The Magic is back for the Los Angeles Angels?

Don’t look now but the Los Angeles Angels are on a hot streak.  The team has won 8 of their last 10 games and the offense seems to be firing on all cylinders despite injuries to key cogs C.J. Cron and Geovany Soto.

Not only that but the pitching is coming around as well, just look at the series against the Chicago White Sox where the pitching staff only gave up one run in 27 innings.  Even last night against Texas after Nick Tropeano got battered early and eventually came out due to elbow soreness, the bullpen stepped and put up zeroes in six of seven innings.  This allowed the Angels bats to get going and they did in a big way, rallying from a 4-0 deficit by scoring nine runs en route to a 9-5 victory over the first-place Rangers.

So what has been the difference recently especially offensively?  Production from the bottom of the order.  Andrelton Simmons, Jett Bandy, Daniel Nava, C.J. Cron, and now Ji-Man Choi have all been hitting the ball well.  Of course Kole Calhoun, Yunel Escobar, Albert Pujols, and Mike Trout have done their share as well.

Last night Trout went two for three with a huge three-run bomb to put the game away in a four-run seventh inning.  Choi also added his first major league home run and Kole Calhoun was 1 for 3 with an RBI and three runs scored.  On Sunday Albert Pujols hit two 2-run homers and Escobar went 2 for 4 to raise his average to .318.  Trout and Escobar are ranked third and fifth in the AL in batting average. Pujols is ranked 5th in the AL in RBI’s with 65 and Trout is 8th with 62 RBI’s.

Pitching wise Hector Santiago and Matt Shoemaker have been on fire lately both with ERA’s under 3.00 in their last seven starts.  The duo combined for 16 shutout innings against the White Sox in back-to-back starts over the weekend with 20 strikeouts and no walks.  Santiago in fact is making a case for AL Pitcher of the Month as he is 3-0 with an ERA of 0.00 in the month of July with 20 K’s in 20 innings without giving up an earned run. Shoemaker won the AL Player of the Week honors this past week for his six-hit shutout of the White Sox.

The question is it too little too late?  I don’t think so.  Despite being 10.5 games out in the wild-card race there is still enough time for the Angels to rally as there are still 69 games left to play.  it will not be easy and the team will have to win probably at least 45 of those games to have a chance.  However, teams in the past have proven it can be done so why not the Angels.

We will see how the next couple of weeks go and if the team can get to within striking distance going into the stretch run.  For now sit back, fasten your seat belts, and hold on tight because it’s rally time. Cue that Lovable Monkey!!!