.jpg&w=244&h=193&zc=1 "Mike Trout and the sophomore slump that wasn't")
Game Recap 8/23/12: We will overcome - Angels 14, Red Sox 13
So, that just happened.
Wow, what a game. And I say that as a guy who didn't watch any of it, as my Angels TV boycott remains in effect. But even monitoring it over Gameday and Twitter, I think it is safe to say that it was the craziest game of the year by far. Or at least the craziest game that didn't make Angel fans want to impale themselves on a lawn sprinkler when everything is said and done.
This is ridiculous narrative hyperbole, but one would think finally coming out on top of a game like this has to give the Angels some serious, dare I say it, positive mental attitude. They overcame not having Albert Pujols. They overcame an early hole created by C.J. Wilson giving up another big inning. They overcame the Bullpen of Perpetual Sorrow having perhaps their most definitive Bullpen of Perpetual Sorrow moment of the season. Mostly they overcame the urge to say, "here we go again with this bullsh-t." It was big boy baseball and I am proud of them.
I'm not proud of them enough to lift the boycott, but still proud.
Game Notes
- Like I said, the boycott will remain. I tweeted before the game that the idea of sweeping in Fenway was enough for me to lift the ban if the Halos pulled it off, no matter how they won. Suffice it to say I never considered that a game like this would take place. Games like this are why the bullpen exists, because I can't take the stress of watching this team try and blow their shot at a playoff berth. Also, ever since I announced the boycott the Angels have gone on a winning streak, so there is now yet another reason to keep it in place.
- The Angels are inexplicably carrying eight relievers. Given that, you'd think there would be no chance that Scioscia would allow Jason Isringhausen to pitch unless he had no choice. Yet he goes and brings him in with a one-run lead. Moves like that make it hard to defend him against the contingent of fans that want him fired. I'm not kidding when I say this, Dipoto might have to DFA Isringhausen just so Scioscia will stop using him.
- Actually, I'm not sure it is fair to get mad at Scioscia for bringing any reliever in particular into the game because there is nobody who can be trusted right now. Walden got hit hard. Richards struggled. Downs looked terrible again (which is a HUGE problem). Frieri wasn't any good. Jepsen was the only reliever that was involved in allowing a run. Think about that.
- I still don't know what to think about C.J. Wilson. Clearly he is messed up, I just can't figure out why because he seems to be messed up in a new way now. Walks killed him in recent weeks, but he didn't walk anyone this game, rather he got knocked around the first two innings. Part of me wonders if he got so up in his own head about the walks that he started to pitch to contact or just erred on the side of throwing it down the middle rather than missing off the plate. But then he came out after the Angels took the lead and looked like a new pitcher, fanning five of the next eleven batters he faced. Maybe that means he is fixed now? I have no clue what to expect in his next start.
Halo Hero
Vernon Wells drew a two-out bases loaded walk to help ignite a rally. Vernon Wells hit a ninth inning home run to ignite another rally. Vernon Wells hit a clutch double to drive in an insurance run in extra innings that would prove to be the game winner.
These are all things that happened in the same, real life baseball game.
You cannot predict baseball or Halo Heroes.
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No, the boycott can NOT be lifted. Other than winning, no other requirement was met. And in several they were downright dog poop. What I can't figure out is if this was the odd game where EVERYBODY was hitting and NOBODY was pitching or the typical crap pitching Angels game that included good Angels hitting. I'll tell you one thing; I could get very used to the Angels' offense flashing a WHIP approaching three.
No, it is not fair to get after Scioscia for using any one, or two, or three or ANY crap reliever. Early on I thought, "He has to just leave Wilson n there to take his pounding tonight." After that, and especially after Wilson left with the lead, he had to keep running guys out there to see if anybody could pitch. Note that even the winning pitcher worked to an ERA of 9.00. Pathetic. And lucky. All things considered, I'll take the luck.
@Rick K. I still have a hard time with Isringhausen being allowed to "protect" a lead. He's now allowed a homer in three of his last four games, which is just stupid. He is nothing but hot garbage right now.
@monkeywithahalo Also, was I the only one who got the impression Angels' pitchers were being severely squeezed last night? That's what it looked like form Gameday. No lower 1/3 pitches got the call and several inner 1/3 and outer 1/3 weren't called strikes either. There was an AB Jepsen was throwing where he put three on the inner, outer and/or lower 1/3 and finally had to put one in the middle box to get the call. Was it Gameday that was de-calibrated or was it McClelland?
@monkeywithahalo No, no, my bad. I meant to say in there somewhere that Isringhausen had to go. Even if they have no body to replace him he has to be off the roster. With the extra pitcher they are carrying now, just keep Richards at the ML level.
