Angels Dozing Bats Miss Zack Greinke Debut

Final Score in Anaheim: Rays 2 Angels 0

Zack Greinke pitched seven innings of two-run ball, throwing 70 strikes in the 111 pitches that launched his Angels career. He struck out eight Tampa Bay batters, walked one and scattered seven hits, some of which would not have gotten past a defense that was awake.

In the Tampa series, Angels pitching allowed six runs over three games. The pitching has been great. LaTroy Hawkins and Jason Isringhausen each pitched a scoreless inning over the admittedly weak Tampa Bay lineup. Everything pointed toward an Angels victory under normal circumstances.

Except Mike Trout was held out of the lineup with a knee contusion (fancy jargon for "the AMA cartel gets paid big bucks to not call a bruise a bruise). X-Rays were not necessary and the young outfielder probably needed a day of rest anyway. Torii Hunter did not start either, but came in as a groundout pinch hitter late.

The Angels offense has been shutout for 23 consecutive innings. Instead of being scared that their next four games are against the Texas Rangers, though, let's be optimistic and assume that the ladies softball yard of Arlington and exhausted Rangers pitching are just what the overpaid doctor of Anaheim ordered.