Aston’s Angels Report 2012 [Game 2&3 vs Royals- LOSSES]

AAR: Aston’s Angels Report                                 April 8, 2012 Games 2&3: Royal Thorn in the Angels' Side        Vol. 2, Issue 3
       
                                Both losses vs. Royals [3-6, 3-7], Record: 1-2
         The Royals once again to be the Angels’ kryptonite, much like last season, as they thoroughly beat down the Angels in the final two games of the series, in the Angels home openers. Last season, as you may recall, the Royals beat the Angels in 3 of the 4 games in the opening series of the season in Kansas City, so needless the say the Angels are happy not to have to play them again for a while. Despite the scores, the game on Sunday was actually much closely contested than the game on Saturday, but the Royals took the lead in their first at-bat in both games and held on to the lead throughout, before sending the Halos on their way to Minnesota.

       In game 2, the Angels sent out one of their best pitchers, Dan Haren, who was 16-10 last year with a 3.17 ERA and a stellar strikeout-to-walk ratio, to face off against Luke Hochevar, who has pitched poorly in his career against the Halos, posting an ugly 8.02 ERA… But as they say, that’s why they play the game, because when you watched the game, you wouldn’t be able to tell who is the possible staff ace (Haren) and who has been deemed a #1 draft pick bust for most of his career (Hochevar).

        The Royals used about the same defense/ lineup as in game one, with the exception of Humberto Quintero as the catcher. The Angels made a few changes to their defense, with Alberto Callaspo at 3^rd base, Bobby Wilson as the catcher, and Bobby Abreu in left field, moving Vernon Wells to center (replacing Peter Bourjos). It didn’t really matter who was out there for the Angels, because Dan Haren was not on his game from the start, and the Angels were basically out of it by the 5^th inning.

         Haren started out well, inducing a ground out from Alex Gordon to lead off the 1^st, but then he surrendered 4 straight singles to rookie CF Lorenzo Cain, 1B Eric Hosmer, DH Billy Butler, and finally Jeff Francoeur, who drove in two runs with his bases loaded single. Granted the first and last hit were weakly hit bloopers, but Haren was not hitting his locations, which is not like him at all, and his velocity was lower than usual, which makes for a bad combination obviously. He did come back to strike out the next two hitters in the inning to somewhat limit the damage, but it was 2-0 and the Royals never looked back. The Angels’ Howie Kendrick earned a one-out walk, but Albert Pujols grounded into an inning ending double play, to finish their half of the 1^st.

         The Royals tacked on another run, as Quintero led off with a double into left, SS Alcides Escobar sacrificed him to 3^rd with a bunt, and Cain hit a sacrifice fly into right to make the score 3-0 Royals. The Angels managed just one hit in their 2^nd inning, with a leadoff single by Kendrys Morales, as part of a 4-for-4 day, but the next three hit fly ball outs to quickly end that inning.

          The Royals tried to start another rally in the 3^rd, with two hits singles to left by RF Jeff Francoeur and 2B Yuniesky Betancourt, but Haren struck out 3B Mike Moustakas, and catcher Bobby Wilson made a great play on a wild pitch in the dirt, pouncing on the loose ball, and firing to 2^nd base to get the runner out trying to advance, to end the inning.The Angels again failed to do much in their half of the 3^rd, when Bobby Wilson, who walked with one out, was picked off of 1^st base by the Royals catcher, with Kendrick up to bat., to end the inning.

        Haren again got in trouble in the 4^th, with another lead off double by the #8 hitter, Quintero, but he struck out two of the next three, with a weak pop-out sandwiched in between, to retire the side after the mild threat. The Angels biggest chance to make an offensive impact came in their half of the 4^th but it still resulted in a goose egg on the score board. After Kendrick grounded out, Pujols hit a line drive off of the left field wall for a double, for his first hit as an Angel. Not only was the smash hit impressive, but I really like how he immediately hustles out of the batter’s box even though it looked like it may be a homerun off his bat, and ran hard all the way to 2^nd base, which is not always the case with a lot of hitters these days. Morales followed with his second hit, a line drive to left field, but Pujols was thrown out by the left fielder Gordon at home plate. Well, he was called out, but it looked like he was tagged on the back leg after his front leg crossed the plate, but a bad call by umpire Bob Davidson has become a common occurrence so it’s not surprising, and in his [mild] defense, the ball did beat him, and some umpires just quit watching the play at that point, it seems, to give the automatic out call, instead of doing their job and watching the entirety of the play. I could blame the ump all day for another bad call, and I’m sure it won’t be the last time, but in reality, it was a bad play by Pujols, who ran threw the ‘stop sign’ by the 3^rd base coach, and tried to score on one of the best throwing outfielders from last year, Gordon- who earned a gold glove last year, in large part to his league-leading 20 assists (which means he can really throw). That was probably the play of the game from the Angels standpoint, because it probably cost the Angels a chance to get back in it. Hunter followed by flying out to center, and there’s no guarantee he would have done the same with Pujols at 3^rd and one out, but if he had, it would have been a sac. Fly for an RBI, and it would have given another RBI chance to the next batter, but as it turns out, they got nothing, and that was the story of the whole game.

        Eric Hosmer capitalized on the Angels failure to score, launching a solo homerun, leading off the 5^th inning against Haren, to give them a 4-0 lead, before Haren retired the next three in order. The Angels followed that with a miserable offensive inning, going down in order, as Abreu, Wells, and Callaspo each struck out swinging, after Hochevar had recorded no strikeouts going into the inning.

        Mike Moustakas led off the 5^th with another solo homer off of Haren, which led to a few boos from the Angels home crowd, who simply weren’t used to this futility from one of their best pitchers. Haren did manage to finally get Quintero out for the first time on a ground out back to him, but Escobar followed with a one-out single, and that was the end of the day for Haren, who left with a 5-0 deficit. Hisanori Takahashi came in to pitch in relief, and retired Gordon and Cain, but the Angels were in a big hole, and wouldn’t get out. They continued their offensive deficiencies, going down in order in their half of the 6^th, and it looked like they were going to go down without much of a fight.

         Takahashi and Jason Isringhausen combined to retire the Royals in order for the first time in the game, in the top of the 7^th, and the Angels’ offense finally did something to attempt a comeback after the 7^th inning stretch. After Pujols led off with a fly out, Morales added his third hit, a bloop single to left, and then he went to 3^rd base when the Royals catcher, Quintero made a bad throw trying to pick him off at 1^st. With the runner now at 3^rd and one out, Hunter blooped a single into right that fell just in front of Francoeur, but Morales wasn’t sure if it was going to fall so he held at 3^rd. The Royals manager Ned Yost then brought in left hander, Tim Collins and I was surprised to see the Angels manager, Mike Scioscia, stick with lefty Abreu as the hitter (coming up to bat with chants of “Bobby“ from the crowd). He promptly lined the first pitch fastball into right field for an RBI double, and I think that vote of confidence by his manager (who could have very easily pinch-hit for him, as I’m sure other managers would have) could really help him in the future, and hopefully prove to him that he will get the playing time he desires. The score was now 5-1, and Vernon Wells batted with runners at 2^nd and 3^rd and just one out. He grounded out to 3^rd, and Hunter hesitated as he started for home, but luckily the 3B didn’t pay any attention to him and threw on to 1^st for the sure out, allowing the Angels to score and make it 5-2. Callaspo struck out to end the inning, but the Angels finally had made it on the scoreboard and gave themselves a chance.

         LaTroy Hawkins was called upon to pitch the 9^th, but he allowed a lead off double to the pinch hitter Chris Getz, on a grounder down the left field line. Following a strikeout by Moustakas, Getz tried to steal 3^rd base on the first pitch to Quintero, and the Angels catcher made a terrible throw that sailed past Callaspo at 3^rd, into left field, allowing Getz to trot home, making the score 6-2, and taking away any momentum the Angels had acquired. Quintero walked, and Escobar hit into an inning ending double play. Greg Holland came in to pitch the bottom of the 8^th for the Royals, and allowed a two-out single up the middle by Howie Kendrick, before striking out Pujols (looking) to end the inning.

         The Angels brought in Rich Thompson to pitch the 9^th, and he retired the Royals’ top of the lineup in order for a quick inning. The Royals brought in their closer Jonathon Broxton, in a non-closing situation with a 4-run lead, and the Angels tried to at least make it interesting. Morales continued his great day at the plate, by lacing a double off the right center field wall to lead off the 9^th, and Hunter followed with a wise bunt single, that got past the pitcher, to put two runners on base and attempt a rally. With runners at 1^st and 3^rd, Abreu had a chance to do more damage, but could only muster a sacrifice fly to left, scoring one run, but with one all-important out, to make the score 6-3. Vernon Wells followed and grounded into an easy game-ending double play, and that was that.

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         Now on to Sunday’s game, the final tie-breaking game of the series. This game pitted the Angels Ervin Santana vs. new Royals starter Jonathon Sanchez, formerly of the San Francisco Giants (with a no-hitter to his name, a few years ago). The Royals inserted Chris Getz into the 2^nd base slot, using the same defense they finished with in game 2, plus moved their rookie CF, Cain, down in the lineup, shifting the SS Escobar up to the #2 spot. The Angels reverted back to their opening day lineup, with Trumbo back at 3^rd, Iannetta catching, and Bourjos back in center (with Wells moving back to left) in hopes that it would produce the same victorious result.

         The Royals did some more 1^st inning damage, taking the early lead once again, as they continued to put pressure on the Halos. After Gordon grounded out on the first pitch of the game, Escobar was hit by a pitch, and then stole 2^nd base with Hosmer at the plate. Santana made a good pitch to Hosmer, jamming him with a fastball, but he managed to bloop it out to left field for an RBI single, and a quick 1-0 lead for the Royals. Santana fell behind the next hitter, Billy Butler, and threw mediocre 3-1 slider down the middle and Butler whacked it just over the center field wall (and just to the left of the large wall that extends from the normal wall near right center) for a two-run homerun, and just like that the Angels were in a deep hole again, down 3-0.

          The Angels hustled their way to a run in their half of the 1^st inning, when Kendrick grounded one back up the middle for a one-out single, and then ran all the way to 3^rd base on a wild pitch to Albert Pujols, on a rare two-base wild pitch. Pujols had a runner at 3^rd with just one out, and a 3-1 count, but was fooled by a changeup and hit a grounder to 3^rd, but Kendrick was able to score, giving Pujols his first RBI as an Angel, so the score was now 3-1.

          The 2^nd inning was quick for both teams, as a double play fly ball to Peter Bourjos erased Quintero from 2^nd base, after he hit another double with one out in the inning, but ventured too far away from 2^nd on a line drive to shallow center, allowing Bourjos to make another gold glove- calibur play to end the inning. The Angels managed only a walk by Chris Iannetta, but that was all for their half of the 2nd.

         The top of the 3^rd was highlighted by a great defensive play by Albert Pujols, who dove to his left to snag a high- hop grounder down the 1^st base line, by Alex Gordon leading off the inning, and Santana retired the next two for a 1-2-3 inning, thanks in large part to Pujols and his all-around greatness. The bottom of the 3^rd proved to be the biggest inning for the Angels, but more for what they didn’t do instead of what they did do, although they did inch closer on the scoreboard. Aybar led off the 3^rd with swinging at a ball in the dirt to strikeout, but he was able to advance to 1^st as the wild pitch got past the catcher, so the lead off man got on base which has not happened much for them so far. Kendrick followed that with a patented opposite field line drive into right, for a double, moving Aybar to 3^rd. Pujols had two in scoring position, and Sanchez was obviously trying to be careful, as he fell behind 2 balls, 0 strikes, before Pujols rocketed the next two pitches into the crowd to even the count, and then he threw two sliders to try to get Pujols to swing and miss, but he showed excellent patience (another one of his trademark skills) and took the walk, to load the bases for Torii Hunter. He hit a sharp grounder to Hosmer at 1^st base, who bobbled it before he could try to make it into a double play, settling for the putout at 1^st, so the Angels converted an out into a run, making it 3-2 and still had two runners in scoring position. Vernon Wells now batted with runners at 2^nd and 3^rd and just one out- a time where an “RBI hitter” is supposed to be able to at least put the ball in play (either on the ground or a deep enough fly ball to score Kendrick from 3^rd), but Wells once again failed mightily in what turned out to be the most important Angels at-bat in the game. He swung at consecutive pitches up near his neck (no I’m not exaggerating for effect) to strike out meekly, and blow a relatively easy RBI opportunity (an unfortunate broken record in his brief Angels career). The next batter, Morales also had a good RBI opportunity, but much more difficult now with two outs where a hit is necessary, and he grounded out sharply to the SS, to end the inning, and the last real threat to make the game close that the Angels would have.

         The Royals looked like they were going to capitalize right away on the Angels failures in the top of the 4^th, when Santana issued a four-pitch walk to the first hitter, Billy Butler. Francoeur lined out to 3^rd and Moustakas popped out to center, but Cain drew another walk to put two runners on, and Quintero came through with another hit, a line drive to right field. Hunter grabbed the ball and fired it to the cutoff man, Butler held at 3^rd base, but the rookie Lorenzo Cain made a base running error, rounding 2^nd base too much, and Pujols threw behind him and the Angels got him in a run down for the final out, instead of what would have been a bases-loaded, two out situation. In their half of the 4^th, the Angels failed to capitalize on that possible momentum shift, as the bottom third of the lineup went down in order, including a couple easy grounders to 1^st.

         The Royals took control of the game in the 5^th inning, as Getz led off with a groundball single to right, just out of the reach of the diving Kendrick. Santana retired the next two hitters, Gordon and Escobar, but Eric Hosmer launched the first pitch fastball deep into the right field seats, up above the tall wall, for a two-run homerun, giving his team a relatively commanding 5-2 lead. In the bottom half of the 5^th, the Angels tried to start a comeback, as Aybar singled to lead off the inning. Kendrick then followed with a loud line drive right to the SS for a loud out, but Pujols lined a single to left on the first pitch he saw, to put two runners on. Hunter popped out to 1^st and Wells grounded out to the SS to end the inning and put an end to any potential threat once again.

         The Royals added another run in the top of the 6^th, when Francoeur blooped in a single to right, lunging for a good pitch, but making enough contact to get on base- another bad omen for this game. After Moustakas hit an easy fly out to left (swinging at the first pitch for the third straight at-bat), Cain hit a ground ball to Mark Trumbo near the 3^rd base line, and Mark couldn’t field it cleanly so Cain reached on another error by Trumbo. Quintero hit a deep fly ball to center, that Bourjos chased down, and that was the last pitch for Santana, who was then replaced by Takahashi, to face the left-hand hitting Chris Getz. The Angels got what they wanted, a weak broken- bat hit, but it managed to dribble past the pitcher and it was hit so slowly that Kendrick wasn’t able to make a play, so Getz reached on an infield RBI single, and the Royals were now up 6-2, after two well- placed weak hits, once again proving this was just not going to be the Angels’ night. The Angels managed just one hit, a line drive single to left by Trumbo, in the bottom of the 6^th, off of the Royals’ new pitcher, Jose Mijares, and hope was fleeting.

          Things got worse in the top of the 7^th, when Escobar led off with a bunt single, taking advantage of Trumbo at 3^rd again. Hosmer grounded into a force play, making it safely at 1^st, and then the Angels brought in Jason Isringhausen to face the right-handed hitting Butler. Hosmer stole 2^nd on the first pitch, and then Butler lined the next pitch into left field, which rolled to the wall, for an RBI double, giving the Royals a 7-2 lead, and essentially ending the game for all intensive purposes. They did get the final two outs to head into the 7^th inning stretch, but the Angels offense couldn’t get it together in their half of the 7^th. Aybar led off an inning once again, and grounded one back up the middle that deflected off the pitcher’s glove far enough to allow him to reach on an infield single. Kendrick, however, followed with an easy groundball double play, and (of course) Pujols followed with a double in the left-center gap, but it was with the bases empty. Hunter grounded out to end the inning, and it was another case-in-point for their bad day.

         Fast forward to the bottom of the 8^th, and Vernon Wells finally put a good swing on a ball, hitting a low curve ball into bullpens beyond the left field wall for a solo homerun, but it was too little, too late, as usual as the score was now 7-3. After Morales grounded out, Trumbo singled up the middle, and Iannetta hit one the other way, down the right field line, for a double to push Trumbo to 3^rd. Aaron Crow was brought in to kill the Angels rally, with runners at 2^nd and 3^rd and one out, and he struck out Bourjos and induced a weak ground out back to the mound from Aybar, to do just that.

         Jordan Walden came in to pitch the 9^th for the Angels and retired the Royals in order, heading into their last at bat. Kendrick led off the 9^th with a single into left, and Pujols drew a four-pitch walk, prompting the Royals to bring in their closer, Jonathon Broxton again. He took control of the game, and struck out Hunter, Wells (another ridiculously high fastball I might add), and Morales to end the game. The Angels had base runners on during the game, and chances to tie the game in the early innings, which is more than they had in Saturday’s game, but the result was the same, and they are now headed to Minnesota with a 1-2 record, to try and get back on track. I’m sure they would rather stay at home, but still welcome the chance to play anybody other than those pesky Royals.

HUSTLE/ BEYOND THE BOX SCORE        I have been thoroughly impressed with the work ethic and hustle of Albert Pujols during the spring and so far in this young season, and I think it will benefit the whole team as the season progresses. He always runs hard to 1^st, and spends extra time every day preparing and trying to get better, and his teammates see this and it can only work to encourage them to do the same thing, which will assuredly benefit the team as we go along. He busted it out of the batter’s box on what looked like a homerun, and the ball bounced hard off the wall instead, but because he was hustling, he was able to make it into 2^nd base safely, whereas there are many players who probably would have started to trot to 1^st as they admire what they thought was a homerun, and may have been limited to a single purely because of a lack of hustle. And you know if he sees one of his teammates do that, he will tell them of his disapproval, being the vocal leader that he is, and it won’t just be an idle point, because they know he does exactly what he is telling them to do, every second he is on the field. Early in Sunday’s game, Howie Kendrick turned a simple advance on a wild pitch, into an exciting two base wild pitch, because he ran hard all the way and turned around 2^nd with the intent of possibly going to 3^rd, and it resulted in their first run of the game, and Pujols’ first RBI as an Angel.

GREAT DEFENSE        Pujols also made one of the best defensive plays you will ever see by a first baseman, in Sunday’s game, when he dove for a ball down the 1^st base line, and it took a very high hop as it got to him, but he reached out for it and snagged the ball, allowing for the first easy inning of Santana’s night.

        In Saturday’s game, the Royals made two great defensive plays, one of which was aided by the combination of Angels over-aggressiveness and another bad call by an umpire. Left fielder Alex Gordon made a great throw home to get Albert Pujols “out” but it was more about the bad base running by Pujols and the worse call by home plate umpire Bob Davidson. Later in the 8^th, when the game was basically out of reach anyway, the Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar made a great running bare-handed pick-up-and-throw to get the speedy Erick Aybar out at 1^st in the 8^th inning, which was one of the plays of the day in all of baseball.

FANTASY WATCH
         The Angels’ only bright spot on the stat line on Saturday, was Morales who went 4-for-4 with 3 singles and a double. On Sunday, Kendrick had 3 hits, including a double, and Pujols did finally get an RBI, and went 2-for-3 with two walks. Hopefully you chose not to start Haren or Santana, because they each had awful stat lines, including earning the loss(es).

          The Royals’ Eric Hosmer had a homerun and multiple hits in both games, proving he may well become an all-star player this year (it also helps the all-star game is in KC this year). Their catcher, Humberto Quintero also had standout performances, especially in the game on Saturday. He hit two doubles off of Haren, and was 2-for-3 with a walk on Saturday, and continued his offensive onslaught with two more hits on Sunday, including another double off of Ervin Santana.