#1 Don’t press the panic button. We’re not 10 games back and we’ve been without the AL MVP practically the whole year, our stud closer for a lot of it, and our leadoff hitter is ice cold. We’ve only got two hot hitters right now, and neither are power guys. We will, as a team, have some hot streaks, and with our lineup, they can really be hot, so chill out, the season isn’t over.

#2 As much as it hurts the rotation, make Ogando the setup man, and by that I mean usually the 7th AND 8th inning guy, because we can’t afford to blow leads with the old guys twice a week. I think this will end the blister problem and shore up our biggest weakness. With less innings to throw, I think the old guys get their mojo back, and that will give us good 6th and 7th inning options. Give Strop as many low stake innings as we can. He’s got great stuff and he’s not going to improve a lot sitting in the bullpen or striking out guys in Round Rock. He’s got to get innings here in the show.

#3 Pray that Hamilton gets back soon and rakes. Add Nelly Cruz into that prayer too.

#4 I realize I’m treading on sacred-cow territory here, but start playing lefty-hitting Blanco at shortstop versus a lot of the righty pitchers we face. Maybe if Elvis learns the job isn’t his by birthright, he’ll buckle down and learn how to do things like throw to first base with reasonable accuracy. In case his fans haven’t noticed, his poor defense has hurt us quite a bit lately.

#5 Play Mitch Moreland, full time, including vs. letfties, and have him hit much earlier in the lineup. His “bad” vs. lefties numbers may be due to the fact that he barely ever faces them. From now on, anybody who pencils in Moreland in the nine hole should be shot on sight.

#5 I learned this watching the Angels over many years; Mike Napoli is a bi-polar hitter. Pencil him in the lineup all the time when he’s hot (see the first two weeks or so), and rarely, and only vs. lefties when he’s cold (see the last two weeks).

#6 Until we have other options, let Bush take Ogando’s rotation spot. He’s actually been pretty good, throwing 16 innings with a 2.20 ERA.

#7 When an ump isn’t calling the low strike that CJ lives and dies on, Wash has to get in the ump’s face early and throw a hissy fit about his strike zone till he gets thrown out of the game. CJ has to have that pitch called a strike or he loses half his arsenal. There’s nothing to lose into trying to shame the ump into calling some low strikes. Worst case scenario, Wash sits back in his office, smokes some cigs, and watches the game on TV. Jackie Moore can coach.

#8 Let Borbon lead off. He’s hot, and it’s not like he can stink it up worse than Ian right now, who’s cold as ice. If Borbon fails, fine, send him back down the nine hole, but he’s right now a way better option than Ian. This is probably Borbon’s sink or swim year anyway, so why not go all in.

#9 Remind Yorvit that when he’s at bat, that if he gets 4 balls called, he gets to go to first base without hitting the ball. A catcher should know this, but it can’t hurt to remind him.

#10 I’m not a hitting coach so I don’t know hot to do it, but fix Ian; and until he’s fixed, don’t have him hitting leadoff.

#11 Remind the entire pitching staff that when facing the opposing teams 8 and 9 hitters, don’t walk them. If you have three balls on them, toss your laziest fastball right down Broadway; the odds will still be pretty much on your side if they make contact. Make sure especially that Holland knows this.

#12 If… and I mean only IF…. We’re treading water around the trade deadline, either as separate deals, or in a blockbuster deal, trade Josh, Nelly, MY and CJ for TOP TOP A+ prospects. My reasoning: Josh and Nelly are always going to be on or soon to go on the DL every year, but teams in the hunt will pay out the nose for a chance they can stay healthy for two months and take them to a World Series this year. MY is a blackhole when he has a glove on, but somebody can always use a good hitter in a pennant race, and I’m pretty sure CJ is gone next year no matter what. We’d still have Ian, Feliz, Ogando, Beltre, Moreland, and the other young guys, plus what we’d bring in. I hope we don’t need to do this, but when you take into account age , injury histories, salaries, and/or signability for those 4 guys, I say we move them if were not near the lead in the West.

Meh, I have begger problems in life. Besides, before the season started I made a vow to myself not to set my expectations too high. Getting to the World Series takes alot of luck and is really hard to repeat. My dissappointment is in the lack of competetive spirit our boys are showing lately. Hope that the return to health can help with that.

Agree, and it sounds like Wash read your post and made Borbon lead off today.