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

[aznhockeyguy]

Although disappointing, 4-2 homestand against playoff teams is a great start to the season.  Solid signs from the starting pitching, Jup, Walsh, Stassi.  Concerning is Raisel Iglesias, Fletcher, and Heaney.

[Chuck]

17 minutes ago, aznhockeyguy said:

Although disappointing, 4-2 homestand against playoff teams is a great start to the season.  Solid signs from the starting pitching, Jup, Walsh, Stassi.  Concerning is Raisel Iglesias, Fletcher, and Heaney.

I don't think there's any concern for any of the guys you mentioned. We're 6 games in and Heaney had one start and Iglesias a quick save on opening day, two games in which he came in behind or tied and gave up some runs. Fletcher will get it going soon! 

[Tank]

1 hour ago, aznhockeyguy said:

Although disappointing, 4-2 homestand against playoff teams is a great start to the season.  Solid signs from the starting pitching, Jup, Walsh, Stassi.  Concerning is Raisel Iglesias, Fletcher, and Heaney.

How is it a great start AND disappointing? 

[ScottT]

Loved to see Walsh in RF.

This stuff doesn't happen if Scioscia is the manager.  He only got creative late in the season and in the postseason...  and even then... did it go beyond Francisco Rodriguez?   Rojas never would've made the team.  Despite Scioscia's comments today about Ohtani...   I don't think he ever pushed to used Ohtani so much.  It was different, sure, because Ohtani was just breaking in, but he never really talked about playing him more.  It's a collective effort with the coaching staff and front office, but Scioscia had a lot of say.... Maddon has a lot of say.  Look at the difference. 

[ScottT]

18 minutes ago, Tank said:

How is it a great start AND disappointing? 

I turned on AM830 after the game and heard some buffoon talking about how he was frustrated about the loss to the Astros.

lol

Oh.  That buffoon is employed by the radio station and Angels owner.

[HaloBronco]

4 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Ohtani is the Katsu 

Rendon is the beef dip from Philippe's

Fletcher is a turkey club with bacon on sourdough

Pujols is lengua - you might try a bite if someone else orders it 

Trout is the godmother from bay cities

Nice callout (Philippe's, bay cities)! you gota be a LA local to know those places. 

[Warfarin]

5 hours ago, Tank said:

How is it a great start AND disappointing? 

I'm thinking those are two separate thoughts - the loss was disappointing, but overall, the start has been very good.  We're 4-2 against two really good teams, and a number of our players look improved from the previous year.

Iglesias should be fine over time.  Every team has games like this, where they lose it in the late innings.  I mean, we just did the same thing to the White Sox multiple times (who have a very good pen) and the Astros in the game before.  Sometimes it happens.

[Warfarin]

4 hours ago, ScottT said:

Loved to see Walsh in RF.

This stuff doesn't happen if Scioscia is the manager.  He only got creative late in the season and in the postseason...  and even then... did it go beyond Francisco Rodriguez?   Rojas never would've made the team.  Despite Scioscia's comments today about Ohtani...   I don't think he ever pushed to used Ohtani so much.  It was different, sure, because Ohtani was just breaking in, but he never really talked about playing him more.  It's a collective effort with the coaching staff and front office, but Scioscia had a lot of say.... Maddon has a lot of say.  Look at the difference. 

We are seeing the modernization of our team, IMO.

Walsh in RF is fantastic to see.  He should mainly start at 1B, but given Pujols will start at 1B occasionally, it's great to know that Walsh will be able to start in RF and not have his bat removed from the lineup.  Walsh should really be playing just about every day, with an occasionally day off, given how he's hitting.

Personally, I hope one day we can see a lineup with Walsh in RF and Rojas at 1B -  2B Fletcher, DH Ohtani, CF Trout, 3B Rendon, 1B Walsh, LF Upton, 1B Rojas, C Stassi, SS Iglesias.

IMO, that would probably be the best possible lineup we could roll out, offensively speaking.  In the later innings, if we have a lead, then I'd put Lagares in RF and shift Walsh back to 1B.

[Angel Oracle]

Something lost in the discussion, the Halos are missing having that long innings guy in the pen, especially when Heaney loses it early enough in the game.

Pena would have been perfect to bring in yesterday, instead of Iglesias.

He’s got to be returning soon.

[Lou]

4 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Pena would have been perfect to bring in yesterday, instead of Iglesias.

He’s got to be returning soon.

Found this:

April 4, 2021

Pena (hamstring) has started running and may be able to throw a bullpen session early in the coming week, the Associated Press reports.

[Warfarin]

1 hour ago, Angel Oracle said:

Something lost in the discussion, the Halos are missing having that long innings guy in the pen, especially when Heaney loses it early enough in the game.

Pena would have been perfect to bring in yesterday, instead of Iglesias.

He’s got to be returning soon.

CRod has sorta filled that gap of multi-inning reliever.  He's being used sparingly, but I can see him pitch 2-3 innings per relief appearance, as he soaks up innings and gains experience.

We've also seen Maddon use guys for over an inning - Slegers, Mayers, Iglesias.  Slegers, based on his usage in TB, can potentially pitch 2-3 innings too, although I think Maddon is aiming to use him more frequently but with less innings per appearance.

Our bullpen got hurt a bit in that Heaney and Ohtani had short starts, but ideally, if our SPs can average over 5 innings per start (closer to 6), I think we should be okay.

[Chuck]

9 hours ago, ScottT said:

I turned on AM830 after the game and heard some buffoon talking about how he was frustrated about the loss to the Astros.

lol

Oh.  That buffoon is employed by the radio station and Angels owner.

Ha, I don't doubt it. Was it Roger Lodge?

[fan_since79]

17 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

Just retire!  

You look like Mays in 1973.

Thanks a lot Arte/Dumbpoto for the .761 Halos career OPS for $240 million!!!!

Yikes.

I had no idea it was that bad.

[Taylor]

9 hours ago, ScottT said:

I turned on AM830 after the game and heard some buffoon talking about how he was frustrated about the loss to the Astros.

lol

Oh.  That buffoon is employed by the radio station and Angels owner.

I'm frustrated that Roger Lodge is still a presence on our radio.

[Angel Oracle]

19 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

Yikes.

I had no idea it was that bad.

.850 OPS the first of ten years (2012), meh after that

Edited April 7, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[Taylor]

 

[Jason]

15 hours ago, Lou said:

Heaney is pimento loaf.

 

Head cheese 

[ten ocho recon scout]

10 minutes ago, Taylor said:

 

I dont usually chime in on this. But yesterday was one of the few innings or two that I caught over the last year. And even a few of the calls that went our way had me shaking my head. They were horrible.

[Angel Oracle]

I think Hernandez does his act to purposely piss off people.

Seems like an angry human being.

[greginpsca]

17 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Ohtani is the Katsu 

Rendon is the beef dip from Philippe's

Fletcher is a turkey club with bacon on sourdough

Pujols is lengua - you might try a bite if someone else orders it 

Trout is the godmother from bay cities

You got me in the mood get in the car and drive 100 miles to get a French dip @ Philippe's.

[Jason]

2 hours ago, Taylor said:

 

Why do so many umpires suck at their job?

[Lou]

3 minutes ago, Jason said:

Why do so many umpires suck at their job?

Because they can

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

Why do so many umpires suck at their job?

Because there are no repercussions for doing a poor job or incentives for doing a good job. It's a good ol' boys' club.

[Slegnaac]

18 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Like the Ahi sandwich.  Most of the time it's overcooked or kinda fishy.  After you get it you question why you ordered it again yet you remember when you had it a couple times ago when it was great.  

Last time I went to Benihana, maybe 15 years ago, I order the seared Tuna.  In disbelief I watch the guy cook it all the way through.  Cat Food.

Last time I ever went inside their establishment. 

[Angel Oracle]

2 hours ago, Taylor said:

Because there are no repercussions for doing a poor job or incentives for doing a good job. It's a good ol' boys' club.

Headed up by good ol’ boy himself, Country Bumpkin Joe West.