The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Los Angeles Angels – INSIDE PITCH
The Angels finished April with a 9-17 record that stems largely from their 4.91 ERA, second worst in the league.
“When you put a guy in, you put him in with the confidence he’s going to do a job and it’s not happening now,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “We have a lot of things we are trying to work through and get some continuity with our starters and our bullpen. It’s taking up everything we can do. We know how important it is. The quicker we can get it going the quicker we can move in the right direction… These guys are better pitchers than they have shown.”
They’ve struggled to get consistent work out of the rotation or the bullpen, although starter C.J. Wilson and three relievers combined to earn a 5-4 victory at Oakland on Wednesday
Injuries have been a big part of the problem, as four of their opening day 12 are on the disabled list: starter Jered Weaver and relievers Sean Burnett, Kevin Jepsen and Mark Lowe. The Weaver injury created two holes because Garrett Richards went from the bullpen to the rotation so the Angels have been weakened in both spots.
The Angels have also been without potential closer Ryan Madson all month as he slowly tries to come back from Tommy John surgery.
“I’ll tell you one thing, no one is going to feel sorry for you,” Scioscia said. “We have to get it done even with the depth issues we face now, and that’s our focus. We’ve got to come out with the attitude to win a ballgame and hopefully we’ll start to do things right to get moving in the right direction.”
All of the Angels injured pitchers — with the possible exception of Madson — should be back sometime in May.
“We’re going to make it through this,” Richards said. “Everybody in here is positive. Everyone in here believes in each other. The coaching staff believes in us. We are going through some hard times but I don’t see it being this way the whole year.”
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MLB Team Report – Los Angeles Angels – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 10-17
STREAK: Won one
PAST 10 GAMES: 3-7
NEXT: Orioles (Chris Tillman, 1-1, 4.73) at Angels (Joe Blanton, 0-4, 7.09)
PLAYER NOTES:
–RHP Joe Blanton will make his sixth start of the season Thursday at home against Baltimore, still seeking his first victory as an Angel. Blanton went 0-4 in his first five starts. Blanton has allowed 21 earned runs, 47 hits and seven home runs in 26.2 innings this season. In his last start Saturday at Seattle, he allowed only three earned runs on nine hits over six innings in a 3-2 loss to the Mariners.
–RHP Ryan Brasier was called up Wednesday from Triple-A Salt Lake, and the reliever began his first stint in the major leagues but did not make an appearance against the A’s. Brasier was 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in 10 games for the Bees. He allowed 15 hits and eight earned runs over 12 innings with 12 strikeouts and five walks. “Ryan, he’s got a big arm,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “There’s really only a couple roles we have set right now in the bullpen. So Ryan Brasier, he’s going to pitch when there’s a need to have somebody.”
–RHP Jered Weaver (fractured left elbow) played catch from over 100 feet Wednesday as he continued to move closer to his first session on the mound since being injured in early April. “His throwing progression, he’s very excited about how he feels, how his elbow feels,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “When you don’t throw for two or three weeks there’s a little work that needs to be done to get back. He’s got a little work ahead of him, but he’s lengthened it out to over 100 feet today. Should be by this week hopefully getting out to where his long toss is going to give us a read on when he’s ready to get on the mound.”
–OF Mark Trumbo hit a solo home run against the Oakland Athletics for the third straight game Wednesday. It marked the fourth time in his career he has homered in three or more consecutive games. Trumbo has six home runs and 17 RBIs and is hitting .301.
–LHP C.J. Wilson improved to 3-0 Wednesday with a victory over the Oakland Athletics but threw 123 pitches over 6 1/3 innings, including 36 in the first. Wilson held the A’s to two runs in the Angels’ 5-4 win, their first victory over the A’s after losing the first meetings. He escaped bases-loaded jams in the first and sixth innings without giving up a run.
–LHP Scott Downs left Wednesday’s game against the Oakland Athletics after one-third of an inning with an injury to a muscle on his right side. He entered the game with a runner on first and no outs in the bottom of the eighth. He got one out then gave up a run-scoring double to Luke Montz. It has yet to be determined how long he’ll be sidelined.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “A win’s a win. It’s probably a little more of a nail-biter than we would have liked.” — OF Mark Trumbo after a 5-4 win at Oakland on Wednesday.
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MLB Team Report – Los Angeles Angels – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–LHP Scott Downs (injury to a muscle on right side) left the game May 1 against the Oakland Athletics after one-third of an inning. It has yet to be determined how long he’ll be sidelined.
–CF Peter Bourjos (strained left hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list April 30.
–3B Luis Jimenez (left shin contusion) left the April 29 game, and he didn’t play April 30.
–SS Erick Aybar (left heel contusion) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10. He began what figures to be a brief rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on April 29.
He was reinstated April 30 and started against Oakland.
–3B Alberto Callaspo (strained right calf) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 12. He began a rehab stint April 30 with Class-A Inland Empire. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said that the earliest Callaspo would be reinstated is May 2.
–RHP Mark Lowe (stiff neck) went on the 15-day disabled list April 20. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Inland Empire on April 30, pitching a perfect seventh inning against Lancaster.
–LHP Sean Burnett (left forearm irritation) went on the 15-day disabled list April 28. An MRI revealed no structural damage, so Burnett will try to see if rest can calm the discomfort.
–RHP Kevin Jepsen (tight right triceps, strained lat) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 12. He was sent to extended spring training on April 24. He is scheduled to pick up a baseball the week of April 29-May 5.
–RHP Jered Weaver (strained left elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 8. He was diagnosed with a non-displaced radial head fracture in the elbow. Weaver is expected to be out until early to mid-May. He played catch from over 100 feet May 1.
–RHP Ryan Madson (Tommy John surgery in April 2012) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22. He threw a simulated game April 19. He was sent to rehab in Arizona in late April, but he still had not thrown another simulated game as of April 25.
–LHP Andrew Taylor (torn left labrum) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 9. He is not expected to need surgery.
ROTATION:
LHP C.J. Wilson
RHP Joe Blanton
LHP Jason Vargas
RHP Garrett Richards
BULLPEN:
RHP Ernesto Frieri (closer)
LHP Sean Burnett
LHP Scott Downs
RHP Jerome Williams
RHP Dane De La Rosa
RHP Michael Kohn
RHP Barry Enright
RHP Ryan Brasier
CATCHERS:
Chris Iannetta
Hank Conger
INFIELDERS:
1B Albert Pujols
2B Howie Kendrick
SS Erick Aybar
3B Luis Jimenez
INF Andrew Romine
INF Brendan Harris
OUTFIELDERS:
LF J.B. Shuck
CF Mike Trout
RF Josh Hamilton
OF Mark Trumbo
OF Scott Cousins
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