OC Register: Angels suffer worst loss in franchise history, after rough start by Matt Shoemaker

[AngelsWin.com]

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  Oakland Athletics’ Khris Davis (2) slides past Los Angeles Angels catcher Francisco Arcia (37) to score on a run on a single by Stephen Piscotty during the fourth inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker (52) throws against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Jose Fernandez (20) hits a double to drive in a run against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Kole Calhoun (56) is congratulated by teammate Mike Trout, left, after scoring a run on a Jose Fernandez double against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Oakland Athletics’ Matt Chapman hits a double to drive in two runs against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 20: Matt Shoemaker #52 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the bottom of the first inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 20, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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  Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker (52) throws against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 20: Stephen Piscotty #25 of the Oakland Athletics swings and watches the flight of his ball as he hits a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the bottom of the third inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 20, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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  Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker (52) walks back to the mound as Oakland Athletics’ Stephen Piscotty, left, rounds the base after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Oakland Athletics’ Stephen Piscotty, right, is congratulated by teammate Jed Lowrie (8) after hitting a three-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker (52) is taken out of the game against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Los Angeles Angels second baseman Kaleb Cowart (22) can’t make the catch on a single by Oakland Athletics’ Ramon Laureano during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Oakland Athletics’ Stephen Piscotty (25) hits a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the third inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout hits a solo home run against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout is congratulated after hitting a solo home run against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 20: Stephen Piscotty #25 of the Oakland Athletics is congratulated by Jed Lowrie #8 and Matt Chapman #26 after Piscotty hit a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the bottom of the third inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 20, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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  OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 20: Ramon Laureano #22 of the Oakland Athletics scores sliding in at home plate before the throw to Francisco Arcia #37 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the bottom of the fourth inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 20, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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  OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 20: Junichi Tazawa #47 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the bottom of the fourth inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 20, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

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  Oakland Athletics’ Marcus Semien hits a double to drive in three runs against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Los Angeles Angels catcher Francisco Arcia can’t make the catch on a foul ball against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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  Oakland Athletics’ Ramon Laureano scores a run on a Marcus Semien double against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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OAKLAND — The Angels’ record-breaking bad day, one that ended with a catcher on the mound, started with Matt Shoemaker still trying to find himself.

Shoemaker, whose recent seasons have been marked by issues of health and effectiveness, gave up five runs and didn’t make it out of the third inning, sending the Angels on their way to a 21-3 loss to the loss to the Oakland A’s on Thursday afternoon.

Shoemaker’s performance was the tip of the iceberg for an Angels team that tied a franchise record for runs allowed, including three given up by catcher Francisco Arcia over his two innings. They set a record for the most lopsided defeat.

The seemingly endless afternoon left plenty of time for Shoemaker to ponder his latest rough start.

Four starts into his return from nearly two seasons missed due to injury, Shoemaker has scuffled since pitching five scoreless innings on Sept. 3.

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He gave up three runs in each of his next two starts – although with an encouraging eight strikeouts in 4-2/3 innings the last time out – before Thursday’s outing.

Shoemaker pitched a perfect first inning, with two strikeouts. In the second, he worked around two walks but did not allow a run.

He then gave up four straight hits to start the third, with two runs scoring. After strikeouts to Khris Davis and Matt Olson got him to the edge of escaping the jam, he left a fastball over the plate that Stephen Piscotty blasted over the left field fence, for a three-run homer.

That was all for Shoemaker, who now has allowed 11 earned runs in 17-1/3 innings in four games.

As the Angels’ front office makes it evaluations heading into the winter, they likely aren’t placing too much weight on what happens with Shoemaker in September. However, looking at the entire 99 games and 537 innings of his major league career also yields confusing results.

In 2014, he was a top of the rotation starter, finishing second in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting and helping the Angels to the playoffs. His ERA jumped to 4.46 in 2015, a year that included him getting demoted briefly to Triple-A.

Shoemaker also struggled at the beginning of 2016, before turning it around and pitching brilliantly for most of the second half.

While the Angels try to figure out what Shoemaker can be going forward, they also have to consider the fact that he’s going to be arbitration-eligible for the third time this winter, due to make somewhere north of $5 million.

The only highlight for the Angels was Mike Trout’s 36th homer, a 435-foot shot in the sixth inning, after the Angels were already behind 12-1.

More to come on this story.

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[Blarg]

@Jeff Fletcher can you check and see if there has ever been a catcher that started the first 6 innings behind the plate then pitched the 2 remaining. I'm thinking this is a dubious MLB first. 

[Angel Oracle]

After three crappy starts in a row, MAKE SHOE A RELIEVER!

[Blarg]

AO again with the knee jerk reaction to a pitcher that's been gone for a year and isn't at the top of his game.

That said, you may be right.

[Troll Daddy]

Good to know that I can say “I watched the worst Angel beating in franchise history “!

[Blarg]

One of the many advantages of not having a Facebook account is I didn't watch the game.

[Angelsjunky]

There's goes our Pythagorean record. 

[Angel Oracle]

33 minutes ago, Blarg said:

AO again with the knee jerk reaction to a pitcher that's been gone for a year and isn't at the top of his game.

That said, you may be right.

That’s fair enough, and actually his splitter and lack of other punch out pitches plays better as a late innings specialist anyway.

[IEAngelsfan]

This team is setting franchise records!

[Jeff Fletcher]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

@Jeff Fletcher can you check and see if there has ever been a catcher that started the first 6 innings behind the plate then pitched the 2 remaining. I'm thinking this is a dubious MLB first. 

I’m sure he’s not the first to catch and pitch. He’s the first to catch, pitch and hit a HR.

[DMVol]

If you had any doubts that pitching needs to be the focus of the offseason.....

[T.G.]

At least they weren't shut out.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

5 hours ago, Blarg said:

@Jeff Fletcher can you check and see if there has ever been a catcher that started the first 6 innings behind the plate then pitched the 2 remaining. I'm thinking this is a dubious MLB first. 

ESPN reported that Arcia is the first player in MLB history to pitch, catch and hit a home run in the same game.

[T.G.]

9 hours ago, Vegas Halo Fan said:

ESPN reported that Arcia is the first player in MLB history to pitch, catch and hit a home run in the same game.

And next year he will also manage the team.

[mulwin444]

14 hours ago, Blarg said:

AO again with the knee jerk reaction to a pitcher that's been gone for a year and isn't at the top of his game.

That said, you may be right.

I look at guys like Skaggs and Heaney returning from injury and they were hit pretty hard when came back at first.  I'll hold off on final judgement for Shoe until he gets a chance to go through Spring.  If he's not cutting it as a starter, they need long men in the pen.  

[WeatherWonk]

But for one bad pitch to Piscotty, he might have gone longer. He was one pitch away from getting out of it.

Shoe's bug-a-boo since 2014 is the HR ball, but this was the first he's given up since his return. 17+ innings. 

He's having control issues which isnt surprising. The splitter is ending up in the dirt a lot.

Keep him around.