OC Register: Jo Adell’s rare four-base error punctuates Angels’ ugly loss in Texas

[AngelsWin.com]

No matter what happens in the rest of Jo Adell’s career, one that the Angels expect be a long and successful one, he will not live down an embarrassing moment from the first week.

The Angels top prospect had a ball bounce off his glove and over the right field fence for a four-base error in the Angels’ 7-3 loss to the Rangers on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

It was initially ruled a homer by Nick Solak, but the official scorer — after consulting with the Elias Sports Bureau regarding the oddity — changed it to a rare four-base error.

The play was the ugliest moment at the end of an ugly weekend for the Angels, who were swept in the three-game series. The Angels had hopes of getting back on track after winning two of three in Seattle, but they played poorly in Texas and dropped to 5-11.

While there was plenty of bad baseball going on around him, Adell had a particularly disappointing first week in the majors.

Adell, whose major league arrival was anticipated more than any prospect since Mike Trout, has started his career with two hits in 15 at-bats and nine strikeouts.

He struck out in all four plate appearances on Sunday, including when he was representing the potential tying run in the eighth.

In right field, Adell also had trouble on two other — albeit tougher —  plays earlier in the week in Seattle.

Defense was the weakness in Adell’s game, and the reason the Angels cited for not having him on the Opening Day roster. They called him up anyway because they figured that his bat would be an upgrade over struggling Justin Upton.

Since then, Adell has not had a good week offensively or defensively, but the Angels have had plenty of other issues around him.

Friday’s loss was a combination of bad defense, sloppy starting pitching and the offense’s failure to convert on opportunities. On Saturday they wasted good pitching by getting shut out on four hits.

And on Sunday, Andrew Heaney was charged with five runs in 3-2/3 innings and, despite numerous opportunities, the hitters couldn’t get the Angels back in the game.

The Angels were hitless in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position. Anthony Rendon was responsible for two of those, extending his hitless streak to 21 at-bats.

Rendon did draw a walk in the eighth, one of three walks that loaded the bases and gave them brief hope of getting back in the game when they were down 6-3. Luis Rengifo struck out.

The Angels also left two on in the seventh, when Trout grounded out.

View the full article

[failos]

Poor guy. I just hope this play doesn’t destroy his confidence

[Revad]

Do you start him tomorrow to show confidence or sit him to protect him from disaster?

[Tank]

Play him tomorrow.

[Sully151]

Play him. He needs confidence and he won’t get that sitting on the bench. 

[Jason]

I say play him as this season is almost out of reach. Hopefully he can figure it all out 

[kevinb]

Play him. He made a huge error. But it is what it is. He’s our top prospect. He’s the future and the present. He needs to be out there every day. 

[Claude]

[Redondo]

 

[T.G.]

He's clearly a bust.

[rafibomb]

I would understand if the person replacing Adell in the lineup was a positive contributor. But to sit Adell for Upton, who has been even more disappointing because of his experience and pedigree, or even Ward, who has underperformed as well, would be just horrible. Let him adjust like he has done when he was first called up to AA and then to AAA.

[Angel Oracle]

Thanks for nothing, Upton

[Jason]

8 hours ago, rafibomb said:

I would understand if the person replacing Adell in the lineup was a positive contributor. But to sit Adell for Upton, who has been even more disappointing because of his experience and pedigree, or even Ward, who has underperformed as well, would be just horrible. Let him adjust like he has done when he was first called up to AA and then to AAA.

Yeah, I agree with this. It just sucks seeing the Angels top prospect look so awful and completely lost 

[Revad]

Eppler must have huge confidence in Adell’s make up to try this in the first place.  I also think he needs to play today and most days.  

[GrittyVeterans]

Sitting him today could be a disastrous decision for his confidence. Get him right back out there

[yk9001]

Man, that was one bad route he took.

[zenmaster]

This is all Dipoto's and Scioscia's fault.

[ukyah]

brandon marsh.

[Inside Pitch]

2 hours ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Sitting him today could be a disastrous decision for his confidence. Get him right back out there

Calling him up was a disastrous decision for his confidence.    

[Angelsjunky]

I think you've got to keep playing him, although I do worry about the Brandon Wood effect. 

Maybe they should call up Marsh to at least keep him company. Let the boys learn together.

[GrittyVeterans]

48 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Calling him up was a disastrous decision for his confidence.    

I agree. But it’s already happened and done with. Would you really send him down Or bench him after that kind of terrible game? I don’t think you can Now

but I’m also not a “sports psychologist“

 

 

[GrittyVeterans]

2 minutes ago, RendZone said:

How’s that other MLB rookie outfielder Luis Robert doing?

He’s almost 2 full years older than Jo Adell.

 

I think he also might just be more talented, but let’s be patient 

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

I think you've got to keep playing him, although I do worry about the Brandon Wood effect. 

Maybe they should call up Marsh to at least keep him company. Let the boys learn together.

I actually don't worry about his confidence -- I don't think he will have issues there.  My point of concern is the potential development of bad habits..    Mostly, a guy with his plate discipline issues needs should still be working on that part of the game.  There is an entire school of thought that says AAA pitchers do more to promote the growth of those skills than MLB pitchers will because they don't have the pure stuff to blow people away... so, they mix and match and throw wrinkles at you left and right.   Hitters are forced to pick up on that crap .vs play defense for the put-away pitch at the MLB level.   The lack of a AAA season is probably the biggest reason he's up at all.

But plate discipline issues are why a few of us believed that Marsh and not Adell was the more finished product despite being behind him.

[Inside Pitch]

3 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

I agree. But it’s already happened and done with. Would you really send him down Or bench him after that kind of terrible game? I don’t think you can Now

but I’m also not a “sports psychologist“

Is his plate discipline going to improve by being at the MLB or nah?    As I said in my previous post -- I think the only reason he's up is the lack of a AAA season.

[GrittyVeterans]

Just now, Inside Pitch said:

Is his plate discipline going to improve by being at the MLB or nah?    As I said in my previous post -- I think the only reason he's up is the lack of a AAA season.

Of course it’s the only reason he’s up in the first place. Correct me if I’m wrong here (I’ve been out of the loop for a while) but since there’s no minor league season, the alternative to Adell playing in the Majors is to basically have him spend an entire year in extended spring training.

 

i don’t know the answer to this question but is him flailing away in the majors really worse than him not being challenged much for a year? 
 

again I’m not sure. But it’s obvious the Angels want him to get challenged. I think they obviously hoped he wouldn’t be blown away like this