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LA ANGELS ( RICHARDS )
HOUSTON ( FELDMAN ) |
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8.5un
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| 971 | LA ANGELS | -125 | Ov 8,-115 | -125 | Ov 8,-105 | | 972 | HOUSTON | +115 | Un 8,-105 | +115 | Un 8,-115 |
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| All Games | 5-6 | -1.7 | 5-4 | 3.6 | 0.217 | 0.277 | 0.353 | 0.630 | 4.2 | 0.249 | 0.297 | 0.425 | 0.722 | | Road Games | 5-3 | +2.1 | 3-3 | 4.0 | 0.226 | 0.291 | 0.362 | 0.653 | 3.4 | 0.222 | 0.273 | 0.393 | 0.666 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 3-4 | -1.4 | 5-1 | 4.3 | 0.225 | 0.285 | 0.357 | 0.641 | 5.0 | 0.287 | 0.331 | 0.504 | 0.835 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -1.6 | 4-1 | 4.3 | 0.224 | 0.294 | 0.358 | 0.652 | 5.0 | 0.261 | 0.318 | 0.450 | 0.767 | | Grass Games | 5-6 | -1.7 | 5-4 | 3.6 | 0.217 | 0.277 | 0.353 | 0.630 | 4.2 | 0.249 | 0.297 | 0.425 | 0.722 | | Day Games | 1-2 | -1.2 | 2-1 | 4.3 | 0.224 | 0.296 | 0.337 | 0.633 | 5.0 | 0.283 | 0.315 | 0.519 | 0.834 | | Division | 5-3 | +2.1 | 3-3 | 4.0 | 0.226 | 0.291 | 0.362 | 0.653 | 3.4 | 0.222 | 0.273 | 0.393 | 0.666 |
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| All Games | 3.6 | 0.217 | 0.277 | 11 | 360 | 78 | 17 | 1 | 10 | 0.353 | 38 | 30 | 83 | 3 | 61 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | | Road Games | 4.0 | 0.226 | 0.291 | 8 | 265 | 60 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 0.362 | 31 | 24 | 62 | 3 | 49 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | | Righty Starters | 4.3 | 0.225 | 0.285 | 7 | 227 | 51 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 0.357 | 28 | 19 | 48 | 2 | 35 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
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| All Games | 3.09 | 1.125 | 32 | 11 | 11 | 29 | 5 | 7 | 35 | 1-0 | 4 | 1 | 80% | | Road Games | 3.54 | 1.082 | 20.3 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 1-0 | 4 | 1 | 80% |
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| All Games | 5-6 | -1.1 | 2-8 | 2.7 | 0.202 | 0.276 | 0.357 | 0.634 | 3.4 | 0.215 | 0.272 | 0.359 | 0.631 | | Home Games | 3-5 | -2.2 | 1-6 | 2.1 | 0.172 | 0.258 | 0.301 | 0.560 | 3.2 | 0.218 | 0.263 | 0.385 | 0.648 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 2-5 | -3.2 | 1-5 | 2.0 | 0.193 | 0.267 | 0.298 | 0.565 | 3.9 | 0.215 | 0.280 | 0.360 | 0.640 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -1.1 | 2-4 | 3.1 | 0.225 | 0.292 | 0.406 | 0.698 | 4.1 | 0.220 | 0.281 | 0.358 | 0.639 | | Grass Games | 5-6 | -1.1 | 2-8 | 2.7 | 0.202 | 0.276 | 0.357 | 0.634 | 3.4 | 0.215 | 0.272 | 0.359 | 0.631 | | Day Games | 2-1 | +1 | 1-2 | 4.0 | 0.196 | 0.274 | 0.402 | 0.676 | 3.3 | 0.222 | 0.295 | 0.350 | 0.645 | | Division | 4-4 | -0.1 | 2-5 | 3.4 | 0.234 | 0.297 | 0.421 | 0.718 | 3.7 | 0.216 | 0.276 | 0.349 | 0.625 |
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| All Games | 2.7 | 0.202 | 0.276 | 11 | 361 | 73 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 0.357 | 30 | 37 | 106 | 11 | 69 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 5 | | Home Games | 2.1 | 0.172 | 0.258 | 8 | 239 | 41 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 0.301 | 17 | 28 | 81 | 7 | 46 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 | | Righty Starters | 2.0 | 0.193 | 0.267 | 7 | 238 | 46 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0.298 | 14 | 24 | 66 | 8 | 50 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
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| All Games | 2.03 | 0.775 | 40 | 9 | 9 | 23 | 2 | 8 | 42 | 1-1 | 2 | 1 | 66.7% | | Home Games | 2.03 | 0.713 | 26.7 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 30 | 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) | 0-4 | L | 105 | 8.5 ov | U | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | | 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 | | | | 4/26/2015 | | 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) | 4-0 | W | -115 | 8.5 ov | U | 4 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | | 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 | | | | 4/26/2015 | | @ 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 (5-5) at Houston (4-6), 2:10 p.m. EDT
Nearly eight months after a severe knee injury ended the most successful season of Garrett Richards' career, the right-hander is set to again take a major league mound for the Los Angeles Angels.
He'll get the opportunity in Sunday's decisive series finale against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.
After debuting in 2011 and spending the next two seasons bouncing between the starting rotation, bullpen and minors, Richards broke out in 2014. The Southern California native was 13-4 with a 2.61 ERA when during his 26th start Aug. 20 at Boston, he ruptured his left patellar tendon covering first base.
Richards underwent surgery, dedicated himself in rehab and pitched five times, including a five-inning outing with Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday, leading up to Sunday's highly anticipated return.
"I'm proud of him," Los Angeles pitching coach Mike Butcher told MLB's official website. "Any time somebody comes back from an injury, you never know what to expect.
"There's going to be stumbling blocks along the way. And fortunately for Garrett, he's been very smooth the whole way through. I'm proud of his work ethic and where he's at right now."
While the Angels (5-6) haven't rushed his return, Richards has been chomping at the bit to take the ball.
"Everything feels good," he said. "From the beginning until now it's come a long way."
The road from recovery ends Sunday at Houston, where Richards allowed one run, seven hits and struck out 16 to win both starts there last season. During the second inning of a 4-0 victory there June 4, Richards struck out the side on nine pitches.
He'll look to continue that success at Houston and help the Angels bounce back from Saturday's 4-0 loss.
Homers by George Springer and Robbie Grossman provided all the scoring as the Astros (5-6) won for the fourth time in five home games versus Los Angeles.
Springer, who hit 20 home runs as a rookie in 2014, went deep for the first time this season. He's 6 for 40 and ranks among the major league leaders with 17 strikeouts. Springer had 114 strikeouts in 295 at-bats a year ago and has also fanned five times while going 1 for 9 against Richards, the majors' leader last season with 0.27 home runs allowed per nine innings.
Houston's Scott Feldman (0-2, 6.17 ERA) hopes to get some offensive support while trying to avoid dropping his first three starts for the second time in three seasons. The right-hander allowed a solo homer in 6 2-3 innings of a 2-0 loss to Cleveland on April 8, then yielded five of his eight runs over five innings on three homers during Monday's 8-1 defeat to Oakland.
"That was one of those days that maybe come along once a year or something like that," Feldman said. "Hopefully, I can put it behind me and come back out ready to go."
He went 1-2 but with a 3.13 ERA in four starts - including the last three on the road - against the Angels in 2014.
Mike Trout is 5 for 14 with two homers and a double against him.
One night after homering twice to become the youngest player to hit 100 home runs and steal 100 bases, Trout's season-opening 10-game hitting streak ended Saturday when he went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
Teammate Erick Aybar is batting .179 on the season, but .452 with three doubles and two triples in 31 at-bats versus Feldman.
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| | Last Updated: 4/26/2024 8:55:12 PM EST. |
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