I always loved summer mornings in the 90s when I was a baseball-obsessed preteen/teen and the Cubs had a homestand and I could watch baseball on WGN at 11am. While the Angels were my favorite team from birth, I have always had a soft spot for the Cubs, especially back when they were Harry Caray’s lovable losers. It’s a little different feeling now, but it’s still really cool to see the Cubs in Anaheim, because that never was a thing several years ago.
However, I am NOT rooting for the Cubs these days, so let’s root, root, root against the Cubbies! Jaime Barria faced off against Jameson Taillon. Would Barria’s great season continue?
Both pitchers put donuts on the board for the first 3 innings, punctuated by Mickey Moniak stealing from a Cub fan kid in foul territory to end the top half of the 3rd. Don’t worry, Mickey is a nice guy so he gave the kid the ball afterward.
The Angels did nothing in the bottom of the third, then Barria put up another zero in the top of the 4th thanks to another Halo defensive exclamation mark from Mr. Trout to very casually steal a home run.
Continuing the Trout show, the bottom of the 4th gave us a home run from Trout that could not be stolen. It either had a surprising amount of carry or the Cubs centerfielder was fooling everybody. Anyway, 1-0 Angels.
Barria’s magic ran out in the 5th inning when he not only lost his no-hitter but gave up 3 straight hits and the lead thanks to the Cubs trio of Tauchman, Mancini, and Amaya. 2-1 Cubs, boohoo.
In the bottom of the 5th Luis Rengifo said “enough of this, I am a hero!” and decided to hit a long game-tying homerun. Tied up 2-2 again!
Barria’s night was over in favor of young fireballer Ben Joyce in the 6th. In a perfect example of what we can expect from him, he loaded the bases with walks but allowed no hits and ultimately got out of his inning unscathed.
The Angels took advantage in the bottom of the 6th against new Cubs pitcher Mark Leiter Jr., son of the former Angels pitcher. Thaiss and Drury set the table with a walk and a single, giving Rengifo another chance to be a hero with a clutch RBI single to give the Angels a one run lead.
But wait, there’s more! Neto walked to load the bases, setting up Mickey Moniak for an even more clutch bases-clearing 3-run double! 6-2 Angels!
And if that wasn’t enough, Moniak made a nice sliding catch in the top of the 8th with Bachman on the mound after Loup put up a surprising 7th inning.
Other than Shohei leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th, it was smooth sailing as Sam Bachman closed out the final two innings and gave Ben Joyce his first major league win. Angels come out on top 6-2! The Halo shines tonight!
Congrats to Mickey on successfuly absorbing Rendon’s 2-out RISP skills by osmosis.
Zebra for Moniak!
https://giphy.com/gifs/carnaval-carnival-dance-10hO3rDNqqg2Xe
Here you go
Did mine not show up totally?
I’m curious if I’m not posting the GIFs the right way.
You need to post the direct gif url inside the “s below. For giphy, you might get the webp url instead but putting gif in the place of webp will work.
proper url to paste
“https://media0.giphy.com/media/10hO3rDNqqg2Xe/giphy.webp?cid=6c09b952fbd2485698307dc7cfa304fe54d6f0878532d4bd&ep=v1_internal_gifs_gifId&rid=giphy.gif”
Original url before putting gif at the end instead of webp
“https://media0.giphy.com/media/10hO3rDNqqg2Xe/giphy.webp?cid=6c09b952fbd2485698307dc7cfa304fe54d6f0878532d4bd&ep=v1_internal_gifs_gifId&rid=giphy.webp&ct=g”
So actually, when I pasted, I was only doing
“https://giphy.com/gifs/carnaval-carnival-dance-10hO3rDNqqg2Xe” which was way off.
But it seemed to display for some and not for others? Interesting.
appears ok on desktop but nada on mobile. the .gif is the cleaner way to post
Those pesky kids and all their confounded mobile devices! In my day, there was nothing wrong with my PC tower! Now get of my lawn!
BTW GREAT zebra that is!!
Still perfect at Angel Games this year
Woo hoo! 3 in a row!!
I find it impossible to convey in words how ludicrously awesome this is.
I think you just did.
ok, we won’t make the playoffs but….if we were to contend to make the playoffs I think we’d need to win 90, which means going 57-42 from here. That’s not an outrageous goal for a good team (which we probably are not).
It’s clear that the Central won’t get a wild card team and it’s likely that the West will, with either Texas or Houston winning the division and the other making the playoffs.
We’d have to finish ahead of the 3rd place AL East team. Either the East will get 2 wild cards or the West will. So it’s gonna be tough but we’re hanging around.
Last year after 63 games we were 29-34, this year 4 games better.
We are thinking similarly. I pretty much gave Texas AL West crown and Houston a wild card, so as you said we have to grab the remaining wild card spot by having three teams in AL East to fall below us. I have focused on Boston, Toronto, and MFYankees. (Used to have Seattle, but at this time, I am not worried.) In my opinion, Boston and MFYankee will struggle because of their starters, many of them on IL. Angels pitching staff are healthier than theirs and simply better. However, I have this nagging feeling that Angels will be competing for the 3rd spot with Blue Jays until the end of regular season. Blue Jays are currently 7 games over 0.500, so we are 2 games behind them. Yes, it is still quite possible, and if we can sweep Cubs and take 2 of 3 from Mariners, we will be that much closer to Blue Jays or even overtake them.
Smokey condition in Northeast postponed MFYankees game today, and it is very likely they will postpone the game scheduled tomorrow. That will exert extra pressure on Yankees pitching staff although they will be allowed extra pitcher on active roster if they are playing double header sometime later. Unfortunate for them, but it might produce beneficial result for Angels in the end.
Where the hell is shufflebot?
He was busy with Mrs Shufflebot!
Dunno – might’ve been a knuckle-shufflebot
Know what’s crazy? It’s been a while since I’ve been like “oh no…” when i see Matt Thaiss is gonna try catching. It’s not like he’s Pudge or something, but I have seen some guys who are a lot worse than he is at this point remain in a catching rotation.
I’ve been thinking the same for the last couple of weeks. He’s really come around.
I thought I read earlier this week that the club was pretty set on resting Shohei the day before his next start. Assuming that statement holds, I think we’ll see the following lineup tomorrow:
Moniak – CF
Ward – LF
Trout – DH
Rendon – 3B
Drury – 2B
Urshela – 1B
Wallach – C
Adell – RF
Neto – SS
If Rendon sits, then Rengifo probably gets the start at 3B.
At least you and I agree with Moniak playing tomorrow and as lead off. I would consider swapping Wallach with Thaiss because Nevin likes to rest Wallach the day before Shohei pitches since Wallach is Shohei’s designated back stop. If Ward is still feeling sick, Rengifo may start LF.
Finally Shohei gets his rest, which would only help his pitching on Friday.
I struggled with Wallach a bit for that reason. However Thaiss is a lefty and I already went with Moniak as the lefty hitter.
I think Wallach could handle two in a row, but you could be right.
Huh? Why cant Wallach catch 2 nights in a row? Hes done it 11 times this season.
Shohei calls his own pitches so as long as the catcher can handle his stuff who cares who the catcher is . Hell they even let Doofus Okey try and catch him.
I remember that was because Wallach had concussion protocol and Okey replaced him. Okey could not handle some of Shohei’s sweepers that day and Shohei ended up limiting his repertoire. That’s the game that Shohei ended up losing by giving up 2 run homerun to Martin Maldonado, resulting in his first loss for the season.
My best guess at this point is Thaiss will be catching tomorrow more for Smyly’s reverse split. Thaiss has never caught Shohei yet, so it is going to be Wallach on Friday.
Thaiss isn’t going to catch Shohei and I doubt he starts tomorrow.
We are saying the same thing: Wallach is current Shohei’s designated catcher. (If it weren’t for injury, O’Hoppe would have been it.) We agree to differ on who will be starting C tomorrow.
As long as we win tomorrow, who cares who starts.
I’m sure thats how Phillip justify’s some of his lame brain lineups. But unfortunately we’re not winning consistently except against the inept teams.
We have all this depth. we need to utilize it and not put someone in there because they’re hot and you like to watch them play. It should always be the best matchup available.
If our starters can get it together we may be in for a decent run. It would be nice. Barria needs to pitch 100 pitches in a game soon.
Detmers and Sandoval need to throw strikes and stop trying to bite the edge, it’s OK to rely on your fielders to get outs. Walks issued is a slow death by cuts. The high strike works too..
Sweeps are nice too.
I’ve done the analysis and my findings are that it will work best if Sandoval, Anderson and Detmers throw what I call “the good pitches” and don’t throw bad pitches. But that’s just me being a scientist. You normies probably don’t get it. That’s OK.
I’d also like more hitters to hit the ball with the stick to green places free of men.
Gitcho is wiser than Wise.
Give him a mound visit “dude , throw the good shit and skip that bad stuff”
Being the great batting instructor that I’m not, I always instruct my hitters
to hit the ball over the fence.
Detmers & Sandoval have been our biggest disappointments thus far IMO.
Anderson regressing was always probable and relying on Saurez was always questionable, but it seemed that Sandoval and especially Detmers were primed for the next step into the role of excellent #2 and #3 starters. Instead, they’re barely viable as #5 / #6 starters to this point.
Hopefully Cubs batters are what the doctor ordered for Detmers, and he would have more efficient pitching, not trying to strike out everyone and trusting his defense. If he gets his first win tomorrow, that is going to be huge for his confidence.
Barria has earned his job with no doubt.
Gwen Stefani is hiring?
So Moniak will be rewarded with a seat on the pine tomorrow with a left-hander on the mound for the Cubbies. But Hey Jo will be going to right field with a glove in his hand.
With a potential rotating DH spot next season we are getting to see a preview of versions of next years outfield.
Is there a possibility that Nevin might give Shohei a day off tomorrow and put Adell in DH and Moniak in RF with Ward in LF?
Moniak wont be playing tomorrow with the LHP. My predicted lineup is:
Ward LF
Ohtani DH
Trout CF
Rendon 3B
Drury 2B
Urshela 1B
Wallach C
Adell RF
Neto SS
What ever the line up turns out to be I am gonna have issues with it because Andrew>Cabal>Arte>Perry>Montgomery>Nevin>Stoopidz>Smoking Man.
So far this year, Smyly has reverse split with lefty hitting 0.322/0.365/0.542
and righty 0.199/0.255/0.339. So I would put Moniak RF and Adell DH. Ohtani has been struggling with pitching lately, so it might help him getting a day off before he pitches on Friday. I also will have Thaiss as C because of reverse split. Nevin likes to rest Wallach the day before Shohei pitches.
Moniak still lifetime 1 for 24 against Lefties.
And with the reverse splits this year you’re making a case for not resting Shohei. (Although lifetime RHBs have a OPS 100 pts higher than LHBs against Smyly ) Either way though Adell will play tomorrow since this maybe the only lefty the Angels face until the new papa comes back. Which means that Moniak will probably start all 3 games of the Mariners series.
I like Moniak playing right field because he is clearly better OF than Adell. Shohei need to change up something to improve his pitching and rest a day before will be a change, so I think tomorrow will be an excellent day for him to rest. How is Moniak going to learn how to hit lefty if he is not given any chance to do it? Especially when Moniak seems to be getting his mojo back. I really liked Moniak had a walk today, which I thought was related to his having bases clearing double.
Perhaps if Ward is still feeling sick, Moniak play LF and Adell RF with Shohei DH.
Rhetorical Question?
Based on what Nevin has done so far, yes, you are right that Moniak will not play. I do have a sneaking feeling that Rengifo will find a starting role tomorrow. I just don’t know where, though. Will be curious how Nevin construct tomorrow’s lineup.
Hope Jo don’t play cranial volleyball with any flyballs near the fence
I think Moniak starts in CF tomorrow with Adell in RF and Trout at DH.
It will be Moniak’s first start of the year against a LH starting pitcher.it will be only his second PA against a LHP this year .
Plus even if Moniak gets the start theres noway with his anemic history against LHPs that Nevin would lead him off. he’d put Ward there.
But we will see
I still am not on a train, could not as a team get more than 10 again. We rely on the HR’s and after that we stink. Tonight Mickey and Drury came through. Renny too, but he is good for a big day every now and then, it’s what’s in between.
Big Walsh fan here, but after this homestand maybe the SLC Bus should take him and his luggage back up there.
Feel free to hop on at any moment.
I agtree with Tim that Barria did an outstanding job.
I know right? Canning and Barria? Mas Macho?
El Mucho Doble
I enjoy watching Salmon do the postgame. I would like it if some of our other legends to become more involved with the team as well. I was to GA to remember GA.
I lol’d when tonight he couldn’t remember Renfroe’s name and the absence – “paternity or whatever that was…” – dude – his woman is popping out a rugrat – pretty big deal for Renfroe.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
The Kingfish was definitely Kingfishing tonight.
The Moniak bases clearing double reminded me a little bit of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbuW_3oBtL8
Yes, very much so.
Can’t see anything but I’m thinking a guy wearing 16 in a game 7?
That was an awesome moment! 😀
Nice write up, Will.
Thanks Lana!
Heefo for Governor
I am already speculating that Rengifo will play 2B tomorrow with Drury at 1B. Smyly pitching tomorrow. Urshela might play 1B, too.
Or Gio at first Drury at second. . They may give Papa Smurf the day off tomorrow hes still been horrendous against LHP this year.
Plus Rengifo is 0 for 3 with 2 Ks lifetime against Smyly
https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/batvspitch/_/id/31816/drew-smyly
Ultimately it comes down to whether Rendon plays tomorrow or gets a rest day.
I know right? That OPS is sneaking up towards that .680 mark that makes him useful.
Sweet Lord at least there’s stuff to be interested in this year. Like this week. Is Jo adell secretly Frank Robinson? we’ll find out.
If I were a puckered sour asshole I’d be frustrated and angry. But since I have the cool, calm, collected positivity of Anthony Rendon inside me I am actually really curious.
So we are a simply dreadful 3 games over .500 on June 7. 3.5(?) games back in the WC.
What have I seen with my LylinEyes and CoachDad radar? Lollygaggers.
At almost NO POINT this year has even close to the whole team been doing well at the same time. But what if Neto hits a little better later? What if Trout goes ape shit? What if Ward heats up all the way? What if Rengifo gets that .680 OPS? What if Rendon becomes (Flamenco Chord!!!) !RENDON!? What if Sandoval and Anderson figure it out? What if (GASP!) Loup is solid!!? What if Bachman and Joyce get sharper? What if Renfroe gets good streaky again? What if Walsh gets it together?
What if Moniak, Drury, Urshela, Devinski, Canning, Barria, Moore, Wallach and Thaiss stay the same?
What if 2/3 of these things happen and PTP trades for some dude?
Obviously this season is over at this point. Why watch to see what happens? I have PTSD and moon time cramps and I am fussy at Arte so nothing is good. Not sex, pizza, kittens or cocaine. Arte. SadMad.
This is poetry.
LIGHT THAT BIG BABY UP !!!!!
Renfroe, please take the whole month for paternity leave.
Trout – Ward – Mickeyyyy / Adell and the young guns in the pen is the new wave.
W3 — SWEEP INCOMING !
Do the Mickey’s Moniak, children….
Contribute three walks… get win… sure ok.
Bah Humbug. Why Trout no steel?????
No. I meant Joyce. The winner.
Ahaaaa
I’m enjoying the wild stallions. Both he and Bachman, their ERA+ is crazy…. as are their WHIPs and K/BB rate…. just incredibly effectively wild
Because I’m Steel, Trout is Trout.
But is Trout more powerful than Blue Steel?
Thats….baseball!