Kazmir Is Wrong From The Word Go.

Let me just say this from the start. I don't care what Scott Kazmir does. Pitch well, pitch badly... it's not going to make a difference this year. It won't make a difference because as shaky as the Angels have been with starting pitching, the real problem is relief. We saw another example of it tonight against the Oakland A's. Arredondo and Rodriguez are just the latest in a string of blown saves and relief appearances. The Angels don't need four starters in the playoffs, let alone five. And let me say it out loud one more time: THE ANGELS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. What they won't do with the pen they have is advance. Especially not against the Boston Red Sox, and it's looking more and more likely that they will face them once again in the first round. So Reagins blew it. The Angels need a veteran reliever who can handle the 7th or 8th inning. Neither Bulger nor Jepsen is ready for playoff pressure. They've shown only flashes in the regular season. Kazmir? Sure, good arm, excellent potential, a possible cover for a Lackey departure. But that's next year. We want to win now. And what the Angels need now is an experienced arm to get from Oliver to Fuentes. They still don't have one. And until they do, the only way they're getting out of the first round is to slug the living 'h' out of the other team. Possible? Yeah. Likely? Not three series in a row.