Showing posts with label Angels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Angels. Show all posts

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Angels Hit Five Home Runs in 8-6 Win Over Tigers

Last night's was them most enjoyable game I've watched in a while --- even better than the beating the Angels gave Boston last weekend. Angels pitcher Jerod Weaver was smokin' last night. All the parts were humming against Detroit. And Game 4 is tonight, on ESPN. It's going to be a good one. Angels have a chance to sweep the Tigers!

At LAT:
KEY MOMENT: The Angels had already hit four solo homers against Tigers starter Shane Greene — including back-to-back, second-inning shots by Matt Joyce and Carlos Perez — when Albert Pujols came to the plate later in second with two outs and two runners on. Pujols blasted a homer to left field to give the Angels a 7-1 lead.
The was freakin' sweet!

More.

And at ESPN, "5/30/15: Five home runs help Angels beat Tigers, 8-6."

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Angels Hammer Red Sox 12-5, Scoring 9 Runs in Fifth Inning

Finally, my Angels turn on the offense.

Mike Trout was called out at third base after a wild "Matrix-like" slide, but had the call reversed after the manager's challenge. The Angels ended up scoring 9 runs in 39 minutes during the fifth inning. It was incredible.

At the Boston Herald, "Rick Porcello implodes as Red Sox routed by Angels":


For the first time in a while, the Red Sox moribund offense wasn’t the main concern last night at Fenway Park.

Instead the starting pitching took the top spot on the list of worries, as righty Rick Porcello couldn’t make it out of the fifth inning in a 12-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Sox’ third straight loss and fourth in their past five games.

The Angels offense entered the game ranked 14th in the American League, worse than the 12th-ranked Sox. But Los Angeles scored nine runs in the fifth inning after Porcello walked the first two batters and the Angels ran away from there.

“I just walked those two guys in the fifth. That hurt. … Those two walks and then not being able to get out of that was the difference,” Porcello said. “So I take full responsibility for the loss today. That was completely on me and I’ve got to be better.”
Also at Halo Heaven, "BOSTON BLITZED: Angels and Mike Trout crush Red Sox 12-5":
Albert Pujols got the Angels on the board in the fourth with a laser beam solo homerun, and Marc Krauss was able to drive in a run a few batters later with a fielder’s choice. Those are both amazing things, but we don’t need to talk about that right now. We need to talk about that fifth. That 37 minute long, NINE runs scored fifth inning...just to put a point on it. We’ve seen their pitiful run differential numbers this past week, and this game will hopefully serve as a harbinger of a 180 degree turn about to happen; an antidote to the one run nailbiter disease they’ve been infected with in the month of May. There was everything you could possibly want out of an Angels baseball game. You got the rare Chris Iannetta moonshot homer. You got to point and laugh as recent Cuban call-up Rusney Castillo dropped a routine fly ball, allowing a run. You got to see Erick Aybar hit a dinger of his own, and then you watched as he circled the bases, smiling ear to ear as Albert Pujols went crazy in the dugout. You saw Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun and David Freese all drive in runs. You even saw Matt Joyce have a good game! It was heaven on Earth. But above all that, you saw something that you still don’t believe happened. Mike Trout, attempting to steal third base, was basically gunned down; 100% dead to rights. Mike Trout, seeing the tag coming from Brock Holt, entered into Matrix bullet-time mode, did a swim move OVER the tag, twisted his torso a bit, completely and inexplicably avoiding the tag all while keeping his foot on the bag. Unreal. All told, the fifth inning saw the Angels put up nine runs, six hits, two walks and a dumptruck full of Schadenfreude.

That was easily the best inning of baseball we’ve watched all year, and it came against a dream punching bag opponent. The Angels did let the Red Sox into the game a tad, as Richards ended up allowing 5 runs over six innings and had to be pulled for Jose Alvarez. So perhaps this game wont help the run differntial bottom line all that much in the end, but that’s not enough to sour the sweet taste of those Red Sox Nation tears. I don’t know if this game is a sign of things to come, but right now, I don’t care. The Angels came into Fenway, laid a monster beating on Boston, and Mike Trout bent space and time to the deliver the thrills that pay the bills. That’s all that matters right now.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Mike Trout Youngest Player to Hit 100 Home Runs, Steal 100 Bases

Now if the rest of the team could just pick up the pace...

At LAT, "Angels star Mike Trout proves a tougher out during two-homer game":

Houston reliever Chad Qualls got two quick strikes on Mike Trout in the eighth inning of a tie game Friday night and threw two nasty pitches, down and in, to the Angels center fielder.

It’s the kind of at-bat that would have probably ended in either a strikeout or an out last season for Trout, who won the 2014 American League most valuable player award despite leading the league with 184 strikeouts and hitting .215 on two-strike counts.

Qualls threw two nasty pitches, down and in, but Trout was able to foul off the 0-2 and 1-2 deliveries. Qualls then tried to go up and away with his next pitch but caught too much of the plate, and Trout lined it into the right-center-field seats for a three-run home run that gave the Angels a 6-3 victory in Minute Maid Park.

Trout also hit a two-run homer on a full-count pitch in the sixth inning to become the youngest player in major league history -- at 23 years 251 days old -- with 100 homers and 100 stolen bases.

Trout is batting .444 on the season and .400 (eight for 20) on two-strike counts. He says his new early-in-the-count approach is the reason he’s feeling more comfortable with two strikes.

“When I get aggressive early in the count, it gets me ready for pitches later in the at-bat, as opposed to just letting one go by,” Trout said. “When I’m up there, I’m looking to drive the ball. First pitch, second pitch, if I just get my pitch, I’m going to try to swing at it.”

Trout, who hit .287 with 36 homers, 111 RBIs and 115 runs last season, came to spring training determined to cut down on his strikeouts, but he said it took a month of exhibition games for him to get comfortable with the idea...
More.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Josh Hamilton Files for Divorce

I've been real disappointed in Hamilton's play, but I've lately been quite sympathetic to him, and now even more so considering his pending divorce.

He's had tremendous support among the players, so that really tells you something. It's the Angels' ownership that's throwing him under the bus. And now comes news of problems on the home front.

At LAT, "Troubled Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton files for divorce in Texas." Also, "Angels' Josh Hamilton lists Newport mansion for sale at $16.5 million."

RELATED: At the Dallas Morning News, "Josh Hamilton's battle: From cocaine cravings and 26 tattoos to faith and Rangers."

Monday, October 6, 2014

Angels' Window of World Series Opportunity May Be Closing

At LAT, "Angels may be losing their window to play in the World Series":

The Angels are an old team, Mike Trout notwithstanding. Their window to excel should extend through next season. The competition might be tougher next season.

"You always want to do the most you can when you have the most leverage," pitcher C.J. Wilson said.

"Texas had a down year. Oakland had a rough September. We had a really good chance to get what we got, which was home-field advantage, and we didn't do anything with it."

The Angels control second baseman Howie Kendrick, third baseman David Freese, catcher Chris Iannetta, and closer Huston Street through 2015, and shortstop Erick Aybar through 2016. By the time the 2016 season opens, all five of those players will be 32.

According to Baseball America, the Angels have traded four of their top six prospects among position players over the past year. The Angels are in win-now mode, and the trades brought back Street, Freese and relievers Fernando Salas and Joe Thatcher.

But, of those six prospects, the two that remain are C.J. Cron, a designated hitter, and second baseman Alex Yarbrough, whose suspect fielding might limit him to DH.

Free agency? That is the source of the Angels' greatest challenge, since owner Arte Moreno's decisions to spend $375 million on Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton stripped the team of the top draft choices necessary to rebuild the farm system and restricted the financial flexibility available to upgrade the major league roster.

On opening day 2016, Pujols will be 36, Hamilton 34, Wilson 35, Weaver 33. The Angels have all four under contract for 2016, for a total of $98 million.

Add another $40 million for Trout, Aybar and pitchers Garrett Richards and Joe Smith, and there's your core.

It is painfully apparent, then, that the Angels are likely to go as far as Trout, Pujols and Hamilton will take them.

Trout is the best player in baseball. Pujols is not close to that level anymore, but he can hit well enough to hold down the No. 3 spot in the batting order.

But what can the Angels expect from the enigmatic and oft-injured Hamilton?

"Who knows?" he said. "What do you think, I'm a fortune teller?"

Hamilton went hitless in the division series, homerless in his last 55 at-bats of the season. In his two seasons in Anaheim, he has hit .255 in 240 games, with a total of 31 home runs and 123 runs batted in.

"I wish I could tell you I was going to hit .330 with 130 [RBI] and 40 [homers] every year," he said.


Royals Sweep Angels in ALDS

I should have more about this over the next couple of days, but for now, man, what a disappointment.

And that's to take nothing away from Kansas City. Those boys are on fire.



Sunday, October 5, 2014

Angels Fan Beaten in Parking Lot After Friday Night's Playoff Game

I'm just now seeing this, at KABC-7 Los Angeles, "ANGELS FAN BEATEN IN ANGEL STADIUM PARKING LOT - EYEWITNESS NEWS EXCLUSIVE":
ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- An Angels fan is in critical condition after being severely beaten in the parking lot of Angel Stadium after Friday night's playoff game.

Two witnesses, only identified as Sandra and her 15-year-old daughter, Morgan, spoke to Eyewitness News on Saturday about what they saw.

Both are diehard Angels fans. But they say they will never forget the brutal beating.

The vicious assault happened around 10:30 p.m. in the preferred parking lot outside Angel Stadium.

Sandra and Morgan said the victim and his cousin were leaving the game when the 43 year old was suddenly attacked from behind without warning.

"This man started running towards another, and just started beating this guy. He had two punches, the guy went down, he was out cold, and then he started beating his face really bad on the pavement," Sandra said.

The beating terrified Morgan.

"He continued to punch him while he was on the ground, and that's what got me a little bit upset and a little bit scared. When he had ran a few steps away and came back, I started to get even more worried. Is he going to come after me and my mom, or go to anyone around, a witness?" she said.

As the suspect ran off with two other men, Sandra and Morgan rushed to help the victim.
More.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Eric Hosmer Crushes Homer in 11th Inning, Crushing #Angels Home-Field Hopes

Hosmer's been on fire. He pounded that extra-innings triple off the wall against the A's, crushing Oakland's wild card hopes. And now he's crushed the Angels' hopes, as the Royals can clinch a trip to the American League championship on Sunday.

At the New York Post, "Royals show no signs of slowing down, beat Angels again."



Friday, October 3, 2014

Angels Don't Meet Expectations in Game 1 of Division Series — #ALDS

A nicely toned commentary from Bill Dwyre, at the Los Angeles Times:

The game was tighter than the cork on a bottle of wine. The Angels wore out the Rally Monkey. Also the 45,321 fans.

It also wore out people's patience. The game took 4 hours 5 minutes and was a prime example of why retiring Commissioner Bud Selig wants things done to make games move along faster. This one gave him a template.
Pretty shocking opener, actually.

PREVIOUSLY: "#Angels Drop First Game to #Royals in #ALDS."

Thursday, October 2, 2014

#Angels Drop First Game to #Royals in #ALDS

The Angels are off to a rough start against the Royals, who are frankly on fire.

Too many missed opportunities.



This Season's #Angels Team Draws Comparisons to 2002 World Series Champions

At LAT, "Angels may have turned back the clock":
It first struck Tim Salmon in early July, when the Angels steamrollered the Texas Rangers in a four-game sweep. It became more apparent July 18, when the Angels traded for proven closer Huston Street, turning a much-improved bullpen into a dominant one.

It was solidified in early September, when the Angels' offense went off, averaging almost nine runs a game during a 10-game win streak that sealed the American League West title.

"This team is really reminiscent of our 2002 team," said Salmon, the right fielder on the club that mashed its way to the World Series championship that October. "They're putting up a lot of runs, and they're getting great pitching from their bullpen. Hopefully, the postseason for them goes like it did for us."

The Angels open the AL division series against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, and despite their major league-best 98-64 record, they may have the thinnest and least-imposing rotation of the eight playoff participants.

Game 1 starter Jered Weaver is a veteran right-hander who consistently pitches into the seventh inning and gives the Angels a chance to win.

But left-handers C.J. Wilson and Hector Santiago were erratic in September, their occasional brilliance offset by some early blowouts, and right-hander Matt Shoemaker will be trying to pitch through a potentially painful rib-cage strain.

The Angels survived — even thrived — after losing their best pitcher, Garrett Richards, to a knee injury Aug. 20. The loss of the right-hander could sting more in October, as the Angels match up against some shut-down starters.

But the Angels don't have to look far for proof you can win a World Series without dominant starting pitching. Their blueprint for success is a virtual carbon copy of the 2002 team's: Get a lead or stay even through five innings, hand the ball to the bullpen and enjoy the ride.

And if the starter struggles? Then pummel the opposing pitcher.

"You can bet it's going to be a race to the fifth inning for [Manager Mike] Scioscia unless he's got Weav out there," said Troy Percival, the closer on the 2002 club. "When you have the bullpen the Angels have, it becomes a five-inning game. It's similar to when we were rolling in 2002. We could cover four innings every day on a playoff run."
More.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Angels' Wade LeBlanc Makes Pitch for Playoff Spot in 2-0 Win Over A's

It was a great game. And a relief too. I'm worried about the Angels' pitching going into the post-season.

At LAT:
The tangled web of an injury-plagued and struggling Angels rotation grew even more convoluted Tuesday night, but for a good reason. Veteran left-hander Wade LeBlanc has thrust himself into the playoff picture.

LeBlanc, filling in for the injured Matt Shoemaker, allowed five hits over 5 1/3 scoreless innings in a 2-0 victory over Oakland that pushed the Athletics into a tie with the Kansas City Royals for the American League wild-card lead.

Combined with his 5 1/3-inning scoreless effort last Thursday against Seattle, LeBlanc, who was designated for assignment three times this season — twice by the Angels — has thrown 10 2/3 scoreless innings in two starts, allowing eight hits, striking out four and walking one.

With Shoemaker questionable for the division series because of a rib-cage strain and Hector Santiago getting shelled in his last two starts, LeBlanc has positioned himself to be considered for the playoff rotation. At the very least, he should earn a long-relief spot...
More.

Cory Rasmus, who's pitched a few games this last couple of weeks, is looking good too. Mike Scioscia needs to let him play longer.

I would have blogged more about the Angels since they clinched a playoff berth, but it's been depressing. Who knows if they'll clear 100 wins for the season, which is almost over?

Friday, September 19, 2014

Angels 'Erupted' After Clinching AL West Title, Celebrate on Field

Awesome.

At the Los Angeles Times:
The Angels’ 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners had been over for several minutes, and as the Oakland Athletics began unraveling in the ninth inning of their game, the screams from the Angels’ clubhouse could be heard through the concrete walls in a tunnel.

“I wish you guys could’ve been there to see it,” Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker said. “Everybody just erupted.”

At that point, the score was tied, and the Angels would have to wait longer. First there was a long video review, then the Rangers tacked on some more runs, and then there were some pitching changes. All the while, the Angels prepared for a celebration.

“It was just a lot of fun watching that happen,” Shoemaker said...
More.

Plus, "Photos: Angels clinch AL West title."


Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Cory Rasmus Racks Up Four Solid Innings Before Angels' Bullpen Falls Apart in 13-2 Loss to Mariners

Boy, things got ugly last night after Rasmus came out.

From Mike DiGiovanna, at LAT:



The Angels need any combination of 3 wins or Athletics losses to clinch the American League West Division.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

#Angels Sweep Twins in Spectacular Style

Outstanding baseball from the Angels, especially yesterday's comeback win.

But today's game was a blowout. The Twins looked hapless.

At LAT, "Angels have strong all-around performance in 14-4 win over Twins."



Monday, September 1, 2014

Angels Cautious Heading Into September Pennant Race

At LAT, "Angels remain cautious despite five-game lead going into pennant race":

The Angels players held their fantasy football league draft after Sunday's game, which means two things: The NFL season is about to begin and so are the baseball pennant races.

The Angels will enter their race with a five-game head start after completing a four-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics with an 8-1 rout Sunday. But a big lead, even in September, doesn't guarantee anything. Just ask catcher Chris Iannetta, who played on a Colorado Rockies team that once made up a five-game deficit in the final 10 games of the season to reach the playoffs.

"It can swing like that," he said. "There's a lot of baseball left. There's one month, but there's many games."

And Iannetta isn't the only one preaching caution.

"We've got a long way to go. I know a lot of people are counting down. Not us," said Manager Mike Scioscia.

Added outfielder Mike Trout: "We can't get too excited yet."

Maybe. But it's hard to imagine how the Angels could be in a better position entering the home stretch. Especially when you consider where they were just three weeks ago.

When the Angels woke on Aug. 11, they were four games behind Oakland in the American League West and had just lost starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs to Tommy John surgery. But the next day they started a streak that featured them winning 15 of 19 games, turning that four-game deficit into a five-game lead, the team's largest division lead since 2009.

The sweep of the A's also gave the Angels six straight wins and a baseball-best 83-53 record after 136 games, matching the franchise record. The last time they did that was 2008, when the team went on to win 100 games.

Add it all up and … well, it means absolutely nothing, Iannetta warned.

"It can go the other way just as fast," he said. "You could find yourself 10 games back. It could be that bad. You just have to keep it in perspective and say, 'You know what? We've got to keep going. We've got to keep grinding it out.'"

The Angels did that and more against Oakland's Scott Kazmir on Sunday, scoring six times in the second inning when Kazmir walked four batters — including two with the bases loaded. Erick Aybar contributed a run-scoring single to the rally, running his hitting streak to a career-best 16 games, while Trout knocked in two runs.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

#Angels Sweep #Athletics to Take 5-Game Lead in AL West

At the Los Angeles Times, "Angels complete four-game sweep of A's with 8-1 victory."

It feels great if you're an Angels fan, but man, this has been an astonishing collapse for the Athletics.



Coco Crisp Scratched from #Athletics Starting Lineup for Second Day in a Row

Per Susan Slusser, on Twitter.

And Slusser at SF Gate, "A’s acquire Adam Dunn from White Sox."

The A's are in a slumpin' funk.



Saturday, August 30, 2014

Coco Crisp Scratched from Starting Lineup for Tonight's #Angels-#Athletics Game

Via Susan Slusser, at the San Francisco Chronicle:


And here's the video from last night's game:



PREVIOUSLY: "#Angels Beat #Athletics 4-0 in Spectacular Rivaly Match at Anaheim Stadium."

#Angels Beat #Athletics 4-0 in Spectacular Rivaly Match at Anaheim Stadium

I mentioned the playoff atmosphere in my post yesterday before the game, "Angels-Athletics Rivalry Has 'Playoff Feel'."

And there were no disappointments.

Mike DiGiovanna reports, at the Los Angeles Times, "Angels get A's for effort in 4-0 victory":
Oakland center fielder Coco Crisp risked serious injury when he crashed into the wall in a gallant effort to rob Angels catcher Chris Iannetta of a two-run home run in the fifth inning Friday night.

Angels left fielder Josh Hamilton hurled his body into foul territory to make a superb diving catch of Alberto Callaspo's fifth-inning popup with two on, to which center fielder Mike Trout responded: "That's what I'm talking about, baby!"

Trout raced into the left-center-field gap and caught Stephen Vogt's drive before slamming into the wall to save a run in the fourth. And Angels ace Jered Weaver pumped his fist violently and screamed an obscenity into the air after getting Josh Reddick to fly to left with the bases loaded to end the sixth.

What the Angels-Athletics rivalry might lack in name-brand recognition or a decades-old history of bitterness, it is making up for in on-field intensity.

Emotions ran high again Friday night, as Weaver gave up three hits in seven shutout innings to lead the Angels to a 4-0 victory before an energized crowd of 41,177 in Angel Stadium...
More.

In an all-around phenomenal game, the Coco Crisp effort to snag Iannetta's home run was particularly dramatic.

I picked up tickets yesterday afternoon, so our seats were way up on the top level, almost all the way down the third base line. From my angle, the center-field fence was parallel with my view. I was talking to my son and not paying close attention when Iannetta came up to bat, but I saw him get some good wood on the ball and was wondering if it was going to go out of the yard. And then here come the outfielders to try to make a play. It took me a second to remember that Crisp was playing center, but as soon as he went up I knew, and he slammed into the wall hard. It looked like he robbed Iannetta of the homer, but we were too far away to see the ball pop out of the glove. And then Crisp jumped up and clutched his abdomen, finally doubling over in pain. I saw an usher or groundsman behind the center-field wall go over and pick up a ball, so I thought then that Crisp wasn't able to hold on. But the scoreboard hadn't recording the home run, and I didn't see the umpire signal the score. Pretty intense baseball, that's for sure. And so different watching it at the park than on television.

In any case, here's the Athletics home page with the video, "Crisp exits after crash into wall on stellar effort."