Angels in desperate need of a spark
For the Angels to get even a whiff of playoff contention, they will have to sweep a three-game series from the Texas Rangers beginning Friday night in Anaheim.
And for that to happen, the Angels, who trail the Rangers by nine games in the American League West, will have to find some kind of offensive spark.
In losing six of seven games to Texas and Boston, the Angels (52-52) hit .211 (49 for 232) with 20 runs (2.9 a game) and .184 (seven for 38) with runners in scoring position.
Leadoff batter Erick Aybar is hitless in his last 13 at-bats. Howie Kendrick (three for 22), Bobby Abreu (four for 25), Torii Hunter (four for 23), Mike Napoli (two for 19) and Jeff Mathis (three for 22) are struggling.
And so is batting instructor Mickey Hatcher.
“Sometimes it’s not good to be the hitting coach,” Hatcher said before Wednesday’s 7-3 loss to the Red Sox. “This is when you’re in the cage 24 hours a day. I haven’t slept in three days.”
Hatcher said some Angels are hitting the ball hard but have nothing to show for it, and some are “trying to do too much” and are expanding their strike zones.
If the Angels fall further behind Texas, they could look to trade veterans such as Abreu, Juan Rivera, Hideki Matsui and Brian Fuentes for prospects, either before Saturday’s nonwaiver trade deadline or before the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline.
The Angels could also call up triple-A players such as outfielder Peter Bourjos and first baseman Mark Trumbo to see how they fare against big league pitching.
“We’re obviously treading water and … treading water might be a little bit better than we’ve been,” Manager Mike Scioscia said.
“We’ve struggled the last couple weeks. There are options we need to look at, and if something will make us better internally or externally, Tony [Reagins, general manager] will act on it.”
Sign language
The Angels’ top pick in the June 7 draft, Georgia high school third baseman Kaleb Cowart, has not accepted the team’s bonus offer of about $1.5 million, but the Angels remain very confident that they will sign the 18th overall pick before the Aug. 16 deadline.
“We’ll sign the guy — I firmly believe that,” Angels scouting director Eddie Bane said. “That’s why we selected him.”
Cowart hit .654 with 11 home runs, 59 runs batted in, 55 runs and 36 stolen bases in 36 attempts for Cook County High in Adel, Ga. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound player, who also went 10-1 with a 1.05 earned-run average and 116 strikeouts in 73 innings, was named Gatorade National High School player of the year.
There were reports before the draft that Cowart, who has signed a letter of intent with Florida State, was seeking a bonus of about $3 million, but he is expected to command a bonus between $1.5 million and $2 million.
For whom Bell tolls
Trevor Bell, who was scheduled to start for triple-A Salt Lake on Friday night, left the team Thursday. The right-hander is expected to replace injured Joel Pineiro in the Angels’ rotation.
Pineiro suffered a strained left rib-cage muscle Wednesday, was placed on the disabled list and will be out for six to eight weeks. Bell will probably start Tuesday in Baltimore.
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