OC Register: Angels use first entirely homegrown lineup in 23 years to beat Rangers

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM — It requires a good deal of optimism to think that the entirely homegrown lineup the Angels used on Friday night has the same future as the one they last used 23 years ago.

If nothing else, this group is finishing a mostly miserable season on an upward trajectory.

Using a starting lineup with 10 players who had never appeared in another major league uniform, the Angels beat the Texas Rangers, 4-1, to win their fifth straight game.

The last time the Angels’ entire lineup, including the pitcher, consisted of homegrown players was Aug. 27, 1999, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The lineup that day against the Boston Red Sox included several of the key players who raised the World Series trophy in 2002: Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus and Bengie Molina.

This time the Angels started catcher Logan O’Hoppe, first baseman Matt Thaiss, second baseman David Fletcher, shortstop Livan Soto, third baseman Luis Rengifo, left fielder Jo Adell, center fielder Mike Trout, right fielder Taylor Ward, designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and pitcher Reid Detmers.

O’Hoppe and Rengifo were acquired in trades before they reached the majors, and Soto was signed as a free agent in the minors. Ohtani picked the Angels after playing in Japan. The other six were drafted by the Angels, including five first-round picks.

Four of those first-rounders – Trout (2009), Ward (2015), Adell (2017) and Detmers (2020) – had key contributions to the victory.

Detmers gave up one run in six innings in his final start of the season, striking out nine and walking one.

Detmers finished his first full season in the big leagues with a 7-6 record and 3.77 ERA over 25 starts and 129 innings. In the middle of that, he pitched one game at Triple-A, and it turned out to be significant.

Although Detmers threw a no-hitter in May, he was struggling when the Angels sent him down in June. He rediscovered a mechanical tweak to improve his slider during his one game at Salt Lake. Since returning, Detmers posted a 3.04 ERA in 13 starts.

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Detmers was supported early by a second-inning homer from Adell, his eighth of the season, and a third-inning shot from Rengifo, his 17th.

In the fifth inning, Trout doubled and Ward drove him in with his second hit of the night.

Ward started the season on fire, hit a slump for a couple of months after suffering a shoulder injury in late May, and is now finishing strong. He is hitting .407 and his OPS is 1.161 OPS in his last 23 games.

Ohtani also chipped in a pair of singles, extending his hitting streak to 15 games, an ongoing career best.

More to come on this story.

View the full article

[Blarg]

[eligrba]

This headline could also go with the following headline that should have been used through most of the season:

Angels use a lineup with 5 players who would not be playing in the majors if they weren't in an Angels' uniform.

[Stradling]

18 minutes ago, eligrba said:

This headline could also go with the following headline that should have been used through most of the season:

Angels use a lineup with 5 players who would not be playing in the majors if they weren't in an Angels' uniform.

You’ve really become a miserable read. And no it isn’t simply the losing. 

[Stradling]

Detmers, Trout, Ohtani, Ward, Rengifo, Fletcher, O’Hoppe.  There’s seven. 

[Jason]

A lot of young talent in this lineup as well. It does give a little hope for next season

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, eligrba said:

This headline could also go with the following headline that should have been used through most of the season:

Angels use a lineup with 5 players who would not be playing in the majors if they weren't in an Angels' uniform.

I've officially decided @eligrba4ever is my favorite Eli Grba poster.

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

Detmers, Trout, Ohtani, Ward, Rengifo, Fletcher, O’Hoppe.  There’s seven. 

I would say Adell too, still offensive work to be done, but the defense is a lot better now.

Edited October 1, 2022 by Angel Oracle

[Angel Oracle]

36 minutes ago, Jason said:

A lot of young talent in this lineup as well. It does give a little hope for next season

Trout the oldest, and he just turned 31.

[Jason]

28 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Trout the oldest, and he just turned 31.

Hopefully the core group of guys continue to improve. If that happens then this team will contend 

[eligrba]

2 hours ago, Stradling said:

You’ve really become a miserable read. And no it isn’t simply the losing. 

Point taken.

[Second Base]

The Angels won the World Series three years after the last time they had an entirely home grown lineup. They hired their most successful manager in history two years after the homegrown lineup. They featured one outfielder banned after a fish that played his whole career in an Angels uniform, a well spoken African American outfielder in left field and a first round pick in Erstad as the other. They also had an elite 3B and a beloved, home grown catching tandem. 

Therefore, if history repeats itself...

- The Angels will probably re-up Nevin until they hire a great manager in 2024. 

- The Angels will win the 2025 World Series. 

- Trout, Adell and Ward match the description of Salmon, Anderson and Erstad pretty well. 

- Rendon will either get healthy and be a premier 3B or he'll be replaced by one. 

- Homegrown catching tandem in three years? O'Hoppe and Quero.

Fun, right?

[stormngt]

Firing Maddon was a desperate attempt to turn the season around.  So when the losses kept piling up after his firing I knew the season was over.

[AngelsLakersFan]

21 hours ago, Second Base said:

a well spoken African American outfielder in left field