The Angels have lost 17 of their last 22 games and are fresh off a sweep in Cleveland. Up next, the two time defending World Series champions. Remember when the Angels went 6-0 against these guys last year? I’m pretty sure the Dodgers do and would love some payback.
A losing streak like this demands somebody get fired. The Angels found their guy in Patrick O’neal.
It won’t improve the on field product, but at least the broadcast should be listenable without Patty O’s commentary. Trent Rush will take over the Friday night broadcasts.
Over the last couple of weeks the Angels bullpen has been rebuilt and the results have improved noticeably. Take away the 4 runs given up by Adam Frazier in Toronto and the bullpen only allowed 3 runs in that series. Drew Pomeranz surrendered the lone run allowed in Cleveland.
Will that be enough to overcome the the shaky offense of the Angels? The Cleveland series told us what we already know: this lineup has holes.
Why does Kurt Suzuki insist on playing Josh Lowe, who is 4 for his last 37? And when the super defender Bryce Teodosio is in the game, why is he pigeon holed in left field? Complete total idiocy by the manager there.
One reason Lowe sucks so badly is he just watches strikes go by and buries himself early in counts.
Not all is lost, though. There are some interesting young pieces worth watching. Walbert Urena had another good start this week. This was his third straight start pitching 5 or more innings while allowed 2 or fewer runs. His change piece is starting to look really nice. Hat tip to Mike Maddux, I’m sure.
Ureana might be joined by some minor leaguers who are getting close to making the jump to MLB. I know Najer Victor’s walk rate is too high but I think he has the type of arsenal that works well with Maddux. We’re in last place, why not let the kid work some things out at the MLB level?
Hopefully the farm is supplemented by some prospects at this year’s trade deadline. I ranked the Angels top three trade chips and expect none of them to be moved.
However, there is one trade chip that is extremely obvious if not extremely valuable.
From around baseball…
A fan in Chicago went to the hospital after falling into the visiting bullpen.
The White Sox sit a an even .500 and have a good farm system. They are about to add UCLA super stud Roch Cholowsky to their organization with the first overall pick in July.
Thanks to cookmeister for getting out draft talk started in this piece here.
There’s an outside chance I attend the draft this year. I’m just thinking about it. I can request credentials to anything through a guy at SI digital. If Trout makes the All Star team in essentially his hometown that would be an amazing story to cover. However, I’m sure I would be pretty low on the credential totem pole. However, my thinking is if I ask to cover the draft and fanfest and only attend media day for the ASG I can probably pull that off. The question then becomes logistics and finances and the SI gig has yet to pay very much.
I’m thinking I’ll ask and see of Dad wants to join me. I think that would be a cool father/son experience and Dad is fine while I walk away to work here and there.
Enjoy your weekend and link what I missed. It will be a tough crowd at the Big A and I’m not going. I host an open house on Saturday and plan on spending Sunday doing whatever my wife and son want to do.
