Los Angeles Angels off to slowest start since 1994

Jun 13, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver (36) reacts after surrendering a home run against the Minnesota Twins during a MLB game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The Twins defeated the Angels 9-4. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver (36) reacts after surrendering a home run against the Minnesota Twins during a MLB game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The Twins defeated the Angels 9-4. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels were 32-45 as of June 28, which is officially the fewest wins they’ve had at this point in the year since they were the California Angels.

The Los Angeles Angels have reached the lowest of low-points this season — and we haven’t even reached July yet.

After blowing another late-inning lead on Monday night, the team dropped their 45th game of the year and fell a firm 18.0 games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West.

Losers of seven of their last 10, the Los Angeles Angels record is better than only the Minnesota Twins (24-51) in the American League.

The skid made me wonder if the Los Angeles Angels had been this bad recently.

They’ve been bad, sure, but they haven’t been this bad in a while.

The Los Angeles Angels haven’t had a record this poor as of June 28 since the 1994 season, when they were 33-45 and in 3rd in the AL West. Interestingly, the whole division played poorly that year as the division leader at that point was the Texas Rangers (34-40), and the Angels were only 3.0 games behind.

Just how long ago was 1994?

The number song was “I Swear by All-4-One”.

Gas was $0.54 a gallon and milk was….

Well OK, it wasn’t that long ago but it’s been awhile.

The Los Angeles Angels manager was Marcel Lachemann and the lineup on June 28, 1994, looked like this:

  1. Spike Owen (3B)
  2. Damion Easley (2B)
  3. Jim Edmonds (LF)
  4. Tim Salmon (RF)
  5. Chad Curtis (CF)
  6. Rex Hudler (DH)
  7. J.T. Snow (1B)
  8. Greg Myers (C)
  9. Gary DiSarcina (SS)

In 1994, Albert Pujols was a 14-year-old who hadn’t even been scouted yet, Mike Trout hadn’t yet reached his third birthday and Greg Mahle had just turned one.

Mike Scioscia had only been retired for two years and hadn’t started his coaching/managerial career yet.

That year, they Angels would go on to finish the year 47-68 after the player’s strike cut the season short in mid-August.

More from Halo Hangout

The Halos haven’t had as few wins as they do now since then, but they got close a few times.

In 1999, the Anaheim Angels compiled a 35-40 record through June 28, and sat 7.5 games behind the Texas Rangers (again, really?) in the cellar of the division.

Then in 2006, the Los Angeles Angels say in the cellar with a 35-43 record and were 6.5 games behind the Oakland A’s.

Luckily, it’s been smooth (if not decent) sailing in all of those other years.

Unfortunately for this year’s Angels, there doesn’t seem to be too much of a light at the end of the tunnel. A number of players are still injured and Trout seems to be the only one actually performing well right now.

The schedule isn’t playing the team any favors either.

After playing two more games at home against the Houston Astros (40-37), the Angels hit the road for a 10-day, 10-game, three-city, road trip.

They’ll kick it off at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox (41-35) this weekend, then head to Tampa Bay to take on the Rays (32-43) before finishing the first half of the season against the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles (45-30).

Next: Angels do have some prospects

From July 11-14 they’ll have a chance to rest and recover since it’s become apparent Trout will likely be the only All-Star representative from the Halos.

Schedule