Thanks to a sweet MLB.com subscription, I’ve probably seen 60-70 of the Angels’ 100 games, which for the most part has been a good thing.  Until the KC series (June 25-27), the Halos were playing like they couldn’t wait for October.  Since then, 9 wins.  Not good.  That being said, even the best teams hit slumps and have to make adjustments.  Thankfully, the Angels are one of the best teams, so they get to adjust with a 3 1/2 game lead in the AL West.  There could be worse problems to have.  What problems?  Here’s what I’m seeing.

HITTING

1. Vlad hasn’t been hitting like Vlad for the last month or so, with some surprisingly poor ABs.  He hasn’t parked one since the Pittsburgh series, which immediately preceded that dismal KC series.  That’s not a coincidence.  As Vladdy goes, so go the Halos.

2. Figgins has been a godsend, the consummate table-setter in the Get ‘Em On, Get ‘Em Over, Get ‘Em In philosophy.  Willits at leadoff and Cabrera in the 3-spot were money during that June run, but are now AWOL.  Unless they have an undisclosed injury that’s affecting their mechanics, these two have to return to some semblance of that June form for the Angels offense to work.  I think Izturis could replace one of those guys, but that still leaves a hole at the top of the order.

3. As everyone has known since Big Daddy joined the team, the Angels need another consistent source of power.  We’ll see if Stoneman can make a deal for the bat they desperately need.

4. The guys who surround Vladdy in the lineup are all basically doubles hitters with HR power, but only Anderson has been consistently productive … I’m not sure how many Angels fans have noticed.  He’s been a quiet force, especially during this team-wide batting slump.  Kendrick has the most potential, but he keeps getting hurt.  If he stays healthy and gets some ABs, I think he’ll produce.  Matthews has been frustratingly streaky and everytime Kotchman looks like he’s ready to breakout, he hits into a double play.  Actually, Kotch was cruising until he was concussed against the Dodgers, I bet that affected him more than we realize.  Rivera looms on the horizon, but the best case scenario is that he plays himself into shape and gets his timing back for the playoffs.  Whatever happens, these guys need to collectively produce at a higher level if the Angels want to compete for the World Series.

5. Napoli is a classic hacking catcher and also prone to streakiness, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he replaces one of the above guys hitting near Vladdy.  Kind of a wild card.

6. The Angels’ bench, aside from Izturis and maybe Aybar, hasn’t done much.  Nathan Haynes has shown flashes, but Wood, Mathis, Morales, and Quinlan haven’t given Halo Nation much reason for optimism.

BASERUNNING

The bread-and-butter of the Get ‘Em On, Get ‘Em Over, Get ‘Em In philosophy, the Angels have demonstrated ridiculous baserunning skills.  They’re among the league leaders in steals, but even more impressive is their ability to take the extra base, especially going from 1st to 3rd.  It’s baseball how it should be played, and when the Halos are on, no team is more fun to watch.

PITCHING & DEFENSE

1. The starting rotation is built for the playoffs … you only need a 3-man rotation … but Santana and Colon nose-dived, making the playoffs anything but a gimme.  That means there’s little margin for error for Lackey, Escobar, and to a lesser extent, Weaver.  If any of these guys have a mediocre (or worse) outing then the ripple effect is disastrous.  Lackey’s actually been having early-game problems of late, but I have to believe he’ll rectify his issues before too long.  Saunders has been solid, so if his production can replace the expected production from Santana or Colon, we’re fine there.  That still leaves one starter as an issue, but how many teams wish they only had one starter issue?

2. Middle relief has been a nightmare, with Oliver, Bootcheck, and Moseley tossing batting practice.  Speier hasn’t been great, but he’s miles ahead of the other three guys, so I can’t complain.

3. Shields has been shakier this year than ever before, but we are judging him by his own lofty standards.  I can’t deny that I’m worried, but I’d like to see how the season plays out.

4. Despite giving up 3 runs to the A’s today, Rodriguez is solid.  Barring injury, no worries.

5. On defense, the Angels have totally turned around last season’s underachieving glovework.  My only area of concern is Napoli and Mathis.  Watching Mathis try to catch Escobar in Tampa (July 19) was painful and Napoli has to do a better job of blocking the plate.  That being said, lthese guys are young and might just need to stay healthy and keep working.