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LA ANGELS ( WILSON )
HOUSTON ( MCHUGH ) |
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| 969 | LA ANGELS | +105 | Ov 8,-105 | +115 | Ov 8,-105 | | 970 | HOUSTON | -115 | Un 8,-115 | -125 | Un 8,-115 |
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| All Games | 55-43 | +6.7 | 44-50 | 4.3 | 0.251 | 0.310 | 0.402 | 0.712 | 3.7 | 0.241 | 0.296 | 0.374 | 0.669 | | Road Games | 23-22 | +1.4 | 23-20 | 4.7 | 0.254 | 0.311 | 0.406 | 0.717 | 4.1 | 0.263 | 0.311 | 0.419 | 0.730 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 39-35 | -0.6 | 37-34 | 4.3 | 0.254 | 0.310 | 0.399 | 0.709 | 4.0 | 0.247 | 0.300 | 0.383 | 0.683 | | Past 7 Games | 5-3 | +0.3 | 4-3 | 6.4 | 0.296 | 0.352 | 0.478 | 0.829 | 3.4 | 0.224 | 0.283 | 0.313 | 0.596 | | Grass Games | 51-40 | +5.6 | 40-47 | 4.3 | 0.250 | 0.310 | 0.399 | 0.708 | 3.6 | 0.241 | 0.294 | 0.372 | 0.666 | | Night Games | 44-28 | +12.5 | 34-34 | 4.5 | 0.260 | 0.317 | 0.420 | 0.737 | 3.6 | 0.234 | 0.290 | 0.366 | 0.657 | | Division | 28-20 | +6.2 | 24-22 | 4.5 | 0.257 | 0.316 | 0.388 | 0.705 | 3.8 | 0.238 | 0.293 | 0.376 | 0.669 |
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| All Games | 4.3 | 0.251 | 0.310 | 98 | 3277 | 823 | 145 | 7 | 112 | 0.402 | 402 | 278 | 703 | 27 | 621 | 85 | 53 | 62 | 54 | | Road Games | 4.7 | 0.254 | 0.311 | 45 | 1550 | 394 | 76 | 3 | 51 | 0.406 | 204 | 129 | 316 | 11 | 290 | 40 | 23 | 27 | 23 | | Righty Starters | 4.3 | 0.254 | 0.310 | 74 | 2493 | 632 | 111 | 6 | 80 | 0.399 | 301 | 205 | 532 | 23 | 474 | 62 | 40 | 50 | 47 |
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| All Games | 3.40 | 1.211 | 265 | 109 | 100 | 238 | 21 | 83 | 239 | 15-8 | 26 | 12 | 68.4% | | Road Games | 3.74 | 1.387 | 106 | 47 | 44 | 110 | 11 | 37 | 96 | 4-2 | 10 | 3 | 76.9% |
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| All Games | 55-45 | +6.6 | 45-50 | 4.4 | 0.242 | 0.305 | 0.422 | 0.727 | 3.7 | 0.238 | 0.293 | 0.376 | 0.669 | | Home Games | 33-17 | +11.4 | 22-26 | 4.4 | 0.242 | 0.315 | 0.451 | 0.766 | 3.4 | 0.232 | 0.282 | 0.380 | 0.662 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 20-21 | -5 | 14-25 | 3.7 | 0.232 | 0.298 | 0.393 | 0.691 | 3.4 | 0.239 | 0.293 | 0.373 | 0.666 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +2.8 | 3-4 | 4.7 | 0.268 | 0.324 | 0.481 | 0.805 | 2.3 | 0.217 | 0.247 | 0.322 | 0.569 | | Grass Games | 55-39 | +13 | 43-47 | 4.5 | 0.245 | 0.308 | 0.430 | 0.738 | 3.6 | 0.237 | 0.291 | 0.373 | 0.664 | | Night Games | 37-28 | +6.5 | 27-34 | 4.3 | 0.240 | 0.301 | 0.423 | 0.725 | 3.6 | 0.239 | 0.292 | 0.381 | 0.673 | | Division | 24-17 | +6.3 | 20-19 | 4.7 | 0.241 | 0.312 | 0.426 | 0.738 | 3.7 | 0.236 | 0.294 | 0.373 | 0.667 |
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| All Games | 4.4 | 0.242 | 0.305 | 100 | 3343 | 809 | 172 | 11 | 136 | 0.422 | 412 | 303 | 892 | 74 | 621 | 69 | 53 | 93 | 54 | | Home Games | 4.4 | 0.242 | 0.315 | 50 | 1569 | 380 | 82 | 6 | 78 | 0.451 | 210 | 166 | 435 | 33 | 288 | 39 | 25 | 50 | 25 | | Lefty Starters | 3.7 | 0.232 | 0.298 | 41 | 1362 | 316 | 66 | 6 | 47 | 0.393 | 144 | 129 | 366 | 28 | 258 | 34 | 23 | 46 | 19 |
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| All Games | 2.59 | 1.009 | 285.3 | 90 | 82 | 204 | 27 | 84 | 278 | 18-16 | 27 | 12 | 69.2% | | Home Games | 2.10 | 0.875 | 154.3 | 38 | 36 | 101 | 16 | 34 | 159 | 9-7 | 16 | 5 | 76.2% |
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| 7/17/2015 | WILSON(L) | BOSTON | MILEY(L) | 1-0 | W | -125 | 8 un | U | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 | | 7/18/2015 | RICHARDS(R) | BOSTON | PORCELLO(R) | 3-0 | W | -135 | 7.5 un | U | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | | 7/20/2015 | SANTIAGO(L) | BOSTON | RODRIGUEZ(L) | 11-1 | W | -115 | 8 ov | O | 11 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 1 | | 7/20/2015 | HEANEY(L) | BOSTON | WRIGHT(R) | 7-3 | W | -145 | 7.5 un | O | 8 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | | 7/21/2015 | SHOEMAKER(R) | MINNESOTA | GIBSON(R) | 7-0 | W | -125 | 7 ev | P | 13 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | | 7/22/2015 | WILSON(L) | MINNESOTA | PELFREY(R) | 5-2 | W | -160 | 7.5 ov | U | 12 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 1 | | 7/23/2015 | RICHARDS(R) | MINNESOTA | SANTANA(R) | 0-3 | L | -180 | 7.5 un | U | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | | 7/24/2015 | TROPEANO(R) | TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | 2-4 | L | -140 | 8 un | U | 6 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 0 | | 7/25/2015 | SANTIAGO(L) | TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | 6-7 | L | -150 | 7.5 ev | O | 11 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 0 | | 7/26/2015 | HEANEY(L) | TEXAS | MARTINEZ(R) | 13-7 | W | -185 | 7.5 un | O | 15 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 3 | | 7/28/2015 | WILSON(L) | @ HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | | | 7/29/2015 | RICHARDS(R) | @ HOUSTON | MCCULLERS(R) | | | 7/30/2015 | TROPEANO(R) | @ HOUSTON | KAZMIR(L) | | | 7/31/2015 | SANTIAGO(L) | @ LA DODGERS | GREINKE(R) | | | 8/1/2015 | HEANEY(L) | @ LA DODGERS | BOLSINGER(R) | | | 8/2/2015 | WILSON(L) | @ LA DODGERS | ANDERSON(L) | | | 8/3/2015 | | CLEVELAND | | | | 8/4/2015 | | CLEVELAND | | |
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| 7/17/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | TEXAS | PEREZ(L) | 3-2 | W | -145 | 8 un | U | 9 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 10 | 0 | | 7/18/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | 6-7 | L | -130 | 8.5 ev | O | 8 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 1 | | 7/19/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | 10-0 | W | -180 | 7 un | O | 13 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | | 7/21/2015 | VELASQUEZ(R) | BOSTON | JOHNSON(L) | 8-3 | W | -115 | 8 un | O | 9 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 1 | | 7/22/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | BOSTON | KELLY(R) | 4-2 | W | -140 | 8 un | U | 8 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 2 | | 7/23/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | BOSTON | MILEY(L) | 5-4 | W | -130 | 7.5 ev | O | 10 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 0 | | 7/24/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | GUTHRIE(R) | 4-0 | W | -110 | 8 un | U | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | | 7/25/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | @ KANSAS CITY | DUFFY(L) | 1-2 | L | 130 | 8 un | U | 5 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 0 | | 7/26/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | @ KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | 1-5 | L | -115 | 7 un | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 0 | | 7/28/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | LA ANGELS | WILSON(L) | | | 7/29/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | LA ANGELS | RICHARDS(R) | | | 7/30/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | LA ANGELS | TROPEANO(R) | | | 7/31/2015 | FELDMAN(R) | ARIZONA | DE LA ROSA(R) | | | 8/1/2015 | KEUCHEL(L) | ARIZONA | HELLICKSON(R) | | | 8/2/2015 | MCHUGH(R) | ARIZONA | RAY(L) | | | 8/3/2015 | | @ TEXAS | | | | 8/4/2015 | | @ TEXAS | | |
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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) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(UPDATES with Victorino atrade)
*Angels-Astros Preview* =======================
By KEVIN CHROUST STATS Writer
Los Angeles (55-43) at Houston (55-45), 8:10 p.m. EDT
Mike Trout has put up MVP numbers since the Los Angeles Angels sent Houston home just over a month ago, and the Angels have overtaken the Astros for the AL West lead.
He's never been much of a threat at Minute Maid Park, but that could change Tuesday night as the Angels - who might have new acquisition Shane Victorino in the lineup - begin a three-game series with hopes of grabbing a firmer hold on the division.
Trout has batted .371 with a 1.303 OPS, 13 home runs and 23 RBIs in 24 games of the team's 18-7 span dating to June 26, when the Astros (55-45) had a five-game lead over the Angels (55-43) and Texas. Houston has gone 12-13 since.
Trout was 4 for 4 with a grand slam and a solo homer in Sunday's 13-7 home win over the Rangers that snapped a three-game losing streak. His 31 home runs lead the total of teammate Albert Pujols by two for the MLB lead, and he's five off his career high from last season with four games remaining in July.
Reaching 30 in his 97th game marks the fastest pace in club history.
"I don't look at that stuff," Trout said. "At the end of the year, if that's where it's at, then that's where it's at. I'm just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win."
It probably follows that he doesn't look at this stuff: Trout has batted .186 in 19 games in Houston for his worst average at any park in the majors, though he did open his season there with a two-homer, five-RBI game April 17.
Trout could have a new left fielder to get used to Tuesday after Los Angeles acquired Victorino and cash from Boston for infielder Josh Rutledge on Monday. The 34-year-old has spent the past three years in Boston, batting .245 in 33 games this season with two stints on the disabled list, but the Angels have struggled to find production in left after cutting ties with Josh Hamilton in April.
Los Angeles and Houston have split 10 games this season, with the Astros winning five of the last six home matchups.
Houston has dropped two straight and nine of 15, batting .228 in that span. It fell 5-1 at Kansas City on Sunday, and manager A.J. Hinch was already looking forward to the Angels and beyond.
"We have to play the whole schedule. These are three of them," Hinch said. "We have some more in September where we match up in our division. It'll be a fun series, two good teams. It's all part of trying to finish the season over the next couple of months rather than the next couple of days."
C.J. Wilson (8-7, 3.59 ERA) makes for a prime pitcher to break out against, going 1-4 with a 9.59 ERA in his last six starts against Houston. Luis Valbuena (4 for 4 with a home run), Jake Marisnick (4 for 8) and Chris Carter (9 for 27 with two homer) have had the most success, but Valbuena is in a 5-for-32 slump.
Wilson last faced the Astros on June 23 in a 13-3 loss, surrendering seven runs in 3 1-3 innings, but he's been better since. The left-hander gave up two runs in five innings of Wednesday's 5-2 win over Minnesota and is 3-1 with a 2.56 ERA in five starts.
He's up against Collin McHugh in a rematch of last month's game, and McHugh (11-5, 4.25) has won back-to-back starts despite surrendering 18 hits in 13 innings. The right-hander allowed two runs in seven innings of Wednesday's 4-2 home victory over Boston, his third straight home win.
McHugh is 3-2 with a 2.08 ERA in six starts against Los Angeles. Trout is 2 for 11 with a home run and five strikeouts in the matchup, and Chris Iannetta (0 for 8 with four strikeouts) and Erick Aybar (2 for 15) have also struggled.
Matt Joyce is 3 for 10 with three doubles against McHugh, but the left fielder could be headed to the seven-day concussion list after taking a knee to the head Sunday in a collision with Aybar.
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| | Last Updated: 4/26/2024 6:22:25 AM EST. |
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