This game featured Michael Lorenzen facing off against Adam Oller (of the 11.17 ERA). So then, why did we sit the good team to face the good pitcher while rolling out the good team to face the bad pitcher? No batters on either team started out with much experience against the opposing starter in this game.
There had to be something going on here. What was going on is apparently that Joe Maddon thought he would guarantee a 50- 50 split of this doubleheader. Let’s see how that worked out. The As took the first game in hearbreaking fashion, robbing Raisel Iglesias of a save. So that part of thi scenario had a so-so outcome. We were still looking for that 50-50 split.
The Angels opened up in the second inning of thr game as follows: Anthony Rendon walk; Jared Walsh double; Luis Rengifo hit by pitch; Chad Wallach walks to score a run; Wade and Velasquez made out and Taylor Ward hit a grand salaaaam to make it 5-0 Angels. OK. That works.
In the 5th, Taylor Ward doubled to start things off. Mike Trout then doubled because he couldn’t let Ward get too far had in the doubles race. Ward scored, of course. Shohei Ohtani then homered to make it 8-1.(Somehow the hapless Athletics had managed to score a run somewhere in there.). In the sixth, Tyler Wade walked. Andrew Velasquez reached on a fielder’s choice and Wade reached second because of a throwing error. Taylor Ward singled and Wade scored. Speed kills. 9-1.
I guess the plan is working OK so far, except for the part about losing the first game. It was bilateral three up three down for the seventh inning. Hey! Who cares about the seventh inning anyway?
All right. That thing about Andrew Velasquez sucking in the batter’s box. I think we need to revisit that. He gets walks. He gets homers. He gets base hits. This may be a sample size problem. I’ll be the first to say it. What did he do in the eighth? He singled to give Taylor Ward a chance to walk and bring up Mike Trout. Yeah. Admittedly Trout struck out, but is that the fault of Velasquez? I think not.
Anyway, Bethancourt made it to third base on a double and a force out by Tony Kemp. Here are we are in the ninth. Shohei Ohtani hit a fly ball out. Anthony Rendon singled . ( I thought Rendon was supposed to suck.) Then Jared Walsh grounded into a double play to end the Angels part of the inning. Mike Mayers came in to get the non-save. Jed Lowrie singled. Christian Pache struck out. Sean Murphy grounded into a double play to end the game. I guess that’s cool. The Astros lost, so I guess the Angels didn’t lose ground.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
It looks like a pretty normal lineup with
Ward
Trout
Ohtani
Rendon
Walsh
Marsh
Wallach
Wade
Squid
Correct me if I am wrong but it looks like a line-up that Maddon has used before
Well, unless he wants to bat Trout, Rendon or Ohtani in the bottom 3, he is running out of different possibilities.
I thought Joe was more creative than this
🤣
Today’s line up has Wade at 2B and Wallach at C., https://www.mlb.com/angels/roster/starting-lineups
While waiting for approval on linked comment….
Michele Tafoya and Ohtani?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thebiglead.com/posts/michele-tafoya-to-los-angeles-angels-broadcast-enough-with-shohei-ohtani-01g33qpxabyh/amp
I thought this had started last year when the east coast bias main stream sports media had to cover a last place team every day because of Ohtani’s greatness.
I heard she’s dating 2002…….
I kinda get it. The “Ohtani ate a sandwich, pitched and hit today. First time since 2021 that’s been done!” level of coverage is getting a little Jeteresque.
*except without the Herpes.
I hear Ohtani gives a thoughtful swag bag.
Was at the Saturday evening game. Angel fans outnumbered A’ss fans by at least 2:1, and this year Angels are noticeably louder. A’ss fans have resigned themselves to the fact their team is horribly bad this year.
Oakland Coliseum is still a dump, and probably in worse shape than my last visit two years ago. The scoreboard operator took several batters off as the count never changed.
Due to our seat location, every time a lefty was hitting my son and I were in the background of the TV camera. Both of our phones were blowing up with friends and family saying they could see us. The best part was when my son went to take a drink of his soda, promptly spilled it down the front of his sweatshirt. Then his phone went into overdrive as his friends teased him.
Did you wear pants?
I’m not answering that question until my lawyer is present. But I will say all the camera shots were above the waist.
Of course he didn’t, pants are for suckers.
I know we make fun of the CERA here a lot, but in Chad Wallach’s 4 starts at Catcher since the Zuk’s COVID affliction, he’s caught 4 different pitchers ( 2 rookies and 2 gritty veterans) and the Angels are 4-0 giving up only 3 total earned runs in that span. Those are Premiumesque numbers and are hard to ignore.
I’m curious if Zuk becomes this years Wally Pipp and, if the Angels do keep him on the roster, would Soggy Joe have Baby Wallach share more time with the secret police upon his return?
Put me down for more Wallach……passes my eye test. Maybe Zuk has
long-haul Covid (coughing ) needs more time to recover just in case. He can quarantine with the taxi squad, they need a full time catcher I hear.
Day Game = Rest for Trout, Ward, Rendon, and Shohei or Marsh? With the Zen Master who knows.
The clue for reading Iggy is right away on the first two batters as in the last 2 seasons he has set a pattern that if he is off, he does not recover after the first two batter.
Our defense is just incredible, Ward when healthy is very good and reliable in RF, while Fletch is the best in MLB at 2b, Wade is extremely good also at the keystone bag. Squid is better than some here want to concede, and Marsh kills it in LF. Defense is easy to overlook but is what makes pitchers look better than they are.
I predict No load management today other than stinky lettuce will probably get a start.
Tom Emanski video sent to Ward…not “Very good”, he is improving.
https://youtu.be/S_LGZUmD2Hk
Hey Joe its a getaway game, don’t forget to sit Trout and Ward and Tony.
Not only did we not lose ground, by splitting while the Astros lost, we actually GAINED half a game in the standings to move into a tie for 1st.
Sunday is an important game needless to say.
I love beating the A’s.
It should happen more often now that bob melvin isn’t here to own the angels.
Nice job of bouncing back after another terrible performance by Iglesias.
D-Cell now 8 for 9 in SVO…pretty darn good.
The only reason he didn’t get a blown save a few weeks ago was because he he had too big a lead. Tepera had to bail him out.
That was a win and he was just getting work in.
FYI…you cant get a BS unless it’s a SV situation
And he nearly blew the game
There are tons of things I have nearly done. Do they count too?
Indeed many things…more than once.
He struggled a bit early in the season last year and then became totally lights-out. I expect the same this year.
Luckily our pen is a lot better so if he keeps screwing up he can be replaced.
DUDE…you’re on crack!!
He’s been lit up twice this month already.
Did we lose a game earlier on today? Hmm, I can’t remember. This nightcap was so cathartic I seem to have forgotten.
Is Taylor Ward a MVP or GOD or even both.
WOW.
Blasphemy twice over! ;P
Worst best team evah! Good players got the day off again and no one sent me a detailed memo explaining why. I will never be able to let it go. Three Angels rookies tossed fantastic starts, including a no hitter, in the past week. I hate it. There has to be some reason it’s not legit and I don’t have to admit my dad, er, I mean the Angels owner, isn’t a total asshole. We left a total of 29 runners on base today. So put that in your pipe and smoke it Koo Aid fans! We also won a game and barely lost a game on a closer’s rare gaffe. But really, in my book it’s like we never really win at all. Oligarch. Tony Stark. Bologna is just cold hot dog.TJ Simmers. Todd Van Poppel. Emoji emoji.
Feeling like it might be a good opportunity to get 3 of 4 here. Montas is good but it’s a day game and the ball will fly.
How long can Taylor keep this up? I’m enjoying the ride for however long that is.
I was thinking the same thing. Jeez Taylor, when will this unholy onslaught end? His stat line looks like friggin Lou Gehrig. He needs to stop this, it’s obscene.
Angels Win!
A pikchur without a nayme!!!!
At least I won’t callyah a idiyet.
Tied for 1st once again.
I still love MIT, Stanford, and UC Berkeley even though we’re in a first place tie.
Never went to any of those places because I’m too stupid and poor. (ask CB26 the self anointed ggeeniuss of CTPG). That’s OK since I still like the movies “Moneyball”, “Good Will Hunting” “Quiz Show”, and “Spare Parts” and “Stand And Deliver” too…..heeeee!!!
💪
So… just caught the end of the last game when I noticed that Angels fan rocking an old Anaheim Angels away jersey. I’ve been looking to buy one for years but it’s a tough find. Then I noticed the Angels away jerseys say Angels. I’m sure I noticed it previously, but didn’t think about whether or not it said Los Angeles ever (I’m hoping not, because… ew). First I went and googled “Away team jerseys” and saw that only the Phillies and Rays are the only two teams who don’t have their city’s/state’s name on any jersey. But they do have P for Philly/Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay at least has a TB for their hats. Angels legit have nothing showing where they’re from on any piece of the uniform. Searched their store… couldn’t find anything that said LA/ Los Angeles on it. For a team where the owner changed the name to LAAofA to LAA for advertising purposes…. he sure doesn’t advertise where they’re “from”
Anyways, that’s just me sorta semi-ranting/wishing he’d just make them the Anaheim Angels (or CA) again which would likely be a big cash grab for him with fans actually wanting stuff with Anaheim back on it again.
Yeah. God knows I still feel a little dead inside without something that say ANAHEIM on it to wear.
Autry hated the name Anaheim Angels. Disney was forced to use it in order to receive $30 Million in funding from the City to improve the stadium. I noticed there has been no discussion of the City name in the recently finalized stadium property sale. so why should Arte be compelled to use it if he doesn’t want to?
THE OLIGARCH likes the name Anaheim?
Anaheim was a German settlement at one time in 1857.