Mike Scioscia is not long for his Angel career, according to this post… follow along. There have been countless great coaches/managers that have gotten to the point where their previous words that inspired have grown to fall on deaf ears as they get comfortable in their routine. Both are true in the position the Angels are with in the situation with Scioscia. In the 13+ years that Scioscia has led the Halos he has arguably been outstanding, faithful and wise when everybody else was quick to judge.

He brought small ball to the American League. And in his third year he won the Angels their first World Championship. He was a guru, a manager that worked well behind closed doors and revealed little except his patience. He lived and died with his defensive approach and his love of advancement of runners. We all did. The Angels played a mix of the 1970’s Cardinals and the 1990’s A’s.  Aggressive in their approach and very few errors in between, seemed simple with a talented cast. Scioscia worked it like a maestro and accolades came.

If things hold true this year, the Angels will miss the playoffs for the third year in a row. And that includes the addition of a 2^nd wildcard this year.  With Arte Moreno’s investment there’s no way that will cut it. Moreno made it clear that Jerry DiPoto is the new boss when Mickey Hatcher was let go despite a vehemently opposed Scioscia.

Many times, people ask if you’re going to fire someone you have to have an idea of a replacement. I could throw out many possibilities but they would all fall short of the credentials of Mike Scioscia. Twenty teams would gladly snap him up tomorrow. Unfortunately this scatoma has hit a team that has the best young individual talent in 50 years. A fresh voice is needed. I think it’s going to happen.

After a 21 minute rain delay the Angels wasted no time in keeping their offense clicking.  Mike Trout led off the game by getting hit by a Gavin Floyd pitch. Maicer Izturis followed with a ground rule double which kept Trout at third. Possibly the hottest hitter in baseball Albert Pujols, drove Trout home with a single to left. After Mark Trumbo hit into an RBI producing fielders choice, Floyd, who looked completely unprepared to pitch proceeded to then walk three straight batters with Howie Kendrick getting the easiest of RBIs on the last one. With the score 3-0, one out and bases loaded Vernon Wells did what he does best lately by striking out with Chris Iannetta doing the same.

A bottom of the first, two run home run by Kevin Youklis cut the lead to 3-2, as Ervin Santana continues to struggle, expecially with giving up the long ball. Fortunately, the 2nd inning became a microcosm of the greatness of Trout. After singling to lead off the inning, Trout advanced to 2nd on a routine grounder to short, advanced to 3rd on a sac fly from Pujols and then scored on a wild pitch. It’s true, speed kills. Though it was the bottom of the frame that had the Trout highlight that had people talking again as he made his second home run robbing catch, this time off the bat of Gordon Beckham.

After the Sox added a run in the bottom of the third, both pitchers calmed down a bit until the sixth when A.J. Pierzynski homered off Santana to cut the Angel lead to 4-3. It was the 26th homer allowed by Santana this year, so at least he can say he leads the league in something.

Taking no time to get that run back, Pujols hits his 24th home run out himself in the bottom of the 7th. In spite of a 5-3 lead though, nobody feels safe as LaTroy Hawkins relieves Santana and proceeds to give up a two run shot himself, the second home run for Youklis of the night which ties the game 5-5.

It remained tied until going to the tenth where Alberto Callaspo hit a two out double only to be driven in by a Kendrick single. Ernesto Frieri returned to his old self to close out the tenth in easy fashion and the Angels win 6-5 in a game that for a while, looked eerily similar to their last 3 losses. Now to keep it going.

The Angels will try to make it back to back as new White Sox Francisco Liriano faces Dan Haren at 11:10PT on Sunday.

Torii Hunter. Number two in the batting order, number one in our hearts. Through the Angels acquisition of Albert Pujols, to the awful start to the season and then the resurgence led by Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, Hunter’s name is rarely brought up these days.  Not cool, people.

Since being moved to the number two spot in the order on June 8, Hunter has been a solid as a rock .325/.366/.469.  Stretch his 42 game average at the two-hole over a season and you have the 37 year old who knocks 20 home runs, drives in 112 runs and scores 116 himself. He’s certainly not walking a lot for that position but how can he seeing the pitches he gets between Trout and Pujols.

The only time we’ve heard anything but a passing thought on Hunter this year is when he met with Scioscia to volunteer his position so the red hot Trumbo would have a place to play.  He then had some family issues that kept him from the team for a week. He’s been below the radar on a team that finally has some light shed on them. Maybe that’s helping him thrive, who knows.

It will be interesting to see what the Angels do after the season with Hunter who’s in the last year of 5 yr./$90 million contract. It looks like Peter Bourjos is going to survive the trade deadline and that may not bode well for Hunter. We’ve all seen the two spot in the batting order without him and Erick Aybar, Maicer Izturis, Howie Kendrick and Bourjos ain’t doing it. I’d be happy if a 2yr./$10-12 million was offered and accepted and we can get back to showing him some love, or at least acknowledging him.