Just when the Angels looked like they were ready to finally get hot, they arrived in the frigid temperatures of Minnesota and cooled right back down.

This game had all the tell-tale signs of the struggles that plagued the team so far this season. Joe Blanton laid another egg against a weak lineup. The bats got unlikely output in the form of homers from Peter Bourjos and Brendan Harris, but the rest of the team failed to support them going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and hitting into two double plays.

The real kicker though was the bullpen going south once more. Michael Roth, Mark Lowe and Dane De La Rosa combined to allow four runs to thwart any attempt at a Halo comeback before it even got started.

Honestly, if you could write a script for all of the Angel losses this season, this was that script. Back to the drawing board, I guess.

Twins 8, Angels 2

The Angels just finished another crazy and frustrating week, so to no one's surprise, the rankings have seen arguably the biggest shake up in history, not the least of which is a new player atop the rankings...

RANK	PLAYER	CHANGE	COMMENTS
1		+1 Last Week: 2	Albert Pujols - If he keeps showing this improved plate discipline, then maybe it is best that his plantar fasciitis never gets better, even if it hurts me to watch him so much as jog to first base after a walk.
2		-1 Last Week: 1	Mike Trout - Wait, now that I've dropped him down to the two-hole in the power rankings, just like Scioscia did in the batting order, does that mean I am "panicking" just like Scioscia too?
3		+11 Last Week: 14	Howie Kendrick - Howie Kendrick has been the team's most clutch hitter to date. GTFO.
4		+8 Last Week: 12	Ernesto Frieri - The problem with strict bullpen roles is that in a bullpen in dire need of talent, the best reliever ends up throwing the most infrequently. FREE FRIERI!
5		-1 Last Week: 4	Mark Trumbo - His plate discipline has improved greatly thus far, unfortunately it has come at the expense of his power and ability to hit with runners in scoring position.
6		-1 Last Week:5	Chris Iannetta - He finally didn't bat 8th! Yaaa- WAIT! (Checks horizon for a swarm of locusts) (Checks the sky for the arrival of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) We're clear. Yaaaaaaay!
7		+8 Last Week: 15	Josh Hamilton - Well look who finally decided to join the party? Two weeks late, but I guess better late than never.
8		-- 0 Last Week: 8	C.J. Wilson - At a certain point, I have to assume he uses the #throwstrikes hashtag strictly because he loves irony so much.
9		+7 Last Week: 16	Garrett Richards - Not the greatest start, but certainly good enough for the Angels to feel like they aren't going to need to pump Jered Weaver full of steroids to get him back as fast as humanly possible.
10		-1 Last Week: 9	Peter Bourjos - A lot of people wanted to see what Speedy Petey could do in the leadoff role. Well, you got your chance and so far not so good. I still like the idea of him leading off against southpaws though.
11		+6 Last Week: 17	Sean Burnett - I didn't think he was ready for it, but Burnett has stepped up big time in the last week to help the Halos weather the storm.
12		-5 Last Week: 7	Jason Vargas - SMALL SAMPLE SIZE ALERT! Thus far the "The Big A is just as much of a pitcher's park as Safeco" Theory has not held up.
13		+7 Last Week: 20	Scott Downs - His outings are a lot more harrowing than they used to be still, but at least the results are there, for now.
14		-4 Last Week: 13	Alberto Callaspo - With Aybar out and the Halos in desperate need of stability in the leadoff spot and on the left side of the infield, he goes and immediately gets hurt. Of course.
15		-4 Last Week: 11	Tommy Hanson - Can handle the Rangers, but can't handle the Astros? It is going to be quite some time before we have any real idea of what the Angels really have in Tommy Hanson.
16		-- 0 Last Week: n/a	Luis Jimenez - The Lucho has been Libre'd! (And, yes, I realize how terrifying it is that he is already ranked this high.)
17		+4 Last Week: 21	Hank Conger - Not only does Hank struggle to throw to second base, he apparently struggles to slide into it as well.
18		-- 0 Last Week: 18	Joe Blanton - Congratulations to the winner of our "Most Hated Angel" Poll! A richly deserved honor, I must say.
19		-13 Last Week: 6	Kevin Jepsen - You made me trust you, Kevin. You made me trust you! Never again, you son of a bitch. NEVER AGAIN.
20		-- 0 Last Week: n/a	Dane De La Rosa - He is one big scary looking dude on the mound, isn't he?
21		+1 Last Week: 22	Jerome Williams - At some point, Scioscia really just needs to give Williams a chance to see what he can do in non-mop-up situations. How much worse can he be than the alternatives?
22		-3 Last Week: 19	Mark Lowe - Ohhhh! So that's why the Dodgers released him during training camp.
23		+2 Last Week: 25	Andrew Romine - Romine got some playing time this week and didn't do much but he moves up in the rankings because he held the door for MWAH's own Job Ang at a local Panda Express a few days ago. Good manners go a long way around here.
24		-- 0 Last Week: 24	J.B. Shuck  - Let's be honest, had I told you that J.B. Shuck would get a start and bat leadoff for the Angels in April, you would've known that they were going to start the season 4-8.
25		-2 Last Week: 23	Brendan Harris - Any week that involves Brendan Harris making multiple starts is never a good week. But the real reason for his drop is that he got a new headshot and it isn't nearly as awkward as the old one.

Dropped from rankings: Jered Weaver (broke his own elbow), Erick Aybar (heel turned heel)

Biggest Riser: Kendrick, up 11 spots

Biggest Dropper: Jepsen, down 13 spots

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The April 15th, 2013 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels including Madson making big strides in rehab, Aybar and Jepsen to the DL, Roth and Shuck called up and much more...

The Story: Ryan Madson is throwing at 100% and made it through three bullpen sessions last week.

The Monkey Says: It sure sounds like he is getting close to going out on a rehab assignment, but the team is still being cautious about setting any expectations. I'm sure they want it to be soon because they basically don't have a righty in middle relief that they trust in a high leverage situation right now.

The Story: Erick Aybar and Kevin Jepsen were placed on the disabled list with LHP Michael Roth and OF J.B. Shuck being called up to take their spots.

The Monkey Says: Jepsen had been trying, and failing, to pitch through arm soreness. Hopefully he can get healthy and back to the pitcher he was in the second half of last season. Aybar clearly just wasn't healing quickly and with Callaspo ailing too, the Angels were running out of warm bodies to fill out the lineup. The big shock here is calling up Roth, a 2012 draft pick that doesn't even have 30 innings of minor league experience. He obviously performed well in his first game, but I still question the wisdom of rushing him and adding yet another lefty to the bullpen when Jepsen's absence makes Dane De La Rosa the team's top righty setup man. Yikes. In an earlier move that I didn't get to, the Halos also promoted Luis Jimenez, and I'm wondering if he might not stay up for a long time since the team clearly doesn't ever want to have to play Andrew Romine and Brendan Harris at the same time.

After a rough start to the season the Angels have finally found the momentum swinging in their favor after the 4-1 victory earlier this afternoon. This not only marks the Angels first two consecutive wins on the season, but their first series win as well. This was a series that could have turned ugly very quickly after the loss in the opener (to the lowly Astros of all teams), instead this was very much the turning point for the Angels season that everyone predicted it would be. The last few series might be official on the books, but to me the Angels season didn't start until this weekend against the Astros. I'm not complaining, but teams like the A's and Rangers opened their season against teams like the Astros and Rangers while the notoriously slow starting Angels go up against two of the best teams in baseball off the bat. They haven't had the chance to take a deep breath take the game in stride, but they were able to this weekend against the Astros. Instead of have to face top of the line teams with a world of pressure on your shoulders they took it down to the level of simply playing baseball, and when the Angels are just playing the game the way it was meant to be played they're one of the best teams in baseball.

Case in point.

Angels 4 Rangers 1

The last few days there has been increasing chatter about how the loss of Torii Hunter has turned the Angels into mindless zombies who show little or no emotion on the field. I bemoaned the lack of interest just yesterday, although I think the Hunter thing is a bit overblown. In reality, the Angels just needed some kind of spark. Tonight, Albert Pujols reminded us that this is his team and he will carry them out of the whole they have dug. He may be a machine, but he is also the heart and soul of the Halos.

Angels 5 Astros 4

At what point does the old axiom "it's early" stop being true? Just when we thought the Angels couldn't sink any lower in this young season, along comes tonight's game. This was the very definition of a mail it in affair. The starting pitching was atrocious again and the hitters had no interest in even being at the plate. More concerning I feel is the overall body language of the team. They just seem not to be interested in playing ball right now. The shots of the dugout show almost no chatter, no interaction and no energy. Did anyone ever even consider that at any time this year the Angels would be trailing the Astros by 2 games? Well, wake up Angel fans, this is not nightmare.

Angels 0 Astros 5

Oh God.

It’s happening again, isn’t it? The Angel’s have started April with an ongoing fool’s joke. Last year we went 3-6 in the first nine. Now we’re 2-7.  Last year we had a bullpen who looked like they were collectively trying to step up from little league. This year, they look like they’re all playing, surreptitiously, for the opposition. Last year we had a huge name, huge money signing who didn’t fire in April. This year…

You get the picture.

Injuries hurt, sure. Weaver is out for an optimistic 4-6 weeks. Aybar, who started well, is out until at least Tuesday. But that doesn’t excuse leaving runners on base like you’re trying to collect a set, or throwing middle innings batters pitches that resemble whackamole targets.

So, is there an upside? Optimistically, maybe.

Hamilton, who hasn’t stunned anyone (and frankly, sucked in his return to Texas) is starting to hit.

Howie Kendrick seems to have decided this is his year.

Pujols, Bourjos and Trumbo are all doing what they’re paid to do, early.

Garrett Richards is going to get the starting rotation spot I’ve been angling for since last year; I hate the reason he’s getting it, but I do think he deserves it.  

Trout is still the talk of the town. It will be interesting to see when “town”, turns.   

We don’t have to play against Coco Crisp, John Jaso or Brandon Moss until the end of April.

On the downside… They’re 2-7.

They look like they did last year, where April arguably cost them a wildcard spot.

The bullpen is freaking us all out, again.

Weaver seems to think baseball is a contact sport.

And, I hate to bring this up, but has anyone noticed that over in Detroit, Torii Hunter is playing every day, and hitting .405?

Do I have hope? Yes. My cat, Satchmo, has just discovered that mid-afternoon (which is when home games occur here in New Zealand) is the best time to sleep on me. And when he does, we rally. When he wakes up, we drop away.

Now, I know that's completely unscientific, but I don't see how much further "out there" my theory is than continuing to play bunt and run when it's clearly what the opposition is looking for, or moving Trout to two for anything other than lack of imagination. (See my previous Chris Iannetta post.) 

All I’m saying is; watch your back, Monkey. 

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