The Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers showed baseball fans just how rusty pitchers are during spring training after a 13-13 tie in their preseason game on Wednesday. Despite the tie, both teams showed what their offenses are capable of doing when they are playing well, and probably improved their sportsbook odds of winning the World Series.
Former NL MVP Albert Pujols finally got his first two hits of the preseason, after undergoing foot surgery in the offseason. Teammate and fellow MVP Mike Trout played very well also, and finished the game with a triple and a double.
Scott Kazmir, who is currently trying to earn a spot in the Dodgers pitching rotation was roughed up on Wednesday night, giving up five runs in 1 2/3 innings. Pujols, who was 0-5 in his previous spring training games, had an RBI in the first inning and a run scoring single in the second inning, ending Kazmir’s night.
After the game, Angel’s manager Mike Scioscia said Pujols is starting to look like his old self, and swung the ball well. Scioscia also heaped praise on his starters, saying they looked very good on the field on Wednesday.
Mike Trout’s triple also came while facing Kazmir, who gave up the five runs he allowed on six hits. Jered Weaver, who was the starting pitcher for the Angels, didn’t do much better than Kazmir did for the Dodgers.
Weaver, who is trying to bounce back from a disappointing and injury filled 2015 campaign, gave up homeruns to Scott Van Slyke (his second of the spring), Joc Pederson, and Austin Barnes. Weaver finished the game allowing five runs on six hits. He did last longer than Kazmir, and pitched 2 2/3 innings. The Angels were also disappointed that Weaver’s fastball topped out at 81 miles per hour, and are hoping the number improves significantly before the start of the season.
After the game, Weaver said, “I wake up every day hoping this is the day it is going to click, it just hasn’t happened yet.”
Kazmir said his problem during the game was that he kept throwing fastballs with two strikes, which ended up hurting him. He also added that he felt healthy, which is why he was so frustrated with his performance. Weaver said his biggest problem during the game was his inability to put the ball where he wanted to. He went on to say that he can get opposing players out while throwing 60 mph pitches, but since he wasn’t able to place the ball where he wanted, the batters were able to hit his pitches.
Injury Report
Dodgers’ infielder Alex Guerrero was again unable to play because he is recovering from a knee injury. Second baseman Howie Kendrick also missed the game due to a groin injury. The Angels got some good news about pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who threw his third bullpen session before the game. The team could also be getting closer Huston Street back after missing some time with a calf injury.
Even though Pujols returned from his surgery sooner than expected, he will continue to be the team’s designated hitter for now since C.J. Cron, who backed Pujols up at first base last season has played first base in the first three spring training games.
Why not identify who the guest author is?
I think it’s a surprise. It’s coherent, so you know it’s not me. Besides, I don’t write game summaries! 😉
It wouldn’t be anyone here as all of us know Howie is not an outfielder. I would say neither is Alex, but he’s been tried out there. Interesting photo of Kazmir turning a double play.
Just a typo. I fixed it Badger. This is a guest article from our new sponsor. They’ll be doing game recaps every now and then
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Bum do you mean bubble yum, the gum with Spider webs in it?
And Bum,
Roberts said that Joc was his starting centerfielder. Look at Dodger.com
I saw that. Roberts is a genius.
Good we got thru that… Now back to getting rid of AGon and replacing him with Bellinger and Micah playing 2B and Joc in CF… Yep, that will get you 75+ W… Maybe Joc can mentor Bellinger…
Once and for all with the departure of CC and AGon we shall cleanse ourselves of the TRADE… and the colored girls go “Doo do doo do doo do do doo…”
Let’s see how Lee handles the Angels today, especially with Trout, and Abert, in the line up. Sometimes big names can rattle young pitchers, even before they throw the first pitch. It seems like Bolsinger is a two pitch pony, what pitches does he throw, beyond his curve, and fastball?
Apparently he has a slider. I hope Maddux can teach him a two-seamer. Or a splitter?
Thanks Snider Fan. He does need another decent pitch. And if he can control his fastball better, he would also do better, even though he doesn’t have great velosity on his fastball. Sometimes he has the batter set up, and he throws his fastball, a little to high.
Haooy to have anyone who is willing to write Scott.
We need another “trade” Pete. That one got us three Division Titles and the Major League lead in B.I.S. revenues. The problem with that as I see it is the new math says peak performance is now occurring with players who are young enough to be team controlled. You won’t see any team dumb enough to trade those guys. That is why I get a laugh out of people saying trade for the Altuve’s “before they are Altuve.” He’s signed through 2019 at a ridiculously low price. He won’t be traded. I’m sure the same conversations could be heard regarding Kershaw a few years ago. And if they will do it we should lock up EVERY ONE of our top prospects as soon as possible. Avoid arbitration if we can.
Badger, locking up top prospects seems to be taking on new life. Especially seeing how well it worked with MadBum, Goldschmidt, Chris Archer, Kyle Seager, AJ Pollock for two of his three arbitration years…But you also could end up with a Ryan Braun. Tampa Bay is considering locking up Blake Snell, and he hasn’t pitched one inning at the ML level. Which prospect would you lock up? I think the anti-FAZ group would have gone crazy if they locked up Joc after his start last year (and I would have joined in).
I believe that you are right in theory about locking up the kids. It appears that FAZ is not going to be aggressive in the FA market, primarily because of their belief in the farm. So why not try to lock up the future stars to try and buy out of a couple FA years. If Seager has a good rookie year, he should be approached to see what it would take to lock him up through his arbitration years. Or do you wait to see what he does his 2nd year, and try to lock him up through a couple of FA years with club options? What would the Dodgers have to offer Kershaw to lock him up to be a career Dodger? It’s apparent they are not concerned about locking up Jansen (a topic previously thoroughly dissected). Urias and De Leon have a combined 4 innings in AAA.
So while I agree with the concept, it can be a very expensive venture. What made Sabean offer MadBum so early on? 5 years at $35 million through his arbitration years (through 2017), and then two club options at $12 million each for the next two years. He is being paid less than $10 million this year, and $11.5 million next. Unless he pulls a Lincecum or Cain, what are the chances the Giants don’t exercise the $12 million club options for 2018 and 2019? What made Bumgarner accept it? Both player and team assumed some risk, but in this case it cost Bumgarner a ton. At least Bumgarner will be 29 at the end of the 2nd club option, and he will get paid then (as long as he continues to pitch well).
Bumgarner is a pitcher and there is more risk of injury. Paul Goldschmidt is a different scenario. He signed a 5 year $32 million contract after a little more than 2 years at the ML level. He is going to make a total of $25.5 million over the next three years, and then AZ has a club option for $14.5 million for 2019 (his age 31 year). Why would he sign such a contract? He enters FA as a 32 year old. He does have a chance to sign the one big contract, but the way teams are valuing team controlled contracts, a big pay day may not be in the cards at 32. I hope that is not true, but look at the age 32+ non pitcher FA this year.
Then you get the Ryan Braun contracts. He initially signed a pre-arbitration 7 year $44.5 million contract through 2015. That would have been a good contract for the Brewers, but then Attanasio went crazy had offered to extend it in 2011 for an additional 5 years at $105 million.
There are no current Dodgers that really should get these type of contracts, but they may in the future. Seager, Urias, and De Leon will be the first three to see how FAZ will utilize this concept. It’s no longer about simply managing rosters, organizations now need to know how to manage contracts as well. When and how much to offer the top prospects. It’s a brave new world in MLB.
Badger: “We need another “trade” Pete. That one got us three Division Titles”.
Aren’t “three Division Titles” an epic failure? Maybe Greinke/Hanley was the main reason for those “three Division Titles”.
Ever consider your wrong and the “TRADE” with the $40M per year for Gonzalez and Crawford could have been better spent? That maybe the “TRADE” is the reason we haven’t celebrated a Championship since 1988, especially when you consider the team on the other side of the “TRADE” won a Championship immediately?
Good point, but I don’t think we’d have a title without that trade
in 2013, we lost to StL because our best player broke a rib in inning 1, and because our ACE couldn’t get us to a game 7. In 2014 we lost because our ACE failed twice. Nobody we could have brought in with the money saved on Agone/Crawford, etc would have or could have had the chance to blow 2 games vs the Cards
Last year, we got to a game 5 at home, and the co-ace didn’t pitch like a co ace (we also stunk hard with guys in scoring position)
I would add that our manager wasn’t very good and our middle relief sucked.
The trade certainly can’t be blamed for twenty years of futility. We did end up with a guy in left field who can’t stay healthy and is blocking younger guys like Schebler, but most teams have one or two bad contracts. Didn’t seem to stop the Giants.
Snider I couldn’t believe that they were spending so much money, and let Mattingly continue to manage. And I think a decent set up guy, could have made a big difference, especially, in those games that Kershaw let get out of hand, in the seventh innings.
Nope.
That was a mistake.
AC, the reasons for that trade have been reiterated here numerous times. You disagree. Fine. But as for spending the money more wisely, I ask you to look at spending SINCE the trade. Does it appear that the Guggs give a red rat’s ass how much money a great team will cost? Please, stop with the money thing. We are talking about billionaire money here. Money is not the object, the objective is the object. And you can quote me on that.
Badger, I said nothing about The Trade. I was actually commenting on your locking up prospects.
My mistake. I was responding to box. Sorry about that.
The team with their own tv station won’t be showing today’s game at 12, so they can show some random game from 30 years ago instead.
But, thanks to the Angels for caring about their fans and showing the game on FSW2; also on mlb.tv
MJ, that’s for you!!
Thanks Bobby! I just need the exact same thing you gave in that game aganist the Indinans. I guess that would be the computer link. If the game I video again. I got this one, on the Angel channel, but thanks again!
Bobby did you see that the Angels were having every one of there games, on the computer to see free?
Yes. It’s quite embarrassing too
The TRADE is still hurting us. We have CC and just taking up a spot on the roster. That is why Schebler was traded. There was no place for him. I hope that trade does not come back to haunt us. Neither CC or Ethier are considered full time starters. We have three guys playing left field. SVS, CC, and Ethier. Agon is the only thing we really got out of that trade.
The trade is hurting all those that believe the trade has anything to do with what is happening now. If the Dodgers had better options for those three positions they would lose those players today. There are no options. Bellinger would not come close to what AGon would do this year. Ethier was outstanding last year and if he remains healthy Crawford is better than ANY outfielder in our system. If the Guggs wanted to they could blow it all up this afternoon. It’s not about money. Let it go guys.
I know I’m knit picky, because that is just the way I am, but:
What’s the point of writing up a game that occurred two days ago? Kazmir is already in the rotation, not looking for a spot in the rotation, and Pujols is starting to swing the bat well, not the ball, unless there is some inside joke there. Increasing your odds of winning the World Series because of one meaningless spring training game is ridiculous. But it’s their sports book odds. Now I see the point of that line.
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This guest post seems comical. But I probably couldn’t do any better. I am allowed my opinion right?
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Baseball on the radio today!
Arieta boy the game today is on TV, on the Angel’s channel on Fox.
Dodgers Digest gets a lot of criticism around these parts for being too FAZ friendly, but I think their analysis is probably the best, and their prospect analysis is top notch…right along with truebluela. http://dodgersdigest.com/2016/03/08/2016-dodgers-top-100-prospects-the-top-10/
truebluela.com is great as well. Those two and this one are the Dodger blogs I check every day.
Game recaps are ok, but I’d like some more in depth analysis. That’s why I seek out these blogs. I can get a recap on ESPN or Yahoo Sports.
BTW…..comparing the Dodgers prospect list among different outlets ….http://dodgersdigest.com/2016/03/10/looking-at-the-dodgers-top-10-prospects-from-other-outlets/
…I was surprised to see Fangraph’s take on the Dodgers top ten. Zack Lee higher than De Leon?
http://dodgersdigest.com/2016/03/10/looking-at-the-dodgers-top-10-prospects-from-other-outlets/
meant this link for the Fangraphs article.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/katoh-projects-los-angeles-dodgers-prospects/
Badger is right – The Trade helped them win 3 division titles in a row!
The thing is, without The Trade, they might have won a World Series.
And it is about the money. Guggs and Company has a fiduciary responsibility to make money for their shareholders. There is no getting around that. If they don;t Mark Walter can be removed from his job. The Dodgers can’t just throw money around. They have to show a profit and they are not doing it now. You are very naive if you think money is not involved. The salary came down this year and will come down even more next year.
The Trade may have put a few butts in seats, but at the time it was made the Dodgers knew they were getting a LF who would likely never stay healthy and a 1B who is on the downhill side of his career.
They could have done much better, and the $63 million they owe to the two trade players and Andre Ethier limits what they can spend this season. Essentially, you have a first baseman who is in the TOP 12, a LF who can’t hit lefties and a player who can’t stay healthy.
MM could they have made the Dodgers winners that fast? I think that was part of there thinking.
Instead of Signing Ethier and trading for Crawfish and Gonzalez, they could have just traded for Ramirez, kept Loney, signed Torii Hunter, signed Angel Pagan, Signed Mike Napoli, signed Nick Swisher and still had enough to sign Hiroki Kuroda and some other players. They would have kept Kemp and maybe Gordon.
A rotation of Kershaw, Greinke and Kuroda would have been nice in the playoffs in 2013.
Don;t get suckered into thinkng they HAD to make the trade!
Don’t forget Tanaka. They probably would have gone after him as well.
Pedro. Konerko. Piazza. I’m thinking those trades were huge mistakes. Gonzalez, Beckett and Crawford put butts back in the seats and helped the fans forget the embarrassing Frank McCourt. To go back and say “we could have done”, whatever, is 20/20 hindsight and everyone has that. I was happy to see ownership make bold moves. But then, as you know, I’m a believer in bold moves. I will never fault those with the courage to step up and take risks like the ones taken in 2012. “We did this for our fans. We want to win NOW. When you bring in the type of players we brought in it sends a message to our fans that we want to win now. Our players are extremely happy. ” Magic Johnson. Amen to that Magic.
That was Joc’s best hit in spring training.
it was a good at bat. He refused to swing at pitches barely out of the strike zone, fouled off a couple of pitches, and finally went the other way on a pitchers pitch.
I really like the way Trayce plays out there. I’ve said it before, and somebody else also mentioned it yesterday, but eventually an outfield of Trayce, Joc, Puig will be young and dynamic. Offense, defense, and speed.
Anybody know why Joc was taken out of the game? I am watching the delayed version on MLB Network.
Also in Friday’s game, Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson was removed after one inning to fulfill an appointment. He did not have a medical issue.
He left for same reason today.
Urias coming into the game now
I just watched Urias’ first inning. 3 batters 3 k
The last time I felt this way was 2008 when Kersh threw that insane curve against Sean Casey
Wow
And if the Queen had male genitalia she’d be King(no offense Watford my Man)… Damn I love bringing up the TRADE!!!
Trayce still has a very long swing and I hope he gets a lot of ab’s and instruction at OKC… His D is a given…
3 K’s for Urias in the first inning followed by not being able to record an out in the second, single/double/triple/walk……
He hasn’t been stretched out yet 🙂
I’ll take your word for it Bums!
Maybe he’s a closer.
Interesting outings for Lee and Urias.
Money not involved? That’s a goofy thing to suggest. Nobody ever said that. You didn’t do your homework and I’m not going to do it for you. What contracts were signed AFTER the trade? How much money, that doesn’t show up on Dodger payroll sites, has been spent on international signings? After FAZ was brought on board, what happened to total payroll? I say again, money is not what is driving the Guggs, championships are. Which brings me back to the sophomoric deadline trade.
Compelling piece on Schebler at TBLA. It will be interesting to see if what the author suggests will turn out to be true. Would I be surprised? Of course not.
Badger when you push on TBLA, does it take a long time, to go through?
Haven’t noticed that MJ.
Thanks Badger. Everytime I push it takes so long to come up. And I mean everytime. And then I accidently touch an advertisement, once I get there.
Yeah, advertising is ubiquitous on most sites. That’s one of the things I liked about Dodgertalk. The only ads there were U.S. Water and once you got used to them they were easy enough to ignore because they were subtle. That just isn’t the case anywhere else.
TWC a company dedicated to the removal of fun of being a Dodgers fan.
Urias is toast. Trade him now before his value dips more.
Actually, at this stage of Spring I just use the Eye Test. Zach Lee stuff is very ordinary. Urias is almost as electric as Kershaw. De Leon ain’t far behind. Thompson might be a stud. Barnes looks like a man on a mission and I like the team persona. Damn the stats. These are my eyes.
I was okay with the way Lee pitched. He looks like a solid 5 to me. Urias and De Leon are trying to be a 1 or 2. I like Thompson and more and more I Iike the idea of Barnes speed at catcher. Grandal is hurt again.
Yeah, basically I felt the same watching. Bad innings happen. Good innings happen. They just are scrutinized more in the beginning.
But eye test says Zach Lee is a lower of the rotation guy. Urias looked like he has ace stuff. Lee didn’t. Trayce looks like a very solid player and contributor.