Duren, Duren

The Angel first inning seems like a distant memory. Feeble offense since then, but all that matters is a close out ninth. 

Dodge another Dodger threat. It would be nice for more insurance. Two runs doesn't seem safe.

Jeez, these Dodgers know how to grind out at bats. Very seasoned and hardened over the last few years and all business. It takes a full team effort to beat them.

At least they are just solo homers. But now much to close for comfort. 

NBC tried putting comet tails on hockey pucks some years back. Networks always trying to make real life look like a video game.

Since his all star status was noted La Stella has gone ice cold. Jinx? 

Another goose egg on offense. Two more on defense, please. 

Dancing at the edge of disaster, but solid glovework and clutch pitching chalk up another Dodger inning. 

Bad home plate umpiring is really affecting game outcomes more and more. You can't expect perfection, but the percentages of obvious bad calls is becoming laughable. Almost every at bat reveals mistakes that are more than borderline. 

Feels like a double header has already been played. Talk about survival mode! 

But still, a three run lead. The hitters have been quiet since the first. Time to wake up.

Man, this is excruciating. Each Dodger at bat seems to be drawn out and intense. But so far, hanging in and meeting the challenge.

Tough night making contact for Trout. Others need to pick him up and pound out some hits.

They let Maeda regain his composure. Too many soft outs. Mid way through he is over 90 pitches. Hopefully the Dodger bullpen continues to be inconsistent.

Still have to hope the Angels can navigate through their lineup and keep the lead. Why did they let Pena challenge Muncy again? Not smart.

The last few games especially have had wildly inconsistent strike zones. The TV graphic box is either exposing bad umpiring or else is distorting the live reality. Probably a bit of both.

Too bad Pena  couldn't close out with a clean third inning. You can't give the Dodgers that easy  opening to chip away and then explode. I don't think 5 will be enough. At least he kept the damage to a minimum.

Probably will need the full bullpen and more late inning heroics. This is a game that really can swing season momentum one easy or the other.

Until you have a sure fire replacement you don't make a deal.

Kole will probably hit around thirty homers, drive in around eighty and be a solid power threat. He is more selective at the plate and much better against lefties. He continues to be a quality fixture in the field and a mainstay for morale. 

If it's not a total rebuild, you have to make smart deals to integrate new pieces into the existing mix. I'm not sold on any of the organizational potential replacements now. Right field will become downgraded until someone equal or better comes along.

That said, Eppler needs to maximize what assets he can. But not just make a deal for the sake of shaking things up. Because of the contractual situation Calhoun seems likely to be on the block, but it better be a smart deal, because right field will become a position of weakness.

When you aren't contending in any sport you have to enjoy each game just by itself, without regard to standings. The fun of the contest, the strategy, the display of skills. I call it 'per game realism.' 

Last night was one of those games you can savour for a long time just as an isolated event. Clutch homeruns, gutsy pitching, some nice defense, patience at the plate, and some comedy on the base paths. And being a rivalry game with hostile invading fans makes it sweeter.

One thing I didn't like was Albert getting picked off. Seems he was distracted by joking around with Hernandez and lost his concentration. 

I've gone to one game at Chavez Ravine. Last season against Houston, just to fill in a gap in my visits to different historical stadiums. The parking was a nightmare! No visibility in the parking lot, insane navigation at a crawl. One and done. 

Much easier in the big 'A' though I got a bad sunburn after a day game walking about fifteen minutes to a side street where I parked. 

Gutsy pitching by Canning. Could easily have let things slip away but he kept his poise and battled. Ausmus also seemed to be a calming Influence with him between innings. Just calm discussion and strategy it seemed.

As I repeat ad nauseam, so many games are decided on the inner diamond. The combination of Angel patience and Kelly wildness seemed to unfold at a slow motion pace, but it produced results. Lucky Martin isn't an inch taller!

Hopefully a signature come from behind win that generates positive momentum.

And they won with La Stella having his worst game. Nervy ninth, but a rare pleasure to see some quality glove work and a smooth relay each way. 

Disappointing home stand against beatable teams. Without quality pitching it will be hard to get on a positive roll. One game the starting is decent but not the relievers, another game it's the opposite. 

I seriously wonder if the team can or will actually get above .500 and stay there for any amount of time.

But the games against the Dodgers are an opportunity for an emotional boost and some confidence going on the road. Quasi road games anyhow, which is disgusting, but a sign of current reality.

The Dodgers are arguably the best team in the league now, and with their platooning and rotations make every game difficult matchup wise. Hopefully the Angels make these games a matter of pride and find an extra gear to change the narrative. 

These are my current favorites. 

The Hyundai promo hat is neat, with the tri-color reminding me of the early Expos cap. Also all the historic edge references.

I'll be wearing it later this month when I get to actually attend a couple of Angel games!

I have three. Two actually, one is the pink one for my wife. 

I have an older one, blue with the red bill and a small case 'a' at an angle with a halo.

I also have a promo hat, with the current red front, but small panels around the sides featuring all their past hats.

I actually loved their original hat, with the halo circled around the entire top. I got it in a trade with a friend when I was a small kid. Long gone now.

I wear them occasionally locally, depending on environment and mood. Hardly ever see anyone else with them. When I go to my annual game or two in Anaheim I wear a hat along with either an Angels polo shirt or a 2002 championship T-shirt. I try to avoid the predictable team jersey look and pay tribute to the past.

Generally speaking, the offense can score runs at a decent pace. Even Pujols and Calhoun are contributing more than last year, though far from peak career levels. 

It's the pitching that keeps them constantly regressing from passing that elusive .500 mark. Rarely has the team gone even three or four games in a row with consistent shutdown pitching. We see the occasional great game or two from a starter, or reliable bullpen effectiveness. But then bam! Another failure to keep the opposition under control. 

At a minimum, you need three better than average starters pitching every five days. It doesn't matter what kind of stuff they have, if they are young or old. They just have to be bulldogs on the mound, avoid beating themselves and be smart and situationally savvy.

Current baseball rarely sees the old school workhorse starter who can navigate through even seven innings and put up 200 plus innings. Overuse of the bullpen has changed the whole mindset of what is expected from starters. And too much dependence on analytics. They have their place, but more emphasis should be on reframing the mental side of starting pitching and developing a ferocious tenacious competitivess.

Say what you want about the Dodgers, but historically they have always had that kind of pitching philosophy. Check the innings pitched by their aces. Koufax, Drysdale, Sutton, Hershiser, Valenzuela, Kershaw. Even for their eras they were warriors on the mound who were smart and knew how to manage a game.  Many others too relative to their roles. 

We can't go back to the past, but we need much more consistent starting pitching to get to .500 and beyond.

The Blue Jays are in selling mode. Especially intriguing are their two young starting pitcher veterans, Sanchez and Stroman.

Both with issues, but compounded by being on a bad team. Toronto probably wants prospects. Here's a look at things from their perspective.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/05/blue-jays-trade-rumors-marcus-stroman-aaron-sanchez.html

It's a double edged sword. 

Yes, he'll be remembered for the WS error, but most fans will be reminded that he was much more than that. A classic sports 'tragic hero' identified with one play or event but still someone who was a career valuable part of different rosters.

If there's any realistic chance of staying in the wild card mix they have to come out of this road trip around .500 or better. It will be well into June by then and if they drift closer to 10 games below .500 there is little chance of being competitive in that race. 

I know the playoffs at best are unlikely, but even staying at the fringe end of contention gives the season some appeal. 

The two wins against Texas were sloppy but exiting. Not a formula to count on. Inner diamond play as usual was a big factor both on offense and defense. Luckily the Rangers were worse when the game was on the line. 

And some aggressive base running was a factor as well. You don't necessarily need burning speed, but smart running, where a good jump, awareness of defensive positioning and being in sync with the count and situation contribute to that extra step or two. 

If the starting pitching can hold up for half a game the bullpen by committee will need to be finessed and strategically deployed. I still would like a veteran lefty in there if just for one batter at a critical juncture. Bedrosian, Anderson and Robles have been more good than bad, and It looks like the relievers will have to carry the workload most games. Allen is back to being an unknown factor, who may or may not be of any value. 

And it was nice to actually score some runs other than by homer. The run resurgence seems to be sparked by Kole's improved hitting.

Hopefully they survive this road trip and hang in there. 

Last night was symbolic of the entire season, and the current status of the team. Just not good enough. The effort is there, but the execution and talent are below winning standards.

Canning did a good job, despite some awkward moments. He came out with the team ahead and allowed just one run. The bullpen wasn't terrible, but with poor defense, couldn't get the key outs when needed. 

Pitching and defense win or lose close games. The Angels weren't tight enough to manage a two run lead halfway through The game. 

When you think about it, Lucroy, Fletcher, LaStella and Goodwin have been positive surprises. But what about the big money, big name players? 

Besides poor starting pitching, that's where the major disappointment has come. Ohtani is still a work in progress, but Pujols, Calhoun, Cozart, Bour eat up a ton of money and give very little value back. 

It may seem outrageous, but even Trout is somewhat underperforming compared to past standards and current expectations. Not necessarily his fault, because he is supposed to be a one man savior, and every opposing team strategies intensely against him. I think the pressure of having to be near perfect literally every at bat is slowly affecting him. Especially in clutch situations. 

Honestly, current baseball has become so dull, robotic and boring. So static and mechanical. Where is a focus on creating runs and using strategy to generate scoring opportunities? 

The homers or strikeout approach has become a disease. And generates no actual movement within the game. As passive as watching chess. Might as well just have home run derbies instead.  And the obsession with the shifts on defense seem to have blocked all creativity. 

Why are players so reluctant to hit the other way at least sometimes? Or drop down a bunt? What ever happened to the hit and run? Double steals? Putting pressure on the inner defense? Forcing outfielders to make difficult throws? 

The great Duke Snider always said in his broadcasting days that the 'inner diamond' is where so many games are won or lost. Hardly a priority anymore.

Steady incremental progress. A couple of road series taken, even if against weak opposition it still builds a bit of momentum and confidence. 

The Twins seem to be on an upward trajectory, somewhat under the radar. Berrios is having a good year, but sometimes his pitches sail into prime hitting zones. Patience at the plate will help. 

Skaggs is going to be important all year if he can be managed properly. If he can get through a solid five or six innings and keep things close it will be another positive step.

I have a gut feeling that Trout is on the verge of one of his hot streaks. The power is coming around and the lineup is more consistent and productive. It's only a matter of time till he finds that torrid groove. 

This series is important. Can't just be satisfied with Detroit and Baltimore. Getting things rolling on the road has to be sustained.

Goodwin isn't a proven commodity at his current pace. He has been a pleasant surprise, and critical with Upton out, but it would be risky to project longer term. 

Outfield corners will be interesting when Upton returns. With Bour, Pujols, Ohtani pretty much currently monopolizing DH and first, no  outfielders will have the luxury of being spotted elsewhere in the lineup for any amount of time. Unless those three all get ice cold at the same time.

Calhoun is/has morphed into a different kind of hitter since he came back last year. More in line now with the template of contemporary power hitters. Lower BA, higher walks and strikeouts, dominant extra base production when he does make contact.. So he can't really be judged by his own past, really. He has methodically and intentionally changed his technical approach as well as mindset.

A calculated gamble that perhaps make him more attractive here next year or elsewhere. That depends on many variables, including consistency and how he factors into team chemistry. And let's not forget his defense and hustle. 

The real interesting story will be between Goodwin and Upton. If Goodwin is still playing at his current level it would be hard to reduce his role. But he will have more pressure with Upton in the dugout. And Upton's contract insures his presence longer term, barring an unlikely mid season trade. 

Nothing wrong with having depth and decent options. I still think that first base may open up at some point, considering Bour and Pujols are ensconced around the Mendoza line. Maybe Upton or Calhoun will end up in some kind of platoon/rotational situation. Ideally, they go with the hottest bat at the time and adjust as necessary during the rest of the season.