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Saturday, September 02, 2006

Jaws Of Life: Angels 7, Tigers 2

The scary thing about the Angels' bullpen is the sudden and frightening decline in Scot Shields' ability to shut down the opposition. That came into play in the bottom of the eighth of this one, when he wild pitched two of his mistakes into scoring position, and then when Marcus Thames cashed them in, I turned off the TV. Given the Tigers' bullpen, this game was over.

Right?

Well, not so much. Somehow, in the top of the ninth, Maicer Izturis managed to get aboard on an error, and O-Cab reached on an infield single to third; Vlad's RBI single tied it up, and so the Tigers, who had chased the Angels to their last strike, went to extras.

Frankie held down the fort for another frame, and then, well, the Angels shocked me by loading up the bases, the last runner, shockingly, being Jeff Mathis, who went 1-1 with a single.

And then Figgins, previously 0-5 with three strikeouts, stroked a bases-clearing triple to right.

And then Izzy walked, off replacement Zach Miner — and Cabrera blasted one over the left field fence. (Update: I missed Figgins' pickoff on a busted suicide squeeze. It wasn't all heroism, but we can blame that one on Mike Scioscia.)

That's the heroism part. There might yet be more moments like that this year, but even if or when the Angels finish second — and there's no shame in that, by the way — there's still something left in the tank.

And, by the way, great game, Joe.

ESPN Box


Comments:
And as much as you've been prescient about the flaws of this team and many of its players, you must admit that Frankie Rodriguez has confounded your early season expectations, no? Given the rhetoric about K-Rod being a tic away from some career-ending injury, it must surprise that he's now #2 in the MLB in saves, has an ERA below 2 and hasn't given up an earned run in two months.
 
He's due! :-) Seriously, it's a blessing. Going by Will Carroll's comments, K-Rod's an injury waiting to happen.
 
While extremely grateful for whatever K-Rod can give us, I really, really think that someday his injury will come. That delivery is too hard on the human body.

But you're absolutely right that he's been good this year.
 
He's due! :-) Seriously, it's a blessing. Going by Will Carroll's comments, K-Rod's an injury waiting to happen.

Will has been saying that since 2002. He's been an injury waiting to happen for his entire career. I like Will, but it doesn't take any balls to predict that a pitcher will get hurt, especially a pitcher who had injury problems in the minors.
 
True, Seitz, but it also takes no courage to predict that a stoplight will turn red. Bravery isn't really the issue here, it's plain to see that K-Rod's delivery will eventually lead to injury.

Hooray! The Travs won today! Nice sendoff for dear old Ray Winder Field.
 

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