caulfield12

Should have let that one go through...but pitchers almost never can resist reaching out. Raisel Iglesias, Angels' new closer, up and warming.

Grandal managing to get himself out tonight. If there's ANY single player who threatens to be the goat this year, it's undoubtedly Yasmani. Let's go bullpen!

Good strategy for Abreu...switching up the pitching approach, away early and then bust in later in the count. 90-95% pitchers prefer the former.

That ball was hit hard, but right at Moncada. Key inning to get through with the lead. Heuer needed that, too. With that kind of stuff, you just wonder why we didn't spend Hendrik's $54 million on another area of priority. Amazing play there by Iglesias...needed Abreu to be the runner.

Heuer needs to mix it up a little bit...way too many fastballs. Just hit 100 MPH.

87 pitches for Giolito. Mark Gubicza saying Lucas' facial expression upon being pulled reminded him of Adam on Chicago PD, lol. Doing his own Benetti impression there.

Yeah, I was there...May 30th, 2004. Against the Angels. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-may-30-sp-angels30-story.html

At least Robert recovered and made decent contact. Btw, Rafael Furcal dubbed fellow Dominican Leury Garcia "Furcalito." Pretty sure I'd rather have prime Atlanta Braves version of Furcal.

Shades of Jon Rauch in the bullpen for LAA. 6'10" dude.

Moncada pulls it right through the shift. Nice to get him off to a positive start after 2020's struggles. Robert/Moncada/Grandal are going to have to pick it up for Jimenez absence.

8 strikeouts, high 70's pitch count... Probably give a shot at Ohtani and might bring in a reliever for Trout if Shohei gets on.

Abreu's looking a bit out of sorts tonight...not that it's a shocker, because he always has been that way. Guessed on the fastball but the sinker at 93 was below the hitting zone. We'll take a 3-1 lead with Giolito to go another inning or two and turn it over to the bullpen every time out.

Atta boy...that ball's carrying well for the night-time SoCal air. This game was dragging and calling for Bill Walton (almost), but luckily the offense arrived.

This is probably partially the result of 3 1/2 rebuilding seasons as well...where he thought he needed to entertain to compensate for the inferior on-field product. Someone needs to send the memo that it's the players, not the broadcasters, that we tune in for.

Lapse in concentration there from Giolito with two outs...got too careful with Trout and Rendon. Upton is the offensive key to that team, to give them a third consistent threat.

Big Hurt and Trout offensive numbers are almost identical their first ten seasons in the big leagues...Top 5 all-time in the modern era. Obviously Trout gets the positional advantage, overall.

Without Jimenez there's a massive hole, but Vaughn should hopefully solve that. Robert getting a bit too impatient...but he's always been such an aggressive hitter early in counts.

Moncada will take it. Exit velo of 46. .117 BAA Dylan Bundy off-speed pitches last year. Pitch out?

Buehrle-esque change-up tonight. 6 k's through 3.

Interesting comp between Giolito and Ken Hill with that short-arm pitching style...although Giolito from this point foward looks like he should have the better overall career minus injury. 5 k's.

Wonder how much of that's the belief he has to "tutor" the next younger generation of White Sox fans under age 20...? All the wacky cultural/movie/t.v. references, that's just his "schtick" that it seems like he doesn't lose except for those regional southeastern NCAA football games. Nice play by Anderson ranging to his left and throwing on the run.

Just knew Trout was going to run that one down. Not much evidence so far this season that the ball's performing in a radically different way...

David Fletcher, by the way, also signed a new contract extension with the Angels...one of those "glue" pieces like Madrigal.

Giolito is really locking in that slider now...

It's also going to be really fun to see TLR use Hamilton for a week or two like Terrence Gore/Dyson with the Royals in the late innings...like an automatic double or triple to get into scoring position.