Angels Starters Streaking, Halo Bullpen Leaking. Halolinks

Kendrick, Matsui lead Angels over Tigers 6-5 -  Sporting News
Scott Kazmir left the game with a six-run cushion, then took a seat in front of the clubhouse television and watched helplessly as that lead kept shrinking."It was definitely nerve-racking, that's for sure," Kazmir said. "But at the same time, those guys are streaky hitters. They've got quite a few veterans, especially their 3-4-5 hitters, and those guys can swing it. So you knew they weren't going to go down without a fight. But when Rodney came in and you saw his first two pitches, you knew he was on."

I think this is what Joe Saunders was talking about when, during an interview earlier this spring about the Angels rotation lacking an "ace", he mentioned the Angels starters would "feed off each other" and string together good outings.  With Kazmir's win last night, each of the Angels starters have won their last decision and the Angels have won 5 straight.  With each win there seems to be a little more determination with the starters to not let down his rotation-mates.  As was mentioned in last night post-game write-up, the Angel starters have allowed just one walk in their last 37 innings and have a K/BB ratio of  27/1.  Another indication the Angels starters have had excellent command of the strike zone is the number of strikes they have thrown.  Of the 519 pitches thrown, 345 have been strikes (66%).

Tigers-Angels Preview -  Sporting News
Los Angeles will look for another strong start from Jered Weaver (2-0, 2.48 ERA) when he takes the ball in this contest. He allowed two runs and struck out eight in seven innings of a 7-5 win at Toronto on Friday. "My arm feels good, everything feels good," said Weaver, who has struck out 21 and walked three in three starts this season. The right-hander, however, is 2-2 with a 7.36 ERA against the Tigers. The Tigers hope Jeremy Bonderman (1-1, 9.00) can bounce back from a rough outing when gets the start Wednesday. He allowed 10 runs and walked four in four innings of an 11-3 loss at Seattle on Friday. It was the most runs he had allowed since the Angels scored 11 off him July 29, 2007. The right-hander is 3-3 with a 4.67 ERA against the Angels.

The Angels have scored 60 runs, while allowing 74 runs. Their Pythagorean W-L: 6-9.  The one that counts: 8-7.

Jeff Mathis on DL, Robb Quinlan recalled by Angels -  FOX Sports on MSN
The Los Angeles Angels placed catcher Jeff Mathis on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday because of a broken right wrist and recalled utility infielder Robb Quinlan from Triple-A Salt Lake. Mathis was injured in the eighth inning of Monday night's 2-0 win over Detroit when he attempted to block a pitch in the dirt from reliever Kevin Jepsen with his throwing hand. Mathis finished the game, but manager Mike Scioscia wasn't too optimistic about the situation afterward. Mathis was examined Tuesday by Dr. Lewis Yocum, who gave him the bad news. The catcher is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

Ah, man.  Just when we were starting to like you.  Did anyone else think it was strange that Napoli was hitting ninth in  last night's game?  It was almost like Scioscia was pissed he had to start Naps, "I got no choice but to play you, but you're batting last!"

MORE LINKS AFTER THE BREAK...

Abreu reaches rare feat with stolen base - angelsbaseball.com
Bobby Abreu's stolen base in the fifth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night made him only the sixth player in Major League history and the only active player to steal 350 career bases and hit 250 home runs. Rickey Henderson (1,406 stolen bases/297 home runs), Joe Morgan (689/268), Barry Bonds (514/762), Bobby Bonds (461/332) and Craig Biggio (414/291) are the others to reach the achievement.

That's some pretty good company.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Edinson Volquez suspended 50 games - FOX Sports on MSN
Former All-Star pitcher Edinson Volquez was suspended 50 games Tuesday following a positive test for a banned fertility substance, a punishment that will cost him money but won't hurt the Cincinnati Reds' rotation. The 26-year-old right-hander is recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery and isn't expected to rejoin the Reds until late July at the earliest. He can serve the suspension from Major League Baseball while continuing his rehabilitation at the team's spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz. "That's the only good thing,'' Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo said. "I'm actually surprised they're letting him do that.''

I agree with Arroyo's comment.  Earlier this year when Cliff Lee had been suspended (see below), his suspension wouldn't have started until he returned from the disabled list.  How is this different?  Volquez is going to lose some money over this, but what's to stop a team from telling a severely injured player to go ahead and take a steroid to help them heal faster and they'll continue to pay him secretly when/if he tests positive?  If a player doesn't care about the negative publicity of using PED's, he'll return quicker, while the team will get their player back sooner and would have been paying him anyways.

Mariners' Lee wins appeal, has suspension dropped -  CBSSports.com
MLB vice president of administration John McHale made the decision Tuesday to drop the suspension after Lee's appeal hearing last week. Lee, general manager Jack Zduriencik and Mariners trainer Rick Griffin said in a conference call with MLB that the left-hander's injuries caused an errant pitch in a spring training game.

Good.  Once Lee returns, the Mariners will have no excuses for when the Angels beat them.

When it comes to revenue, Yankees are in league of their own - Joe Posnanski - SI.com
According to the Forbes numbers, every team in baseball, except the Florida Marlins (who are a WHOLE other story) spent at least 80% of their revenue on baseball operations last year. There were differences in how much teams spent, sure. The percentages ranged from the Detroit Tigers (who spent 116% of their revenue -- they lost almost $30 million in 2009), to the Marlins (who spent just 68% -- the San Diego Padres are next at 80%). Seventeen teams spent 90% or more on baseball operating expenses, so at least in financial terms you would have to say that most teams ARE trying.

Hey, guess what...the Yankees are making a lot of money!

Good seats available: MLB setting record lows in attendance - Big League Stew -  Yahoo! Sports
Eight games were played in the major leagues Monday night. Three of the venues being used announced all-time attendance lows. Three out of eight — in one night!

Hey, guess what...the Yankees are still making a lot of money!

April 21 - BR Bullpen
2000 - The Anaheim Angels down the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 9 - 6. Mo Vaughn and Tim Salmon hit back-to-back home runs for Anaheim in the fourth inning, then repeat the feat in the ninth. Troy Glaus also homers in those same two innings, marking the first time in major league history that three players homer in the same inning twice in the same game. The three players with two home runs in the game ties another major league record.
RIP:
1947 - Steamer Flanagan, outfielder (b. 1881)  What a great name.

Five-in-a-row: