OC Register: Angels hit five home runs against Mets, Jared Walsh hits for cycle

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM ― The Angels are scheduled to play another 101 games in 2022, and only six in their creamy “City Connect” uniforms. They might want to re-think that.

Debuting their new threads Saturday before an announced crowd of 36,408 at Angel Stadium, the Angels hit five home runs in an 11-6 walloping of the New York Mets.

Jared Walsh hit for the cycle. Mike Trout returned to the lineup after a four-day injury absence and hit his 15th and 16th homers of the season. He and Shohei Ohtani each finished a triple shy of the cycle.

Walsh completed the feat with his triple in the eighth inning. With Trevor Williams pitching and two runners on base, Walsh hit a line drive to center field that tailed away from Khalil Lee. Lee dove, the ball squirted under his glove and trickled to the fence, and Walsh easily strode into third base with the ninth cycle in franchise history.

Ohtani was the last to accomplish the feat, on June 13, 2019.

Walsh also made a pair of diving stops at first base on ground balls to his left. He finished 4 for 5 with three RBIs, while Trout and Ohtani each went 3 for 4 with three RBIs.

Andrew Velazquez hit his fourth home run of the season in the sixth inning. In the second inning, he saved a run with a diving stop at shortstop on a ball headed to the outfield with a runner on second base.

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Starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen (6-3) pitched into the seventh inning before allowing a run. That gave struggling relievers Aaron Loup and Oliver Ortega enough breathing room to allow the Mets to make the final score respectable.

Loup allowed an inherited run to score in the seventh inning, while Ortega allowed five runs over the final two innings. The right-hander has allowed multiple runs in three of his last five appearances.

That did little to spoil the end result, a big win over the National League’s best team. The Angels (29-32) have won two of their last three games, often in stark contrast to the team that lost 14 consecutive games and cost manager Joe Maddon his job.

Trout’s return was a boon. He had missed the previous three games with tightness in his left groin, but was batting second and playing his usual center field Saturday. Brandon Marsh batted leadoff for the first time since May 14 and drew two walks in five plate appearances; he scored both times he reached base.

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[Robrock30]

Bravo!  This Game looks to be a turning point.

[Angels 1961]

Ortega could be out of the loup soon.

[Jason]

1 hour ago, Robrock30 said:

Bravo!  This Game looks to be a turning point.

Hopefully and now they just got to get the blow pen fixed 

[Redondo]

Just now, Jason said:

Hopefully and now they just got to get the blow pen fixed 

No lead is safe with this pen

[tdawg87]

9 minutes ago, Redondo said:

No lead is safe with this pen

They have exactly 0 pitchers I feel comfortable with pitching with any kind of lead. 

It's impressive, really. It looked like Minasian had built a great bullpen but they've turned out to be one of the worst I've seen in recent years. 

Spending doesn't work. Not spending didn't work. It's like we aren't allowed to have a good bullpen.

I know it's a crap shoot to a certain extent but the Yankees and Astros always have dominant bullpens, for example. Obviously scouting plays a role. 

Power arms that can throw strikes seems to be the way to go. Instead we get guys throwing 90-92 and nibbling around the zone because if they go in the zone, they get destroyed.

It's still early, but it seems the league has figured out how to hit these guys and not swing at their junk pitches. 

I'm not going to give Minasian too much crap about it, because he did the opposite of what Eppler did for 5 years. It just hasn't worked, just like like the pens Eppler built didn't work.

I don't know what the answer is. I hate relievers. They're so fucking volatile, it's frustrating.

Edited June 12, 2022 by tdawg87

[Taylor]

17 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

They have exactly 0 pitchers I feel comfortable with pitching with any kind of lead. 

It's impressive, really. It looked like Minasian had built a great bullpen but they've turned out to be one of the worst I've seen in recent years. 

Spending doesn't work. Not spending didn't work. It's like we aren't allowed to have a good bullpen.

I know it's a crap shoot to a certain extent but the Yankees and Astros always have dominant bullpens, for example. Obviously scouting plays a role. 

Power arms that can throw strikes seems to be the way to go. Instead we get guys throwing 90-92 and nibbling around the zone because if they go in the zone, they get destroyed.

It's still early, but it seems the league has figured out how to hit these guys and not swing at their junk pitches. 

I'm not going to give Minasian too much crap about it, because he did the opposite of what Eppler did for 5 years. It just hasn't worked, just like like the pens Eppler built didn't work.

I don't know what the answer is. I hate relievers. They're so fucking volatile, it's frustrating.

Relax. We won a game against the Mets and the offense looked like it did in the first 35 games of the season.

[tdawg87]

4 minutes ago, Taylor said:

Relax. We won a game against the Mets and the offense looked like it did in the first 35 games of the season.

Don't tell me to relax. I'm happy they won last night. It was a fun game. 

I'm just pointing out some problems we still have.

[Taylor]

Just now, tdawg87 said:

Don't tell me to relax. I'm happy they won last night. It was a fun game. 

I'm just pointing out some problems we still have.

Chill.

[Taylor]

Now I'm just being annoying on purpose.

 

In before TG says something like, "So a typical Sunday for you?"

[tdawg87]

Just now, Taylor said:

Chill.

I will fight you. 

Nude.

[Jason]

24 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

They have exactly 0 pitchers I feel comfortable with pitching with any kind of lead. 

It's impressive, really. It looked like Minasian had built a great bullpen but they've turned out to be one of the worst I've seen in recent years. 

Spending doesn't work. Not spending didn't work. It's like we aren't allowed to have a good bullpen.

I know it's a crap shoot to a certain extent but the Yankees and Astros always have dominant bullpens, for example. Obviously scouting plays a role. 

Power arms that can throw strikes seems to be the way to go. Instead we get guys throwing 90-92 and nibbling around the zone because if they go in the zone, they get destroyed.

It's still early, but it seems the league has figured out how to hit these guys and not swing at their junk pitches. 

I'm not going to give Minasian too much crap about it, because he did the opposite of what Eppler did for 5 years. It just hasn't worked, just like like the pens Eppler built didn't work.

I don't know what the answer is. I hate relievers. They're so fucking volatile, it's frustrating.

They drafted a ton of pitchers last year so I think the key to success is to draft and develop these arms as opposed to overpaying for an them via FA  that may or not be any good. 

[tdawg87]

2 minutes ago, Jason said:

They drafted a ton of pitchers last year so I think the key to success is to draft and develop these arms as opposed to overpaying for an them via FA  that may or not be any good. 

Obviously why they brought up Daniel. I think Bachman Turner Overdrive would be up as well if he wasn't injured. 

I could see Ky Bush getting a look at some point. Maybe Brett Kerry. But those guys would have to be added to the 40 man. 

[Jason]

13 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Obviously why they brought up Daniel. I think Bachman Turner Overdrive would be up as well if he wasn't injured. 

I could see Ky Bush getting a look at some point. Maybe Brett Kerry. But those guys would have to be added to the 40 man. 

Very true but this has to become an organizational philosophy moving forward.  Many of those guys and others they drafted may not work out but if they stay committed to the developmental plan I think they will succeed and then we won't have to suffer through BPs like this year in and year out. Signing pen arms through FA should be a last resort IMO. I think the next couple of seasons will be telling 

[TroutField]

1 hour ago, tdawg87 said:

They have exactly 0 pitchers I feel comfortable with pitching with any kind of lead. 

It's impressive, really. It looked like Minasian had built a great bullpen but they've turned out to be one of the worst I've seen in recent years. 

Spending doesn't work. Not spending didn't work. It's like we aren't allowed to have a good bullpen.

I know it's a crap shoot to a certain extent but the Yankees and Astros always have dominant bullpens, for example. Obviously scouting plays a role. 

Power arms that can throw strikes seems to be the way to go. Instead we get guys throwing 90-92 and nibbling around the zone because if they go in the zone, they get destroyed.

It's still early, but it seems the league has figured out how to hit these guys and not swing at their junk pitches. 

I'm not going to give Minasian too much crap about it, because he did the opposite of what Eppler did for 5 years. It just hasn't worked, just like like the pens Eppler built didn't work.

I don't know what the answer is. I hate relievers. They're so fucking volatile, it's frustrating.

Maybe having Loup/Tepera paired with a couple fire ballers would be effective. You see 98-100 mph cheese and then the next inning you get Loup working the corners. It’s a different look and the batters have to adjust to seeing something different. 
 

I think having a bunch of guys that throw 90-92 gives the batters the same type of pitcher for the final 3 innings. 

[Docwaukee]

personally don't think its velo.  We're kinda middle of the pack as far as avg vFA from the pen.  

To me, 90% of the issues track back to Loup and Tepera.  And to a lesser degree Raisel.  The latter because poor performance loses you the game and he's had a few but he's only used in very particular spots and is still being used that way so it doesn't impact everything else quite as much.  

The latter two have turned the pen into a game of russian roulette on a nightly.   Some combo of those two and spot appearances from a couple other here and there for the 7th and 8th.  So it should be one of them in 90% of those high leverage 7th/8th situations with a smattering of Herget, Ortega, maybe Raisel a hitter early.  Maybe Quijada vs. a tough bank of lefties. 

And then it's guys like Barria in long relief and Herget, Ortega, Barraclough, Wantz, Quijada, Warren, etc. to fill in the 6th, maybe a little of the 7th situationally, probably a few in the fifth.  To help with early exits.  A mix and match of matchups. 

That's how you script a bullpen but unfortunately, Loup and Tepera didn't see the memo about their TPS reports.  So now I want to grab my swingline stapler and set the building on fire.     

[tdawg87]

Loupera sucks.

[Angelsjunky]

Not to nit-pick, but Trout wasn't just a triple shy of a cycle: he hit 2 HR, 1 2B...no singles, either. What a scrub.

[arch stanton]

The cycle is the most pointless thing in baseball. Who gives a damn?

[Jason]

Just now, arch stanton said:

The cycle is the most pointless thing in baseball. Who gives a damn?

I don't know, 4 hits in a game is always a good thing. Especially when 3 of them are for extra bases 

[ettin]

3 hours ago, Angels 1961 said:

Ortega could be out of the loup soon.

Thank God you double-checked the spelling of "loup" or it would have been Error In Loop.

[tdawg87]

7 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

The cycle is the most pointless thing in baseball. Who gives a damn?

I do.

It's like the hitter's version of a no-hitter.

That doesn't even make sense.

[AngelsLakersFan]

50 minutes ago, ettin said:

Thank God you double-checked the spelling of "loup" or it would have been Error In Loop.

That could crash AngelsWin.

[Angelsjunky]

1 hour ago, arch stanton said:

The cycle is the most pointless thing in baseball. Who gives a damn?

Lighten up, Francis. It is a fun baseball thing.

That said, you could argue that Trout actually had a better night:

Trout: 3-4, 11 TB, 837 wRC+ (.750/.750/2.500)

Walsh: 4-5, 10 TB, 705 wRC+ (.800/.800/.2000)

But really, both had terrific games.

Edited June 12, 2022 by Angelsjunky

[Angels 1961]

1 hour ago, ettin said:

Thank God you double-checked the spelling of "loup" or it would have been Error In Loop.

Ortega sits next to the Loup that is why he got Loup disease. He can no longer go loup dee loup.