Maddon Has the Angels Number (58/81)

Say what you want about Mike Scioscia, but we all know the real brains behind his coaching staff circa 2002 was current Tampa Bay Rays coach Joe Maddon.

From left to right, Bobby Ramos, Mike Scioscia, Alfredo Griffin, Joe Maddon, Mickey Hatcher, Ron Roenicke and Bud Black.

The Angels continued the 10 year anniversary of their 2002 World Series Championship Thursday, by welcoming former bench coach, Maddon, home and getting shut out by the Rays 7-0.

Above we see the Angels coaching staff of 2002 celebrating their World Series win. Four of the men above, who were once the collective brain of the Angels, have gone on to have success in the majors as managers.

As we know, Scioscia still runs things in Anaheim. Maddon was the first to go and became the manager of the Rays in 2006. He subsequently turned that team around and has been contending for the playoffs every year since. In 2007, pitching coach, Black, left for the San Diego Padres and turned their pitching rotation to a legitimate playoff contender in 2010. Finally in 2011, Roenicke moved on to become the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers and took the team to a franchise record 96-66 in his first season.

Maddon has had the Angels number recently. The Angels have been shut out by Maddon's Rays in the past 3 games and have been shut out 4 times overall by the Rays. The Angels record this year versus the Rays is 1-6, and they've only been able to score 8 total runs against the Rays in 7 games. Whatever Maddon is doing with his computers and metrics, it's working because the Angels have not been able to adjust and figure it out.

Bullpen Sucks and Blows Another One (55/81)

Remember in the middle of the season when the Angels bullpen inexplicably turned their season around and began pitching lights out? With the acquisition of Ernesto Frieri and an innovative closer system implemented by Mike Scioscia, the Angels bullpen began holding leads for the first time in two years. All of that has gone away and the Angels bullpen is once again back to meeting expectations.

Angels were struggling to get back into the game, down 3-0 in the 8th inning when Albert Pujols came through with a clutch 2-run home run. With the score 3-2 going into the 9th, the Angels handed the ball over to relief pitcher Hisanori Takahashi. Takahashi then proceeded to give up 3 hits to 3 batters before being relieved by Jason Isringhausen. Not even the veteran Isringhausen could close the door on that mess as the inning ended with the Cleveland Indians up 6-2.

What happened? Recently asked about the team's struggles, Torii Hunter responded, "I can't talk about that," Hunter said. "I will never talk about my pitchers."

With a staff ERA of 6.67 in August, the worst in all of baseball, Angels have watched their name tumble down the standing further behind Texas and now fifth in the Wild Card standings.

Angels pitching coach, Mike Butcher, was thrown out of the game the other night for getting in the face of an umpire when he took issue over the umpire's strike zone against Jered Weaver. As a result, Butcher has been suspended one game by the league. It will be interesting to see if the Angels shutout the Indians tonight, and everyone makes a big stink about Butcher being the problem.

I'll stand by what I've been saying all year, the Angels need a breath of fresh air in their pitching approach. Despite their unquestionable talent, the pitching has struggled and someone needs to man up and accept the blame or turn things around.

Santana Can't Figure It Out (44/81)

Was yesterday's 9-2 loss versus the first place Texas Rangers the last straw for Ervin Santana? If you took to Twitter yesterday through Santana's 1 2/3 innings pitched, you'd certainly think so.

"When did Santana get on the #Rangers payroll? Talk about serving it up on a tee. He needs to go. He stinks. #Angels" -@snelz04

"Call up Mills and send Santana packing!" -@Halomich2

"I'm sure he's a swell guy but it's time to take Ervin Santana to the glue factory." -@MnkysThrwngDrts

Those Tweets were a couple of the nicer ones. Angels fans are upset with Santana. In a season filled with high expectations, Santana has been consistently inconsistent, and it's frustrating. When asked about what has been his problem, Santana turned to the reporter and said, "If you told me, I'd probably make the adjustment."

I wrote in an earlier blogs about things Santana should do to get back into his groove and how Joe Saunder's pep talk sparked Santana. What's most likely to happen now is that Santana will move to the bullpen to provide pitching depth the Angels need there while GM Jerry Dipoto scours the trade market for an arm that can help the Angel's postseason push.

However, manager Mike Scioscia is not ready to move Santana to the pen just yet. He told reporters today that Santana will be put on a 15 out limit to get him aggressive. Silly Scioscia sited former pitchers like Aaron Sele and Scott Kazmir as previous pitchers who the Angels have tried this approach with.

The problem is that 15 outs is more of a goal than a limit. Santana couldn't even manage to get 6 outs before being yanked yesterday, and siting too of the most failed arms in the Angels rotation not named Kelvim Escobar is not the best way to gain fan confidence in this new approach. Be prepared Angels fans, the future looks uncertain.

What do you think the Angels should do with Santana? Leave a comment below.

Angels Come Home, Leave Bats on Plane (30/81)

Yesterday may have marked the Angel's first home game since coming back from their awesome road trip, but the Angels have been back in sunny southern California since the beginning of the week.

In the last four games since getting off the plane, the Angels are 2-2 and have only managed 7 runs. Last night they got blanked by the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 and are waiting for their bats to make it through customs. Even the sizzling hot, Mike Trout, has cooled off going 1 for 13 with a single and a walk in the past 3 games.

Surprisingly, the two Angels who have had the most offensive impact the last two days have been the most surprising. On Wednesday, the Angels beat the crosstown Dodgers 2-1 thanks to home runs by Alberto Callaspo and Erick Aybar. Last night, the Angels only managed 3 hits against D-Backs starter, Trevor Cahill, with two of those hits coming from Aybar and Callaspo.

I was listening to the game on the radio last night on my way to Downtown Disney to grab dinner when I heard that the Angels had elected to intentionally walk D-Back's catcher, Miguel Montero. This was a smart move as Montero has been tearing up the ball in recent games, but didn't pay off when D-Back's second baseman Aaron Hill ripped a high cutter over the fence for a 3-run home run off Angels starter, Dan Haren. Yes, that was the nail in the coffin for the Angel's futile offense that game, but you can't fault Mike Scioscia's team for making a smart move to walk Montero.


I've been faulting Scioscia a lot this season for some impractical moves, but in recent weeks, I've got to admit, he has been managing his team very well. Besides the one incident where he left Jerome Williams in too long against the Dodgers, the skipper has been putting together a very smart baseball team. Now if only these nerds can remember where they left their bats.

Trout Wrecks the Rangers (24/81)

Jerome Williams pitched yet another quality start and Mike Trout turned into a one-man-wrecking crew as the Angels came back to beat the rival Texas Rangers 4-2 in Anaheim.

Angels entered Friday night trailing the Rangers by 6 1/2 games in the AL West despite winning 8 out of their last 10 games. Knowing how important this series was, its not surprise that guys stepped up.

Down 2-0 in the 6th, Trout hit a long fly ball off the wall that scored catcher, John Hester, and then scored himself on Albert Pujols fly ball to right field. Just like that, the Angels, who had not been able to figure out Ranger's starter, Colby Lewis, had a fresh ball game.

Angels found their luck when they got the bases loaded in the 7th thanks to a hit batter and an error by Ranger's second baseman, Ian Kinsler. Trout stepped up to the plate yet again, and drove in two go-ahead runs that turned out to be the winning runs with a single to right field.

One of the biggest factors to the Angel's revival of their season has not just been their new found offense, but the restructuring of their bullpen. It seems that Mike Scioscia has finally found the perfect combination with Jordan Walden in the 7th, Scott Downs in the setup role in the 8th, and newcomer Ernesto Frieri (above) closing out the games. Not only does this work, but with Downs and Frieri throwing unhittable pitches, Scioscia has been able to interchange them in the 9th inning in respect to left-handed and right-handed batters. It has worked more beautifully for the Angels the past two weeks than I've ever seen for another team that utilizes the "closer-by-committee" concept. However, Scioscia is looking for a guy to "fill the role," as he states, and is most likely looking at Walden, Downs, Frieri (in that order) to finish games when the Angels have the lead.

Weaver Feels Great In First Complete Game of the Year (9/81)

Had a late night last night, but I was able to catch some of the recap from Saturday night's game. Let's see how the Angels did.

On the back of Jered Weaver's complete game, the Angels trumped the Baltimore Orioles for the second time in as many days, beating them 6-3 at Anaheim Stadium.

Weaver was in control last night, striking out 5 and walking none on a relatively low 114 pitches. His lone mistake was underestimating Orioles catcher Matt Weiters on a 3-0 count by throwing a fastball right down the middle. Weiters made Weaver pay by driving the ball into the stands for a 2-0 lead.

The Angels didn't give up though, and strung together enough hits for a 5-run 5th inning. Angels sent 11 men to the plate that inning including RBI singles from Mark Trumbo, Erick Aybar and Kendrys Morales with a big 2-run double hit by Bobby Abreu.

Bobby In The Lineup

Abreu got his sixth start of the season in left field last night, and, as mentioned above, delivered the death blow during that 5-run fifth. I have a few theories on Bobby playing as much as he has this season, and I'd like to list them here:

1. Mike Scioscia knows how much depth he has...

...so he's giving everyone an equal chance to prove themselves with the hopes that their numbers will not falter with inconsistent playing time. He's not doing this for a disgruntled player, as many of us believed was the case when Scioscia and General Manger Jerry Dipoto promised Abreu 400 at-bats during spring training. It's about seeing who's going to produce and who isn't early in the season so that you don't have to worry about it later. Scioscia was quoted after the game last night saying,

“The bottom line is, for a century they said, ‘If you want to play more, play better.’ … I don’t think our goal is to keep everyone happy. Our goal is to keep them productive.

2. Angels Are Trying to Trade Bobby

A productive player is always more valuable that an unproductive player. Yeah, the Angels could eat Abreu's salary and trade him for an obscure minor league player who will then be sent down to the Angel's farm system and never be heard from again, but what would they gain from doing that besides making another team better with a motivated Bobby Abreu.

If Abreu produces well, then it can only mean good things for the Angel's lineup if they decide to keep him, or he becomes more valuable if they opt to trade him. If Abreu doesn't produce, then the Angels will probably release or trade him and get nothing in return, but at least they can be content with the fact that they tried.

3. Scioscia Has Accidentally Switched His Manager's Rulebook with a Little League Rulebook...

...and feels the need to give everyone equal amounts of playing time regardless of talent or depth at any given position. After playing Abreu the minimum amount of innings required by Little League, Scioscia substituted Vernon Wells for Abreu just to be fair.

4. Bobby Abreu Knows Where The Bodies Are Buried...

...and is holding the Angels hostage for playing time.

Don't get me wrong, I love Bobby. He was one of the best things to happen to the Angels 2-3 years ago. However, I lost a lot of respect for him with all the public complaining he was doing about his expected playing time with the Angels this year and having Scioscia and Dipoto baby him to calm him down. His lack of defensive effort in the first series against the Kansas City Royals was the final straw for me. He needs to learn his role on the team, a veteran bat off the bench, and do what needs to be done to win a World Series. It's either that or get traded to a team like the Pittsburgh Pirates and lose all hope of ever reaching a World Series again before he retires.

Finally, The Angels Put Together A Solid Game (8/81)

The Angels had 11 hits, the Baltimore Orioles had 3 errors, Jerome Williams bounced back, and Jordan Walden picked up his first save of the season as the Angels finally put together a solid game for the second time this week to beat the Orioles six to three.

I attended the game last night and had some great seats to watch the action. After getting roughed up by the Yankees in his season debut, Williams delivered a solid night by keeping the ball down and not running into any trouble until the the 7th inning when he gave up a towering 2-run home run to Nolan Reimold. Manager Mike Scioscia came out to the mound to let the journeyman know it was his time to come out, and then brought in LaTroy Hawkins for the Hold.

Speaking of Holds, nobody talks about them anymore. The middle relief guys don't nearly get as much glory or recognition as the starters or closers, but their the ones who have to hold the fort down until the big guns show up. Granted, this has been an area the Angels have struggled in recent years, but guys like Scott Downs, Yankee's David Robertson, and Ranger's Alexi Ogando should be getting a lot more ink for consistently coming in and shutting down opposing batters.  

Howard Lights Up The Halo

The Angels left a lot of base runners stranded last night, but still hit good enough to manage four runs thanks to a great hitting night from second baseman Howard Kendrick (don't ask me why he prefers "Howard" over "Howie"). Kendrick managed carried the team last night by going 3 for 5 with a single, a run scored, and two doubles including this one that cleared the bases, giving him three RBIs for the night.  

Trumbo In Left

Mark Trumbo got his first start in Left Field today in a lineup that featured the Angel's best hitters. I'm not going to get used to it because it's almost guaranteed that we'll see a different order tomorrow, but I was glad to see Scioscia put out a lineup that I completely agree with. Batting Trumbo behind Torii Hunter was a great idea to take some of the pressure off designated hitter, Kendrys Morales.  

Is Trout Here Yet?

Despite his amazing batting line in Triple A right now, Mike Trout talk has cooled off this week thanks to some decent play by Vernon Wells. Wells is batting .286 in the past 7 days with 2 home runs, 8 hits, and 3 RBIs. He's reached base nine times in the past week and scored 6 runs. Six out of nine is a pretty good average for scoring when you get on base. Thank Chris Iannetta for those runs.  

Final Note:

The Angels have been off to a rough start this season. Scioscia has been playing around with the lineup on a daily basis trying to find the one that clicks. I may not always agree with his decisions on who is playing or the order of the lineup, but there is a method to his madness. He's not panicking. He tells the players on a daily basis to just "grind it out" and not worry about records, slumps, etc. He wants his players to be relaxed although focused at the same time. I agree with what he's said before that his team has too much talent to stay down for long. The Angels will find their chemistry, Pujols will hit home runs, the rotation will get the wins, but everyone just needs to be patient.

As for Trumbo, he is the best hitter in the Angel's lineup right now, but he's only playing half as much as the regular starters. Scioscia has ALWAYS been a defense-first kind of manager, and Trumbo's initial go at third didn't leave a good taste in Scioscia's mouth. Trumbo going to have to work hard to build his manager's trust again no matter how hard he is hitting the ball. That's just the way Scioscia is. It's the reason why the Angels kept Mathis instead of Mike Napoli last year, and it's the reason why Alberto Callaspo is still in the lineup. I don't see Scioscia changing his ways as manager anytime soon, so his players are just going to have to meet his expectations instead.

Side-note: I honestly believe that General Manager Jerry Dipoto should run for a government office. That guy is the biggest politician I have ever seen in baseball, and I don't mean it in a bad way. Everything that comes out of Dipoto's mouth means everything and nothing. He says all the right things to build confidence and avoid controversy. You can tell he has a great baseball mind by never publicly doubting his players and always building up his investments. He knows how mental a sport baseball is. Good job, Jerry, the Angels are lucky to have you.

Bartolo Colon Baffles Angels Hitters (6/81)

Did Bartolo Colon shutout the Angels last night as the Oakland Athletics beat them six to zero? Great scott, Marty, are we back in 2005?!



The waist-band-stretching A's hurler, shut down the Angels yesterday and even managed to set a major league record in most consecutive strikes thrown at 38 (at least as far as recorded data goes back 24 years ago). This goes to show that the Angels weren't swinging and missing at bad pitches. They were missing pitches over the MIDDLE OF THE PLATE.

You could thank the hitters, you could blame batting coach, Mickey Hatcher, by the number one culprit who deserves all your praise for turning Colon back into a phenom is manager Mike Scioscia. Seriously, take a look at this lineup posted before the game:



For the record, I didn't catch any of the game because it was on FSN, and we don't have that channel, BUT I saw this lineup posted on the Angels Official Facebook, and I knew right then and there that it was going to be bad news.

First of all, don't let Bobby Wilson's batting average fool you, he only had 3 at-bats going into the game. That lineup has one, maybe two, guys who can steal a base, although that's not why I'm upset with this lineup. I'm upset with this lineup because you have the most disgruntled, laziest player, Bobby Abreu on the team batting leadoff in favor of your fastest, best defender, and adequate hitter Peter Bourjos. Don't get me wrong, Bobby's a great hitter, but his speed is gone and his defense is poor at best. He looks like he's walking after every hit to left field.

Subbing Maicer Izturis in for slumping Erick Aybar was a good move, but not by sandwiching him between the two worst hitters on the team. Who's going to drive him in when he's surrounded by three automatic outs?

And lastly, can we please leave Trumbo in? I'd rather him make the errors now than in September. Give us a consistent lineup, Mike!

I've discovered what Scioscia is doing this year. He's OVER-MANAGING. He wants everything to be in his control this year and be called a genius for figuring out the perfect formula. Problem is, the Angels are last in the AL West, compared to the Texas Rangers who are 10-2, and have lost 2 out of 3 to the A's, who have an even worse offense than the Angels.

As a former player, I know that baseball players need consistency. It's a mental game, and you want to feel comfortable and get into a rhythm. It's tough to feel comfortable if you're checking the lineup every day to see if you're playing or not and where. Don't believe me? Ask Bobby Abreu. I have a great respect for utility guys like Izturis, Emilio Bonafacio, and Chone Figgins, who have had to check the lineup regularly throughout their careers, yet have still managed to produce. Izturis could start for any number of teams, but he has a strong mental grasp of the game, wants to play for a contender like the Angels, knows his role and chooses not to complain about it (something Abreu should take note of).

Former Angels

Speaking of former Angels like Figgins, it's still weird how the Angels haven't managed to score off former players Colon and Brian Fuentes, and that the underachieving Fernando Rodney has a win and 3 or 4 saves this season with the Tampa Bay Rays. Baseball truly is a strange sport.

Contract Extension

The Angels extended Gold Glove-winning shortstop, Erick Aybar's contract into the 2016 season for $40.075 million. Congrats to the guy. He plays great defense and good enough offense to warrant it. With the move, the Angels have locked up their core players, Jered Weaver, CJ Wilson, Albert Pujols, Howie Kendrick, and Aybar for the next 4 years at least. Other fixtures, Peter Bourjos and Mark Trumbo are young enough to still have a couple more years left of arbitration, and Dan Haren has a team option for 2013 that the Angels are almost certain to use.