Momentum is something that confuses baseball nerds. It is not really quantifiable, or measurable, or predictable in any meaningful way. Sure, there are clutch stats and predictors for situations based off of previous experience, but it is not the same as a momentum shift that changes the game beyond what is statistically likely.
That happened to Soriano today. He had an easy 3 innings, not allowing a baserunner. But then in the 4th, Moore bobbled a ground ball and then suddenly Murphy’s law came into play. Everything went wrong. A 2 run home run, seeing eye singles, bloops, bad throws, and it was 7-0 Rays by the time he was finally able to get 3 outs.
So while Soriano did go 4 innings, giving up 7 runs on 7 hits, striking out 4 and walking 1, he would have likely had a much better day without that bobble to start the 4th. It isn’t Moore’s fault, it was a slow play and he had to rush to have a chance, but he is kicking himself 2nd most today after Soriano.
And this is why sports are not played on paper, and why expected stats are dumb. Most of those hits had a low expected batting average. Low exit velocity, not ideal bat angle. What they were though were perfectly placed, just out of reach or just hard enough to get through.
“High”lighted Recap
No one had a hit until the 4th, when things unraveled fast and Soriano allowed 7 runs. That’s bad.
But, the Angels didn’t get shut out, as Jo Adell hit his 23rd home run of the year in the 5th.
Momentum was starting to swing the Angels’ way, as Logan walked and Moore hit a double with 2 outs and WHY DID YOU SEND HIM!?
And what do you know, the Angels do not manage to get any more runs because even after another hit, a double play ends their chances. Momentum is a thing, and nerds cannot quantify it.
The Rays really tried to let the Angels back in the game though, as a Jo Adell bloop double plated the 3rd run for the Halos.
But it was too little, too late, and the Angels lose.
Upcoming
Another Rays game tomorrow, no game Thursday though. Weekend is at Detroit.
Moore definitely needs to work on his defense.
Yes, he seems good at turning the dp with Neto (6-4-3 at least) but there was one time in the last few games where he was slow getting to second base and Neto had to skip the dp and throw to first base. Plus a play two games ago where he was slow on a routine throw to first base and the runner safe plus last night’s play (and I did not watch the game after the 4th inning).
When is the Bo Porter era ending?
9-29-25…hopefully
After the fourth inning, I was following the game on Gameday when I saw O’Hoppe being thrown out at the plate. How do you make an out at the plate with you are down by 5 runs?
(and now that I watched it this morning, is wasn’t even close)
Keepin’ the Gang together for Modern Chemistry, very important games we’ve been told…….Oh, Stupid Arturo, you crack me up with your management skill set that will be taught in textbooks for years to come. 🤒 
Arte wants the fan to keep coming out to the ballpark and have some hope. Also they don’t have players behind anyone talented they would trade. And for others, the price to trade them was likely so low they figured it didn’t make sense. No fire sale.
I don’t really understand how this is happening. We held onto Ward and Jansen and Detmers, etc. Shouldn’t there be warm fuzzies and wins and shit? Maybe we need to realign our rotation so our second best pitcher faces their number four? But we would have had to do that three weeks ago if we were a real ball club full of strategix.
We are losing some extra games so the ones remaining start getting super super SUPER meaningful.
Shouldn’t there be warm fuzzies and wins and shit?
No, just shit.
It was weird, I was watching the game in the 4th inning while cooking some dinner, and all of a sudden Yakety Sax starts blaring.
Man. I could barely get through that top of the 1st. Runs aside, it is just tough to watch Soriano on one of his “transplant” days where the twin brother of the real Jose shows up to pitch while Jose goes and watches a movie or something. Every pitch a crap pitch in one way or another. Seems to happen to him every few weeks.
Jo Adell is still making me smile and, soon enough, CMo might break the .200 barrier. That’d be cool. Solid enough games from Teo and Pereza I guess. Keep on truckin through these significant meaningful games you boys.
Playoffs are a pipe dream. Pitching is average at best, coaching is horrible and all of the strikeouts….. unacceptable.
Yeah, Trout.
Hahahahhaha. Came here to write that phrase. Well done!