There is a hot new game show sweeping Angels Nation: Know Your Generic Angel Infielder!

Do you consider yourself a true Angel fan?  Do you think you're pretty smart?  Do you think you know all that there is to know about the Halos?

Well, it is time to put your knowledge to the test by taking this simple (or is it?) quiz to see if you can tell all the seemingly generic Angel infielders apart.  Are you up to the challenge?

How am I supposed to tell you guys apart when you stand right next to each other like that?

He may still be just 19 years old, but Mike Trout can walk like a man.

Trout started getting hot with the bat last week, but a great deal of his damage was done with eyes this week.

In just six games, Trout managed to draw nine walks, which is a good month for most of the Angels on the big league roster.  In fact, Trouty managed a walk in all but one of his games and drew two walks in four of them.  This rampant walking spree raised his season total to 24 in just 39 games and versus 29 strikeouts.  Those are the walk rates of an All-Star right there.

Oh, and it wasn't like Mike didn't have a good week when he did choose to swing the bat, going 5-for-16, scoring three runs, hitting one double and swiping three bases.

Alas, once again the baseball gods do not see fit to let Trout's development continue unimpeded.  The Travelers were supposed to play a doubleheader yesterday to make up for some rained out games earlier in the season, only the doubleheader got rained out and the forecast in Little Rock the next few games doesn't seem very promising.

That's it for this week, check back in next week to see what happens to our future hero.  Same Trout Time.  Same Trout Channel... err, blog.

Daily Links for the LA Angels including Kendrick might end up on the DL, Aybar proving his versatility in the lineup, Willits hoping to use his bat to earn some playing time and much more...

The Story: The Angels are hoping to avoid placing Howie Kendrick on the DL with his hamstring problem.

The Monkey Says: So much for them not expecting him to miss more than a day or two.  It sounds like he is unlikely to play in this Oakland series, so I can't imagine the Halos would let him sit out much beyond that without DLing him given there depth problems.

The Story: Erick Aybar is proving to be a capable hitter no matter where in the order he bats.

The Monkey Says: The funny thing about Aybar's improvement this year is that it seems to have him on the track to being a leadoff hitter, but I tend to think that since he has shown he can only be successful by being very aggressive at the plate makes him better suited for hitting in the bottom half of the order rather than trying to be a table-setter where patience is always going to rule the day.

The Story: Reggie Willits is hoping to use his current chance at playing time to breakout at the plate.

The Monkey Says: Nothing against Reggie, but if Kendrick is going to hit the DL, the Halos should try and find someone that they can call up and more a more significant impact on the offense than Willits and his slap-hitting bat could possibly do.

Well, I never thought I would catch myself saying this, but thank GOD for Jeff Mathis. I don't think the Angels would have won this game without him, shocker ain't it? You can all strike me down tomorrow once Mathis falls back down to rock bottom.

Angels 4 Athetics 1

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Oakland Athletics  (22-25) @ Los Angeles Angels Anaheim (24-24)

Pitching Probables: OAK – Josh Outman (0-0, -.-- ERA)  LAA – Jered Weaver (6-4, 2.45 ERA)

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

Alright, Angels, let's get this series started on the good foot.

This is the perfect chance for the Angels to get themselves on a real roll.  They finally busted out of their slump by winning the series against the Braves and they even showed some signs of life offensively.  Now, they get to avenge their recent sweep at the hand of the A's, who come in limping badly after being swept themselves by the Giants and losing two of their rotation members to the DL.

If they want to get on that roll, they have to start tonight.  Not only must they do that simply to keep momentum going, but to try and build up some momentum for Jered Weaver who has seen his season start slowly heading south since his torrid beginning of the season.

I think I finally figured out why Mickey Hatcher has been able to keep his job throughout Mike Scioscia's tenure as an Angel: he is a magnet for fan animosity.

No matter what is going on in the Angels' season, the instant something goes slightly askew with the Angel offense, everyone starts calling for Mickey's head.  It is an annual tradition right up there with the sparrows returning to San Juan Capistrano, turkey at Thanksgiving and the New York media freaking out that the sky is falling the first time the Yankees lose three games in a row.

What better way to distract from the real problems facing the Angels than to keep a lightning rod like Hatcher in prime position to attract all the criticism when it really just isn't his fault.

With the Angel offense faltering once again this season, the demands for Hatcher's firing have begun and are nearing a fever pitch.  As much as I might want to join in on the fun, I simply can't.  Not this year anyway.

Forgive me for dwelling in the negative on this one, but I have a simple question to which I must know the answer.  I find that the moniker of "most hated Angel" gets thrown out quite a bit by Angel fans, but there does not seem to be a consensus on which player really is the least loved.  Today, I'm getting to the bottom of it via the good ol' democratic process.  So get your voting finger ready and click the poll to let us know who is the true least favorite Angel player.

Time to vote!