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LA ANGELS ( RICHARDS )
HOUSTON ( MCCULLERS ) |
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7.5un
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Final
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| 919 | LA ANGELS | -105 | Ov 8,-105 | +115 | Ov 7.5,-105 | | 920 | HOUSTON | -105 | Un 8,-115 | -125 | Un 7.5,-115 |
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| All Games | 55-44 | +5.7 | 45-50 | 4.3 | 0.251 | 0.310 | 0.402 | 0.712 | 3.8 | 0.243 | 0.298 | 0.377 | 0.675 | | Road Games | 23-23 | +0.4 | 24-20 | 4.7 | 0.254 | 0.312 | 0.405 | 0.717 | 4.2 | 0.266 | 0.315 | 0.426 | 0.741 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 39-36 | -1.6 | 38-34 | 4.3 | 0.253 | 0.310 | 0.399 | 0.709 | 4.1 | 0.249 | 0.303 | 0.388 | 0.690 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -2.7 | 3-3 | 5.4 | 0.290 | 0.340 | 0.427 | 0.767 | 4.7 | 0.252 | 0.316 | 0.385 | 0.701 | | Grass Games | 51-41 | +4.6 | 41-47 | 4.3 | 0.250 | 0.310 | 0.398 | 0.708 | 3.7 | 0.243 | 0.296 | 0.376 | 0.672 | | Night Games | 44-29 | +11.5 | 35-34 | 4.5 | 0.260 | 0.317 | 0.419 | 0.736 | 3.7 | 0.237 | 0.293 | 0.372 | 0.665 | | Division | 28-21 | +5.2 | 25-22 | 4.5 | 0.256 | 0.317 | 0.388 | 0.704 | 3.9 | 0.242 | 0.297 | 0.383 | 0.680 |
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| All Games | 4.3 | 0.251 | 0.310 | 99 | 3313 | 832 | 146 | 7 | 113 | 0.402 | 407 | 282 | 707 | 28 | 629 | 85 | 54 | 64 | 55 | | Road Games | 4.7 | 0.254 | 0.312 | 46 | 1586 | 403 | 77 | 3 | 52 | 0.405 | 209 | 133 | 320 | 12 | 298 | 40 | 24 | 29 | 24 | | Righty Starters | 4.3 | 0.253 | 0.310 | 75 | 2529 | 641 | 112 | 6 | 81 | 0.399 | 306 | 209 | 536 | 24 | 482 | 62 | 41 | 52 | 48 |
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| All Games | 3.48 | 1.227 | 269 | 113 | 104 | 246 | 21 | 84 | 245 | 15-8 | 26 | 12 | 68.4% | | Road Games | 3.93 | 1.418 | 110 | 51 | 48 | 118 | 11 | 38 | 102 | 4-2 | 10 | 3 | 76.9% |
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| All Games | 56-45 | +7.6 | 46-50 | 4.4 | 0.244 | 0.307 | 0.425 | 0.732 | 3.7 | 0.238 | 0.293 | 0.375 | 0.669 | | Home Games | 34-17 | +12.4 | 23-26 | 4.5 | 0.246 | 0.318 | 0.458 | 0.776 | 3.5 | 0.232 | 0.283 | 0.380 | 0.663 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 35-24 | +11.6 | 31-25 | 4.8 | 0.249 | 0.310 | 0.442 | 0.752 | 3.9 | 0.237 | 0.293 | 0.377 | 0.670 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +2.8 | 3-4 | 4.7 | 0.276 | 0.327 | 0.496 | 0.822 | 3.0 | 0.237 | 0.277 | 0.347 | 0.625 | | Grass Games | 56-39 | +14 | 44-47 | 4.6 | 0.247 | 0.310 | 0.433 | 0.743 | 3.6 | 0.237 | 0.292 | 0.373 | 0.665 | | Night Games | 38-28 | +7.5 | 28-34 | 4.3 | 0.243 | 0.304 | 0.429 | 0.733 | 3.6 | 0.239 | 0.292 | 0.380 | 0.673 | | Division | 25-17 | +7.3 | 21-19 | 4.8 | 0.245 | 0.316 | 0.433 | 0.750 | 3.7 | 0.236 | 0.295 | 0.373 | 0.668 |
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| All Games | 4.4 | 0.244 | 0.307 | 101 | 3376 | 823 | 175 | 12 | 138 | 0.425 | 422 | 307 | 901 | 75 | 627 | 71 | 53 | 93 | 55 | | Home Games | 4.5 | 0.246 | 0.318 | 51 | 1602 | 394 | 85 | 7 | 80 | 0.458 | 220 | 170 | 444 | 34 | 294 | 41 | 25 | 50 | 26 | | Righty Starters | 4.8 | 0.249 | 0.310 | 59 | 1981 | 493 | 106 | 5 | 89 | 0.442 | 268 | 174 | 526 | 46 | 363 | 35 | 30 | 47 | 35 |
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| All Games | 2.55 | 1.002 | 289.3 | 90 | 82 | 206 | 27 | 84 | 279 | 18-16 | 27 | 12 | 69.2% | | Home Games | 2.05 | 0.865 | 158.3 | 38 | 36 | 103 | 16 | 34 | 160 | 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) | 5-10 | L | 130 | 7.5 un | O | 9 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 0 | | 7/29/2015 | RICHARDS(R) | @ HOUSTON | MCCULLERS(R) | | | 7/30/2015 | SHOEMAKER(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 | LEE(R) | | | 8/3/2015 | RICHARDS(R) | CLEVELAND | KLUBER(R) | | | 8/4/2015 | SHOEMAKER(R) | CLEVELAND | CARRASCO(R) | | | 8/5/2015 | | 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) | 10-5 | W | -140 | 7.5 un | O | 14 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 1 | | 7/29/2015 | MCCULLERS(R) | LA ANGELS | RICHARDS(R) | | | 7/30/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | LA ANGELS | SHOEMAKER(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 | MCCULLERS(R) | @ TEXAS | LEWIS(R) | | | 8/4/2015 | KAZMIR(L) | @ TEXAS | GALLARDO(R) | | | 8/5/2015 | | @ 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) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Angels-Astros Preview* =======================
By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer
Los Angeles (55-44) at Houston (56-45), 8:10 p.m. EDT
Though the Los Angeles Angels may have bolstered their offense with the additions of three veterans over the past two days, the focus remains on getting Mike Trout back in the lineup.
It's uncertain if the ailing star will be available Wednesday night when the visiting Angels try to maintain their slim AL West lead over the Houston Astros.
A day after Los Angeles (55-44) acquired Shane Victorino and followed with Tuesday's additions of fellow outfielders David DeJesus and David Murphy, Trout sat out a 10-5 loss with a wrist injury suffered Sunday. Considered day to day, Trout is batting .397 while hitting 10 of his major league-leading 31 home runs in his last 15 games.
"It looks like it's moving in the right direction," said manager Mike Scioscia, whose team has dropped four of five after winning 17 of 20. "Just not quite where it needs to be.
"You're always mindful and hopeful that everything's going to come out for the best, so we'll just wait and see."
After the Astros (56-45) trimmed Los Angeles' AL West lead to percentage points, they could see a different lineup with Victorino, Murphy and DeJesus potentially all available to man a left field spot from which the Angels hit .212 prior to Victorino going 1 for 4 on Tuesday.
"They're veteran guys that have played in very important games before, including the postseason," Angels interim general manager Bill Stoneman said. "That sort of experience should help us as we approach September and hopefully the postseason."
Stoneman also mentioned one of the three could see time in Trout's absence.
"Hopefully (Trout) won't miss a whole lot of time, but if he happens to, maybe one of these guys could be the one that fills in for him," Stoneman said.
Looking to regroup, the Angels hand the ball to Garrett Richards (10-7, 3.25 ERA).
The right-hander is 5-3 with a 2.34 ERA in his last eight starts, lasting at least seven innings in six. After tossing a two-hitter against Boston on July 18, Richards gave up a three-run homer in the fourth of the eight innings he went in Thursday's 3-0 loss to Minnesota.
"It cost us the game," Richards said. "If I execute my pitch right there, I'm out of the inning."
He's 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA against the Astros this season.
Batting .320 versus Richards and .500 (15 for 30) with 10 RBIs in his last seven home games against Los Angeles, Jose Altuve had three hits and a career-high five RBIs as Houston broke out for 14 hits. It totaled two runs and 11 hits in dropping the final two at Kansas City last weekend.
"If you are able to drive those runs in this situation against the Angels, tied or in first place, it has to be good," Altuve said. "I want to keep doing things for my team to win."
Rookie shortstop Carlos Correa is 7 for 15 with two homers and six RBIs in his last three games against the Angels.
Over his last three starts, teammate Lance McCullers (4-3, 2.60) is 0-1 with a 3.94 ERA, walked nine overall and lasted six or fewer innings in each. He gave up two runs, six hits and walked three in five innings of a 5-4 win over the Red Sox on Thursday.
The rookie right-hander also walked three but yielded a run in six innings of a 2-1, 13-inning loss at Anaheim on June 24.
DeJesus is 2 for his last 20 but 2 for 3 with a triple against McCullers this season.
Third baseman Conor Gillaspie is 5 for 12 with two doubles and three RBIs in three games since Los Angeles acquired him from the Chicago White Sox on Friday.
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| | Last Updated: 4/25/2024 11:19:02 AM EST. |
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