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Halos Heaven

Angels Roadtrip Becomes A Bumpy Ride

Final Score in Seattle: Angels 3, Mariners 11

After keeping a tight game close at 4-3 with a run in the top of the 7th, the Angels stranded two men on and let reliever Jason Bulger return to pitch the bottom of the 7th. 11 batters later Justin Speier retired Adrian Beltre for the final out of the inning and the score standing at 11-3.

The blowout score belies what had been a close game, but it doesn't make the Angels situation against its AL West rivals any nicer. Seemingly no longer the pushover it once was, Seattle clicked on all cylinders, with superb pitching form Jarrod Washburn and timely hiting from Ken Griffey Jr., an almost cliché-sounding aphorism in the age when statistical analysis dismissed the effect Griffey would have on the recently-hapless Mariners.

But the hometown faithful have been roaringly approving of the return of "THE KID" and, at 40, he has yet to disappoint, blasting his 2nd HR of the season, his 1st at home this year, and yet the 400th of his Mariner career, all as a slow trickle of runs became a tsunami agianst the Salt Lake Bees bullpen imported up to the road caravan carying the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Results_medium

Poll
Blame of the Game
Aybar
66 votes
Figgins
16 votes
Jepsen
165 votes
Kendrick
17 votes
Weaver
40 votes

304 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs  |  52 comments

Comments

With the way this team is hitting.........

you cant strand runners at 3rd with less than 1 out…….

Cuz we know it’s not happening with 2 outs……

Aybar has done nothing at the plate……and the calls for 3 Wood get louder and louder…

Angels offense = offensive….

when the HELL are the real pitchers coming back?
When they're ready.

 And rested. They’ll drive us in to the Post Season, and will be in midseason form in October.

Is Weaver not a real pitcher for you?
Aybar

Had a chance to change the momentum of that game with a fly ball. We could have seen Arredondo rather than Jepsen.

Agree about Aybar's chance

To change the momentum of the game. Overall this was a team effort in futility. Still very early though fellow Halo fans.

Turn the page.
This felt like pulling the pin on a grenade and forgetting to throw.

Its ok though, we will turn around and come charging back.

I say Jepsen....

That totally took out any energy you could possibly think of…

Think of it as a valuable learning experience for him.
he got out of a tough jam though
Bulger got us out of a tight jam, too!

By clearing the bases

Play the kids and let them learn

Without Santana, Escobar and Lackey back at full strength, this team is not going to win a championship. There’s no risk in ensuring Mathis, Napoli, Wood, Howie, SRod, and Morales get maximum at bats this year.

As for blame of the game...

I gotta go with the team. They are just playing crappy at the moment. But if we can finish april with a .500 record I will be satisfied. I just cannot stand to see Aybar anymore either. Please lets pray our 3 guys have even faster recoveries.

tough, tough loss

luckily ill get a forced break on watching the frustrating Angels tomorrow night cuz i get to see the sick as Black Keys at the sick as Glass House. still tho, go halos.

Results Up

140 / 142 used the form correctly.
HALO_86? Do you not get it? This is your 4th game in a row. Starting today you’ll progressively start losing points.
ToriiTheHunter? This is your 3rd game game… Next time you follow HALO_86’s path.

the smaketh be layeth
I thought I got my picks in, I don't see me on the spreadsheet
Agree with you Rev...

I kept waiting for the Mariners to fall apart, but it never happened. I know it’s early, but I think the days of dominating this team may be over. Especially if the Angels can’t get around this stranding runners on base problem.

Stranding runners on base...

Is either a mental problem, or a statistical problem. We’re early enough that this could just be a statistical problem.

It's not just this year though

It goes back to the postseason last year and it was one of the main problems the Angels failed against Boston.

It was pretty much all of last year as well - so many runners left on base.

 I think the Angels will have better hitting this year over last year when the final tally is added up.

its been a problem for too long now........

Something has to be done……..its brutal.

Oops

I did fill out the form twice. I wasn’t sure about the first time. At least the picks were the same both times.

FYI

By starting the season 3-5, this is the first time the Angels have been more than a game under .500 since April 20, 2007.

And that turned out okay!

3 points for me!!!
Can we have the real Angels bullpen back please...

…because this one’s rubbish

Advice from the hitchhikers guide

Don’t panic

Just bat Iz #2 and put Howie 6-8. Then everything will be fine.

They already tried the Answer.

But even with everyone wearing 42, the Angels fell. Didn’t help that the M’s copycatted. ;)

Wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson is an M's original

See: Griffey Jr., Ken

Nit-picky, I know.

Tough loss tonight, but you guys will bounce back once your top starters return.

somebody didnt get the joke
Oops

Guess not…

I think the issue is that they couldn't figure out the Question.

Of course, if they did, that would be an unmitigated disaster!

Of course

That’s because without knowing the question, the answer is meaningless!

Damn, didn't notice r.f.'s replay till now
And dont forget your towel
beetlejuice, beetlejuice, beetlejuice
is Ford still available to pitch?

Or what about Zaphod? He could probably get some crazy movement going

Aybar is terrible

The man cannot hit. We have Wood sitting in AAA. Come on Soth, what is the problem here???

I understand that his philosophy is defense and speed win games. But we have had those for years now and haven’t won a WS. We need power in the lineup. Wood needs to come up NOW!

Our bullpen suck at the bottom parts, and we can't change that even after the SPs come back
DFA the bullpen
Vlad

I’m not sure about anyone else, but watching Vlad run makes my whole body hurt. Even after the knee surgery, he still does not look healthy.

Early season numbers

BA w/RISP
Angels: .200 (worst in the AL)
Mariners: .362 (best in the AL)

Team ERA innings 1-6
Angels: 2.44 (best in the AL)

Team ERA innings 7+
Angels: 8.22 (worst in the AL)

stat source

Figures...

…the thing we had the MOST to worry about (starting pitching) has been excellent. Now if we can just get some clutch hitting and bullpen help….

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