SATURDAY ANGELS ROUNDUP: Joe Saunders Feels Better, Guerrero Expands The Zone

by WiHaloFan on Aug 15, 2009 7:44 AM PDT in Angels News

Up next for Angels: Saturday at Baltimore -- latimes.com
John Lackey vs. Brian Matusz

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. Baltimore Orioles - FOX Sports on MSN
The Orioles tied club records for extra-base hits and doubles in a 16-6 rout of the Los Angeles Angels.

O's Lee hits for cycle, overcome with emotion - nbcsports.msnbc.com
Felix Pie became the fourth player in Baltimore Orioles history to hit for the cycle Pie lifted his arm in triumph and waved to the cheering fans from third base. But his enthusiasm was blunted when he looked at Angels manager Mike Scioscia staring from the dugout. "It's a special time for me but I'm sad because I showed too much emotion on the field," Pie said. "I apologize to Mike Scioscia and the players on the other team. It's part of the game, emotion, but I showed too much."

Maybe Felix Pie was so emotional because they keep calling him "Lee"

NBC SPORTS & COVERS.COM: Matchups, Odds, and Injuries

Team Reports - CBSSports.com
Known as one of the best bad-ball hitters in baseball history, DH Vladimir Guerrero proved it again Friday night. With one out and one on in the first inning, Guerrero swung at a 1-2 curveball from Orioles starter Chris Tillman. Tillman's curveball bounced in the dirt a couple feet in front of home plate -- then Guerrero hit it, dropping it into left field for a single.

Is it just me, or does anyone else think it's not a good thing to swing at a pitch that bounces "a couple feet in front of home plate"?

Angels to face Brian Matusz -- one who got away - Angels Unplugged - Los Angeles Times
The Angels selected Matusz out of high school in the fourth round of a 2005 draft in which they also chose Trevor Bell and Sean O'Sullivan, who are currently in their rotation.

Hunter likely to return Sunday, at earliest - angelsbaseball.com
"He's going to play tonight," Scioscia said, referring to Hunter's appearance in the Minor Leagues. "He feels much better today. If he comes out tonight, we'll look to get him out here this weekend and possibly play, at the earliest, on Sunday."

Angels' Joe Saunders confident he'll regain All-Star form -- latimes.com
"This is the best I've felt all year," Saunders said Friday. "In spring training, they knew it was tight, but I tried to work it out as best I could. Looking back, I should have taken some time off and gotten the shot in spring training."

Baseball Digest Daily Blog - Diggin’ In The Defensive Dirt (Part 7) — Catchers
How do we measure catcher’s defense? Who knows, really. While there’s plenty of data available, it is rare to find anyone taking a stab at it.

If you don't feel like sifting through all of the stats...Napoli is the worst (#36 out of 36), Mathis is 6 spots above him(#30).

Boston Red Sox vs. Texas Rangers - FOX Sports on MSN
A go-ahead double with two outs in a six-run ninth inning gave Boston an 8-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night. The win extended Boston's lead over Texas in the wild card to 1 1/2 games.

Good news, bad news. The good news - Rangers lost. The bad news - the Red Sox won.

August 15 - BR Bullpen
Events, births and deaths that occurred on August 15.
1975 - Frank Tanana pitches an 8 - 0 shutout as the Angels hand the Tigers their 19th straight loss.
1999 - The Angels defeat the Tigers 10-2, as Chuck Finley becomes the first pitcher in history to strike out four batters in an inning twice in his career. Finley previously fanned four Yankees in Anaheim's game with the New Yorkers on May 12. Both instances occurred in the 1st inning.

Poll

Vladimir Guerrero hits a single off of a pitch that bounces in front of the plate...

That's amazing!

185 votes

Why the hell are you swinging at that?

203 votes

388 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

As much as it pains me, Pie didn’t have to apologize for celebrating hitting for the cycle. That’s a great accomplishment. Of course the Angels were gonnabe bummed by it.

by firebird81 on Aug 15, 2009 8:22 AM PDT reply actions

Felix is fragile

And in fact, I think he may have lost a nut last year or had it sewn to his scrotum or something. This year he had no friends because they all thought he deserved to be on the bench. Then he spent the last three months on the bench.

Why does Scioscia go to be so mean?

by b_duardo on Aug 15, 2009 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions

( g l a r e )

by Rev Halofan on Aug 15, 2009 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions

I love emotion in the game.

It’s hard to separate your emotion when you accomplish such a feat as the cycle, and Pie definitely hammed it up for a bit too long; however, that said, I’m glad he was contrite and humbled after the game. It speaks to Pie’s maturing character to be able to do that even on such a special night for him.

Although, I doubt Scioscia was staring at him specifically — I’m guessing he had his usual look of stupefied contempt after a bad play. I’m really hoping Scioscia wouldn’t single out an opposing player like that; it wouldn’t speak well of our club to do so.

by shiftyeyedgoat on Aug 15, 2009 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions

What pains me is that Pie is a 239. hitter...

God our pitching was terrible last night. Napoli sets up low and away, Weaver throws high and inside.

WTF?

Do it for Nick '09

by BryanHarvey'sMoustache on Aug 15, 2009 8:44 AM PDT reply actions

I'm disappointed Izzy didn't get a hit last night.

I was pulling for Vlad and Naps to get their avg’s up to .300 (which they did) so if Torii comes back on Sunday we could have had an all .300 lineup. With Naps presumably out of the lineup today he’d still be at .300 if he starts Sunday and Vlad should be good for a hit today, but with the lefty pitching for the O’s Kendrick will get the start at 2b, no chance for Izzy to get that avg back up. Maybe at some point this coming week if everyone keeps hitting we can get that all-.300 lineup, that would be awesome.

Sunday’s lineup (maybe):
Figgy .303
Abreu .311
Torii .305
Vlad .302
Juan .312
KMo .303
Naps .300
Izzy .297
Aybar .306

by Fred Fredrix on Aug 15, 2009 8:44 AM PDT reply actions

I thought Vlad's hit was amazing!

And hopefully (weird to say) he is back for sure. That’s the kind of crazy stuff he’s known for when he’s on.

W6G!

by Monkeyspanked on Aug 15, 2009 9:04 AM PDT reply actions

Vlad's hit

For those who missed it (like me), watch it here in slo-mo:

http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6106853

by Neo8234 on Aug 15, 2009 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions

thanks...

pretty amazing/lucky.

#34

by stuck in Romania on Aug 16, 2009 7:31 AM PDT up reply actions

We were sitting near third base, close to the field

And oh my god the Scioscia glare during the long interval between Pie’s triple & Jose coming in burned holes through our forehead.

by mattwelch on Aug 15, 2009 12:11 PM PDT reply actions

It was a Hit and Run People.

You Swing No Matter what. Thats why vladdy swung and hit it.

If GA wasn't so lazy, Kotch would be here and then he would catch the ball when Quentin flew out to Center... Give the ball back to Ervin, F**k it lets pitch.
RIP Nick Adenhart.

by WillGoAngels27 on Aug 15, 2009 7:05 PM PDT reply actions