By Jeff Flinn - AngelsWin.com Contributor
Raves:
Rivera finally had a couple of singles to end his 4-42 slump.
Bourjos went 1-3, though striking out twice.
Kazmir somehow got through 5 2/3 innings with just 2 runs allowed despite 6 BBs and 2 HBPs. Somehow he's pitched at least 5 innings in every start since the ASB.
Rants:
My new gloss for Kazmir is KazAnkiel. Somehow he has a post-ASB ERA of a much improved 4.13, despite walking 19 batters in 32.2 innings. Last night gave new meaning to the word inconsistency as he walked SIX and hit TWO batters in just 5 2/3 innings. How he gave up just 2 runs is a total mystery. Kazmir threw FIFTY out of 101 pitches out of the strike zone!
Abreu is totally lost at the plate, and is now 5 for his past 48 including 19 Ks. Is this the beginning of the end of his career, and thus a bad contract signing? Or is this an aberration? Because he's never had a slump this bad before.
The bullpen implodes yet again, granted most of the damage was done against Bulger and Stokes. Bulger is capable of much better than that, but Stokes has seldom ever shown anything up here, even in the NL.
Torii Hunter continues to put up a lot of GIDPs, baserunning mistakes, and Ks. It's like I said before, this is the first time I've been concerned about Hunter going forward. Maybe he's just not inspired anymore?
Rivera and Aybar decide to play Baserunning Misadventures in the 2nd inning. Rivera went 1st to 3rd though ill-advised on Aybar's hit and barely made it, but then Aybar decides to take off for 2nd base and then SLOWS DOWN and gets thrown out. Jim Healy's famous laugh track should have been played after that one!
This lineup is LIFELESS!!!!! Again, there were PLENTY of chances early, but NOTHING cashed in!!!!!!! I imagine the Halos are hitting under .200 with RISP since August 1. Pathetic!!!!!
This team needs a few callups to put some life into this simply bad baseball team!
Again, in the off-season most of these hitters need to look at themselves in the mirror, then take a quarter and call mom to tell her there's serious doubt about them being viable MLB hitters!!