LA: You Can Keep 'Em

The old clich� says that you can�t fire the whole team. Think they would be willing to make an exception in the case of the Angles?

It�s hard to write off an entire season, especially with the AL West being as bad as it is. But the Angels would have a hard time winning the Big West with Robb Quinlan at first base. Chone Figgins has evolved into a modern day Gary Pettis. And Dallas McPherson combines the injury history of Troy Glaus with the hitting prowess of Rene Gonzales. (Look him up, that was funny.)

But don�t give the offense all of the discredit. The Angels pitching, led by Jeff Weaver and Ervin Santana, deserves some recognition, too. The Angels hitters have struggled so mightily this season, the only thing that might turn them around would be to have Weaver serve up batting practice.

So it has been a team effort. Like Darin Erstad said on Thursday night when Adam Kennedy and Figgins were involved in a slap-fight in the shower, do not point fingers�everybody on this team has sucked. Even Vladimir Guerrero has had lapses where his defense has resembled that of Pedro Guerrero.

Luckily for Angels fans Bill Stoneman is on the case. Remember that huge trade he made that one time? No, not the Kent Bottenfield for Ron Gant deal, the other one. Yeah, nobody can name another deal because he has never made one. You can�t fire the whole team, but Stoneman won�t even try. This weekend was evidence of that. One Los Angeles team has been successful in picking up free agents and promoting rookies who have exceed their building.

Just never figured it would be the Dodgers instead of the Angels.