Panther of the Game:
Rivers, Willits, Hunter, Lackey, Shields?
DISCUSS!
...and the award goes to...
Panther of the Game: Juan Rivera
When Juan popped up in a miserable late-inning situation a month ago, he go tblame-opf-the-game and for coming in off the bench cold cold cold as could be, we gotta give it to him for keep in the ball in the air to score the winning run. There is something about extra innings at home that demands the Panther.
Lackey was superior beyond belief and this was a tough, tough decision, but that "Blame" from back then demands to balanced with positive press for the man we call Johnny Rivers.
0 recs | 83 comments
Lackey
he pitched a helluva game
howiestheman - May 31, 2008
Agreed.
Lackey pitched 8 strong, giving up 2 runs and striking out 7 to an absolutely mashing TBJ team.
shiftyeyedgoat - May 31, 2008
1 earned, and one that could have been caught
nobody impressed majorly with teh bat, so panther has to be lackey
anaheim angels - May 31, 2008
The Sosh
For firing up the team after the argument cmon
WillGoAngels27 - May 31, 2008
And in the end figuring out a way to use the players he has to win the game tonight.
44FAN - May 31, 2008
gotta be lackey
angels.vlad27 - May 31, 2008
Lackey or Izzy
Fangraphs says Izzy, but I’m leaning towards Lackey
Los Angeles de Anaheim - May 31, 2008
Izzy and Kotch combine.......7-10........they did their jobs.....co-panther
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
Kotch had the throwing error that cost Lackey the win...
Can’t agree with you…Lackey = Panther
K3YEROUT - May 31, 2008
That wasn't a throwing error
That was HK’s fault, watch the replay… he didn’t even move his glove to the ball he just froze
Neo8234 - May 31, 2008
Howie's error
Kotch is golden. Glove I mean.
ReggieBullits - June 1, 2008
I assumed they gave it to Kotch...
official scorer got it right though…
E: Kendrick (2, missed catch)
K3YEROUT - June 1, 2008
Izzy
giving it to the SP gets boring
edhoo - May 31, 2008
Izzy > everyone else save Lackey.
I want to go with John, but 4-5 was huge. Q held up his end too, not his fault he got pinch run for or that Willits got jobbed by the umps.
Zu Long - May 31, 2008
long live Q.......
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
Juan Rivera
44FAN - May 31, 2008
lol.
frosty panter.
shiftyeyedgoat - May 31, 2008
Who cares, he could have purple hair as long as he gets the game winning RBI>
44FAN - May 31, 2008
Izzy
hitting has been our problem and thus a hitter should get the panther with all the base hits the team got tonight. Then again, I missed most of the game and I’m just now reading the game inning by inning progression. Nice win, way to stop a two game slide. Let’s hope the team can take this series and keep the series win streak alive.
tanana40 - May 31, 2008
yeah 16 hits........but only 3 runs..........same ole story
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
although the last few games
have been like 2-3 runs and 4-5 hits. So some hits is a start.
tanana40 - May 31, 2008
How bout a Ego-crushing decision by Soth to sit B-wood.........yikes
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
nothing will kill a rookie's confidence more...
makes me feel kinda bad for him
howiestheman - May 31, 2008
well he was hitting .106.......so.........its his own fault......but thats bad..
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
then you realize he;'s hitting .107 in the mlb
and you feel muuuuch better.
shiftyeyedgoat - May 31, 2008
Yeah...
I was kinda hoping he’d leave him in… and he’d be able to do it and just spark him…
But of course… not complaining about the move to pull him either, probably the right move anyway…
still.
scottnak - May 31, 2008
i feel the same
a walk-off is a good spark/confidence booster, but i’ll take a win no matter what
howiestheman - May 31, 2008
It was a tough move ...
but it was the right move. If Dick Wood had whiffed or popped up there, imagine what that would do to his confidence? ... Soth went with the veteran in a veteran situation and Juancho came through.
... If you noticed, Wood was right in the middle of the huddle mobbing Johnny Rivers after the big hit, as well. It wasn’t like Dick was too bummed out. Maybe a bit relieved …
highlandhalo - June 1, 2008
Wood sucks, that is why.
44FAN - May 31, 2008
umm
im pretty sure wood havign like 2 hits in his past 10 games should have crushed his ego a while ago.
If he cant handle being pinch hit for as a 23 year old, hes playing the wrong sport.
he’ll have his when he proves he can hit major league pitching. everyone needs to stop coddling him with the kids gloves
ihearhowie2.0 - May 31, 2008
The true test of maturity...
is what you do when you are pinch run for (See: Guillen, Jose).
Downing Rules - June 2, 2008
Lackey is the gut call ...
But you gotta love a guy coming in cold off the bench for the walk off. Lackey is supposed to pitch like Thunder, so my vote goes to …
Juancho.
highlandhalo - May 31, 2008
trans-atlantic agreement
44FAN - May 31, 2008
lackey
honorable mention for willits, kotchman and rivera. i loved seeing scioscia going crazy.
UCIHalo - May 31, 2008
REGGIE MUTHAF*CKIN WILLITS ya'll
ihearhowie2.0 - May 31, 2008
sparky
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
i really like that lineup tonight
lets keep it
UCIHalo - May 31, 2008
here here
ihearhowie2.0 - May 31, 2008
x2
howiestheman - May 31, 2008
xmen united?
ihearhowie2.0 - May 31, 2008
errmmm
I like the lineup too, but the one thing I would add to it is Figgins, the best leadoff man in baseball.
highlandhalo - May 31, 2008
When he's healthy we might.
Point is, it seems like the best we have available.
Zu Long - May 31, 2008
Yes.
Willits>Matthews
Rally Manatee - May 31, 2008
Regardless, this has been one of the most exciting games in a while.
44FAN - May 31, 2008
would you be saying the same thing had they lost?
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
Maybe...
in an angrier, pouty tone!
scottnak - May 31, 2008
but we could have blamed it on the umps
UCIHalo - May 31, 2008
like that really helps anything.......lol
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
Get off my lawn kid.
44FAN - May 31, 2008
3.5 game lead baby!!!!!!!!!!
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
can we all just agree
our team is a lot less frustrating when willits replaces the juice?
ihearhowie2.0 - May 31, 2008
im not sure i agree........there is a place for GMJ........hell he coulda got that second homer.......and the extra frame would have been unnecessary
there are pluses and minus to both
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
im the biggest replace gmj with willits advocate
but i was thinking that same thing after the homerun willits just missed, not sure GMJ would have missed that too. im still firmly behind willits. gmj is just frustrating because he is such a great outfielder but his AB have been so unproductive
UCIHalo - May 31, 2008
He might have gotten the Barajas homer.
Or he might have just watched it come down without even trying, like he did with the flyball yesterday. At least Willits is consistent.
Zu Long - May 31, 2008
As long as Willits is in...
he has a fresh different twang to his ABs.
scottnak - May 31, 2008
Twang is the right word
I love Willits, but man is he what we used to call a “banjo hitter”
highlandhalo - June 1, 2008
he did some things people werent happy with.......like striking out looking and swinging at first pitches.......i just dont know
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
reggie just brings more energy and (pardon my lame sports terminology) moxy to our team
hes just an exciting player. Even if he strikes out or grounds out, theres just something there that is kind of intangible. Gary is just frustrating.
especially considering he makes 10 million a year
ihearhowie2.0 - May 31, 2008
well i can agree to that...........
its just hard to sit a player who you pay so much for….....especially when he has talent….....he has power something reggie doesnt…....its a tough call thats for sure….....i like em both
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
~.400 career OBP at the top of the lineup > GMJ's pseudopower in the same place.
Zu Long - May 31, 2008
good point......cant argue with that number
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
Walkoff #3!
Fun note. I thought yesterday was saturday. And was confused when I was one game short of filling out my template.
scottnak - May 31, 2008
Vanna White never forgets.
44FAN - May 31, 2008
Yeah well.
I wish I could have a job touching lit-up tiles! :(
scottnak - May 31, 2008
i think this game is the first time i've gotten any points
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
The paci fairy likes you.
44FAN - May 31, 2008
Yo Scott
You’ve got the answers for questions 1 and 2 mixed up.
ReggieBullits - June 1, 2008
I vote Izzy for Panther!
thank you
Funke5ive - May 31, 2008
And good night!
ReggieBullits - June 1, 2008
Iz it is
vladtheimpaler - May 31, 2008
Panther: Lackey and his 8 superb innings.
It’s a good thing it was June on the Real Coast when Juan won it. Juan warms up with the summer.
Career OPS
—-—-——-
April: .598
May: .665
June: .776
July: .888
Aug: .873
Sept: .863
Fan Since 1981 - May 31, 2008
real coast.......bah........but those are nice numbers
norcaliangelsfan - May 31, 2008
just saw the highlights on Sportscenter...
and I quote..
“The Angels are winners. They’re now 33-24, 11 games over .500”.
now, when i do math, usually 33-24= 9. that may just be me though.
howiestheman - May 31, 2008
math is overrated
edhoo - May 31, 2008
But ESPN generally likes overrated things.
See- Derek Jeter.
Zu Long - May 31, 2008
i noticed that too when i was watching
but they could have been referring to the number of games howie has played this year
anaheim angels - May 31, 2008
Lackey for Panther
You can’t give it to anyone else….
8 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB (ump tainted), & 7 K’s…
Please, if Kotch & Howie work the rundown this is a 2-1 final! Lackey all the way!
K3YEROUT - May 31, 2008
JR!
Lackey is a monster, as we know, and made most of the Jays look like little baffled leaguers tonight (which was soooo appreciated after last night’s fair is foul/foul eventually becomes fair debacle)...but clutch is clutch! No what if’s…JR got the knock…Let’s give it to JR!
Big-A (little-a bouncing-b) - June 1, 2008
who shot jr?
NoDakHalo - June 1, 2008
Not sure if you guys caught this on TV...
...but during the argument over the interference call on Reggie, a handful of people behind the visitor’s dugout threw their wiffle balls (part of the Vlad bat-and-ball set for under-18s) onto the field, prompting the announcer to sternly remind everyone that throwing objects onto the field is prohibited. I assume that they were removed from the stadium by the ushers.
cardinalwraith - June 1, 2008
I was at the game. Only one guy was ejected.
The last guy to toss one onto the field. By then Security was on the field looking directly into the stands and this guy was in, like, row 4. Idiot.
He was a good shot, though. His toss made it over Alfredo Griffin’s shoulder and nailed Overbay, the first baseman, square on the back. Pretty hard to do with a whiffle ball. Marine layer and all that.
Stirrups - June 2, 2008
Hopefully, he gets paired up with the Piazza-bottle-throwing idiot in jail.
Downing Rules - June 6, 2008
Great reasoning... I can live with that
Los Angeles de Anaheim - June 1, 2008
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