Random Thoughts from Today's Game

by sothball on Jul 5, 2009 4:44 PM PDT

It was a beautiful day for a game...perfect baseball weather. Here are a few random thoughts...

1) Right about 12:00 Noon, Napoli went out to the Nick Adenhart logo in center field, tapped it (as we have seen Weaver do), and then he wrote or drew something on the warning track. If anyone know what I wrote, I’d be curious to find out.

2) Unless he’s hurt, it bugged me to find out Izzy was sitting out the game. I don’t care how well Aybar and Kendrick did today. Izzy has earned a starting spot. He should not have to sit down and await another opportunity. He already EARNED it!

3) Not sure if Vlad is back, but the Vlad we have seen the last 2 days is a lot better than the Vlad of the last 2-3 weeks. It was also good to see him in RF again.

4) Saunders needs a break. I hope the ASB will give him the rest he seems to need. He looks tired, and his confidence seems to be waning. He was 1-0 on probably 90% of the batters today, and I bet he was 2-0 on close to 50% of the batters. That said, he would have still had a chance at a victory if not for Howie’s error in the 3rd inning. That really hurt.

5) Do my eyes deceive me, or do we really have a chance for 3 players with 25-30 HR’s and 90-110 RBI’s (Hunter, Rivera, Morales), and a combination of Napoli/Abreu for a 4th (Napoli with 25-30 HR’s Abreu with 90-110 RBI’s)? This offense could really be scary if Vlad continues to improve. This is definitely the best Angel offense since 2002…so far anyway.

6) Speier got the job done in the 6th, but it was scary! We still need help in the ‘pen. On the other hand, Bulger’s strike out of Brian Roberts in the 8th was a thing of beauty.

7) On the post-game report, Rory said this is the first time the Angels have come back for victories from 4 run deficits in successive games since the ’79 series against the Yankees (right before the ASB). Oh man…that ‘79 series was one of the best 4 game series EVER.

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.

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Good post...

been laid up for the past week so I have had excuse to watch every game…

a) could not believe Gazoo was NOT in this lineup at DH if nowhere else! How do you sit the guy who has 3 hits in the last couple games…????

b) Vlad shoulda hit 3 HRs today…he popped up the first 2 ABs on hanging breaking balls he would normally hit 3 miles…nice to see him not miss the 3rd time!

c) Naps is still off, but 3 BB’s did the job!

d) bullpen = exhale. My knuckles are sore from knocking on wood every time they did well…and they DID WELL!

e) HK:
ab#1 5 pitch groundout to 3b on 3-1 pitch;
ab#2 single to RF on 1-0 pitch;
ab#3 grounds into FC (3b) on 1-1 pitch:
ab#4 flies to CF on 7 pitch 2-2 count;
saw 17 pitches today and went 1 for 4, made brutal error in 1st that cost at least 2 runs, stole his 7th base,

f) still miss ya Nick!

Miss you Nick...! RIP

by K3YEROUT on Jul 5, 2009 5:14 PM PDT reply actions

Great Post!

I agree with all of your points

I love Maicer, i hope he is not hurt and he definitely deserves the starting spot everyday.

We could also see 5, maybe 6 guys with .300+ batting averages by the end of the season

by dmoney2741 on Jul 5, 2009 5:48 PM PDT reply actions

that '79 series was a thing of beauty

thanks for a fantastic reminder.

I agree with the Mice Tits take. I think he has earned a spot playing every day. It is ironic that Sosh always defers to the vet unless it is Howie.

Adenhart 1986-2009

by cupie on Jul 5, 2009 5:49 PM PDT reply actions

But isn't Howie a vet now, at least in Soth's book?

RIP Nick Adenhart.

"When the Babe tries to call his shot, I hope Nick puts one in his ear."
--RallyMonkey5

by Clutch on Jul 5, 2009 7:52 PM PDT up reply actions

I had to go back and look again.

It turns out it was a 3 game series, not 4. I do recall being at a friend’s house for the Saturday night game. Mike Barlow was already pitching in the 4th inning. Mike Barlow was to the ‘79 Angels what Hector Carrasco was to the ’07 Angels…a long reliever “mop”…but worse. Seeing Barlow in the game, we were going to go somewhere, but we decided to stay and watch the game anyway. We sure didn’t expect to see a victory.
Angels were down 6-2 going to the bottom of the 8th, and Gossage pitching. He gave up 2 HR’s in the 8th to Rudi and Baylor. 6-4 Yanks going to the 9th.
The Yanks scored in the top of the 9th to make it 7-4. In the bottom of the 9th, the Angels got 2 hits with 2 outs to bring up Baylor again. Baylor hits a 3-run HR to tie the game! UN-FREAKIN-BELIEVABLE! The crowd was going nuts!
The Angels won the game in the 11th inning. Downing got a double, and Merv Rettenmund (!) got the game winning hit off of Ron Davis. That was one of the greatest come-back’s by an Angel team ever. What a game…what a game!

by sothball on Jul 5, 2009 9:52 PM PDT up reply actions

We were at that game and what I remember most of all was the crowd going nuts.

We had season tickets and spent a lot of time sitting among the normally staid Angels fans. The couple in their 50s who had the seats next to us always had a little cooler bag with beautiful little deli sandwiches and a thermos of something that looked like water.

We owned the tickets with two other couples and we lucked out getting the tickets to that game.

.... as sexy as socks on a rooster.

by opiejeanne on Jul 6, 2009 6:31 AM PDT up reply actions

Good post sothball ...

I think the answer to Maicer Izturis not playing is a simple one. Remember he has played a hell of a lot of baseball in the past 3 weeks or so when Howie was down in the Salt mines.

I really think it was just a matter of the Soth giving Mice Tits a day off to re-charge after playing so much, also a hot day game after a night game. Plus, Aybar needs a chance to play once in a while.

I’d be surprised if Iztoodis is not back in the lineup for the Tejas series.

Don't call me Desmond

by highlandhalo on Jul 6, 2009 5:46 AM PDT reply actions