Opening Day is here! In Oakland. Again. Because of course it is. Oh well, it may be the last time that happens if the A’s move. Still, I would like a different Opening Day site next year as this one was a depressing, sad slog with minimum crowds and meh introductions, even for the A’s.
Anyway, it was Ohtani on the mound to start the season in what is perhaps his last season with the Angels. Just like the last two years, he is also batting as well, looking to dominate both sides yet again. On the mound he was an Ace, going 6 scoreless with 10K and only 2 hits and 3 walks.
Ohtani the batter was more mundane, going 1-3 with a single, 2 strikeouts, and an intentional walk. He really could have helped his pitching side, especially since it was a pitchers’ duel. But he did more than enough to win, unfortunately, the offense only scored 1 run, and the bullpen blew it.
Highlighted Recap
The Angels had a slow first inning, not quite liking the lefty on the mound. Even when a ball was hit, the A’s defense prevented a hit.
Ohtani was no slouch either, only allowing a walk in his first time through the order. It was a real pitching duel, with neither team even threatening until the 4th. In fact, it remained scoreless until a couple of A’s errors allowed for an O’Hoppe single to score Gio.
Now with the lead, Ohtani had to keep his emotions in check and focus, which was hard to do after Hunter Renfroe saved a hit by making a no look catch behind him.
Ohtani left after 6 innings with the 1-0 lead. Herget kept it 1-0, and the Angels bats did too. But Loup came in for the 7th and blew it. Because of course he did.
Don’t worry, Tepera is here and he allows the 2nd run. Why is HE here?!
The Angels were now in danger of losing on Opening Day, with only 3 outs to go. Unfortunately, the Angels couldn’t score and lose, 2-1.
Upcoming
The Angels are now 0-1 to start the season, losing on Opening Day after an excellent Ohtani start. No game tomorrow, the next game is Saturday. What a way to start the season…
The reality is Jimmy Herget is the only pitcher I trust in a close game. The rest of Minasian’s handpicked overpaid losers are utterly worthless.
LOUP DID THIS ALL LAST YEAR! HE NEEDS TO GO AND CUT YOUR LOSSES.
Here is the problem as we all basically know.
Fans: Why are you bringing in Loup for a 1-0 game in the 8th when he proved last year he isn’t that guy?
Management: But Loup has an extremely low ERA in night games in April against teams wearing green shirts.
Fans: He doesn’t pitch well in clutch situations.
Management: The stats say when he pitched for the sad sack Tigers, Cubs or whatever, he did well facing lefties in games played on dates with a 9 in them.
Fans: Did you watch the games last year. This is not the play.
Management: Shut up. We know more than you.
Fans: Is that Tepera now? Are you kidding?
Management: Ryan is good on Thursdays in Northern California.
Fans: Didn’t Tepera blow the home opener last year and lose several other leads?
Management: He’s a veteran with a 2.08 ERA against guys batting below .250 in games played at sea level.
Fans: He’s going to blow it. We have seen this before.
Management: Shut up. We know more than you.
Cue the Angels loss.
Rec’d!
https://twitter.com/SamBlum3/status/1641672199219331073
In other news, the sky is blue, water is wet, and tepera sucked ass as well.
This is funny.
And yet Nevin has confidence in him. The manager has confidence in a guy that does not have confidence in himself. Says it all.
Actuallythis is Sad.
Not gonna overreact to 1 game (although I want to) but I may overreact to the first series. Win the next 2 to shut us all up.
Amen.
I will overreact if we miss the playoffs by a game or two because we endured this completely avoidable shitshow.
Let’s see what Nevin does in the next couple of games. hell have a completely rested bullpen this weekend.
Does he go back to Loup & Tepera since it was only one game and in the long run Loup “really needs to get right back out there”? Or does he go to plan B and start bringing in Moore or Wild Thing or Queso in these late inning scenarios?
The problem is our alternatives including the Trash Panda 4 sit idle until the minor leagues start in a couple of weeks . I doubt the Angels will make any moves until then.
It’s not just one game it’s carryover from last season. If we were the dodgers padres Yankees Phillies Braves cardinals giants rays jays almost any other team, actually any other team, of course I say 1 game.. it’s baseball 1 of 162 duh. But we haven’t made the playoffs in 9 years even with the expanded field, and not just to lose but to lose in the most ANGELS way possible wasting an outing like that, 10ks 6 shutout innings.. well it’s the Angels duh. I don’t remember the last time we won on opening day. It took all of 1 game to realize the hapless lifeless losing season it’s gonna be. 3rd year in a row a most historic exciting prime Ohtani season gonna be wasted on the most dull listless shit team.
he brings in Loup, then follows up with Tepera?????Has Tepera ever NOT allowed an inherited runner to score?
Same old Angels. Up 1-0 after Ohtani, I was fine when Herget came in. I expected someone else in the seventh but I had confidence. Once I saw Loup and then Tepera, I knew there was trouble. Those two aren’t finishers. You can bring one of them in during the seventh inning of a 5-2 game, but not a 1-0 in the first game of the year. No matter who the manager is, the same mistakes are made. Herget and Quijada showed last year they can do the job. Estevez and Moore were brought in to be the other guys (although I’m unsure they can be trusted). Loup and Tepera are sixth or seventh inning guys when multiple runs are needed to change the outcome. It’s really annoying this keeps happening.
More proof why to question Nevins managing. Herget in early, and no Estevez or Moore knowing they’re off Friday. Loup and Tepera in tight situations? Really, we’re doing this? Herget in early which is fine, but not if you’re following that with Loup and Tepera. I get they need to score more runs, but don’t put yourself in a bad spot if you don’t have to. Wtf Nevin?!
Agree with all of what you said… I was okay to use Herget in the 7th to keep the momentum, but as you stated, can’t follow him up with Loup. At that point it has to be somebody reliable, or at least not proven to suck for us like Loup clearly has.
After a promising looking return from thoracic outlet surgery, Jared Walsh began the season on the IL with “headaches and insomnia.”
After watching the BP blow the game and the offense only score 1 run to back Ohtani’s 10 Ks and 0 runs over 6? I’m starting to think Walsh is onto something here. I have a headache in my stomach after this one. Fer crissakes!
Funny story. My wife came down while I was watching the game and asked what the score was. I told her 1-0 Angels. She asked what inning. I said 7th. She said, well you can set a watch by the Angel bullpen blowing the game. I banished her upstairs. She was right.
Yes — BTW why can’t the revamped offense with so much talent score more than one run against a bad team with mediocre at best pitching? One run against the As? Really?
Okay, burn the page, tomorrow we roll again!
Go Halos!
You mean Friday. Tomorrows off day will still burn.
Yep, an extra day to suffer.
Where we rollin? Is there a CTPG’s BBQ?
Why Loup…..why!?
That can be read two ways, both of which are accurate:
Why, Loup? Why?
And
Why Loup? Why?
Infinite Loup
Its official, Ohtani is the new Jared Weaver. he must pitch a shutout to have a chance at a win.
Ok that happened. Hot wife in hot tub waiting. See ya’ll Saturday.
All I can say is wasting 2 hours and 30 min of my life is better than wasting 3 hours and 15 min of my life. Thanks pitch clock!
Pitch clock. The true winner.
Well said.
That is some “glass more than half full” thinking!
https://twitter.com/slangsonsports/status/1641662939403898880?s=46&t=9X4hT5SaQPRJtXK3wyTEww
We lead MLB in Bundy’s
Wow. 26. Lost a game. Don’t care.
I’m kinda digging arte’s magnum opus of trolling the league by keeping him in Anaheim for another year
Tungsten Arm O’Doyle
Damn….
Made this last year. They were right on cue this season.
perfect!
But it could also be US the fans. We are pretty dumb. At least I am.
“Herget kept it 1-0, and the Angels bats did too.”
My favorite line of the write-up.
Offense definitely deserves most of the blame tonight but Phillip Nevin.. read the room bro. It’s a new year .. Loup and Tep sucked all year in high leverage . It’s opening day…hope springs eternal. Let Jimmy go one more inning until someone gets on and then use Moore and Estevez in high leverage. At least if they also shit the bed it doesn’t feel like last year’s doom and gloom all Over again.
pretty much this.
We did the loup tepera cuckening in 2022 to start the season vs astros.
Don’t we got new toys?
Nope. Nevin just mentioned he has faith in both and will continue to use them.
God help us all.
Moore and Estevez looked pretty bad in spring training. Loup and Tep were actually better choices.
Spring training is meaningless. Loup and Tep’a baa and OBP against in high leverage were both significantly higher than Moore and Charlie’s last year. We’ve seen that movie .. it wasn’t good . Opening day was the perfect time to Put something new on even if for one night. Change the vibes.
I blame DG for his Rally Thong not working!
he wore pants when they were optional.