The April 18, 2016 edition of Los Angeles Angels news includes Andrew Heaney playing catch but no more, the team seemingly abandoning the defensive shift, and more…
The Story: Angels have no timetable for Heaney’s return
MWAH Says: The left-hander played catch before each of the weekend’s games in Minnesota, but there’s no set plan for when he’ll graduate to long toss or throwing from a mound. Mike Scioscia called it a “controlled progression”, so I imagine Heaney will have to set some sort of playing-catch benchmark before he moves on to the next thing.
The Story: Angels defense takes a weekend off from the shift
MWAH Says: Scioscia indicated that the team philosophy hadn’t changed at all, but that the numbers simply dictated fewer shifts against the Twins. I’m… skeptical. You know they’re aware of how badly the shift has hurt them in the first two weeks. Gotta wonder if they’re moving to employ it only in the most extreme circumstances now.
The Story: Angels saving Skaggs’ innings for later in the season
MWAH Says: If they really wanted to save his innings, they’d give him more than five days rest between starts. All they’re really doing by slowly increasing his per-start workload, from three to four to five innings, is treating him how anyone would a starter coming off a major injury. Taking an inning or two of each start for a month doesn’t result in a big store of innings at the back end of the season—it might give him two extra starts, tops.
The Story: Streaky C.J. Cron streaking the wrong way for Angels
MWAH Says: You can say that again. Cron has walked a few times the last several games, but is still doing absolutely nothing with his bat. A .125 slugging percentage from a starting first baseman is beyond untenable.
The Story: Daniel Nava heads to DL with patellar tendinitis
MWAH Says: Nice of him not to tell anyone until after he was called to pinch hit with two outs and the tying run on third in the ninth Friday. Real nice. Anyway, Rafael Ortega has fared OK in two starts since Nava went out, but he has no business batting second. Escobar and Calhoun atop the lineup, please.
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