Did the blown call at first base in yesterday’s game matter?
It’s a valid enough question to be debating it today. Albert Pujols, who had three hits in the game, was on deck. He’s batted four times in his career against Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen and has one hit, a home run.
If the Angels indeed go on another winning streak today, and this stands as the only defeat in a stretch of wins, the play will loom large. A one-run loss decided by a blown call in the eighth inning? Not too much to hang your head about there.
Some more bullet points for a Tuesday morning:
• Dollar by dollar, how the expansion Los Angeles Angels were built for $5 million. That story, pulled from a Jan. 1961 edition of the New York Times, includes executive salaries, spring training fees, etc. — and building a LARGER press box (!) H/t @ToddRadom
• Mike Trout hit for the cycle on May 21. He’s collected a hit in seven straight games since then. The reigning ROY is batting .452 (14-for-31) with 12 runs, a double, three triples, two homers and eight RBI since the run began.
• FanGraphs did some math and determined that “Trout appears to indeed be the likeliest batter in the majors to hit for the cycle, with a neutral lineup position.”
• Yu Darvish is on pace for the most strikeouts in a decade.
• Albert Pujols hit the ball hard every time he came to the plate. He’s hit safely in eight of his last nine games at Dodger Stadium. Pujols has a .321 batting average (93-for-290) with 17 home runs and 56 RBI in 77 career games against the Dodgers.
• Billy Buckner is out of options, so the Angels were forced to designate him for assignment despite Buckner’s five-inning gem Saturday in Kansas City. Buckner cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake today, remaining in the organization.
• ESPN the Magazine portends “the most disappointing stretch of baseball in Southern California history.”
• Astronaut Buzz Aldrin threw out the ceremonial first pitch yesterday. Here’s Buzz Aldrin rapping.
