Game Rewind: Round 2 to the Angels – Angels 3, Mariners 2

Man, the Angels must really not like Scott Kazmir.  What did the new guy do, park in somebody’s space?  Hit on another guy’s wife?  Throw a bag full of puppies into a lake?  Whatever it was, the Angels seem hellbent on making sure his fine performances go unrewarded.

Hang in there, Scott.  The Angels have two seasons after this to finally get you a win.

In Kaz’s first start, they didn’t score for him and tonight they barely scored and topped that off with a Fuentes blown save to make Kazmir’s first Angel win go poof.  The no-decision aside, Kazmir continues to impress with his performance.  He once again showed some real grit and guile to get himself out of jams and would’ve gotten the win almost any other night.

The real issue wasn’t Kazmir’s bad luck, but the Angels total inability to hit with runners in scoring position.  I’d have to check my score book, but I’m pretty sure they went 1-for-721 with RISP in this game.  If this was just one game, there would be no real cause for concern, but the Angels have hardly been tearing it up recently, dating back to when the Angels visited Seattle last week.  Mike Scioscia is pulling all the strings he can by resting slumping players, shaking up the batting order and resorting to more and more small ball but the results just aren’t coming.  With 25 games left and seven games against Texas looming, Sosh better dig deep into that bag of tricks he has to get this offensive ship righted while the starting pitching is still hot.

Oh good, they actually do still know where home plate is.  I thought they might have forgotten.

Angelic Accomplishments:

• Looks like Matt Palmer still has that horseshoe up his butt.  He got the win that should’ve gone to Scott Kazmir tonight, giving him 10 wins on the season.  He now has more wins than John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Scott Kazmir.  I’m not saying, but I’m just saying.
• The Angels scored their first run of the game without a single hit.  Instead they used two sacrifices and three walks to push the run across.  There is NO WAY that would’ve happened last year with their impatient line-up.

Devilish Details:

• If you are going to swing at the first pitch, Maicer Izturis, with the bases loaded, Maicer Izturis, and the game on the line, MAICER IZTURIS, then you better be really sure, MAICER IZTURIS, that you are going to hit the ball really damn hard, MAICER IZTURIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Well, there goes that Gold Glove campaign for Chone Figgins the Angel broadcasters have been trumpeting.  Those two errors he committed tonight pretty much erased all hope.
• FUENTES FAIL!!!  I could’ve sworn that Fuentes was Spanish for “fountain” but I am starting to think that it might translate to “effing shaky.”  I am probably overreacting but Kevin Jepsen seems like a much safer option as closer.

Halo Hero:

• Erick Aybar

When will people learn that you just don’t pitch to Erick Aybar in extra innings and runners in scoring position.  Silly rabbits.