Los Angeles Angels News

Is Pineiro injury final blow to Angels' hopes?
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July 29
Orange County Register
 columnist Bill Plunkett
"Nine games out in their division, behind five teams for the wild card, down two starting pitchers and their best hitter -- and sporting a .500 record in late July? That sounds like the makings of a 'seller' at the trade deadline. "I don't like labels," Angels GM Tony Reagins said after emerging from a 45-minute post-game meeting with manager Mike Scioscia and the team's coaching staff. "What I would say is we're going to look to improve. If we can, we will." Despite the latest setback (an oblique muscle injury that will sideline 10-game winner Joel Pineiro for six to eight weeks), Scioscia maintained his team is still in the race and no white flag will be raised. "There's nobody who feels"
Angels are swept by Red Sox, 7-3
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July 29
Los Angeles Times
 
"Those eight American League West championship flags flying above the outfield wall in Angel Stadium could have some company soon, only the next one raised might be white. Three days after acquiring pitcher Dan Haren for an expected playoff push and three days before the nonwaiver trade deadline, the Angels might have gone from buyers to sellers on a potentially landscape-altering Wednesday afternoon. Joel Pineiro, who won seven of his previous eight decisions, was scratched from Wednesday's start because of a left rib-cage strain, an injury the right-hander suffered while warming up in the bullpen. During a 7-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox, the team announced that Pineiro would be out six to"
Derrek Lee says he was tempted, but exercised no-trade rights to nix deal last week
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July 29
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The next 60 hours or so for the Cubs are all about Ted Lilly. First baseman Derrek Lee made sure of that when the pending free agent exercised his no-trade rights last week. He blocked a potential trade to the Los Angeles Angels and told general manager Jim Hendry he plans to remain with the Cubs through the last two months of his contract. ''I thought about it for a good 24 hours, kind of agonized over it,'' Lee said after the Cubs' 8-1 loss Wednesday to the Houston Astros. ''But the bottom line is family.'' The Cubs have been more focused this month on efforts to get value for Lilly, their top trading chip, as they near Saturday's 3 p.m. non-waiver deadline. They had not approached Lee"
Cubs' Derrek Lee rejected a trade to the Angels
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July 29
Los Angeles Times
 
"Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee used his rights as a player with 10 years' big league experience and five years with the same team to reject a trade to the Angels last week. "It was very tempting," Lee told reporters in Houston after the Cubs' 8-1 loss to the Astros on Wednesday. "I didn't just say no right away. A lot of thought goes into it." According to a major league source, Lee vetoed the trade seven to 10 days ago. The Angels then turned their sights to Kansas City, acquiring Royals third baseman Alberto Callespo for two minor league pitchers on July 22. Lee, 34, called the process "agonizing" and said he spoke to several friends on the Angels before making the decision."
Angels' Pineiro to miss 6-8 weeks after straining rib-cage
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July 29
Los Angeles Times
 
"Those eight American League West championship flags flying above the outfield wall in Angel Stadium could have some company soon, only the next one raised might be white. Three days after acquiring pitcher Dan Haren for an expected playoff push and three days before the nonwaiver trade deadline, the Angels might have gone from buyers to sellers on a potentially landscape-altering Wednesday afternoon. Joel Pineiro, who won seven of his previous eight decisions, was scratched from Wednesday's start because of a left rib-cage strain, an injury the right-hander suffered while warming up in the bullpen. During a 7-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox, the team announced that Pineiro would be out six to"
Derrek Lee tells Cubs he won't accept a trade
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July 28
ESPN.com
 
"Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee has told the organization he prefers to remain a Cub rather than accept a trade. The Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels proposed trades to the Cubs over the past 10 days for Lee, who has 10-and-5 rights as a player who's been in the majors 10 years, including five with the same team. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry confirmed to ESPNChicago.com that Lee wants to stay with the Cubs until the end of his contract. Lee's five-year deal ends after this season."
Angels, Haren get good news
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July 28
Orange County Register
 
"Dan Haren couldn't dodge Kevin Youkilis' line drive Monday night. But the Angels might have dodged a bullet. Haren had X-rays taken of his right forearm (where he was struck by Youkilis' drive) and was examined by Angels' medical director Dr. Lewis Yocum on Tuesday. The X-rays were negative and Haren apparently escaped with a bruise. He is optimistic that he will be able to make his next scheduled start Saturday against the Rangers. "I guess I got lucky," Haren said. "Dr. Yocum said an inch lower and it would have been on the bone. That wouldn't have been good, obviously. I've never come out of a game before in my career. I was really frustrated about that. But I guess I was a little lucky"
Weaver loses duel as Angels shoot themselves in the foot
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July 28
Orange County Register
 
"More than once in his days as the Angels' ace, John Lackey called out his teammates for lack of support. Jered Weaver must know how he felt. The Angels' former ace and his former understudy hooked up in a pitchers' duel Tuesday night as Lackey returned to Angel Stadium for the first time as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Booed lustily by his former hometown fans, Lackey came out on top as the Red Sox beat the Angels 4-2. "Scoreboard talks the loudest," Lackey said of the rude reception he received. The scoreboard has been shouting at the Angels lately. They have lost six of their past seven games, slipping further into irrelevancy in the playoff picture, now 8 ½ games out in the AL West."
Haren escaped cast by an inch
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July 28
L.A. Daily News
 
"Just an inch lower, Dan Haren said, and that Ace bandage wrapped around his right forearm Tuesday would have been a plaster cast instead. Haren, whom the Angels acquired in a trade with the Diamondbacks on Sunday, was hit flush on his right forearm by a Kevin Youkilis line drive in Monday night's game against Boston, but X-rays and a follow-up examination by Dr. Lewis Yocum on Tuesday confirmed the initial diagnosis of a bruise. Haren said he hopes to make his next scheduled start Saturday against Texas. "Dr. Yocum said an inch lower it would have been on the bone and it would not have been good," Haren said. "I guess I got lucky." Haren said his arm was a little sore but he felt good"
Lackey returns to Angel Stadium, outduels Weaver
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July 28
L.A. Daily News
 
"It was vintage John Lackey, right down to the scowl he makes when he sees his manager headed toward the mound with the hook. But by the time he reached his Boston Red Sox teammates in the dugout, amid mostly boos from the 40,120 at Angel Stadium on Tuesday, the former Angels ace could relax, knowing he had done his job like he had so often for the Angels. Lackey outlasted his close friend and former teammate Jered Weaver, who took a shutout into the seventh inning before a two-out, two-run double by Jed Lowrie turned the game upside down for Weaver and the Angels. Lackey, who received a mix of cheers and boos before the game, battled his way through a season high-tying 124 pitches in 7 1/3"
Angels are all talk with their bats
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July 28
Los Angeles Times
 
"Maybe the Angels should have asked Jed Lowrie to pop over to their clubhouse as a guest speaker Tuesday afternoon. The Boston second baseman could have talked about clutch hitting and then given a personal demonstration a few hours later when his two-out, two-run double in the seventh inning helped propel the Red Sox to a 4-2 victory at Angel Stadium. The Angels had tried to revive their slumbering offense with a hitters' meeting before the game, but it was more of the same against former teammate John Lackey and two relievers. The offense failed to score a runner from third base with one out in the third inning and went one for six with runners in scoring position. There were other"
Dan Haren doesn't figure to miss a start
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July 28
Los Angeles Times
 
"Dan Haren felt fortunate for someone who had taken a line drive off his pitching forearm. One inch lower, the Angels newcomer was told, and it could have hit him directly on the bone. "I guess I got lucky," Haren said Tuesday, one day after Kevin Youkilis' fifth-inning line drive left only a bruise on his right forearm. Haren said he "should be on track" to make his next scheduled start Saturday against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium after X-rays and an examination by team orthopedist Lewis Yocum revealed no serious damage. Haren tested the arm during what he described as a more vigorous throwing session than he usually makes on days after his starts, using all his pitches without"
Lackey hoping to hear cheers
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July 27
Orange County Register
 
"Hope. It's really all Mike Scioscia and John Lackey have when it comes to Tuesday's game at Angel Stadium. See, Lackey is going to make his first start as a member of the Boston Red Sox in front of the fans that cheered for him for the first eight years of his career. And Tuesday, Scioscia and Lackey hope to hear those cheers again. "I hope he's welcomed very warmly by our fans," Scioscia said. But does he really think they won't boo him mercilessly for leaving the Angels in free agency to sign with rival Boston this past offseason? "I hope he's received warmly," Scioscia said. Lackey said he wasn't going to be too hyped up pitching at Angel Stadium for the first time since last year in"
AL West race heating up
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July 27
San Francisco Examiner
 columnist Glenn Dickey
"The AL West, which has taken a back seat to its National League counterpart, may be about to get interesting. With a big spurt in the month before the All-Star Game, the Texas Rangers seemed to take control of the division, which they now lead by seven games over the Los Angeles Angels. To bolster their pitching staff, the Rangers traded for Cliff Lee. Though Lee is obviously a very good pitcher, that acquisition comes with a big question mark because Lee has repeatedly said that he hates pitching in the Rangers' home park at Arlington. He's not alone. The park is very hitter-friendly and the Rangers usually have impressive hitting stats while their pitching stats are, well, not so much."
Joe Saunders brings experience but also concerns
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July 27
Arizona Republic
 
"The main piece of the Dan Haren trade, at least for now, stayed awake late Sunday night wondering, "What just happened?" Left-hander Joe Saunders realized he had gotten off to a slow start for the Los Angeles Angels, but he felt good about his past month or two. Over his past 14 starts, Saunders had allowed two or fewer runs eight times. In his most-recent outing, he threw seven innings against Texas, allowing seven hits and one run. "I felt like I was just starting to hit my stride," Saunders said Monday by telephone. "That's why it came as such a shock. I would've thought the Angels would've done a trade for a hitter or something. But they obviously felt that Dan Haren, a No. 1-type"
Boston's Lackey is eager for Anaheim return
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July 27
L.A. Daily News
 
"John Lackey tonight will return to the same mound where he started the most important game in Angels history. But eight years - and an $82.5 million contract from the Boston Red Sox - since winning Game 7 of the World Series for the Angels, Lackey will face his former team for the first time at Angel Stadium. "It's different here on the other side," said Lackey, who beat the Angels at Fenway Park on May 5. "I wasn't exactly sure where the clubhouse was over here. ... I had a lot of good years here and I still have friends here." Lackey was a rookie in 2002 when he earned the victory in Game 7 over the San Francisco Giants, and he went on to go 102-71 for the Angels before signing a"
John Lackey returns to familiar place
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July 27
Los Angeles Times
 
"The stadium where John Lackey helped secure the most momentous victory in Angels history seemed a bit foreign Monday afternoon. Unsure of the location of the visitors' clubhouse, the pitcher entered the field from an opening in right field before descending into the dugout along the first base line. He eventually found his clubhouse locker beneath the stadium and slipped on the gray uniform of the Boston Red Sox. But the right-hander plans on making himself at home again here Tuesday, when he starts against his former team at Angel Stadium for the first time. "I won a lot of games in this stadium," said Lackey, who was 102-71 in eight seasons with the Angels and was the winning pitcher in"
Angels are willing to take the risks for the ultimate reward
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July 27
Los Angeles Times
 
"Say this about these Angels: They're not haunted by the past. The Angels traded three players and took on $24.5 million to get Scott Kazmir last year, a bust so far. They traded four players and took on $32 million to get Dan Haren on Sunday, with no regrets about the Kazmir deal. In the first inning of his first game with the Angels, Mo Vaughn tumbled into the dugout and wrenched his ankle. He had just become the costliest purchase in club history, and he was never the same again. In the fifth inning of Haren's first game with the Angels, he fell to his knees in pain, after a line drive collided with his pitching arm. But ball did not hit bone, and the Angels do not expect Haren to land"
Dan Haren's debut is a hit, but not the kind the Angels had in mind
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July 27
Los Angeles Times
 
"It was a shot in the arm, all right. Just not the kind the Angels wanted. Dan Haren's first start as an Angel ended abruptly in the fifth inning Monday night when a line drive off the bat of Kevin Youkilis smacked into the pitcher's right forearm. The right-hander crouched in pain before walking off the field, his debut prematurely finished during the Angels' 6-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Angel Stadium. Haren was diagnosed as having a bruise on his forearm and is scheduled to be reexamined Tuesday by Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Angels' team orthopedist. "It hurt, but I didn't feel it hit any bone," Haren said, adding that he hoped to throw off a mound Wednesday to test the arm and make his"
Dan Haren to make Angels debut Monday
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July 26
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels just announced that Dan Haren would start Monday night, one day after the team acquired the three-time all-star from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Angels thus would use Haren -- on regular rest -- Monday against the Boston Red Sox and would line him up to pitch Saturday against the first-place Texas Rangers. The Angels also want Jered Weaver to face Texas, so they will keep Weaver as Tuesday's starter against Boston and bump Joel Pineiro from Monday to Wednesday."
Kazmir won't be ready to return any time soon
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July 26
Orange County Register
 
"Left-hander Scott Kazmir is eligible to come off the DL on Monday. But don't look for the struggling left-hander to rejoin the Angels' rotation any time soon. Kazmir picked up a ball for the first time in about 10 days Sunday, playing light catch. Kazmir had not thrown since experiencing weakness in the back of his shoulder during a bullpen session immediately following the All-Star break. He was placed on the DL with shoulder fatigue, retroactive to his most recent start (the 13-run debacle in Oakland on July 10). Kazmir was supposed to resume throwing sooner and even throw a bullpen session during this weekend's series in Texas. But he underwent an MRI on Thursday during which dye was"
Haren a Halo? We love it!
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July 26
Orange County Register
 columnist Jeff Miller
"Another major deal involving another big-time player as another trade deadline nears and…whoa…this one actually does feature the Angels. We have no idea today if Dan Haren will be a great addition or Joe Saunders a terrible loss or Patrick Corbin a long-term regret. But we love the fact the Angels decided to take this chance, that they had the conviction and fortitude to do it. We love that general manager Tony Reagins was aggressive in securing a front-line starting pitcher everyone else knew was available, too. We love that manager Mike Scioscia wasn't content waiting for his players to do something as Texas threatened to end this race without a true chase."
Reagins keeps plugging away
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July 26
Orange County Register
 columnist Randy Youngman
"You have to give Angels general manager Tony Reagins credit for always trying to improve his team. Two years ago, he acquired star first baseman Mark Teixeira before the trade deadline. That didn't exactly turn out the way the front office envisioned, but it was a bold move. Last year, Reagins acquired starting pitcher Scott Kazmir before the trade deadline. That also hasn't turned out as hoped, but it was a proactive move designed to bolster a rotation that could — and did — lose John Lackey as a free agent over the winter. This year, with the Angels falling further and further behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West, Reagins acted decisively again to demonstrate to everyone that he has"
Angels get their iron man in Haren
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July 26
Orange County Register
 columnist Mark Whicker
"The Angels finally got around to replacing Chuck Finley on Sunday. Dan Haren is the closest thing to a steel-driving, big-footed No. 1 starter since Finley was putting up six consecutive 200-inning seasons (in full seasons) beginning in 1989. Haren joined a rotation for the first time in 2005 and has shown up for every assignment since. He has posted 216 to 229 innings in those seasons. His season high for walks is 55. He ranks No. 6 among active pitchers in WHIP (walks and hits, per innings pitched) and led the NL at 1.000 last year. True, Haren has gone up in flames with the rest of the building in Arizona. He is 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA and already has given up 23 homers. But then he never"
Saunders stunned by trade for Haren
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July 26
Orange County Register
 
"Clearly not willing to concede the division to the Texas Rangers, the Angels landed one of the most sought-after players available before this week's trade deadline. But that player doesn't swing a bat. Instead, they sent four players – all likely to be pitchers – to the Arizona Diamondbacks for three-time All-Star right-hander Dan Haren. Like the trade for infielder Alberto Callaspo earlier this week, the Angels acquire not a 'rental' player to address the short-term void left by Kendry Morales' injury, but one who will be under their control for at least two more years. Haren is signed through 2012 (with salaries of $12.75 million each of the next two seasons) with a club option for 2013"
Angels deal, but Rangers roll
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July 26
Orange County Register
 
"The Angels return from Texas a changed team. Their situation in the playoff race, however, is no less dire. They had more trades than victories during the four-game series capped by a 6-4 Rangers victory Sunday night, so their time in Texas wasn't totally wasted. But they lost three of the four games and return home trailing by a season-high seven games in the AL West. "Three out of four — they did what they had to do," Angels outfielder Torii Hunter said. "They did their thing. We came to their house and they held it up. We didn't break it down. Now they've got to come to our house (for a three-game series next weekend)." The Angels have been counting those head-to-head matchups for"
Angels try Howie Kendrick at first base
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July 26
Los Angeles Times
 
"Here today, there tomorrow. There are no givens anymore when it comes to the Angels infield. Howie Kendrick, who had made his first 96 starts of the season at second base, was the starting first baseman Sunday when the Angels played the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington. It was the first time Kendrick played first base since 2006, when he made 25 starts there so that the Angels could get his bat in the lineup with Adam Kennedy entrenched at second base. Manager Mike Scioscia had asked Kendrick to take ground balls at first base Saturday to prepare for the switch. Kendrick got an early test Sunday when Maicer Izturis, who took his spot at second base, fielded Michael Young's"
In trading for pitcher Dan Haren, Angels skirt the real issue — hitting
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July 26
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels needed to upgrade their offense, and in Dan Haren, acquired from Arizona on Sunday for left-hander Joe Saunders, two minor league pitchers and a player to be named, they got a guy who is batting .364 with a .527 slugging percentage. One little problem: Haren, 29, is a pitcher who probably won't bat for the remainder of 2010 in the American League. "We got a good pitcher, but it's not Kendry Morales," Angels center fielder and aspiring general manager Torii Hunter said, referring to the slugging first baseman the Angels lost to a season-ending leg injury in late May. "We lost Kendry. I don't see too many players like him out there, and obviously they see the same thing. You've"
Angels lose to Rangers, 6-4
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July 26
Los Angeles Times
 
"Nothing is adding up for the Angels, except their deficit in the American League West. They scored as many runs as the Texas Rangers over a four-game series that featured three taut losses, including a 6-4 setback Sunday at Rangers Ballpark. "What are we, six games out now?" center fielder Torii Hunter said, inquiring about his team's standing in the division. Informed that the margin was seven games, matching the largest of the season, Hunter uttered a mild expletive. There was plenty of frustration to go around after the Angels received three solid starts from their pitchers and still dropped two games in the standings to the division-leading Rangers, who trumped their rivals with their"
Diamondbacks trade Dan Haren to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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July 26
Arizona Republic
 
"In trading right-hander Dan Haren to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday for a package of four players, the Diamondbacks recouped a major-league starter, three minor-league prospects and significant salary relief - perhaps not in that order. The Diamondbacks acquired veteran left-hander Joe Saunders, who will step into their rotation Thursday in Philadelphia; two minor-league pitchers in right-handed reliever Rafael Rodriguez and left-handed starter Patrick Corbin; and a player to be named, who sources say will be highly regarded prospect Tyler Skaggs, a 19-year-old left-handed starter. They also shed close to $33 million that's owed to Haren, who is signed through 2012 with a team option for"
Angels might not be done dealing
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July 26
Foxsports.com
 
"First, the Angels traded for infielder Alberto Callaspo. Then they stunned many in the industry by dealing for Dan Haren on Sunday. And they might not be done yet. Sources said Sunday night — after the Haren trade — that the Angels haven't halted their pursuit of a power bat. Among the hitters they are monitoring: Garrett Jones of the Pirates and Derrek Lee of the Cubs."
Angels acquire Dan Haren from Diamondbacks
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July 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"Unable to an add an impact bat, the Angels chose to upgrade their rotation Sunday when they acquired ace right-hander Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks for left-hander Joe Saunders, minor league pitchers Patrick Corbin and Rafael Rodriguez and a player to be named. "We didn't see a fit from an offensive standpoint we thought would make us better," General Manager Tony Reagins said before the Angels' series finale against the Texas Rangers. "There are still opportunities out there, and we will be aggressive in pursuing them. We're just looking for opportunities to improve the club. We didn't say it had to be an impact bat." Saunders, who threw a gem in his last start for the Angels,"
Question for Angels, Dodgers is if they can pay cost at trade deadline
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July 25
L.A. Daily News
 columnist Vincent Bonsignore
"The one-game suspension Joe Torre served this past week had at least one positive effect. It allowed the Dodgers skipper to sit in general manager Ned Colletti's suite during his team's game against the San Francisco Giants, providing the Dodgers' top two bosses a rare chance to watch a game together. They used their time wisely. "We talked," Torre said. A lot, as it turns out. Somewhere over the course of Chad Billingsley's complete-game shutout the conversation veered to the Dodgers' strengths and weaknesses, what was working for the club and what wasn't as it prepared for the final two months of the season. The timing could not have been better, the good and bad of the Dodgers easy to"
Torii Hunter wants to see Alex Rodriguez reach milestone
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July 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"Torii Hunter was 16 in the summer of 1992 when he first met Alex Rodriguez, then a star high school shortstop from Miami, at a Junior Olympics tournament in Boise, Idaho. "He was 6-foot-3, he was the only one using a wood bat — a taped-up wood bat, I'll never forget it — and he hit one 430 feet," the Angels center fielder said last week at Yankee Stadium. "I went back to Arkansas and told everybody, 'Hey, there's a guy named Alex Rodriguez who is going to be the best player ever.' They were like, 'What? Is he better than Shawon Dunston?' I said, 'Ten times better.' And Dunston was good." Hunter and Rodriguez were both first-round draft picks in 1993, and though they have never been"
Angels change meager ways for Ervin Santana
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July 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"Thanks for your support. The Angels had backed Ervin Santana with mostly zeroes the last few weeks, combining for a not-so-grand total of three runs in his last three starts. They equaled that total in the seventh inning alone Saturday at Rangers Ballpark during a much-needed 6-2 victory over the Texas Rangers. Erick Aybar had three of the Angels' 13 hits in the game, newly acquired Alberto Callaspo drove in two runs and Jeff Mathis homered on a night that Santana might have liked to hold some of the onslaught in reserve. The right-hander gave up five hits and two runs in eight innings, helping the Angels trim their deficit in the American League West to six games behind the Rangers. "You"
Angels' Trevor Bell gets thrown into the fire
Comment
July 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"Trevor Bell has pitched in 106-degree weather this month. That might have felt downright wintry compared to the heat of the pennant race the Angels right-hander will experience Sunday in what he said will be "probably the most important start of my career." Filling in for injured Scott Kazmir, Bell will try to help the Angels narrow their deficit in the American League West against division-leading Texas. The Rangers have pelted Bell for seven runs — four earned — in 3 2/3 innings over two career appearances, hitting .450 against him. "I'm definitely not going to underestimate that team," Bell said. "They're an awesome team, they're on a roll. My job at this point is to try to go out there"
Callaspo happy to be back with old Angel friends
Comment
July 24
Orange County Register
 
"The Angels are counting on Alberto Callaspo to be a significant contributor down the stretch. But when he found his new Angels jersey hanging in his locker Thursday afternoon, the number on it was more fitting for the last entrant in an all-comers tryout camp. Callaspo's old friend, shortstop Erick Aybar, had conspired with equipment manager Keith Tarter to pin an extra digit on the back of Callaspo's jersey, turning his "12" into a "112." Aybar was clearly excited to have his former minor league teammate back in the infield with him. "Feels good," Aybar said with a smile. "He's like my best friend. (Even after Callaspo was traded in 2006) We still talked every day. "I was disappointed"
Wilson the better man as Rangers beat Angels again
Comment
July 24
Orange County Register
 
"It ain't bragging if you back it up with eight innings of shutout pitching. After a narrow loss to the Angels earlier this month, Rangers left-hander C.J. Wilson insisted the Rangers were "the better team, 100 percent." He did his part to prove it Friday night in his first start against the second-place Angels since those comments, combining with Neftali Feliz on a four-hit shutout in a 1-0 Rangers victory. Wilson might have been a little off when he added, "When we play up to our capabilities, it might not even be that close." Six of the seven meetings have been as close as they get, one run deciding the issue. But the Rangers have won five of the seven including the first two of this"
Rangers get the better of Angels again, 1-0
Comment
July 24
Los Angeles Times
 
"As Muhammad Ali used to say, "It ain't bragging if you can back it up." Texas left-hander C.J. Wilson did just that Friday night, giving up four hits in eight innings to outduel Angels lefty Joe Saunders and lead the Rangers to a 1-0 victory at Rangers Ballpark. Michael Young's first-inning home run to left field was the difference in the ninth 1-0 game in the hitter-friendly stadium's 17-year history. Closer Neftali Feliz threw a one-two-three ninth for his American League-leading 27th save, whiffing Bobby Abreu with a 96-mph fastball for the final out, as the Rangers won the first two games of a four-game series and extended their division lead to seven games. "It's a learning"
Callaspo's arrival makes Angels' infield a little crowded
Comment
July 24
Los Angeles Times
 
"The addition of Alberto Callaspo gives the Angels four players who can play third base and five who can play second base and shortstop. Are there too many Angels in the infield? The surplus of players at the positions is largely a result of having an 11-man pitching staff, meaning there might not be room for all six infielders if the Angels add an extra reliever. With Brandon Wood out of minor league options, the most likely odd man out appears to be Kevin Frandsen, who could be sent to triple-A Salt Lake. But Manager Mike Scioscia said Frandsen's production makes him a valuable asset. "Right now where we are at this point in the season, if guys are swinging the bat well they're going to"
Wilson superb for second straight start in Rangers' 1-0 win
Comment
July 24
Dallas Morning News
 
"When the Rangers traded for Cliff Lee, they thought they were getting one of the best left-handers in the game. Turns out, they may have been wrong. They may have gotten two of them. For the second straight turn through the rotation, C.J. Wilson followed Lee to the mound by a day. And for the second straight time, Wilson, who charted Lee's outing the night before he pitched, outpitched the Rangers' new ace. That's no small feat, considering Lee was outstanding in both starts. Wilson, who beat the Los Angeles Angels , 1-0, Friday in front of a sellout crowd of 46,554, was spectacular. Actually, he might have exceeded that. He made a first-inning solo home run from Michael Young stand up as"
Nearly 40,000 see Lee deliver six-game lead for Texas Rangers
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July 23
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"When a starting pitcher starts a ninth inning, he sure wants to finish the task. And Cliff Lee believed that he would have finished off the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning Thursday night. But he also wanted the Texas Rangers to win, and that motivated Lee more than any personal accomplishment. He lobbied to stay in the game when manager Ron Washington came to remove him after getting the first out of the last inning, but he didn't bemoan the decision. It proved to be winning call. Lee gave up five hits in 81/3 innings, and Neftali Feliz retired the two most fearsome hitters in the Angels' lineup to close out a 3-2 Rangers victory in the first of four games against their nearest"
Angels deal for Callaspo, put Wood's future in question
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July 23
Orange County Register
 
"With a paucity of chips they were willing or able to deal, the Angels apparently decided it was easier to address their long-term problems at third base than the short-term void in their lineup left behind by the season-ending injury to first baseman Kendry Morales. So they settled for re-acquiring one of their former infield prospects (Alberto Callaspo), shoving another fast-fading prospect (Brandon Wood) into limbo. The Angels sent right-hander Sean O'Sullivan and Double-A left-hander Will Smith to the Kansas City Royals Thursday in exchange for Callaspo. The switch-hitter will likely become the Angels' every-day third baseman – not just this season but beyond, calling into question"
Rangers, Lee draw first blood in key series with Angels
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July 23
Orange County Register
 
"The Angels are hoping their mid-season acquisition can have a positive impact on their playoff chances. The Rangers' mid-season addition already is. Backed by exceptional defense (particularly in the outfield), Rangers left-hander Cliff Lee outpitched Angels right-hander Jered Weaver, holding the Angels to five hits and pitching into the ninth inning of the Rangers' 3-2 victory over the Angels Thursday night. "It's fun. That's what it's all about," Weaver said of the ace-on-ace matchup. "We battled and got beat by a good pitcher. What are you going to do? Tip your cap. "Any time you hold that lineup to three runs in this ballpark, you feel you've done your job." In his past five starts,"
Angels get infielder Alberto Callaspo from Royals
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July 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"Seeking to strengthen their offense and bolster a position at which they have woefully underperformed, the Angels on Thursday acquired infielder Alberto Callaspo from the Kansas City Royals for pitchers Sean O'Sullivan and Will Smith. The Angels hope Callaspo can serve as an upgrade over third basemen Maicer Izturis, Kevin Frandsen and Brandon Wood while boosting an offense that has sagged for long stretches since first baseman Kendry Morales suffered a season-ending leg injury in late May. The switch-hitting Callaspo, a former Angels prospect, was batting .275 with a .308 on-base percentage, eight home runs and 43 runs batted in in 88 games for the Royals, with 76 of his starts coming at"
Alberto Callaspo's arrival pushes Brandon Wood further down depth chart
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July 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"Angels General Manager Tony Reagins seemed defiant Thursday when asked if the acquisition of Alberto Callaspo would affect struggling third baseman Brandon Wood's future. "It doesn't affect Brandon's future in any way," Reagins said. Asked how that was possible, Reagins said, "It doesn't." That seems hard to imagine considering that Callaspo, 27, will remain under the Angels' control through 2013 and that Maicer Izturis, another player ahead of Wood on the depth chart, is in the first year of a three-year, $10-million contract. Trading the once highly coveted Wood could help fortify the Angels' roster while allowing a player who is hitting .168 with three home runs and 12 runs batted in"
Angels can't get to Cliff Lee in 3-2 loss to Rangers
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July 23
Los Angeles Times
 
"Forgive the Texas Rangers for not shaking in their spikes Thursday when they heard that the Angels had acquired Kansas City third baseman Alberto Callaspo, who has two extra-base hits in his last 25 games yet was described by Manager Mike Scioscia as a hitter with "the potential to be something special." The Rangers made their big summer splash July 9, acquiring left-hander Cliff Lee from the Seattle Mariners, and they're pretty confident that Angels General Manager Tony Reagins won't be able to trump that move. Lee is an ace who could transform Texas from a division contender to a legitimate World Series threat, and he showed why Thursday night, limiting the Angels to two runs and five"
Royals trade Callaspo to Angels for two pitchers
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July 23
Kansas City Star
 
"In a move geared toward the future, the Royals traded third baseman Alberto Callaspo to the Los Angeles Angels for two pitchers just before Thursday's series opener against the New York Yankees. The Royals acquired right-hander Sean O'Sullivan and minor-league lefty Will Smith, but the deal also clears the way for Mike Moustakas, one of the organization's top prospects. "We figured we were going to have to move Alberto at some point because of the guys we've got coming," general manager Dayton Moore said. "So we thought we'd better be proactive in trying to make a move. "We got a couple of young pitchers we think can be part of our future." Plans call for O'Sullivan, 22, to join the"
Angels vs. Rangers: Things get 'huge' in Texas
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July 22
Orange County Register
 
"This is Joel Pineiro's first season with the Angels. So forgive him if he has not learned the founding tenet of the gospel according to Mike Scioscia – no game is more or less important than any other game. "It's not a big one – it's huge," Pineiro said when asked about the four-game series in Texas which begins Thursday. "It's going to be a huge series for us." The facts bear him out. The Angels play the first-place Rangers seven times in the next 11 days, their most direct route to cutting into the Rangers' current five-game lead in the AL West (a lead that hasn't been less than 31/2 since June 19). But there is no place in Scioscia's world for "big" games or "huge" series. "I don't"