Los Angeles Angels: As the Starting Pitching prevails, the offense goes MIA in the last week

The Los Angeles Angels pulled out a strong 5-2 win over the Houston Astros last night, lead by the long ball (both Andrelton Simmons solo shot and Albert Pujols 3-run blast that put them ahead for good) and another strong outing from their starting pitching.

The Los Angeles Angels are a team without it’s centerpiece young arm, Garrett Richards (currently battling bicep tightness.) They are also a team with two of the arms the team had hoped to lean on, Matt Shoemaker and Tyler Skaggs struggling to shake off the rust in their first two turns through the rotation.

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Los Angeles is also a team that couldn’t afford to have it’s offense falter. However, that is exactly what the offense did – falter, that is to say, fall flat and unproductive.
At one point the Los Angeles Angels offense went 21 innings without scoring a run. After two heart stopping, dramatic, late in the game, come-from-behind-wins against the Mariners and the Rangers, the offense managed to score just 9 runs in 6 games, getting shutout in two of them.

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The Angels’ six game losing streak had some pitching duds to be sure. However, it is namely three games in a row- the final two of the Rangers series (both 8-3 losses), and the first of the Royals series (a 7-1 loss.) After those three games, the Angels starting pitching hit it’s current stride. Skaggs, Shoemaker, Ricky Nolasco, and Jesse Chavez have all turned in sparkling performances over the last 4 games. All four Angels pitched into the sixth inning (with Chavez & Skaggs both going 7 innings in their respective games.) No pitcher surrendered more than 2 earned runs in their start, but still the Angels ended up 1-3 in wins and losses.

During the same 7 game streak, the Angels offense has hit a very disappointing .175 with 4 home runs (half  of which came in last night’s win), and 19 BB to counter 64 K. If you’re a more advanced numbers type, consider their .223 BABIP and .224 OBP, all while posting a team -0.8 WAR.

There are bright spots. Mike Trout has continued to do what Mike Trout does and Andrelton Simmons appears to be continuing last season’s strong offensive contributions. However,  Kole Calhoun has struggled, and the first base platoon of C.J. Cron and Jefry Marte has looked uneasy at best.

The Angels have been pegged by some as a sleeper playoff team. However, for that to ring true, the offense will need to begin to click in sync. Both in sync with itself and the starting pitching. The new left field additions also must produce above the Mendoza line. And if the platoon at first base is to work, Jeffry Marte must do the same. The CJ Cron trade rumors seem likely to flare up again soon. If and when they do, it could be yet another in a long list of young first basemen traded away for rentals and hopeful production. Another such trade would likely agitate a fan base that saw the young Cron was capable of in 2016.

Next: Angels make a pair of minor league trades

The 2017 season is brand new still However, in just a week, a 6-2 Angels team now sits at 7-8. Now is the time to solve the problems. And now is the time to show the rest of the league what they are capable of.