Up next for the Angels: Monday vs. Detroit -- latimes.com
Jered Weaver vs. Justin Verlander
Blue Jays get to Trevor Bell early in win over Angels -- latimes.com
"Right now," Manager Mike Scioscia said, "we need someone in the fifth spot who will give us a chance to win."
Really? What gave you your first clue?
Blue Jays 8, Angels 3 - nbcsports.msnbc.com
The AL West-leading Angels have lost three of four following a five-game winning streak and are 10-18 in Toronto since the start of the 2003 season.
Angels' bats ready to take on Tigers - angelsbaseball.com
In the winter following the 2007 season, with fans howling for a big bat to protect Vladimir Guerrero and generate some power, the Angels took a serious run at the Marlins' Miguel Cabrera, only to be outbid by the Tigers.
NBC SPORTS & COVERS.COM: Matchups, Odds, and Injuries
Team Reports - CBSSports.com
Manager Mike Scioscia said the team would re-evaluate its fifth starter's spot this week after poor starts by a pair of rookies this weekend (Sean O'Sullivan and Trevor Bell). With only two off days in the final six weeks of the regular season, the Angels do not have the option of skipping a spot in the rotation.
Team Reports II - CBSSports.com
It was never going to be a comfortable fit for Vladimir Guerrero. But the lifelong opponent of the designated hitter rule has resigned himself to filling that role for the Angels this season. "Coming off the injury, because of the situation with my leg, it was a lot easier to think DH was the spot where I would fit in," Guerrero said through an interpreter. "It was just easier to think that way because of the leg injury and I knew I was limited. But I continue to work out in the outfield. I take fly balls off the bat (in pre-game workouts). "In that regard, I still see myself as a guy who can contribute in the outfield."
Vladimir Guerrero: What To Do With an Aging Slugger? - Bleacher Report
Only Vlad could look so bad and still be so good.
Old hands starting to deliver for new teams - USATODAY.com
St. Louis Cardinals right-hander John Smoltz, released by the Boston Red Sox last Monday, and Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Pedro Martinez, unemployed a month ago, led their teams to victories Sunday.
Who else needed a 5th starter? Oh yeah.
Joe's back; is charade over? - Angels Unplugged - Los Angeles Times
No big deal, they said. Just because Saunders and, earlier, Ervin Santana and Kelvim Escobar, were injured, no reason to go out and get a proven arm before the trade deadline. They figured they could rush a couple of the kids up to the majors, pay them a pro-rated portion of the big-league minimum and get by with what they had.
Abreu preaching patience with teammates - OCRegister.com
"That could be," Abreu said of his influence on the Angels' lineup. "I know I talk a lot with Figgy and Izzy and Aybar and Morales. Just about hitting, about situations in games, trying to make yourself better than you are. Just thinking through this game. Don't wait until you're in a situation and react. "They can follow that because they see it's working for me. Why not give it a try?"
rallymonkeys: Napoli, Mathis laugh off critics
The Angels co-catchers are fully aware of the friction generated by the fact that only one of them can play at a time, given that the designated-hitter role belongs to Vladimir Guerrero.
Little League field named for Nick Adenhart - CBSSports.com
The mother of the late Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart has fulfilled her top priority since her son was killed in an traffic accident in April.
August 24 - BR Bullpen
Events, births and deaths that occurred on August 24.
Seattle trades P Jim Bouton to Houston for pitchers Dooley Womack and Roric Harrison.
0 recs | 18 comments
His name is Matt Palmer, Mike.
He’s given you 9 wins.
clover_black - August 24, 2009
+1
Fred Fredrix - August 24, 2009
Sorry, that ship has sailed
If you’ve watched him pitch in the past month, he’s so tentative that he’s expending an enormous number of pitches per inning. I don’t think this is lost on Scioscia and Butcher, who would otherwise have continued to trot him out every 5th day instead of experimenting with O’Sullivan and Bell.
IF Saunders is back to his good form after skipping a start, then much of this may be moot. But if we’re down to three starters and five slots, then the team will need to go outside the org to get someone to suit up as the 5th starter. Palmer isn’t that guy. He was a wonderful surprise at the outset of the season, especially considering how hard-hit the rotation was with injuries to Lackey and Santana, and the disappointment of Escobar not returning. It was a huge boost for the team to have Palmer step up and throw some Ws.
But in reviewing his starts he was operating on a wing and a prayer, and that will get a guy only so far. I suspect the rest of the league finally had a chance to review him and figure out his soft spot, and have subsequently gotten to him fairly easily. His wins 6, 7 and 8 were the direct result of his offense scoring more runs than he gave up, and #9 came in relief. In 6, 7 and 8 he pitched into the 6th, 5th and 5th innings, making 112, 79 and 94 pitches (respectively). He was laboring. As I said before, I don’t think this was lost on Butcher and Scioscia.
George Kaplan - August 24, 2009
um...5th, 5th and 6th?
Well, sounds a hellva lot better than 1 2/3.
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - August 24, 2009
I agree with you about Palmer
I suspect the organization is just trying to go with what they have, figuring they have the division wrapped up (without any more drastic things happening). If that’s the case, I’m kind of disappointed. With another “real” starter, the Angels would improve their chances at home field by challenging the Yanks for best record. Plus, with a starter who can go deeper into games, the bullpen will be fresher for the play-offs, not having been used so much bailing out the not-ready-for-prime-time guys they’ve been trotting out there.
WiHaloFan - August 24, 2009
From the LA TIMES article linked above:
Ship sailing back to port?
Turks Teeth - August 24, 2009
Palmer isn't a mystery, and there's a reason he was considering going back into landscaping before his resurgence with the Angels.
But he does give the Angels a chance to win, which every 5th starter should.
At least let him get 10 wins. And he does have a pretty entertaining shit-eating grin sitting in the bullpen while SOS and Bell have been shellacked.
clover_black - August 24, 2009
You keep harping on this everywhere
Palmer has been very solid the past month (3.42 ERA in his last 10 appearances). Your claim that he is expending an enormous number of pitches per inning also is questionable. As I notedin another thread, he is averaging 19.1 pitches per inning in his last 10 appearances. At that rate, and consistent with your own observations on his 6th, 7th, and 8th wins as a starter., Palmer could easily make it through 5 innings. Notably, in his first appearance as a reliever (on July 28), Palmer went 3 innings in 32 pitches, and on Friday he went 4 innings in 56 pitches.
I think that we will see Palmer get another shot as a starter.
Brody - August 24, 2009
I have said this since Palmer started pitching for the Angels he should be in the starting rotation.
Mike Butcher was the bitch in this three way I think all along.
44FAN - August 24, 2009
Just give the ball to Palmer...
He isn’t the perfect 5th starter but the guy is going to give more of a chance to win than SOS or Bell.
SOS has given up 6 + runs in his last three starts. And Bell is just too young and unrefined. He suffers from the same problem that I saw when he pitched for SLC. He gets ahead in the count and then doesnt have a finishing pitch. 0-2 or 1-2 counts end up as hits or walks. Same thing happened in Toronto and its part of the reason why he can’t pitch passed the 6th.
BryanHarvey'sMoustache - August 24, 2009
"Mike Scioscia says Angels need 5th starter, notices sky is blue"
That is classic, and very true. I don’t know what options are available, but it’s evident that an in-house solution isn’t an option. What to do…
halofolife - August 24, 2009
+10
Funke5ive - August 24, 2009
Still have a week...
And even if the 5th starter might get only 6-8 starts in the remainder of the season, the probability of them going 2-6 or 1-7 in those games just might mean ending up in second in the West, and maybe out of the playoffs. It is frustrating to see pitchers like Pedro Martinez and even John Smoltz do well in their first few outings compared with the smackdown handed to SOS and Baby Bozo. We need a veteran 5th starter, and Palmer should stick in the pen.
Slasher52 - August 24, 2009
SOS and Baby Bozo
also did well in their first few starts. Smoltz was terrible all season. I would be surprised if he suddenly has regained his touch.
Brody - August 24, 2009
Right...
and Smoltz and Martinez were pitching in the Nether League.
Downing Rules - August 24, 2009
Dave Duncan = Smoltz regaining his touch
Smoltz struck out nine – including seven straight, which he’d never done before – and held the Padres to three hits over five scoreless innings. It is the National League but never the less Matt Palmer has a career ERA in the NL of 8.53 and 200+ wins less then Smoltz.
Either Pedro or Smoltz would have been better options then what they elected!
Angel Aviator - August 24, 2009
Don't get me wrong...
SOS and Baby Bozo have exciting futures, but lets see the future next year. A veteran is what the doctor ordered, but someone forgot to pick up the prescription.
Slasher52 - August 24, 2009
And it only took you til the end of August to find that out
good job Mike!
JoseGuillenSux - August 24, 2009
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