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Series Preview: Angels @ Rangers (And in this corner.. )

Angels are off to mess with Texas

By Jessica DeLine
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

(This series preview is a little bit late, brought to you by a flight to Hawaii with no Internet access.)

Here we go, back to Arlington for another round with the featherweight boxing champion and his team.  The fighter will be there, but you know who won't?  Josh Hamilton.  The player that Angels fans came to loathe, none more than Arte Moreno, has had yet another setback and was shut down from his rehab assignment.  We are paying this dude 20 million to not play for us, and apparently we are also paying him 20 million to not play for the Rangers.

The Angels are 2-4 against the Rangers so far this year, winning 1 game in each series they've played.  Both teams share an identical batting average of .256, with the Angels having an edge in OBP(by 8 points) and Rangers having the edge in runs scored (19 more).  It's a pretty even matchup with the hot Angels, and we may see lots of runs in this hitters ballpark.

Biggest question: Can the Angels go the distance and win by TKO?

Game 1

Nick Tropeano vs. Derek Holland
Monday, May 23, 2016 @ 5:05PM

Kicking off the series with maybe a low scoring game.

Nick Tropeano v. Rangers Current Roster (2014-2016)
AB H AVG BABIP K% HR
24 4 .167 .182 11.5 0
Derek Holland v. Anaheim Angels (2016)
G AB AVG ERA K HR
2 41 .195 2.95 6 1
Players/Stats to watch:
Albert Pujols & Mike  Trout v. Derek Holland (Last 5 years)
AB H RBI HR BA
66 19 13 5 .288
The Angels beat Holland at home back on April 7th, though he only gave up 3 runs.  He's been pretty solid against the Angels in his 2 starts this season and is 1-0.   Tropeano has yet to pitch against the Rangers in 2016, but he is coming off the best start of his career and hopes to keep that rolling deep into the heart of Texas.
Pujols and Trout don't have overwhelming numbers off Holland, but they've done a pretty good job of hitting off him and launching some long balls.  Holland has been beat up a bit in 2016, to the tune of a 5.63 ERA, which on paper, make Tropeano look like the stronger pitcher, although Holland is coming off a strong start of his own (though it was against the A's)
VERDICT: It's a tough start to the series, and could be a low scoring affair.  This one is a toss up in my book, with slight edge to Tropeano.
Game 2
Jhoulys Chacin vs. Martin Perez
Tuesday, May 24, 2016 @ 5:05PM

Chacin has been 50/50 since he joined the Angels.

Jhoulys Chacin v. Rangers Current Roster (Career)
H AB AVG BABIP K% HR
13 39 .333 .448 25.6 1
Martin Perez v. Anaheim Angels (2015-2016)
G IP R HR SO BA ERA
3 20 7 0 7 .225 3.15
Players/Stats to watch:
Nothing significant.  Though it is interesting that none of the batters on either current roster who have faced either pitcher, have hit a home run of them.
Chacin needs to prove himself after having one great game, and one pretty crappy game in which he left after 4.1 innings and with the bases loaded, giving up 4 earned runs total.  His ERA on the short season is currently 5.21  He's got his work cut out for him going up against Perez,  Chacin has yet to face the Rangers in his career.
Marin Perez was good against the Angels in 2015, but in his one outing this year he lasted 6.1 innings, didn't strikeout a single batter, and walked 5, on his way to a 1-3 loss.  Perez hasn't been beaten by the Angels since August of 2013, so they have their work cut out for them and streaks were made to be broken.
VERDICT: Tough matchup with a solid pitcher in Perez and an unpredictable one in Chacin.  Probably leans Rangers on this one, but Perez is due to lose against our boys in red.
Game 3

Hector Santiago vs. Colby Lewis
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 @ 11:05AM

Here's hoping Santiago took some anger management since his last outing

Hector Santiago v. Texas Rangers (2015-2016)
G IP ER HR SO BA ERA
8 46 14 5 33 .200 2.74
Colby Lewis v. Anaheim Angels (2015-2016)
G IP ER HR SO BA ERA
6 32.2 27 4 23 .343 7.52
Players/Stats to watch:
Rougned Odor v. Hector Santiago (Last 5 years)
AB H RBI HR BA
21 10 4 1 .476
Kole Calhoun v. Colby Lewis (Last 5 years)
AB H RBI HR BA
31 12 5 1 .387
C.J. Cron v. Colby Lewis (Last 5 years)
AB H RBI HR BA
18 6 1 0 .333
Johnny Giavotella v. Colby Lewis (Last 5 years)
AB H RBI HR BA
11 5 3 5 .455
Albert Pujols v. Colby Lewis (Last 5 years)
AB H RBI HR BA
28 9 7 3 .321
Mike Trout v. Colby Lewis (Last 5 years)
AB H RBI HR BA
33 13 11 4 .394

Santiago is 1-1 against the Rangers in 2016 and 3-0 in 6 starts last season.  Fortunately, the Rangers don't hit has many homeruns as the Orioles, but they can still let them fly.  If you erase that last start of Santiago's where he was ejected early, then you an outing before that were he pitched a dominate 8 scoreless innings.  Rumor has it that he didn't know there was an 8th inning until recently.  Roughned Odor has been his nemesis, so it would be nice to see him shut down on Wednesday.

Colby Lewis has had a rough time against the Angels, though he did get the 4-2 win earlier this season (he struck out zero).  Many of the current roster just crush it against Lewis, so look to see him get knocked out early.

VERDICT: Finale in this series should go to the Angels

OVERALL VERDICT: We've got a decent shot at winning this series, though a sweep could be tough.

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