Game Rewind: It’s Gotta Be the Retros – Angels 6, Blue Jays 1

Now this is more like it.

Real MLB pitcher + retro uniform = BIG WIN

Jered Weaver was electric Thursday night, mowing down the paper tiger Toronto line-up on his way to a three-hit complete game victory.  The Blue Jays could barely touch Weaver who fanned eight batters and still went the full nine innings with just barely over 100 pitches.  But how did he do it?

It’s gotta be the retro uniforms.  Weaver has never thrown a complete game as a pro, heck he even was part of a no-hitter once… and lost!  But he dons those throwback threads and- VOILA!  Complete game domination against the hottest team in the American League.  If only the Angels had thought of this brilliant scheme a game earlier.

Just think of all the other uses these uniforms could have?

Perhaps if the Angels had worn them in Spring Training John Lackey and Ervin Santana wouldn’t have gotten hurt.  We could have the struggling bullpen members (aka all of them) wear them every game or at least put them on under their normal uniforms if the league complains about wearing the throwbacks too much.  Maybe if Mike Scioscia wore the retros for a few straight days he would realize that he should give Brandon Wood a shot at earning a regular spot in the order.  Heck, Gary Matthews Jr. might even have a uniform-induced epiphany that he is an overpaid, HGH-abusing fifth outfielder and volunteer to void his contract and pay the Angels back all the money they already paid him.

Or maybe it was just a coincidence (but you have to admit, my theory is much more fun).

The Good:

• The Mike Napoli at DH experiment continues to pay dividends with Naps busting a homer and Jeff Mathis doing a fantastic job calling the game behind the plate.  Why the Angels continue to play with fire by not carrying a third catcher for such games, I do not know, especially since they are carrying an extra reliever that they have shown little predilection for actually using.
• Chone is back to getting Figgy with it (crap, another Rex-ism, what is going on here?).  That’s his third three-hit game in the last four.  With him and Abreu both hitting and running the bases like greyhounds, this offense should be unstoppable.
• The bullpen was perfect tonight!  Granted, all they did was sit in the bullpen, chew gum and spit sunflower seeds.  Still, that is probably the best work they have done all season.  Keep it up boys.

The Bad:

• Kendrick is slipping into a funk again, he’s now 2 for his last 15 at-bats with 5 strikeouts.  I suppose not everyone in the line-up can be firing on all cylinders all the time, including alleged hitting savants who have yet to actually prove they can hit on a consistent basis at the major league level.  I’m not talking about anyone specifically, I’m just taking… um, yeah.

Halo Hero of the Night:

• Jered Weaver

Who else would it be?