The LA Angels of Anaheim helped continue the Texas Rangers dreadful start to the 2006 season (2-7) and did it in dramatic fashion Tuesday night beating them 5-4 overcoming a 3 run deficit late in the game. Adam Kennedy capped a furious Angels’ rally with a clutch one-out double down that right field line that brought home the tying run in the ninth inning. Ranger second baseman D’Angelo Jimenez could not glove the throw from right fielder Adrian Brown and Maicer Izturis took home on the play for the game-winner.

The game was reminiscent of the Angels improbably World Series run in 2002 when, seemingly, they were able to come back late in games night after night, spawning the “Rally Monkey” phenomenon. Perhaps the prognosticative primate is back for an encore in 2006.

Angel starter Jeff Weaver improved only slightly from his April 5th debut against Seattle when he gave up five runs on nine hits. In Tuesday’s game Weaver was touched for only four runs on nine hits but he did allow two HR’s. That, however, is par for the course coming from the big bats of the Rangers (Hank Blalock hit ‘em both). But on the bright side Weaver did strike-out five and walk just one Tuesday vs. the 2 K, 2 BB performance against the M’s. Had Weaver been able to avoid Blalock’s blasts it would have been a fantastic outing. As it was we can only mark the gradual improvement and hope it continues into Weaver’s next scheduled start against the Baltimore Orioles next week.

Game Notes

*Vlad Guerrero’s impressive hitting streak against the Rangers was extended to 38 games as he went 4-4 with a stolen base and a run scored.

*It’s amazing Guerrero sees anything worth hitting considering the lack of protection following him in the line-up:
Garrett Anderson .233 avg, Juan Rivera .250, Darin Erstad .250 and Casey Kotchman .231. Then again, Guerrero’s four hits were singles and likely came on pitches nowhere near the strike zone. If he saw a good one it would likely be bouncing off the rocks in left-center.

*JC Romero got his first win as a member of the Angels. Brendan Donnelly, despite a ‘demotion’ in the bullpen ranks and some control problems (4 walks in 5 innings pitched) continues to get the job done. Donnelly pitched two scoreless innings in relief lowering his ERA to 1.80 while walking two and striking out none.

*The LA Times reports that Garrett Anderson is playing some great left-field despite a sore foot that is not improving.

Anderson said his foot condition, known as plantar fasciitis, “still hurts, and I can’t tell if it’s going to get better. All I can say is it’s not getting worse. That’s about all I can hope for at this point, because it’s a weight-bearing injury and has the potential to get worse.”

~Anderson in today’s LA Times

The Angels took two of three from the Bronx Bombers over the weekend that continues the Halo’s recent mastery over the New York Yankees. Counting the playoffs the Angels have gotten over on New York in twelve of their past eighteen meetings including seven of ten in Anaheim.

“What is it about this team? They give us trouble.”

~Derek Jeter on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Game One - Friday Angels 4 Yankees 1

Kelvim Escobar returned to the hill for the first time this season and held the Yankees to one run on six hits over six innings. Escobar struck out two while walking none and picked up his first win of the season. During the game Escobar split the nail on the middle finger of his pitching hand. The right-hander said there is a 50-50 chance he will be ready to pitch on Friday against the Texas Ranges. If he can’t go, Hector Carrasco will be ready to make a spot-start.

The Yankees sent out Shawn Chacon Friday who seemed to revitalize his career with New York last season going 7-3 with a 2.25 ERA. But Chacon could only go 4.2 innings against LAAofA surrendering four runs on eight hits including a two-run dinger in the first from Orlando Cabrera.

On the bright side for New York their bullpen (Villone 1.1 IP, Sturtz .2 IP, Myers 1.1 IP) came in and did not give up a hit for the next five innings.

WP: Escobar (1-0)
LP: Chacon (0-1)
S: Rodriguez (2)

Game Two - Saturday Angels 3 Yankees 2

In what looked like a colossal pitching mismatch, the Yankees sent ace Randy Johnson to the hill against the Angels number five starter Ervin Santana. But Angel pitching sandwiched 7 scoreless innings between solo home runs in the first (Jeter off Santana) and the ninth (Matsui off Rodriguez) to notch the second victory in as many nights for the Halos over the Yanks.

Both Santana and Johnson were touched for runs in the first. Jeter’s solo shot for New York and a manufactured run for LA that came on a Vladimir Guerrero single after Cabrera had singled and stolen second. But that would be all the scoring for the next three innings as both starters settled into their respective grooves. But with two on and two out in the bottom of the fifth Adam Kennedy came through with a clutch double down the right field line that put the Angels up 3-1. In the top of the sixth Santana got himself into a jam himself when Jeter reached on an error, Sheffield singled and A-Rod then hit a ball off the back of Santana’s knee. The young pitcher recovered quickly enough to scramble for the ball and throw Rodriguez out but he then faced a second-and-third situation with one out. The next batter was Giambi-Juice who engaged Santana in a 12-pitch battle royale that culminated in a walk. The final pitch frustrated the Halo’s starter who said “the last pitch I threw to Giambi was the best pitch I threw all game.” Unfortunately home plate umpire Joe West disagreed and the Yankee slugger walked loading the bases. In a prudent move, Scioscia removed his frustrated pitcher and in came reliever JC Romero, despite my desperate pleas to the TV. “Don’t you read my blog Mike? For goodness sake the Bombers own Romero!” Matsui stood in and hit a broken bat bloop that looked like it was going to be a 2-run Texas-Leaguer. But Cabrera raced out to shallow center and tracked down the fly ball for the final out of the inning and erased the New York threat. Scot Shields pitched a perfect eighth setting up K-Rod for save duty in the ninth. But Hideki Matsui crushed a pitch to tighten the score to 3-2 before Rodriguez settled down and earned his third save of the season and 21st straight dating back to last season that breaks former Angel Troy Percival’s club record for consecutive saves. Despite a 6.00 ERA the LA Times reports that Rodriguez is “thrilled” with his 2006 start. In addition to his three saves, Rodriguez has not issued a walk. “I would rather give up a home run than a walk” said the Angels’ closer. That makes one of you that thinks that way Frankie. So long as the offense and rest of the pitching staff deliver you two-run advantages then giving up a solo HR is no big deal. But that is not going to be the case for much of the year so K-Rod better start striking out more and giving up taters less.

WP: Santana (1-0)
LP: Johnson (0-1)
S: Rodriguez (3)

Game Three - Sunday Yankees 10 Angels 1

The Bronx Bombers vented their frustration of losing two straight close ball games by crushing the Halos 10-1 on Sunday. After seeing their ace get beaten on Saturday the Yankees returned the favor on Sunday, tagging Bartolo Colon for 8 runs on 7 hits in just 2 innings of work. Mike Mussina picked up his first win of the season, holding the Angels to just one run on five hits over six innings. Once again Esteban Yan looked shaky as well, giving up two runs in 3.2 innings to keep his inflated ERA at 9.64. Meanwhile Colon, who receive a no-decision in his first start against Seattle, now has an 0-1 record with a monstrous 12.86 ERA.

Among the low-lights were Tim Salmon and Darin Erstad each going 0-4 and Jorge Posada going 3-for-4 with an HR and double (both off Colon). A-Rod also hit one out which immediately led to the ‘highlights’ of last year’s game where Rodriguez went 4-for-4 against the Angels including three consecutive HR’s off Colon. You would think Colon would just plunk Rodriguez right away to set a tone but he keeps serving up gopher balls to him. How can Santana pitch so well against New York and Colon manage to be so pitiful? One of the great mysteries of baseball I guess but come October Scioscia should try and figure out a way to keep Colon from pitching to these guys.

The Angels home opener is tonight against the New York Yankees. Both teams stumbled out of the gate and are 1-2. This marks the third time the Angels have hosted the Bronx Bombers in their home-opener.

* The Angels have won the last two season series against the Yankees, going 6-4 against New York in 2005.

* In the Joe Torre era the Angels are the only team in the majors with a winning record against the Yankees (though barely) compiling a 49-48 in regular season games. Counting post-season games the Angels have a 55-51 record against the Yankees.

* There are 10 active major leaguers with at least 15 consecutive seasons with their original club without playing for another big league team. Six of the ten are either Angels or Yankees:

……Player…………………..Franchise…………………….Year

Garrett Anderson………LAA……………………….1990
Craig Biggio………………….HOU…………………………1987
Derek Jeter………………NYY……………………….1992
Mike Lieberthal………………PHI………………………….1990
Jorge Posada…………….NYY………………………1991
Mariano Rivera………….NYY………………………1990
Tim Salmon………………LAA……………………….1989
Mike Sweeney………………..KCR………………………..1991
Jose Vidro…………………….WAS…………………………1992
Bernie Williams………….NYY………………………1986

* Tonight’s pitcher is Kelvim Escobar who will be making his first start of the season. File this under the ‘duh’ category but Escobar will need to tread lightly around these hitters (career stats against Escobar in parenthesis):
Alex Rodriguez (.429, 3 HR, 21 AB), Hideki Matsui (.389, 0 HR, 10 AB), Jason Giambi (.407, 3 HR, 27 AB), Derek Jeter (.389, 0 HR, 25 AB).

* The player with the second highest batting average against the Yankees among active ball players with at least 70 plate appearances is…….Chone Figgins with a .385 average in 78 at-bats.

* Two guys Mike Scioscia might want to leave out in the bullpen are JC Romero and Esteban Yan who have 5.56 & 4.82 ERA’s respectively against the Yankees. Yan has been especially vile throwing 2.2 innings against the Yanks last season and compiling a 10.13 ERA.

Former Angel starter got some payback on the club that did not want to sign him as the M’s defeated the Halos 6-4.

Jeff Weaver looked shaky in his 6.1 inning Angel debut. Weaver allowed five of seven lead-off batters to reach base and that proved the difference as four of those runners went on to score. At times Weaver appeared confident and in a groove but for the most part he resembled the inconsistent surfer-dude who first appeared in Tempe a month ago. If history is a guide, Weaver will gain his composure and improve rapidly over his next few starts.

No question Washburn had something to prove but the Angel hitters will get at least a couple more chances against him later this season. For now the Halos are a game back of both Oakland and Seattle and will face the New York Yankees in on Friday in the Angel home opener.