MondoLinks: Angels far less than Grand

The Angels had 20 batters get on base. They had 12 hits (2 for home runs and 4 for doubles) plus 6 walks. And the A's helped them further by committing 2 errors. In other words, the Oakland pitching staff was crapping all over the mound.

But in a race to the bottom, the LAA pitching staff busted their ass and accomplished what would be impossible for mere mortals ballplayers. They managed to out-garbage the garbage A's (lack of) effort.

Yeah, the LAA bullpen crapped back 6 runs in the 7th & 8th innings to gift up a W and the series to Oakland. But as horrible as that is, it fails to convey the totality of infuriation that the bullpen put us through. Here is that 8th, Blake Parker taking over:

Jaycob Brugman: out

Marcus Semein: out

Jed Lowrie, two strikes & 1 pitch away from inning over ---> single

Khris Davis, two strikes & 1 pitch away from inning over ---> home run (2 runs score)

Ryon Healy, two strikes & 1 pitch away from inning over ---> double (1 run scores)

Bud Norris takes over

Chad Pinder, 1st pitch swinging ---> single

Matt Chapman two strikes & 1 pitch away from inning over ---> double

Bruce Maxwell two strikes & 1 pitch away from inning over ---> single (2 runs score)

Mark Canha: out

And just like that, what was 10-6 had become 10-11. And a loss was to be shared by all.

But, hey, can we take a moment and give a special shout out to Albert Pujols? Since Albert went 3 for 4 with 5 RBI back on August 1st, he is 2 for 22 (.090) with EIGHTEEN runners stranded on base. Pujols has been in the 3 or 4 spot in the batting order 100 times this season.

And, before we go on, how about another shout out to Mike  Scioscia? The Oakland "closer" is Santiago Casilla. Casilla was pitching in the 8th but had loaded the bases with 2 outs. The tying run was on third base. Focus now on the following words: Casilla is a right-handed pitcher. Got that? Right handed. Juan Graterol was due to bat. Graterol bats right. Oh, no. We can't have that. In comes Luis Valbuena, who bats left. This gives Sosh the lefty-righty matchup that is such a legendary advantage. Hmm. Wait a second. In 2017, Valbuena is batting .191 overall. And against right-handed pitchers, he is .197. Meanwhile, this same year Graterol is hitting .255 overall. And, get this, against right-handed pitchers he is batting .293. Now, I never majored in math, but from what I did learn I do believe that .255 is better than .191, and .293 is much better than .197. Valbuena struck out.............

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A Little Bit of Angels News

Matt Shoemaker, cruising along on the 2-month long "10-day DL" and not having pitched since June 14th, has pretty much been lost for the season. So when it's announced that he will undergo surgery this week and be lost for he season, I have to be reminded as to what season is it that he once had which is now to be lost?............

Nice timing, LAA broadcast team. That scoreless appearance streak at home to start his LAA career that Blake Parker was on the verge of tying with Scott Downs? Gone...........

Andrelton Simmons finally getting some MVP-quality national attention. Which is probably because Simmons is now making plays that remind writers of Derek Jeter............

Don't get overly excited. Even if Andrew Heaney does make it back to the mound in Anaheim before the season is over, it ain't gonna be in place of Nolasco............

I know this will thrill some of you, who saw enough to know that the experiment was not working out. Ramon Flores was DFA'd on Saturday.............

When I read this suspension of Matt Joyce for shouting a gay slur at an LAA fan in Anaheim, what immediately comes to mind is that this particular LAA fan most likely remembers Joyce's shithole performance while under the halo, and was happy to remind him about it..........