Angels midseason report: Depth a strength
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE
After pitching a shutout during the Los Angeles' Angels 11-3 surge in May, left-hander C.J. Wilson issued the following response when asked about his team's early success.
"If we can play the next 50 games like we've played the last 15 games," Wilson said, "then that will be really, really good baseball."
Slightly more than 50 games later, the Angels are challenging the Oakland Athletics for supremacy in the American League West -- and, barring a total collapse, will do so for the rest of the season.
With first baseman Albert Pujols healthy and with outfielder Josh Hamilton focused, the Angels offense has emerged as one of the major leagues' best. Los Angeles enters the All-Star break leading the majors with 478 runs scored. The Angels also have amassed 883 hits, 300 extra-base hits and 101 home runs, totals ranking among the American League's best. Pujols, who suffered from plantar fasciitis last year, has driven in 29 runs in his last 29 games to enter the break with 63 RBIs, 20 home runs and a .274 average. Hamilton, who spent two months on the disabled list, is hitting .291. Shortstop Erick Aybar made the American League's All-Star team for the first time after batting .284 and leading the league's shortstops with 49 RBIs and a .985 fielding percentage.
Outfielder Mike Trout is, well, Mike Trout: 22 homers, 24 doubles, five triples, 69 RBIs, 105 hits, 64 runs, a .308 batting average, a .397 on-base percentage and a .601 slugging percentage.
"With as much depth as we have, we don't need any one player to carry it," Wilson said about the offense. "We just need everybody to get on base and pass the torch."
But the Angels offer more than potent hitting. Going into Sunday's road game against the Texas Rangers, the Angels pitchers have permitted opponents to bat just .236, the American League's fourth-lowest such average. The rotation's 3.75 earned-run average ranks third in the league, while the bullpen that has seen constant turnover has compiled a 1.68 earned-run average in the past 16 games while limiting opposing hitters to a .188 average.
The biggest factor, however, has been the contributions from unexpected sources. Outfielder Collin Cowgill (.277), first baseman C.J. Cron (nine homers), infielder-outfielder Grant Green (.324), right-handed starter Matt Shoemaker (7-2) and right-handed reliever Michael Morin (2.08 earned-run average) have played pivotal roles while such regulars as Hamilton, third baseman David Freese, outfielder Kole Cahoun and left-handed starter Tyler Skaggs spent time on the disabled list.
Right-hander Garrett Richards (11-2) has emerged as one of baseball's most dominant pitchers. Richards, in his second full major-league season, became just the fourth pitcher in team history to enter the All-Star break with at least 11 wins and 120 strikeouts and an ERA under 2.60. The others? Jered Weaver, Frank Tanana and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.
The Angels' balance has enabled them to rally for 29 of their 57 wins this season; those 29 come-from-behind wins lead the majors. That balance also reflects a new-found self-confidence and camaraderie.
"We had a tendency last year to let some teams just jump us out of the gate," Wilson said. "We'd be, like, 'Oh, my God. It's 3-0. What do we do?'"
Calhoun exemplified the Angels' esprit d'corps when he talked about being platooned with Cowgill.
"If I'm in the lineup, I'm going to do it that day," Calhoun told the Los Angeles Times. "If Collin is in the lineup, he's going to do it. We're not going to start some rivalry or talk about who should be playing. We're a team, and that's how it has to be."
Richards, rejected for the American League's All-Star pitching staff five times in a week, offered perhaps the best example of subordinating individual desire for collective success.
“How can I be mad about a personal achievement," Richards told the Los Angeles Times, "when we're playing such good baseball now?”
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE
After pitching a shutout during the Los Angeles' Angels 11-3 surge in May, left-hander C.J. Wilson issued the following response when asked about his team's early success.
"If we can play the next 50 games like we've played the last 15 games," Wilson said, "then that will be really, really good baseball."
Slightly more than 50 games later, the Angels are challenging the Oakland Athletics for supremacy in the American League West -- and, barring a total collapse, will do so for the rest of the season.
With first baseman Albert Pujols healthy and with outfielder Josh Hamilton focused, the Angels offense has emerged as one of the major leagues' best. Los Angeles enters the All-Star break leading the majors with 478 runs scored. The Angels also have amassed 883 hits, 300 extra-base hits and 101 home runs, totals ranking among the American League's best. Pujols, who suffered from plantar fasciitis last year, has driven in 29 runs in his last 29 games to enter the break with 63 RBIs, 20 home runs and a .274 average. Hamilton, who spent two months on the disabled list, is hitting .291. Shortstop Erick Aybar made the American League's All-Star team for the first time after batting .284 and leading the league's shortstops with 49 RBIs and a .985 fielding percentage.
Outfielder Mike Trout is, well, Mike Trout: 22 homers, 24 doubles, five triples, 69 RBIs, 105 hits, 64 runs, a .308 batting average, a .397 on-base percentage and a .601 slugging percentage.
"With as much depth as we have, we don't need any one player to carry it," Wilson said about the offense. "We just need everybody to get on base and pass the torch."
But the Angels offer more than potent hitting. Going into Sunday's road game against the Texas Rangers, the Angels pitchers have permitted opponents to bat just .236, the American League's fourth-lowest such average. The rotation's 3.75 earned-run average ranks third in the league, while the bullpen that has seen constant turnover has compiled a 1.68 earned-run average in the past 16 games while limiting opposing hitters to a .188 average.
The biggest factor, however, has been the contributions from unexpected sources. Outfielder Collin Cowgill (.277), first baseman C.J. Cron (nine homers), infielder-outfielder Grant Green (.324), right-handed starter Matt Shoemaker (7-2) and right-handed reliever Michael Morin (2.08 earned-run average) have played pivotal roles while such regulars as Hamilton, third baseman David Freese, outfielder Kole Cahoun and left-handed starter Tyler Skaggs spent time on the disabled list.
Right-hander Garrett Richards (11-2) has emerged as one of baseball's most dominant pitchers. Richards, in his second full major-league season, became just the fourth pitcher in team history to enter the All-Star break with at least 11 wins and 120 strikeouts and an ERA under 2.60. The others? Jered Weaver, Frank Tanana and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.
The Angels' balance has enabled them to rally for 29 of their 57 wins this season; those 29 come-from-behind wins lead the majors. That balance also reflects a new-found self-confidence and camaraderie.
"We had a tendency last year to let some teams just jump us out of the gate," Wilson said. "We'd be, like, 'Oh, my God. It's 3-0. What do we do?'"
Calhoun exemplified the Angels' esprit d'corps when he talked about being platooned with Cowgill.
"If I'm in the lineup, I'm going to do it that day," Calhoun told the Los Angeles Times. "If Collin is in the lineup, he's going to do it. We're not going to start some rivalry or talk about who should be playing. We're a team, and that's how it has to be."
Richards, rejected for the American League's All-Star pitching staff five times in a week, offered perhaps the best example of subordinating individual desire for collective success.
“How can I be mad about a personal achievement," Richards told the Los Angeles Times, "when we're playing such good baseball now?”
