Opening Day Loss sours Decent Pitching
Opening on the road is always tough, right? You'd rather have the Home Opener be the Opening Day game for your team, so Los Angeles traveled to Minnesota for their Home Opener, and lost 3-2 behind pretty good pitching from Jared Weaver.
Remember that the opening day pitcher won't make it 9 innings. Because in Spring Training they (all pitchers) build up arm strength to go from 1-2 innings, to 3-4 to maybe 6 innings in final Spring Training start.
Jared Weaver last night:
6.1 IP, 8H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 5K
That's not too bad on the endurance (6 1/3 innings) and 3ER isn't the worst we've seen. But 10 basemen over 6.1 is a WHIP (walks + hits / innings) of 1.58 which is not-so-bad, but not stellar.
What was disappointing was scattering 9 hits (none more than a double) with leaving men on bases by our best hitters. Maybe it was Hunter's return to Minnesota, but Vlad didn't shine either.
Figgins went 2-4 but what caught me was no one tried to steal a base; even in top of the ninth, Willits came in, but didn't try.
Oh well, if there's one thing I can think of for the Angels, it's they usually lose the first game and then take control (think 2002 playoffs).
Remember that the opening day pitcher won't make it 9 innings. Because in Spring Training they (all pitchers) build up arm strength to go from 1-2 innings, to 3-4 to maybe 6 innings in final Spring Training start.
Jared Weaver last night:
6.1 IP, 8H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 5K
That's not too bad on the endurance (6 1/3 innings) and 3ER isn't the worst we've seen. But 10 basemen over 6.1 is a WHIP (walks + hits / innings) of 1.58 which is not-so-bad, but not stellar.
What was disappointing was scattering 9 hits (none more than a double) with leaving men on bases by our best hitters. Maybe it was Hunter's return to Minnesota, but Vlad didn't shine either.
Figgins went 2-4 but what caught me was no one tried to steal a base; even in top of the ninth, Willits came in, but didn't try.
Oh well, if there's one thing I can think of for the Angels, it's they usually lose the first game and then take control (think 2002 playoffs).
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