Sean Burnett heads back to the DL, the odds of hitting for the cycle and, Tommy Hanson returns. Dr. Lewis Yocum passed yesterday at the age of 66, succumbing to cancer. How large was Dr. Yocum’s presence in Major League Baseball? He was the Doctor that team’s sent their pitchers too when they were injured. Rest in peace Dr. Yocum.

Burnett Back to the DL with Elbow Injury

It’s not his surgically repaired UCL, so that’s good. But, this is his second trip to the DL this season. Hopefully after this trip he can stay on the roster for the rest of the season.

Money Quote:

“Hopefully in 15 days I’m good to go,” Burnett said. “Kind of like the tin man that was a little squeaky.”

Wah, wah, waaaaaahhhhhhh.

The Odds of Hitting for the Cycle

Lots and lots and lots of math. Like, boat loads of math. But, it turns out that Mike Trout is the most likely hitter to hit for the cycle. Whodathunkit?

Weaver Grateful for Yocum’s Guidance

Again, Yocum’s presence not only to baseball, but to the Angels specifically (he was the team’s orthopedist) cannot be understated.

Lewis Yocum Passes Away at 66

Yes, a giant in the world of sports medicine.

Hamilton Sits With Back Spasms

Back spasms are the suck, seriously. But, first it was allergies, now this. By a show of hands, who is starting to get annoyed with these little things?

The Angels are Finally Showing Signs of Life

Until the last two nights, this team has looked every bit like the team we expected to see coming into this season. It’s enough to inject confidence back into this blogger. Or maybe that’s the meds?

Angels Scored Two Runs on a Strikeout

It’s not just that the Angels scored two runs on a strikeout. It’s that Albert Pujols was the second run to score on said strikeout.

Bourjos Still a Couple Weeks Away

Hamstrings are tricky, but the fact that Peter Bourjos has started doing some form of sprinting, is a very good sign.

Tommy Hanson Returns to Angels

I hope that Hanson is OK. Every person ever, has had to deal with a death, and everyone deals with it differently. And I couldn’t begin to imagine what it is like to lose a younger brother. Best of luck to you going forward, Tommy. We’re in your corner.

Tommy Hanson‘s return leaves Mike Scioscia with a choice, Jered Weaver set for Wednesday return and, Joe Blanton doesn’t fee like he has anything to prove. If the pitching holds up last night, this team is on a nine game winning streak. I guess you can’t expect your number two starter to maintain a five-run lead these days, can you?

Hanson’s Return Leaves Scioscia with Choice

For me, there isn’t much of a choice here. Blanton has been awful, and should be moved to the pen where he can do the least amount of damage. I guess these choices only become tough when a player is making millions of dollars and needs to be accommodated.

Jered Weaver Set to Return Wednesday Against Dodgers

This is only exciting if Weaver comes back and pitches like the Jered Weaver we have seen in the past, because he wasn’t inspiring a ton of confidence in fans before he went down with this injury.

Scout.com Player of the Week: Mike Trout

Congratulations, Mike Trout. I guess.

Money Quote:

But, at the end of the day, production and results are the hallmarks of this particular weekly feature, and no one was more productive than Trout, who, by driving in or scoring 15 of Los Angeles’s 41 total runs, accounted for 36.6% of the Halos’ offensive production en route to earning his second POW nod of the season.

Mike Trout and runs. Sounds like a new ad campaign for Activia.

Hamilton Isn’t Surprised by Rangers Hot Start

He might not be, but I am. This isn’t the Tampa Bay Rays who seemingly get by on signing nomads and vagabonds each year. The Rangers have a near $100MM payroll, and have let key players walk in the last couple of years. Of course, they obviously knew something that no one else did, because a couple of them ended up in Anaheim, and, blech.

Angels’ Erick Aybar is Irate Over Umpire’s Call

So is everyone else who saw the replay. Of course, Gary Darling is standing by his decision so, there’s that. #RobotsNow

Dodgers, Angels Haven’t Spent Wisely, but at Least They’ve Spent

Well, I don’t know about you, but I know I feel all warm and toasty inside now. Most of the warmth though is coming from the stacks of one-hundred dollar bills that Arte is using in his fireplace.

Trout, Cabrera Could be Giving an Encore in What Could be a Season for the Ages

Sure, yeah, why not. Just don’t bring up the Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa thing when referring to Mike Trout, mmkay?

Blanton Doesn’t Believe he has Anything to Prove

To himself? No. To A’s fans, who saw him be productive at the outset of his career? Probably not. To Phillies fans? He hit a home run in the World Series, he’s safe on Broad St. To Angels fans? He better believe that he has something to prove, especially since he is 1-8 with an ERA north of six.

Fear the Ginger. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Aybar Eyeing Monday Return Against Royals

I would say, “And not a moment too soon, either,” but Brendan Harris has been holding down the fort quite well in Aybar’s absence. Of course, the magic fairy dust is likely to wear off sooner or later. So, best to get him out of there before he turns into a pumpkin.

Hanson To Miss Another Turn In Rotation

Barry Enright will take Hanson’s spot again because, ginger power.

Take Heart, Dodgers and Angels Fans: Others Are Suffering Too

The Blue Jays are basically the 2012 Miami Marlins. And we all saw how well that worked. You know who else is suffering? The Astros, the aforementioned Marlins, the Mets. Fans don’t care that there is another team playing just as bad as ours. We just want our team to stop being bad at baseball.

Arte Moreno and His Angels Can’t Take the Heat

Tune in tomorrow when T.J. Simmers article, “How the Bat Boy is Affecting J.B. Shuck‘s Plate Discipline.”

Hamilton Changes Mindset to Counter Timid Approach

Timid? That’s what you call your approach, Josh? That’s as funny as your “Arlington isn’t a baseball town” line. Although, I, admittedly, liked that one better.

Money Quote:

“I was being too timid,” Hamilton said recently. “I was trying not to strike out. I was trying to make contact, and I wasn’t being myself.”

Josh was “trying to not strike out.” Yet, somehow, he managed to rack up 44 in 36 games played. SMH.

Angels Baserunning Hasn’t Been What It Used To Be

That’s because players are conducting open auditions to fill Torii Hunter‘s role of boneheaded base runner. There are going to be some ugly auditions, but I have faith that this team will choose the right man for the job. This is what they’re talking about, right?

Money Quote:

Through Saturday, the Angels made 14 outs on the bases and were caught stealing on 11 of 23 attempts, their 25 total outs on the bases the third-most in baseball behind Milwaukee (27) and Houston (26).

Woof.