Joe Saunders ( 12-5, 3.07), and their closer Fransisco Rodriguez (2.38, 38 saves) have been outstanding for Mike Scioscia’s club. K-Rod is on pace to break the MLB record for saves in a season, and Santana and Saunders who originally were slated to battle for the 5th spot in the rotation have certainly earned their keep.  The fact that Angels’ ace John Lackey (6-2, 2.46) returned to the lineup in May and the club’s highest ERA for a starter is 4.20 doesn’t hurt either.

The Angels offense needs to pick it up in the second half, particularly in a best of five series relying on pitching can be tentative at best. This teams situational hitting has really just been good enough so far, but the team might look to add some hired guns like a Mark Teixeira or Matt Holliday. Both would give Mike Scioscia added depth off the bench and at the DH spot. Fransisco Rodriguez who currently has 38 saves figures to have a great chance at breaking Bobby Thigpen’s record of 57 in a single season. With a huge pay day awaiting K-Rod this figures to be the Angels’ best shot at a title this season. This lineup may be deep enough to end this clubs’ playoff woes against the Boston Red Sox, who currently lead the AL East by a half game. The Sox have knocked out the Angels three times in the postseaon (’86, ‘04, ‘07), each time the Sox reached the World Series. This year Scioscia and co. will try to return the favor. (Knock on wood)

Remaining Angels Schedule

Boston- 6 Games 3 H 3 A

Cleveland- 6 Games 3 H 3 A

Baltimore- 6 Games 3 H 3 A

New York- 10 Games 6 H 4 A

Seattle- 9 Games 5 H 4 A

Tampa Bay- 3 Games 3 A

Minnesota- 4 Games 4 H

Oakland- 6 Games 3 H 3 A

Texas- 10 Games 7 H 3 A

Detroit- 3 Games 3 A

Chicago- 3 Games 3 A

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Tags: Angels, Fransisco Rodriguez, LA, Mike Scioscia, Nich Hall