How to lose despite scoring 7 runs

Angels 7, Texas 9

The Angels are a disappointing 1-5 against the Rangers this season, and 10-14 against the West thus far. Texas, on the other hand, is 15-4. This is why the Angels are only up a half game despite playing better baseball than the Rangers for much of the season.

Last night's game epitomized the errors I see Mike Scioscia make all too frequently:

• Vlad Guerrero erasing himself on a CS.
• Juan Rivera getting picked off from first on a flyout to center, with one out and Torii Hunter at third.
• Chone Figgins erasing himself trying to stretch a double into a triple.
• Justin Speier being allowed to pitch to a lefty despite his obvious inability to turn lefties into outs.

Rivera's ninth inning 3-run shot to tie the game was exciting, but combined with any less than all of the above turns the game into a W for the Halos. The team's baseball IQ is about 55 right now.

Baltimore's up tonight, and hooray for Peter Angelos having a baseball IQ of 6.


Miscellany:

• Rick Reily's July 1st article entitled "How I'd fix the economy" involves adding sports to work. And I love it. Too bad the only place I can find it is ESPN Mobile.
• I'd be surprised if Ariza left. I don't think many teams are going to be able to offer him much more than the midlevel, and I'm not sure he deserves much more than the midlevel. Then again, the Lakers don't make the Finals without his defense.
  
• The Kings have done absolutely nothing in NHL free agency. I am getting irritated.
• Shocker. Galaxy should've sold him when they had the chance.