This game will be known for the one Mike Trout left with a calf strain. Knowing the Angels medical staff, he might be the next Lt. Dan. Let’s hope he’s back soon.
The face of the franchise battle has seriously heated up. Shohei Ohtani is playing out of his mind and smoked a 3 run HR in the bottom of the second to make the score 6-1.
At that point it was a matter of if Angels pitching could manage 7 innings without blowing the lead.
Patrick Sandoval looked good through 4 innings but got a rather quick hook after letting the first two baserunners on in the 5th. Maddon went to the bullpen and the resurgent Tony Watson struck out the side to end the threat. On the night Sandoval a solo HR to Cesar Hernandez who scored again on a Jose Ramirez single in the 3rd. He threw 57 pitches.
Newcomer Hunter Strickland gave up a solo shot to Franmil Reyes to trim the Angels lead to 6-3. But Jared Walsh got the run back by doubling in Jose Rojas in the 7th.
From there it was the usual parade of Angels relievers with the usual mixed bag of results. Cishek, Claudio, and Mayers each gave up a hit. The one off Mayers left the yard to make it 7-4 in the top of the 8th.
Raisel Iglesias came in for the save and struck out the side.
Light that baby up! Angels win 7-4.
Just hope Trout is OK.
We need him, Sho and several others to make the run, so please…
We need him?? Ya think ??
If you can play like this with limited experience, you’re definitely a talented athlete.
This guy could invade Russia in the winter.
Singlehandedly .
Shohei would snap Chuck Norris into two pieces … with his pinky toe
Or North Korea.
I’m assuming that we’re having guests tomorrow. Marsh or Schebler? Or both?
Assuming Trout will miss some time, best case. Worst case IL. Tragedy, out for weeks, months, season ending. They can’t have an outfield of Upton, Ward, Rojas. Not even at AAA should that be allowed. Also assuming the Gold Glove will miss some time. Schebler can play center. Someone is in route. Outgoing Rojas please.
What happens if we bring up Marsh now? Don’t remember the details when the clock starts.
If that was a season ending injury by rounding the bases slowly on a routine 3rd outs pop fly, then this team is truly cursed. I think its a 4 or 5 game thing max.
Josh Donaldson’s recent career has been completely blown up by a calf injury that never goes away. Achilles injury would obviously be devastating as well and likely push him to a corner OF spot next season.
Mike is superhuman so I wouldn’t necessarily be shocked if he was back sooner than expected but man are the tea leaves scary.
The season is hanging in the balance. In the next 24 hrs we could all become very dejected and depressed and reluctantly start talking about positional options for 2022. I am very, very nervous.
What do you mean “in the next 24 hrs”. I’ve been dejected and depressed since that fun first week ended.
Donaldson’s was the exception. Most calf injuries heal pretty quickly abd without long term problems. I think Trout missed 3 games with one in 2019.
You can’t judge by the nature of the play. If you’ve witnessed any serioius NBA injuries, especially achilles and MCL injuries they usually happen on innocuous non-contact plays. The most serious injuries are non-contact. Gordon Hayward, Kobe’s achilles injury, Dominique Wilkins achilles, Paul George, Derek Rose, even football MCL injuries almost always happen on non-contact plays where the player is alone in the open field etc… You’re off in your asssement, unfortunately.
And breaking your leg jumping on home plate….
too soon
I have no idea what game you are referring to. I am not sure such a game exists.
I think that happened after the game that never happened.
How do you guys know about these games that never happened?
Because they are in the book of unwritten rules. You shouldn’t read it. You won’t learn anything.
Well that makes me more worried.
I was at the game and you are right if that is a season ending injury this team is beyond cursed. I was right in front and saw it. Trout was able to walk on his own and down the stairs. I have seen injuries where a player is lying on the field and needing complete assistance and the player is only out 2 weeks.
Schebler makes sense in the short term. If Trout is indeed seriously hurt, I would not be shocked in the slightest if by the All-Star break Marsh AND Adell were both up with Upton being released as the team puts out some BS “building for a new era” spin on the failed season.
The future has RF written all over it for Trout. I think as early as next year. Worst case scenario; if it is a torn achilles then you’d have to consider switching Shohei to OF and having Mike become a DH. : (
My read is that something is really eating at Trout. I can’t put my finger on it. Is it Pujols? Is it Ohtani’s emergence? Is it the frustration of this team not winning as he’s turning 30? Is it Maddon?
No idea what it is but he just doesn’t seem his happy-go-lucky self. He seems burdened. Even when he was knocking the cover off the ball in April, there was something off to my eyes. He just seemed preoccupied.
Tonight he slammed down his helmet with the injury. Understandable frustration but I haven’t seen the boyish joy out of him that would balance that out.
Maybe I’m making too much out of these things but I definitely don’t sense a lot of happiness when I watch Trout these days. I hope he’s okay.
Agree, the joy is not as evident.
I really hope all is okay in Troutland. I’m very fond of the kid.
drugs? He looks pretty beat up
Doubt that very much.
Agree on all points. Hope his family is well. Hope he’s not had it with Moreno. Lot of shit goes down with this organization, Skaggs, Albert, the losing, etc.. Seeing another season go by no closer to being any good, with more bullshit. 3rd manager, 3rd GM, same results. Turning 30 with a kid now, maybe he does want out. He seems the type that would internalize his displeasure, especially if it were the losing. He knows the shit storm that would set off. It is noticeable, surprised nobody in the media has brought it up. He’s only human.
Totally agree re the internalize. My pure speculation is he is starting to feel his age (turning 30) and sees the team no closer to the playoffs. At the same time he is loyal and likely grateful for the money the team has invested. It’s like a marriage he wants to leave but doesn’t know how. And then he sees how Pujols was ‘treated’ by the Organization and maybe he pictures the Angels showing him no loyalty at the end of his contract. These thoughts easily could be swirling in his mind and causing him to be very preoccupied. Again – I see none of the joy.
What were the Angels supposed to do with Pujols. Play him instead of Ohtani? The organization wasted 5 years of their existence to try and please that old fart.
Yeah, if Trout really wants to win he has to know Pujols was standing in the way.
Oh believe me I fully agree. But Trout may have a different perspective given his very close relationship with Pujols. Remember all last year during Covid the two of them spent a lot of time together working out at baseball fields in Newport Beach. He also must be wondering whether he will be treated the same way at the end of his career. It has to wear on him even though I think he’s being short sighted.
This team sucks the life out of me as a fan. Imagine having tethered your legendary career to this franchise and have bad pitching, soul-crushing bullpens and bizarre controverseies every single year….and then feel a strange injury you’ve never felt before. I’d throw my helmet too
That’s a good point. Really tough to see him this way. I’ve always enjoyed his excitement for the game and his big happy grin.
Losing has to be eating at Trout. The franchise winning percentage since he came up is 50.4%. He’s had 3 managers and 3 GMs, and the story is still the same. No matter what he does (MVP multiple times), nothing changes. He looks at the roster today and the future does not achieve his aspiration of winning a championship for at least the next several years.
Agree that he appears frustrated. I would almost guarantee you it is not a problem with the manager or Shohei or another teammate. Mike is the consummate team player and I don’t see ego issues or jealously getting in the way of his performance. It is clear from dugout and field interactions that he likes Ohtani.
My guess is that it is performance related; that is team performance. There may also be added stress with the Pujols departure as he now is more or less thrust into the role of being a team leader. I think this takes him out of his comfort zone. This is what team counselors and therapists are for. Knowing Arte’s cheap ways you can bet the Angels don’t have one….
Really good point. Also Trout strikes me as a loyalty-first type of guy. He married his high school sweetheart. He is all about family. So maybe the perceived mistreatment of his friend Pujols is really affecting him.
Best bet is that there are a combination of factors contributing to the stress he may be feeling, or appears to be under.The other thing that hasn’t been mentioned is that Mike is a new father (relatively new that is). A new baby, and especially a first child in the family immediately changes relationship dynamics and can put a strain on less solid marriages. Not saying this is happening with the Trout family as externally them seem strong, however, there have been alot of changes around Mike lately. This can be stressful.
Absolutely. Not to mention all of us have been dealing with the realities of a pandemic. Maybe the MLB Covid restrictions on travel and seeing family members is wearing on him.
It’s all speculation as we will never know. But I hope he finds his happy place again. Life is tough enough without a smiling Trout in our lives.
that first baby puts a strain on great marriages. You simply can’t fathom what the term “24/7/365” truly means until you have a child.
Yes, for most people, but he can afford all the help/support he and his wife need.
True. But it goes beyond the lack of sleep and demands on time. I was referring more to the change in the family system and how the husband often becomes triangulated.
Can I ask? How was Pujols mistreated? Seems like Pujols mistreated the organization.
Has a chance to play on a potential winner and his tune now changes from not accepting a limited role and having a tantrum over it to I’ll accept and play any role where needed. How a chance at a title changes it all.
The guy already has a couple of titles. Glad he is gone. Ohtani is the future of this team. If this team would have bent to Pujols wishes I would have never watched them again.
All these years of speculation as to who would take over for Mike Trout as the best player in baseball. I honestly thought it was Juan Soto. Today, I changed my mind.
Shohei Ohtani now has 1.7 fWAR, good enough for 16th among both pitchers and hitters.
He hasn’t pitched anywhere near his full capabilities. He hasn’t walked anywhere near his full capabilities.
Buckle up, y’all.
Ohtani is at 2.3 overall WAR before tonight. It will go up after tonight. Factor that out over a season and it’s really something.
I have fWAR, which I like a lot more than rWAR. But yes, either way he’s killing it right now.
Ohtani’s a really good pitcher, but his ERA is definitely underselling how well he has pitched this year. The walks have really limited his effectiveness, and he’s definitely gotten lucky with key strikeouts/outs.
This would be even more sad if we have the two best players in baseball (I think we do!) and we finish 3rd or worse in our division !!
Don’t get me wrong, going to be a Trout lover till I die. But a Ripken he is not. Also, Pujols with a 1 for 4 night. Was hoping for and 0 fer and a sisters loss but at least the Dads keeping it up. How cool would it have been to have Darvish and Ohtani on the same team. Darvish seems like a stand up guy.
“A Ripken he is not.?” Not sure what you mean by that.
Trout nor anyone else will ever be a Ripkenesque “ironman” but Mike is 5x the player Cal ever was… Please, don’t insult the greatness of Trout by saying that.
I think he is referring to the Ironman playing streak. If that is the benchmark, no player in baseball has ever been Ripken other than maybe Gehrig.
I think it’s a very unfair and irrelevant comparison to make and a nitpick by comparison to the greatness of Trout.
The Mayers HR was necessary to put Iglesias into a save position. Way to take one for the team Mike.
Right when I gain confidence in Mayers, he serves up a bomb.
Trick or Treat baby
The long HR that Reyes hit off Strickland? Reminds me of when Strickland broke the record for giving up gopher balls in the postseason: 6, though the Giants still beat KC in the WS.
Bryce Harper feasted off of Stricknine whose heaters are rather hittable. Was not a fan of the move to acquire him.
But But He throws hard
Trout and Lagares hurt, but just be glad they didn’t get hurt the way the Mets’ player Kevin Pillar got hurt tonight: fastball in the nose, profuse bleeding…he tweeted he’s okay. Yikes!
Ohtani is the only reason I watch anymore
thanks my peeps, I needed HaloTherapy tonight.
Nice played game, it as always even with a lead takes a lot out of one, but wins are more rare than wins which we have two in a row. If I was told at the end of April that the cameras which was focused on Trout being Trouty to Shohei and Jared I would of thought you a bit an Anti-Halo. But here we are and Ohtani and Walsh are the young Bucks pulling the Sleigh.
JW ( Jared Walsh) gettin it done!
What Ohtani is doing right now is absolutely unbelievable. It’s ‘I can’t believe what I just saw’ type stuff. Jaw dropping.
OMG, there’s a post game thread?
I really have been out of things for a while.
Vladesque.
https://twitter.com/CC_Sabathia/status/1394486675334746113
That Green Monster bonk was truly Vladesque
Way to go, Sho. Get well soon, fat kid.
Angels Win!
One more win and we get another dancing robot!!
Got the fingers crossed for tomorrow… Tough pitcher in Plesac,
And we have the wild card in Heaney. He might go 7 and give up 2. He might go 2 and give up 7.
You just never know with Andrew.
And who will close? Slegers?
Yep, it is a grab bag with him.
He melted down pretty bad during his five-inning no-hitter. We have a chance.