The Angels defeated the Indians on Tuesday 8-4. Unfortunately, Angels starter Jered Weaver was roughed up figuratively and literally. Weaver gave up four hits, a walk and a run and couldn't get out of the first inning. He also was buzzed on the ear by a line drive off the bat the Indians Travis Hafner.
Mike Scioscia tells Bill Plaschke "It's just baseball" in this feature on the Halos skipper.
My take. This was a great article by Plaschke, in it he addresses the controversial squeeze play call and I have to agree with his feelings that what works during the regular season might not work in the postseason and it would be a good idea for Scioscia to change it up a bit when the situation becomes do or die. My biggest issue with the call wasn't so much the physical failure by Aybar to get the bunt down, but that Terry Francona saw it coming a mile away and had Manny Delcarmen throw pitches that were un-hittable. Aybar delivered the winning hit the game before, why not show confidence in the guy and let him swing away with a runner on third?
That all said, make no mistake how I feel about Mike Scioscia. He is the best thing that ever happened to the Angels franchise. Players come and go, but in the decade since Mike arrived on the scene his teams have done nothing but win baseball games.
Brandon Wood continues to sizzle this spring, hitting a 3-run homer in Tuesday's win. The Angels call the infield log jam a "happy dilemma". For a team that will likely need all the offense it can find, hopefully Wood will continue to press the issue this spring. Adding 20 or more homers from short or third base will help tremendously. Figgins, Aybar and Kendrick are similar players (singles hitters with doubles potential) and it would be nice for the infield to have another power threat other than Kendry Morales.
Juan Rivera is eager to produce everyday for the Angels. Rivera talks about how he never wanted to leave the Angels when he became a free agent this winter and how he was willing to wait to see if a deal could be made to stay in Anaheim.
Today, the Angels are off.
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