Patrick Sandoval gets the final game of the series vs the Rays. He was doing great until he had a rough 6th and was pulled. Still, he gave up only 1 when actually pitching, and had a no-no going. Thankfully, the offense came through even when the bullpen struggled, especially Ohtani, who was a single short of the cycle again.
Recap
I Actually Like Sand
Fletcher lead off with a hit and that is all that the Angels could muster. Sandoval had a 1-2-3 inning to start his start.
Angels reply by doing the same. Rays see that and get a 2 out walk to shake things up. But that was it.
Still scoreless and the Angels got a lucky double by Ward. A HBP and things were looking well… but ends on an unlucky inning ending double play. The old “4-1-2 pop up throw away the ball and throw out at home” one. AT least Sandoval didn’t give up a run either.
Ohtani walked to lead off the 4th, then he stole second. Off a lefty. Gosselin singled him in to give the Angels the lead! Sandoval also gave up a walk, but he was thrown out at second. Still 1-0 Angels.
The Angels went down in order, unfortunately, the Rays hit a home run to tie the game.
A response came with a Fletcher single and an Ohtani double to give the Angels the lead again. Two hits and Sandoval was yanked in the 6th, up 2-1 but with runners on.
Blow it?
Mike Mayers came in, as someone who does much better on the road, he may get out of this. Instead, he gave up a 3 run home run. 4-2 Rays.
Ward doubled to lead off the 7th, he scored on a double by Lagares that was almost a catch. Ohtani tripled him in and it was a tied game! Mayers allowed traffic so Maddon pulled him for Watson. That worked as the Angels got out of it still 4-4.
8th inning of a close game and Gosselin came through with a solo shot. 5-4 Angels.
Watson got 2 outs in the 8th but Maddon wanted D-Cell to get the 4 out save. The first out was fast and easy, so it was up to the offense to add on.
That add on run was an Ohtani opposite field blast. A single away from the cycle.
With a 2 run lead, D-Cell had some wiggle room. He didn’t need it as he shut them down and secured the win!
Upcoming
The Angels go to NY next, taking a 37-40 record with them. Under .500 but not swept! Please drink responsibly.
Imagine if the Angeks had drafted Vlad Jr…..
And he desperately wanted to be here….
Come to think of it, we’d probably still find a way to lose. After all, we have the best two players in the game or at least two of the best three and are still below .500.
It’s certainly not hard to imagine. Every time I see a VJr highlight it reminds me of the stories of a 12 year old taking batting practice with his Dad and banging balls off of the Big A centerfield rockpile with his big boy wooden bat.
F U JeDi.
Blame whoever the hell offered Baldoquin $8MM.
^^See obscene personal curse directive above^^
I’m glad that Angels fan got Ohtani’s homerun ball. The right guy got it!
Fun game to watch… was having a family get together at lamp post pizza in YL and we honestly all expected the loss after the HR to go down 4-2 (brutal cut to Sandoval’s reaction looking down). Was great to drive to our hotel down from Disneyland and see the halo lit up for the win. Note: I did NOT wear my Angels hat today, and they won, after wearing it the previous two days. I’m telling you this hat is bad/good luck.
https://www.mlb.com/news/angels-2021-all-star-ballot-finalists
Wonder if trout are least shows up to AS week even though he most likely won’t be ready to play until later July
Hector Santiago first guy popped for the sticky icky. So random. 😂
Are you going to ASG and/or events? We (young son and I) are going. Would be awesome if there were a handful of Angel fans there!
I decided against it. I can’t justify the expense. Gonna put the cash towards a vacation in August.
I hope you guys have a blast, though!
I think next year at the latrine is going to be even more expensive (unless California somehow loses that). Also one of the last times I get to carry him in. 🤷🏼♂️
I’m really liking the VPN mlb tv broadcasts of angels games. Able to pause and rewind when I want where on the Bally’s firestick app you ‘just’ get live action. Been fun watching Ohtani ABs multiple times. Almost had another cycle bobble head coming our way
Sounds good Champs and thank you for the info on the VPN.
Don’t know if/how I helped at all but if anyone is considering vpn to get access to all California baseball especially, vpn with mlb tv has been great.
Sand is turning into a serious pitcher. Gosselin is like actual competence from out of nowhere. He’s not Shohei, but damn, that was a cool homer. He’s a keeper.
Fans are often smarter than the manager. The consensus comment by Rays fans is “we pitched to Ohtani but walked Rendon? WTF?”
8 back of the wildcard and 10.5 back of the division. Anything is possible
No playoffs. Angels trAdition.
Great write up JHW! But I have to take an exception to the reference of a “unlucky inning ending double play ” This was an inning ending double play that was the result of moronic base running.
We need to break the curse. We need to break TrAdition.
Now that I’ve seen it I disagree. The throw went exactly to where Ward would be at that moment. The catcher stuck out his glove to catch it just as Ward reached that point. What are the odds of that? Pretty low I’d think. In other words, a perfect throw for the occasion.
Why then was TW still on the base when the throw went past the catcher? The replays are clear about this. ANY base runner since little league knows your tagging and coming down the line just in case of the very circumstance that happened here.
Just for shits and giggles I timed the throw home. it took 2.85 secs from the time Lowe caught the ball until it passed Zunino. An average MLB base runner tagging up could travel about 45 to 50 feet in that time. Now granted you would pause before that point to not get backpicked by the catcher but If TW was 10′ further down the line (which is the absolute very minimum distance that he would have traveled if he released from the base at the time of the catch he slides ( or runs) into home untouched.
You want to blame Butterfield or even his Fresno State Coach? Fine with me , but this was a boner of epic proportion and TW just cant seem to grasp basic fundamentals (I recall seeing the same bullshit base running decisions in spring training) and I just don’t see that changing anytime soon .
Yeah, this kind of thing is why I bemoan the lack of player development and winning culture here. This stuff needs to be emphasized at the lower levels, of A and AA ball so whoever missed it growing up gets up to speed with, as you say, basic fundamentals.
The same can be said of execution like shortening the swing and driving the ball the other way with one or no outs and a guy at 3B. You just can’t be striking out in those situations… But to your point, this is even easier. It is just a mental thing and needs to be habit. Kind of like the pitcher backing up the 3B on a long throw from RF.
The lack of a winning culture, has everything to do with Mr. Arturo Moreno.
I disagree also. Took a fortunate bounce, lucky throw to get him
So you’re perfectly fine withTW camping out on top of the third base when the throw gets airmailed over the catchers head? Hopefully the coaching staff isn’t but that would explain a lot.
TrAdition
Yay! I’m pretty awed by a guy on pace to hit 52 or 53 HRs, swipe 20+ bases, whiff 170. I think back to that outdoor press conference when he was introduced to us. He might be better than we hoped.
Meanwhile Trouty will heal, Rendon will remember how to hit, Walsh will bust out again….82 wins, here we come.
Mia checked out Yesterday and we Win Today.
Coincidence?
I think not!
We can check out any time we like but we can never leave.
Welcome to the Hotel California Angels
This could be hell or this could be hell.
Oh, it is definitely hell. OT. There will be a documentary coming out in the fall, not sure how yet, regarding the HB punk band TSOL, and yours truly is an extra in the film, unless I end up on the cutting room floor.
If the illusion is real
Let them give you a ride
If they got thunder appeal
Let them be on your side
Let them leave you up in the air
Let them brush your rock and roll hair
Let the good times roll
Won’t you let the good times roll, oh
Let the good times roll!
—The Cars
Thumbs up for a song by The Cars!
Thank you Rays for pitching to Sho! You dumb Asses!
Good times! Shufflebot texted me, looking forward to his next appearance!
Seems like a life time since we beat a good team ( White Sox at the beginning of the season )
So when he attacks the hitters it’s a sandstorm?
The Sand Blaster!
https://youtu.be/FdvCMqNp6Ig
I like the “sandstorm”…….we can call him “Haboob”
So whats his warm up song? Enter the Sandman ( which he would certainly have the right to use) has been used a lot.
Hardest one I could find.
https://youtu.be/nrKUODJXTo0
Speaking of sandblasting, how about something from the Blasters?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo63jMvDEK0
Anything from The Blasters is an automatic rec from me.
LTBU!
This is disgusting. Why did you post this ??
when we get trout back we’re never losing again
true story
He is great in August…
Can he pitch?
You know how Trout always looks to improve? What if he sees Shohei and decides he wants to pitch too?
Fat Noodle arm…….If he wants to learn a new craft, put him in right.
But, he couldn’t pitch much worse than what this team has to offer.
it has been a while
👍 💪 #17