The Angels are so bad at baseball it hurts. Tonight, that was literally the case.
In one of those countless events that is representative of the Angel season, this loss came down to one big, depressing play. After a wild pitch allowed the tying run to score in the fifth, a blooper into right field fell for a bases clearing triple. Yes, a ball that probably didn't even travel over 200 feet was somehow a triple that ultimately decided the game. How could that be? Because these are the things that happen to the Angels now.
Howie Kendrick actually made a great play to go out into right field and catch the ball. Collin Cowgill also made a great play coming in on the ball and make a sliding attempt to catch that blooper. He likely would've made the catch had Howie not snared it first. Those two strong efforts combined to turn into disaster. Why? Again, because these are the things that happen to the Angels now.
Howie had the ball in his glove but Cowgill's slide carried him right into Howie's legs, bending his knee backwards, sending Kendrick tumbling and the ball rolling out into the outfield where it sat as two runs scored.
The inning could've been over, the Angels could've still been tied. They could've still had Kendrick in the lineup. Instead none of those things happened because these are the things that happen to the Angels now.
Game Notes
— Mike Trout has been walking so much lately, you can't help but wonder if he is getting the Barry Bonds treatment. He's always had a great eye, so that could be it, but it might also be that having Hamilton, Kendrick and Trumbo hitting behind him in some combination is motivating teams to not give him anything to hit. Imagine how much worse that will be without Kendrick. This, of course, assumes lineup protection is a real thing, which it might not be, at least not to the level some would have you believe. I guess we'll find out.
— Here we go again. Mark Trumbo played third base in this game. It was more out of necessity, but it is surely going to prompt internet lunatics and Angels Talk callers to once again champion for Trumbo to give the hot corner experiment another try. That is NOT going to happen. The only reason it even arose this game is because the Angels are idiots and carrying 13 pitchers. You don't carry 13 pitchers for precisely this reason.
— You want to know why J.B. Shuck shouldn't be an everyday player? Look at that bases loaded at-bat he had in the eighth. He got a cookie to hit and he squared that pitch up, hitting it as hard as he could and he flew out harmlessly to the warning track. Not everyone needs to be a slugger, but when you crank a pitch with all your might and that is as far as the ball goes, you are a very limited player.
— Joe Blanton threw three innings of perfect baseball in relief. Go figure. I hate baseball.
Halo A-Hole of the Game
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Stop injuring the team's best trade chip, jerk.
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