On June 11th we did a full preview of the Angels. What has changed since we finished that series? Plenty.

Six games. Four wins. Three Shutouts.

The three shutouts are significant because we will be facing two of those pitchers, Ervin Santana and Garrett Richards. I'm not sure what happens when a team in a complete hitting slump faces a team in shutout mode. I suspect it can't get any worse than what we just saw happen in Oakland but I'm not holding my breath. Baseball is a funny game maybe we break out of our offensive slump against a hot pitching staff.

Even if the Dodgers do manage to score some runs we have to keep the Angels from scoring.

The main thing is that the designated hitter is in play this weekend so that means the Angels go at us with their full complement of hitters. So besides Mike Trout, Torii Hunter , Albert Pujols, and Mark Trumbo they can now add Kendrys Morales.

Here is what the offense has done in the last seven days.

Bad News:

Last time we saw them Erick Aybar was in a season long slump, but in the last seven days he's 10-for-22.

Trumbo has hit three home runs. For Dodger fans: a home run is a ball that goes over the opposing team's fence and the player gets four bases.

Good News:

Pujols, Hunter, and Morales are all scuffling over the past week.

Pitching could be tough:

Friday: Dan Haren is the best pitcher we will face this week, but he is scuffling in June with three starts, twenty five hits in just 16 1/3 innings.

Saturday: Ervin Santana had been the weakest link in the Angel rotation but is coming off his best game of the season if not his career. A one hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Yet, before that one hitter his other two games in June: Seven earned runs in both games. He is a J&H pitcher so until he toes the mound, no one has any idea what to expect.

Sunday: Garrett Richards is coming off the best game of his very very young career with a nice eight inning zero run performance against Arizona. He already beat us once this year but only went the required five innings.

In the bullpen, everyone is rested due to the easy work they had against the Giants and the off day Thursday. Plus they have a left-handed weapon they did not have when we faced them last which most would agree is why we were able to win one of those three games. Scott Downs was grounded against us, but he's back giving them the late inning left hander they need to negate the Dodgers' only real offensive weapon who has found June lefties poison to his bat.

Enjoy.