6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Weber, for a few games, at least, looked like he might have turned things around, but tonight wasn't one of those times. Tonight's game was full of needless errors. For instance, Chone Figgins' bobble that cost us an out and at least one run. Scioscia yelling at the umpires after the warning. (That was just dumb, Mike.) Weber's "Plate? Wazzat?" fielding. Frankie and Gregg again showing signs of craptitude -- and possibly overwork -- on the mound. Figgins running himself out of the sixth. Or heck, installing Weber on the mound in the first place in an Astroturf park. Groundball pitchers in a Turf park are a sure way to generate runs for the other team.

The homers were nice and all, but we just weren't getting anybody on base ahead of those guys; Kotch GIDP'd out of an inning. Let's face facts, kids, we lost this one more than they won it.

As a footnote: at one point one of Terry or Rory declared that it's not possible for a player's OBP to be lower than their batting average. As Tyler pointed out, this is indeed possible because sacrifice flies appear in the denominator of OBP but not in average. The more often you sacrifice, the worse your OBP.

Recap

Update: yes, of course HBP appears in the numerator and denominator. Duh.

// posted by Rob @ 7:18 PM link  //  1 comments

If the Dodgers wish to get to the postseason, they'd better win the division. For the first time in a long time, second place will be the first loser.

// posted by Rob @ 10:18 PM link  //  2 comments

Update: corrected for score and Carvajal's non-participation.

// posted by Rob @ 9:51 PM link  //  1 comments

[Figgins has] played short, third, center. He's a good leadoff hitter. "He's on base when he hits the ball on the ground, but he hits pitches you don't think he'll hit because he's got surprising bat speed." Going into Sunday's game, Figgins, Robb Quinlan, Jeff DaVanon, Jose Molina and Casey Kotchman were hitting between .286 and .375.

...

Figgins has been a surprise, as has been the entire Angels bench. So has Kevin Gregg, who they think has starter stuff but right now is replacing Brendan Donnelly setting up for Francisco Rodriguez and Troy Percival. Rodriguez and Gregg allowed 33 hits, six earned runs and struck out 61 in their first 48 2/3 innings. Everyone thought the Angels would be good, but to have the best record in the league with Garret Anderson, Troy Glaus, Tim Salmon, Darin Erstad and Donnelly all hurt?

// posted by Rob @ 7:46 PM link  //  0 comments

I'll say it now: Eckstein's coming back. I know, I know, maybe I'll jinx it, but 2-4 with a walk -- a walk! -- is a revelation for him lately. And that hurl-your-bat-and-save-the-runner maneuver -- I've never seen anything like that. And his sudden conversion to a 5'9" shortstop on that line drive? Fantastic.

Really, the story was all about Vlad and Guillen, and of the two, I'm far more impressed with Guillen just because he's never put it together consistently before this year. Was he being mismanaged? I don't know, but I do get the impression that Scioscia's a manager who knows how best to squeeze good performances out of this guy.

Kotchman: okay, we all know about the no-strikeout record. It's all good, but the J. T. Snow impression's getting tired. Hitting a little less with some walks, or better, some power would be nice. Okay, he's a rookie: back off, I know. But somehow... first base should be a power slot, and .289/.333/.316 isn't that impressive. Erstad's .333 SLG is starting to look that much better, crazy as I think that might be.

Gregg: the only pitcher tonight who looked like his old self. I can't tell you how grateful I was that the Halos weren't ahead by three runs or less. From a winning-the-game point of view, it's probably crucial that Percy not get the ball in late innings.

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 5:31 PM link  //  1 comments

Just sit right back
And you'll hear a tale
A tale of a team in first
Their hitting started very hot
But now it's gotten worse

The starters coughed up runs like phlegm
The bullpen blew up too
If not for the weakness of the NL West
The Padres they'd pursue

The team hit into double plays
And only got one run
They stranded eight and left the Braves
Feeling like they were done

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 12:30 PM link  //  0 comments

The doctor who performed surgery on Glaus' right shoulder found "significant damage," according to Manager Mike Scioscia, and the odds of Glaus returning to play this year appear slim. He'll wear a sling for the next 10-14 days before being re-examined and planning out a physical therapy plan.

"There's a lot of work ahead of Troy before he considers even thinking about playing this year," Scioscia said.

(Props to Stephen Smith for that idea.) But if this is an ad, it means somewhere there's gotta be a reality TV show where the team has to find a replacement player either at center or third base. Thus, we cut to the unwarranted return of the third base version of ... Elimidate! And here's the contestants:

• Contestant Number 1: Raul Mondesi! AP recently suggested we're pursuing him, despite a career that seems startlingly close to ending. Mondi's always been one of those guys who's never quite put it together for any team he's played for, a five-tool-player hit hard by inflation. Besides, quitting a major league contract -- for whatever reason -- doesn't strike me as the heart-of-a-champion kinda guy we need to win the division. More like, heart-of-a-couch slug. But, at least we don't have to unload the farm to pick up this guy. Update: Mariners Wheelhouse has a fantastic and all-too-believable analysis of Mondi's abandonment of his contract: essentially, he's doing it to improve his situation.
• Contestant Number 2: Aaron Boone! Boone, last seen doing a bad Michael Jordan impression in the offseason, is nursing a busted knee. A solid third baseman at the hot corner for the Reds, Boone proved a bust with the Yanks (except for his get-outta-my-park homer in the ALCS). Boone's got a lotta teams pursuing him -- including his former club, the Yankees, and the Red Sox and Dodgers -- but none of them want him back at third. There's two problems I have with Boone, namely
  • He's never hit well in the AL.
  • He's never hit well outside the NL Central.
  Given that Cincy's played in hitters' parks when they were in Cinergy Field (née Riverfront Stadium), and it's too early to tell which way GABP is headed, Boone's credentials as a hitter are suspect at best. Another guy requiring no trades, he's high on the list of replacements, except for the fact that the team's got a crush on...
• Contestant Number 3: Dallas McPherson. With power to spare and good strike zone knowledge, D-Mac was a question mark at the hot corner what with Glaus manning the position. But with D-Mac still needing further seasoning in the minors, he's a good year or more away from the big club -- hey, who let the jailbait in here? Still, if his ID card says he's the right age, then he's okay with us.
• Then there's Shea Hillenbrand, Contestant Number 4. No longer affordable on an Arizona team flailing at the bottom of the division, Shea's on-again-off-again bat might be available at the July trade deadline, but you can be sure the rebuilding Snakes will demand names that might include Contestant Number 3, Dallas McPherson.
• Likewise for the Chisox, who're reported to be shopping their third baseman José Valentin. José's an older model, but he's still got some pop with a .776 OPS last year. Available at the trade deadline only for other players, Kenny Williams has already proved himself a complete idiot by demanding too much for probably-won't-re-sign-anyway Magglio Ordoñez. Maybe if the team gets desperate, but no way for D-Mac.

// posted by Rob @ 6:01 PM link  //  2 comments

About the only bad news on the day was the announcer saying that Encarnacion had shoulder problems last year that -- stop me if you've heard this one before -- he elected not to have surgery on. I'm figuring on career-ending shoulder surgery round about August. They're dropping like flies here...

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 2:22 PM link  //  0 comments

Doctor's orders, ya know.

I'm not saying it will happen. But.

// posted by Rob @ 12:16 PM link  //  1 comments

Anaheim Stingers 6, Orioles 3

Robb Quinlan 3-3 with a walk on the night, Guillen 2-4, and the rest of the crew putting together no better than a 1-3 game? Rickety, rickety is the offense.

Recap

Eight Is Enough! Braves 2, Dodgers 0

Recap

At The Padres' Beck and Call

Dayn Perry: Erstad's Injury A Boon

// posted by Rob @ 7:30 AM link  //  0 comments

When I grew up, we had season tickets to [Angel Stadium] -- incredible seats...we gave them up during the Rams debacle, but that's another story...

So one year, I can't remember which, I might have been 10-11, the Angels actually could possibly make it to the play offs...I went to 2 games in a row, and 3rd baseman, Carney Lansford made something like 7-8 errors in two games. I was appalled.

I called then manager Jim Fregosi - not really expecting to get in - not knowing if they were going to randomly ask a caller's age. I get his secretary, she wants my name, number and will have Mr. Fregosi return my call...

<ahem>
<O...M...G...>

OK - and I give it to her (at this point, I'm figuring the SWAT team was going to descend on my house with paratroopers for doing this. Hey - I was a Kid!)

So Jim calls me back. I ask about Lansford, and Jim (we're now on a first name basis) says that Carney has been having a lot of personal problems. I explain to him that I completely understand that (after all, I was almost 11 ;) but I went on to explain that we really had a shot at the playoffs this year and Carney should keep his personal problems off the field or not be on it.

Jim said he didn't have any other 3rd baseman.

He was sooooo wrong...

I told him he could take Bobby Grich off of short stop - throw him on third, bring Dan Ford in from left field to cover short, and on and on I went - completely rearranging his out and in field.

Jim tells me that he'd "think about it" and thanks me for my call.

The next night, the game is televised, the Angels are in New York, there's been a line up change - Carney Lansford is out of the game, Bobby Grich is playing 3rd base, Dan Ford is covering short stop.....and on it went. Fregosi used my entire line up.

They beat the Yankees that night.

Jim Fregosi wasn't signed to manage the team the next year. I'm sure the fact that he was taking advice from some random 10 year old kid probably had nothing to do with that. ;)

Postscript: Baseball Almanac shows Fregosi's last year was a half season before being fired in 1981, when he managed the team to a just under .500 record of 22-26. Maybe she was thinking of '79?

// posted by Rob @ 10:01 PM link  //  0 comments

... number six. Demote him, and do it now. Is it embarrassing for Bart to watch Ramon Ortiz pitch three innings of scoreless, 2-hit relief, with six strikeouts? Good. If he keeps that up, I have no problem putting Ramon back in the rotation. Bart needs to give some serious thought to pitching, because the thirty extra pounds he carried into spring training is starting to look like a log around his neck. Angel bats went silent, as we knew they eventually would, but Bartolo threw batting practice for the Yankees. Embarrassing, embarrassing, embarrassing. Washburn is closer to being an ace, and that comes from somebody who doesn't think he earned -- even in 2002 -- the title.

The 3-5 hitters went a collective 2-12 with no walks. It's nice that Eckstein's hitting again, but can we please get some middle lineup production going?

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 7:51 AM link  //  0 comments

The suspicion both inside and outside the Angels' organization is that Glaus feared that his numbers might suffer, hurting his free-agent value at the end of the season.

...

Glaus' agent, Michael Nicotera, says the player's red-hot performance was deceptive, because he was unable to turn on inside pitches. At one point he told Nicotera, "I'm just waiting for it to blow out." He asked Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Angels' team orthopedist, if his recovery from surgery would be more difficult if the injury worsened. According to Nicotera, Yocum said, "That is a calculated risk."

"He had another MRI done. The labrum was worse. The tear in his rotator cuff is now completely through. You can literally hold Troy's wrist, pull down and create two fingers of space in his shoulder."

Today's the day Troy goes under the knife. Turn your thoughts and prayers his way.

// posted by Rob @ 7:43 AM link  //  0 comments

If pitchers with torn labrums were horses, they’d be destroyed. Of the 36 major-league hurlers diagnosed with labrum tears in the last five years, only midlevel reliever Rocky Biddle has returned to his previous level.

Let's hope that the other Angels have better prognoses than Troy.

// posted by Rob @ 10:31 PM link  //  0 comments

At Mariners Wheelhouse, Jeff speculates the M's will pick up Paulie next year based on his status as an aging vet with a quality if low-powered bat, and an unrepeatable career year behind him in 2001. The vitriol being hurled right now at Bavasi in the Mariners' blogosphere is intense and constant; the fear now has become that the team will bite at even more of the same toolsy-but-poor-hitting rookies at the trade deadline and even after the season's end. After the Looper/Ketchner for Cabrera deal, Bavasi's skills as a barterer of human flesh have legitimate reason to be called into question.

What I wonder about is DePodesta's.

Have we, as Dodger fans, been too willing to give him the benefit of a doubt because of the team's early success? I've said his moves looked good before. But how good do they look now that the PTNBL is Andrew Brown? DePo rooked Bavasi, it seems, on the Ketchner trade, but you never know until the kid makes it all the way up. Still, early returns are encouraging, with a 1.69 ERA, 7.98 K/9 and a 3.05 BB/9. So that's a big drop from his single-A numbers, but not unexpected. And what of Grabowski? His two-homer game aside, he's been mostly ineffective at the plate, spending more time at or below the Mendoza line than above it. Olmedo Saenz and José Hernandez have been good in limited action, but neither is the answer to any question aside from "Who should be in reserve?"

The jury's still out. But the fact is, the team needs help, and, apparently, sooner rather than later. We're waiting, DePo.

// posted by Rob @ 8:57 AM link  //  2 comments

There's a reason this web site exists. Unfortunately, a lot of people had begun to forget that reason. There's no forgetting anymore, however. The Dodgers lost their sixth in a row Wednesday, and it's increasingly clear that the team is finally living up to expectations—low expectations. The Dodgers have lost sole possession of first place, and along with that, have lost the confidence (or cockiness) they had just a couple weeks ago. It's only mid-May, but this streak has the potential to really screw them up... as well as scare off the bandwagon fans who were suddenly believers in the team (which, actually, would be a welcome occurence).

I have made mention of the problems the team might have in the past. Bradley isn't really a true heart-of-the-order masher. Neither is Encarnacion. The pitching has regressed a lot from last year, especially with Nomo. Alvarez is a lot of things, but another way to spell Brown he is not.

And now the Padres are tied with us for first place. This team will have losing streaks for sure, but we haven't faced a genuinely contending team with their pitchers in full working order until the Phillies. Kerry Wood, you will recall, had back stiffness when we beat the Cubs. I'm predicting a sweep in Philly, with one win but a series loss in Atlanta.

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 6:53 AM link  //  0 comments

I hate the Yankees. I hate Gary Sheffield -- I hated him even when he was a Dodger. His psycho player act wore thin then and it's even thinner now. And what the F is with that bat-waggling? Hit the ball or don't, buster. I hate Jeter and his flashy-ass spin-and-throw move that loses the ball about one time in eight. I hate Giambi and his beady little eyes. Every minute he spends on the DL or riding the pine is like a vacation for everyone else. And, God help me, I hate A-Rod and his simpering, passive-aggressive doe eyes one minute, and Mafia-inspired backstabbing the next.

And I hate their fans. Their fans have been an absolute plague on the Angels' boards this week. It's not enough that they win the game -- noooo. They have to gloat about it. At the Big A, they're loud, obnoxious, frequently drunk, and ugly. Yeah, I said it, ugly. We got this one enormous fat guy with a belly hanging well over his shorts waving a Yankee banner between sections trying to get the multitudinous Yankee fans to whoop it up some more. And, sorry Alex, the ump did not hand us the game yesterday. Every third game they don't win is because of bad umpiring, not because they didn't play well. No, nothing like that.

Anyway -- Lackey -- another less-than-optimal night for John, though you have to give him some credit for having faced a really killer lineup (albeit in somewhat of a slump). But he needs to find his control and fast. This game really gives you a feel now for just how much this lineup misses Glaus.

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 11:34 PM link  //  0 comments

That thought permeated my mind like a mustard gas attack the second I saw Alfredo Amezega warming up in the Angels dugout. Why was this oh-so-horribly wrong?

1. Because he takes out the one of only two credible power threats at the top of the lineup.
2. Did I say "power threats"? I meant, "threats to get a hit".
3. Because he can't run the basepaths to save his life.

Dammit, I want some blowouts of the Yankees. These guys are the Evil Empire. I just can't help myself: when I saw Sheffield take a hit on that corner wall shagging a flyball in right, I cheered. Base of me, I know, but I can't stand the Yankees. Gotta give props to Posada for what he did for Kotch last week, but in general, Yankees suck, as the boys from Boston always say.

I'm beginning to agree with Richard that the team is winning in spite of Mike.

And everyone else in the division did us a favor by losing. We're atop the division by 3.5 games. The worst that can happen after this Yankees series is for us to be up by only a half a game.

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 10:24 PM link  //  2 comments

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 6:48 PM link  //  0 comments

• July 22, 2003: Glaus injures his shoulder at Tropicana Field diving for a bunt by Julio Lugo that took a bad hop.
• July 24, 2003: The injury is labeled "a contusion" with no other damage to the joint, though it's unclear who made this diagnosis.
• August 12, 2003: A contrast MRI shows a partially torn rotator cuff and frayed labrum, not just a contusion as originally diagnosed. He had played two rehab games at Rancho prior to the discovery, which apparently aggravated the injury.
• August 20, 2003: Glaus is shut down for the rest of 2003. "Both doctors have prescribed six weeks of physical therapy and re-evaluation following that time period".
• October 31, 2003: Glaus reportedly "progressing well" in rehab, and on target for a return to Spring Training.
• January 11, 2004: Mike Nicotera, Glaus' agent, says "He's in the best shape of his life right now."
• March 6, 2004: Glaus returns to the field in Spring Training.
• March 11, 2004: Glaus sprains his ankle rounding second during Spring Training. The injury is considered minor.
• April 30, 2004: Diving for a hot shot by Torii Hunter, Troy "landed awkwardly on his left shoulder", but shrugs it off.
• May 1, 2004: Glaus plays at DH the next game. He would not see further action at the hot corner.
• May 12, 2004: Glaus is a late scratch from the New York series.
• May 13, 2004: Glaus has has a contrast MRI performed "that revealed symptoms 'similar to last year,' according to the Angels."
• May 17, 2004: Glaus to undergo surgery. The Angels admit he may be out for the year the next day.

// posted by Rob @ 4:48 AM link  //  0 comments

Well, at least we have Dallas McPherson to look forward to. Troy, you were a great MVP in 2002 and it was a fantastic career while it lasted. I guess it's a good thing that they didn't re-sign Glaus in the offseason, huh?

Update: ESPN reports he may be out for the rest of the year. No duh, and add it's "stick a fork in him" time, but I include this for the sake of completeness; IMO his career is over, but at least he's got D-Mac behind him. Who knows, he might make a nice backup infielder. Well, he's not so good at short, and hasn't played the position since the minors. Heh, never mind.

// posted by Rob @ 6:54 PM link  //  5 comments

Update: And please, if you need something to cheer you up after Sunday's losses, know that metropolitan LA's teams aren't the only ones to lose. Read Batgirl, especially this Legovision reenactment of Troy Glaus, pre-shoulder-trauma, tagging out Henry Blanco.

// posted by Rob @ 10:57 AM link  //  2 comments

Which brought me to the team stats page. If you scroll your eyes down, you'll see a fellow named Joe Kennedy, carrying an unexpectedly good 2.85 ERA. Looking at his peripheral stats, he's got respectable-but-not-great numbers:

What's more, his strikeout rate, never especially good with Tampa Bay, has actually improved over his 2003 spent there. Those kind of numbers -- especially H/9 -- have got to get worse in Colorado, but who'd've believed you could get that from a journeyman pitcher at Coors Field, when the starting rotation's ERA presently stands at 7.67? Baseball Prospectus gives him a 15.0 VORP (subscription required), putting him in the neighborhood of such luminaries as Roy Halliday, Wilson Alvarez, and Ben Sheets. Given the Rocks' proclivities, I have to believe his acquisition was an accident, but however it occurred, at least the Rockies' fans have one guy they can look forward to, not unlike Barry Bonds and the Giants.

// posted by Rob @ 8:39 AM link  //  0 comments

Barry Zito, Moneyball stud: 5.63
Ben Sheets, Moneyball laughingstock: 2.90

This commercial message is brought to you by Mr. Small Sample Size, the king of big ERAs.

// posted by Rob @ 10:56 PM link  //  3 comments

At the very least, in today's game, Green and Beltre should have flip-flopped. And perhaps Cora could have been used in leadoff, I don't know. And now, the trip to Philly after a losing homestand. This could get ugly. Minus the hitting, the pitching isn't good enough to keep the team in close games.

The thing that bugs me is Gagné's lain fallow for so long I can't even remember the last time I saw him pitch.

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 9:32 PM link  //  0 comments

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 9:18 PM link  //  1 comments

Underperformance by one person is poor performance. Underperformance by a whole team is poor management.

Back to the Halos. I'm starting to think I might like Wash, just a little. For one thing, I hate flyball pitchers, and for another, I hate extreme flyball pitchers. With sufficient run support, any hack on the mound can be made to look good, although to take it to the extremes the boys in St. Louis do is just crazy. Yet, eight innings and two earned runs? And now he's sporting a sub-5.00 ERA? Wowzers. If he gets below 4.00 I'll do handstands. And no, Richard, I'm not taking back anything I said about Halter. I'll agree that his rotten glovework has cost the team dearly from time to time, but he does -- sometimes -- do things that redeem him. Hey, at least he's not Eric Owens, or worse yet, Scott Spiezio -- who is now 1-42 in the clutch for the M's. So much for "clutch hitting" as an ability.

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 9:15 AM link  //  0 comments

Yes, folks, Elvis has left the building.

Update: The Arizona Republic adds this coda. As usual, one misheard comment becomes a trade rumor. Sheesh.

Diamondbacks ace Randy Johnson stressed Friday that the frustration he expressed one day after losing a 1-0 decision to the New York Mets' Tom Glavine shouldn't be interpreted as anything else.

"Don't read into any more about that than what it really is," Johnson said before Friday's game against Montreal.

Johnson wasn't available for comment after losing Wednesday on a home run allowed to the Mets' Kazuo Matsui for the only run of the game. He remained baffled about a question pertaining to any disappointment that only 27,750 fans - the third-smallest home crowd of the season at the time - paid to see him face Glavine.

// posted by Rob @ 11:08 AM link  //  0 comments

Colon gave up Javy Lopez's solo home run in the fourth, four more runs in the fifth, then left because of lower-back stiffness...

// posted by Rob @ 10:10 AM link  //  0 comments

Salmon, Damned

"It felt fine during warm-ups and pregame, but when I actually got out there and played at game speed it hurt," Salmon said. "You can do all the practice you want, but you can't simulate a game situation. That's why they have these rehab games. I needed to see how it would react at being a little out of control on a swing and running the bases hard."

. . .

"I have very mixed emotions right now. From a player's perspective its great to get back on the field, but the injury just isn't where it is supposed to be," Salmon said. "We've got a lot of good things going on with the big club. It's a long season and I don't want to force this and drag this thing out. I'm still trying to figure things out. We'll have to see how it feels tomorrow. Right now it is tender and sore."

Salmon was supposed to play this weekend with the Quakes and possibly rejoin the Angels Tuesday, but that time table is now up in the air.

Glaus At 1B?

Reds 2, Dodgers 1

You'll have games like this in the course of a season, but the question is, was it avoidable? Is Ishii reverting to form? I don't know, but the number of walks points that way. But the bats, the bats... my first thought, after reading the box score, was Grabby batting leadoff? Another Tracy's-lost-his-mind moment, I thought, but 1-3 with a walk isn't too bad. The problem is the gaping hole that has become Shawn Green's bat -- .236? Enough, already -- to the bottom of the lineup with you. But -- unlike Eckstein, Mendozadom is highly unlikely for Green. Even if he continues at his current .192 pace (over the last week), it would still take him 138 four at bat games to get there. His descent has been imperceptable after his early good start; as of April 15th, he was hitting .333. On the other hand, the Reds' pitching staff is 13th in the league by ERA, so if there were ever a team he could recover his swing against, it should be Cincinnati. I'll hold off on advice to move him down the order, but if he doesn't start producing this weekend, it's time.

Recap

No Epic Battles For Us, Thanks -- We're Waving

To anyone who might be reading this from the outside, who has bought into the stereotype of the Dodger fan, who has mocked us, please try to understand. Just try.

Dodger fans are real.

// posted by Rob @ 7:21 AM link  //  5 comments

Here we go again. Five earned runs, five innings, four walks, five strikeouts. 4.59 ERA. Gregg didn't look so hot, either, but, hey, you gotta tip your caps. But this is pathetic.

In the ninth: Rory Markus:

• Boy, they've hit the ball well this inning.
• An almost unbelievable rally in the ninth inning...

What's wrong with this pitching staff is the GM's inability to recognize and acquire quality pitching. We should have had Javier Vazquez. Instead, we have an overpaid number two. Step on their necks, already. This should have never gone to extra innings. Christ, do I miss Donnelly.

And what was up with Figgins not getting credit for hitting for the cycle? Maybe I'm ignorant of the rules on how scoring works, but he got two bases in the tenth when the throw to the plate was wide. Isn't that a double?

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 6:55 PM link  //  4 comments

Angels general manager Bill Stoneman had no roster move to announce and said the club did not think the 15-day disabled list was immediately necessary.

The Curse is back.

Update: This could be really bad. Even though it's his throwing shoulder, Shawn Green is the poster child for what happens after a shoulder reconstruction, and if Troy has to undergo that, chances are his labrum's done for good -- as is his ability as a power hitter.

// posted by Rob @ 8:56 AM link  //  2 comments

Yankees 7, Angels 3

José Guillen wasn't enough. In its presently depleted state, the Angels' lineup isn't enough. That was obvious yesterday, when the Yankees smacked around Angels "pitching". Lackey has never really returned to his 2002 form, and I suspect his early success may well be due to the league having not seen him. About the only good thing to come of this was his five strikeouts, but his demotion from 2002 World Series Game 7 hero (and ALDS Game 4 winner) to back-of-the-rotation scaremonger has been absolutely brutal. Lack needs to settle down and learn to pitch. And there's no place in the bullpen for him.

Note to whoever's writing the headlines over at mlb.com: Lackey was many things, but unlucky wasn't one of them.

Recap

Cubs 7, Dodgers 3

Helen complained that JoBo has looked awful this year; for whatever reason, he can't find his rhythm and has drifted into anticloserdom, giving up a mess of hits and walks. I thought at first maybe she's getting spoiled watching Gagné, but in fact Borowski seems to be undergoing an Ortizian transformation, with his H/9 nearly doubling and BB/9 tripling over last year. JoBo, you'd better stop handing out free passes. Closers can't afford to do that.

Recap

Cold Comfort

Mariners 3-way Deal?

Bavasi said no deals are near, but rumors are circulating the Red Sox and Royals are trying to entice the Mariners into a three-way trade. Boston would trade pitcher Byung Hyun Kim and, possibly, outfielder Johnny Damon to the Mariners in exchange for pitcher Freddy Garcia and minor league starter Cha Seung Baek.

If the Red Sox could get the Mariners to bite, Garcia would then be shipped to Kansas City, with outfielder Carlos Beltran going to Boston.

So, Billy, What Does Work In The Playoffs?

Timmy At Rancho For Rehab

// posted by Rob @ 7:35 AM link  //  0 comments

McCourt was accused of only being interested in the real estate value of Dodger Stadium in L.A. and Dodger Town in Florida. He got ripped for hiring a young general manager in Paul De Podesta, who had experience in finding undervalued and unwanted talent that other teams were willing to dump. Sports talk radio hosts would base their shows around making fun of McCourt and the future of the 2004 Dodgers.

And surprise, surprise, the Dodgers began Thursday with the best record in baseball (22-10) and won six games in a row.

Once washed-up pitcher Wilson Alvarez looks like he has found his old form. [Gee, he was that way last year, too, remember?] Adrian Beltre is batting .377 and will make the all-star team along with Paul Lo Duca, who is batting .386 while compiling 42 hits. Kazuhisa Ishii has already won five games and Eric Gagne has 10 saves and looks more dominant than last season.

I applaud Frank McCourt for buying the Dodgers while other local real estate developers and movie stars held on to their money and criticized him behind closed doors. The sports media in L.A. doesn't have enough money combined to buy season tickets to the Dodgers let alone pick up the tab while the apologizing to Mr. and Mrs. McCourt in public.

We'll have to wait and see.

But none of that makes Frank a good owner.

// posted by Rob @ 7:03 AM link  //  0 comments

• Guillen continues to mash, as does (did) Troy.
• Kennedy is perking up.
• Halter isn't as bad as advertised.
• Kotchman is the best surprise imaginable. We didn't take the series but we did make them work, in no small part thanks to his efforts. Good show, rook.
• Eckstein: yadda, yadda, but at least Mike put him near the bottom of the lineup today.
• DaVanon, the Human Walk Machine, keeps on walking, and for good measure, hits a few as well.
• And even though Figgy collected zero walks, I'll forgive him that. Let's see how he does against the Orioles before we hand him the starting leadoff job; it might be better off in Jeffy's hands.

// posted by Rob @ 6:35 PM link  //  4 comments

Once upon a time when I wasn't so bitter about my future employment prospects should my present situation collapse, I was contemplating pursuing a straight computer science degree, simply because of the math requirements in the engineering programs. (You shouldn't read too much into this: the degree program really consists of four years of programming tricks, while navigating the tedious seas of Turing machines.) But something happened along the way that changed my mind. That something, or someone, was Kevin Shannon, then -- as now, apparently -- of Orange Coast College. I had him for precalculus, a subject I never got to in high school, victim of a series of horrible instructors there. He's the first and only math prof I have ever had who could make that light come on in my head. And now, he's received a $15,000 award for being so good.

Shannon is going to use his $15,000 to help his son go to college.

"He's 10, and he wants to be a pediatrician, so I think that will pay for about a year," said Shannon, a math teacher at Orange Coast College.

Shannon thought he was being interviewed as a finalist for teacher of the year. But when he showed up at the County Department of Education offices, he found out he had been tricked.

He was the winner.

Shannon said it must have been his students who got him over the top. "My students appreciate what I do, and they wrote letters of recommendation," he said.

Shannon's own essay helped as well.

"The value of a diamond is determined by the four Cs - cut, clarity, color and carat," he wrote. "A college education is more valuable than diamonds. In my educational philosophy, the four Cs of college teaching are connection, content, clarity and conduct. When any of these elements is missing, education loses its value."

OCC President Gene Farrell showed up to support Shannon.

"He's fun to watch teach," Farrell said. "He's so passionate about teaching. And he looks way too young to be at our school for 27 years."

// posted by Rob @ 7:29 AM link  //  0 comments

I can't agree with Richard that Jeff could be a star, but he's a solid fourth OF for any team. The problem is when you have to rely on such guys. Between him and Figgins, neither of them take particularly good routes to the ball, and while Cinderella doesn't need to know such stuff, they do. It was especially evident last night. Nor can I go in with him on the Halter-bashing just yet, though you have to wonder just how long the team can go on with all these sub-.250 players. Hey, at least Mike benched Eckstein. It was way overdue.

Anyway, Kotch's base-clearing double was fantastic. He went 2-5 on the day, and is now hitting .250 against the fargin' Yanks. The Yankees, man. Weber, my on-again, off-again bête noir, managed a scoreless inning. Ortiz kinda redeemed himself in a teensy tiny way by closing the game out with a goose egg.

Recap

Update: Strike that about Kotch. Most of his AB's have come against the Yanks, but in fact, Mr. Small Sample Size says he's batting .333 against them so far. Hi!

// posted by Rob @ 12:33 AM link  //  1 comments

Man, the Cubs are givin' 'em away. Helen thought Chicago seemed lifeless on the field, possibly in reaction to the news that Kerry Wood will miss at least one start. Their bats certainly didn't have any pop, as they never advanced a runner beyond second base the whole night, and ended the night with nine strikeouts. Clement had good stuff, but -- in the most bizarre inning I've seen recently -- gave up every kind of weirdo infield hit imagineable. Alvarez singled to center, then --

• Izzy flied out.
• Paulie got an infield single to third, a swinging bunt that Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez thought would roll foul but never did. The scorer initially ruled this E5 but changed his mind later.
• Bradley singled to Clement. Clement, in turn lobbed the ball -- he didn't throw -- from his knees to first. That cost him a step, and the inning, as...
• Green singled in the run, again on an infield hit that took a weird hop at third.
• Beltre hit an infield single to third that dribbled up the line.

And in the seventh, Cora's phenominal Groundhog Day at bat. Every pitch, for fourteen pitches, fouled off. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. Spiezio's in the World Series seemed long, but nothing like this. New Dodger blogger On the DL (and hello to you, too, Dan!) breaks down the at bat. Helen told me at pitch 17, "He's fouled that one off to left. He's made an adjustment. He's ahead of him. He'll get a hit on the next pitch."

See ya.

A. Martinez in the postgame show said that baseball doesn't keep records on most pitches in a single at bat, but maybe they should. That was for the ages, man. And, as Helen reminds me, we have now seen both of Alex Cora's 2004 home runs, live.

Oh, yeah, and we finally got to meet Jon. And yes, we must do this again soon.

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 11:40 PM link  //  5 comments

Manager Jim Tracy said Ishii experienced soreness where the cartilage attaches to the sternum after his last start Thursday night in Miami. The injury affected his between-starts throwing.

"He's feeling terrific now," said Tracy. "Rather than run him out there, we'll give him extra days and still have two left-handed starting pitchers against the Reds."

We'll be at the game tonight, so it should be a real treat to see Wilson in action. I make no secret that I love his comeback from the career grave of Tampa Bay and chronic injuries. He's a tough guy and a real trouper. But it's no knock on Ishii: I was lucky enough to attend Ishii's best game in the majors, me and my magic tickets. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

// posted by Rob @ 7:32 AM link  //  2 comments

Meantime, Dodger hitting didn't slow down, getting 15 hits on the night. Even Jason Grabowski's bat came to life, going 2-4 with a two-run homer -- yes, you read that right -- off a shaky and apparently injured Kerry Wood. Cora went 3-4 on the night and now seems to be challenging Izturis' hold on the leadoff spot in Roberts' absence. Of course, all this is against a Cubs relief corps badly ravaged by injury: Remlinger is still on the DL, and clearly Glendon Rusch is not the kind of guy you want to throw in the game for three innings. We didn't go down the Duaner and need to call in Gagné, but it's obvious to those who might have thought this would be "the first real test" of the team versus good opposition that this was not the case; the Dodgers had already taken a series from the Marlins on the road. Is that good enough, with a weak Central Division, no clear winner in the West, and a weakened NL East? Tinkerbell sightings grow increasingly common in Chavez Ravine, I'm told.

Finally, one item of extreme concern: nearly every at bat, Beltre hopped out of the batter's box after each swing. His ankle is killing him, and he needs to sit some. He absolutely did not need to be hitting in such a lopsided game; they could have and should have pulled him out by the fifth, when the score was 7-1.

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 5:42 AM link  //  1 comments

Top 3rd

Is there any acceptable excuse for two consecutive stupid baserunning errors? First, Figgins is sent home on a grounder to second, and then Glaus decides he can steal a base with the Human Walk Machine at the plate? Troy, you are paid for many things, but stealing bases is not one of them.

Bottom 3rd

Escobar gives up two consecutive walks, which Jeter and Payrod translate into runs. Damn, they're hitting him hard. Finally Escobar gets out of the inning, Angels 3, Yankees 2.

Top 4th

Fizz: 3-2 count, Figgins on second... Brown throws from the stretch, and Kotchman rips it to deep left field! Matsui goes back, way back, and it's gone! And the Angels take the lead, 6-3!

Hud: Wow! That's his first major league hit! And how great is it to get it at Yankee Stadium? And now the Yanks have a taste of what a real prospect looks like!

But thank God Guillen's not in the lineup. With that slick grass in the outfield, one of his legs would fall off, but knowing José, he'd tell the Times he'd be ready to go next Tuesday. ("Merely a flesh wound!")

Freaking stupid rain delay. ... Must ... kill ... Elimidate producers ...

Okay, we're that desperate... time to tune in the Braves/Cards game. My God, the Braves have horrible announcers.

Bottom 5th

Thank God for Hideki Matsui. Angels 4, Yankees 4.

Top 6th

Top 7th

Bottom 8th

Top 9th

"In a year that has been so improbable..." Well, Guillen doesn't get to do his Gibson impression just yet. But Benjie does something very like it. And Kotch gets his first big-league hit, against Rivera, no less.

Bottom 9th

Bottom 10th

• Weber and Percy can't be trusted in tight games with good-hitting teams.
• Move Eckstein to 7th or 8th in the lineup if you feel obliged to keep him there. He continues his 0-fer ways.

Recap

// posted by Rob @ 10:29 PM link  //  1 comments

• Guillen thinks he'll be back soon.
• Erstad has a twice-strained right hamstring, different from the hamstring tendinitis he had last year. No return date set, yadda yadda. Keep ice on that thing, Ersty. Though the conventional wisdom is that we're better off minus Erstad's weak bat, Kotchman's AVG is still .000.
• Donnelly has elbow tendinitis, and will be out indefinitely. Frell.
• Salmon might return next week after a couple rehab starts. He entertains fantasies of fielding. Nice try, Tim.
• Glaus won't be back at 3B until next week, most likely.

// posted by Rob @ 7:25 PM link  //  0 comments

PITTSFIELD, Mass. - City officials and historians released a document Tuesday that they say shows baseball was being played in Pittsfield in the late 1700s, long before legend credits Abner Doubleday with drawing up the rules of the game.

The evidence comes in a 1791 by-law to protect the windows in Pittsfield's new meeting house by banning anyone from playing baseball within 80 yards of the building.

"It's clear that not only was baseball played here in 1791, but it was rampant," said historian John Thorn, who was researching the origins of baseball when he found a reference to the law in an 1869 book on Pittsfield's history. "It was rampant enough to have an ordinance against it."

"Pittsfield is baseball's Garden of Eden," Mayor James Ruberto said.

// posted by Rob @ 3:35 PM link  //  0 comments

• The new style comments will be archived along with the pages, and Google-searchable. Haloscan comments, thanks to their Javascriptiness, weren't.
• The new comments should be as reliable as Blogger.com, which is to say, a lot more than Haloscan. You get what you pay for, I guess.

// posted by Rob @ 7:34 PM link  //  3 comments

Anaheim Angels outfielder Jose Guillen's sprained right knee and ankle was re-examined by team trainers Monday, and remained listed as day to day.

The team didn't order any further diagnostic tests, possibly indicating that the injury wasn't as serious as originally feared.

// posted by Rob @ 6:15 PM link  //  2 comments

So, yeah, Casey Kotchman, who yesterday went 0-3 with a sacrifice fly RBI gets to go through the gristmill of the Yanks and Orioles this week.

I'm not even sure this is remotely fair. On the other hand, you asked for it, kid. I sure hope he does better than 2-24 or something equally horrible. But I'm preparing for the worst.

// posted by Rob @ 10:22 AM link  //  0 comments

The Angels began the week 14-3 when their super utilityman Chone Figgins started at shortstop or center field. Figgins is only 5-7 and 160 pounds, but he had batted third seven times and even started three times at third base, forming a diminutive left side of the infield with David Eckstein, who is 5-7, 165. By contrast, Cardinals 3B Scott Rolen is 6-4, 240, and St. Louis SS Edgar Renteria is 6-1, 200. . . .

The June draft might be the weakest ever, according to a veteran scout. Two potential top-five draft picks, Long Beach State RHP Jered Weaver and Florida State SS Stephen Drew, will be represented by agent Scott Boras, and talk already is circulating that Weaver, the younger brother of Dodgers RHP Jeff Weaver, will demand a bonus between $10 million and $12 million if the Padres make him the No. 1 pick. The Padres also will consider Drew (the younger brother of J.D.) and Rice RHP Jeff Niemann. But Drew wouldn't be a fit unless he moved to the outfield. Padres SS Khalil Greene is a Rookie of the Year candidate and Class AAA 2B Josh Barfield is the organization's top prospect. . . .

// posted by Rob @ 7:31 AM link  //  0 comments

Although the Angels also have Robb Quinlan and Shane Halter available at first base, Scioscia said Kotchman would get "a significant amount of playing time." Stoneman said he did not rule out the possibility that Kotchman could play well enough to stay in the major leagues once the Angels' injury wave abates.

"We don't have a timetable on him being here," Stoneman said. "When people get opportunities, we want them to make the most of them."

(Aside: I remember reading in the Post when the Brown-for-Weaver deal went down that "Brown has functioned as an ace for the Dodgers", as if he were somehow fire-damaged goods. When healthy, he's a fine starter. How do you like your pitching staff now, Yankees?)

"Casey Kotchman is well beyond what his experience might indicate. "
   -- Mike Scioscia, on his new first baseman, called up from Double-A Arkansas Saturday night.

// posted by Rob @ 6:59 AM link  //  1 comments

Does it ever end?

Update: Reader Anthony forwards this story from the Tacoma News-Tribune:

On the mound: Salt Lake's Chris Bootcheck was a hard-luck loser in the early game, giving up one run on three hits over six innings. In the second game, Brendan Donnelly appeared on rehabilitation assignment from Anaheim. He threw one pitch before being visited by the Salt Lake trainer and coaches. He remained in the game, walked Jamal Strong, threw a couple of pitches to Mickey Lopez, and then walked off the mound and to the clubhouse. Donnelly was on rehab after complications from a nose injury this spring, but he explained later that he removed himself after feeling discomfort in his elbow [emphasis mine].

// posted by Rob @ 9:44 PM link  //  0 comments

CHICAGO - The Devil Rays have made some good acquisitions, picking up Julio Lugo when the Astros didn't want him, grabbing Paul Abbott before a market developed, trading for Tino Martinez at a huge discount.

But the Jason Romano transaction was a bad deal.

The trade was made on the recommendation of a Rays senior scout, major-league consultant Syd Thrift, a former GM, expecting the former Hillsborough High star to provide depth at second base and shortstop.

The problem was Romano hadn't played the infield since the 2003 season and was no longer comfortable doing so. Rays officials knew something was wrong when they saw Romano's quotes in the local papers about not having taken ground balls in a year.

Whether Thrift thought he saw Romano play infield this spring, as he told Rays officials, or whether he just thought Romano could play the infield, as he claimed the other day, it was bad information.

Romano said as much Friday when he joined the Reds, who made it a total loss for the Rays by claiming him on waivers.

"They were looking for a middle infielder," Romano told Cincinnati writers. "They thought they saw me play infield in spring training, but I didn't play any in spring training. When I got there they saw I was more of an outfielder, and they've got a pretty good young outfield out there, so it wasn't really a good fit."

// posted by Rob @ 8:51 PM link  //  0 comments