OC Register: Back in lineup, Angels’ Anthony Rendon wants to create sense of urgency

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM — After nearly a month on the injured list because of a groin strain, Anthony Rendon was activated Tuesday and ready to bring his no-nonsense approach back to the starting lineup.

To make room on the active roster, infielder Livan Soto was optioned back to Double-A Rocket City.

Rendon opened May at a high level offensively, batting .412 with a 1.041 OPS in the first 10 games of the month before the injury surfaced. And while he still made his presence felt in the clubhouse, his on-field production was missed.

The Angels went 10-11 while Rendon was out, which is not unlike their 31-30 overall record, heading into play Tuesday. But they lost seven of their past 10 games without their veteran third baseman and looked outclassed while losing three of four to the Houston Astros over the weekend.

Rendon talked Tuesday about an Angels team that has a closeness and how their willingness to pull for each other will help as the season progresses.

But are there now heightened expectations to turn team unity into success?

“No, not really, because, to be honest, this organization has sucked for so long,” Rendon said. “We haven’t made the playoffs in a long time. I take that burden too, even though I wasn’t here for those years, right? I came into this organization and I want to win and we all want to win.

“Hopefully we all want to win. That’s what everybody wants to tell you. There is no extra pressure. It’s just, we need to win now. It doesn’t matter.”

The message within Rendon’s blunt assessment was clear. There is no better time to show a sense of urgency like the present and Rendon wants to lead that charge alongside Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.

“He’s obviously one of our better players when he’s out there,” General Manager Perry Minasian said of Rendon, who is batting .301 in 30 games with one home run and 20 RBIs. “If you look at our record the last couple of years with him and without him, there is a drastic difference. I don’t think that is random. I think he is a big part of a winning team.”

Rendon even has a formula for a successful season.

“I always tell these guys we need to get a minimum of 15 wins a month,” Rendon said. “You do the math. If we get 90 wins, we’re going to have a good chance to be in the hunt, to be able to play longer into October.

“We haven’t been playing our best but we’ve hit the bare minimum so I need to push these guys a bit more to get maybe a 16th win or a 17th win. So we just have to keep grinding.”

NUMBERS GAME

After batting in the leadoff spot the past three games, Ohtani was in the No. 2 spot for Tuesday’s series opener against the Chicago Cubs, while Mike Trout was batting third.

Trout has batted in the No. 2 spot 53 times this season and was making just his fourth appearance in the No. 3 spot.

“We have a few (left-handed hitters) in there and just kind of splitting those up really and trying to find out what works with the both of them,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “I’m not saying they’re struggling at all, but is it what everybody expects them at?”

Othani has an .885 OPS, better than his .875 mark from a season ago. Trout has an .894 OPS and has never finished under .900, outside of his 40-game rookie season in 2011. Over his previous eight games, Trout was batting .133 with a .511 OPS and one home run with four RBIs.

“I know a lot of people are looking at it as it’s not Mike Trout, it’s not Shohei, but we’ll get ’em going,” Nevin said. “I just think it matches up well (Tuesday) with the way the left and rights are going.”

ALSO

Left-handed reliever Matt Moore (oblique) is set to have another examination by the medical staff and could be close to starting a throwing program. … Left-hander Jose Suarez (shoulder) is doing his rehab work at the team’s facility in Arizona but has not started throwing to hitters.

UP NEXT

Cubs (RHP Jameson Taillon, 1-3, 7.05 ERA) at Angels (RHP Jaime Barria, 2-2, 1.59), Wednesday, 6:38 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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[ten ocho recon scout]

"Sense of urgency"

I picture him saying "this season is make or break for us"

And the guys in the locker room chuckling... and one saying "every season it a break for you, tony"

And he's like "who said that?!?!"

[Chuck]

 

[arch stanton]

The RISP whisperer

[Angel Oracle]

They are 9 games back of Texas, although also only 4 games back of NYY (currently the 3rd WC).

O’s have lost 6 of 10, and are 6 games up on the Halos.  Splitting in Baltimore, instead of losing 3 out of 4, was helpful.

Houston is now rolling and should eventually overtake Texas.

Edited June 7, 2023 by Angel Oracle

[T.G.]

So... Rendon's mere presence in the lineup makes the whole team hit better with RISP?  How do you actually make sense of that in a quantifiable way?  Isn't it just coincidence?

[Duren, Duren]

The team did poorly last year and this year when he was absent for long stretches of time. Almost immediately, in fact. And obviously much worse last season with the 13 game losing streak suddenly dropping them from respectability to also ran.

He's not as great a player as in Washington, but when healthy, smart, selective at the plate, solid on defense., and he should get better as he plays more regularly, Urshella is a valuable addition, but more for depth and versatility. Rendon in the middle of the batting order can be more dynamic and clutch. 

I worry much more about Walsh, Renfroe and Ward. . 

[Blarg]

19 minutes ago, T.G. said:

So... Rendon's mere presence in the lineup makes the whole team hit better with RISP?  How do you actually make sense of that in a quantifiable way?  Isn't it just coincidence?

Statistically it doesn't seem to be coincidence but probably because Rendon pushes a lesser hitter out of the lineup card making the chances of getting more hits greater. 

[stormngt]

1 hour ago, Angel Oracle said:

They are 9 games back of Texas, although also only 4 games back of NYY (currently the 3rd WC).

O’s have lost 6 of 10, and are 6 games up on the Halos.  Splitting in Baltimore, instead of losing 3 out of 4, was helpful.

Houston is now rolling and should eventually overtake Texas.

And their elimination number is still at 96. (For WC)  91 (For Division)

100 games to go.

[gurn67]

"this organization has sucked for so long"

Okay, which one of you on here is actually Rendon???

[Docwaukee]

21 hours ago, AngelsWin.com said:

“No, not really, because, to be honest, this organization has sucked for so long,” Rendon said.

Damn.  Not a great way to phrase things considering it's owned by a guy that signed you to a $245m contract.  I'm not saying he's wrong btw.  

[gurn67]

1 hour ago, Docwaukee said:

Damn.  Not a great way to phrase things considering it's owned by a guy that signed you to a $245m contract.  I'm not saying he's wrong btw.  

Unlike most of us, he knows he's getting paid no matter what he says about he owner, and management.