by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

ANAHEIM–The Los Angeles Angels have the best record in baseball today with 89-55, a season-high 34 games over .500. During the first half of the season, they were the only team to average more than five runs per game. At the start of the second half they hit a wall, but are back today with a six-game winning streak, and won 12 out of the last 14 games.

The Angels are tied with the World Series champion 2002 team for their best record in club history through 144 games. The last 31 days they have gained 12 games in the standings in the American League West. On August 9, the Angels were four games behind the Oakland Athletics, today (a month and one day later) they are in first place by eight games, with a magic number of 11.

The team opens their last home stand of the regular season this Friday September 12th. Ten games in ten consecutive days, three against Houston, four against Seattle and three against Texas.
Any combination of Angels wins and Athletics loses that totals 11 will give the Halos their first Western Division title since 2009.

During the current hot streak they have done it without their clean up hitter Josh Hamilton, out with a stiff right shoulder. Mike Sciosia, the longest tenure manager in baseball, on his 15th season with the Angels “They keep grinding it,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s good to see these guys come alive. It’s taken a lot of pressure off our bullpen.”

Angels bullpen was their biggest weakness during the first half of the season, but General Manager Jerry Dipoto made some very good deals, bringing Jason Grilli from Pittsburgh and most important, acquiring closer Houston Street from the Padres, then other relievers like Joe Smith, Kevin Jepsen and Cody Rasmus has made their bullpen very effecitve.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV talent for the Angels also is the Spanish radio talent for the A’s and does News and Commentary for http://www.sportsradioservice.com