Fresh off getting swept by the Marlins, The Angels took to the road to face off against the Chicago White Sox and starting pitcher Michael Kopech. Unlike the previous series, however, the Angels racked up early runs and did not relinquish their lead. All four of those eary runs came via two back-to-back long balls from Brandon Drury and Matt Thaiss.
The offense proceeded to mostly fizzle out sans a couple nice bloops that led to two key insurance runs in the 8th, but Griffin Canning put together 6 solid innings of 3-run ball before the bullpen came in and Neto potentially saved the game with an outstanding dive play.
Speaking of the bullpen, Ben Joyce debuted and repeatedly pumped 102+ into the zone to overwhelm the Chicago hitters, racking up two strikeouts to get his career kicked off.
The Halos will face off against Lucas Giolito tomorrow with Tyler Anderson on the mound, looking to take the series.
A Sonny DiChiara sighting….forgot about this guyhttps://twitter.com/JEspinoza1634/status/1663375032016568320?s=20
THICK KING!!!!
Trout had two singles, but man, he still looks off at the plate. Kopech threw him two pitches he hits 430 feet when he’s on. Ohtani continues to look bad at the plate.
Joyce’s stuff was as advertised: 101/102 with sinking movement. Wow!
Great play by Kid Neto to end the game. Losing streak: kaput.
Deep throbbing questions after this game for all of us that aren’t sheeple and like to dig a little deeper into stuff we see that is likely not really there…
Is Arte lifting his cloud of evil from Griffin Canning so that he can be a twenty game winner but cost almost nothing but still make Arte look like he knows what he’s doing? If so, how can we stop it?
Did Ben Joyce put his total lack of control juju on Estevez? It was almost eerie….
Did Matt Thaiss suck all the baseball player out of Max Stassi and add it to his own? Is Stassi just a dry mummy husk stored among the dry husks they make OG’s Pizza from?
Is Mike Trout using the power of illusion to make us think he’s in a slump but he isn’t? Is he fat, or just big boned?
Is PTP communicating to Nevin via an implant? Or even persuasive magic? Is that how he’s dictating every single move and yet Nevin is still so stupid? Is Ray Montgomery holding some kind of shock buzzer? I think I saw something, you should watch the entire game again and see.
OH no. Seattle tied us. Is this season over? Are the Angels really dead and they are just living on a polar bear infested island mostly full of people with above average looks? Was Montanas just a blip character meant to throw us off?
All I know is we won and now I’m terrified. Are we really three games over .500 or has Arte and his cronies just paid every website on the planet to make it LOOK like we are so he can’t be held to account?
Is THIS must win season as must win as all the other must win seasons?
Livan Soto? Real or imaginary? Has anyone actually seen him?
Shufflebot = Linbergh baby? Arte? Evil cabal?
Damn you – had to Google Lindbergh baby.
It looks like Mariners will lose tonight to MFYankees. So, Angels will move into 3rd spot. It would be best for Angels if Mariners split with MFYankees in the long run, so I will cheer for Mariners to win tomorrow. Rays lost another starting pitcher to IL, Orioles lost Cedric Mullins to quad strain today, and McCullers of Houston now uncertain to return. Our 6 man starting pitcher rotation appears to be working to keep all healthy. All good signs for Angels towards the goal of attaining the coveted post season spot.
Need the Mariners to lose every night. Too early to play the wild card game. Mariners have good pitching and will stick around so more losses the better.
Yup. Always root for your division foes to lose unless it’s the last week of the season and there are some specific playoff implications.
Got ‘ya.
Keeeeeeeep rollin’ Halos!!
Ben Joyce’s smile during that lockerroom interview gonna be stuck on his face for at least 20 more hours. Awesome!
Long losing streak averted!
The kids look alright – Thaiss, Joyce, Neto and Moniak.
Neto’s range is insane!
This was a huge win in terms of dispersing the sinister dark smoke of last years horrible 14 game losing streak. If win one of next two, we will have attained at least 15 wins for May, which will be back to back with April.
Hopefully that bloop hit that Moniak had would spark him again. I hope he gets little more patient at bat and get more walks.
Good bouce back win and hallelujah that we didn’t start no 14 game losing streak. That would have been some serious voodoo shiz.
A win tonight with so many coming thru with pitching, hitting and fielding is exciting and we all will sleep well tonight. 💤
For all the handwringing re: Trout, he still went 2-4, with a walk and 1 RBI.
Shoehei is slumping, ditto for Renfroe, but Drury, Thaiss and Neto had big games at the plate – and defensively for Neto.
Solid’ish pitching from Canning and liquid hot magma from Joyce !!!
A lot to be glad for indeed.
Handwringing? We’re over here on the ground in fetal position sucking our thumbs
The 1 out, man at 3rd thing is what made the Trout rage tonight. So unclutch. Then next time up – nobody on – gets a hit. Sure his line looked decent but you
missed the horrible unclutch – just needed a productive out – instead a K
Wasn’t that also an 8 pitch AB?
Was a good at bat – yes. But it was the source of the rage. Don’t shoot the messenger
Fair enough.
That was funny.
I think what this team needs is some sweet sweet Anthony Rendon.
He was looking dapper flashing that 100 million smile from the dugout. 😎
Can Urshella play 2nd? I would like to see his bat stay in the lineup with Rendon comes back.
Yes Phillip already said that Gio would play more second once Rendon returns.
I suspect if Walsh starts hitting. (hes getting on base adequately since his return hes just not driving the ball yet) Then the Angels will also find some work in the outfield for him as well even if Drury slides over to first more against RHP’s.
Phillip is on fire, nice. Gio has useful ABs, like his approach. Stop scratching my head over that Silseth outing though. It was almost alike a Fanduel bet over/under 2 innings.
Nay, nay, Jesus Rendon belongs to the world and us lowly Angels fans would be selfish to hoard his greatness.
Someone posted earlier that Thaiss has more SB than Trout, now that’s funny stuff.
You spelled ‘sad’ wrong.
But I tend to agree with Jack’s post in the thread – Trout is on a “no steal” policy for who knows what reason.
My presumption is that the club is worried about the increased potential for another soft tissue injury – calf, pulled hammy, etc.
I think it was Fletcher who said something like, the fastest guys on the team are the ones you don’t want stealing regularly (Trout and Ohtani), because if a freak injury happens due to a steal, the world is going to explode and melt into itself at the same time.
Shohei still leads the team with 7 followed by our favorite punching bag, Rengifo with 4.
Injury avoidance.
Remember the wrist injury a couple of years ago? That happened on a stolen base attempt.
Too many Trout injuries to remember them all. I do recall DiSarcinas injury sliding into 2nd leading to the great collapse of 95
But Both Trout and Disar had that base running thumb injury (not a wrist injury) before the advent of the oven mitt.
And not to conjure an even worse ghost of Christmas past, but Hamilton’s wrist injury also happened on a stolen base IIRC. Pre-injury, he was on fire hitting .350~. After coming back from the injury, he was never the same again.
Yup that seemed to derail him…. well that and cocaine with bourbon chasers….
That was me.
I give Trout a little bit of a break because he did hit that line drive to get the insurance run, but Ohtani and Renfroe’s continuance of futility is glaringly grotesque. Renfroe is at least an effective RF, but Shohei is just wasting his at bats. I do not mind having Jo Adell or someone from minors to take his position for DH.
Yawn
How many more strike outs with no hit games will you wait until he is taken out. I would say two at the most. If Adell was already called up, tomorrow for sure.
It’s not our choice. And I can assure you other than a much needed day off here or there Ohtani’s not coming out of the line up.
You are right. I have been a bit too sensitive about his batting slump. I understand that even the opponents fans would boo Nevin if he excludes Ohtani from starting lineup.
Oh man, Shohei is fine. We do not want to swap him for Adelle
Last six games including tonight: 24AB, 1H, 9SO, 1BB, 1HBP. He is in a slump. Should Shohei talk to former Cubs player Mark Grace about having a night with certain overweight person of opposite gender?
I do think maybe Shohei could (GASP!) stand to take a couple days off in a week. He works a lot. What if this pisses him off? I don’t care. It probably won’t anyway because, as much as folks like to act like he’s Prince or something, he’s an actual pro baseball player and will likely just do what his manager says and then get on with his season. Maybe give him two or three weeks where he doesn’t hit the day before or after he pitches plus doesn’t DH when he’s on the mound over the course of the next few months.
I so much want him to contribute to Angels win, I became overly sensitive about his futility at bat. I need to take a deep breath and relax. You are right. It’s not like he never had a batting slump before. I hope that Shohei practices safe sex if he decides to take up on Mark Grace’s offer.
But have you ever heard him sing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4VBozCLy8I
Co MVP’s of the game Thaiss and Neato.
This was NOT one of those games where we only score in the first inning.
Neto was very Pantherous and Ben Joyce a close 2nd. Nevin gets honorable mention for Mensa manager of the year. Arte owner of the decade.
BANNED
Damn – totally forgot Thaiss. 😇👍
And Kopeck to hit Shohei by pitch because that was the only way Shohei could have contributed today and score would have been 5-4.
Relax man. Fat kid and unicorn will come back soon
I still say Joyce because of the situation. The Chisox had clawed back to 4-3 and our starter was done. What a situation for this kid to come into. And he dominated! Calmed us down and allowed us to do damage in the 8th.
But it was panned universally as a bad move in the thread
🤣
I am glad it worked for both Joyce and Nevin. But many of us still remember the tremendous PTSD after Silseth blew that second game against the Marlins. Bobby Valentine was visibly disappointed. LOL.
It wasn’t universally panned, lol.
Of course Mr Contradiction will say that
I didn’t pan it. What are you talking about?
Universal minus 2. Sorry about that. Gotta whatch thems p’s q’s around JackPrecise
Hahahhahajahajjaja
I’m still on the floor laughing
Just laughed again
No you didn’t.
You’re right – when I finally searched the definition of “universally ” and found that Jack’s spectral residency means he takes us LITERALLY at precise definitions. The move was panned by ALMOST EVERYONE as a dumb Nevin move. There – I think I got it now, eh Jacko?
To coddle or not to coddle, let’s throw him out there to see how tough his turds are. While it might not be text book, I was good with it.
It went well so everybody thinks it’s a good move now. 🤓
He looked composed compared to Slinging Sammy hyperventilating the other night.
I was against it. Happy to be wrong but it was a lot to put on Joyce.
Ha ha. But it sure was looking that way until the 8th.
Another good outing by Canning as well.
Neto is gonna win a Gold Glove if he keeps this up.
I would add AL ROY to that.
Will happily take that as well!
Is he a Yankee? He won’t win either of those
🤣
Cue Metallica: Sad But True
I hope that Angels do not fall into the trap of extending Neto’s contract prematurely like Padres did with Tatis.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well timed comment – I’m sure contract talks are starting right now in the locker room
Kind of a silly comment. Tatis and Neto are completely different players. Tatis appeared to be a generational offense talent. Neto has a slick glove and a gun for an arm as well as really good game instincts. But his bat is not going to warrant any early long term contract discussions. Plus he was in college last year. Just enjoy what you are seeing- a very VERY good young player contributing in the Major leagues.
It is a reference to all these teams committing a large amount of money to a single player, be it Tatis, Acuna, Correa, Trea Turner, Bogaert, just to name a few. Padres are struggling. Angels know this best with Pujols 10 year contract sagged heavily and affected the development of pitching. I have learned from the people here that anything more than 5 year contract worth more than 30 million a year is detrimental to the team, including Trout’s present contract.
By the way, Tatis is no longer playing SS after the fiasco with PED.
I trust you feel the same way about an Ohtani 10 year and $500m contract?
Pretty sure that Kiyo would like his countryman to be retained long term.
He said his fanship will go wherever Ohtani goes. So I don’t think he cares that much. He’s certainly not an Angel fan – he’s an Ohtani fan.
I do care that Angels win because Ohtani is on Angels this year, and I strongly believe that Ohtani has the best chance this season of reaching playoff berth of all the years he has been in Anaheim. As someone previously indicated, Angels have all the right ingredients to accomplish that. So, I promise to cheer for Angels win in every game as hard as any fan. If that tremendous enthusiasm I have for this team does not qualify me for Angels fandom, then so be it.
Yes, that is the reason why I strongly believe that Angels must NOT sign that contract if you are true Angels fan. That’s what you guys on this site taught me. I am Ohtani’s fan first and Angels fan because of Ohtani. Wherever he goes, I go. If Arte is crazy enough to re-sign him for 10 year contract, all the power to him. Ohtani’s contract will likely include opt out clause at 2nd, 4th, and 6th year contract in case the team signed him turns out to be a pretender rather than contender for World Series Championship.
Neto is so fun to watch. I’d actually rather watch him than either Trout or Ohtani.
Neto is definitely the player of the game with sacrifice fly and Simba like defense multiple times. Thaiss is close second.
6-4 actually not 6-3
yeah, it said 6-4 at first. I then edited the title a bit and screwed up lmao
Neto = Panther!!!!!