Angels First Half Review, 2nd Half Preview

By Zachary Ingraham
SportsTicker Staff Writer

LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM

WHAT WENT RIGHT: The rotation has been one of the best in the majors. LHP Joe Saunders is tied for the American League lead with 11 wins and has combined with RHP Ervin Santana for a 20-7 record. After missing the first six weeks of the season, RHP John Lackey posted a 6-1 record with a 1.44 ERA in nine starts. The rotation has done a good job of getting the ball to closer RHP Francisco Rodriguez, who leads the majors with 32 saves in 34 opportunities. After struggling for the first two months, OF Vladimir Guerrero is heating up in June, batting .395 with six home runs and 15 RBI in the month.
WHAT WENT WRONG: The offense has failed to reach its potential. A combination of injuries and underachieving have contributed to the Angels having the 12th ranked offense in the AL. 2B Howie Kendrick and 3B Chone Figgins, who will usually be at the top of the batting order, have both missed significant time this season. Until Guerrero heated up this month, Anaheim's four-man outfield was really struggling offensively. OFs Gary Matthews Jr. and Garrett Anderson are both hitting in the mid-.200's and have combined for just 13 homers.

WHAT'S NEXT: While the Angels could use an extra bat to get the offense rolling, they are usually silent at the deadline and will likely be again this year. Los Angeles will turn its attention to holding off the fiery Athletics in the division race. The club will also hope to get Kendrick and Figgins healthy, which should improve its offensive performance.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: The Angels are 16 games over .500 and own the second best record in the AL, despite having just a plus-nine run differential. ... They are tied for second in the majors with eight shutouts. ... Anaheim has made just 40 errors, which is second best in the majors. ... The Angels rank 27th in the major leagues with a .316 on-base percentage.