Excellent suggestions above.
If you're interested in an intra-California alternative, take a look at these two threads:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/003624.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/003156.html
(Posting from ONT tonight -- having done one of those segment runs myself today, SMF-SFO-SBA-LAX-ONT; all segments on time or early

)