Boxscore Breakdown #63: Slop – Athletics 8, Angels 1

When you are facing one of the best pitchers in baseball, you really have to be on top of your game. You can’t make a single mistake and give that pitcher any kind of edge. You can’t do things like, just a random example I pulled out of thin air, this:

Rough moment there, for Erick Aybar.#Athletics pic.twitter.com/ufupZwBURw

— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) June 14, 2015

Yeah, the Angels did do that and even more. Chris Iannetta had his embarrassing fielding play in front of the plate in the second inning to allow a run and Aybar had the above facepalm-worthy moment an inning later. It was just a day full of slop like that and that was really all Sonny Gray needed.

Athletics 8, Angels 1

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1cqqXmfuWhRcFrzHPhA8Fdd708udk5JgSH3HgHWPE6y8/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] Even in a game where the Angels get dominated, Albert Pujols still kills it. Erick Aybar ended up as a positive on offense, but the aforementioned defense probably canceled that out and then some. Kyle Kubitza had himself a real rough day, but he should still have some leash left to prove he should stick in the bigs.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1cqqXmfuWhRcFrzHPhA8Fdd708udk5JgSH3HgHWPE6y8/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] When Eric Sogard is busting you up, you know it was a bad day. A weird day, but a bad day. Struggling Ben Zobrist had himself a day as well, which can only help his trade stock. You’re welcome, Billy Beane.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1cqqXmfuWhRcFrzHPhA8Fdd708udk5JgSH3HgHWPE6y8/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] Matt Shoemaker was solid once again, he just didn’t get any help whatsoever from his defense or from the bullpen so his line doesn’t look all that special. He didn’t walk anyone, fanned six and allowed just two doubles and no homers. That’s really all the Angels can ask for. Sonny Gray was simply magnificent.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1cqqXmfuWhRcFrzHPhA8Fdd708udk5JgSH3HgHWPE6y8/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] Jose Alvarez forgot to get anyone out and Cam Bedrosian forgot too, I think he just lucked into the one out he did record. Trevor Gott got his first appearance out of the way. Tyler Clippard ran into a bit of trouble for the A’s, but probably didn’t do enough to damage his trade stock any.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1cqqXmfuWhRcFrzHPhA8Fdd708udk5JgSH3HgHWPE6y8/pubchart” query=”oid=41272350&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”315″ /] It felt like the Angels got killed in this game, but they actually were right in it for the first half of the contest, then the bullpen went teets up and made the final few innings an exercise in futility.

Halo A-Hole

Alvarez had a chance to keep the game close, but then he NOPED all over the place.