THIS IS SPARTA!!!!!

Okay, it's really Anaheim, but whatever.

It felt like a slaughter today.  10-2.  Bring on the hot wings!

Derek Lowe really took a pounding today.  I almost felt bad for him.  Please note the word almost.  I just can't believe the power that Napoli is showing.  Last year, he had ten total home runs over the span of the entire season.  It's mid-May, and he's already equalled that.  He's on track for what, 30? Ridiculous.  And that's without even playing every day, because Mathis still has the defensive edge.  And Iz is back too, it's nice to see him hitting.... and Kotchman! and Garrett! Sheesh!

The only thing that worries me about it all is how streaky the offense has become.  It's like three games will go by where no one will hit a thing, and they'll lose a couple games due to it (because it really hasn't so much been the pitching lately, aside from some mishaps in the bullpen...) and then all of a sudden, EVERYONE will hit.  It's like a contagion in the Angels dugout.  I hit, you hit, I don't hit, you definitely aren't hitting either.  We need a more constant spark-plug.  Let's hope Garret's eight game hit streak will help that.

It really seems irrelevant that the Angels have lost six of their last ten.  It's not good to lose of course, but some strides are being made here.  Lackey is back, for one, which was probably the most exciting moment for me as a viewer so far this season.  He's just such a presence.  And some of the players that have emerged this year have really made the World Series a hopeful and eminent conclusion.  So, Oakland may be right behind, half a game or a game and a half, whatever, but they haven't had the same amount of injuries either.  

By the way, Kendrick = Troy Glaus

I wonder if he'll ever come off the DL... He seems to get pushed further and further back every time he's due for a rehap assignment.  One word, LIABILITY.

Anyway, yeah. I think they're good for the playoffs, so long as they don't screw up royally, which I can't see happening.  We'll see what happens, and we really won't be able to sufficiently call it until after the All-Star break, since somehow everything decides to go haywire at that point.