Gameday Thread: Angels vs. Astros (4-6-2021) Rojas starting at 3B - Walsh in RF

[Chuck]

[Chuck]

My God I love Joe Maddon's fearlessness to stretch these guys and try them at different positions. 

[Warfarin]

Great to see Rojas getting a start!  So, it appears he is viewed, at least, as a backup 3B/1B.  Have to imagine he'll get a spot start at 2B to backup Fletcher, and Fletcher will get the spot starts at SS to back up Iglesias.

Also great to see Walsh getting a start in RF.  Not sure how he'll do defensively, but at least this gets his bat in the lineup and should prove to be a good way to have him play regularly even when Pujols starts at 1B.

Kinda odd that Upton isn't hitting behind Trout, but otherwise, lineup looks solid to me.

I imagine late in the game, if we have the lead, might see Lagares come in to play RF and Walsh shift over to 1B.

[Docwaukee]

Is Rendon hurt?  Why does he need a day off 6 games into the season?  

[Warfarin]

1 minute ago, Dochalo said:

Is Rendon hurt?  Why does he need a day off 6 games into the season?  

Many teams are doing this, he isn't hurt.  Teams across the league are aggressively resting their players.  Think the Dodgers sat both Betts and Seager in their opening 4 game series for the sake of providing them rest.

Going from 60 games to 162 is going to be rough on everyone.

[Chuck]

I was thinking it was because Pujols has hit Grienke pretty well over his career: .368, 1 HR, 38AB, until I checked out Upton's career line (.353, 3 HR, 34AB) against the Astros starter today. 

 

[Docwaukee]

2 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

Many teams are doing this, he isn't hurt.  Teams across the league are aggressively resting their players.  Think the Dodgers sat both Betts and Seager in their opening 4 game series for the sake of providing them rest.

Going from 60 games to 162 is going to be rough on everyone.

I guess part of it is keeping the bench guys fresh.  Not a big deal.  Was more curious about whether he might have a minor injury.  

[Warfarin]

1 minute ago, Dochalo said:

I guess part of it is keeping the bench guys fresh.  Not a big deal.  Was more curious about whether he might have a minor injury.  

Yeah, I'd read it as more of just trying to give your star players a breather while giving a bench guy a start.  Rojas was the only one to have not made a start, and now he has his opportunity.

I imagine Rendon would be available to pinch hit in the game if it's close, and possibly even take over, but at least this way he's off for most of the game.  

[ten ocho recon scout]

38 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

My God I love Joe Maddon's fearlessness to stretch these guys and try them at different positions. 

Tdawg, comment?

[angelsnationtalk]

41 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

My God I love Joe Maddon's fearlessness to stretch these guys and try them at different positions. 

Fearless if it works but we'll call it risky if it doesn't

[angelsnationtalk]

Walsh swinging a hot bat but Pujols gets to hit 4th..... Okay....

Edited April 6, 2021 by angelsnationtalk

[Chuck]

2 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Walsh swinging a hot bat but Pujols gets to hit 4th..... Okay....

I actually don't have a problem with this. I like to spread the bats throughout the lineup, rather than have 2-3 chumps in a row. 

[Chuck]

4 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Fearless if it works but we'll call it risky if it doesn't

This team has been way too conservative over the years. This change is refreshing and I like taking risks. 

[angelsnationtalk]

Just now, Chuckster70 said:

I actually don't have a problem with this. I like to spread the bats throughout the lineup, rather than have 2-3 chumps in a row. 

Yup. There's a pro and con to every lineup. This one has bats spread out but at the same time let's hope we don't have guys on base in the first inning with 1 out and Pujols hitting a ground ball. 

[failos]

48 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

My God I love Joe Maddon's fearlessness to stretch these guys and try them at different positions. 

That’s (part of) what makes him so great.

[angelsnationtalk]

1 minute ago, Chuckster70 said:

This team has been way too conservative over the years. This change is refreshing and I like taking risks. 

Our rotation over the last few years was taking a risk haha. So far so good though!

[WicketMaiden]

50 minutes ago, angelsnationtalk said:

Walsh swinging a hot bat but Pujols gets to hit 4th..... Okay....

Albert is still an RBI machine. In the last full season (2019 - everyone gets a pass for 2020) Albert was 8th in the American League for plate appearances per RBI at 5.86 (MLB average was 8.29) and hit .294/.362/.551 with RISP in 136 at bats (Trout hit .297; Upton hit .258 with RISP). He hit into 21 GIDP's. For comparison Abreu hit into 24, Brantley 21, Mancini 22, Grichuk 20, JD Martinez 19 - all of those apart from Abreu were below Albert for PA's per RBI. It's interesting to note that Albert's career PA per RBI is 5.89, right in line with his last full season performance. 

[nothing, Nothing]

lol 

[tdawg87]

Bundy pls. These c*nts have scored 41 runs in 5 games.

[bloodbrother]

Pujols batting 4th?

[PattyD22]

Looks like your stereotypical Angels fan right there.

[tdawg87]

5 minutes ago, PattyD22 said:

Looks like your stereotypical Angels fan right there.

Kinda looks like Adam Sandler

[Dtwncbad]

2 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

I was thinking it was because Pujols has hit Grienke pretty well over his career: .368, 1 HR, 38AB, until I checked out Upton's career line (.353, 3 HR, 34AB) against the Astros starter today. 

 

Pujols hit everybody pretty well “over his career.”  He is Albert Pujols.

The question is how has he hit him over the last couple of years?

[Angelsfan1984]

Hell ya, i go to the game today and Rendon is on the pine! Woooooo

[fan_since79]

2 hours ago, Chuckster70 said:

I actually don't have a problem with this. I like to spread the bats throughout the lineup, rather than have 2-3 chumps in a row. 

Some years we've had 6 or 7 chumps and it was impossible to spread them thru the lineup. Scioscia probably did his best with the junk he was given.