Final Score: Angels 10, Tigers 5.
The surprise drag bunt by Chone Figgins in the 7th inning with the bases loaded scored two runs on an errant throw to First Base, and with it the Angels exorcised some recent rally demons and added to the Hollywood tale of AAA afterthought Matt Palmer pitching 6+ innings of serviceable ball, enough to give a tired Angels bullpen a break.
I sat in the front row by the bullpen tonight and saw a terrified look in the eyes of Mister Palmer, whose body language was screaming PANIC and whose first inning fastball was wailing CHOKE when it wasn't echoing HIT ME. But something settled the journeyman Righthander down and the Angels bats were given time to coagulate into run scoring, although the Tigers defense and 2 bases loaded walks by Detroit starter Edwin Jackson sure helped the Los Angeles of Anaheim cause. (RevHF)
0 recs | 108 comments
Zoe Necrosis - April 23, 2009
lmao
I remember him from spring training.
Funke5ive - April 23, 2009
YES!
I had to rewind the DVR to show my roomate this goofy ass guy chillin in the outfield during spring training. Outstanding.
NoDakHalo - April 23, 2009
If that isn't a true baseball fan.
What is?
WillGoAngels27 - April 23, 2009
WillGoAngels27 - April 23, 2009
How timely
You win
Zoe Necrosis - April 23, 2009
:P
chairmanofthebar - April 23, 2009
haha I did this in the 8th inning.
And i couldnt wait to post it!
WillGoAngels27 - April 23, 2009
yippppyyaaaaaaayyyyyaaaaaaa mini sirloin burgers
WIN
dmoney2741 - April 23, 2009
can i rec this twice?
anaheim angels - April 23, 2009
* Mini Sirloin Burgers not available in Bakersfield, Boise, Eugene, Las Vegas, Medford, Portland, Longview, Salt Lake City,
Also, this is the second time in a row I’m posting the 100th comment in the Post Game Thread. Huh.
AlanFalcon - April 24, 2009
Figgy is Panther......
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
Agreed
ReggieBullits - April 23, 2009
you're right
up for nom!
scottnak - April 23, 2009
That bunt with two outs had me screaming with joy
I lost my voice. But still. STILL. You HAVE TO give it to Palmer.
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
4 ER in 6 innings from a 30 year old minor leaguer is nice....
but not Panther.
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
lets not forget who made the error to allow the leadoff runner on base.
had palmer got the first out, who knows what would have happened.
NoDakHalo - April 23, 2009
I agree with that.....
but without that 2 out 2 run scoring bunt………who knows what would have happened…..Palmer could have easily had a ND
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
figgy made one good play in the game
palmer had all the pressure and did something nobody expected. against a damn good lineup. i’m taking palmer.
figgy had a key play. palmer had a key overall performance.
NoDakHalo - April 23, 2009
I missed the game today:(
Did Failbar F-up another routine play today? I thought i saw him screw up in the highlights on MLBTV
blochead - April 23, 2009
he didnt play......
it was Izzy…..and yeah….he missed a routine grounder which let two runs score.
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
routine?
no way that was routine. It was sharply hit, and he had a decent jump on it, but misjudged it. No guarantee that if he gets to it, he can make an out. It was borderline, but he should have at least kept it in the infield
anaheim angels - April 23, 2009
uh.....well....it looked like to me it was easily fieldable....
but I could be wrong…..I’d probably have to watch a replay though……..you might be right.
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
i think it was a tough play but he should have at least got a glove on it.
backhanded and he was an inch or two above the ball
teopeht - April 23, 2009
It was routine
he should have been in front of the ball as well, not trying to back hand it.
bruinbrah - April 24, 2009
I would say his double play to end the scoring for the Tigers was a big play too...
but that one GOOD play that you are referring to is the clutch 2 out RBI hit that the team has been lacking all year………unlike starting pitching……which has been the best in the majors (even if it was a minor leaguer going today) Palmer still pitched like a minor leaguer…..
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
No he didn't.
He went one inning too long. Butch and Soth’s fault.
He gave up the two solo shots and settled down. He retired 13 in a row.
red floyd - April 23, 2009
There's a reason the guy is 30 yrs old and been in the minors forever....
he just doesnt have major league stuff……..sure today it worked out….and it was great………but if you’re counting on that type of performance every time out well….then…..i dunno what to tell you.
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
I don't think any of us are. What we are looking for his him being able to eat up some innings a
couple of more times to give Lackey, Moseley and Santana time to get back next month. Last night was gravy. I don’t think any of us were expecting him to do so well and after the first couple of batters faced, I told my wife that I think this is going to be ugly and wondered who our long man in the bull pen was. If he goes 1 and 3 but able to do well enough to pitch into the 5th or 6th inning, I will be thrilled. If he can do this well one more time and go 2 and 2, I will be ecstatic.
Halo84653 - April 24, 2009
So you were expecting a better performance than Saunders gave us?
Cause I wasn’t.
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
it wasnt that much better than what Saunders did....
plus that game for Saunders is him on a bad day…………
this game for Palmer is considered a GREAT game……..
that tells me all I need to know.
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
I'm not saying sign him to a five year contract!
I’ll take Saunders over Palmer any day of the week.
But Panther is all about overachieving! Looks like the Poll agrees.
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
Figgy was a late add to the poll......
Palmer already had like 40-50 votes……I cant remember exactly….
It’s not like I dont recognize the man pitched a great game….I know it..
Pitchers get alot of the blame/panthers on here anyways since that’s USUALLY the strength of the team……..
but with the way the offense started out the season its nice to see some clutch hitting the last couple of games……
hopefully once the pen figures it out the bats will still be around……this Panther/Blame thing doesnt mean that much to me in the longrun its just fun to discuss.
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
Agreed.
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
The guy put down 13 straight between the 2nd and the 6th
red floyd - April 23, 2009
That 2 out mother-f**k'n bunt by Figgy was unbelievable...
It reminded me of the first time I saw Karate Kid. You know at the end when Daniel is all jacked up and goes into the deadly Crane style. He gives Mr. Miyagi that look and goes to work… Nice
3rd Echelon - April 23, 2009
Yeah
Totally.
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
bulger revered the trend
UCIHalo - April 23, 2009
reversed
UCIHalo - April 23, 2009
What a job by Mike Plumber
or was it Mitch Pellegi?
chairmanofthebar - April 23, 2009
Soon as everyone is healthy. Put palmer in the bullpen.
WillGoAngels27 - April 23, 2009
DAMNIT!
I swore i put my picks in the comments.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WillGoAngels27 - April 23, 2009
44FAN - April 23, 2009
LIGHT UP THE HONDA!
anaheim angels - April 23, 2009
I walked out of the Honda Center looking for Angels results
The Halo told me all I need to know. Awesome.
linkbruin - April 24, 2009
Any word on Rivera?
Did he come out of the game? I didn’t see, was watching the Ducks dominate.
leftwing - April 23, 2009
Looks like some lucky bastards are getting free chicken wings!
chairmanofthebar - April 23, 2009
That would be me (the lucky bastard)! But not Hooters ... it's Claim Jumper.
Halos are 2-0 when I attend in ‘09. Much better than my win % the last two seasons, 32W-31L. I know, small sample size for 09, but I’m feelin’ it.
Downing Rules - April 23, 2009
I'm 1-0 wooooooo!
I attended the first game against Boston.
teopeht - April 23, 2009
1-0
Opening day.
red floyd - April 23, 2009
I pulled one of my cardinal sins tonight … left the game early. My son had a paper due tomorrow and still had some editing to do. Doggone it. Oh well, I left with the score 10-5 in the bottom of the 7th. Next time, he will have to stay home so I can watch the entire game.
I sat in Rev’s old seats via a day-of-game a StubHub $5 special … check Hunter’s HR highlight … I’m sporting bright yellow to stand out (worked) and the ball lands two rows in front of where I was in Row F. Nice win! Started shaky, but ended up with the Chicken Wing glory.
Downing Rules - April 23, 2009
You are forgiven.
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
LOL you do totally stand out....
haha
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
Yeah!
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
NICE
REC’D
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
YOU ARE IN MY OLD SEASON SEAT
okay it was actually seat 9, but WOW.
Rev Halofan - April 23, 2009
The tix I bought were 9 and 10 on stubhub. Five skinnies a piece. The couple in 11 and 12 suggested I move down the row since there were plenty of open seats. I was asleep at the wheel (scoping my old cronies over in F107 with the binocs) otherwise, I’d have had that ball, doggone it.
Downing Rules - April 24, 2009
Row F?
Rev Halofan - April 24, 2009
yep.
Downing Rules - April 24, 2009
Wow those were my seats
for many many seasons
Rev Halofan - April 24, 2009
We even went by after the game
and gave our favorite usher our ticket stubs so she can give them to her kids to eat at claimjumper as the 10 runs = free wings.
Rev Halofan - April 24, 2009
Very nice!
AlanFalcon - April 24, 2009
Thanks!
Downing Rules - April 24, 2009
New and Improved
AlanFalcon - April 24, 2009
That's frickin' hilarious!
WiHaloFan - April 24, 2009
Rec'd
Panther!!!!
red floyd - April 24, 2009
You definitely stand out in the crowd!
44FAN - April 23, 2009
Where's the red?
turs12 - April 24, 2009
Underarmour undershirt is red...
don’t call me Chuck, now.
Also, I was wearing my Mitchell and Ness LA Angels throwback cap…very little red on that thing.
If it’s any bonus, my skivvies are red.
Downing Rules - April 24, 2009
now where is that WIN pic???........
rawwwwwwwrrrrrrrr………lol
norcaliangelsfan - April 24, 2009
I'll leave the scantily clad dude win photos to mayhem ...
Downing Rules - April 24, 2009
No love for The Figgenator?
A perfect bases loaded bunt! Gave the pen all the breathing room it needed tonight. The DP in the 7th was money too.
ReggieBullits - April 23, 2009
agreed.....
if that 2 out bunt isnt Panther………..then I totally misunderstand the meaning of it.
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
With 2 outs even...cajones mang
ReggieBullits - April 23, 2009
*cojones
silly gringo
ReggieBullits - April 23, 2009
Figgins was PANTHER!
But you gotta give Palmer POTG!
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
agree.
Figgy was great, Palmer was fantastic. Took some pressure off that flamepen.
Downing Rules - April 23, 2009
Good bounceback win...
Big Easy Halofan - April 23, 2009
LMAO
wtf
Funke5ive - April 23, 2009
wow......
rec’d all over
norcaliangelsfan - April 23, 2009
I love it
stolenbases - April 23, 2009
Amazing
linkbruin - April 24, 2009
Scottnak
What up, i put in my picks at 8 13 am, but no results. Does this mean I screwed up in submitting them
UCIHalo - April 23, 2009
Looks like it.
Nothing in the form with your name…
scottnak - April 23, 2009
Ducks Win! Angels Win!
Sucks that the Duck game wasn’t sold out though
stolenbases - April 23, 2009
That does suck
But they cheered big time when the Angels Game score came up!
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
Tix sooooo expensive
Dont really get it. But the atmosphere at Honda tonight was amazing
linkbruin - April 24, 2009
This is multi-layered
AlanFalcon - April 23, 2009
watcha gonna do, watcha gonna do when they come for you
bad boys bad boys.
teopeht - April 23, 2009
The guy with the least votes was the most important Angel in this win
According to FanGraphs. I know we don’t put much stock in FanGraphs, but I have to think that if there wasn’t so much GMJ hate here we’d send more votes his way.
This shows Palmer with a negative impact, but the fact was that he never let the Tigers get much momentum, and that helped us pull away with it late. Along with the Tiger defense.
AlanFalcon - April 24, 2009
Good point
vladtheimpaler - April 24, 2009
see this is why I dont use FanGraphs......
How is GMJ a bigger factor in the win than Palmer……
Because he has better stats?
Thats a joke
norcaliangelsfan - April 24, 2009
In defense of FanGraphs...
Let me preface all of this by saying that I love Figgins. This isn’t a post against Figgins, it’s meant to show that FanGraphs was correct by saying that GMJ was a significant contributor to our win tonight.
When GMJ came up to the plate with the bases loaded in the 4th, he walked on some bad pitches to give the Angels a run. When Figgins came up to the plate with one out a couple batters later with the bases still loaded, he flied out weakly to left. You have to get the runner in from third and with less than one out – that’s fundamental baseball!
When GMJ came up to the plate to lead of the 6th, he legged out a hustle single on a ball hit to second, setting the table for a rally. While Matthews came in to score that inning, Figgins came to bat in the 6th inning with a runnner on second and no outs. He flied out to center. You have to get the runner to third with no outs – that’s fundamental baseball!
I’ll leave out the defensive throw past Morales in the 7th, because he made a good play at the plate earlier, and later made a tough throw to first to get Granderson.
With two outs in the bottom of the 7th, GMJ took a 1-2 pitch to right to get on base and get the Angels going when they really needed insurance runs. He later scored when Figgins lays down a perfect surprising 0-1 fastball to first. The surprise factor led directly to two runs, then allowed the inning to continue and for two more runs to score (including Figgins who went first-to-third).
The 7th inning was HUGE – otherwise Bulger is out there with a one run lead and the Tigers smelling blood. Figgins’ bunt was HUGE – otherwise he probably flies out and kills a rally again. But someone had to start that rally by getting on base. And if Figgins had done his job earlier in the game, we may have had a three run lead instead of a one run lead.
So FanGraphs looks at the whole game, looks at how a player performs given each situation, then determines how that affected the game.
I honestly thought Figgins had a much better game than GMJ – and let me tell you, I lost my voice I was screaming so loud when Figgins got that bunt down. But after looking back at the game and the situations that presented themselves, it isn’t so much that GMJ had better stats, it’s that GMJ was solid (if unremarkable) while Figgins was below-standard except for that bunt.
AlanFalcon - April 24, 2009
I guess what I'm trying to say
Fangraphs takes a look at the game as a whole, while we’re more forgetful about missed opportunities as long as a guy “makes up for it” with a big hit later on. The FanGraphs WPA makes sense in that way.
AlanFalcon - April 24, 2009
Frankly,
I thought Figgy had a SHITTY game right up til the bunt! Period! Offense was FAIL and his throw into the photo well set up Rosie to ultimately nearly FAIL! I was all set to give BOTG to Figgy if they lost!
K3YEROUT - April 24, 2009
Defense is not factored in to fangraphs
anaheim angels - April 26, 2009
well the WPA aspect of it
anaheim angels - April 26, 2009
Run Expectancy Matrix
LINK
With no outs and the bases loaded, there will be 2.5 runs scored on average. 1-2.5=-1.5 runs that GMJ added on that play. But the situation that resulted in his AB was bases loaded with no outs, so he is credited with 2.5 runs, so overall GMJ is credited with 1 run above average (.1 WPA).
With the bases loaded and 2 outs, the average runs scored is .82. Figgins had a bunt single that scored two runs. With Figgins the run expectancy stays at .82, but a two runs have been scored as well. The play netted 2-.82+.64 (2nd & 3rd with two outs)= 1.82 runs abover average (.182 WPA)
anaheim angels - April 26, 2009
Fangraphs does validate my pick Figgy though....
not in the WPA…….
but the chart pretty much shows that Figgy’s bunt clinched the win.
norcaliangelsfan - April 24, 2009
Good win
The team needed this. It might be the game we can look back in a couple weeks and say “it started to improve here”.
That said, we should start a “Where’s Waldo” type of search for Brandon Wood. I’m still amazed he’s not been in the line-up since being recalled.
mustard_man - April 24, 2009
I like it.
Search all the AP photos for the game and see if you can spot him sulking in a corner somewhere. :-)
AlanFalcon - April 24, 2009
Amazed? Me? Hardly!
Look at the FO/Soth history of call-ups for Woody! He never plays when called up! Why should this time be any different?
K3YEROUT - April 24, 2009
Some Splainin' to do
Would somebody explain the pregame guesses chart to me. I guessed all three correctly Before last nights game, using the new dropdown boxes, but on the chart I got zero points even though it shows I guessed correctly.
Dono Romantico - April 24, 2009
Because you do not follow directions:
Game 015 Pregame Picks
1] Make your picks here
2] Post something in the comments
That’s all it takes!
I think by doing step 2, it proves to scottnak you voted when you post a comment in the lower section of the fanpost.
So, the moral of the story is … follow the instructions! Hope that helps.
Downing Rules - April 24, 2009
I Figured It Out.
We Now Have Added a 2nd Step to “Modernize” and Streamline the site.
A Nice Representation of the purpose of Technology.
Dono Romantico - April 24, 2009
Scottnak has posted ...
that he is having us do BOTH the web form AND the comments until he can make sure everything is working properly. Eventually, it will be a web form only, I guess.
Downing Rules - April 24, 2009
Technology is not the reason we do it twice
HUMAN NATURE is why we do it twice – I could post incorrect answers on the form all day as DONO ASSHOLE and how would we know it wasn’t you (since you are such a bitching asshole).
By posting on the thread with your logged in name you create your own “receipt” and prevent others from fucking with you on the official automatic form.
But a whiny bitch like you probably needs to join Kristy_Joe and Johnsamo in Sodom, South Gommorah tonight instad of right the error of your ways.
Rev Halofan - April 24, 2009
Panther.......
norcaliangelsfan - April 24, 2009
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