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

A.J. Pierzynski once again ruined the Angels, or at least that was the superficial story; but in fact the Halos doomed themselves. Reggie Willits and Shea Hillenbrand each stranded five baserunners. Mike Scioscia contributed to the disaster by ramming Chone Figgins in the number two slot, a clear mistake when his batting approach was suspect to end his 2006 season and has looked even worse this year. His swing isn't here, and his lone ninth-inning walk notwithstanding, he shouldn't be this high in the lineup ever, ever, ever again until he proves he deserves it. Come to think of it, once Izturis is back, he belongs behind Ztu in the lineup until he can prove he can (a) hit and (b) field.

Scot Shields is rapidly losing whatever trust he's built up over these last few seasons. Maybe the doubters were right when Stoneman signed him to a big extension: an arm that had accumulated almost 500 innings in relief before his 32nd birthday is just begging for trouble. Trouble is what the Angels got as he gave up a two-run shot to pinch-hitter Pierzynski in the top of the eighth.

In fairness, though, it should be noted that Shields did not get his usual time to warm up, as Colon left the game with what was reported to be a triceps strain in his pitching arm. We'll see if the big guy can make his next outing, but my guess is not. Colon's been either brilliant or wobbly, and the distance between the two seems awfully short.

Pierzynski also drove in the game winning run in the tenth with a little bloop to left just over Figgins' head off Frankie, who had a no-nonsense ninth but stumbled badly in the tenth, getting the collar on a well-deserved loss. The much-hated White Sox catcher drove in three of the four White Sox runs in the game, and the Angels had no answer in the bottom of the frame, with the 7-8-9 hitters coming up against flamethrowing fatso Bobby Jenks; yet hope remained, because Napoli worked a walk, Tommy Murphy got a solid single. With one out, Reggie Willits had a hope of at least driving in a tying run with a single, or more with a double. It didn't happen, and Jenks struck out both Willits (looking) and Figgins (swinging).

The hope of a double — dear God, please, any extra-base hit — is what brings us back to Casey Kotchman. Kotchman, it seems, has regressed, and badly. His average continues to plummet, and even kept away from tough lefties (as against Chisox starter Mark Buehrle today), he can't hit worth a damn, and as noted earlier, his walks are also declining. There's only so long you can continue to support this kind of anemia before somebody gets traded and/or displaced. Two offseasons ago when Bill Stoneman was reportedly pursuing Paul Konerko, I was against it on the grounds that Casey Kotchman was about to turn into him, Todd Helton, or somebody similar. Kotchman's latest slump hasn't given us much to get excited about, and a great deal about which to worry. Studded with hitter's parks in hitter's leagues, the Angels' minors begin to look awfully dubious as a training ground for young position players. And if Kotchman continues to falter, a second helping of Kendry Morales appears equally unappetizing.

The upcoming two weeks or so thus look particularly grim, facing the mashing Cleveland Indians (presently third in runs scored and third in home runs); four at Texas; and then three against the Seattle Mariners with no rest days between, and against whom the Angels were only 10-9 last year; and then, again with no rest, back home for the first interleague series of the year against the Dodgers at home. If they manage .500 in this stretch, it'll be a significant achievement, but a sweep by Cleveland is very likely.

Footnote: Justin Speier, allegedly out for "non-baseball-related" reasons, was seen throwing in the bullpen to an actual hitter, or at least, to someone holding a bat, around the 5th or 6th inning. I wonder why.

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Labels: angels, recaps, white sox

// posted by Rob @ 5:19 PM link  //  8 comments