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Archive for the 'Maicer Izturis' Category

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One reporter’s take on the Angels and free agency

November 21st, 2009, 11:32 am by Earl Bloom, staff writer

Baseball free agency is upon us, and since it’s a weekend, it’s not surprising it’s off to a slow start.

The Angels’ stated stance seems to be making a choice between John Lackey or Chone Figgins; hoping to bring back Vladimir Guerrero for a good price; and looking for, in Arte Moreno’s words to the Los Angeles Times, “a power bat, a starter and another bullpen guy.”Angels White Sox Spring Baseball

Here’s my take on that, point-by-point:

– Lackey has been a solid No. 1 for the Angels, and should command a huge contract simply via the timing of his free agency. If all reports are somewhat accurate, he is way too pricey to come back to Anaheim.

In my opinion, the Angels have a viable No. 1 on the premises, but are reluctant to even address that because they have three more seasons worth of Jered Weaver contracts to negotiate with Scott Boras (more on this later).

– Figgins, right, has to be a Top Five attraction on the overall board, because he can help a club in so many ways (everything except power). If the five-year, $50 million tag is accurate, it is not too much for his value somewhere, but it is here.

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Posted in: Angels • Arte Moreno • Bobby Abreu • Brandon Wood • Brian Fuentes • Chone Figgins • Darren Oliver • Erick Aybar • Ervin Santana • Howie Kendrick • Jason Bulger • Jered Weaver • Joe Saunders • John Lackey • Jose Arredondo • Juan Rivera • Kendry Morales • Kevin Jepsen • Maicer Izturis • Mark Teixeira • Nick Adenhart • Scot Shields • Scott Boras • Scott Kazmir • Torii Hunter • Vladimir Guerrero • | 5 Comments »

Angels’ focus should be on Morales and Weaver

November 17th, 2009, 3:45 pm by Earl Bloom, staff writer

Interesting to hear the Angels aren’t entering the Matt Holliday race — not that, given the claiming price, it made any sense for them in the first place.

Holliday and Jason Bay might be the two best hitters out there, but they are left fielders, not likely Hall of Famers, and make much more sense in the current economy to the teams that play in Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park.Angels Red Sox Baseball

And neither one is Mark Teixeira, although surely that is how they will be portrayed on the market.

It is also interesting to learn the Anaheim club’s priority is to retain John Lackey and/or Chone Figgins, especially given the dollar amounts floated so far in the free agency “anything but money discussed” period that ends Friday.

If it’s true that $72 million was not enough for Lackey in the first place, and that Figgins is looking for a five-year, $50 million package, the Angels would be better served to look elsewhere. 

In the organization, for a start.

It would probably serve the franchise’s interests (and the fans’) better if multiyear yet cost-effective deals could be done with right-hander Jered Weaver and first baseman Kendry Morales, similar to the one that was struck before last season with right-hander Ervin Santana.

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Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Brandon Wood • Chone Figgins • Ervin Santana • Howie Kendrick • Jeff Mathis • Jered Weaver • Joe Saunders • John Lackey • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mark Teixeira • Mike Napoli • Scott Kazmir • Sean O'Sullivan • • • | 9 Comments »

What should Mathis’ playoff run mean for next season?

October 23rd, 2009, 11:10 am by Earl Bloom, staff writer

new-bloom-mug-for-ocrcom9There is no ALCS game until Saturday, maybe longer, so let’s jump ahead.

When John Lackey leaves, who does Jeff Mathis catch next season?

Everybody.

The Angels might continue their current catching arrangement, splitting the duties between Mathis and Mike Napoli.

(Associated Press)

(Associated Press)

Unless Vladimir Guerrero comes back at a discounted contract — and haters, he will play somewhere in MLB next season — the Angels will have an opening at designated hitter.

Will Mike Scioscia plug Napoli in at DH, catch him maybe twice a week to give the outfielders a half-day off, and carry a third catcher (Bobby Wilson)?

That would also give  Gary Matthews a chance to play twice a week, which would be nice since the Angels still owe him $23 million for two years.

The Angels can’t bring back everyone. Guerrero, Lackey, Bobby Abreu, Chone Figgins and Darren Oliver are free agents. Jered Weaver, Maicer Izturis, Joe Saunders, Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Napoli and Mathis will get arbitration money, which means they get raises one way or the other.

Kendry Morales has kind of a unique contract, but he might be arbitration-eligible, too. What was his monster season worth?

Faced with paying that bill, expect the Angels to use a lot of in-house solutions.

Getting back to the original point, how many games will Mathis start next season?

How many games should Jeff Mathis start next season?
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Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Chone Figgins • Darren Oliver • Erick Aybar • Gary Matthews • Howie Kendrick • Jeff Mathis • Jered Weaver • Joe Saunders • John Lackey • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mike Napoli • Mike Scioscia • Vladimir Guerrero | 12 Comments »

Game 5 to-stay-alive lineups

October 22nd, 2009, 3:22 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

ANAHEIM

Through the first four games of the ALCS, the Angels’ offense has been held in check by the Yankees — a .201 team batting average and 10 runs scored.

Needing a victory to extend the series and their season, though, Angels manager Mike Scioscia only made a slight change to his lineup. Maicer Izturis (starting against the right-handed A.J. Burnett) will bat sixth with Juan Rivera (2 for 17 in the series) dropping to seventh.

“Juan’s been struggling just a little bit,” Scioscia said of the move. “This way, we get a left-handed bat behind (Kendry) Morales. It might give us a little depth.”

Scioscia said he and the staff “talked about a lot of things” including starting Gary Matthews Jr. in Rivera’s place or making more significant changes to the batting order (like batting Izturis second and dropping Bobby Abreu lower).

In the end, though, they decided there weren’t enough hitters swinging the bat well to move around.

“Big changes, if they’re presented and they’re going to make sense, you’re certainly going to look at them,” Scioscia said. “I don’t know if there are enough guys doing what we need them to do to line things up any differently.”

Today’s lineups:

ANGELS

3B Chone Figgins

RF Bobby Abreu

CF Torii Hunter

DH Vladimir Guerrero

1B Kendry Morales

2B Maicer Izturis

LF Juan Rivera

C  Jeff Mathis

SS Erick Aybar

RHP John Lackey

YANKEES

SS Derek Jeter

LF Johnny Damon

1B Mark Teixeira

3B Alex Rodriguez

DH Hideki Matsui

2B Robinson Cano

RF Nick Swisher

CF Melky Cabrera

C  Jose Molina

RHP A.J. Burnett

Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Chone Figgins • Erick Aybar • Gary Matthews • Jeff Mathis • John Lackey • Juan Rivera • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mike Scioscia • New York Yankees • Torii Hunter • Vladimir Guerrero | 5 Comments »

Howie moving up in the lineup — then out

October 20th, 2009, 3:16 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

ANAHEIM

Responding to Howie Kendrick’s near-cycle three-hit Game 3, Angels manager Mike Scioscia has him batting sixth today with Kendry Morales moving down a spot against Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia.

Kendrick’s 9-for-15 career numbers against Sabathia (including one of the Angels’ four hits off the hefty lefty in Game 1 of this series) had something to do with it, too.

But Scioscia indicated Kendrick will be back on the bench in Game 5 Thursday when the Yankees are scheduled to start right-hander A.J. Burnett. Maicer Izturis has started at second base against right-handers, Kendrick against left-handers since Kendrick’s return from Triple-A in July and Scioscia doesn’t plan to change that now — even if Kendrick is 4 for 8 in the series.

“You never say never,” Scioscia said. “If it was a righty today, Izturis would be in there and he’ll probably be in there Thursday. Don’t forget, Izzy has had some big hits for us too.”

Yesterday’s hero, Jeff Mathis, is on the bench to start the game. Mike Napoli has caught all but one start by Scott Kazmir since the left-hander was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays. Mathis will get the start in Game 5 with John Lackey scheduled to start.

The Game 4 lineups:

ANGELS

3B Chone Figgins

RF Bobby Abreu

CF Torii Hunter

DH Vladimir Guerrero

LF Juan Rivera

2B Howie Kendrick

1B Kendry Morales

C  Mike Napoli

SS Erick Aybar

LHP Scott Kazmir

YANKEES

SS Derek Jeter

LF Johnny Damon

1B Mark Teixeira

3B Alex Rodriguez

C  Jorge Posada

DH Hideki Matsui

2B Robinson Cano

RF Nick Swisher

CF Melky Cabrera

LHP CC Sabathia

Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Chone Figgins • Erick Aybar • Howie Kendrick • Jeff Mathis • John Lackey • Juan Rivera • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mark Teixeira • Mike Napoli • Mike Scioscia • New York Yankees • Scott Kazmir • Torii Hunter • Vladimir Guerrero | 4 Comments »

McCarver wrong (shock), Izturis right on this time

October 19th, 2009, 4:01 pm by Earl Bloom, staff writer

Fox analyst Tim McCarver just told us it was Maicer Izturis, not Erick Aybar, who missed the squeeze-bunt attempt against Boston in last year’s playoffs.

Izturis, pinch-hitting for Mike Napoli on Monday afternoon in ALCS Game 3, then drove home Howie Kendrick with the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.

McCarver then corrected himself during Aybar’s seventh-inning at-bat, first calling him Manny Aybar (?), then correcting himself again to say Erick, not his younger brother who plays for Tampa Bay.

Willy Aybar, Erick’s older brother, plays for the Rays.

Posted in: Angels • Erick Aybar • Howie Kendrick • Maicer Izturis • Mike Napoli • | 4 Comments »

Here comes the rain (with Angels lineup)

October 17th, 2009, 3:23 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

NEW YORK

Big, fat — cold — raindrops started falling just as the Angels started taking batting practice.

If the game gets started and has to be suspended due to rain, it would be picked up at that point tomorrow. If the teams can’t start playing at all due to rain, then Game 2 would be moved to Sunday — when there is a 90-percent chance of rain with temperatures in the mid 40s (sounds familiar).

“There area  lot of contingencies that are in place,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’ll have to be flexible.”

If the game starts, here’s the Angels lineup:

3B Chone Figgins

RF Bobby Abreu

CF Torii Hunter

DH Vladimir Guerrero

1B Kendry Morales

LF Juan Rivera

2B Maicer Izturis

C  Mike Napoli

SS Erick Aybar

LHP Joe Saunders

Here is the Yankees’ lineup.

Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Chone Figgins • Erick Aybar • Joe Saunders • Juan Rivera • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mark Teixeira • Mike Napoli • Mike Scioscia • New York Yankees • Torii Hunter • Vladimir Guerrero | 6 Comments »

Game 3 lineups — Sox shuffle for lefty

October 11th, 2009, 8:48 am by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

BOSTON

With the Angels starting left-hander Scott Kazmir, Red Sox manager Terry Francona adjusted his lineup (as promised yesterday). DH David Ortiz is down to sixth in the order now.

Through the first two games, the Red Sox have just one run and a .131 team batting average against the Angels pitchers.

Today’s lineups:

ANGELS

3B Chone Figgins

RF Bobby Abreu

CF Torii Hunter

DH Vladimir Guerrero

1B Kendry Morales

LF Juan Rivera

2B Maicer Izturis

C  Mike Napoli

SS Erick Aybar

LHP Scott Kazmir

RED SOX

CF Jacoby Ellsbury

2B Dustin Pedroia

C  Victor Martinez

1B Kevin Youkilis

LF Jason Bay

DH David Ortiz

3B Mike Lowell

RF J.D. Drew

SS Alex Gonzalez

RHP Clay Buchholz

Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Boston Red Sox • Chone Figgins • Erick Aybar • Juan Rivera • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mike Napoli • Scott Kazmir • Torii Hunter • Vladimir Guerrero | Post a Comment »

Game 3 lineup — no changes for Angels

October 10th, 2009, 6:34 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

BOSTON

The Angels have arrived in Boston and manager Mike Scioscia met briefly with the media at a mostly-dark Fenway Park.

Scioscia said there will be no lineup changes for Sunday’s Game 3.

That means:

3B Chone Figgins

RF Bobby Abreu

CF Torii Hunter

DH Vladimir Guerrero

1B Kendry Morales

LF Juan Rivera

2B Maicer Izturis

C  Mike Napoli

SS Erick Aybar

LHP Scott Kazmir

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said he might “adjust our batting order a little bit but the same guys will play” in Game 3. The Red Sox will be facing a left-handed starter for the first time in the series.

Tomorrow’s weather foecast — 57 and sunny at game time with temperatures barely breaking the 60-degree mark.

Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Boston Red Sox • Chone Figgins • Erick Aybar • Juan Rivera • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mike Napoli • Mike Scioscia • Scott Kazmir • Torii Hunter • Vladimir Guerrero | Post a Comment »

Izturis puts some thought into clutch performances

October 9th, 2009, 10:28 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

ANAHEIM

Maicer Izturis’ clutch two-out, tie-breaking RBI single shouldn’t have come as any big surprise.

A career .278 hitter (regular season), the diminutive Angels infielder gets big in the clutch — he is a .327 hitter with runners in scoring position.

It’s not by accident, either.

“I look at video and see how pitchers pitch when they have runners in scoring position,” Izturis said through an interpreter after Friday’s game. “Most pitchers change the way they pitch in those situations. I just try to follow what I’ve learned watching film.”

Posted in: Angels • Maicer Izturis | Post a Comment »

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