August 31, 2016 Page 1 of 23 Clips (August 31, 2016) August 31, 2016 Page 2 of 23 Today’s Clips Contents FROM THE LA TIMES (Page 3) Second base still an issue for Angels, who get two homers from Cron in victory over Reds Mike Trout may be the Angels’ star, but Albert Pujols provides big hits and true grit FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 6) C.J. Cron homers twice, Jered Weaver is solid as Angels top Reds for fourth straight win Angels notes: Matt Shoemaker credits ‘new mental approach’ for return to 2014 form Angels honor Olympic champion U.S. women’s water polo team On deck: Reds at Angels, Wednesday, 4 p.m. FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 10) Healthy again, Cron producing for Angels Cron goes deep twice as Angels edge Reds Angels peg Friday for Escobar’s return Nolasco seeks 1st win with Angels against Reds FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 15) Cron’s 2 homers lead Angels over Reds 4-2 FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (Page 17) Mike Trout is better than ever. So why aren’t enough people paying attention? FROM FOX SPORTS (Page 21) Reds-Angels Preview August 31, 2016 Page 3 of 23 FROM THE LA TIMES Second base still an issue for Angels, who get two homers from Cron in victory over Reds Mike DiGiovanna If left field is a black hole for the Angels, a position that has produced a major league-worst .582 on-base-plus-slugging percentage this season, then second base has become a gray area. The spot that Howie Kendrick manned so effectively for nine years through 2014 was thrown into a state of flux when Johnny Giavotella, who played second for most of the past two seasons, was designated for assignment Aug. 20 and eventually demoted to triple A. Cliff Pennington has started 14 games at second in August. Gregorio Petit, who filled in admirably for injured shortstop Andrelton Simmons in May and June, has started five games there this month. And Kaleb Cowart, a third baseman by trade, started at second on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. None of the three has emerged as a favorite for the starting job next season, leaving the Angels in the same position this winter that they were in after trading Kendrick to the Dodgers before 2015: They have no idea who will play second in 2017. “We’re trying to find a blend of the defensive component with a player who can do some things on the offensive side,” Manager Mike Scioscia said before Tuesday night’s 4-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Angel Stadium. “We want to make that a position of strength for us.” Giavotella wasn’t the answer. He had grit, delivered some clutch hits and entertained with his belly-flop-like slides into third, which earned him the nickname, “The Flying Cannoli.” But he hit only .260 with a .287 on-base percentage, six homers and 31 runs batted in and was barely average defensively. Scioscia said Pennington and Petit “have given us enough offense with terrific defense,” but Pennington is hitting only .210 with three homers and nine RBIs in 50 games. Petit has been a better hitter, with a .263 average, .317 OBP, two homers and 15 RBIs in 70 games. Cowart, a first-round pick in 2010, has the most offensive upside of the three, but he played only 14 games at second at Salt Lake before being called up in mid-August and isn’t nearly as comfortable there as he is at third. “It’s going pretty good so far,” Cowart said. “The double-play turn feels pretty good, and I’m learning the cuts and relays. It’s a different side of the diamond, but it’s still in the dirt, so it’s not completely new.” August 31, 2016 Page 4 of 23 The Angels could look to upgrade at second this winter through a trade or free agency. The top two free-agent options are the New York Mets’ Neil Walker, whom the Angels tried to acquire from Pittsburgh last winter, and Colorado’s Daniel Descalso. Walker, 30, is batting .282 with an .823 OPS, 23 homers and 55 RBIs in 113 games but has a back issue that will require regular rest in September. Descalso, 29, is hitting .270 with a .775 OPS, three homers and 29 RBIs in 75 games. Power ball C.J. Cron lined a two-run homer to center field in the first inning and lofted a solo shot over the high wall in right-center in the third to lead the Angels to their sixth win in seven games. It was the seventh career multi-homer game and fourth this season for Cron, who missed five weeks of July and August because of a broken bone in his left hand. Mike Trout hit two doubles, a single and scored twice, and Simmons had three hits, including an RBI single for an insurance run in the eighth. Jered Weaver (10-11) gave uptwo runs and eight hits, including Eugenio Suarez’s two-run homer in the seventh, in 6 1/3 innings to earn the win, and relievers Mike Morin, Jose Alvarez, J.C. Ramirez and Fernando Salas covered the final eight outs. Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen, a former Cal State Fullerton right-hander who hit an emotional home run against the Dodgers on Aug. 19, just two days after the death of his father, Clif, gave up a run in two innings. Angels catcher Jett Bandy gunned down Jose Peraza with a perfect throw to second in the third and has thrown out 18 of 42 (42.9%) would-be base-stealers this season. Field of dreams While Tim Tebow has been criticized by some who believe his showcase before a few dozen scouts at USC on Tuesday was more of a publicity stunt, Scioscia has no problem with the former star quarterback pursuing a baseball career. “I definitely give him credit for wanting to pursue something he thinks he can do,” Scioscia said. “I think everyone should go for their dream. I still have it in mind to be on the 4 X 400-meter relay team in the Olympics, and if I get that opportunity, I’m going to try that … you think I have a shot?” August 31, 2016 Page 5 of 23 Mike Trout may be the Angels’ star, but Albert Pujols provides big hits and true grit Mike DiGiovanna Mike Trout may be the best all-around player in baseball, a 25-year-old superstar whose career is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory, but when it comes to matters of heart and soul on his own club, the Angels center fielder defers to Albert Pujols. Despite playing on a pair of 36-year-old legs that Trout said are “banged up” enough to send most players to the disabled list, Pujols has missed only three of 131 games this season, two of them because of a left-hamstring strain in June. Injuries have slowed the designated hitter on the basepaths, but not in the batter’s box. Pujols hit his team-leading 26th home run of the season Monday night and drove in two runs in a 9-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, giving the slugger 103 RBIs on the season, second-most in the American League. The homer was the 586th of Pujols’ career, tying him with Frank Robinson for ninth place on baseball’s all-time list. It also gave Pujols 1,200 extra-base hits, making him the seventh player to reach that threshold, and 1,800 RBIs, making him the 21st player to reach that level. “Albert is battling — I have to give it to him,” said Trout, who homered, doubled and singled Monday night. “He could easily shut it down if he wanted to, but he’s going out there every day and producing. He’s good to have in the clubhouse. He’s a veteran, a Hall of Fame guy, and his presence brings everybody together.” Trout said Pujols’ grit has rubbed off on a team that is far out of playoff contention — the Angels (57-74) are 20 1/2 games out in the American League West — but doesn’t always act like it. The Angels have garnered high marks from General Manager Billy Eppler and Manager Mike Scioscia for effort, and they won two of three games against playoff-contending teams in Toronto and Detroit on their last trip. “Everybody sees it, everybody sees him playing hard every day, and it’s tough for him,” Trout said of Pujols. “He wants to perform, and he is, but he wants to perform healthy. “I know for me personally, if my legs were banged up, it would be tough to go out there and hit. He’s fighting for this team. We’re all trying to grind through it, and he’s up there as far as being tough.” August 31, 2016 Page 6 of 23 FROM OC REGISTER C.J. Cron homers twice, Jered Weaver is solid as Angels top Reds for fourth straight win By ROBERT MORALES / STAFF WRITER ANAHEIM – This is the point in the baseball season when teams out of contention begin looking toward the future, whether it’s analyzing which players on the big-league roster figure into next season’s plans, or eyeballing the development of September call-ups. The Angels fit into this scenario. With 31 games left going into Tuesday’s game with the Cincinnati Reds, they were 20-1/2 games out of first in the AL West, 14-1/2 out of a wild-card berth.