LA Angels Monday News Crash: Very Close

Joe Maddon thought the Angels were very close to beating Houston. They just didn’t.

The Angels placed Jose Quijada on the injured list and designated Kyle Tyler once again. Brian Moran is now on the active roster. The Twins are considering hiring Justin Upton.

Blake Snell is now injured with adductor tightness.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

91 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
clover_black
Super Member
2 years ago

this wade duffy platoon is bonkers.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  clover_black

It’s only 4 games……but we know how this will play out.

Hatcher_Is_My_Homeboy
Trusted Member
2 years ago

It’s really conflicting watching Maddon trot out these shallow lineups night after night. Half of me wants us to score a bunch of runs in order to tell myself to shut up (lineup construction doesn’t matter) and a much smaller part of me wants to just fast forward to the period of baseball where this experiment is over and we have a more traditional “heart of the order”.

Last edited 2 years ago by Hatcher_Is_My_Homeboy
Twebur
Legend
bradllee424
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

How long does a stomach virus last? It has been a week already.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  bradllee424

Yep…what appears to be a virus, sometimes isn’t, if you know what I mean. Lets hope that’s all it is. Its the Angels, so always remember our trAditions!

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  bradllee424

More time than you can be happy.

SScott
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Tomorrow’s news “Trout to miss season after complete stomach replacement surgery.”

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  SScott

Someone here already coined it stomach TJ…always something. .

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

That would be me.

SScott
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

My hat is off to you.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

Thought it was you….we hope its only the toilet seat hinge needing replacement.. That’s called a “Porcelain Latrine Tommy John”

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Last edited 2 years ago by Twebur
FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Is he at Low A ball? Does not look like San Bernardino. No barbed wire or graffiti in the photo that I can see.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

AA…desperate times to even talk about him….he escaped SB, lucky for him

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Why the heck did we ever trade with the Doyers — Rancho for IE? Dumb dumb dumb.

steelgolf
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

Why did they trade away from Lake Elsinore?

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

Another big brother picking on little brother trick

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

No doubt it was not a good move, attendance is half. Rancho is the better stadium by a small margin by better fans, better neighborhood and has Thursday half price beer night. It’s a much longer drive for me to attend at Rancho but I like it a lot. Between innings fun, great mascots, and more T Shirts shot in the stands.

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago

Trout scratched tonight.

Twebur
Legend
GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

So if Cabbage comes up to the Big A and hits a ball a mile, do we say “He turned that one into Slaw”. lol

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago

Wilted cabbage is more likely……trAditions

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Just looked up Trey Cabbage and came away with how did the Twins not sign him as a FA? At 24 yrs old and his numbers keep improving I’d say that that was a good signing.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Ohtani hit his double with an EV of 119.1 mph, the hardest hit ball in the statcast era by a lefty. Yikes Stripes!

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

But Joe likes having Kurt around.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Koach Kurt you mean?

Mia
Legend
Mia
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

comment image

2002heaven
Super Member
2 years ago

Unless Kyle Seager’s very adamant about his retirement. Expect to see him come out of retirement, especially if a playoff team needs a 3B due to injury and he never experienced playing in the post season during his career.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  2002heaven

Too bad he can’t play SS….can he/has he played any at 2nd?

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Shows what I know, I wanted to trade for Lindor one year and sign Correa the next. Would have settled for Story. Instead, we got Duffy at 2B. But things work out as we also have Thor, but only for one years, ugh.

Fansince1971
Legend
2 years ago

Any word why Rendon did not play yesterday?

admkir
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Joe has been rotating players giving them extra rest

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  admkir

This just hurts my brain. Glad this is Joe’s last year.

When players are not hitting, their bats need to hit there way into a groove.

YOUknowulovetheIE
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  admkir

What did he need rest from? He’s only played 3 games, lol. I don’t understand it

admkir
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Dis it to Fletcher, Duffey, Adell, and Stassi too

Fansince1971
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  admkir

Maybe last years injuries spooked Joe and management.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

I checked the weekend’s box scores and seems that this is another new thing in the majors. It’s going to cost money somewhere though. Either the top stars will have less big numbers or the back up guys will start getting paid more for putting up better numbers.

Also could be just a fad at the beginning so as to not burn the starters out.

2002heaven
Super Member
2 years ago

Probably injured again.
We should get Kyle Seager’s number on speed dial just in case.

Last edited 2 years ago by 2002heaven
Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago

If you look at reporting dates and when Spring games started, this would normally have been the last week of Cactus League games and guys like Rendon would be getting normal rest.

Pitchers would be at 75 pitches.

Bullpen guys would just start to work back to back games.

What we are seeing is regular season games managed like the last week of Spring Training. Hopefully this cuts down on injuries. But who knows if it will?

YaySports
Newbie
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I wonder if all teams across the MLB are resting stars early as well. The Astros rested Altuve, Brantley and Bregman (although he did pinch hit).

Difference is the Astros team is good enough to rest stars. Angels need all of the wins they can get, especially early against a division rival.

matthiasstephan
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  YaySports

It is league wide. Also, the pitch counts (few starters are going into the 6th and 7th innings, anywhere).

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago

I made this point over the weekend when people complained about Thor being pulled after 76 pitches.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  YaySports

From what I can see that’s the case. The Padres pulled two starters who were throwing no hitters. The above mentioned rest for the Astros stars.

Something had to give with the limited spring training schedule. This is it.

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

He has sucked so far.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Fansince1971

Short Spring Training. Looks like all of the teams are resting guys at some point this first week… like it’s the last week of ST.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago

All 4 Milb teams won yesterday by a combined score of 19-3….A lot of pitchers from last years draft and 3 that we traded for all did well.

Hold tight everyone. In another 3 or 4 years, help is on the way.

Free Jimmy “Don’t call me James” Herget!

admkir
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Wait, you mean Joe rested all these guys because someone forgot to tell him spring training was over

YOUknowulovetheIE
Super Member
2 years ago

Where was rendon yesterday?

YOUknowulovetheIE
Super Member
2 years ago

Was there an injury I didn’t hear about?

JasonAndrewMartin
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Yes. He strained his vagina.

Halo71
Trusted Member
2 years ago

The Astros are light years ahead of the Angels

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago

I was counting on sone success at the plate for Adell. He looked good at the end of last year and in spring.

Normally I’d write this weekend off as a small sample size for him but I genuinely think he’s in his own head. Like the lights at the big parks get to him.

Hope I’m wrong.

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I think we really should give him a longer chance to perform before relegating him to the wrong side of a platoon. Rojas is a nice “story” but offers limited upside with limited athletic ability to play the field. Commit to Jo Adell until the AS break then address solutions, if required.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Commit to Adell…..but if can’t get back to where he was last year and he needs weeks, or in your plan, months, just to eventually play the outfield at an average level (he’s awful right now) he can’t stay. Can’t have him play the OF when the fundamentals aren’t even there. And haven’t even mentioned his bat. We all think it’s mental, in his head and not his physical capabilities, but we can’t have a guy be a complete liability in the OF and be an auto out. Give some time, but he’s on a short leash if it were me.

admkir
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Adell needs Jobu, Jeff Fletcher mentioned that half of the pitches he has seen are breaking balls. Or he needs to say fuck you Jobu I do it myself

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  admkir

Key at bat yesterday: slider swung over and missed, pitch way outside, slider swung over and missed, fastball off the plate, slider swung over and missed.

Same pitch, same location, same result. And if I knew it was coming in the 2-2 count, he had to know as well.

Again, he’s such a nice guy and he’s shown promise before. I’m really pulling for him. But Adell and Marsh were supposed to be big parts of the Angels improvement and so far Adell is not living up to the billing.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

He’s not only shown promise, some flashes of super star promise. I’m really surprised he’s regressed like he has. This is more than a slow start, some mental hurdles seem to be his biggest problem.

I don’t recall rooting for young kid as much as I am him. I think he can turn it around, at least get back playing routine outs correctly, maybe yesterday’s catch will get him over the hump.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

I really hope so.

And same here with pulling for the young guy.

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

What happened during his 4 months at AAA ball last year? Did they try to work with him on routes and shagging flys? Did they assign a coach to work with him or is this part of the lack of player development saga? No such thing as waste of time, it is what you do with it.

I’m good with trading for a competent OF now, trust me. This was on my priority list last year during the off-season when everyone was screaming pitching. I just cannot handle Rojas, he hit .210 last year and just slows down the line-up and is weak in the field.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Some of us have mentioned he has the Steve Sax, Chuck Knoblock, Mackey Sasser (he had trouble throwing the ball back to the pitcher in between pitches) disease called the yips. I believe Joe D has them. Cure can’t be difficult.

https://lastwordonsports.com/baseball/2021/06/12/mackey-sasser-and-the-yips/

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Remember those guys well. Jon Lester throwing to 1st was another. This might be the case so I would be interested to hear how well he performs in a practice environment vs live game action. Do you know?

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

There are others. Rick Ankiel was a notable one, Lester, forgot about him, other on the list.

losangel
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

It’s only been a few games and the Astros are a good team with good pitching. I’ll be more worried if he sucks this week against the Marlins and then the Rangers. Hopefully going to Texas will be good for him.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Think about it, the catcher must leave a path for the runner to score. The catcher cannot block the plate to keep the runner from scoring. How must dumber do we need to go. “Well GPB, someone can get hurt, like Ray Fosse did.” But blocking the plate is one way of preventing opponents from scoring. Not allowed Grandpa.

Aggressive runners departing first base and flying to second base may not disrupt and take out the fielder at second either by stealing or breaking up a potential DP.

Starting in the 10th inning we will start with a runner at second base. Now if the runner scores for the home team the game is over. “But what if the score is 0-0 and there is a real pitching duel happening, do you really want a stupid rule to decide the game like that even though that runner did not get to second and scoring by playing real baseball?”

“Hey Blue, I want to walk the batter and don’t want to take the chance that I or the catcher there will screw it up and advance the runners out here, is that Ok?” Of course that’s Ok son, I need to get into the locker room and hit the buffet line for that fried chicken and mashed potatoes anyway.”.

Since we are going to listen to Ernie over there and on this nice day play two, what say we just go seven in each game and call it a day. Sounds good to me, but what if I throw a no hitter? Doesn’t count cuz you didn’t go 9 full innings???????.

“Well now see here, I’m the commish of this ‘ere league and what I says goes and I say we put in a Homerun Ball and fans from far and wide will sur enuff sho up to watch the ball fly.” “But what ’bout the pitchers records gittin’ mess’t up” “Screw those pitchers, they only go 5 innings any more and are over paid, we’ll just go an show ’em a thing or two”

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Funny stuff the new game is.

admkir
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Ahh for the good old days, I still remember running home from school to watch the end of the Cubs games (day games only, no lights) just to catch the 9th inning. Games didn’t take 4 hours back then, mainly because time wasn’t wasted between pitches adjusting batting gloves, elbow guards snd shin guards or having pitchers rubbing up a new baseball between every pitch. Batters stayed in the box and pitchers stayed on the rubber. Games rarely went over 3 hours. But here I am dating myself, yes I really did hear Ernie say “Lets play 2”

Last edited 2 years ago by admkir
Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  admkir

The walking out of the batters box between pitches just kills me. I know this is a mental game and guys need to lock in, but up until 10 years ago or so guys were able to do that and stay in the box.

Baseball needs to adopt the tennis rule of servers pace. Let the pitcher throw when he’s ready. Stop giving the batters endless timeouts.

admkir
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Didn’t they implement a rule a few yeears ago where the batter had to keep 1 foot in the box between pitches. We see how long that lasted. Maybe MLB thinks the pitch clock is the fix all.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

It is pitchers taking to long between pitches which led to batters not just taking one step out of the box but taking a trip around the whole batters box, then crossing the plate , then walking around the umpire , then stopping to re-adjust the gloves then stepping back in and taking a pitch and starting all over again on their circular journey. Kole Calhoun was just the worst of all time.

AKA_rmhalofan
Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Mike Hargrove steps out of the box, adjusts his batting gloves, and waves hello.

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
2 years ago

Never thought I’d be itching for Taylor Ward to return to the lineup!

Really though it feels like Perry needs to maybe check in on Michael Conforto? Considering Marsh’s injury history (and Trouts!) our outfield depth is paper thin. I can see why Upton had to go but this doesn’t look like the outfield of a playoff team over 162.

h27kim
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

Regardless of what the “official line” is, I have to imagine that Lorenzen is part of the OF depth for all practical purposes at the moment.

YOUknowulovetheIE
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

A line up consisting of wade, fletch, mayfield, rojas, and suzuki isn’t gonna win many games.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago

I’ll add Adell and Fluffy to your list…..this combination of 6.5 guys (still have hope Fletch finds it) will compromise of 1/3 or more of our lineup every night.
That is weaker than most teams in MLB. Not signing/trading for a SS really has hurt us. Not evaluating where Adell is at, has also killed us.

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Perry whiffing on the middle infield and a solid MLB ready OF in case of injuries.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Remember last year? These same players had us over .500 right up to September 5th. Have some faith that all this Ooga-Booga will begone after this series with Miami.

2002heaven
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

Conforto might be a money issue.

FungoAle
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

Conforto was a player who was offered a qualifying offer. Not likely the Halo’s will willingly lose two compensation picks the same year. The other loss came as a result of Syndergaard.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Miami has a young team and they know how to play the game very well. Going to be exciting series imho.