los angeles angels Archives - IdealCapper

Angels pick up $7 million option on 3B Yunel Escobar

Associated Press — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 05:00:00 +0000

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) The Los Angeles Angels have picked up their $7 million contract option for next season on third baseman Yunel Escobar.

The team made the announcement Monday night.

Escobar batted .304 with five homers and 39 RBIs over 132 games in his first season with the Angels, his fifth big league club. The Angels exercised their option on the 34-year-old Cuban infielder instead of paying a $1 million buyout.

Los Angeles also designated reliever Cory Rasmus for assignment and activated five key pitchers from the 60-day disabled list: right-handed starters Garrett Richards, Matt Shoemaker and Nick Tropeano, left-hander Andrew Heaney and closer Huston Street.

Rasmus repeatedly struggled with injuries while going 0-2 with a 5.84 ERA in 19 games last season, his fourth with the Angels.

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Albert Pujols primed for WBC

Tony Palazzo — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 04:14:10 +0000

Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols plans on representing the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic if his surgically repaired knee is healthy, his agent told MLB.com.

But Pujols won’t see one of his Angels teammates at the event.

Reigning AL Rookie of the Year and MVP runner-up Mike Trout will skip the WBC for Team USA to focus on a normal spring training, his agent, Craig Landis, told the Los Angeles Times. Last spring, Trout battled an illness that caused him to lose 20 pounds. The outfielder ended up starting the season in Triple A.

Pujols, meanwhile, had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in October, something the Angels described as a minor cleanup procedure.

The first baseman’s agent, Dan Lozano, told MLB.com that Pujols “feels great so far” in his recovery. When asked if Pujols would play in the WBC, Lozano told the website, “At this point, yes.”

In other WBC news, Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton has committed to play for Team USA, sources told CBSSports.com.

The website also reported that Bruce Chen, a left-hander for the Kansas City Royals, has committed to play for China in the WBC. That would make him the first major-league player to participate for China in the tournament.

Chen pitched for Panama in the 2009 WBC. He was born in Panama City but is of Chinese descent.

First-round play in the WBC begins March 2. Provisional rosters for all 16 nations will be announced Thursday.

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Former Yankee Hideki Matsui retires

Tony Palazzo — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 06:35:20 +0000

Hideki Matsui, a popular outfielder and designated hitter for 20 seasons with Japan’s Yomiuri Giants, the New York Yankees and three other major league teams, announced his retirement Thursday.

Matsui, known as “Godzilla,” hit .282 with 175 home runs in 10 big league seasons with the Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays. He batted .147 in 34 games with Tampa Bay last season before the Rays released him in August.

Matsui finished second to Kansas City shortstop Angel Berroa in the 2003 American League Rookie of the Year balloting, made two All-Star teams and won the 2009 World Series MVP award with New York after hitting .615 (8 for 14) with three home runs against the Philadelphia Phillies. He joined Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig as the third player to hit .500 or better with three homers in the same World Series. In October, San Francisco’s Pablo Sandoval became the fourth hitter and the first non-Yankee to achieve the feat.

Matsui signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Yankees as a free agent in December 2002 after a successful 10-year run in Japan, during which he won three Central League MVP awards. After the 2005 season, the Yankees kept him in the fold with a four-year, $52 million extension.

Derek Jeter called Matsui one of his “favorite” teammates.

“I’ve said it numerous times over the years, but it’s worth repeating now. I’ve had a lot of teammates over the years with the Yankees, but I will always consider Hideki one of my favorites,” Jeter said in a release. “The way he went about his business day in and day out was impressive. Despite being shadowed by a large group of reporters, having the pressures of performing for his fans both in New York and Japan and becoming acclimated to the bright lights of New York City, he always remained focused and committed to his job and to those of us he shared the clubhouse with. I have a lot of respect for Hideki. He was someone we counted on a great deal and he’s a big reason why we became World Champions in 2009.”

Known for his durability, Matsui appeared in 1,768 consecutive games to begin his career before a fractured wrist ended the streak in 2006.

The Japanese news outlet Sanspo earlier reported Matsui’s retirement.

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Baltimore Orioles vs. Los Angeles Angels

Tony Palazzo — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 23:03:17 +0000

The Baltimore Orioles will be fighting to snap a losing streak on Friday when they take on the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium.

The Orioles will pin their hopes on the pitching of lefthander Jo-Jo Reyes in this game. Reyes has a 6-9 record and a 5.33 ERA this season.

It’ll be Dan Haren toeing the rubber for the Angels in this contest. Righthander Haren is 11-6 with a 2.96 ERA so far this season.

Oddsmakers currently have the Angels listed as 240-moneyline favorites versus the Orioles, while the game’s total is sitting at 7½.

In their last action, Baltimore was a 6-5 loser on the road against the Athletics. Bettors on Oakland at -159 on the moneyline collected their winnings from that game, while the total score (11) sent OVER bettors home happy as well.

Los Angeles was a 2-1 winner in its last match at home against the Rangers. They won as -137 favorites, while the total score of 3 made winners of UNDER bettors.

Current streak:
Baltimore has lost 2 straight games.

Team records:
Baltimore: 47-74 SU
Los Angeles: 66-59 SU

Baltimore most recently:
When playing on Friday are 6-4
Before playing LA Angels are 5-5
After playing Oakland are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7

Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Friday are 8-2
Before playing Baltimore are 5-5
After playing Texas are 5-5
After a win are 4-6

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore’s last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore’s last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore’s last 6 games when playing LA Angels
Baltimore is 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Angels’s last 6 games when playing Baltimore
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Angels’s last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of LA Angels’s last 10 games
LA Angels are 15-7 SU in their last 22 games at home

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