Angels Stomped Deep in the Heart of Texas

Final Score in Arlington: Rangers 8 Angels 2

Well the likelihood of Garrett Richards making a return to the Angels rotation just hit one hundred percent.

Drew Rucinski was ineffective against the Rangers in Arlington Tuesday night. Jose Alvarez began a mop-up effort quite well but was hammered as batters got their second look at his offerings.

Those two were the chief rivals to Hector Santiago taking the number five spot in the rotation out of Spring Training and it is safe to say they will both be in Salt Lake City soon. Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano just got a step closer to the major leagues. Santiago is safe at least for a month.

One the offensive side Erick Aybar set the tone when he unsuccessfully tried to turn a well-placed base-hit down the line into a double to lead off the game. A perfect throw got him and then Mike Trout had a hit that would have scored him. The next time Aybar was up, in the second inning, the bases were loaded with only one out but since he had that big hit why not let him swing away, right? It was 1-0 and Trout/ Albert Pujols are coming up so he swings away - instead of maybe squeezing - and hits into a double play. By the time the Angels threatened again it was the eighth inning of an 8-0 ballgame.

On defense... well let's just say it was not Mike Trout's night.