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When it comes to Clayton Kershaw, getting crushed happens. There is no shame in that. His numbers are pretty much better than any other pitcher out there. And we all know what good pitching does: stop weak hitting Halos.
Have some Surprise-Me-Not Links:
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ANGELS ON DECK
The Upcoming Series:
Los Angeles Dodgers @ Los Angeles Angels - Angels Stadium, Anaheim, CA.
| Day | Game Time | Probable Pitchers | TV |
| WEDNESDAY | 7:05 PM PDT | Mike Bolsinger (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Nick Tropeano (1-2, 3.68 ERA) | FS-W |
| THURSDAY | 7:05 PM PDT | Ross Stripling (1-2, 4.26 ERA) vs. Jhoulys Chacin (0-0, 2.57 ERA) | FS-W |
From the official team Game Notes: "@ DODGERS: Angels have won last two meetings but have dropped four of last five at Chavez Ravin…Halos won season finale last Sept. to snap an eight-game skid to Dodgers, Angels’ longest losing streak in the series…Since 2005, Angels are 20-11 vs. LAD at Angel Stadium…All-time, Halos are 33-20 at home, 26-28 on road and 59-48 overall against LAD…Under Mike Scioscia, LAA is 54-39 vs. LAD…Pujols owns a .317 career batting average (109/344), 28 doubles, 18 homers and 66 RBI in 91 career games vs. Dodgers."
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Everywhere In Baseball
Prospecting: Angels' minor league pitcher Jordan Kipper, down in Arkansas with the AA Travelers, pitched a no-hitter last night...........
Trout: Mike Trout had gone 181 games without an error. He now has 2 in his last 16. He entered the game last night just a shade out of 1st place in all of MLB for fWAR, at 2.5 (Jose Altuve and Manny Machado were in the lead at 2.6 fWAR). A lot of that has been on defense, with Trout 3rd best CF in baseball behind Kevin Pillar and Delino DeShields. And with an assist last night, he was on his way to possibly catching DeShields in a few games. But then, we had Mike Trout giveth and Mike Trout taketh away, all in the same inning.........
Black Days Ahead in Atlanta: The Atlanta Braves travel coordinator fired manager Fredi Gonzalez yesterday. This is what happens when management dumps the MLB player talent to quickstart a rebuild in time for a shiny new stadium. Well done, there, Braves. Anyway, somebody has to take the blame and it won't be the bosses. Interim manager Brian Snitker will be babysitting the season collapse from this point until the time the Braves can finish pretending to interview minority candidates. But, after that, we should expect Bud Black to be leaving his temporary digs in Anaheim.............
Suspension of Belief: I am trying hard to figure out the fines and suspensions handed out by MLB over the Rangers-Jays fracas. Rougned Odor gets 8 games off and loses some lunch money for clobbering Jose Bautista. Bautista gets a game off for failing to move his face out of the path of Odor's roundhouse (after successfully managing to duck under Odor's earlier attempt to bean him with the throw to first base, as Torii Hunter notices). A bunch of guys got fines for doing who knows what. Matt Bush, a guy who wasn't even on an MLB team when the Rangers got pissed at Bautista's bat-flippage, got a traffic ticket for starting it all. (Which begs the question: who was it that gave new-comer Bush the order to plunk Bautista, anyway?)..........Meanwhile, Jays manager John Gibbons got tagged 3 games for showing back up on the field after getting tossed in the 3rd by home plate umpire Dan Iasoggna in one of the more sorry umpiring performances of the year. Aaron Sanchez parks a nice strike 3 on the inside of the plate and Iasoggna missed the call, badly. Sanchez shook his head in disbelief and Iassogna went after him, doing a whole macho thing. Gibbons went out onto the field and was ejected about 5 seconds into his chat. It's all here for your viewing pleasure..........So Odnor gets 8 games for being a complete wad, and Gibbons gets 3 games for leaving the clubhouse to calm down his players and keep them from pulverizing that complete wad..........
Food Fysics: Now here is one area of statistical research and analysis that we can all master. The Physics of Ballpark Fare. There is real science at work here, trying to get hot foods hot and cold foods cold. It all comes from this guy. I believe that what comes next would be SpareRibMetrics.............
Beer Brew-Ha-Ha: The Cubs are plowing ahead with their plans to crush the neighboring residents and businesses with the creation of a 4,000-person capable beer plaza. Now, far be it for me to downplay any celebration of beer, but putting 4,000 sports nuts into one urban place with the expressed purpose of selling as much beer as time and supplies permit is not the kind of thing that is going to end well.............
Rip Van Winkle: Baseball games are getting longer...and longer still. Commissioner Manfred is not happy about it. I think we should all just help the Commissioner and direct him to Dodgers' pitcher Pedro Baez, who is single-handedly to blame..........
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The Duffle Bag
Neal Cotts has decided to abandon ship rather than hang around Salt Lake City any longer, lest he get called back up and forced to pitch on behalf of this offense..........Lin-ce-cum remains Lin-ce-not-yet-arrived. There must be a lot of ink surrounding performance bonuses and stuff..............As bad as things have been, at least I can sleep a little better knowing that Javy Guerra is no longer around to ruin my evenings..........Shouldn't this at-bat count as TWO hits?..........Technically, this is Adrian Beltre hitting a home run AND THEN getting down on one knee. It's not hitting a home run from a kneeling position.........Madison Bumgarner spends way too much time with his panties all in a bunch. Later, it appears, he managed to reach down there and pull his shorts out of his butt and calm down..........Meanwhile, what with the Rangers and Jays brawling, a fine pair of kids show us all how to act like grown-ups..........Trumbombs away! (Jean Segura ain't doing too badly, either.)...........