Angels 7 Blue Jays 5
Boy, how about these Angels, huh? Down early but never out. At times, erring but always making up for it late. A legitimately terrific offense overcoming some incredible teams — that only continued tonight with some late inning heroics. I only hope that Blue Jays fans didn’t get their hopes up too high because their cups are the ones buttered tonight!!
David Fletcher’s penchance for contact lifted the Angels to victory with this tennis drop shot in the top of the 11th to knock in two, and the rest is history.
Truth be told, this game was never a blur and neither team was ever out of it. It took a team effort to finish the job: seven different pitchers to bridge the gap to the 11th, seven different batters who notched base hits, and Raisel Iglesias to notch the save.
It feels like ages ago, but Griffin Canning took the mound for the first time this year. He turned in a wonderful effort that will look underwhelming in the box score, retiring at one point 14 Blue Jays in a row and eliciting many swings and misses with a nice spike-curve.
Unfortunately, that was sandwiched between a rocky first inning (encapsulated by a Vlad Jr 2-R HR) and a 6th-inning dinger from Cavan Biggio. He was pulled with the game tied up 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth, as the two teams traded runs early.
Kingfish Mike Trout finished a triple short of the cycle (3-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI) and he almost got it too, had it not been for Randal Grichuk’s gutsy dive on a hard-hit sinking liner in the 9th.
He hit this home run out of the park, into the backyard of a local school and I’m not just talking about taking Ross Stripling to the classroom.
The Halos are now off to a 5-2 start, playing some fantastic teams with capable pitching and fantastic, timely offense.
This is fun to watch. Always electric and never forgettable. Let’s rock.
I don’t know what I think about the continuation of the runner on second base to start an inning in extra innings. It certainly creates a lot of strategy on both defense and offense. When the Angels did not score in the top of the 10th, I assumed that the game would be over as it does not seem that difficult to get a runner over from 2nd base with no outs.
I do think that even the sabermetrics show that bunting a runner from second base to third base is worth giving up an out for because the probability of scoring a runner from third base with only one out is pretty high (I can give a source for this later). But today, teams cannot bunt.
The importance of getting the runner home from second in the top of the 10th changes the sabermetrics in my opinion. Presuming the ability to bunt, getting the runner over to third with less than 2 outs allows that runner to score without the benefit a hit. My presumption is that if you get that runner home from second you are going to win many more games than you will lose. Which makes the bunt in that situation justifiable (I believe).
Yes, in Keith Law’s book Smart Baseball, I believe that he says that bunting leads to a lower winning probability in most situations but it would seem that getting one run in the 10th inning is crucial so bunting and giving up an out might be smart? But in bunting, you are also perhaps foregoing the potential of a bigger inning.
On the defensive side, I wonder if it is smart to walk the first batter to set up a double play (particularly in the bottom of an extra inning in a tied game since it does not matter if you give up multiple runs)?
It seems that most teams are just playing things straight up. No bunting, no intentional walks, etc.
I wondered about walking the first batter too. But if you do that you almost for sure will get a bunt because 2nd and 3rd with 1 out is a powerful position.
If you have a decent ‘pen, the power of getting that 1 run across is substantial and is worth (in my opinion giving up the low probability/potential of a big inning. It’s kind of like the new overtime in the NFL, if you don’t score from the 35 yard line, your probability of winning the game goes way down. In baseball, if you don’t get that runner on 2nd home in the 10th, your probability of winning decreases substantially enough to warrant the bunt in my opinion.
The bigger factor is whether you have players who know the art of bunting. Big props to Suzuki for executing yesterday. Play like it’s 1985!!
Yeah, good point, I guess if you walk the first batter, then there is a bunt, you are then forced to walk the bases loaded to set up a double play. In the top of an inning, you could then be setting up the other team for a big inning.
If I recall, it works out to bunting increases the chance of scoring exactly 1 run at the cost of a significant reduction to the chance of scoring multiple runs.
Imagine this lineup with an ascendent Marsh or back-on-track Adell replacing Fowler.
Imagine Schebler now. With Marsh/Adell later
One thing that spring training proved to me; Marsh and Adell are a significant ways off from joining the team.
Winning is fun.
Just read that Luke Bard is shut down for the season. That and Buttrey’s retirement would have killed our pen in years past. I am very glad that we have so many more options on this year’s roster – and not just in the pen.
Yep. Guerra has been a godsend thus far. Mayers has been solid (knock on wood), and I feel that if Joe starts using Duracell exclusively in saves spots we’ll see a different guy altogether.
If you are reading this, welcome to the new server! Hoping for much better performance!
Will have to do a few minor tweaks (colors etc) here and there from the migration, so bear with us a bit!
Is the skip to new comments button going to be possible and also if an article will show that it has new comments?
Unfortunately that’s not a feature we can add at this point.
You rock, Jessica!
Oh f*ck, that is fast.
I swear this never happens!
LOLBAH
Ha!
Jessica and all the staff – another thank you from me!
It has that new server smell, too!
Try not to burn this one down.
Does it smell Manly?
The dancing robot is for both the win and the new server!!
I also noticed that some comments have disappeared
Sadly, yes. If posted in the hour or so between syncing the data over and waiting for DNS to update. They technically weren’t lost, just still on the old server 🙂
The new server is AWESOME
That was a pretty good game all the way around. Canning looked good, Trout was troutian, and Fletcher was fletcheresque. We need a contest for the proper adjective for Big Dave. Keep on keeping on, and if we look this good against pretty good teams, I can hardly wait to pick on Texas and KC.
Have to admit, I do miss the days when we were in the same division with Kansas City, with George Brett and Amos Otis and all those guys. Great rivalry, great games. Yes, I’m officially a geezer. Stay off my lawn.
Would rather have KC than Texas as a rival.
Don’t forget Seattle.
I want to pick on them to.
I hated being in the West with those Royals because they usually kicked our butts. But you’re right that those players (Frank White as well) were great.
Anthony “Vernon” Rendon?
Can one big splash signing work out please…great win tho!…this team feels so different.
Dude that’s reeee-diculous. As long as you are willing to come back and man up to this statement when Rendon is killing it, that is fine. Every player goes through slumps. Even so he had a hit and an rbi today and has had some clutch at-bats with a great eye. Oh yeah, and fantastic D at the corner.
Instead of making such a broad, baseless statement, I think it’s fun to focus on the team being 5-2 against tough competition and Rendon hasn’t even gotten rolling yet.
Chill out man was half kidding. Just PTSD from the last 9 years of 0 protection behind Trout.
Okay – if I missed the humor, I apologize. I really like Rendon as a baseball player. Incredible D, a tremendous eye and fantastic protection for Trout in the lineup. Even if he’s not ‘on’ at the moment he is still helping the team. So I took some minor offense in comparing him (even in jest) to Vernon Wells.
Sutton even mentioned something in the broadcast… Rendon may be slumping at the plate a bit so far, but his OBP is still .333… if that’s a “slump” look out what he’s gonna do once he gets locked in and has a couple hot streaks!
Agreed..Point taken..👍🏼
5-2! Team looks good and doesn’t give up!
Reminds me so much of the 2002 team… feels like they’re never “out” of a game anymore, even when down a few runs. This year looks like it’s gonna be a fun one!
In at least one regard they are similar; weak starting pitching and very good offense. Other than Washburn (and sometimes Ortiz) none of those 2002 starters instilled confidence. The bats won alot of games for us back then. Of course our bullpen was lights out, so that is a formula that can potentially work. I guess if we’re comparing then Mayers could be a Donnelly type.
Just need iggy to be in save situations and I trust this bullpen… For now
So Trout took Stripling to school?
And, you know, fish travel in schools…
LIGHT UP THE HALO!!!!
Just Another Halos Victory!!!
Should be no doubters left out there now about the Halos having the best 2b in the league, nay, MLB.
That Suzuki bunt was awesome to setting up the win.
Glad we don’t have that cheater, Bauer
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-reportedly-examining-multiple-baseballs-from-trevor-bauers-wednesday-start/
I wouldn’t go throwing stones until we find out how widespread this issue is.
2nd this. I think EVERY pitcher was using some kind of tack/rosin/sticky substance at least a bit. Poor Bubba Harkins just ended up being the fall guy for an issue that’s had umps turning a blind eye to for decades.
Our boy Bundy was listed also
How does Iglesias look unhittable during save situations, but like hot garbage otherwise?
He must get hyped about saves
Raisel is a closer, not a holder. There are plenty of other examples. He is a specialist who should only be used in that role. Hopefully he will have lots of opportunities to close out games with the lead.
So no Iglesias unless it is a save. Got it.
No habla Iglesias a menos que sea un salvamento
That is what one goes to Church for, right? Salvation?
Congrats to those of you on the game thread who are, I believe, half responsible for the win
The players probably have CtPG on those dugout iPads
Just another come from behind Victory!
Are the Angels…good?
This is really fun to watch. Great energy leading to great things and seems like they’re getting every 50-50 ball to go their way. Such an alien feeling, ha!
I’m not trying to jinx anything or say “oh it’s the exact same” but so far the team has a feel like the 2002 club, they’re never out of a game even if they’re down a handful of runs. I think Maddon’s philosophy, the game play and the player decisions that have been made since the end of 2019 are going to look a bit more like those Halos. Can’t wait to see how they gel and adapt as the season goes along and Maddon gets a better feel for his personnel. Love it!
Okay. If you’re “not trying to jinx anything” then please don’t make any predictions or proclamations about this team. It is only April after all. I hate when people do that. Baseball is a very long season and alot can happen. Just enjoy the play and please no predictions.
Fletch does Fletch things and D-Cell strikes out the side!
https://youtu.be/qmleTfkpHcA
What’s the story behind that nickname?
What’s the genesis of D-Cell? I’ve seen it once or twice.
Raisel
Duracell
D-Cell