LA Angels Thursday News Crash: Winning!

For now, the Angels are back to winning. We took two out of three from the Boston Red Sox, which is pretty respectable.

Shohei Ohtani now holds the record for most home runs in a season by a Japanese born player in the Major Leagues. He passed Hideki Matsui on Wednesday. Matsui congratulated Shohei.

Anthony Rendon is reportedly frustrated by his frequent stints on the injured list. So are we.

Links From Around Baseball

Clayton Kershaw is now on the injured list with forearm inflammation. It just gets worse for the Dodgers who are without Trevor Bauer for “Who knows how long?” On that note, the Dodgers canceled Trevor Bauer bobblehead night and removed all his merchandise from their online store as well as MLBs online store.

The Athletics have their own problems. Trevor Rosenthal is having season ending hip surgery.

Hey! We missed out on Cam Bedrosian, who signed with the Phillies.

Here is the finalized field for the Home Run Derby.

Dee Strange Gordon is now on his fourth or fifth minor league deal since December.

Jacob deGrom opted out of the All Star Game. They think Zack Wheeler might start for the National League.

Five Tampa Bay Rays pitchers combined for a seven inning no-hitter. (But that’s not supposed to be a no-hitter, I heard.)

The White Sox designated Adam Eaton for assignment.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Twebur
Legend
3 years ago

Adell hit his 18th.

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Twebur
Last edited 3 years ago by Cowboy26
Twebur
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Bee’s win, free pizza…..we win, small fry from McDonald’s.

Free Joe Adell, don’t trade him, bring him up sooner than later, hope his defense is at least League Average.

red floyd
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Free Jo Adell*

*With purchase of a second Jo Adell. Free Jo Adell must be of lesser or equal value to purchased Jo Adell. Offer void where prohibited by law.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

.273 but in a league where Jon Jay is hitting .354 I can’t get too excited yet. Q2 got the win.

JackFrost
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I like the fact that he did this with two outs. Good under pressure?

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

If last year was any indication, I would say no. But this year at AAA with 2 outs and RISP ( small sample size Alert!  📢 Small sample size Alert! 📢 ) He’s batting .357/.426/.786 in 47 PA’s so I think thats good.

JackFrost
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Last year was also a pretty small sample size. Plus, I think you pretty much always take the first 50-100 MLB AB’s with a grain of salt.

We’ll need to see a full-season of him to get a decent idea. But the AAA production certainly does look promising.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
3 years ago

Arte missing out on that Billboard advertising opportunity
comment image?resize=985%2C1231&ssl=1

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Wooooow! 6,000 total bases!!! I better spend $250 on something! Six. Thousand. Bases. People, we missed out on the moment everyone was waiting for! Poison my eyes with grief! I missed base number Seis Mil!

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago

Put an asterisk on it.

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago

I assume this is better than 816 total double play bases touched ?

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

That would be, not touched. So we don’t talk about them.

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend

Who is this person? Does he play MLB?

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago

Let’s just say, he’s having fun, again, for the first time in a long time.

Last edited 3 years ago by eyespy
Twebur
Legend
3 years ago

update

Griffin Canning starting tonight in SL.

2 out, 3 run homer……after walking two and striking out 2.
perfectly natural, perfectly normal

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

LOL, won’t see him back unless an injury .

angelsown3417
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

5 BB? See you next year Griffin.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  angelsown3417

This is the going down, feeling, down, depression game. He should get better in AAA, stat-wise, but will he get MLB better.

Twebur
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

Have a feeling much of his problems are above the shoulders.
Be nice if we had a pitching coach that had some experience in….being a pitching coach.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  eyespy

Yup. That was almost certainly a “mess in the head” outing.

I am actually happy he’s in AAA. We brought him along fast, then he was hurt. Then he sort of got by. He always seemed to be sort of “surviving” in the MLB when I think he could be really good. Much like Adell, I am actually in favor of these guys spending some solid time at AAA, getting plenty of action and “rehearsing” for when they can come back up. I think a tick less pressure and time is what they need. I’m not all that desperate to label Canning as finished for the MLB season or as a solid MLB pitcher.

For all the sucking up to the Dodgers and Rays we do around here we seem to almost revel in burying prospects (and All Star 3rd basemen) alive as soon as they struggle for any period. If the teams we admire did that they’d miss out on a lot of good players.

I half expect folks here to be down on Canning even if he comes back and goes 9-0 with five hundred Ks and two walks. He’ll probably make a few starts down there and then be back, hopefully more relaxed and focused.

Twebur
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  angelsown3417

2 innings, 6 runs, 67 pitches with the 5 walks……

steelgolf
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

That is Canning.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 years ago

question about our history….did sb nation tell our wonderful admins that they’d have to be unpaid?

red floyd
Legend
3 years ago

I believe so. There was the whole AB 5 thing, too.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

what’s ab5? Oh oh…yeah…the California measure, right?

Angels2020Champs
Legend
3 years ago

Albert Pujols #5 aka shitshow

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Charles Sutton

b@$%##%^rds!

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago

The only positive out of all of this is that it got stirrups out of our hair a year early /s

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

I asked because the Skank page is trying to recruit new PAID writers and I was wondering why not HH. Red Floyd reminded me what that was about.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Long and short of it, you can’t be freelance AND paid and most baseball blogs don’t need several full time writers on their payroll. So, while it’s sad that many freelancers in many fields lost all their gigs, we can all rest easy knowing that ride sharing drivers must be made employees so that they can form unions. Oh wait, they ditched that goal. Oh well, at least we can rest easy knowing anyone driving a truck around a port facility must be part of the teamster’s union. I know I was worried about that.

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago

Technically if they self incorporate they don’t even have to be union but I digress…

Twebur
Legend
3 years ago

Griffin Canning starting tonight in SL.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago

Altuve and Correa pulling out of ALL STAR GAME. Trust me more to follow and the home court advantage rule will return. It cheapens the game if players are not respectful of the honor of being in the game. Altuve makes himself look bad finishing second in the vote by the fans but not first by bailing out of what should be an honor.

l

Angels2020Champs
Legend
3 years ago

They’re certainly charging amounts of money for tickets like the big stars are going to be. $1 million bucks to winner of HR derby. Not all these guys are on monster Trout/Tatis contracts.

In this case I’m glad altuve and correa are skipping.

Halo71
Trusted Member
3 years ago

I got turned off when MLB succumbed to liberal pressure and moved the game from Atlanta

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Halo71

I got turned off when someone brought politics in here

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago

And, unfortunately in this case, that someone is MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Halo71

Hurt the mom and pop business owners in the surrounding area. That was a misstep to target the citizens who had no vote..

Last edited 3 years ago by FungoAle
H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Halo71

If you’re sharing your political views on this site, chances are you’ve shared them elsewhere already and don’t need to use this site as an outlet for them. =)

Thanks!

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago

Aaron Judge was going to have a word with them. Scared them off.

JackFrost
Super Member
3 years ago

Like alot of NBA stars skipping their All-Star Game I think they would rather rest up for the second half.

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago

Not sure if it just me but the actual game just does not present the same us vs them mentality that I remember in the 70’s and 80’s. You all might remember when John Kruk made a mockery of the game facing Randy Johnson. It’s been comical and soft ever since. Most likely my outlook changed as I got older.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Inter-League is to blame there

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  eyespy

Yeah. I actually enjoy interleague more than the old All Star game so it’s OK with me and I don’t care if players want to take the weekend off. It’s an exhibition, always was and even more so now. It’s supposed to be fun so I don’t see the point in getting all stressed over players not honoring the honor of being an All Star. It will still be fun and meaningless.

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

True, that did not help. I cannot remember the year but when the manager runs out his bench and was left with no players, that was a gaff. MLB tried to correct that from happening again by adding incentives for managers to manage. Honestly, I only watch now to see Trout whack NL pitching and win MVP honors. This year it will have to be Walsh or Shohei that I tune in for.

Pete Rose-Ray Fosse, ’nuff said.

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

It was 2002 . This is why the Angels had to save baseball by winning it all.

red floyd
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

comment image

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

What are you talking about? The game was ruined when they invented the batting helmet.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

You killin’ it Cowboy

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend

It was 10 years ago today that Mike Trout had his MLB debut…..

My how time flies.

Halo71
Trusted Member
3 years ago

All those wasted years

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Halo71

Selflessly I could not be more delighted that Trouty was here and loyal to the brand and leading us and entertaining his fans. Team wise I do wish there was a few pennants flying out in CF. While feeling bad for Trouty not reaching the top he personally reached the top and we witnessed his achievements.

bradllee424
Trusted Member
3 years ago

There are. Just not during the time he has played. That needs to change.

Jayman28
Trusted Member
3 years ago

Speaking of Mariners, my Dad and I were talking about their former Ceo Kevin Mather’s drunk statements he made at a rotary club while talking bad about his team.

I remembered when he claimed how Kyle Seager was an overpaid Third Baseman, we were just laughing and shaking our heads because they wouldn’t know an overpaid third baseman unless they were an Angels fan like us. We have an overpaid Third Baseman in Rendone.

Kyle Seager’s Contract: 7 years/100mil

Anthony Rendon: 7 years/245mil

Mather not knowing what actually is an overpaid third baseman should have been another reason to add on why he made the right choice in resigning.

Last edited 3 years ago by Jayman28
eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Jayman28

Twilight Zoney. Me and my son were just talking about that yesterday. Also how Mather’s talked about not going to resign Seager, and Mrs. Seager wanting to know if she should sell he house, or wait.

It all came up because of how Sanchez on the Marlins takes too damn long to get ready in the box.

And how Spicolli(Brickford) for the Dodgers should just pitch when he is good and ready and not wait for Sanchez.

Then it became what would another pitcher do, and I said Weaver would kill gimme, like he was going to kill Seager that one time. Good times, happy times.

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

So Jayman28 is Eyespy’s son? Now I’m confused.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

No, separate families, but related somewhere up the tree

Jayman28
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

What he said lol

Twebur
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Jayman28

Seager signed contract in 2015.
Rendon signed in 2020, fast forward 5 years market has gone up, always does. Tony was a hot free agent with a brand new WS ring. That will cost more. He has nicer hair than Seager.
He played almost a full schedule in 2020, got off to a very slow start, hit 9HR, 31 RBI
OPS .915, played elite defense.
I propose a brief moratorium on the Tony Bashing. A horrible foul ball off his knee cap, fouled up his health and his timing at the plate. Seems very unlucky to me. Have family that are Nats fans and they were devastated when left and signed with the Angels. Said he was a perfect player, teammate and citizen. Clutch, consistent, great glove, fan favorite, clubhouse favorite, key component to winning the WS in 2019.

Tony will bounce back and be his productive self…..and he’ll likely get hurt again.
LONG LIVE TONY 2 BAGS!!!

Simba
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Jayman28

I’d say Mather knew very well what an overpaid third baseman was given Chone Figgin’s disastrous performance for them from 2010-2012. Not the same magnitude contract of course, at 9 mil per year, but Figgy went from 7.7 WAR to 1.2, -0.9, -1.2. Those last two years he batted .180.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Jayman28

That’s a clown comment bruh

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Jayman28

Soo what your saying is if Arte gets drunk and starts spouting off about his players he’ll get fired too?

Jayman28
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I dare him to do it lol, it would make my day

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Jayman28

Let’s ask Jered Weaver what he thinks of Seager.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sK27yQPAidI

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

This ^^^^^ Never gets old.

JackFrost
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Don’t F_ with Jered Weaver !!!

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago

As Rick so eloquently pointed out, this team is better than Team of Destiny. We’re actually good, not sustained by luck, and there is a pathway to success.

JackFrost
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

Yep. Not about luck.

In a way saying “lucky” is an insult because it minimizes the achievements of the players.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago

Statpernatual human Brian Kenny thinks Ohtani should stop rolling both ways. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS!!! Mia gonna be mad.

https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1413128097835192330

red floyd
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

Yeah, he limped around the bases … BECAUSE HE HAD JUST FOULED A BALL OFF OF HIS F***ING KNEE!!!!!

AnAngelsFan
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

And foot. That was the best moment of the game. Ohtani fouls one off his foot and knee, the announcers start suggesting he should hit a home run so ll so he can jog around the bases instead . . . and he does it!

Last edited 3 years ago by AnAngelsFan
Jayman28
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

As much as I am a big sabermetrics guy and praises analytics, BK is just not bright sometimes. I study sabermetrics and analytics and then see how that relates to their performance on the field and how they correlate each other. BK usually goes “hurr durr numbers say this and something shredder so it must be true, numbers don’t lie, don’t need other reasoning”.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

If this is not tongue in cheek then Brian Kenny is to full on himself.

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

I think it is a legitimate question, by doing both, will that curtail higher achievement being in his batting career or pitching career? He’s very, very talented at both but maybe if Shohei focus on only on one path, could be even greater? I’m enjoying the novelty but getting removed in the 1st inning the other night, limited his ABs.

Last edited 3 years ago by FungoAle
eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Q: How many home runs does one need to hit?

A: All of them.

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago

I would be fine just adding one relief arm to this team. I’m comfortable enough with the rotation and one reliever like Kimbrel, Yimi Garcia, or Richard Rodriguez would go a long way towards sliding everyone else down and stabilizing the bullpen.

However, if we do add a starter, of all the potential names out there, I would feel most comfortable with Kenta Maeda.

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

An innings eater or even 2 could go a loooong way for this team. The lineup should be able to mash in the second half, the issue is the starters flaming out in the 2nd inning.

C-Rod re-surfacing would help as well.

Possibly keeping Lagares in center and letting Trout take it easy in RF could help things as well.

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

I wonder if Trout would go for that, honestly. Maybe if Lagares makes a few more highlight-reel plays…

Fansince1971
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

So – I’ve got a dream scenario where the Angels end up with Scherzer.

More realistic may be Boyd from Detroit.

Both of those would likely require Adell abd I would do it.

BruinsAngelsKings
Trusted Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

But Scherzer is 37 at the end of this month and is a free agent at the end of the season. I do not know this stuff as much as the rest of you but that seems like an awful lot to give up for an impending free agent in his late 30’s.

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

I doubt Washington sells until they’re 8-10 games out. Currently 4. That division is bad.

I’m not a huge fan of Boyd. Looks similar to Heaney to me

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

I am totally of your mind. A solid middle reliever would do us a lot of good, may even help some guys like Cichek and Guerra, etc with more rest. If they got Kenta that would be awesome too. With Trout/Upton/Rendon back (if they are truly “back”) we’d have a shot at a wild card if we could just avoid five or six blown leads from the pen in this last half.

Twebur
Legend
3 years ago

That…….And a likely uptick from an already good offense when we/if we get healthy.

More pressure on the enemies pitching staff, more add on runs, few more big innings, few more blowout wins, let the Pen get some “serenity now”. 

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

When we took the lead against the Sox, they were not selective at the plate, and the pace didn’t slow down, much.

Cowboy26
Legend
3 years ago

I believe this comment is beyond contestation.

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

I’m on board with this H.T. I think we should. Maybe raise the floor with our outfield depth as well. Don’t think it would take losing any significant prospects. Rodriguez is probably to “shiney” right now but there are other options.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

We get two legitimate starters back after the All-Star break.

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

And when Upton sprains his spinal cord again? Talking competent depth.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Can’t predict that. Injuries can just happen.

If it does, that is all on JerJer, Epps, and Perry. We haven’t had a competent Minor league development system in ages. So I guess we can blame the guy who signs the checks on this too.

We are bare in the cubbord my friend.

I don’t see us picking up an outfielder that would improve us more than what we trade away. We have nothing to trade away.

It would be better to get some real pitching. A starter and a pen guy. What will happen is nothing. We just don’t invest in something not guaranteed. Arte has to hate the mid season trade for play-offs. There has been some bad ones for the Angels past.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago

Well Good Day gang, today is another off day but starting tomorrow we get to whoop on Jerry’s Boys.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago

Speaking of JerJer. He’s in a contract year, so needs to make things happen. He has already announced that he is on track to become a winner. Didn’t he also say something like that at Spring Training?

My guess is. He will start trading away some of the players he just got in trades the past couple of seasons. The roster starting for 2022 will look nothing like this year’s with a majority of new players added from trades, nothing from the farm.

He will con his way into a one year deal, and get fired/quit in June.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago

Jacob deGrom opting out of the All Star Game is the reason that Bud Selig put in the rule that the winning team in the All Star Game from either the American or National Leagues got home field advantage in the World Series. It was a good and fair rule, but dang if the
AL didn’t always kick butt. Well the NL cried foul that the rule was unfair. deGrom is making a decision that will kick the rule back in.

BruinsAngelsKings
Trusted Member
3 years ago

That rule was stupid. Home field advantage should always go to the team with the better regular season record.

Last edited 3 years ago by BruinsAngelsKings
red floyd
Legend
3 years ago

Or else alternate like they used to (otherwise the Halos would not have had home field advantage in 2002).

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

They now alternate. But if the Players want to opt out it will revert to the Selig rule.

Angels2020Champs
Legend
3 years ago

I agree gpa. I’m paying to take my son and want to see the best… not a bunch of millionaires complaining about needing rest.

red floyd
Legend
3 years ago

I thought that rule came about because of the tie that they had one year.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

Ties were not considered in the Selig desision to the best of my knowledge. Selig had 4 straight years of big names bailing and he told the Players Union that he was considering in making that change and the player’s were opting out anyway so Bam he did it.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  red floyd

Yep Red. “NOW IT COUNTS!” started right after the extra innings tie.

Angels2020Champs
Legend
3 years ago

7 innings is definitely not a no-hitter.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 years ago

Devils advocate for the moment. If the commissioner says a game from start to finish is a game and the fans pay to see a 7 inning game start to Finnish why should that game not be a no hitter no matter what the rule about 9 innings is in a no hitter?

BTW I agree with you, but I do not agree any game should be regulation 7 innings. Fans do not see the discount.

red floyd
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

The Post is trash, close to the order of the National Enquirer, but in this instance they have it correct.

eyespy
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

I know that it’s just fish wrap, but was amazed at how the feel about us here.

I even feel ripped off watching a seven inning game on the telly.

red floyd
Legend
3 years ago

7 innings is definitely not a no-hitter game

FTFY

Simba
Trusted Member
3 years ago

According to this, 8-inning no hitters (where the visiting pitcher loses) are not official no hitters, so why should 7 count?

https://www.mlb.com/news/pitchers-to-throw-no-hitter-and-lose

red floyd
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  Simba

Yep, that’s why Weave doesn’t have two no-nos.

JackFrost
Super Member
3 years ago

Glad Anthony “strained Tendon” is frustrated. If he wasn’t frustrated I would be very concerned.

As it is I am just concerned.

steelgolf
Legend
3 years ago

There is a good chance that Trevor Bauer is driving me for the year with The Dodgers. At this point I don’t think they will allow him to play or practice until all of the investigations are done. At that point they will have to make a decision depending upon the outcome of the investigation. Damn glad The Angels dodged that mess.

JackFrost
Super Member
3 years ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Was thinking the same thing….

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  steelgolf

There is a good chance that Trevor Bauer is driving me for the year with The Dodgers? Soooo…. they’ll let this guy drive for Uber? Sus sus sus….

Last edited 3 years ago by gitchogritchoffmypettis
red floyd
Legend
3 years ago

He’s got to make money SOMEHOW….

FungoAle
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  steelgolf

And Cole.

steelgolf
Legend
3 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Cole is another problem, and a Yankees problem, which frankly, warms my heart. They thought they were locking in Ohtani / Trout levels of performance, but they got Pujols 2019 level.