“This is Shohei” on Star Wars Night as Ohtani Shows The Way in a 2-0 Win Over the Royals

The latest Shohei Day/Star Wars Night marks the return of the Halos from their 2-5 East Coast road trip that has them one game under .500. It was a bit of a weird lineup tonight with no Logan O’Hoppe (10-day IL), no Mike Trout (day off, but with a BB-8 Bobblehead giveaway), Rengifo playing centerfield, and Chad Wallach as the backstop. The team was hoping to get on a bit of a roll on this homestand against lesser teams, starting with a set against the 4-win KC Royals.

Ohtani did not disappoint, despite being on slightly short rest because of his rain-delayed start in Boston a few days ago. He would give us 102 pitches in 7 innings and 11 K’s, with no runs, 2 hits, and 2 walks allowed, including these 2 nasty strikeouts again Witt Jr. and Massey.

On the offensive side, the scoring got started in the third inning from a surprise source, the just up from the minors catcher replacement for O’Hoppe, Chad “Son of Tim” Wallach. He blasted a home run to left after a Neto hit-by-pitch to give the team a 2-0 lead.

Speaking of Neto, he became the first Angel to ever get hit by a pitch in 4 straight games. As a matter of fact, he got hit two straight at-bats tonight, after which he and Royals pitcher Yarbrough gave each other stare-downs and exchanges of words. Good, clean rivalry material!

The Angels had a few other opportunities to add to their lead, especially in the 8th when they loaded the bases with one out, but no more runs were to be had. As Patrick O’Neal called it, the 9th inning would be “Spicy Time” with Quijada coming in to close it out. Back to .500! The Force was with us thanks to Shohei!

91 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MarineLayer
Super Member
1 year ago

It took Anderson only one game to get deprogrammed from being an effective Dodger pitcher to the mess we see today.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
1 year ago

In other news:

How ’bout that Juan Soto?

angelsown3417
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Bachman got rocked in AA tonight…

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago

Ward self care time off

1 Rengifo LF
2 Trout CF
3 Ohtani DH
4 Rendon 3B
5 Renfroe RF
6 Urshela 1B
7 Drury 2B
8 Thaiss C
9 Neto SS

angelslogic
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur

Wallach hits a home run so therefore rides the pine – Phil Nevin, certified genius.

2002heaven
Super Member
1 year ago

comment image
.319 3 hr’s 6 rbi’s just not for us!!
 😢  😢  💩  😠 

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago

I know I’m way ahead of myself but assuming that somehow the Angels are still in the race in late July and evil officially decides to keep Ohtani , we would still have major needs in the pitching department . Bullpen arms will probably be available but what about another big time starter? I know our other starters are capable of greatness but Is there anyone in this rotation that you feel comfortable to take the bump in a key game after Ohtani? And more importantly who does Perry have to trade away that we don’t already need to bring in a 1A or big no 2 starter?

Last edited 1 year ago by Cowboy26
Eric_in_Portland
Legend
1 year ago

just read this…

“The Red Sox beat the Brewers, 5-3, and have won six of eight”

we were generous like this last year, too, kickstarting other teams’ winning ways. Phillies, Orioles, probably others.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago

Let’s see catapulted the Jays I’m sure the Yankees are next

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur

That is a HUGE tip, cheers!

LanaBanana
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur

Post this again the next time the Angels are on Apple. Because I won’t remember how.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur

I can’t afford any fruit products……

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago

Interesting comments from Walshie. https://www.ocregister.com/2023/04/21/angels-jared-walsh-speaks-of-progress-but-no-timetable-for-return/

Basically hes been dealing with these Insomnia and & headache problems for a while now (even last season) but felt he needed to get them under control or he would have crashed and burned during this season.

“I believe in this team, I think we’re going to be playing meaningful baseball down the stretch,” said Walsh, who took batting practice on the field with his teammates Friday. “I kind of knew that I was going to run out of gas if I didn’t get some answers and figure out what was going on, if I couldn’t improve the sleep, couldn’t improve the recovery.

For me, it was like it’s a business decision, you know? I gotta do what I can to get myself right, not only for my daily life but for the guys on this team so that I can provide value throughout the season.”

There remain no firm answers on what caused the issue. Walsh has been told it could have been the result of developing COVID three times since June 2020. His symptoms are similar to someone who has had a traumatic brain injury, but he said he has never had one.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Wow! Feel for the guy. Sleep is so key to everything. The possible Covid connection is interesting. Can definitely see how the stress of a baseball season would negatively affect sleep patterns.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

1 1/2 years later….wish he would have looked into this sooner. Maybe the off-season would have been best.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur

maybe he thought his condition was related to the TOS he got surgery on last offseason? It’s not like the guy didn’t have enough deal with since shutting it down last year.

But after watching him this spring I had no idea he was still dealing with stuff.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Twebur

I had a lot of insomnia issues when I was younger (I sleep like a champ now though I remain a night owl). The problem can be that it comes and goes. I’d have two weeks where I went days without sleeping and slept a couple hours when I did, but then it would ease up, then come back, then go away for a few weeks. So you were always thinking “Oh, I’m good.” and then it would come back.

Insomnia’s not the end of the world when you’re a college student and it just makes you fuzzy every now and again for a class. The headaches hurt, but that’s it. But I’d imagine it will make an MLB player pretty ineffective, on and off, every couple weeks. That won’t work at all. But it’s likely he spent a chunk of the less stressful off season sleeping fairly well and thinking he’d fixed the glitch but then ST hit. If I remember right he did fairly well in ST….

2002heaven
Super Member
1 year ago

comment image
 😆  😆  😂 

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  2002heaven

That is exactly how I picture you 2002

LanaBanana
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Exactly! So do I!

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Same here. I’ve battled it ever since I turned about 30. When it first started, it was brutal. A few hours of sleep at most over the course of days.

But I’ve learned to not stress about it, and that has helped immensely. Now it only flares up when I have something I’m really excited or anxious about. And it’s usually just a night here or there.

I feel for the guy. Legit hardcore insomnia is absolutely miserable.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago

Will Oakland be blacked out for A’s games?

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago

If a bear farts in the woods, does anyone hear it? 😆

2002heaven
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

let’s do a deep dive on that!

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  2002heaven

Great Toots. I wilI volunteer to drop you off in the woods so you can complete this experiment.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago

I do not look at the Standing to often as I only care about the Angels and our division, but Holy Moley the Pittsburgh Pirates are 14-7 to start the season. If they keep this up they may make the Playoffs and then their owner will be out a crap load of money that he takes as a loser, he must be like in a panic and worried about his yacht payments. Yikes Stripes!

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago

[EiP using DD’s account] at that rate, PIT will win 108 games. [/end EiP takeover of DD’s account]

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

He will still get revenue sharing money because of market size. His team is usually crap because he literally spends as little as possible on it and keeps the RS funds. The smallest market teams don’t lose all that much funding when they win…. which is why it’s frustrating.

I wish we had an owner who would go “full Nutting” on us for a few years so we could get a handle on the difference between maintaining a businesses profitability and just plain being cheap. You want to be a legitimate “there’s no hope, why bother, my PTSD is throbbing” sad donkey? Try following a team where you know your big FA signing each winter will be a guy like Rich Hill while the Cubs and Cardinals are at work.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago

Their is nobility in putting all of your chips in on payroll which evil Arte always has. But it’s come at the cost of every other aspect of owning a franchise, developing talent, a legitimate front office, not effective in the long run, even us stupid fans know that.

Though Evil Arte has moved up the Most Horrible Owner list by virtue of Daniel Snyder selling the Red Skins, always spending on payroll does say something about him.

After almost 20 years of his overlording, maybe Perry finally got to him.
How 2023 plays out, literally might become a franchise defining season, don’t think that’s an overstatement.

2002heaven
Super Member
1 year ago

Also the Cubs, Orioles, and Rangers
Yep we thought we were better than all of them two months ago.
 💪  💪 

Last edited 1 year ago by 2002heaven
GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago

Wallach has a lot to learn – such as not hitting 2 run HRs, Shohei might start to take a liking to having a 2 run advantage – then what would the line up do when he pitches? Giving him 2 runs might spoil everything the lineup into thinking that if they can score 2 runs then why not more, that’s a recipe for disaster as they are capable of that when ShowTime pitches.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 year ago

Just to put things in perspective- Ohtani is on pace for a 17 WAR season 😂

Guest
1 year ago

No doubt about it. Shohei is the Guthrie Govan of baseball. Amazing.

https://youtu.be/IaH2C2Qe97Y

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to 

Except everyone knows who Shohei is.

Of course it would probably be a better correlation if Guthrie played all the other instruments and not just the guitar.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

If Rengifo can play CF, so can Shohei. Some INF, OF starts and he’s truly a one man band.

IMG_1848.jpeg
Guest
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

So Prince and Paul McCartney, and Dave Grohl. 

Okay, but I really wanted to pair my Shohei ecstasy with my Govan ecstasy.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to 

I sometimes hear the haunting sounds of Zamfir, master of the pan flute, when Loup pitches.

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend

Pay the man WHATEVER he wants.

halofansince1978
Super Member
1 year ago

Moreno cannot be a cheapskate on this one.

Shohei will make every dime back for him.

The marketing opportunities are endless!

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

I doubt the Angels are going into this looking for a discount. Clearly Shohei’s getting a boat load. It’s just a matter if he wants to stay here.

The other issue is, of course, how stupid it will be to pay him what the market says he is worth. It would be cool if we were finally not stupid about this. I’d much prefer the Dodgers pay Ohtani 60M a year once he’s well into his 30s. Still, if we do the stupid thing, at least we get some good Shohei for as long as it lasts…

Guest
1 year ago

If the Angels want to retain Shohei, perhaps they make a deal with HOU to get his good buddy Martin Maldonado and re-write his other good buddy Fletcher’s contract so that it guarantees him a spot on the 26-man roster.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to 

I know you’re kidding. But as with EVERYTHING Shohei related including just signing him…. are these ideas what we want our FO to do? The Cardinals, the Rays, the Brewers, the Braves, the Guardindians etc etc etc. All the teams so many of us say we want to emulate.

Even if they had the money, do we see them tying up that much cash in Ohtani? Sure, the Rendon and Trout contracts (in addition to other past deals) are already screwed pooches. So what? Screw this pooch even harder? I for one don’t like screwing dogs, and nothing anyone says can change the fact that Ohtani turns 30 next year and he’s not signing a 5 year deal.

Honestly, I don’t want our FO ever worrying about making moves that will make Player X feel happy.

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago

I thought wooing Shohei’s mom was the key to re-signing him

tommyshalo
Trusted Member
1 year ago

No TANGSTEN moment!!
comment image

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  tommyshalo

I know what Tang is but what’s Tangsten?

RexFregosi
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

tungsten meme

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

We don’t love Tungsten around here. Its element symbol is “W”

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

That explains alot

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Oh no. We won wrong.

rosstrade
Trusted Member
1 year ago

If winning is wrong, then I don’t want to be right….

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  rosstrade

We MUST win with more girthy domination…. or by one run.

rosstrade
Trusted Member
1 year ago

won – wrong: a Gitchian oxymoron….

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  rosstrade

Borne from CtPG angst.

max
Trusted Member
max
1 year ago

Nice to win, of course, but they didn’t look dominant offensively against a 4-15 team.

steelgolf
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  max

Neither did The Rangers as they lost to the A’s !!!!

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  max

😆

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago

So Phil FINALLY decided to let Shohei get the win by not putting Loup on the game. About fracking time.

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Not many bad things to say about tonight’s game other than the offensive struggles and lack of clutch hitting again.

Highlights for me:
– Shohei is a freak. His game is somehow still in an upward trajectory. Cy Young might be his to lose this year.
– This deserves its own bullet point. Shohei’s 73″ break curveball might be the nastiest curve I’ve ever seen in my years of watching baseball.
– For a team with a garbage farm system, our rookies sure have looked good. Neto was awesome tonight on defense. And I loved seeing him make Yarborough all pissy. He continues to look like the game isn’t too big for him.
– Wallach is better than Thaiss and should start the majority of the games until either Stassi or O’Hoppe are back.
– Estevez pitched his best game of the season so far. Pretty dominant performance.
– I’ve officially bought in to the Quijada hype. I don’t know how he transformed into a legit closer but wow he has been impressive

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Adding Wantz , Moore and the new and improved high leverage Barria to our top set up man Estevez and Crazy Queso, we have the makings of a pretty darn good pen. bullpen. If Warren is back to form while Joyce and his brethren are getting closer and closer-(Did you see Yovan throw the other night for RC?) this could turn into a dominant bullpen.

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Honestly right now the pen might be the best looking part of the team, which is super weird to even consider.

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

You need unheralded guys to come out of nowhere like the potential of Kenyon, certainly has great strikeout and walk per 9-innings. Has he given up hitting?

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

I don’t see any stats this year for batting.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Yes but I think it was an easy decision

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Agreed but we need a deeper major league pen that does not include anyone named TePoupera. I can’t wait for the kids to arrive