Manager Mike Scioscia has been trying really hard for us to lose these very important games. His pitching changes have been curious at best. He took Jerome Williams out of the first game, in a very important series against Texas, when he was shutting down the Rangers in a big way, for Garrett Richards who proceeded to give up 2 runs when we were on our way back into that game. Then, instead of letting Zach Greinke come out for the 9th in the very next game, he brings in Ernesto Frieri in a non save situation when he has been less than stellar in those games in recent games. Most recently, tonight against the Mariners, he brings in Garrett Richards, who proceeds to strike the side out in the 6th, and replaces him with Scott Downs. All Downs does is gives up 3 ER and brings a game that was never in the balance, to a nail bitter.

I am not in any position to know how these guys arms feel going down the stretch, but it seems to me that you always go with the hot hand and deal with the ramifications later. Jerome Williams is a starting pitcher, and the fact that he threw only 43 pitches through 4 1/3 innings, giving up only one hit and striking out 4. He could’ve pitched another inning. He could’ve got us through the next one, and who knows what happens after that.

We have just 8 games left and 2 games to make up on Oakland. We need every advantage we can get right now, and questionable pitches changes is not something we should be thinking about. We have every chance to win at least the wild card, and we need to jump on it. All we have to do is WIN!

Do they have it in them?

Some games, they look like the dominate team that everyone thought they should be this season. Some games, they look completely offensively inept and look unsure of their roles on the team. Manager Mike Scioscia should be treating every game as a playoff game. I was a little bit surprised to not see some type of squeeze play two nights ago with no outs and runners on first and third. Even if you don’t score the run, you still have a guy in scoring position. The Angels clubhouse should be coming together right now for the stretch run, not just playing for contracts.

It seems to me as if Kendrys Morales is sometimes playing for his spot next season. If anyone on this team is expendable in the off-season, it’s him. He has come up numerous times this season trying to crush the ball instead of just putting the bat on the ball. He came up in the game I just mentioned with a chance to just drive in the run, and he was trying to hit the ball as hard as possible and just whiffed.

The teams that have won the world series the past couple years are the teams that have come together toward the end of the season. The St. Louis Cardinals almost didn’t even make the playoffs last year and went all the way. This team needs to play as one entity if it wants any chance to even make the playoffs, let alone win the whole thing.

Tonight, the Angels go to Kansas City to play a 3 game set that has major implications on the playoffs. Not only do the Royals play the Angels tough every time we play them, but two out of the three teams in front of the Angels are playing each other in the set time frame when the Orioles go into Oakland to play the Athletics. This is the time to catch the teams in front of them and get into the wild card. Not to mention, a 3 game set against the Rangers are looking the Angels in the face. If the Angels can somehow take all 6 of these games, we may be talking about the Angels over taking the Rangers and not just the wild card.

The Angels have 19 games left to get it in gear. But, do they have it in them?

Is it too soon to say that tonight’s game is a must win for the Angels? Probably so, but it sure feels like it is. After storming back last night to come within 1 run, the Angels squandered three chances to tie it up with a runner on base and no outs. Tonight just has a playoff feel for me. Of course, I am hoping for a different outcome to last nights game, but who isn’t A win tonight, with Ervin Santana on the hill, can do wonders for not only his confidence, but the coaching staffs confidence in him.

As we embark on the home stretch in this 2012 season, will we see the Angels turn it up in September, or will they just fade into next year with all their talent? Time will tell