The Angels series, July 8-10

[Frobby]

The Angels have had a bad season so far, but come in riding a 3-game winning streak. The O's had a shaky 4-5 road trip, but won the last two, and are a much better team at home (31-13) than on the road (18-22). The pitching matchups:

Shoemaker (3-9, 4.40) vs. Jimenez (5-8, 6.95)

Tropeano (3-2, 3.28) vs. Gallardo (3-1, 6.10)

Lincecum (1-2, 7.50) vs. Tillman (11-2, 3.55)

Matt Shoemaker has been the Angels' version of Kevin Gausman this year, pitching OK but having a terrible record due to poor run support. The Angels have lost his last four starts, although he only pitched badly in one of them. He pitched 7.1 shutout innings against us on May 21, but the O's came back with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th to win on Wieters' homer. In his career, he's 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA against the O's in 3 starts. The O's chose Jimenez over Wright tonight. He got bashed by the Angels on May 22, allowing 6 runs in 5.2 IP. In his career, he is 1-6 with a 4.93 ERA against the Halos. The only ray of hope I see here is that the O's have won 7 of the 9 games Ubaldo has started at OPACY this year.

Nicky Tropeano was on the DL for all of June, but returned to the rotation on July 4, allowing 2 runs in 5 IP. He has never faced the Orioles. Yovani Gallardo has pitched three times since coming off the DL, registering two decent outings and then a bad one last time out in Seattle. He's only faced the Angels once, getting shelled for 5 runs in 4 IP last season for the Rangers.

Tim Lincecum joined the Angels in mid-June and had a good first start but has failed to complete 5 innings in his last three outings. He has only faced the Orioles once, in 2010 (6 IP, 2 R), so that's not too relevant. Chris Tillman struggled in June but returned to form his last time out in Los Angeles, allowing only 1 run in 7 IP. He hasn't faced the Angels this year, but is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA against them in 4 career starts.

The Angels have been an average offensive team for the year, but they come in on a tear, having scored a league-leading 57 runs in 7 games in July. Mike Trout is putting up his usual crazy numbers (.997 OPS) and C.J. Cron and Yunel Escobar are red-hot. The bullpen is a weakness (4.05 ERA), which will be welcome after facing tough bullpens against the Mariners and Dodgers.

On paper, the pitching matchups favor the Angels in the first two games and the Orioles in the third. I think the O's offense has its work cut out for it to outscore the hot-hitting Angels and send us into the break with a series win.

[Just Regular]

Maybe we catch a little fatigue break, or easing up at the line.

This is 8, 9 and 10 of the Angels most arduous road trip of the season, 10 games in 10 days in the East.

There was one other 10-gamer that included West Coast games and an off day.

Weaver and Santiago were great Wednesday/Thursday protecting their pen for this series.

[clapdiddy]

Thank goodness we miss Weaver. That guy owns us.

[MDK02]

We need to take 2 of 3 from them. Would be a nice way to end the first half of the season.

[Machado13]

2 of 3 minimum. Sweep and suddenly the Os make up a bit for the nearly disastrous, miracle 4-5 road trip.

[sportsfan8703]

Momentum off the LA game plus the day off should carry us to 2 out of 3. Plus we're like the best home team in baseball. Their bullpen looks pretty terrible and their lineup has some light hitters. Looks manageable.