Boxscore Breakdown #24: Direct hit – Giants 5, Angels 4

Well, Matt Joyce finally hit something. Unfortunately, it was Taylor Featherston.

Now, one can argue that the ball would’ve gone right to a shifted Joe Panik had Taylor not gotten clipped by the ball, but you never know what can happen on a ball hit that hard. Regardless, it was just another example of new and weird ways in which the Angels are managing to lose games.

Giants 5, Angels 4

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1lvA-o7JBdM_8_Y6yEFo_8pWiQAV5UrSfSjfT7gNGL2c/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] This was one of Matt Joyce‘s best games, yet he ended up on the bottom of the RE24 list. He hit the ball well all day, but hit it right at defenders and/or baserunners. He must’ve done something really bad to piss the BABIP gods off like that. It was nice to Pujols slam a homer in his return, but it would be nicer if he did other stuff as well. It would also be nice if the Angels quit running themselves out of innings. Kole Calhoun got caught stealing in this one making Angels not named Trout an ugly 4-for-11 on steal attempts this season.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1lvA-o7JBdM_8_Y6yEFo_8pWiQAV5UrSfSjfT7gNGL2c/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] I remember suggesting the Angels sign Nori Aoki in the offseason and sliding Kole Calhoun down to the middle of the order. They did one of those things, but not the other. The other would’ve looked pretty smart right about now given Aoki’s .387 OBP. Brandon Crawford exploded in this game to try and make Scioscia look smart for pitching around him the night before.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1lvA-o7JBdM_8_Y6yEFo_8pWiQAV5UrSfSjfT7gNGL2c/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] Rojas and Gubi harped on it all game, but Santiago was killed by two out hits. They suggested that it was a focus thing. I suspect it is just a consistency thing that is randomly clustering on two outs right now. I’m sure as the season goes on he’ll give up lots of hits with no outs and one out as well.

Tim Hudson had been talking about retiring before this game. I suspect if he were told he could face this Angels lineup every start that he’d sign an eight-year extension instead.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1lvA-o7JBdM_8_Y6yEFo_8pWiQAV5UrSfSjfT7gNGL2c/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] Not a terrible night for the Angels bullpen, but not a good one either. For what feels like the fifth time this season, the Angels allowed an insurance run and ended up losing because of that insurance run. The Giants bullpen came out on the positive here, but maybe they don’t if that ball misses Featherston and Panik can’t field it.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1lvA-o7JBdM_8_Y6yEFo_8pWiQAV5UrSfSjfT7gNGL2c/pubchart” query=”oid=41272350&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”315″ /] The Angels never had an edge in this game, which is starting to become a familiar refrain. Even their ninth inning rally wasn’t that big of a threat.

Halo A-hole

Santiago was all around bad, but giving up four hits, including a homer, and two walks to the lefties in the Giants lineup only magnifies how ineffective he was.