Why it turns around tonight

[TEvans]

Not many bright spots this season, but here are a few things giving me hope for the W tonight:

 

Tommy Hanson:

4-0 (5 GS) against Houston with a 1.59 ERA from 2010-2012

1-0 vs Houston (5 IP 2 ER) last year

 

Bud Norris making his first road start of the year.

2012: 3-12 6.94 ERA away from home (4-1 1.71 ERA at home)

2010-2012 9-22 5.29 ERA on the road

 

In 9 games this season, Houston leads the majors with 101 K's. The last two Angels opponents: Oakland 57 K's, Texas 62 K's. The Angels pitching staff has been middle of the league in K's, at 70 this season while Houston has struck out a whopping 45 batters (second worst in the majors.)

 

Lastly, Tommy Hanson is the only Angels starting pitcher so far this season to notch a win, recording a 1.00 WHIP against Texas. Only Garrett Richards has a better WHIP (.092)

What this all adds up to is, the Angels have played one of the toughest first 9 games in the majors. They have one of their best pitchers on the bump (**very small sample size I know, but we're trying to be optimistic here) and are going against one of the worst teams in the majors. 

 

Only about 12 hours until we can LTBU

[Ochocinco!]

Then you woke up

[Angel Dog and Beer]

Optimism?? There's no optimism allowed here.

 

But good points, I agree.

[kevinb]

You know what that means. If their pitcher isn't good on the road? He is going to throw a complete game shut out allowing three hits.

[Jammer36]

I hope it turns around tonight too, ill be attending this one. Good points though, our hitters should feast on this pitching.

[robblin17]

I hope we win and we should. Hanson has looked good going back to his last ST start. 

[nando714]

We need confidence

Houston is the perfect team to get that from

[fan_since79]

After the 2002 Angels started 6-14, they won 21 of their next 24 games.

 

Things can turn in a hurry in baseball.

[REDemption]

5-7 after Sunday. Our hitters will get on base so hard.. and stay there. They're into tantric scoring. It makes it that much better when they finally do.

[Angel Dog and Beer]

 Our hitters will get on base so hard.. and stay there.

 

I agree, they get on base and stay there.

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

I'd like to see some damn home runs from our power hitters. 

[Glen]

I'd like to see some damn home runs from our power hitters. 

 

 

Four games in a row without one.  I'm tired of the damned excuses.  I don't wanna hear about the marine layer, or finding their swing, or making solid contact and being really close to putting it all together.  I want some home runs.  I want a win.  I want this team to stomp somebody.

 

Might as well start tonight when I won't be watching.

[fan_since79]

I'd like to see some damn home runs from our power hitters. 

Oakland: .292 BA, 18 HR, 64 RBI, 66 Runs scored

 

Angels:  .265 BA, 8 HR, 34 RBI, 35 Runs scored

[nando714]

Oakland: .292 BA, 18 HR, 64 RBI, 66 Runs scored

Angels: .265 BA, 8 HR, 34 RBI, 35 Runs scored

Ya and Coco accounts for 4 of those

Oak is freakishly on fire. Gotta give credit where credit is due, they'll fall back down to earth though

[AZMike]

Ya and Coco accounts for 4 of those

Oak is freakishly on fire. Gotta give credit where credit is due, they'll fall back down to earth though

That was the story all of last season.

[nando714]

That was the story all of last season.

Thats exactly the only thing we can cling on right now.

[EDinTUSTIN]

Ya and Coco accounts for 4 of those

Oak is freakishly on fire. Gotta give credit where credit is due, they'll fall back down to earth though

Kind of like they did last season.

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

I'm shocked we've even hit 8 HR's...Pujols (2), Kendrick (1), Petey (1), Ianneta (1), Callaspo (1)...who are the other two?

EDIT: Trumbo (1)

[sneaky_flute]

the indians were the best offensive team for the first two months of the season in 2011 and completely destroyed every team during that period. they came back down to earth and ended the season with a losing record. the only difference between those indians and the current a's is that the a's have the pitching to compensate for their lack of offense.

[Erick McClendon]

I hope it turns around tonight too, ill be attending this one. Good points though, our hitters should feast on this pitching.

The Stros have a horrible bullpen and their hitting has been talked about everywhere, but Norris is a solid pitcher who had bad H/R splits in his career. Houston overall has decent SP..

[QuinlansMinion]

The A's are a team of destiny every single night.  They have a roster full of career no names, but they somehow find lightning in a bottle every game.  Like that first game of the series, John Jaso with 20 career homers in over 900 at-bats, hits a 3 run bomb late.  Josh Donaldson, a career .231 hitter, with a career .662 OPS, goes 6-14 against us with a homer and 3 RBI in the series.  Coco Crisp, with 90 home runs in over 4 thousand at bats, has 4 already to start the year. 

 

Im sure I could go up and down their whole roster and find more examples.  It really makes no sense at all.  We have guys who mash their whole career and turn into scrubs, the A's have scrubs that can turn into an all star on any given night and somehow propel them to win.

[Brent Maguire]

Angels should absolutely sweep this series, regardless of how they've been playing.

[Jay]

Hopefully "Big Bang Friday" doesn't turn out like this

 

[jshep]

I'm shocked we've even hit 8 HR's...Pujols (2), Kendrick (1), Petey (1), Ianneta (1), Callaspo (1)...who are the other two?

EDIT: Trumbo (1)

 

Iannetta has two.

[MacNasty]

Hopefully "Big Bang Friday" doesn't turn out like this

 

 

After we lose 10-9: