The July 9th, 2012 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including C.J. Wilson scratched from All-Star Game, Williams ready to return, Wells might become a distraction when he returns and much more...

The Story: C.J. Wilson will skip the All-Star Game due to a blister on his middle finger.

The Monkey Says: Jake Peavy will take his place.  This is nothing to worry about.  In fact, it is entirely possible that he if lying about the blister because he would rather have the time off.  Since we are talking about the All-Star Game, apparently Justin Verlander will get the start over Jered Weaver.  Some Angels fans are upset about that, but given that Verlander is coming off one of the best seasons from a pitcher in 20 years, I'm more than OK with him getting the nod.  In fact, I'd have been disappointed if he didn't get selected.

The Story: Jerome Williams is ready to rejoin the rotation after the All-Star break.

The Monkey Says: He had a real nice rehab start over the weekend, so he should be good to go.  However, with him slumping before he suffered his asthma attack, he could find himself on a short leash, especially if Garrett Richards turns it around when he gets called back up.

How does it feel, rest of baseball?  Finally, the Angels are on the positive end of having an unknown starter come in and baffle the lineup based sheerly on being an unknown quantity.

What I really can't wait for is everyone to start clamoring for Mills to immediately be crowned as a full-time member of the rotation.  Because I was just thinking that the Angels really need a soft-tossing lefty that lives up in the zone.  Let's just say that probably isn't a recipe for prolonged success.  Once teams figure out how to decipher his all knees and elbows delivery, he is going to be in a lot of trouble.  But the important thing is that it was good enough for one day and that is all the Angels really needed.  Maybe he can even do it again, but let's hope he won't have to.

Angels 6, Orioles 0

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Baltimore Orioles (45-39) @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (47-38)

Pitching Probables: BAL - Wei-Tin Chen (7-4, 3.64 ERA); LAA - Brad Mills (0-0, -.-- ERA)

Game Info: 12:35 PM PT; TV - Fox Sports West; Radio - KLAA 830

Today is a wonderful day.  It is a wonderful day because we finally get to see what the Angels got in the blockbuster deal for Jeff Mathis.  That's right, folks, the one, the only Brad Mills makes his debut.  A debut that was anticipated by absolutely nobody!

Alright, maybe I oversold it a little bit.  Mills is likely a Quadruple-A arm at best and his appearance today is one he is making out of necessity, not out of merit.  His job is to just get the Angels to the break and nothing more.  Heck, he doesn't even need to go deep into the game.  In fact, I'd be surprised if he makes it out of the fourth inning if only because Mike Scioscia knows he can empty the bullpen at the first sign of trouble knowing that everyone is about to get several days of rest.

The crazy part about that is if Mills gives the Angels four or five marginal innings, he'll still have provided more value to the Halos than Mathis ever did.  I am not overselling that statement, by the way.  I mean it literally.  Mathis posted a -1.6 fWAR during his Angel career.  Mills just needs to not suck and he will have provided actual positive value to the Halos.  I guess what I am saying is, Jeff Mathis was really horrible.

But you knew that already.

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The level of excellence that Jered Weaver is exhibiting is bordering on the ridiculous. I know Justin Verlander gets all the publicity as the best pitcher alive right now, but for my money, nobody beats Weaver. Sensing his team needed a shut down performance to give an overworked bullpen some rest, Jered went to work and shut the Orioles down. He threw striked and got timely outs whenever there was a whiff of trouble. Just an ACE is supposed to.

Angels 3 Orioles 0

Game Notes

-- Gonna have to wing this one since the game was once again blacked out.
-- Bobby Wilson apparently played like an actual baseball player tonight. 2 for 2 with a walk, threw a runner out trying to steal, and called a great game for Weaver. Too bad he only does this like once every three months.
-- How much would it suck to be Scott Downs? All he ever does is come in and get guys out, yet he gets no attention for it. Yes, Ernasty has been awesome, but how 'bout we give some love to the lefty side of the dynamic pen duo?
-- Mike Trout is crazy fast. The fact that he can score from first on a sharp double down the line is really awe inspiring. This is not news, merely an FYI.

Halo Hero

 
Jered Weaver is too good for words. That is all...        

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Baltimore Orioles (45-38) @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (46-38) 

Pitching Probables: BAL -- Jason Hammel (8-4, 3.93 ERA)  LAA -- Jered Weaver (9-1, 2.13 ERA)

Game Info: 7:05 PM PT; TV - FSN; Radio - KLAA 830

Okay, so last night didn't go according to plan. It's amazing how a loss can change your whole perspective on a series. What once looked like a sure fire series win now has the Angels perilously close to falling out of the Wild Card Lead if they lose the next two. Since we have no clue who is pitching on Sunday, tonight is a "definite should win" type of game.

And who better to have on the hill than Jered Weaver. Weaver has been flat awesome all season and, if he hadn't gotten hurt, would probably be starting the All Star Game for the second straight season. The Orioles throw their "ace" as well so this might be low scoring affair. It would be a nice thing to go into the break with some momentum and a series split, while not exactly lighting the earth on fire, would be better than losing three of their last four at home. Feels like we have the right man for the job on the hill tonight. 

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The Angels have a tendency to lose to rookie pitchers. I can't count how many times a guy makes his MLB debut against the Angels and looks like freakin' Cy Young out there. Tonight, Oriole rook Miguel Gonzalez twirled seven innings of one run ball and baffled Angel hitters all night. This makes for some frustrating action given that good teams usually pound newbies into submission. But not our boys, no sir. They couldn't seem to get anything going and so they drop one they should have won. That can come back to haunt teams as well.

Angels 2 Orioles 3

Game Notes
-- Just when it looked like Mike Trout was going to have a sub par performance he goes and blasts another homer to center. This is no longer really news but more of a public service announcement to remind us all how lucky we are he plays for the Angels and not one of the 21 teams that passed on him during the draft.
-- Speaking of TnT, Mark Trumbo homered again. People slag on Mark as a hitter, but I think he should be in the MVP discussion as well as Trout.
-- Shhh, don't look now but Kevin Jepsen has retired all six hitters he's faced since his recall. Just don't spook him or he might crap it all away in his next outing. On a related note, Jordan Walden also worked an inning of scoreless relief.
-- I think Howie Kendrick hit into his 34th double play tonight. I'm not sure what is going on with him, but hitting with runners on base has been impossible for him this season.
-- Why does Scioscia insist on pitch hitting Maicer Itzuris for John Hester on a regular basis? Hester can hit and may be better at the plate than Maicer. I just don't get it.

Halo A Hole

I did some counting and CJ Wilson had seven 3-2 counts in tonight's game. Which might explain the 122 pithces he had to throw in seven innings. For a guy whose mantra it to throw strikes, Wilson sure doesn't practice what he preaches. Yes he only gave up three runs on one home run pitch, but one has to wonder what it would have been like if he hadn't thrown so many pitches to the two guys prior. Maybe #pma should stand for Please Make Adjustments...            

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Baltimore Orioles (44-38) @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (46-37) 

Pitching Probables: BAL -- Miguel Gonzalez (0-0, 2.31 ERA)  LAA -- CJ Wilson (9-4, 2.33 ERA)

Game Info: 7:05 PM PT; TV - FSN; Radio - KLAA 830

Anyone else majorly concerned about the Angels' starting staff? Yeah, me too. At the beginning of the season the Halo rotation was supposed to be the strength, perhaps even the best rotation in baseball. But with Dan Haren's back now a bigger concern than his beard and the collective mental breakdown of Ervin Santana and Garett Richards, the starting pithcing looks really shaky. But riding the rescue are the duo of Jered Weaver and CJ Wilson. Both these All-Stars have been ace level in their first half production, which is one of the reasons the Angels lead the wild card race over the pesky, plucky Orioles.

Wilson's turn on the bump tonight comes at a time when the Angels can accomplish two very important tasks at the same time. A sweep of the O's gives them a wild card cushion and also keeps the heat on the Rangers in the AL West. The Angels have owned the Birds this season and I would expect another strong outing tonight. If Wilson has one flaw, it's that he walks way to many batters and gets himself intro trouble. Granted, it's trouble he can usually get out of, but one can only play Houdini for so long. Wouldn't it be refreshing to have starter go more than five innings tonight and give the taxed bullpen a rest?