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While you were away...
The Angels messed all over Texas. It was crushing. In the 4 game series that just concluded yesterday they outscored the Rangers 33 to 15. They outhit them 51 to 29. and they forced 5 errors. This was The Golden Sombrero of Broomage.
Thursday was the Kole Calhoun and Mike Trout Show with a little bit of Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton thrown in. Calhoun and Trout both went 4 for 5 with Calhoun scoring 4 times to Trout's 3, but Trout driving in 4 runs to Calhoun's 1. trout, being aided by a 3 run home run, helped lift Hector Santiago to his first recorded victory of the season and the Halos kicked off the series with a monster 15 - 6 ass-kicking.
Friday was More Trout, and more sprinklings of Pujols and Hamilton, and a dominant mound performance by Garrett Richards. Trout smacked himself another home run to back up a 6-hit shutout by Richards/Jepsen/Smith, and the Angels defeated the Rangers 3-0.
Saturday was slightly different, with the offense being led by Hank Conger and Howie Kendrick, supporting 7 strong innings of achy-breaky Jered Weaver. Weaver gave up only 4 hits over those 7 innings, but was behind 1-2 until the Angels busted out for 4 runs in the top frame of the 6th inning, keyed by consecutive run scoring hits of Kendrick, David Freese and Conger. And, when the dust settled, the Angels came out on top 5 - 2.
Sunday was more of a barn-burner. Tyler Skaggs was less than dominant, giving up 6 earned runs in only 5 innings of work. The bullpen would yield another 3 runs just 1 other run over the final 4 innings. But even though the Rangers kept popping up with a score or two, the Angels offensive machine just kept plowing the field. They scored in 8 7 out of 9 possible innings and won 10 - 7. Oh, and that Trout kid? Yeah, 4 RBI's on a pair of timely doubles, and scored once himself. And Pujols and Hamilton both raised their averages, which is kinda cool, since although Pujols has been climbing nicely over the past two weeks, Hamilton has been cooled off considerably by the Houston and Toronto pitching staffs. Hamilton, we should note, is no longer getting fastballs thrown his way.
In other Angels news, rumors are that Dipoto is trying to land Ian Kennedy and Huston Street from the Padres. That kind of deal is going to cost Jerry some of the guy on that plane flying back from Arlington...........Colin Cowgill, demonstrating less than Major League skills at bunting, has parked himself on the DL aongside C.J. Wilson. Cowgill will probably miss 4 - 5 weeks.........Dipoto sold Nick Maronde to the Indians for a envelope of cash...........Holy Moly, somebody is writing positive things about the LAA depth!..........The Mike Trout bandwagon grows..........
Elsewhere around baseball..........Fernando Rodney was added to the AL All Star Roster, making that 4 guys from the Mariners. Rodney, a reliever, took the spot of David Price, a starter, after Price was pushed back to a Sunday start and made ineligible for the All Star team. It's not like there was any other outstanding starting pitcher in the AL available to take Price' place. Oh wait. Yes there was...........Interesting. Being in virtual dead heat with the Oakland A's, and being the top run scoring machine on all of baseball, doesn't quite rate the Angels for anything better than that of the Brewers and Orioles. If those two teams were in the AL West, they would be 4 - 5 games behind Angels.
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Moreno-Carpino Shame Update
Jim Fregosi still not being honored with a memorial patch.
94 games lost. 68 games left to lose.
Carpino and Moreno should just bulldoze our Franchise Hall of Fame and make room for some hipster Shocktop beer venue.
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