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LA ANGELS ( WILSON )
HOUSTON ( KEUCHEL ) |
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8.5ov
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Final
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| 925 | LA ANGELS | +105 | Ov 7.5,-120 | +105 | Ov 8,-115 | | 926 | HOUSTON | -115 | Un 7.5,+100 | -115 | Un 8,-105 |
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| All Games | 5-5 | -0.7 | 5-3 | 4.0 | 0.227 | 0.286 | 0.370 | 0.655 | 4.2 | 0.258 | 0.299 | 0.431 | 0.730 | | Road Games | 5-2 | +3.1 | 3-2 | 4.6 | 0.243 | 0.305 | 0.387 | 0.692 | 3.3 | 0.231 | 0.273 | 0.397 | 0.670 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 2-1 | +0.8 | 0-2 | 3.3 | 0.233 | 0.288 | 0.398 | 0.686 | 2.3 | 0.186 | 0.218 | 0.247 | 0.465 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -1.9 | 4-1 | 4.6 | 0.238 | 0.304 | 0.383 | 0.686 | 5.0 | 0.273 | 0.321 | 0.449 | 0.770 | | Grass Games | 5-5 | -0.7 | 5-3 | 4.0 | 0.227 | 0.286 | 0.370 | 0.655 | 4.2 | 0.258 | 0.299 | 0.431 | 0.730 | | Night Games | 4-3 | +0.5 | 3-2 | 3.9 | 0.228 | 0.281 | 0.384 | 0.665 | 3.9 | 0.247 | 0.292 | 0.391 | 0.683 | | Division | 5-2 | +3.1 | 3-2 | 4.6 | 0.243 | 0.305 | 0.387 | 0.692 | 3.3 | 0.231 | 0.273 | 0.397 | 0.670 |
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| All Games | 4.0 | 0.227 | 0.286 | 10 | 330 | 75 | 15 | 1 | 10 | 0.370 | 38 | 27 | 70 | 3 | 55 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 6 | | Road Games | 4.6 | 0.243 | 0.305 | 7 | 235 | 57 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 0.387 | 31 | 21 | 49 | 3 | 43 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | | Lefty Starters | 3.3 | 0.233 | 0.288 | 3 | 103 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0.398 | 10 | 8 | 22 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
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| All Games | 2.64 | 1.109 | 30.7 | 9 | 9 | 28 | 4 | 6 | 32 | 1-0 | 4 | 1 | 80% | | Road Games | 2.84 | 1.053 | 19 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 1-0 | 4 | 1 | 80% |
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| All Games | 4-6 | -2.1 | 2-7 | 2.6 | 0.207 | 0.277 | 0.357 | 0.634 | 3.7 | 0.225 | 0.280 | 0.376 | 0.655 | | Home Games | 2-5 | -3.2 | 1-5 | 1.9 | 0.175 | 0.256 | 0.294 | 0.550 | 3.7 | 0.233 | 0.273 | 0.414 | 0.687 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 2-1 | +1 | 1-2 | 4.0 | 0.242 | 0.301 | 0.505 | 0.806 | 3.3 | 0.250 | 0.278 | 0.413 | 0.691 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -1 | 2-4 | 3.3 | 0.244 | 0.300 | 0.428 | 0.728 | 4.3 | 0.230 | 0.287 | 0.371 | 0.658 | | Grass Games | 4-6 | -2.1 | 2-7 | 2.6 | 0.207 | 0.277 | 0.357 | 0.634 | 3.7 | 0.225 | 0.280 | 0.376 | 0.655 | | Night Games | 2-5 | -3.1 | 1-5 | 2.0 | 0.213 | 0.278 | 0.335 | 0.613 | 3.9 | 0.227 | 0.272 | 0.389 | 0.660 | | Division | 3-4 | -1 | 2-4 | 3.3 | 0.244 | 0.300 | 0.428 | 0.728 | 4.3 | 0.230 | 0.287 | 0.371 | 0.658 |
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| All Games | 2.6 | 0.207 | 0.277 | 10 | 333 | 69 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 0.357 | 26 | 32 | 95 | 10 | 64 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 5 | | Home Games | 1.9 | 0.175 | 0.256 | 7 | 211 | 37 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0.294 | 13 | 23 | 70 | 6 | 41 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 4 | | Lefty Starters | 4.0 | 0.242 | 0.301 | 3 | 95 | 23 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0.505 | 12 | 8 | 29 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
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| All Games | 2.19 | 0.811 | 37 | 9 | 9 | 22 | 2 | 8 | 36 | 1-1 | 2 | 1 | 66.7% | | Home Games | 2.28 | 0.761 | 23.7 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 100% |
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| 4/6/2015 | WEAVER(R) | @ SEATTLE | HERNANDEZ(R) | 1-4 | L | 145 | 6.5 ov | U | 4 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 0 | | 4/7/2015 | WILSON(L) | @ SEATTLE | PAXTON(L) | 2-0 | W | 105 | 7 ev | U | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | | 4/8/2015 | SHOEMAKER(R) | @ SEATTLE | IWAKUMA(R) | 5-3 | W | 115 | 7 un | O | 10 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 1 | | 4/10/2015 | SANTIAGO(L) | KANSAS CITY | VARGAS(L) | 2-4 | L | -130 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 0 | | 4/11/2015 | WEAVER(R) | KANSAS CITY | GUTHRIE(R) | 4-6 | L | -130 | 7.5 un | O | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 0 | | 4/12/2015 | WILSON(L) | KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | 2-9 | L | -115 | 7 un | O | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 1 | | 4/13/2015 | SHOEMAKER(R) | @ TEXAS | DETWILER(L) | 6-3 | W | -130 | 9 ov | P | 12 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 0 | | 4/14/2015 | RUCINSKI(R) | @ TEXAS | MARTINEZ(R) | 2-8 | L | -115 | 9 ov | O | 7 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 1 | | 4/15/2015 | SANTIAGO(L) | @ TEXAS | RANAUDO(R) | 10-2 | W | -125 | 9 un | O | 13 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 1 | | 4/17/2015 | WEAVER(R) | @ HOUSTON | HERNANDEZ(R) | 6-3 | W | -115 | 9 ov | P | 6 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 4/18/2015 | WILSON(L) | @ HOUSTON | KEUCHEL(L) | | | 4/19/2015 | RICHARDS(R) | @ HOUSTON | FELDMAN(R) | | | 4/20/2015 | SHOEMAKER(R) | OAKLAND | GRAVEMAN(R) | | | 4/21/2015 | SANTIAGO(L) | OAKLAND | POMERANZ(L) | | | 4/22/2015 | WEAVER(R) | OAKLAND | GRAY(R) | | | 4/23/2015 | WILSON(L) | OAKLAND | HAHN(R) | | | 4/24/2015 | RICHARDS(R) | TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | | | 4/25/2015 | | TEXAS | | |
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| 4/6/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | CLEVELAND | KLUBER(R) | 2-0 | W | +100 | 7.5 un | U | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | | 4/8/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | CLEVELAND | CARRASCO(R) | 0-2 | L | +110 | 8.5 ev | U | 4 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | | 4/9/2015 | WOJCIECHOWSKI(R) | CLEVELAND | BAUER(R) | 1-5 | L | -105 | 9 ev | U | 1 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 0 | | 4/10/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | @ TEXAS | HOLLAND(L) | 5-1 | W | 105 | 8 un | U | 10 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | | 4/11/2015 | HERNANDEZ(R) | @ TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | 2-6 | L | 110 | 8.5 ov | U | 11 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | | 4/12/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | @ TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | 6-4 | W | -125 | 8.5 un | O | 11 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 15 | 1 | | 4/13/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | OAKLAND | KAZMIR(L) | 1-8 | L | +105 | 8.5 ev | O | 5 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 0 | | 4/14/2015 | PEACOCK(R) | OAKLAND | GRAVEMAN(R) | 0-4 | L | -110 | 9 un | U | 8 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | | 4/15/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | OAKLAND | POMERANZ(L) | 6-1 | W | -105 | 7.5 ev | U | 8 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 0 | | 4/17/2015 | HERNANDEZ(R) | LA ANGELS | WEAVER(R) | 3-6 | L | +105 | 9 ov | P | 8 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | | 4/18/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | LA ANGELS | WILSON(L) | | | 4/19/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | LA ANGELS | RICHARDS(R) | | | 4/20/2015 | WOJCIECHOWSKI(R) | @ SEATTLE | IWAKUMA(R) | | | 4/21/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | @ SEATTLE | WALKER(R) | | | 4/22/2015 | HERNANDEZ(R) | @ SEATTLE | HAPP(L) | | | 4/24/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | @ OAKLAND | KAZMIR(L) | | | 4/25/2015 | | @ OAKLAND | | |
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| |  | LA ANGELS: ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The Los Angeles Angels had the majors' best record last year, and they return this season with baseball's best player at the center of largely the same roster.
Yet the Angels accomplished none of their biggest goals last year when they were swept out of the division series, and their sky-high payroll makes those unmet expectations even more painful.
So are the Angels a legitimate power or an unbalanced, aging team with a rapidly closing window? Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and manager Mike Scioscia can only figure it out by going back to work to find the right combination to contend again.
The Angels are difficult to evaluate because everything depends on the window from which they're viewed.
They have an enormous payroll topped by some of baseball's highest-paid players at their positions - Pujols, Josh Hamilton, C.J. Wilson and Trout, the reigning AL MVP. For all that money, consistent winning and championship contention is expected, which means the Angels' inability to win a single playoff game in five seasons is a disaster.
Yet the Angels still won 98 games last season despite losing budding ace Garrett Richards to a knee injury in August, and general manager Jerry Dipoto has restocked his roster while breathing life into what was considered the majors' worst farm system in recent years. From the bullpen to the heart of the order, Los Angeles has an undeniably solid complement of talent around Trout, the best player in baseball at 23 years old.
But just when the Angels look sharp, new worries arise. The biggest problem in 2015 is the fate of Hamilton, who is likely to be hit by a lengthy suspension for an apparent drug relapse before opening day. His recovery from shoulder surgery would have kept him out anyway.
Hamilton still has three years left on his $125 million contract, but at least his absence is cushioned by the grim fact that he has made no significant, consistent impact on the Angels' offense in two expensive seasons. Los Angeles acquired veteran Matt Joyce from Tampa Bay in the offseason, and returning outfielder Collin Cowgill also can fill in capably.
Some other things to watch when the Angels embark on their 55th season:
WHAT'S ON SECOND: The Angels' biggest problem is at second base, where Howie Kendrick leaves a gaping hole after nearly a decade entrenched in the job. With just a year left on Kendrick's contract, Dipoto traded him to the Dodgers to get promising young starter Andrew Heaney. But the lineup that led the AL in runs has lost its top hit producer - yes, Kendrick had even more than Trout - with no real plan to replace him. Josh Rutledge, Grant Green and Johnny Giavotella are among the light-hitting infielders getting a look in the spring, but none is likely to replace Kendrick's big bat.
RICH MAN: After leading the AL in RBIs and runs last season while winning the MVP trophy, Trout already has accomplished more than pretty much any 23-year-old in baseball history - and he's about to get paid for it. The outfielder's six-year, $144.5 million contract begins this year, albeit at a modest $5.25 million salary for 2015 before the deal skyrockets. Yet Trout hasn't shown any signs of complacency in the offseason, and he is working aggressively with hitting coach Don Baylor on limiting his strikeouts, which jumped to an AL-worst 184 last year.
WEAKNESS TO STRENGTH: After years of ineptitude, the Angels are confident their bullpen will again be among the majors' tops this season. Closer Huston Street and setup man Joe Smith are among the best in the business, while Mike Morin is expected to move into a bigger role with Kevin Jepsen's departure. Fernando Salas, Vinny Pestano and newcomer Cesar Ramos - Jered Weaver's college teammate - all are angling for innings, likely making the bullpen into a source of comfort for Scioscia.
GOTTA PITCH: The Angels' rotation has a high ceiling and a low floor - just like the rest of this team. Weaver and Wilson are on top of the rotation, but many believe both 30-something veterans took a step backward last season. Richards faces an uncertain mid-April return from a long rehabilitation, while Matt Shoemaker must prove he can replicate his shocking 16-victory performance that made him second on AL Rookie of the Year voting. Scioscia also must pick a fifth starter among Heaney, Hector Santiago and Nick Tropeano. | | HOUSTON: HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Astros moved out of the major league basement last season.
Now the question is whether Jose Altuve and his teammates are ready to contend this year or if they still need a couple of seasons to complete their rebuild and get back to the postseason.
Owner Jim Crane is confident the time is now.
''This is our year,'' he said, adding that their goal is to make the playoffs.
The Astros made a 19-game improvement in 2014 to win 70 games and snap a streak of three straight 100-loss seasons. They beefed up a bullpen that struggled last year and added more pop to a lineup that was fourth in the majors with 163 homers in 2014 in an attempt to take another step in 2015.
''These guys are all professional baseball players and they all want to win,'' general manager Jeff Luhnow said. ''We're not going to set any limitations on them. It's up to them at this point. We've done our work for the offseason.''
The Astros blew 25 saves last season, a statistic that troubled Crane more than any other number associated with his team. His first order of business this offseason was to bring in players to get that number down this year.
To that end, Houston added relievers Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek. Gregerson appeared in 72 games for the Athletics last season and posted a 2.12 ERA and Neshek saw action in 71 games for St. Louis in 2014 with a 1.87 ERA.
A lineup that already had power aplenty with Chris Carter, whose 37 homers tied for second in the majors last season, and George Springer, who hit 20 in just 78 games, now has more sluggers with the addition of Evan Gattis and Colby Rasmus. Gattis has hit 43 homers combined in his first two major league seasons and Rasmus has hit at least 22 home runs in two of the last three years.
That power is what excites first-year manager A.J. Hinch most about his team.
''We have a chance to be a dangerous lineup,'' Hinch said with a smile.
Some things to know about the 2015 Astros:
EXPECTATIONS FOR ALTUVE: Altuve became the first Astros player to win a batting title by hitting .341 last season. He set a team record with 225 hits, was third in the majors with 47 doubles, had 59 RBIs and tied for second in the league with 56 stolen bases.
So what does Luhnow expect the 24-year-old second baseman to do for an encore?
''He's going to be a .300 career hitter, which are few and far between,'' Luhnow said. ''So there's going to be years like with most of these great hitters where they hit .340 and years that they hit .305. In my mind Altuve is an elite major league hitter and we're going to see it year in and year out.''
SPRINGER'S SECOND YEAR: Springer, the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft, hit .231 with 20 homers and 51 RBIs in 78 games as a rookie. He injured his left quadriceps on July 20 and he didn't play again. The Astros are eager to see what the right fielder can do in a full season.
''He's got a ton of potential,'' Hinch said. ''He's a dynamic player. He can do a lot of different things in a lot of different ways. Everybody sort of sits up in their seats when he comes up to bat. I think there's a chance for him to have impact in all (areas) of the game, which is hard to come by.''
CAN ROTATION BE CONSISTENT?: Dallas Keuchel (12-9, 2.93 ERA) and Collin McHugh (11-9, 2.73) had breakout seasons in 2014, but can they perform at that level in a second year to lead the rotation? Keuchel posted ERAs of over 5.00 in both of his first two seasons before being chosen this year's opening day starter with his work last year, and McHugh had ERAs of 7.59 and 10.04 in his first two years before his success in 2014.
ANOTHER NEW SKIPPER: Counting interim managers, Hinch is the seventh manager the Astros have had since 2009. He was hired just after last season following the firing of Bo Porter, who was let go near the end of his second season.
This is the second time the 40-year-old Hinch has led a team after he managed Arizona from May 2009 until July 2010, when he was fired after 31-48 start. He was the vice president of professional scouting for San Diego from 2010 until August. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (LA ANGELS-HOUSTON) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Angels-Astros Preview* =======================
By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer
Los Angeles (4-5) at Houston (4-5), 7:10 p.m. EDT
Perhaps energized from spending time with absent teammate Josh Hamilton, the Los Angeles Angels continue to play well on the road.
They'll look for a third straight victory Saturday night against the Houston Astros.
Hamilton had lunch with a few Angels players during Thursday's off day spent in Houston. It came a day after the 2010 AL MVP dined with manager Mike Scioscia and bench coach Dino Ebel.
It was the first time in months Los Angeles players and coaches saw Hamilton, who continues to rehab from shoulder surgery and move on from his recent self-reported relapse into substance abuse. Though the front office wasn't pleased with MLB's decision not to discipline Hamilton, his manager and teammates remain supportive amid the slugger's uncertain return.
"I feel like he's in a good place and he's doing the right things," Angels scheduled starter C.J. Wilson said. "He's a baseballer. He really wants to play. He's feeling that momentum and energy internally."
The Angels (5-5) apparently feel the same way and it showed as they improved to 5-2 on the road with Friday's 6-3 victory that snapped a three-game skid at Houston. Los Angeles, which totaled eight runs while being swept by Kansas City in its only home series, has averaged 4.6 away from Anaheim.
Mike Trout homered twice and had five RBIs to become the youngest player with 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases.
Batting .444, Trout has gone 8 for 14 with four homers, two doubles, a triple and nine RBIs in his last four versus Houston. Half of his four multi-homer games have come against the Astros.
"Guy's unbelievable," right-hander Jered Weaver said. "Nothing he does surprises me anymore. He's doing things no one's ever done before."
Trout's hitting .263 without an extra-base hit and has struck out eight times in 19 at-bats against Houston's Dallas Keuchel (1-0, 1.29 ERA). Despite posting a 5.10 ERA in seven starts against Los Angeles, the left-hander has received an average 8.1 runs of support to go 4-1.
Keuchel allowed his first two runs this season over seven innings of a 6-4, 14-inning victory at Texas on Sunday.
Wilson yielded a home run and three other hits over eight innings of a 9-1 road victory in his first 2014 start against the Astros last April, then went 1-2 with a 10.57 ERA in his next four meetings. Two of those came at Houston, where he gave up 10 runs, 14 hits and six walks in six innings.
The left-hander opened the season by allowing two hits in eight innings of a 2-0 victory at Seattle on April 7, then gave up seven runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 9-2 loss to Kansas City on Sunday.
"Circumstances are different every time you go out there," Wilson said.
"I have a lot of work still to do on my breaking ball. I'll be out there again (Saturday). I'm not going to be facing the Royals. I'm going to face the Astros, and I just have to get ready for them."
Houston slugger Chris Carter went 5 for 10 with a homer and a double against Wilson last season. Carter had a hit Friday but is 3 for 34 with 14 strikeouts and no home runs after tying for second in the majors with 37 homers in 2014.
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| | Last Updated: 4/27/2024 12:06:18 AM EST. |
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