The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Los Angeles Angels – INSIDE PITCH
Robert Coello has made an impact with the Angels with his performance and his signature pitch. Coello, a 28-year-old journeyman who made his Angels debut in May, throws a forkball that acts like a knuckleball.
“I have never seen a grip like his, with the results of what we see this pitch do,” Scioscia said.
Coello throws the pitch like a normal forkball, which is rare in today’s game in itself, but he uses his thumb to make the pitch even more unusual. A normal forkball tumbles, but Coello is able to take the spin off it almost entirely, like a knuckleball. He throws his about 80 mph, harder than a normal knuckleball.
“He’s unique in today’s game,” pitching coach Mike Butcher said. “He kind of stands out throwing like he does. I don’t know anyone else that is throwing it like him.”
Coello has used his forkball to become one of the most pleasant surprises in an otherwise dreary Angels season. In his first four weeks with the Angels, Coello has a 2.57 ERA, and three of the four runs he allowed came in one outing on Wednesday. In 14 innings, Coello has allowed 10 hits and he has 21 strikeouts.
The forkball creates almost as much trouble for Angels catchers as for hitters.
They’ve taken to using a special, larger catcher’s mitt normally used for knuckleball pitchers.
Coello’s forkball is only a part of the reason that the 28-year-old is finally enjoying success in the big leagues after being let go by five organizations, including the Angels after the 2007 season.
“Robert is kind of a late bloomer,” Scioscia said. “Right now he’s throwing the ball better than he has in his life. It’s his first opportunity to set his footprint in the major leagues. I think he’s more consistent now than he’s ever been.”
Coello doesn’t want to be known as a guy getting by with a gimmick pitch, though. He only throws the forkball about two or three times an inning. He said his best pitch is a moving 90 mph fastball.
“My most dominating pitch is my fastball,” said Coello, whose fastball averages 91.3 mph. “That’s been my pitch for getting people out. Of course, the forkball is something in their mind. It’s something different they aren’t used to seeing.”
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MLB Team Report – Los Angeles Angels – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 26-34
STREAK: Lost one
PAST 10 GAMES: 3-7
NEXT: Doubleheader: Angels (Tommy Hanson, 2-2, 4.19; C.J. Wilson, 4-4, 3.93) at Red Sox (Felix Doubront, 4-2, 4.88)
PLAYER NOTES:
–RHP Jerome Williams (4-2, 2.56 ERA) has been taken out of the Angels rotation and moved to the bullpen. In six starts this season, including quality starts in the last five, Williams has posted a record of 3-2 with a 3.08 ERA. In his most recent outing, on Wednesday against the Cubs, Williams pitched one-third of an inning, retiring the only batter he faced, to finish the game in the 10th.
–RHP Tommy Hanson has posted a record of 2-2 with an ERA of 4.19 in six starts this season. This will be just his second start since coming off the restricted list after missing almost four weeks because of a death in the family. Hanson is looking for his first win since April 19, when he beat the Tigers in six scoreless innings. He took the loss in his last outing, giving up five runs, four earned in 6 1/3 innings on May 31 against the Astros. This will be his second career start against the Red Sox. He earned the win in his only other start, on June 28, 2009, at Turner Field while with the Braves, when he went six shutout innings, giving up just two hits.
–LHP C.J. Wilson (4-4, 3.93) is 5-1 with three saves and a blown save in 19 appearances, including seven starts, in his career against the Red Sox. In his last six starts, he is 1-4 with an ERA of 3.83, giving up 22 runs, 17 earned runs, over 40 innings. In that span, though, he has recorded 41 strikeouts against 10 walks.
–RHP Dane De La Rosa was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake City on Wednesday. In 27 appearances with the Angels this season, he had posted a record of 1-1 with a blown save and a 4.05 ERA. In his last 10 outings, he was 0-1 with a blown save, a 4.50 ERA, and an opponents’ batting average of .281 and on-base percentage of .351. In eight innings in that span, he had given up eight hits with six strikeouts and four walks.
–LHP Jason Vargas is still looking to win a career-best sixth straight decision. He was foiled in that attempt on Wednesday against the Cubs, when he gave up five runs on 11 hits and two walks with four strikeouts over five innings. The Angels lost the game but Vargas was not involved in the decision. Vargas was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for May after going 5-0 with a 2.30 ERA, giving up 11 earned runs in 43 innings pitched over six starts. Each of his last four outings have been quality starts, compiling a 1.91 ERA, giving up six earned runs over 28.1 innings in that span.
–LHP Hunter Green of Warren East High in Kentucky was the Angels’ top pick in the draft. They picked him at No. 59 because they forfeited their first-round pick when they signed Josh Hamilton last winter. Green was 3-1 with a 0.14 ERA in 10 starts in his senior year. In 51 2/3 innings, he had 110 strikeouts and 37 walks.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Robert has been pitching well for us, and when he’s pitching well, he’s getting that fastball in a good location. He just had a little trouble finishing off that inning. He had some opportunities to get that third out, but give those guys on the other side credit. They got some key hits.” — Manager Mike Scioscia, on RHP Robert Coello, who gave up three runs in the 10th inning Wednesday as the Angels lost 8-6 to the Cubs.
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MLB Team Report – Los Angeles Angels – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–RHP Garrett Richards (twisted left ankle) was hurt June 2. He didn’t pitch June 3-4. He returned to action June 5.
–CF Peter Bourjos (strained left hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list April 30. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Inland Empire on June 3, then moved his rehab to Triple-A Salt Lake on June 6. He could be activated as soon as June 10.
–LHP Sean Burnett (left forearm tightness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 27. Burnett came off the disabled list May 21 after sitting out 22 games with left forearm irritation. He started playing catch June 2. He is expected to be back around the time he’s eligible, June 10.
–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 and was sent to rehab in Arizona in late April. He had scar tissue removed from his elbow in late April. He threw a bullpen session May 4, and he pitched in an intrasquad game at extended spring training May 9. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Inland Empire on May 13, but he hasn’t pitched since that day. He experienced soreness in his elbow May 22, scrapping plans for him to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake. He is expected to begin pitching for Salt Lake in early June.
–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 Jered Weaver
RHP Tommy Hanson
BULLPEN:
RHP Ernesto Frieri (closer)
RHP Garrett Richards
LHP Scott Downs
RHP Jerome Williams
RHP Michael Kohn
RHP Robert Coello
RHP Kevin Jepsen
CATCHERS:
Chris Iannetta
Hank Conger
INFIELDERS:
1B Albert Pujols
2B Howie Kendrick
SS Erick Aybar
3B Alberto Callaspo
INF Chris Nelson
INF Brendan Harris
OUTFIELDERS:
LF J.B. Shuck
CF Mike Trout
RF Josh Hamilton
DH Mark Trumbo
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