Boxscore Breakdown #14: Ain’t nuthin but a Johnny G thang – Angels 14, Athletics 1

It’s like this and like that and like and uh. It is also like Johnny Giavotella is actually pretty good. The reclamation project from the Royals had his coming out party last night against the A’s and might’ve helped finally jumpstart the Angels offense in the process. Ain’t nuthin but a Johnny G thang.

Angels 14, Athletics 1

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1qSEhsadLUJ1vvhnnKUskW7NwdPObZ7DCmvvgRQEB33I/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] Johnny G just tore the place up, but Kole Calhoun had himself a day as well, racking up four hits and clubbing a homer off a southpaw. C.J. Cron showed some signs of life with a multi-hit day, but also provided further evidence that he probably should be in a strict platoon. The only Angels starter that failed to get a hit or walk was Albert Pujols, but he did reach on an error that I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was later changed to a hit.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1qSEhsadLUJ1vvhnnKUskW7NwdPObZ7DCmvvgRQEB33I/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] Kittenface Gentry took the Golden Sombrero for the A’s. Normally I’d be against such silly nicknames, but when you go 0-for-4 with 4 Ks, I’m going to call you by your stupid fan-created nickname. The only Oakland player who really did anything of note was Billy Butler, which I suspect was just due to him still retaining some of that Royals devil magic.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1qSEhsadLUJ1vvhnnKUskW7NwdPObZ7DCmvvgRQEB33I/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] So this is really happening, huh? Hector Santiago is really going to be the staff ace? I still don’t really believe it, but I’m happy to roll with it as long as he can keep it up. Hector wasn’t great in this game, especially in terms of efficiency, but he was still miles better than he was at anytime last season. I just hope it is a sustainable improvement brought about by his mechanical changes and not just a hot streak,

Conversely, Drew Pomeranz probably wasn’t as bad as his line. He really just let that one inning get away from him, but that doesn’t let him off the hook for letting a mighty mite like Giavotella go yard on him.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1qSEhsadLUJ1vvhnnKUskW7NwdPObZ7DCmvvgRQEB33I/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] The Angels bullpen got a much needed nice of easy work. Vinnie Pestano did have to work an inning, but having Cam Bedrosian soak up the other two innings was helpful and he looked like he has made strides since last season, though maybe isn’t ready just yet.

From the Oakland side, it was a double treat. Not only did we get to see former Angel prospect R.J. Alvarez and see him get bombed, thus making us all feel a little better about trading him, but then we got to see Ike Davis pitch! To be honest though, even after racking up 14 runs, it was a bit disheartening to see this struggling offense get shutdown for an inning by a position player.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1qSEhsadLUJ1vvhnnKUskW7NwdPObZ7DCmvvgRQEB33I/pubchart” query=”oid=451609002&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”316″ /] Giavotella’s three-run yakker really gave the Halo a stronghold in this game. When the Angels exploded for six runs in the sixth, thanks in part to the A’s forgetting how to play baseball for an inning, that was the nail in the coffin.

Halo Hero

Howie Kendrick who?