GT: Angels @ BlueJays / July 28-30

[Asianiac_24]

Why are we letting Espinal hit

Bench consists of two lefties in Belt and Kiermaier, and Jordan Luplow. Could perhaps have used Luplow and shifted Merrifield to 2B, but there wasn't really a good option in that spot.

Belt is a much better hitter regardless of lefties or righties

[Schad]

This team's offense (scoring only 1 run through 8 innings today) leaves no margin for error for its starters and relievers. It might work against the Angels, but not against much better hitting teams like the Orioles and Red Sox coming up this week.

The Angels have had a better offense than the Orioles or Red Sox on the year, by every metric.

This is a much different team with no Mike Trout, and with a couple of other injured players like Brandon Drury and Anthony Rendon for the past several weeks.

Since Trout went down, from July 4 - 27, the Angels hit .257/.338/.489 while scoring over 6 runs a game. That's a pretty decent offense, heh. We have held them to three runs in 27 IP because, against all expectations, our pitching is really good.

[Schad]

Why are we letting Espinal hit

Bench consists of two lefties in Belt and Kiermaier, and Jordan Luplow. Could perhaps have used Luplow and shifted Merrifield to 2B, but there wasn't really a good option in that spot.

Belt is a much better hitter regardless of lefties or righties

Belt's terrible against lefties, .150/.250/.150 on the year. You could make a case for Luplow and even Kiermaier in that spot, but not Belt.

[Madvillainy2004]

Why are we letting Espinal hit

Bench consists of two lefties in Belt and Kiermaier, and Jordan Luplow. Could perhaps have used Luplow and shifted Merrifield to 2B, but there wasn't really a good option in that spot.

Belt is a much better hitter regardless of lefties or righties

Belt is 3/24 on the year against lefties Espinal is the best option as sad aa that is lol

[Mehar]

The Angels have had a better offense than the Orioles or Red Sox on the year, by every metric.

This is a much different team with no Mike Trout, and with a couple of other injured players like Brandon Drury and Anthony Rendon for the past several weeks.

Since Trout went down, from July 4 - 27, the Angels hit .257/.338/.489 while scoring over 6 runs a game. That's a pretty decent offense, heh. We have held them to three runs in 27 IP because, against all expectations, our pitching is really good.

Pitching has been good. When did I complain about our pitching heh? I said our offense more often than not leaves no margin for errors for our Starters and Relievers. Scoring 1-2 runs is not a recipe for success against Boston in Fenway Park and Baltimore coming up this week. Both have much better hitters in the lineup than the Angels right now. The Jays have been terrible with RISP all year.

[Randle McMurphy]

Brutal slider. Looks like somebody else on the Angels can hit after all.

[JN]

Within moments of the broadcast crew somewhat kindly lauding everything Garcia has done and limiting hard contact...

[Madvillainy2004]

Rarely agree with Buck but yeah Yimi should've just kept going to his fastball.

[Randle McMurphy]

Within moments of overly lauding everything Garcia has done and limiting hard contact...

His ERA is nearly 4.50 this year, he hasn't been great.

[JN]

Within moments of overly lauding everything Garcia has done and limiting hard contact...

His ERA is nearly 4.50 this year, he hasn't been great.

Agreed - whoever there "sideline" guy was being quite kind in how Garcia has performed overall.

[Potential]

It still completely boggles my mind that we got a Hunter Renfrow in the NFL and Hunter Renfroe in the MLB

[JN]

Totally irrelevant in the end after the Renfroe HR, but I find it odd that the Angels brought in the pinch hitter just to bunt.

I have no problem with the bunt the guy to 3rd strategy (although less so in the top of the 10th), but why pinch hit just to have the guy lay down a bunt. Unless Thaiss really suck at it I suppose.

[hyper316]

Totally expected Garcia to choke here, 3 games in a row.

Fastball doing well, then throws a change up for HR.

[Asianiac_24]

Totally irrelevant in the end after the Renfroe HR, but I find it odd that the Angels brought in the pinch hitter just to bunt.

I have no problem with the bunt the guy to 3rd strategy (although less so in the top of the 10th), but why pinch hit just to have the guy lay down a bunt. Unless Thaiss really suck at it I suppose.

Thaiss got hit by a pitch, I assume that’s why

[Parataxis]

*sigh*. One bad pitch.

Well, let's hope we can bring Vladdy home.

[hyper316]

Good move, but why put Kiermaier on 2b and not on 1b before the walk?

[Madvillainy2004]

Brutal call

[Randle McMurphy]

Need to be protecting there. It's time to get Springer a day off.

[Madvillainy2004]

I would've had Belt in this spot.

[Potential]

Why not force Springer to bunt