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Archive for the 'Howie Kendrick' Tag

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Final: Angels 3, Dodgers 1

May 22nd, 2009, 11:08 pm by Al Balderas, staff writer

Chone Figgins hit a bases-loaded single through a drawn-in infield in the eighth inning, plating two runs and leading the Angels to a 3-1 victory over the Dodgers, Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

The victory was the Angels’ 11th in their last 15 games against the Dodgers.

Figgins’ hit ended a string of missed opportunities by both teams.

Twice, Erick Aybar bunted in an attempt to move runners over. Both times he popped out. Aybar had a chance to redeem himself in the seventh inning after Figgins led off with a triple. Instead Aybar struck out, leaving his bat between shortstop and third base.

Figgins was later caught in a rundown between third and home, leaving the score tied.

The Dodgers had a chance to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning after Rafael Furcal hit a leadoff double. He was sacrificed to third by Orlando Hudson but failed to go any farther because Russell Martin struck out and James Loney grounded out.

Kendry Morales and Gary Matthews singled to start the eighth inning but Howie Kendrick was unable to bunt them over. Morales was forced out at third. Maicer Izturis walked on four pitches, bringing up Figgins. Figgins delivered a single to right field off of Corey Wade, scoring Matthews and Kendrick.

Darren Oliver, who pitched 1 1/3 relief innings, got the victory.

Posted in: Angels • Dodgers • • • • | 2 Comments »

A red flag on Teixeira?

October 9th, 2008, 6:30 am by Ellen Bell, Afternoon Angel

Mark Teixeira, the soon to be free agent, is a perfect fit for a lot of teams including the New York Yankees, who will have a lot of money to throw around this winter with some hefty contracts coming off the books.

But in exploring the fit between the Yankees and Teixeira, there were some words of caution offered by a former teammate through the New York Post.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Angels • Vladimir Guerrero • • • | 21 Comments »

Game 4 lineups — Angels vs. Red Sox

October 6th, 2008, 1:56 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

Only one slight change in the Angels’ lineup for Game 4 — Mike Napoli moves ahead of Juan Rivera, no shock considering the way Napoli has been hitting since the end of August.

For the Red Sox, Mike Lowell will take his gimpy hip to the bench again. J.D. Drew and his balky back are in the lineup (as is former Cal State-Fullerton star Mark Kotsay).

And Angels manager Mike Scioscia said this afternoon that last night’s 7 1/3 scoreless-inning effort from his bullpen will not limit his options tonight.

“Everybody’s available,” Scioscia said. “Even Jered (Weaver).”

Tonight’s lineups follow:

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Angels • Mike Scioscia • Vladimir Guerrero • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 2 Comments »

Game 3 lineup — Kendrick moves down

October 5th, 2008, 1:18 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

BOSTON - As intimated by Angels manager Mike Scioscia at yesterday’s workout, second baseman Howie Kendrick is still in the lineup — but lower. He has been moved down to eighth behind both Juan Rivera and Mike Napoli.

The Angels’ 3-4-5 hitters (Teixeira, Guerrero, Hunter) are batting .609 (14 for 23) in this series. But the 6-through-9 hitters are 2 for 31 (.065).

TODAY’S LINEUP:

3B Chone Figgins

LF Garret Anderson

1B Mark Teixeira (5 for 7 in first two playoff games — but all singles)

DH Vladimir Guerrero (1 RBI in past 15 playoff games)

CF Torii Hunter (.357 hitter in 18 career ALDS games)

RF Juan Rivera

C  Mike Napoli

2B Howie Kendrick

SS Erick Aybar

LHP Joe Saunders (4-0, 2.89 in six career starts vs. Boston)

Posted in: Angels • Mike Scioscia • Vladimir Guerrero • • • • • • • • • • • • • | Post a Comment »

Hunter has “words of encouragement” for Kendrick

October 5th, 2008, 6:33 am by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

BOSTON - Torii Hunter said he spent time talking with Howie Kendrick after his poor performances in Games 1 and 2.

Kendrick has struggled badly, going 0 for 9 with five strikeouts and stranding 13 baserunners.

Hunter has taken on the role of mentor to Kendrick this season. He would only talk in general terms Saturday about their conversation but acknowledged that Kendrick is beating himself up over his failure in those potential run-producing situations.

“He might be. You can tell. There’s no secret,” Hunter said. “I tried to give him some words of encouragement, tell him it (the postseason) is the same game. It’s just the extra hype, the media, that has changed, the energy from the fans.

“It’s the same baseball game. You have to play your game.”

Angels manager Mike Scioscia gave Kendrick another vote of confidence Saturday.

“I think there’s bumps in the road for every player,” Scioscia said. “But this guy can hit. He needs to plow through this.”

He might do his plowing a little lower in the lineup. Scioscia said the first through fifth spots would be unchanged for Game 3 but he might make a “little adjustment” in the bottom half of the order.

Juan Rivera will start in right field again and Mike Napoli will be back at catcher. Kendrick (who batted sixth in Game 1, seventh in Game 2) could slip down in the order again and bat eighth.

Posted in: Angels • Mike Scioscia • • • • • • | 1 Comment »

Opportunity knocking, Kendrick not answering

October 4th, 2008, 8:39 am by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

Thanks to a hamstring injury that sent him to the disabled list for 23 games in late August and early September, Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick only had a handful of games to prepare for the playoffs.

He went 4 for 15 in six games during the final days of the season – and would gladly trade those four hits for just one now.

In the first two games of the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox, Kendrick has gone 0 for 9 with five strikeouts (four in five at-bats Friday). In six of those at-bats, he came up with runners on base – 13 in all. He failed to even advance a runner, let alone drive one in.

“I’m just trying to do a little too much,” Kendrick said. “I’ve got to relax and play the game.

“It’s the same game. That’s the one thing I’m not realizing too well.”

Kendrick said he has been guilty of “jumping” at pitches and getting himself out.

“I’m seeing a steady diet of breaking balls,” he said. “I can hit them but I have to make them bring them up (into the strike zone). Right now, they’re throwing the ball down and I’m chasing them. As long as I’m chasing them, they’re going to keep throwing them.”

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he has no plans to bench Kendrick for Game 3.

“No, Howie’s playing,” Scioscia said. “He was swinging the bat well the last week of the season. He’ll be fine.”

Posted in: Angels • Mike Scioscia • • | 4 Comments »

Game 2 starting lineups — Angels vs. Red Sox

October 3rd, 2008, 3:25 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

Both teams made changes for today’s Game 2. Gimpy third baseman Mike Lowell is not in the Red Sox’s starting lineup. Sox manager Terry Francona indicated Thursday that he wanted to save Lowell for Game 3 in Boston against Angels left-hander Joe Saunders.

Former Cal State-Fullerton hero Mark Kotsay (not Sean Casey) gets the start at first base with Kevin Youkilis moving to third. Alex Cora is in for Jed Lowrie at shortstop as well.

The Angels, meanwhile, made only minimal changes in response to their ongoing playoff slump (as manager Mike Scioscia indicated he would). Juan Rivera is in for Gary Matthews Jr. and Jeff Mathis is in to catch Ervin Santana.

RED SOX

CF Jacoby Ellsbury (three hits in Game 1)

2B Dustin Pedroia

DH David Ortiz (12-game hitting streak in ALDS)

3B Kevin Youkilis

RF J.D. Drew

LF Jason Bay (two-run home run in Game 1)

1B Mark Kotsay

C  Jason Varitek

SS Alex Cora

RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (led AL with 94 walks)

ANGELS

3B Chone Figgins

LF Garret Anderson

1B Mark Teixeira (2 for 4 in playoff debut Wednesday)

DH Vladimir Guerrero (1 RBI in past 14 post-season games)

CF Torii Hunter

RF Juan Rivera

2B Howie Kendrick

C  Jeff Mathis

SS Erick Aybar

RHP Ervin Santana (1-2, 5.73 ERA in four career starts vs. Boston)

Posted in: Angels • Mike Scioscia • Vladimir Guerrero • • • • • • • • • • • • • | Post a Comment »

Thinking outside the box — Angels lineup changes?

October 3rd, 2008, 9:23 am by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

Angels manager Mike Scioscia would not divulge his Game 2 lineup during Thursday’s off-day workout. He said only that he was “considering a few things” but “the core of our lineup will remain the same.” Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Angels • Mike Scioscia • Vladimir Guerrero • • • • • • • • • • • • • • | Post a Comment »

Angels vs. Red Sox — Game 1 lineups

October 1st, 2008, 5:45 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

RED SOX

CF Jacoby Ellsbury (.280, 9 HRs, 47 RBIs)

2B Dustin Pedroia (.326, 17, 83)

DH David Ortiz (.264, 23, 89)

1B Kevin Youkilis (.312, 29, 115)

RF J.D. Drew (.280, 19, 64)

LF Jason Bay (.293, 9, 37)

3B Mike Lowell (.274, 17, 73)

SS Jed Lowrie (.258, 2, 46)

C   Jason Varitek (.220, 13, 43)

LHP Jon Lester (16-6, 3.21)

ANGELS

3B Chone Figgins (.276, 1, 22)

LF Garret Anderson (.293, 15, 84)

1B Mark Teixeira (.358, 13, 43 — with the Angels)

DH Vladimir Guerrero (.303, 27, 91)

CF Torii Hunter (.278, 21, 78)

2B Howie Kendrick (.306, 3, 37)

C  Mike Napoli (.273, 20, 49)

RF Gary Matthews Jr. (.242, 8, 46)

SS Erick Aybar (.277, 3, 39)

RHP John Lackey (12-5, 3.75)

Posted in: Angels • Vladimir Guerrero • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 1 Comment »

Angels set playoff roster — Jepsen in, Speier out

September 28th, 2008, 6:08 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

Angels manager Mike Scioscia confirmed the obvious after Sunday’s game – that John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders (in that order) will start in the first round against the Boston Red Sox.

He also revealed the Angels’ roster for the first-round series. They will go with a 10-man pitching staff including both displaced starters (Jon Garland and Jered Weaver) and rookie reliever Kevin Jepsen (who did not make his big-league debut until Sept. 8).

Left out is veteran reliever Justin Speier.

The 15 position players include both Reggie Willits and Gary Matthews Jr. as well as Kendry Morales and Brandon Wood but not Sean Rodriguez.

Here’s the list:

PITCHERS (10)

RHPs John Lackey, Ervin Santana, Jon Garland, Jered Weaver, Francisco Rodriguez, Scot Shields, Jose Arredondo and Kevin Jepsen

LHPs Joe Saunders and Darren Oliver

CATCHERS (2)

Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli

INFIELDERS (7)

Mark Teixeira, Howie Kendrick, Chone Figgins, Erick Aybar, Brandon Wood, Kendry Morales and Robb Quinlan

OUTFIELDERS (6)

Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter, Gary Matthews Jr., Juan Rivera, Garret Anderson and Reggie Willits

Posted in: Angels • Francisco Rodriguez • Mike Scioscia • Vladimir Guerrero • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • | 3 Comments »

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