Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

You can hear it, even from the Bay Area.

You can hear the trash talk, the snide remarks, the fans' shouts of support for their winning team. You can hear the calls of this year being different, this one meaning more than the ones before... and none of it about the Lakers.

The Freeway Series has split SoCal again.

As the Angels and Dodgers prepare for the second half of the yearly Freeway Series, the Dodgers, as usual, seem to be scrambling to find a way to knock off their persistent AL rivals.

Prince Fielder has looked downright kingly this year.

The 25-year old is hitting for average and power while playing top-notch defense at first base. Without a question, he is in the midst of a great season and makes a lethal one-two punch alongside slugging outfielder, Ryan Braun.

Though the race in the AL West is still far from over as of right now, there is one truth that the Los Angeles Angels need to confront in a hurry.

The offense, in its current state, will not overtake the Texas Rangers.

Sure, the team just posted a weekend sweep of the third-worst team in the majors. Sure, the group went off for 26 runs in the series. Sure, they are tied for the major-league lead in team batting average.

None of that matters right now.

Angels fans suffered a blow this weekend, even while their team was romping on the field at home for a change, mercilessly sweeping a visiting Padres team from down the 5 freeway in San Diego.

What was lost in all of the positives this weekend, and also in the debacle that has been the Angels bullpen thus far, was the end of the season declaration from one Mr. Scot Shields.

GAME SUMMARY:

• Final Score:  Detroit 2  Los Angeles 1
• WP: Edwin Jackson (6-3): 9 innings, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 5 K, 109 pitches
• LP: Kelvim Escobar (0-1): 5 innings, 4 H, 4 BB, 2 ER, 5 K
• HR: None

For the second night in a row, the Tigers and Angels played a 2-1 game at Comerica Park.  Tonight, the Tigers came out on top.

Okay, here's a little insight about me.

I had no idea that a series win in Anaheim could be this depressing. Nevermind the fact that the Mariners should have completed a three game sweep though, let's look at exactly how they were able to take two out of three from their division rivals, the Angels.

Game One: 5-2 Mariners

After scoring three early runs, the M's took this game pretty easily. Jason Vargas showed once again that he's got the poise to be a Major League starter, and the Mariners offense was able to tally a respectable five runs against the formidable John Lackey.

There is a small obstacle: Angels manager Mike Scioscia. He is a singles, contact-hitting, bunt-them-over-and-win-3-2 type of manager. Rodriguez is a free-swinging, slugging infielder with 30 home runs and 150 strikeout potential.

For the Dodgers, the formula was simple: get a big hit, win the game.

Too bad it never actually happened.

The Dodgers went a dreadful 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position in dropping the Freeway Series opener to the Angels, 3-1. The bottom line is that the big bats were nowhere to be found, wasting a good effort by Clayton Kershaw.