After the Angels dropped their third straight game Tuesday night against Texas their record fell to an abysmal 51-61. When Howie Kendrick hyper-extended his left knee in the opening game of the series, it was another typical blow to the Angels season. The Halos have had players hit the DL 13 different times through the first four months of the season, so watching Kendrick get helped off the field Monday night was just another bump in the road.
The hopes were high for the Angels entering the 2013 campaign but things turned sour quickly. After the LA bullpen finished the 2012 season 13th in the AL, Jerry Dipoto made a conscious effort to improve relief pitching. The Angels went out and aquired Sean Burnett and Ryan Madson to help with their bullpen woes. However, Madson was placed on the DL in late March and has remained there all season. Meanwhile, Burnett has been placed on the DL two different times and has only pitched in 13 games this year. The Angels also lost relievers Kevin Jepsen, Mark Lowe and Robert Coello to the Disabled List this season.
Along with their bullpen problems, the Angels starting rotation was a bit sketchy entering the 2013 season as well. They suffered an injury to their ace (Jered Weaver) on only his second start of the year and he was placed on the DL all while missing nearly two months. They also lost starting pitchers Tommy Hanson and Jason Vargas to the DL in June. Vargas has missed significant time with a blood clot and has not made an appearance since June 17th where he struck out nine Mariners over seven innings of work.
Their potent “on-paper” lineup has also suffered frequent injuries. Peter Bourjos (.333/.393/.457) has only played in 40 of the 112 games this season. The club also lost Alberto Callaspo and Erick Aybar to the DL in April, before losing Albert Pujols to the DL in July.
Kendrick has not been placed on the DL (yet), but if he goes on the DL it will mark the 14th time the Angels have placed a player on the Disabled List. It’s one thing to lose players throughout the course of a 162-game season; it’s another to lose key-players in your starting lineup 14 different times.
Wednesday night the Angels will send Tommy Hanson to the mound to try and salvage the third and final game of this 3-game set with the AL West rival Texas Rangers.