Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Dog Days of Summer
The term was coined because early Greeks and Romans thought that Sirius, the Dog Star, which rises with or just before the sun during this time of year, actually was the cause of the extra heat as well. It's also been described as a period of inactivity, which if you've been checking this page any lately, you know that that's certainly been the case here. Whether it was the Olympics (which I've been consuming in large bites), mail order movies (free trials are great), or the resurgence of my comic book collecting (Batman, is, and probably always will be, my hero), I've had a little time to recharge my batteries. My ears haven't been glued to the baseball news wire as they've been for much of the year, but I've kept an eye on things for you. Let's get started.
Is Troy Back or Is This a Trojan Horse?
First, he started swinging. Then murmurs of him returning to Anaheim. Then he does--and wows everyone exhibiting several launching-pad home runs. Is Troy Boy really gonna suit up soon? The chances seem a lot greater than before. I've said numerous times that it was unlikely--and believe me, BP is still just that. . .BP--but TG started his minor league rehab tonight. With the minor league season ending soon, he's a sure bet to be in the dugout in September. He'll only DH, but that's all fantasy owners care about. If your IR's empty (and mine was), adding Troy would cost you nothing and might just net you some key power for the stretch drive. In H2H, you may just have the boost your team needs for the playoffs. He can only do so much with a few weeks, but he's a difference maker.
Rotation Preparing to Do Just That
Jarrod Washburn is one good simulated game away from starting a rehab stint of his own. It could be a couple of starts, but AL owners who own Aaron Sele or Ramon Ortiz should be watching closely. Scioscy wants to delay the decision of who to relegate the pen as long as possible, but you have to think he wouldn't be silly enough to keep Sele in the rotation. Since the Break, his ERA is higher, he's fanned 10 and walked 16 (!), and his BAA is .322. Ramon Ortiz's numbers don't shine, but it takes very little to top those scary-looking stats. As far as Wash is concerned, it's tough to say how he'll do in the short term. This injury caused him a lot of pain, and he's been almost totally inactive for a month. His numbers weren't great before, but a rest could've been good medicine.
Fatman as Fearsome as His Gotham Counterpart?
Bart is 8-2 since July 1 following his much-maligned tank job in the first half. But has he really returned to his pre-Anaheim ace status? Not really. His ERA in the same span is just north of 4, while his K/BB ratio is a non-acelike 1.8. That's not killing anyone, but nothing to boast about. His control, which was actually much better in the first half (2.93 BB/9 compared to his post-Break 4.02), is a culprit, although he has seen his K/9 up as well, just not as much. He's taken the air-it-out approach and it's worked pretty well so far. What has changed dramatically since the first half? His HR fortune, that's for sure. He posted a 2.06 HR/rate in the first half--only 0.84 since. Much closer to his career averages. He's doing well, but he's still not the Fatman of old.
The Fireball is Firin' Away
Jose Guillen "won the fight" with Scioscy over the weekend about whether he'd play or not against the Yanks. Scioscy wanted to give him a day off, but Jose "told him he was going to [play]". Situations like this are becoming common. If he were a superhero, he'd be The Fireball or the Griper or Complaining Man or something to that effect. Scioscy defused Jose's remarks like any manager who's worth his salt will. The issue here is that the Angels are winning. If the Angels were sitting where Seattle is right now, he becomes a clubhouse problem. Stats aside, he's gotta be a pain. Stats not aside, he's absolutely mashing the ball to the tune of 31 RBI and a .572 SLG since the Break. He's has exceeded all expectations and believe it or not, he's for real.
September Help
Not only will Glaus most likely be gracing the Angel dugout soon after the rosters expand in a week, but there are other Halos who will be lurking nearby to give those owners looking for help an extra push as well. Andres Galarraga will most likely be back in the majors and has been hitting well at AAA. Casey Kotchman, whose earlier stint brought some unbelieving "overrated" mutters, is blistering the pill at a .377 clip in AAA also. Casey may have only hit .218 in his 28 games earlier this season, but he will very likely be a regular in the Angel lineup within 2 years (a very good one too). It's not clear whether Dallas McPherson will see the majors soon also, but don't rule it out. Will any of these guys get significant PT? Maybe Kotchman. Maybe not.
Odds and Ends
Very interesting 6 games ahead after the KC series. Three with MIN at home and 3 in Fenway. Either series could be a potential playoff preview. . .Darin Erstad continues to make me eat crow with his .316 AVG and 14 SB along with 2 dingers and 6 RBI in the past week. Don't believe the hype, though. In OPS, he's 19th among 22 MLB 1B with enough ABs to qualify for the batting title. He's also getting hits at 35% clip. That's too high to last. . .Figgins' move to 9th may have been the best thing for his speed. He's swiped 3 bases in 9 games in the bottom slot. Something to note if you know an owner who's upset about less ABs for him. . .I'd bail on Robb Quinlan unless you're in a very deep keeper. He won't be back in time to really help in '04. For the Angels, Matt Allen--ESPN.
Is Troy Back or Is This a Trojan Horse?
First, he started swinging. Then murmurs of him returning to Anaheim. Then he does--and wows everyone exhibiting several launching-pad home runs. Is Troy Boy really gonna suit up soon? The chances seem a lot greater than before. I've said numerous times that it was unlikely--and believe me, BP is still just that. . .BP--but TG started his minor league rehab tonight. With the minor league season ending soon, he's a sure bet to be in the dugout in September. He'll only DH, but that's all fantasy owners care about. If your IR's empty (and mine was), adding Troy would cost you nothing and might just net you some key power for the stretch drive. In H2H, you may just have the boost your team needs for the playoffs. He can only do so much with a few weeks, but he's a difference maker.
Rotation Preparing to Do Just That
Jarrod Washburn is one good simulated game away from starting a rehab stint of his own. It could be a couple of starts, but AL owners who own Aaron Sele or Ramon Ortiz should be watching closely. Scioscy wants to delay the decision of who to relegate the pen as long as possible, but you have to think he wouldn't be silly enough to keep Sele in the rotation. Since the Break, his ERA is higher, he's fanned 10 and walked 16 (!), and his BAA is .322. Ramon Ortiz's numbers don't shine, but it takes very little to top those scary-looking stats. As far as Wash is concerned, it's tough to say how he'll do in the short term. This injury caused him a lot of pain, and he's been almost totally inactive for a month. His numbers weren't great before, but a rest could've been good medicine.
Fatman as Fearsome as His Gotham Counterpart?
Bart is 8-2 since July 1 following his much-maligned tank job in the first half. But has he really returned to his pre-Anaheim ace status? Not really. His ERA in the same span is just north of 4, while his K/BB ratio is a non-acelike 1.8. That's not killing anyone, but nothing to boast about. His control, which was actually much better in the first half (2.93 BB/9 compared to his post-Break 4.02), is a culprit, although he has seen his K/9 up as well, just not as much. He's taken the air-it-out approach and it's worked pretty well so far. What has changed dramatically since the first half? His HR fortune, that's for sure. He posted a 2.06 HR/rate in the first half--only 0.84 since. Much closer to his career averages. He's doing well, but he's still not the Fatman of old.
The Fireball is Firin' Away
Jose Guillen "won the fight" with Scioscy over the weekend about whether he'd play or not against the Yanks. Scioscy wanted to give him a day off, but Jose "told him he was going to [play]". Situations like this are becoming common. If he were a superhero, he'd be The Fireball or the Griper or Complaining Man or something to that effect. Scioscy defused Jose's remarks like any manager who's worth his salt will. The issue here is that the Angels are winning. If the Angels were sitting where Seattle is right now, he becomes a clubhouse problem. Stats aside, he's gotta be a pain. Stats not aside, he's absolutely mashing the ball to the tune of 31 RBI and a .572 SLG since the Break. He's has exceeded all expectations and believe it or not, he's for real.
September Help
Not only will Glaus most likely be gracing the Angel dugout soon after the rosters expand in a week, but there are other Halos who will be lurking nearby to give those owners looking for help an extra push as well. Andres Galarraga will most likely be back in the majors and has been hitting well at AAA. Casey Kotchman, whose earlier stint brought some unbelieving "overrated" mutters, is blistering the pill at a .377 clip in AAA also. Casey may have only hit .218 in his 28 games earlier this season, but he will very likely be a regular in the Angel lineup within 2 years (a very good one too). It's not clear whether Dallas McPherson will see the majors soon also, but don't rule it out. Will any of these guys get significant PT? Maybe Kotchman. Maybe not.
Odds and Ends
Very interesting 6 games ahead after the KC series. Three with MIN at home and 3 in Fenway. Either series could be a potential playoff preview. . .Darin Erstad continues to make me eat crow with his .316 AVG and 14 SB along with 2 dingers and 6 RBI in the past week. Don't believe the hype, though. In OPS, he's 19th among 22 MLB 1B with enough ABs to qualify for the batting title. He's also getting hits at 35% clip. That's too high to last. . .Figgins' move to 9th may have been the best thing for his speed. He's swiped 3 bases in 9 games in the bottom slot. Something to note if you know an owner who's upset about less ABs for him. . .I'd bail on Robb Quinlan unless you're in a very deep keeper. He won't be back in time to really help in '04. For the Angels, Matt Allen--ESPN.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Closing In
The Angels have now caught and passed the Texas Rangers for 2nd place, only 1.5 back of the Elephant Men and the top spot in the AL West. They’re finding ways to win games, which is what happens when teams make runs. They’ve won 5 in a row, 8 of the last 10, and 10 of the last 13. It’s a sketchy run though, because in August both the ERA is up and AVG is down from July marks. Colon is doing much better though, Escobar threw a gem last Friday and Lackey is in a groove (more on that later), so the pitching performance is improving despite the stats. The Halos don’t play another division game until September 13th, when they’ll finish out against the West, so scoreboard watching may become a temptation. Against the East and Central, the Halos are a combined 34-22.
ITH July Fantasy Golden Halo
ITH (insidethehalo.blogspot.com) awarded John Lackey the July Halo for this line: 4-1, 3.06 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 28 K, 6 BB in 32.1 IP. Stellar month. John’s only owned in 3% of mixed leagues, so right now, he’s an excellent pickup having a 7.7 K/9 and a 3.8 K/BB since the beginning of July. His BAA of .240 in July is the lowest he’s had since the month he entered the majors in June 2002 (.220). Naturally, his hit rate (H%) was lower in July at 20%, but other numbers show that the month wasn’t what should be considered a fluke. John can be a solid starter for the Halos, if not spectacular. He’s an excellent add for streamers and a team with weak pitching. Check out Inside the Halo for the complete season breakdown of the weekly and monthly Fantasy Halos and all my other material.
Back Where They Belong
Per my suggestion (not really, but it does feel nice to have called for this 3 weeks ago), Scioscy switched Vlad back to 3rd and put Garret Anderson back in the cleanup spot this past week, calling it his “most productive, best lineup”, according to the team’s website. He cited Vlad’s higher OBP in front of Anderson, whose OBP has never been in the stellar range like Guerrero’s. This, of course, could possibly downgrade Vlad’s RBI opportunities, but will probably help him overall. His OPS is 129 points higher in the 3 spot. Anderson will likely benefit in RBI now with the Vlad-masher in front of him. He, too, hits better in his usual position. GA’s OPS is 153 points higher in the 4 hole. All hail Scioscy for correcting this lineup situation.
What is “I Don’t Have the Slightest Idea?”
I know I’m the “analyst” (emphasis on the quotation marks) here, but that’s how I’d answer Alex Trebek if he told me the answer was The Key To Aaron Sele’s 2004 Success. Maybe Mulder and Scully know. His K/BB is 1.14, his K/9 is a career-low 3.83, his ERA is 4.60, WHIP 1.43--nothing looks anywhere near ownable. Yet he’s 7-0. Gotta be lucky, right? Well, the hit rate against him is 28%--a little low but nothing drastic. His strand rate is 71%--also right around the mean. So he’s not been all that lucky. What is goin’ on? Is there an extra fielder on a grassy knoll we don’t know about? Brain thieves? That it? His last five starts his BB/9 is 4.0 and his K/9 is 2.0. That’s insane. How has he fared in those starts? 2-0. His run support is 6.2, so maybe that’s at least a clue.
Does the Q Mean Quality?
Robb Quinlan has posted a 20-game hitting streak, causing his ownership in mixed leagues to rise to almost 50% and he’s now almost universally owned in ESPN AL leagues. Will Quinlan be the Opening Day starter at 3rd for the Halos in 2005? I don’t know that I’d bet on it. RQ is still kinda young at 27, but he’s not really shown the ability to do what he’s been doing in the minors before, and currently his hit rate is 38%, which won’t last. The fact is that there’s no denying the man’s hot, so he’s a good add for now, especially at that troublesome hot corner roster spot. I’m not sayin’ Q’s no good—at 27, he could just be coming of age, but the chances are against it. Expect a dropoff in performance over the long haul to around .280 with less power than he’s been showing.
Bengie, Come Home!
Yeah, I know that’s the Lassie line, but the fact is for now and the foreseeable future, the Angels are probably gonna be doggin’ it behind the plate. With the elder Molina out, it’s been left in the hands of little bubby Jose and Josh Paul, who’ve actually done quite well so far, hitting .320 together in Bengie’s absence. Don’t expect that to last though. What may be surprising to some though is that Jose is splitting time with Paul at all. Since BM’s injury, Jose has gotten 5 starts and Paul 3, and Scioscia has said there won’t be a regular guy for now. That means AL owners should look elsewhere if possible for their C needs. If, by chance, you’re in an All-Anaheim league though, I’d go with Paul because he’s likely to reach base more often.
Odds and Ends
Jarrod Washburn is still over a week away from even throwing a baseball, so his return could be much further away than Angels fans and his owners are hoping. . .Will there be a Big Cat prowling the Stadium? Andres Galarraga is 6-15 with AAA Salt Lake with a bomb and 5 RBI. Don’t be surprised to see him soon. . .”X-Files” Sele pitches tonight against another pitcher who’s been mysteriously good with awful peripherals, Daniel Cabrera of the Orioles. Might shape up to be the ugliest game on tap tonight. . .12 of the next 15 for the Halos are against sub-.500 teams. A run here is necessary, especially with 9 at home. . .Troy Percial’s ERA since July 1 is 1.42, but he’s still not overpowering hitters with a 1.6 K/BB in the same span. Exercise caution. For the Angels, Matt Allen--ESPN.
ITH July Fantasy Golden Halo
ITH (insidethehalo.blogspot.com) awarded John Lackey the July Halo for this line: 4-1, 3.06 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 28 K, 6 BB in 32.1 IP. Stellar month. John’s only owned in 3% of mixed leagues, so right now, he’s an excellent pickup having a 7.7 K/9 and a 3.8 K/BB since the beginning of July. His BAA of .240 in July is the lowest he’s had since the month he entered the majors in June 2002 (.220). Naturally, his hit rate (H%) was lower in July at 20%, but other numbers show that the month wasn’t what should be considered a fluke. John can be a solid starter for the Halos, if not spectacular. He’s an excellent add for streamers and a team with weak pitching. Check out Inside the Halo for the complete season breakdown of the weekly and monthly Fantasy Halos and all my other material.
Back Where They Belong
Per my suggestion (not really, but it does feel nice to have called for this 3 weeks ago), Scioscy switched Vlad back to 3rd and put Garret Anderson back in the cleanup spot this past week, calling it his “most productive, best lineup”, according to the team’s website. He cited Vlad’s higher OBP in front of Anderson, whose OBP has never been in the stellar range like Guerrero’s. This, of course, could possibly downgrade Vlad’s RBI opportunities, but will probably help him overall. His OPS is 129 points higher in the 3 spot. Anderson will likely benefit in RBI now with the Vlad-masher in front of him. He, too, hits better in his usual position. GA’s OPS is 153 points higher in the 4 hole. All hail Scioscy for correcting this lineup situation.
What is “I Don’t Have the Slightest Idea?”
I know I’m the “analyst” (emphasis on the quotation marks) here, but that’s how I’d answer Alex Trebek if he told me the answer was The Key To Aaron Sele’s 2004 Success. Maybe Mulder and Scully know. His K/BB is 1.14, his K/9 is a career-low 3.83, his ERA is 4.60, WHIP 1.43--nothing looks anywhere near ownable. Yet he’s 7-0. Gotta be lucky, right? Well, the hit rate against him is 28%--a little low but nothing drastic. His strand rate is 71%--also right around the mean. So he’s not been all that lucky. What is goin’ on? Is there an extra fielder on a grassy knoll we don’t know about? Brain thieves? That it? His last five starts his BB/9 is 4.0 and his K/9 is 2.0. That’s insane. How has he fared in those starts? 2-0. His run support is 6.2, so maybe that’s at least a clue.
Does the Q Mean Quality?
Robb Quinlan has posted a 20-game hitting streak, causing his ownership in mixed leagues to rise to almost 50% and he’s now almost universally owned in ESPN AL leagues. Will Quinlan be the Opening Day starter at 3rd for the Halos in 2005? I don’t know that I’d bet on it. RQ is still kinda young at 27, but he’s not really shown the ability to do what he’s been doing in the minors before, and currently his hit rate is 38%, which won’t last. The fact is that there’s no denying the man’s hot, so he’s a good add for now, especially at that troublesome hot corner roster spot. I’m not sayin’ Q’s no good—at 27, he could just be coming of age, but the chances are against it. Expect a dropoff in performance over the long haul to around .280 with less power than he’s been showing.
Bengie, Come Home!
Yeah, I know that’s the Lassie line, but the fact is for now and the foreseeable future, the Angels are probably gonna be doggin’ it behind the plate. With the elder Molina out, it’s been left in the hands of little bubby Jose and Josh Paul, who’ve actually done quite well so far, hitting .320 together in Bengie’s absence. Don’t expect that to last though. What may be surprising to some though is that Jose is splitting time with Paul at all. Since BM’s injury, Jose has gotten 5 starts and Paul 3, and Scioscia has said there won’t be a regular guy for now. That means AL owners should look elsewhere if possible for their C needs. If, by chance, you’re in an All-Anaheim league though, I’d go with Paul because he’s likely to reach base more often.
Odds and Ends
Jarrod Washburn is still over a week away from even throwing a baseball, so his return could be much further away than Angels fans and his owners are hoping. . .Will there be a Big Cat prowling the Stadium? Andres Galarraga is 6-15 with AAA Salt Lake with a bomb and 5 RBI. Don’t be surprised to see him soon. . .”X-Files” Sele pitches tonight against another pitcher who’s been mysteriously good with awful peripherals, Daniel Cabrera of the Orioles. Might shape up to be the ugliest game on tap tonight. . .12 of the next 15 for the Halos are against sub-.500 teams. A run here is necessary, especially with 9 at home. . .Troy Percial’s ERA since July 1 is 1.42, but he’s still not overpowering hitters with a 1.6 K/BB in the same span. Exercise caution. For the Angels, Matt Allen--ESPN.
Thursday, August 05, 2004
No Super Unit, But We've Got. . .Fatman
Seventy-two percent of you who voted on the ITH Instant Poll (insidethehalo.blogspot.com) said that the Angels should definitely acquire Randy Johnson as long as they didn't have to trade off more than one of the stellar prospects that currently reside in the farm system. Arte Moreno and Bill Stoneman apparently agree with us. Arizona wanted more than the Angels were willing to give and Randy didn't make the trip from one A to the other. Interestingly enough, the other 21% of you said to forget Randy because McPherson, Mathis, Kotchman, Santana, and Jenks were just too important to the Angels' future. Not one vote was cast to acquire the Unit at any cost. The Angels needed an arm, but I think we're on the right page with not giving up too much to get Johnson.
Trade Deadline Recap
The Angels made one move at the trade deadline but despite being in the pennant race, it was a player dump. Finally seeing that Guillen, Anderson, Guerrero, DaVanon, Salmon, and Figgins are enough, 7th outfielder Raul Mondesi was sent packing on Saturday as the Angels became the second team to terminate his contract this season. He failed to show up for a rehab appointment and may have been frustrated at his inability to get back to the major league level after injuring his quad having played only 11 games for the Halos. It wasn't really a good move to sign him when they made it, and I fully support the move to get rid of him. Raul is about the last person who should be acting as if he's Allen Iverson. That's right, Raul, we're talkin' 'bout practice.
Bartolo Colon is. . .Fatman
He's the Red Knight. The Gloved Crusader. He doesn't have a Fatmobile or a Robin (unless you count Jose Molina), but he sure is pitching like a comic book hero lately. Just when it looked like Colon was gonna be a real Joker this season, he donned the mantle of Staff Ace and put together a pretty decent July, going 4-1 with a 3.48 ERA. His BAA was .183, although his K/BB was an average 1.7. That won't turn his year completely around, but it at least he's been pitching like something other than a big, fat Penguin. His first start in August was pretty good also. That 6.6 run support will certainly finally start to help as well now that the ERA is coming down. I picked up him up during the huge skid, hopefully you did too. He probably won't dominate, but I think Fatman has returned.
Jarrod's a Wash; Ortiz/Sele Decision Postponed
Wash is eligible to return tomorrow from the 15-day DL, but as of now, he's not even close. He wasn't even able to throw a pitch this Sunday for his bullpen session, but hopes to throw before the week is over though nothing's in stone yet. It doesn't look like he'll be back in the short term. He's still in some pain. For now, Ramon Ortiz will continue to get what he wants--a starting slot--while Aaron Sele can hold his breath for a little longer. Ortiz has been throwing well, reigning in his control, but be cautious because it's come at the expense of his dominance. His K/9 has dropped to 2.5 the last 4 weeks. He's been incredibly lucky, stranding 93% of his runners, and as I type hasn't fanned 1 single batter in 5+ IP tonight. I'd avoid RO unless the matchup is very favorable.
What Happened to Three Bags?
At the end of June, Chone Figgins has 20 stolen bases, on pace for around 40. How many does he have now? Gotta be close to 30, right? Try 21. It could be that a secure role on the field has allowed him to relax. A fairly secure spot in the lineup (2nd) could also be the culprit. He's been hitting in front of the 3 hole, which sports the best average (.318) on the team. Not always smart to run in front of that. Plus, the Angels hit .306 as a team in July, their highest monthly total by 20 points. Finally, Scioscia seems to be relying on other people to help the running game as well. CF was over 30% of the running in April and May, while only 23% in June and 5% in July. However you look at it, there are plenty of reasons for Three Bags to not be stealing so many lately.
Switching Molinas
The elder Molina broke his finger and will be out 2-4 weeks according to the LA Times. Not good for the Angels' O. Or D, for that matter, when you lose the defending AL Gold Glover at catcher. Jose will get the bulk of the time behind the dish until Bengie returns, which may not be until September. He's a downgrade in every way, except maybe in speed. Now, by speed I don't mean stolen bases, I just mean that if he hits a ball to the outfield with a runner at first, then the defense won't have the chance to turn the double play. With the stick, he's such a free swinger, he honestly makes Vlad look patient. I'm not kidding. Here's to hoping for a quick return for Bengie and I say look elsewhere to plug your hole at C while he's out.
Pennant Races
Only 3.5 out of AL West lead, now trailing the A's, and although I completely agree that the A's staff overshadows the Halos' rotation, I maintain that this is a team they can catch. It appears that the Rangers may fade and if they do, the Angels could certainly win the division, especially if Washburn gets back, replaces Sele, and the starters can keep this offense in ballgames. Wild Card wise, the only teams in front of Anaheim are the Red Sox and Rangers, so they're in the race all around. . .Here's an idea. Remember how I was talking about Figgins' lack of SBs lately? Maybe flipping him and Eck would offer more chances for him to steal and open up the hit-and-run. Eck is much better at making contact than Three Bags. Just a thought. For the Angels, Matt Allen--ESPN.
Trade Deadline Recap
The Angels made one move at the trade deadline but despite being in the pennant race, it was a player dump. Finally seeing that Guillen, Anderson, Guerrero, DaVanon, Salmon, and Figgins are enough, 7th outfielder Raul Mondesi was sent packing on Saturday as the Angels became the second team to terminate his contract this season. He failed to show up for a rehab appointment and may have been frustrated at his inability to get back to the major league level after injuring his quad having played only 11 games for the Halos. It wasn't really a good move to sign him when they made it, and I fully support the move to get rid of him. Raul is about the last person who should be acting as if he's Allen Iverson. That's right, Raul, we're talkin' 'bout practice.
Bartolo Colon is. . .Fatman
He's the Red Knight. The Gloved Crusader. He doesn't have a Fatmobile or a Robin (unless you count Jose Molina), but he sure is pitching like a comic book hero lately. Just when it looked like Colon was gonna be a real Joker this season, he donned the mantle of Staff Ace and put together a pretty decent July, going 4-1 with a 3.48 ERA. His BAA was .183, although his K/BB was an average 1.7. That won't turn his year completely around, but it at least he's been pitching like something other than a big, fat Penguin. His first start in August was pretty good also. That 6.6 run support will certainly finally start to help as well now that the ERA is coming down. I picked up him up during the huge skid, hopefully you did too. He probably won't dominate, but I think Fatman has returned.
Jarrod's a Wash; Ortiz/Sele Decision Postponed
Wash is eligible to return tomorrow from the 15-day DL, but as of now, he's not even close. He wasn't even able to throw a pitch this Sunday for his bullpen session, but hopes to throw before the week is over though nothing's in stone yet. It doesn't look like he'll be back in the short term. He's still in some pain. For now, Ramon Ortiz will continue to get what he wants--a starting slot--while Aaron Sele can hold his breath for a little longer. Ortiz has been throwing well, reigning in his control, but be cautious because it's come at the expense of his dominance. His K/9 has dropped to 2.5 the last 4 weeks. He's been incredibly lucky, stranding 93% of his runners, and as I type hasn't fanned 1 single batter in 5+ IP tonight. I'd avoid RO unless the matchup is very favorable.
What Happened to Three Bags?
At the end of June, Chone Figgins has 20 stolen bases, on pace for around 40. How many does he have now? Gotta be close to 30, right? Try 21. It could be that a secure role on the field has allowed him to relax. A fairly secure spot in the lineup (2nd) could also be the culprit. He's been hitting in front of the 3 hole, which sports the best average (.318) on the team. Not always smart to run in front of that. Plus, the Angels hit .306 as a team in July, their highest monthly total by 20 points. Finally, Scioscia seems to be relying on other people to help the running game as well. CF was over 30% of the running in April and May, while only 23% in June and 5% in July. However you look at it, there are plenty of reasons for Three Bags to not be stealing so many lately.
Switching Molinas
The elder Molina broke his finger and will be out 2-4 weeks according to the LA Times. Not good for the Angels' O. Or D, for that matter, when you lose the defending AL Gold Glover at catcher. Jose will get the bulk of the time behind the dish until Bengie returns, which may not be until September. He's a downgrade in every way, except maybe in speed. Now, by speed I don't mean stolen bases, I just mean that if he hits a ball to the outfield with a runner at first, then the defense won't have the chance to turn the double play. With the stick, he's such a free swinger, he honestly makes Vlad look patient. I'm not kidding. Here's to hoping for a quick return for Bengie and I say look elsewhere to plug your hole at C while he's out.
Pennant Races
Only 3.5 out of AL West lead, now trailing the A's, and although I completely agree that the A's staff overshadows the Halos' rotation, I maintain that this is a team they can catch. It appears that the Rangers may fade and if they do, the Angels could certainly win the division, especially if Washburn gets back, replaces Sele, and the starters can keep this offense in ballgames. Wild Card wise, the only teams in front of Anaheim are the Red Sox and Rangers, so they're in the race all around. . .Here's an idea. Remember how I was talking about Figgins' lack of SBs lately? Maybe flipping him and Eck would offer more chances for him to steal and open up the hit-and-run. Eck is much better at making contact than Three Bags. Just a thought. For the Angels, Matt Allen--ESPN.
