Tuesday, April 17, 2007 |
Gaudin = Rodan? A's 4, Angels 1
Despite what we might have thought after the Texas series, Gary Matthews, Jr. is the albatross I feared we were getting. He has scored only nine runs in the 13 games the Angels have in the books as I write this, and only one in the last four. Assuming nothing changes in tonight's contest — and why should it? — he'll be another 0-fer. Partly that's not his fault, of course, because the guys behind him aren't doing their jobs, but when you have a .309 OBP that's even lower than your career .327 OBP prior to your big, late-career breakout season (.371 OBP), that's called regression. And the Angels are stuck with that stupid contract for five years. Write the check now, Arte, this one's done flown.
But then there are the other crappy contracts, and that includes Garret Anderson's. Despite the profuse assurances of how healthy he's looked, Anderson has never really got it going in the regular season. He struggles to fill the cleanup spot he was never really built for. Kotchman, who gets on base more than any Angel save for Vlad, languishes near in the bottom of the lineup in the six hole. The Angels' most inexplicable panic signing, Shea Hillenbrand, doesn't hit at all, suffers from a groin strain, can't run, and can't field.
And then there's Jered Weaver. Weaver was barely able to find the strike zone, throwing only 57 of his 99 pitches for strikes; through the first four, he was about 50-50 strikes and balls, so it was only a matter of time before Oakland got through to him. He didn't look terrible, though, and gutted his way through some mostly self-made trouble, "mostly" because Matthews, Jr. screwed up — and this is from the radio call — a semi-routine play in center that allowed a double to Eric Chavez. I can't comment because I didn't see it, but I'll say this: I wouldn't be too surprised. The early returns on Sarge, Jr. had been too good to be true, and they were. As for Weaver, we'll see how he does in more normal circumstances, especially after he gets a couple more starts under his belt.
(Aside: One ex-Dirtbag [Crosby] takes another [Weaver] deep. Could you have seen that one coming?)
As to what to do, well, who knows. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for Anderson to finally show that he's going to sink into the Pacific, and it being Howie Kendrick is second on the Angels in SLG, maybe they ought to try him at the cleanup spot. It's worth a try, anyway. Pulling him so Erick Aybar could face Huston Street was yet another ridiculous move; and speaking of ridiculous moves, is there any discernable reason that Tommy Murphy is on the major league roster? He's played in two games and does nothing the rest of the time. Send him back down to Salt Lake and bring up Gorneault or Evans or somebody who has at least a little pop.
Labels: angels, athletics, recaps
even 500 million Chinese people by now know Kendrick and Kotchman have to move up in the line-up - based on production and potential. that is, it's IF its based on merit. (not seniority which it currently is).
Andersen is off to a rough start - not good when you mean our clean-up hitter is off to a rough start.
and yes, yes, yes - Murphy for a bigger stick in SLC.
laangels.com
-Marcus
Not to defend his play thus far, but that's a pace for 112 runs scored over 162 games. Last night knocked it down to 104.
On the flyball ... I talk about this over at my blog, but the winds encourage me to give him a pass, though he has taken many circuitous routes to balls this year under temperate conditions.
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