Because the Angels basically have the AL West and the best record in baseball in the bag, the fans are running out of things to care about in these final weeks. Despite it being a farily close game in the early going, the talk was all about Albert Pujols gunning for the cycle.
There might not be an accomplishment in baseball I care less about than the cycle. It is utterly meaningless, but because Albert, despite his amazing career, has never hit for the cycle, that’s all that anybody could talk about. Argh.
Personally, I was just impressed that he hit a triple. It was just the 16th three-bagger of his career and his first since 2010. And he nearly tripled twice! In the same game! Sure, he got thrown out on that second triple effort, which was comically predictable, but he’s definitely never tripled twice in the same game before. He’s only tripled twice in the same season four times. Considering the state of his lower body, that would’ve been a truly memorable event, not the cycle.
Run Expectancy Rundown
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Yeah, fine, Pujols had a good game, Howie Kendrick was excellent again, so was Kole Calhoun and David Freese is heating up. The bigger issue here is that Brennan Boesch continues to start and continue to be an offensive black hole. I get that the Angels are hoping he can be the guy to step up and take over the DH role after his big year in Triple-A, but it just isn’t happening. Meanwhile, Collin Cowgill had another quality offensive performance and Efren Navarro, who has been rotting on the bench in favor of Boesch, made the most of his lone at-bat. I just don’t know how many more games they can really be giving to Boesch, even with Hamilton out.
Starting Pitcher Scores
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Matt Shoemaker had a nice game score, but his perspiration score was a soggy mess. This might be the one night he’s really regretted having that luxuriant beard. Nonetheless, Shoemaker gutted through it to hold down the Rangers, although that isn’t exactly difficult. Still, it was nice to see him bounceback after his poor start in Minnesota.
Maybe the heat did get to Nick Tepesch because he wasn’t very good. He only allowed three runs, but he also allowed ten hits and can thank the Halos for leaving the bases loaded and not making his line even worse.
Bullpen Battle
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After Kevin Jepsen helped extricate Shoemaker from the small mess he made in the seventh, it should have been an uneventful rest of the night for the bullpen. Then Vinnie Pestano had to go stink up the joint, forcing Scioscia to roust Joe Smith, when he should’ve been getting some much needed rest. Thanks a pantload, Vinnie.
A real thanks goes to the Rangers September call-up batch of relievers who saw to it that the Angels cracked this game open much as they have been doing most of the last week.
Game Flow
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The only point in this game where the Rangers had the win expectancy edge was after Calhoun popped up to start the game. These are your 2014 Texas Rangers.
Halo Hero
Well, he did almost hit for the cycle. I suppose we have to give him some kind of consolation prize to make him not feel so bad about what might be his last chance to accomplish that overblown feat.
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