Boxscore Breakdown #96: Caught looking – Rangers 4, Angels 2

The Angels have been swinging the bats pretty well lately. Unfortunately, they forgot to swing the bats in this game, literally. With runners on first and second and one out in the sixth down by two runs, Mike Trout struck out looking against a pitcher he had already homered off of. With runners on first and second and two outs in the eighth down by two runs, Albert Pujols struck out looking. Those were far and away the two best chance the Angels had all day and both were short-circuited by a lack of swinging. Add in Chris Iannetta‘s two backwards Ks, including the final out of the game. Not a good look, fellas.

Rangers 4, Angels 2

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1dIb5ssPlmmQPgFPjFjtPQWJMQ3GPK_jsmSAH2rzfNh8/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] Mike Trout was the entire offense (including a homer on a high fastball!), but the real interesting development here was Matt Joyce getting benched against a righty. It looks like his Angel career is pretty much over as the team is indicating that newly acquired Conor Gillaspie will take over at third (maybe splitting time with Featherston), with Kyle Kubitza moving to left (maybe splitting time with Dan Robertson). That is subject to change if/when the Angels acquire a more permanent solution in left field, but it seems pretty clear that come August 1st, Matt Joyce is not going to be on the Angels roster anymore.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1dIb5ssPlmmQPgFPjFjtPQWJMQ3GPK_jsmSAH2rzfNh8/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] Yep, good ol’ Hambone led the way for the Rangers but he just barely missed a homer, keeping his homerless in the Big A streak firmly intact. The big bats for Texas actually didn’t do much, but Hamilton and the weak bats did enough damage.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1dIb5ssPlmmQPgFPjFjtPQWJMQ3GPK_jsmSAH2rzfNh8/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] Welp, I guess the Angels aren’t going to clobber Colby Lewis every time. Maybe that is just a thing that happens in Arlington. For the Angels, Nick Tropeano showed well. It wasn’t the best line, but he looked solid out there and is very clearly ready to be in a big league rotation.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1dIb5ssPlmmQPgFPjFjtPQWJMQ3GPK_jsmSAH2rzfNh8/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] A solid outing from the lesser Angel middle relievers. They did allow an inherited runner to score, but you can’t be too upset when it is a runner that scores on a sac bunt. What you can be upset about is that the Angels let Keone Kela off the hook.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1dIb5ssPlmmQPgFPjFjtPQWJMQ3GPK_jsmSAH2rzfNh8/pubchart” query=”oid=41272350&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”315″ /] That big spike you see in the sixth inning was Calhoun, Trout and Pujols striking out consecutively with two runners on. That smarts.

Halo A-Hole

Swing the bat, big guy.