It isn't hard to tell what Angels manager Mike Scioscia thinks should be on GM Tony Reagins' shopping list in the weeks before the July 31 trade deadline.

"We've been searching for continuity on our pitching staff pretty much all year," Scioscia said. "We've had a lot of guys in and out of our rotation, a lot of guys sifting through roles in the bullpen. ... On the pitching side, we've been searching for it for quite a while, and we have to find it."

The Angels have used 12 starting pitchers this season, the most in the majors, and have yet to find the continuity Scioscia longs for. Right-handers John Lackey and Ervin Santana have failed to meet their previous standards since returning from early-season DL stints, and left-hander Joe Saunders has been in a month-long slump.

The bullpen, meanwhile, has begun to get its feet on the ground with a 3.00 ERA since June 12. But that improvement has to be seen as tenuous, relying as it does on recent solid runs by Justin Speier and Jason Bulger (both of whom have shown the propensity to cough up runs in a hurry). With Scot Shields and Jose Arredondo hurt and Kelvim Escobar's return unlikely, there is little depth behind the front-line relievers.

Reagins has already inquired about trading for Diamondbacks ace Dan Haren (and was rebuffed) and is in line to talk with Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi after Ricciardi made it known the Jays will listen to trade offers for their ace, Roy Halladay. But Reagins might find better traction in the relief market, adding a veteran arm to the bullpen mix at a lower trade cost.

"There's nothing that I see on the horizon right now," Reagins said recently. "We've talked a lot to a lot of different clubs. But ... I'm not any closer to a trade than I was a month ago."

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