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Their 57-38 record at the All-Star break is impressive, as is their six-game lead over Oakland in the American League West, the largest cushion of any first-place team in baseball.

Yet, there is a sense among the Angels -- and a growing segment of their fan base that will no longer be satisfied with a mere division title -- that this team has underachieved.

“We have the best record in the league and [are tied with the Chicago Cubs for the best] record in baseball,” center fielder Torii Hunter said, “and our offense has barely scratched the surface of what it’s capable of.”

The Angels began to stir in July, batting .272 and averaging 5.7 runs after hitting .252 and averaging 3.8 runs in June. They’ve hit 15 home runs in 12 games this month after hitting 20 home runs in 26 games in June.

But the big picture remains murky: The Angels rank 11th in the league in average (.257) and runs (409), ninth in home runs (83) and last in doubles (145). They’re 13th in walks (270), 12th in on-base percentage (.318) and 10th in slugging percentage (.388).

The pitching has been superb. Angels starters rank second in the AL with a 3.75 earned-run average, and their rotation of John Lackey, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, Jon Garland and Jered Weaver might be the deepest in baseball.

Francisco Rodriguez set a major league record with 38 saves before the All-Star break, and setup men Scot Shields (4-2, 3.11 ERA) and Jose Arredondo (3-0, 1.12 ERA) have been key factors in the Angels’ 36-18 record in games decided by two runs or fewer.

But the big question entering the second half of 2008 remains the same as it was in 2007: Do the Angels have enough offense to beat the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox in a playoff series?

What a coincidence: Manny Ramirez & Co. will be in Anaheim on Friday night to resume second-half play with a three-game series against the Angels.

“We still think there are areas we can improve in, and offensive continuity is one of them,” General Manager Tony Reagins said. “We think we have the pieces in place to perform at a higher level. We believe this team is going to perform better in the second half.”

The Angels don’t need career years from their hitters. But they need more than they’re getting from Vladimir Guerrero (.286, 15 homers, 50 runs batted in), Garret Anderson (.263, eight homers, 44 RBIs), Hunter (.269, 12 homers, 43 RBIs) and Gary Matthews Jr. (.235, seven homers, 34 RBIs).

“Consistency is what you look for,” Reagins said. “What we’re asking is for players to play to the level they’re capable of. If they do that, we should be fine.”

If they don’t, they’ll continue to put a heavy burden on the pitchers, raising another question: Will they eventually crack under such pressure?

“It definitely takes a little bit of that stress away when you get some early runs, when you know the team is hot, swinging bats well, and will come back,” Garland said.

“But that won’t change the approach for me. I try to put up as many zeros as I can and give the team a chance to win.”

A few less zeros by the offense wouldn’t hurt.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

All-Stars on the mound, few stars at the plate

Biggest first-half surprise:

Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders making the All-Star team. Santana pitched so poorly in 2007 (7-14, 5.76 earned-run average) he was demoted to triple A in July. He is 11-3 with a 3.34 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 129 1/3 innings this season. Saunders entered 2008 with 33 big league starts, but the left-hander is pitching with the command and confidence of a veteran, going 12-5 with a 3.07 ERA.

Biggest first-half disappointment:

Gary Matthews Jr. Manager Mike Scioscia gave him more than enough time to find his swing, starting him in 79 of the first 90 games, but the outfielder has struggled so much -- he has a .310 on-base percentage and 20 extra-base hits -- he was benched in favor of Juan Rivera in late June.

At this pace:

Francisco Rodriguez would finish with 64 saves and shatter Bobby Thigpen’s season record of 57, set in 1990. Vladimir Guerrero would finish with 82 RBIs, the first time in 11 years he’d have less than 108 RBIs in a season that wasn’t cut short by injury.

Reasons to be excited:

Scioscia’s outfield/designated hitter rotation has helped keep Guerrero and Garret Anderson fresh, which should help in September and, the Angels hope, October. Rivera, historically a strong second-half player, hit .367 (11 for 30) with three homers and eight RBIs in eight starts since June 29, giving the offense a lift.

Reasons to be concerned:

Kelvim Escobar’s shoulder surgery, to be performed this month, robbed the Angels of valuable pitching depth, leaving the rotation and bullpen vulnerable should a starter or front-line reliever get hurt. Since June 25, leadoff batter Chone Figgins is hitting .154 (eight for 52) with five runs. Since June 27, No. 2 hitter Casey Kotchman is batting .193 (11 for 57) with seven RBIs.

Moves to ponder:

The Angels could make a minor move to bolster their bullpen, but barring a major injury, it’s doubtful they’ll swing a deal for that “big bat” of which they seem to be in perennial pursuit. “We’ll continue to talk with teams, and if something makes sense and we see a need, we’ll pursue it,” GM Tony Reagins said. “But there isn’t a sense of urgency to make dramatic changes to this club.”

See you in September:

The Angels will win their fourth division title in five years, but September isn’t as much a focal point as October. The Angels are good enough to win the AL West. Are they good enough to win a World Series?

“That remains to be seen,” Reagins said. “It’s a long season, 162 games, and you have to put yourself in a position to get to the postseason. Once you get there, you have to play well. Then, you let the chips fall where they may.”

How do they do it?

Where the Angels rank among the 14 teams in the AL:.

*--* Record 57-38 (1st) Avg. 257 (11th) Runs per game 4.31 (11th) Home runs 83 (9th) On-base pct. 318 (12th) Slugging pct. 388 (10th) ERA 3.84 (6th) Fielding pct. 985 (4th) *--*

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Los Angeles Times

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