Final Score in the Bronx: Angels 4, Yankees 7
Rookie Anthony Ortega threw a hundred piches in his 2nd ever major league appearance, holding the Yankees to 4 runs in his 6.1 IP. Reliever Justin Speier, 11 years Ortega's senior and 578 games ahead in major league appearances over the rookie, saw his first appearance at the new Yankee Stadium become a disaster as he gave up 4 hits and 3 ER in 1/3 of an inning pitched.
The Angels kept Yankee starter AJ Burnett busy but never came through with the big hit, Mike Napoli's solo homerun being a highlight, as well as Erick Aybar's fearless challenge of Johnny Damon's nonexistent throwing arm on a Chone Figgins bloop to shallow left, scoring all the way from 2nd Base.
It was the Angels first loss in their past four games and the first loss of the season wearing their alternate red jerseys. Aybar, Figgins and Maicer Izturis (at DH) all gave no reason for fans to cease thir squabble over the Los Angeles Quarterback Controversey of Anaheim, wondering aloud - and louder after every weak effort on the part of the scrawny infield set - over the absence of the power-laden bad of post-prospect Brandon Wood, riding the Anaheim pine tonight in the Big Apple. The mysteries of Mike Scioscia's love affair with scrappy infielders continue to taunt Halo Fans everywhere.
0 recs | 60 comments
Speier.
What a dick.
vlad IS my man - April 30, 2009
I want to Vote for Aybar
UCIHalo - April 30, 2009
turn the page.........
norcaliangelsfan - April 30, 2009
Speier
Unanimous so far. Abreu sucked too, especially in the field.
Brody - April 30, 2009
I know...WTF?
So now Abreu wont go to the wall OR charge in? Well I guess he’s great if you hit it right to him
KingF15h - April 30, 2009
I watched him for the last two years
he plays the outfield wall like there are spikes coming out of it
Moondoggy - April 30, 2009
lol 100% Speier
halofan1 - April 30, 2009
44FAN - April 30, 2009
lol and wrong on so many levels......haha
fatguy_n_alilc0at - April 30, 2009
The pony or Bill Macdonald?
WillGoAngels27 - April 30, 2009
who do you think?
fatguy_n_alilc0at - April 30, 2009
"She looks like she's 13 but she is really 23."
44FAN - May 1, 2009
twll it to the judge… the bailiff has her I.D. !
Rev Halofan - May 1, 2009
I think its JR
he absolutely killed us today. 3 groundball outs including a DP killed potential and current rallies. If he comes through, then speier (close second for BOTG) doesnt even enter into the equation, as it goes dondo- f-rex
anaheim angels - April 30, 2009
Dondo
may not have pitched anyway after pitching the last two nights. The result probably would have been the same.
Brody - April 30, 2009
Mike Butcher should be fired
our bullpen has gotten progressively worse every year since he took over.
KingF15h - April 30, 2009
yes, mike butcher should be fired
he is the sole reason why all our pitchers get injured, (jepsen included). He should be commended for somehow our starters ERA being tops (or near) in the league with 10 different starters. If the season went as planned, oliver and moseley would be in the bullpen right now. Shields goes through a funk every year, and Bulger/Speier are shitting the bed. Dondo had 1 (!) bad month.
anaheim angels - April 30, 2009
I'm talking about the bullpen, not the starters. Learn to read
KingF15h - April 30, 2009
How is 62 saves for Frankie and 11 Wins for Dondo in 2008
progressively worse than 2007?
Rev Halofan - April 30, 2009
what about everybody besides Frankie?
How are they doing this year?
KingF15h - May 1, 2009
you're very aggressive almost all the time
linkbruin - April 30, 2009
lol
I have issues
KingF15h - May 1, 2009
I can read. Im also smart.
Oliver and Loux, who would be in the bullpen, are forced to start, necessitating the call ups of R. Rodriguez and Chopper. Oliver+Loux>>Rodriguez+Chopper. When our starters go 4 innings, the bullpen has to pitch the rest of the game. Our starting pitching injuries tax and deplete the bullpen, making it much worse. Its not rocket science, its common sense.
And you say Butcher should be fired. Im saying he shouldn’t be, and I clearly supported my argument, whereas you threw out wild accusations without backing them up. Anyone that can take 8 starting pitchers (3-11 on the organizational chart), and have them turn in exceptional start after exceptional start should not be fired because our bullpen is having a bad spell.
anaheim angels - April 30, 2009
The WBC should be fired...
for screwing up Shields’ preparation for the season.
Downing Rules - April 30, 2009
Wow
Panic much???
Seik1177 - April 30, 2009
you're right
everything is fine
KingF15h - May 1, 2009
Yeah thats what I said
Why not fire Griffin & Ebel too. Since we made 2 outs at 3rd the other day & the infield defense has been shotty?
To suggest that firing Butcher because in each of the last few years one “regular” contributor in the bullpen has had a bad year is ridicules.
Seik1177 - May 1, 2009
I don't like Butcher. He's overrated.
That’s my stance and I’m sticking to it no matter how much I get flamed for it.
I understand that this is an Angel’s board, but you guys have rose tinted glasses on. Don’t get all pissy with me because I see things differently than you.
…and it’s “Ridiculous”
KingF15h - May 1, 2009
If it's any consolation...
I miss Bud Black as the Angels pitching coach. But, you can’t keep him as a pitching coach the rest of his life. Butcher is, IMHO, a step down from Buddy’s level.
Downing Rules - May 1, 2009
I just see your statement as an over reaction
The Angels have still had an elite staff since Butcher took over, I’m not getting pissy because I think your wrong. Like I said your statement looks like someone who is over reacting. I’m not saying Bud Black wasn’t better but I think your forgetting that Butcher spent six seasons (2000-05) in the Angels minor league system, serving as roving pitching instructor (2003-05) and minor league pitching coach (2000-02) so he helped develop of Lackey, Santana, Saunders, Arredondo, Weaver, K-Rod, etc… IMO it sounds like you have the “Eckstein Syndrome”
…Grammar stickler :-P
Seik1177 - May 1, 2009
you're right
I overreacted. I am just getting sick to my stomach watching our bullpen lose games.
Yeah, I’m a bit of a grammar nazi ;)
KingF15h - May 2, 2009
Anyone else think Reagins should have
signed 30 year old Juan Cruz for a million less than Oliver got. Granted this would have cost us our 2nd round pick.
MH252525 - April 30, 2009
April is over
9-12. It could be worse. In fact, it probably should be worse.
Captain Awesome - April 30, 2009
We are only 3.5 back...
Easily could’ve been worse.
thrill000 - April 30, 2009
Yes
Everything went wrong, and we are still right in the mix. There is so much baseball left. We will make our move.
Brody - April 30, 2009
Speier BTG
WillGoAngels27 - April 30, 2009
Boo!
WillGoAngels27 - April 30, 2009
hahaha
that made me laugh
Brody - April 30, 2009
Right in to the Figgy Zone.
AlanFalcon - April 30, 2009
44FAN - April 30, 2009
lol.com
WillGoAngels27 - April 30, 2009
It's like you were trying to show Speier flipping the bird...
with a dandelion?
sothball - May 1, 2009
Results up!
scottnak - April 30, 2009
I just don't get why Figgy keeps getting wrapped up in the whol Aybar/ Wood thing.
He went 2-4 with a run and RBI.
He is by far our best leadoff hitter. He is a champion. Aybar bats 9th and plays short. Wood is not a leadoff hitter. He plays short. I agree that Wood needs to start ahead of Aybar, at least for a few weeks
Big Bad, 'Vlad'! - April 30, 2009
Yeah, same here
I think the point is that we have 3 similar type hitters in the lineup. But I agree, Figgins is definitely superior to the other two and should stay where he is.
leftwing - April 30, 2009
agree
I don’t understand all of the Figgins bashing that goes on around here
KingF15h - May 1, 2009
Speier all the way
What good will it do to get our starting pitchers back if the bullpen keeps losing games?
Angelino Angel - April 30, 2009
Some of those good pitchers will head to the pen and make it better?
44FAN - April 30, 2009
As much as I think Aybar should not be starting...
…he manufactured a run out of thin air tonight. Turned a soft single to left into a double, then another one in the same spot became a run. That was nice.
leftwing - April 30, 2009
I didn't read anyone else's comments above...
but, I think that Aybar’s 2B and subsequent hustle around the basepaths spell doom for Wood’s chances at cracking the lineup … at least for another week or so. Not that I agree, but it is what I think will happen.
Downing Rules - April 30, 2009
LOSE:
Downing Rules - April 30, 2009
wow!
Smiling?
WillGoAngels27 - April 30, 2009
I think thats a wince
KingF15h - May 1, 2009
If Soth was willing to change things up a bit
Figgy in the OF, Aybar/MiceTits SS and Wood at 3B with Abreu or Rivera DHing until Vlad gets back works pretty good in my mind.
Figgy 3B
Kendrick 2B
Abreu RF
Hunter CF
K-Mo 1B
Naps C
Rivera LF
Wood 3B
Aybar/Izzy SS
That’s probably a better defensive team (Figgy can play the OF just fine and he runs circles around Juan and semicircles around Abreu) and I’d much rather have Wood hitting than Izzy or Aybar.
MH252525 - April 30, 2009
wow it's late
Figgy in LF/ Rivera as DH and that works
MH252525 - April 30, 2009
GMJ at DH
He’s hungry.
AlanFalcon - April 30, 2009
right now
i say GMJ> Rivera. not permanent, but put GMJ in RF, and Abreu at DH and i think that is better
anaheim angels - May 1, 2009
This loss is on Mike
Again putting both Izzy and Aybar in the lineup, not putting Wood into bat for Izzy in the 8th against a lefty and then bringing Speier in to face 6 lefties in a row just when he is starting to get his confidence back. These are all dumb baseball moves. I don’t know what is happening, but Mike needs to be smarter than this. He’s not adapting at all and that is a bad sign.
Rycat512 - May 1, 2009
Speier
And he was doing SO well. Hopefully a fluke.
vladtheimpaler - May 1, 2009
well like Rycat said Soth put him in a situation he was doomed to fail in
Speier even when pitching well, lefties rake him compared to righties. Last year the difference was almost 300 points of OPS. Lefties almost him him to the tune of a 1000 OPS. Whereas Shields on the other hand does considerably better against lefties, but the Soth decided to take him out after ONLY 9 PITCHES when he was throwing strikes and having Eddings squeeze him.
MH252525 - May 1, 2009
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