Angels blast off early and hold back the Cardinals Menace

Angels 11 Cardinals 7

How it started:

But have no fear! The Angels Attack of the Cards continued with a 4-spot in the 2nd inning thanks to Rendon, Ward, Thaiss, and Rengifo (who knocked a 3-run homer) – the Fugitive Strikes Back!

The Revenge of the Angels came on strong again in the 3rd, sending 11 players to the plate and and logging 6 more runs. Even Brett Phillips hit, providing a New Hope for his Halo career.

10-2 was a nice lead until Canning gave up a 3 run bomb and Loup gave up two more. The Return of the Loup went about as expected, and didn’t even include any cute fury animals.

The Cardinals Awakened and fought to The Last Batter in this day game, but alas, they were no match for the light side of the force and in the end, the Rise of the Angels continued as they are now 4 games above .500 and eying the Rangers for 1st place in the AL West.

SWEEP!!!

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Angels22
Trusted Member
10 months ago

I went through the Cardinals twitter page and those fans sounds way more miserable than us. They do have one of the worst records, but still nice to see we ain’t alone in complaining.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Angels22

The thing is they complain because they HAVE that record while we complain LIKE we have that record. They complain because they have a very long tradition of greatness. We complain because some of us traditionally think we deserve long term greatness. They are for real, we just have some guys who think they are keeping it real.

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Angels22

I was talking to one of my employees from STL who is a big Cards fan. Today was the sixth straight loss and he said it is now the worst record in team history at this point in the season. I think he said they’ve also lost every series so far.

Misery justified for sure.

In recent Angels seasons, only last year’s losing streak was truly on par with the level of suck that Cards fans are being subjected to.

Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

You mean Missoury?

WallyChuckChili
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Angels22

What is this complaining thing you speak of?

Never heard that in these part.

John Henry Weitzel
Editor
Super Member
10 months ago

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SWEEP

Twebur
Legend
10 months ago

He once dreamed of kicking it with Radio City Rockettes. Then he got kicked by a camel. 

Scouts scoffed at Zach Neto’s leg kick, now they’re kicking themselves https://theathletic.com/4486855/2023/05/04/angels-zach-neto-leg-kick/

Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

But his idol is, Barf!, Justin Turner

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Oh no. Well, maybe he’ll go on steroids too.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
10 months ago

A Bud in the hand, is worth a Sweep in the Busch!

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Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago

Im surprised Bud still has a Busch.

BannedInLA
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Bud only has a Busch

Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  BannedInLA

Not Bud light.

Twebur
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I’m not surprised, rumor has it, Bud rode his huge Clydesdale through the Busch

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GrandpaBaseball
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

The operation was successful.

red floyd
Legend
10 months ago

OT: Lodge played a clip from Keynan’s post-game interview last night, after he struck out Correa. Major Key was asked why he didn’t like Correa, and his answer was “Because he’s a cheater.”

Go Key!

2GA2Join
Super Member
10 months ago

There was a time when I was calling for us to trade for Plesac.
Yet another move that I would have blundered.

Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  2GA2Join

I wanted us to trade for Dan Plesac but we might have missed that window by now.

2GA2Join
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I brought it up because I saw on MLBTR that they optioned him.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  2GA2Join

Yah. I wanted him too.

This is likely why he has failed.

Last edited 10 months ago by gitchogritchoffmypettis
Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
10 months ago

I thought Canning pitched better than the box score indicates. Those first two runs were on the defense.

That 3-run HR he gave up to Edman was on a pitcher’s pitch – a nicely located 95mph four-seamer down and in. No problem with where he placed it – right in the part of Edman’s zone where he swings least. Credit to the hitter.

JackFrost
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

Yeah, if you take away that one pitch to Edman his numbers look alot more acceptable .. …

Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  JackFrost

That pitch was also in Edman’s nitro zone though ( H/T to the Wonder Dog)

JackFrost
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Yes, I noticed that. Canning will have to clean that stuff up ; he was unlucky it happened with two guys on base, but he needs to be better…

Last edited 10 months ago by JackFrost
BannedInLA
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

Yup. They get paid as well.

FungoAle
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

He’s a decent trade chip when active

MarineLayer
Super Member
10 months ago

St. Louis is more Angels than we are so far. Thanks for the sweep! We needed it.

JackFrost
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

You’re thanking them but we earened it ! They didn’t give any of those games to us ; especially last night we fought and clawed to get the win. And even today they didn’t roll over and die — they made us sweat by scoring a bunch of runs late ….

Last edited 10 months ago by JackFrost
Eric_in_Portland
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  JackFrost

I thought we could take all 4

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

I said that last night during the 9th. “Is this what its like to play us?”

I’ll take it. I thought the Oakland/KC stretch would be the romp that got things going but I’ll take this confidence boost headed into a tougher May schedule.

tommyshalo
Trusted Member
10 months ago

Woohoooooo!!
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WallyChuckChili
Legend
10 months ago

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JackFrost
Super Member
10 months ago

Very nice to get our first sweep of the year. Despite the fact that St. Louis is struggling I did not expect it ; I mean, if we can’t sweep the A’s why should anyone think we would sweep a much more talented Cardinals team ??

That said, it is important to get the first one in the bag. Any team that makes the playoffs will inevitably have several sweeps of 3 game or 4 game series’ over the course of the season. So, it is good to get one done and off the board in May. We’ll need at least a couple more along the way… Maybe three more.

It is also nice to start the month of May off well ….. I think the month of May will tell the story of what our destiny is likely to be, at least as far as playoffs or no playoffs. If we get crushed head to head by Texas and Houston and do poorly against Baltimore and Boston we probably are not cut out to be a playoff team, let alone a division winner.

If we tread water and more or less hover around .500, maybe stay a game or two above through May we are likely to at least be in the race after the All-Star break… IF however we surprise and play really well, then at that point I think it would be reasonable to project good things, since if that happens it will have meant we showed we could beat the two biggest challengers in the AL West, Texas and Houston, or at least held our own against them. Of course, we will still have to take care of business against the lesser teams (White Sox for example) but we need to get off on the right foot against the big boys… That will not be easy for a variety of reasons, which I will touch upon in a comment or two later today or tomorrow…

Last edited 10 months ago by JackFrost
Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Better starting pitching and bullpen help?

rosstrade
Trusted Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

It feels like we are just a few adjustments away from having a consistently reliable bullpen.

Estevez, Moore have been great.

Devenski, Wantz, Tucky D have been good.

Sure, 7 blown saves leads the league. But, if we get reliable substitutes for Teppy and Loupy we’ll be solid….

JackFrost
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  rosstrade

I agree somewhat… A positive development is that Perry appears NOT to be willing to throw Loup and Tepera into games we are winning and that are close…Today was the ideal spot for Loup and he STILL made us sweat… It would be easier on everyone if PTP just DFA’s him…

The other thing is that the news on Q now means we lose alot of depth.. and the other earlier news on C-Rod means we’ll have to rely on arms that were not expected to help. I hope we give Silseth a chance to play a key role in our pen..

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  JackFrost

love this, as noted…”Perry appears NOT to be willing to throw Loup and Tepera into game”

Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago

Then DFA or Carlos Pena their asses Perry.

Twebur
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  JackFrost

I’m worried about the defense. They have lapses just about every game. Some of it appears fixable. Some were just hard hit balls that took a bad bounce (made worse) with runners on base. But overall, not even average. I think they can get to average, when (if) Walsh gets back and now with Neto at SS. And if they tighten things up overall.

JackFrost
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

Yes, I agree. Rendon at times just seems out of it. And for others it is a positional thing ; with Drury for instance I have said for several weeks now that he’s not a 2B. It makes it complicated to find a full-time role for him, but we’ll have to deal with it… He just is not cut out to play Second. We’ve seen it over and over and it is hurting us…

Maybe The Glass Man will fall down and get a boo boo and that will fix that problem …

Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  rosstrade

Devenski has retired 13 of the 12 batters he’s faced. I would have to consider that as great not good. (Unless you think ground balls are too democratic)

red floyd
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

How does one retire more batters than one has faced?

Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  red floyd

6-4-3 with an inherited runner

Last edited 10 months ago by Cowboy26
gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  red floyd

Be hardcore

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WallyChuckChili
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  red floyd

He stared one down from the mound and the batter just retired!

matthiasstephan
Super Member
10 months ago

Just like that? Won’t even try to play in Korea or Mexico?

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  rosstrade

Be lifted my friend.

The Angels have a 12/7 Sv/BSv. That’s an ungainly 37% BSV. Lame, I know. The Guardians have the same exact stats. The Braves are at 47%, Baltimore is 36%, the Brewers are at 31%, D-Bags 42%, Yankees 40%, Rangers 44%, the Cubs 57%. Tampa’s at 30%.

Sure, they can get better, but our bullpen’s not nearly as sad donkey as some of our fans.

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
10 months ago

Those numbers are mind blowing. All these rule changes are destroying pitchers.

red floyd
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

That’s ManBearFred’s intent.

Cowboy26
Legend
10 months ago

Gitcho your glass have empty? Isn’t this state normally recorded as a save % conversion rate? In this case 63%?

In the Holy year of 2002. we were first in the AL in saves at 54 with a save % conversion rate of 76%. which would still be tops in the league today.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Yeah. I was just trying to see how often we blow it and how often other teams blow it….. I wanted to see what “we have blown X saves” actually means in the grand pile of things. Right now I think the Pirates are the only team with a save conversion rate over 70%.

BannedInLA
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  rosstrade

Herget was equally bad.

JackFrost
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Pretty much… I think our rotation starters 3-5 are about to get exposed in a big way in this upcoming Texas series.. The Rangers have scored the second most runs in MLB this season and they have guys who can hit up and down the lineup.. They are like us in that way, but there are more consistent in scoring runs. They also have two of their better starters (probably their two BEST now that de Grom is out) going against us on the biggest games of our young season on Friday and Sunday… Those are the games to establish or set the tone for the series and then finish it off.. This goes back to my complaints about the FO and rotation planning back in the last homestand..

But in a nutshell here is the problem :

Friday :

Dunning 1.77 ERA and 0.84 WHIP vs Anderson 5.74 ERA and 1.58 WHIP

Sunday :

Martin Perez 2.41 ERA vs Suarez 7.89 ERA

There is more to look at in terms of rosters etc but this is the main issue we face in this series… it is compounded by the fact that their bats are very scary. And let’s not get started on comparing the managers..

This series could get ugly, VERY ugly.

Last edited 10 months ago by JackFrost
Twebur
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Meh…Rangers .500 road team. They ain’t so tuff. Angels win 2 of 3

hawaii.wav  “Walter, GPB and I predicting that the California Angels will win. “We Hawaii. We like the CA Angels. Gene Autry Cowboys. We will pick them to win.”

DowningDude
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

NOW YOUVE DONE IT !!! GAWN AND JEENKSD US

JackFrost
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

Do you live in Hawaii Twebur ??

Twebur
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  JackFrost

No. They wouldn’t have me. Violation of island bathing suit ordinance 1.08. – Inappropriately sized rally thong

Last edited 10 months ago by Twebur
GrandpaBaseball
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

 😎 

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  JackFrost

“You. Smiling. I poop on you. You welcome.”
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gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  JackFrost

You seem to be discunting the furious teal menace that lives in our far north, lead by a Derpo genius. They are just sleeping us into a false sense of lull.

DowningDude
Legend
10 months ago

furious teal menace – Good god man. Classic.

Guest
10 months ago

So long, Lars Nootbaar!

Fansince1971
Legend
10 months ago

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SWEEP is so SWEET

Last edited 10 months ago by Fansince1971
gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

So so much shufflebot.

2GA2Join
Super Member
10 months ago

The only cure for Shufflebot fever is… more Shufflebot!

https://giphy.com/gifs/10uTjZCI1pGVZS

red floyd
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

[insert memorized picture of Angela here]

red floyd
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

I thought the GIF was banned, which is why I only referred to it. Thanks!

JackFrost
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  red floyd

You thought the “Rally Skank” was banned? Really ?

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  red floyd

GIF banned during the game.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Angela. So hot right now.

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
10 months ago

This write up was enjoyable. May the force be with you.

Twebur
Legend
10 months ago

Shufflebot and his buddy flying us home…test driving the Auto Pilot 😀 

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Last edited 10 months ago by Twebur
red floyd
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

I’d have gone with the one where Elaine’s smoking a cig.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
10 months ago

I just noticed we’re tied for a wild card spot at this way too early point. Meanwhile, who do I root for in the upcoming Seattle-Houston series?

tanana40
Super Member
10 months ago

Probably root that Seattle takes 2 of 3. They are less of a threat to the Angels, I would think.

FungoAle
Super Member
10 months ago

If only this was game 162

Angels22
Trusted Member
10 months ago

Go Halos! The record is looking pretty sweet.

2GA2Join
Super Member
DowningDude
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  2GA2Join

This is where doomer’s hang out … Point DUME. hahaha 😀

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
10 months ago
Reply to  2GA2Join

So I was trying to figure it out – how on earth do you post images on here?

DowningDude
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Imgur

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
10 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

No I mean how do you imbed it?

  • Link?
  • Code block?
  • Attachment?
DowningDude
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Type in the https stuff and it must have a .jpg or .gif at the end

red floyd
Legend
10 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

example:
https: // your.site.here/image.jpg (elide spaces)

red floyd
Legend
10 months ago

comment image

aces666high
Trusted Member
10 months ago

What makes this win even sweeter is Loup probably won’t be available to sh!t the bed tomorrow.

fishfarm
Trusted Member
10 months ago
Reply to  aces666high

Depends on if Nevin is reading his bullpen handbook

Angels22
Trusted Member
10 months ago
Reply to  fishfarm

I wonder what Moreno stepped in and said to Perry.

MarineLayer
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  aces666high

Why is he still on the roster along with his partner in futility Tepera.

clover_black
Super Member
10 months ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

7.5 million reasons why

BannedInLA
Super Member
10 months ago

We could bemoan the rough start by Canning and the rougher 0.2 innings by Loup, but why?

We went 4-2 on this roady and we won today with Trout sitting and Renfroe hitting into 9 DP’s.

Big showdown with the teams from Tejas….