That Halo is Dimmed...and a Hiatus

For those of you who've never been to the ESPN SportsZone in Downtown Disney, from the outside, it seems like a pretty nifty place. Rob Fukizaki always makes his Lakers postgame reports with James Worthy and other notables from that small studio they have there (supposedly the set is a bit undersized to exaggerate everyone's size...basketball players and their egos). I went there with my cousin on the way down from LA to catch the second half of the first game against the Twinkies, and was disappointed by what I found. My cousin had told me, rather glowingly, that they had an "awesome" projection-screen TV that they played games on, aside from literally a dozen screens with every game in the majors playing.

The TV was as advertised. The players were basically life-sized. But one would expect that, just a few miles from Angel Stadium, in a facility owned by a media conglomerate that once owned the Angels, that they would put the Halos front and center on the large TV. Nyet, my son. Instead some genius decided that the Mariners-Blue Jays game was more worthwhile. Beside the stomach pains I got from watching the Mariners win yet another game, I also had to squint just to see the Angels lose to the "Piranhas" that was playing on one of the small screens I thought would have been reserved for "other," non-local games.

Once I suffered through near-heartache of watching J.J. Putz continue his streak of perfect save opportunities, we were treated to the insult of the main screen switching over to the Dodger pregame show on KCAL. Excuse me? Are we across the street from the Ravine? What is the deal? The place was populated with plenty of people wearing Angels red, be it in t-shirt or cap form, so I know I'm not crazy when I say--you are not catering to your local constituency! I don't know what genius decided it would be good policy to shun the Halos in the heart of Anaheim, but I don't plan on going back to the SportsZone anytime soon.

Regarding the game itself: what is there to say? In the Angels' Rotation Examination below, I said that Escobar deserves to be considered the club's co-ace, but at this point he may deserve to be the only holder of that title. Lackey is supposed to be a stopper, the guy you lean on to stop slides and give the club a chance to turn things around. Instead, Lackey has put on a demonstration of first-inning "Lackey Innings" in his past two starts. The offense was able to bail him out in his last precarious start against Texas, but when you give up seven runs (admittedly "only" five were earned, though) it's difficult to repeat that.

The team is in a bit of a jam, to say the least, and I pray that Scioscia or one of the veterans in the clubhouse steps up to try and kick the team out of this funk. I probably won't be able to personally see how that plays out, though, as I'm leaving for New York tomorrow evening to visit some friends (and to take advantage to see the House that Ruth Built before they stop using it). I may be able to sneak a blog entry here and there, but likely LUTH will be quiet on my end for about a week. AAW, time for you to step up.