Without Mo, It Has Been a No-Go

Gary DiSarcina hasn’t been around the Angels all season, but he’s been around long enough to know what’s missing from a team that enters the second half virtually out of playoff contention.

Many thought the Angels could absorb the loss of first baseman Mo Vaughn because there was plenty of power returning from last season’s lethal lineup, and Scott Spiezio, Wally Joyner and Jose Canseco could replace the bulk of Vaughn’s 36 home runs and 117 runs batted in.

But 87 games into the season, it’s apparent those who thought the Angels would be as productive without Vaughn may have underestimated the impact of his season-ending elbow surgery in February.

“Mo takes a lot of pressure off those guys,” said DiSarcina, the veteran shortstop who has been rehabilitating his shoulder all season. “Troy Glaus is not a six-year veteran who has been through the wars. Hitting third or fourth is tough on a veteran and even tougher on a rookie or younger player.

“Mo was tremendous at getting that hit in the ninth inning to tie the game or give the team the lead. You see the order turn over, and it’s like it’s missing something. It’s like a security blanket knowing the next time around Mo is going to do some damage.”

Glaus, who has 22 homers and 54 RBIs, and Garret Anderson, who has 15 homers and 62 RBIs, are the only Angels doing much damage. Tim Salmon had a dismal first half, and Darin Erstad hasn’t come close to matching his phenomenal 2000 season.

Angel first basemen have hit .242 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs, and designated hitters are batting .216 with seven homers and 34 RBIs. Spiezio is batting .235 with four homers and 21 RBIs, Joyner retired in June, Canseco was released in March, and his replacement, Glenallen Hill, was released in June.

The Angels have pitched well enough to contend, but they rank 13th in the American League in runs, last in batting with runners in scoring position (.241) and 10th in on-base percentage (.328).

“Those are big numbers to replace, but we don’t have a choice,” Erstad said of Vaughn’s void. “Are we as strong offensively without him? Of course not. But it’s not like Troy has to hit 80 home runs and I have to do more. We have to execute when we do have opportunities, and we haven’t done that.”

Vaughn’s voice was as booming as his bat, and the atmosphere in the Angel clubhouse has been as flat at times as the offense. A strong team leader isn’t required to win, but it doesn’t hurt.

“I wouldn’t say we miss Mo’s voice--we miss his presence,” Erstad said. “Mo doesn’t have to say much. His actions speak for themselves. No question, we’re better with him, but we don’t have him. Look at Boston--they haven’t had Nomar [Garciaparra] all season and they’re winning. We’re just not getting the job done. Offensively, we’re not very good.”

BIGGEST FIRST-HALF SURPRISE

Starting pitching. This was a weakness in 2000, and few figured Pat Rapp and Ismael Valdes would bolster the rotation, but Angel starters have gone six innings or more in 64 of 87 games and have kept the Angels in most games.

That helped ease the burden on a bullpen that was overworked in 2000. The result: Angel relievers, led by near-perfect closer Troy Percival, who has converted 21 of 22 save opportunities and has an 0.84 earned-run average, have baseball’s third-best ERA (2.90).

Left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who hasn’t lost since May 8, has been the Angels’ most dominant starter, and right-hander Ramon Ortiz is maturing and gaining consistency.

Valdes has been reliable when healthy, and Rapp (3-9, 4.62 ERA) would have a better record with more run support. Scott Schoeneweis (6-8, 4.95) has lost five in a row but pitched well in his last game before the break.

BIGGEST FIRST-HALF DISAPPOINTMENT

Salmon. A reliable veteran for whom 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons seemed routine, Salmon has a .206 average, nine homers and 26 RBIs and is batting a shocking .108 with runners in scoring position.

Salmon is a notoriously slow starter, and no one panicked when he hit .233 in April, but he still hasn’t found his consistent stroke. He’s fouling off pitches he should be ripping, and he’s swinging at too many tough inside pitches, which usually result in a lot of check-swing strikes.

DEFINING MOMENT

There are two. The Angels won seven of eight from May 31-June 8, surging over the .500 mark at 30-29 . . . and lost ground to Seattle, going from 16 to 17 games back. They may need to go undefeated in the second half to catch the Mariners.

The other was a seven-game losing streak from June 28-July 4 in which the Angels were shut out three times, went 27 innings without scoring and hit .204 (49 for 240). That’s how futile the offense has been.

AT THIS PACE

The Angels will finish 78-84 and at least 30 games out of first; Salmon will finish with a career-low 17 homers and 48 RBIs; Percival will finish with 40 saves and a sub-1.00 ERA; spunky leadoff batter David Eckstein will be hit by 23 pitches; two more over-the-hill designated hitters will be acquired, fail to produce and be released by late August; and Manager Mike Scioscia will say for the 145th time in mid-September that he expects his offense to come around, any day now.

REASON TO BE EXCITED

Washburn is developing into the ace the Angels have lacked since Chuck Finley left. After going 0-3 with a 7.56 ERA in his first three games, Washburn went 7-1 in his next 13 starts, lowering his ERA to 3.52.

Not only does Washburn have a lively fastball that cuts and sinks and sometimes seems to rise at the last second, he brings a blend of confidence and cockiness to the mound that makes him fearless. No opponent intimidates him, and he thrives on the pressure that comes with being a staff ace.

REASON TO BE CONCERNED

Salmon signed a four-year, $40-million contract extension in spring training. If he doesn’t snap out of his funk and become the force in the lineup he once was, he will be an albatross on the team’s payroll and will have virtually no trade value.

MOVES TO PONDER

General Manager Bill Stoneman believes “the real answer to our offensive difficulties lies within the club itself,” so don’t expect any blockbuster deals before the July 31 trade deadline. But a minor deal for a bat--Cincinnati’s Dmitri Young is believed to be available--is possible.

If they are still out of contention in late July, the Angels have some players with trade value, and Valdes, Rapp, Spiezio or Benji Gil could go to contenders that need pitching or bench help.

St. Louis, Arizona and Boston would love to pry Percival from the Angels, and several teams, including the Cubs, have inquired about Erstad, but the chances of Stoneman dealing them is remote. If a contender makes a strong bid for Anderson, though, Stoneman would probably consider it.

SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER

The Angels believe the wild card is not out of reach, “but there are three teams in front of us,” Percival said. “So we have to count on three teams playing worse than us.”

Considering two of the teams are Boston and Cleveland, who are far superior to the Angels, we offer four words of caution:

Don’t count on it.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Angel Breakdown

Comparison of key statistics at the All-Star break:

THIS YEAR’S TEAM vs. LAST YEAR’S

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2001 2000 42-45, .482 Record, Pct. 47-41, .534 3rd, 21 GB Division Standing 3rd, 5 GB .260 Batting Avg. .286 374 Runs 479 89 Home Runs 141 .329 On-Base Pct. .357 3.93 ERA 4.96 29-33, 4.35 Starters (W-L, ERA) 27-28, 5.54 13-12, 2.90 Bullpen (W-L, ERA) 20-13, 4.28 22 Saves 21

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BY POSITION

RIGHT FIELD

2000: Tim Salmon: .265 BA, 18 HR, 48 RBI

2001: Tim Salmon: .206 BA, 9 HR, 26 RBI

FIRST BASE

2000: Mo Vaughn: .302 BA, 23 HR, 68 RBI

2001: Joyner-Spiezio-Barnes: .241 BA, 11 HR, 37 RBI

CLOSER

2000: Troy Percival: 4-4 W-L, 4.25 ERA, 20 SV

2001: Troy Percival: 3-1 W-L, 0.84 ERA, 21 SV

BY LEAGUE RANKING

Angels’ league ranking in key statistics this year:

*--*

Record 42-45 8th Batting Average .260 10th Slugging Pct. .401 12th On-Base Pct. .329 10th Runs Scored 374 13th Home Runs 89 9th ERA 3.93 3rd Strikeouts by Pitchers 526 7th (tie) Saves 22 7th (tie) Home Runs Allowed 78 2nd

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