August 21, 2017
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
August 21, 2017 Page 1 of 22 Clips (August 21, 2017) August 21, 2017 Page 2 of 22 Today’s Clips Contents FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 3) Andrelton Simmons delivers as Angels beat Orioles, end strong trip Angels Notes: Garrett Richards faces hitters as club eyes September return to rotation Angels’ Parker Bridwell grinds through his second outing against Orioles FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 6) Maybin, Calhoun give Halos series win vs. O’s Facing O's again, Bridwell keeps Angels in game Ramirez doubtful for next scheduled start 'Bedrock' to join Angels on Players Weekend Skaggs looks to keep Angels in Wild Card hunt FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 13) Maybin's pinch-hit RBI single lifts Angels over Orioles 5-4 FROM ESPN.COM (Page 15) Defensive outfield tiers: Ranking all 30 teams FROM YAHOO! SPORTS (Page 21) Mike Trout Monday: Mike Trout could go 0-for-42 and still have the AL's best OPS August 21, 2017 Page 3 of 22 FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER Andrelton Simmons delivers as Angels beat Orioles, end strong trip By Jeff Fletcher BALTIMORE — Andrelton Simmons’ entire season was rolled into one tidy package on Sunday afternoon. The Angels’ 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles was built upon the contributions of many, but none greater than Simmons, who added a two-run homer to a handful of impressive defensive plays. “You see why he’s a game-changer, both at the plate and in the field,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Those plays he made in the field were huge. He keeps going. He’s having an incredible year.” Asked if he was more proud of his offensive or defensive performance on Sunday, Simmons said: “The win. It’s been a couple years since I played on a team that’s fighting for the playoffs. Even if you’re not playing your best (personally), when you win the game, it’s a great thing.” The Angels won seven of nine on a trip against three contenders: the Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals and Orioles. The Angels (64-60) equaled their season-high at four games over .500, a mark they haven’t seen since they were 6-2. They are tied with the Minnesota Twins for the second wild card, atop a crowded field. They helped shove the Orioles four games back by winning two of three, after also winning the series earlier this month in Anaheim. Although some credit for the latest victory goes to Cameron Maybin, who had the go-ahead hit as a pinch- hitter in the eighth, and some to Angels relievers Cam Bedrosian, Yusmeiro Petit and Bud Norris with three scoreless innings, Orioles manager Buck Showalter knew the primary villain. “If they had a different shortstop today we would have (won),” Showalter said. “That’s why there’s nobody better than him. He’s special.” While Simmons’ prowess in the field is well-chronicled, his improvement at the plate is a new development this year. He’d just endured one of his only slow weeks of the season, with a 1 for 24. But he ended that with a two-run homer to put the Angels up 4-1 in the sixth. “I didn’t feel the best at the beginning of the week, but I felt better toward the end,” Simmons said. “It happens. I’m happy I got that feel back. Hopefully I can get back to what I’ve been doing the majority of the season.” His defense never slumps, though. His highlights on Sunday included ranging into the hole to start a double play in the fourth, a nice play on a tough grounder in the fifth and a leaping grab of a line drive to end the eighth. August 21, 2017 Page 4 of 22 Perhaps the most impressive play ended up only temporarily saving the Angels, because the run he prevented scored later in the inning. With runners at first and third in the sixth inning and the Angels leading 4-3, Adam Jones hit a grounder to Simmons. Even though Simmons was playing at double-play depth, he was able to react quickly enough to freeze Manny Machado between third and home, getting him in a rundown and getting the out. With two out, Mark Trumbo’s double ended up tying the score anyway. The Angels won the final three innings, though, thanks to Maybin’s pinch-hit single to right in the eighth. He drove in Kole Calhoun, who had earlier homered and walked three times. It was Maybin’s first at-bat since Tuesday, as he’s been nursing a sore right knee since then. “It’s still something I’m trying to manage and keep from getting worse,” said Maybin, who sprained his knee last month. “It’s that time of season where you gotta suck some things up for your team.” After the Angels took the lead, Petit got through the heart of the Baltimore order in the eighth and Norris pitched the ninth, working around a hit and a walk to get the save. It was Norris’ first save since he had lost his job as the primary closer. This opportunity came because he’d shown improvement lately, and the other top relievers had already been used or were unavailable because of their recent workload. “I’m feeling a lot better,” Norris said. “I’m doing a lot of extra work in the gym and training room. My body has gone through a lot this year and I’m learning as I go… I’m very excited that the skipper really believed in me and I’m glad I got the job done.” Angels Notes: Garrett Richards faces hitters as club eyes September return to rotation By Jeff Fletcher BALTIMORE — Garrett Richards took an important step on Sunday, as he moves closer to what the Angels are hoping is a spot in their rotation in September. Richards faced hitters for the first time since he left his first start of the year in April with what was later diagnosed as a biceps nerve irritation. Manager Mike Scioscia said Richards, who was working out at the Angels complex in Arizona, faced the equivalent of two innings worth of hitters, with a break in between. “He felt great,” Scioscia said upon getting the reports of the workout. “It’s a positive step forward.” After Sunday’s session, Richards will repeat a similar workout “a number of times,” Scioscia said, before he can progress to pitching in minor league games. Although the minor league seasons are ending around Labor Day, Triple-A Salt Lake City is currently leading its division and may make the playoffs. August 21, 2017 Page 5 of 22 To prepare for a season, a pitcher would normally start six times, but Scioscia said the Angels don’t need to have Richards pitch that many games in a rehab assignment. “I don’t think it’s realistic to get Garrett stretched out to the 75-, 90-, 100-pitch range, but I do see a scenario if he gets to 60 pitches, we might use him to come to our rotation and see how far he gets because we’ll have plenty of pitching to follow up at that point,” Scioscia said. In spring training, a pitcher would be at 60 pitches after his third start. Last September, the Angels put Alex Meyer in the rotation and he threw just 55 pitches in his first outing. The Angels were able to accommodate his reduced pitch-limit because September rosters allow for more relievers. RAMIREZ UPDATE Scioscia said JC Ramirez was feeling better a day after coming out of his start because of forearm irritation, but he’s still “doubtful” to be able to take his next turn Thursday. Ramirez would need to throw a bullpen session by Tuesday in order to be ready for that game, and he’s not even scheduled for an MRI until Monday. “We definitely don’t want to push that,” Scioscia said. The best-case scenario, if the MRI shows nothing more than irritation, is that Ramirez might miss only one start. In the meantime, Scioscia said Jesse Chavez is one of the candidates to fill in for Ramirez on Thursday. Chavez started 21 games this season before being sent to the bullpen because he was struggling. He has since worked four games in relief. ALSO Meyer has resumed throwing, Scioscia said. Meyer has been out for about a month with inflammation in his shoulder. He had started throwing a few weeks ago, but had to take a break because his symptoms returned. Until Meyer begins to progress toward long toss, it’s difficult to project when, or if, he’ll pitch again this season. … Cameron Maybin was not in the starting lineup for a fourth straight game because of discomfort in his right knee, which he sprained last month. He pinch-hit in the eighth inning, and he’s expected to start on Monday… The Angels signed Fernando Salas to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A. Salas, who the Angels traded to the New York Mets last August, was released this month by the Mets. August 21, 2017 Page 6 of 22 Angels’ Parker Bridwell grinds through his second outing against Orioles By Jeff Fletcher BALTIMORE — Parker Bridwell’s second outing against his former team didn’t go quite as well as the first, although it wasn’t all his fault. Bridwell, traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Angels for cash in April, was charged with two earned runs and four runs overall in five-plus innings against the Orioles on Sunday.