The Angels lose vs the Rangers in one of the last spring games. Daron Sutton called the game with Gubi, and we need to get used to it as he will be the PBP guy some of the time.
Angels are now 11-9-3 on the spring. They will face Kansas City tomorrow at 1:10. Just a few games left before they start to count, hang in there Angels fans!
Recap
Scoring started in the bottom of the first as Heaney allowed 2 runs. Taylor “Blake” Ward got one back at the top of the second, hitting a solo shot to cut the deficit in half.
Texas got to Heaney again in the 4th, scoring 2 more off the left hander. Then, in the 5th, Heaney allowed a solo shot which chased him from the game and Ty Buttrey finished the inning. 5-1 Rangers.
But the Angels did not give up, scoring in the top of the 6th thanks to the likes of Jared Walsh and Jose Rojas. 5-4 Rangers.
Rangers responded with a run in the 6th, making it 6-4 Rangers. That score would stay the same the rest of the game, as the Angels blew chances with runners on base in the 7th, 8th, and ended it with a GIDP in the 9th.
Performances
Pitchers
Andrew Heaney
In what is likely his second to last start this spring, Heaney went 4 and 2/3 innings with 5 ER on 8 hits, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts. He allowed a home run and was same old hot and cold Heaney.
Ty Buttrey
Ah butters, his spring has been stale, and he needed to do something good today so I won’t worry about him. He finished off the 5th inning and overall went
Junior Guerra
As the competition for relivers intensifies, Junior has a leg up due to being on the 40 man. He went 1/3 of an inning with a walk issued.
Alex Claudio
Claudio went 1 and 1/3 innings giving up a run a walk and a hit. He has not looked the best out of the pitchers in the slightest.
Dillon Peters
Peters won’t likely make the team, but he has pitched well this spring, including today where he went 1 and 2/3 innings with 1 hit, 1 K and no runs.
Hitters
Starters
Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani has made me excited for this season in ways I haven’t in years. A fully armed and operational Ohtani-san is mouth watering. He went 1-3 with a SB.
David Fletcher
Fletcher had a meh day, going 0-2 with a K.
Jared Walsh
I am going to say that Walsh is locked now as the starting first baseman this year. Sure he may not make it with how his spring is, but I bet he does. He went 1-3 with a run scored.
Max Stassi
Backup catching is valuable and the Angels have one that isn’t bad. That is something. He went 1-2 with a double.
Others of note
Taylor Ward
Ward is unlikely to make the team, but he had a good spring. Today he went 2-3 with a solo home run and a triple, 3 RBI.
Jose Rojas
Rojas is doing everything he can to make the team out of camp, and with Franklin Barreto injured, his chances are as good as they will get, but he may lose out to Rengifo in the end. He went 1-3 with an RBI.
Juan Lagares
As these last games choose who gets to make the team, Lagares has shown he deserves it. He went 1-2.
Jon Jay
Well, that was a low risk gamble on a player, this is most likely his last game. If he does make a team, it won’t be the Angels. Good luck somewhere else. He went 0-3.
Luis Rengifo
Rengifo is the odds on favorite to make the team now that Franklin is hurt. He went 0-2 with a walk.
Scott Schebler
Schebler is who I want so bad on the opening day roster but it looks like Fowler will get it. Hope he stays with the team. He went 0-1.
Jordyn Adams
Adams robbed a home run, showing off his glove, but otherwise went 0-1.
Phil Gosselin
Phil went 2-2 with a double. He is young and we will see more of him in the coming years.
Actually, Gosselin isn’t so young. He’s a 32 year old journeyman, so that’s probably the last we see of him, barring injuries.
It was nice to hear Daron call a game again. He was pretty muted at first, but warmed up by the third inning. He showed occasional flashes of the outstanding sense of humor he had his first time here, but Gubi didn’t pick up on them.
I’m currently watching the first few innings, Sutton doesn’t annoy me at all, so that’s nice. Has a good voice.
Also nice to see Ward went deep.
Heaney continues to struggle stringing good appearances together.
reading the play by play at ESPN it says we had the bases loaded, two outs and the inning ended. If that’s true then I wouldn’t call this a loss. Any game where they use that stupid 20 pitch thing is invalid in terms of wins or losses.
I think that rule has ended.
Glove vs. bat seems to be the debate on each roster decision.
Rojas has the bat but can’t play SS. Rengifo can play SS but doesn’t have the bat.
Shebler looks to have a more sustainable bat than Ligares, who plays killer defense.
Rengifo should be 0-1, its not his fault Stassi doesn’t know he’s suppose to go to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt
And why didn’t Maddon have FOJ Jon Jay bunt with the tying run on second and no outs in the 6th? That play was a rally killer too. If the Angels want to play small ball they need to execute