The Rangers have to make a move in the next week. Francisco Rodriguez, Guerrero, and Escobar are all out. At some point I think someone might realize either Mathis, Morales, or Kotchman deserves some MLB at-bats.

I'm baffled at how this team is in first with the performances they are getting and the injuries they are suffering.

I think they need to feed tonight's starter (Santana) better. I think my leg weighs more than he does.

Well, I'd like to get Morales, you know, at least like a week in the minors first, to get his feet wet.

Yeah, what is Morales doing these days?

From rain to pour.

Morales is 3-8 with a HR and a walk at High A Rancho Cucamonga in the Cal League.

I took a chance and sat K Rod this week while bringing in Gumby Mota...now I hear McKlingon is going with the dreaded dual-headed closer beast...

darn,darn,darn

Morales should spend some time in the minors. His performance in the Cuban leagues were outstandings though, and there was plenty of talk about him breaking ST with the club if he was in the US.

At some point I think someone might realize either Mathis, Morales, or Kotchman deserves some MLB at-bats.

Kotchman got MLB at bats last year. The results were not pretty.

Kotchman got MLB at bats last year. The results were not pretty.

So, are you proposing they cut him? He hit like .370 with fine plate discipline in AAA, and was awesome in AA last year also. Now, he might not be quite that good, but he also isn't nearly as bad as he was playing in limited time last year in the majors.

OK, how many freaking closers are on the DL now?

Not that I should be complaining. With all our struggles, the A's can use all the help they can get. But, with that being said, you never want to wish injury on another team's players.

Kotchman got MLB at bats last year. The results were not pretty.

You're absolutely right. That .565 in 116 ABs at the age of 21 definitively show that he has no future in the majors.

Tell you what... how about the Giants send the Angels Lance Niekro (.871 OPS in 81 ABs) for him straight up?

I'm baffled at how this team is in first with the performances they are getting and the injuries they are suffering.

I think it's the West. Not the worst division in baseball, just the unluckiest.

They KLined D-Rod?!

Wow. Santana good.

Everything that could possibly go wrong for the Angels has, except for the fact that all of the starters have been great to pretty good and Shields has been incredible.

Shields could obviously be a starter but having a great reliever who could go 6 innings in a series from time to time is a nice luxury.

Wonder if Santana can bump Byrd from the rotation once Escobar comes back.

At some point the Angels will win 20 of 25 games, probably in July/August.

Kotchman's only hitting .270 in AAA right now. He started the year in a horrible slump and has turned it around, but he hasn't shown any power yet. (Not that power is a job requirement for an Angel 1B)

I don't want to give up on him, but right now he's just not ready. He's only 22.

What a huge change in just one start by Santana. Early on he left a few pitches up and got away with them. The Indians didn't let him get away with anything. As the game went on his stuff was just unhittable. His fastball topped out at 98.

If anything, he was too good. I may not be able to get him next week in fantasy pickups. Hopefully some more closers will lose their jobs and people will spend their waiver picks on those.

Peralta is an interesting-looking guy. He's 29, listed as 5-11 and 155 (I find that listed weight hard to believe), and has averaged more than a strikeout per inning in his minor league career, with a K/BB ratio of better than 3:1. The A's signed him out of the Domincan Republic as an infielder in 1996, but he didn't make it as a position player, and then he converted to pitching and was signed by the Angels in 1999. He was 4-1, 2.60 with seven saves and a 16:5 K/BB ratio in 17 1/3 innings for Salt Lake - not bad for AAA. He might be able to shoulder some of the middle relief load that Shields is leaving behind.

-- MWE

Uggggh, I've got 5 pitchers on the DL..... K-Rod, Mota, Harden, W. Williams, and El Duque..... And we only have 2 DL slots total!

Well, there go my saves for a long while....

F