Gameday Thread (5/19/24 11:35am Pacific): Angels @ Rangers: Soriano on the mound, Schanuel gets a day off, Tucker in LF

[jsnpritchett]

Michael Lorenzen on the mound for the Rangers.

Edited May 19 by jsnpritchett

[Stradling]

I am not complaining but it feels like Soriano starts every third day. 

[jsnpritchett]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

I am not complaining but it feels like Soriano starts every third day. 

I actually double-checked that he was actually starting before I posted that, because I had the same feeling as you for some reason! 

[jsnpritchett]

Also, Adell moved up a couple spots. Of course, Washington will probably drop him down again if he goes 0 for 4 today, but let's enjoy it today at least. 

[Stradling]

19 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

I actually double-checked that he was actually starting before I posted that, because I had the same feeling as you for some reason! 

It’s weird, but in a good way.  

[jsnpritchett]

1 minute ago, Stradling said:

It’s weird, but in a good way.  

Yes, definitely a good thing. He's the most entertaining of the starters right now, at least to me, since he's got the 100+ MPH fastball and the knuckle curve.

Even when Anderson is pitching well, his delivery and overall pitching style bugs me. Sandoval is a pain to watch even when he's doing well, too, just due to his slow pace and mannerisms. Detmers can be entertaining, but he's so inconsistent. I'm sort of neutral on Canning from an entertainment standpoint. 

[tdawg87]

End the Moniak experiment.

[Stradling]

13 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

End the Moniak experiment.

Yep.  I mean what is the alternative right now?  I think you give Pillar enough playing time to get traded for anything at the deadline, but after that, there is no real downside to starting Moniak, other than our enjoyment.  On twitter a month or so ago, when he wasn’t getting playing time, I made the joke that all the Fletcher fans turned into Moniak fans.  

[Angelsjunky]

On the other hand, if the goal with Pillar is to make him a tradeable commodity, starting him against favorable matchups--and sitting him against less favorable ones--might not be a bad thing. Plus, while I pretty much sold on Moniak in the second half of last year, given the fact that the Angels aren't contenders, I don't think there's harm in seeing if he can prove 2023 wasn't a fluke. I don't see him as a piece in a hypothetical next good Angels team in a few years, but he hits a bit, he also can be traded.

Edited May 19 by Angelsjunky

[Stradling]

6 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

On the other hand, if the goal with Pillar is to make him a tradeable commodity, starting him against favorable matchups--and sitting him against less favorable ones--might not be a bad thing. Plus, while I pretty much sold on Moniak in the second half of last year, given the fact that the Angels aren't contenders, I don't think there's harm in seeing if he can prove 2023 wasn't a fluke. I don't see him as a piece in a hypothetical next good Angels team in a few years, but he hits a bit, he also can be traded.

I agree. I think people lose sight of the fact that part of why players perform well is because of favorable match ups. But it creates this criticism that isn’t always warranted when they sit the hot hand.  

[BTH]

Pillar has an .876 OPS vs. RHP.

Considering that the alternative is playing Cole Tucker in LF (and he’s not a natural OF), I’d prefer Pillar.

It’s not a huge deal, but it’s not how I’d go about it.

[No Roles]

SMH no Pillar ! I seriously have no idea why Washington benches players that are hot ? Washington lost the game by not going Estevez Strickland last night in the 8th 9th ! 

[eligrba4ever]

GO ANGELS!!!!

WIN A SERIES FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS SEASON.

ANGELS CAN GAIN ON OAKLAND FOR  FOURTH PLACE!!!!!!

[Chuck]

2 hours ago, tdawg87 said:

End the Moniak experiment.

 

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

Yep.  I mean what is the alternative right now?  I think you give Pillar enough playing time to get traded for anything at the deadline, but after that, there is no real downside to starting Moniak, other than our enjoyment.  On twitter a month or so ago, when he wasn’t getting playing time, I made the joke that all the Fletcher fans turned into Moniak fans.  

We got a lot of shit for this post last night on X. I'm over Moniak. 

 

[daygloman]

Go Halos!

[AngelsLakersFan]

Washington must think Cole Tucker is Kyle Tucker batting him second...

[No Roles]

lorenzen struggling with right handed batters so let's play Moniak tucker over Pillar? like what Washington?

[AngelsLakersFan]

12 minutes ago, Chuck said:

 

We got a lot of shit for this post last night on X. I'm over Moniak. 

 

Moniak isnt very good but neither is the rest of the team

[jsnpritchett]

1 minute ago, No Roles said:

lorenzen struggling with right handed batters so let's play Moniak tucker over Pillar? like what Washington?

Again, I urge you to relax. 

From Jeff Fletcher's article today:

"On Sunday, Washington could have benched Moniak in favor of veteran Kevin Pillar, who was hitting .432 in his first 11 games with the Angels.

Washington said he wanted to give Moniak the opportunity to get himself going with two consecutive games, after he had played just once in the previous four games.

The Angels are also trying to be careful with Pillar, who is 35 years old. He had played four games in a row before Saturday.

“When Pillar came here, he came here as a guy that was gonna fill in here and there,” Washington said. “He’s hot. I’m not taking that from him. But I’ve got kids that need to play too.”

Pillar is expected to play at least twice in Houston, including Monday against left-hander Framber Valdez."

[Stradling]

4 minutes ago, No Roles said:

lorenzen struggling with right handed batters so let's play Moniak tucker over Pillar? like what Washington?

 

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

On the other hand, if the goal with Pillar is to make him a tradeable commodity, starting him against favorable matchups--and sitting him against less favorable ones--might not be a bad thing. Plus, while I pretty much sold on Moniak in the second half of last year, given the fact that the Angels aren't contenders, I don't think there's harm in seeing if he can prove 2023 wasn't a fluke. I don't see him as a piece in a hypothetical next good Angels team in a few years, but he hits a bit, he also can be traded.

 

[Angelsjunky]

Trout won't be back for at least a month, so Moniak probably has until then. I mean, what are the options? Hunter Dozier? Jordyn Adams?

Actually, I'm guessing Bryce Teodosio would be the next OF to get the call. 

[Stradling]

17 minutes ago, Chuck said:

 

We got a lot of shit for this post last night on X. I'm over Moniak. 

 

Yep. No surprise. 

[Angelsjunky]

2 minutes ago, Stradling said:

 

 

Well said.

(And yes, I know you were replying to No Roles with my quote, but we haven't had enough "Well saids" and "I agrees" around here of late  )

Edited May 19 by Angelsjunky

[No Roles]

let's go Soriano our ACE of the future ")

[Stradling]

Just now, Angelsjunky said:

Well said.

Well if you and I say the same thing, you research it better and communicate it better, so rather than tell him match ups are part of the reason for Pillar’s success I figured I’d quote you who said it better than I can.