OC Register: Carlos Estévez suffers 3rd blown save of season in Angels’ loss to Royals

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM — Closer Carlos Estévez spoiled what had been an outstanding night for Angels pitchers on Friday.

Estévez entered with the Angels working on a shutout, but he gave up a two-run homer to the Kansas City Royals’ Adam Frazier in a game the Angels lost, 2-1.

Estévez recorded the first out of the ninth, but then he gave up a single to MJ Melendez. He threw a 2-and-0 fastball on the inner half to Frazier, who yanked it just inside the right field pole.

It was the third blown save of the season for Estévez in nine tries. He has a 6.17 ERA. Angels fans showered him with boos before he got the final out of the ninth inning.

Angels relievers inherited a 1-0 lead when Griffin Canning left after a strong start with two outs in the sixth and two runners on.

Right-hander Adam Cimber was the first pitcher out of the bullpen, and he struck out the only hitter he faced.

Cimber has been the Angels’ best reliever all season, posting a 2.65 ERA. He has entered with 10 runners on base and he has stranded all of them.

Left-hander Matt Moore then got through the seventh, working around a hit and a walk. Right hander Luis Garcia then pitched a perfect eighth. Garcia has not allowed a run – or a run by an inherited runner – in 14 of the 17 games he’s pitched.

Estévez couldn’t get the final three outs with the lead, though, which cost Canning a victory.

He cruised through the first four innings and then he got himself into and out of a jam in the fifth.

In the sixth, he gave up a two-out double and then a walk, so then Manager Ron Washington went to Cimber.

The Angels’ pitchers had to be on top of their game because the offense managed nothing other than Jo Adell’s sixth homer of the season.

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Adell hit a 436-foot shot into the fake rocks beyond the center field fence in the fifth inning.

Prior to that, the Angels had failed in the type of situational baseball that Washington values so highly.

In the second inning, the Angels had a runner at second with no outs, but then Matt Thaiss, Adell and Zach Neto all struck out.

The Angels got a leadoff double from Luis Guillorme in the third, and this time they got the runner to third on a ground ball, but they still couldn’t get him in. The Angels tried a suicide squeeze and Mickey Moniak popped up the bunt, hitting into a double play.

More to come on this story.

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[BTH]

Estevez =

[EDinTUSTIN]

For the life of me, I just don't get the infatuation that the Angel's have with Estevez. He is another that could be cut loose. May as well let Cimber have a shot at closing. Estevez does not have a closer's mentality and seems to pitch scared. We need a closer that is intimidating, not intimidated. He is like the proverbial football placekicker who can't reliably hit that extra point or knock the ball through the crossbars at 30 yards when his team is down by 2 with 30 seconds on the clock. Those guys find themselves unemployed in a hurry. The same should happen to closers who can't protect a lead in the ninth inning.

[Slegnaac]

1 hour ago, AngelsWin.com said:

Adell hit a 436-foot shot into the fake rocks beyond the center field fence in the fifth inning

This adjective could be use to describe the Angels personnel and organization this year.

[greginpsca]

Estevez will probably be the next guy to go on the IL with some phantom injury.

[Redondo]

Estevez =

[Halo in Chicago]

I would love to see someone else out there in the 9th, but who?

Is there anyone down on the farm that can help?

[Ron Mexico]

This dude is definitely not the answer it's time to demote him

[BTH]

1 hour ago, Halo in Chicago said:

I would love to see someone else out there in the 9th, but who?

Is there anyone down on the farm that can help?

Could just throw Ben Joyce into the fire to sink or swim.

Or you just give Moore or García a shot.

[DMVol]

50 minutes ago, BTH said:

Could just throw Ben Joyce into the fire to sink or swim.

Or you just give Moore or García a shot.

I think it’s likely that you see closer by committee, if Estévez keeps crapping the bed. 

[Jason]

56 minutes ago, BTH said:

Could just throw Ben Joyce into the fire to sink or swim.

Or you just give Moore or García a shot.

Moore has been crap too. 

[jsnpritchett]

1 hour ago, BTH said:

Could just throw Ben Joyce into the fire to sink or swim.

Or you just give Moore or García a shot.

Even with Joyce's struggles at Rocket City, I do think he'll be up by July, if not sooner.

My guess is that they'll keep sending Estevez out there as the closer for as long as they can, if for no other reason than to hope he rights himself and retains some semblance of trade value.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a feeling the perception of his value might be diminished if he's moved out of the closer role, even if he pitches a little better in another role.  I know that's illogical, but still have a feeling it probably has some bearing on their decision.

[redoctober2002]

3 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Even with Joyce's struggles at Rocket City, I do think he'll be up by July, if not sooner.

My guess is that they'll keep sending Estevez out there as the closer for as long as they can, if for no other reason than to hope he rights himself and retains some semblance of trade value.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a feeling the perception of his value might be diminished if he's moved out of the closer role, even if he pitches a little better in another role.  I know that's illogical, but still have a feeling it probably has some bearing on their decision.

I've started to think the opposite, where if you move someone else to the closer role and they do well that could really up there value. It comes down to whether you think the odds are better that Estevez can turn it around or one of the other relievers in the bullpen pitches well in the closer role. I'm not sure how easily Estevez can get his value back considering his struggles the second half of last year.

[Slegnaac]

This season Estevez has had 9 save opportunities out of the 39 games played.  He has saved 6 of those opportunities. 

Does anyone want a closer that is only successful 2/3 of the time?

[Angels 1961]

Need to go with hot pitcher lately been Garcia. Need to build up some value in BP for trade deadline. 

[Redondo]

1 hour ago, Slegnaac said:

This season Estevez has had 9 save opportunities out of the 39 games played.  He has saved 6 of those opportunities. 

Does anyone want a closer that is only successful 2/3 of the time?

[Angel Oracle]

Total gahbage since August

[BTH]

4 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a feeling the perception of his value might be diminished if he's moved out of the closer role, even if he pitches a little better in another role.  I know that's illogical, but still have a feeling it probably has some bearing on their decision.

Depends on if teams want to acquire him as a closer or set-up guy.

If teams want him as a set-up guy, they may want to see how he does in those spots.

If they want him to be their closer, then obviously they want to see him close.

[BTH]

4 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

Even with Joyce's struggles at Rocket City, I do think he'll be up by July, if not sooner.

The next time they need a reliever (that isn’t needed just to provide innings coverage), I think he’ll get the call.

He’s looked better lately and just pitched his first ever B2B.

[T.G.]

Charlie Sheen would be a better option 

[Anthony Tendon]

A hot dog vendor could close better. The one near the Halos Bullpen has one hell of an arm. He's been know to throw frankfurters towards Estevez in the high 80s with incredible movement.

 

I think his name is Doug.

[Angel Oracle]

17 hours ago, BTH said:

The next time they need a reliever (that isn’t needed just to provide innings coverage), I think he’ll get the call.

He’s looked better lately and just pitched his first ever B2B.

Now has 19 Ks in 10.2 innings.   Needs to improve on the 9 BBs though.