"The Angels present a variety of very compelling reasons to be concerned.

Like a lineup pocked with bottom-of-the-order hitters. And an offense that lacks muscle. And Fernando Rodney.

Well, it might be time to add another concern to the list, a big one, one that, before this season, would have sounded ridiculous.

It might be time to be concerned about Torii Hunter.

OK, let's be totally honest today. It might be passed the time to be concerned about him.

Yeah, perhaps the most optimistic man in baseball, has been performing that pessimistically of late.

If not now — now that Hunter's batting average has dropped below .230, after a game in which he stranded six more runners, after his 17th consecutive at-bat without a hit — then when?

"I couldn't get nobody in," Hunter said Sunday after he and the Angels came up short again against the Yankees, 5-3. "It's frustrating for me, personally."

It's frustrating for all of them, believe it, because Hunter, left marooned in the middle of a too-often lame lineup, is one of the Angels who absolutely must produce if this season is going to go anywhere but nowhere.

See, there's a reason he's the only Angel who has appeared in all 61 games.

Yet, with no Kendrys Morales and barely Vernon Wells, Hunter steps into the batter's box every day toting a ton. Or whatever the combined weight is of the other eight Angels in the lineup that particular game.

Just look at what has been sandwiched around him most days. We are now into June and the Angels' No. 3 hitter (Bobby Abreu) has two home runs and most-often-used No. 5 hitter (Alberto Callaspo) has three.

These Angels will struggle to score even when Hunter is hitting. So when he isn't, his absence stands out dramatically in its presence.

Not that there are any obvious answers. Moving Mark Trumbo up in the order is a tempting option, of course, but also one that could derail his rookie season."