Johnny Giavotella on disabled list with ‘personal medical condition’

Johnny Giavotella

Johnny Giavotella/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Angels

 

The Angels on Tuesday placed second baseman Johnny Giavotella on the 15-day disabled list with what a news release described as a “personal medical condition.”

Giavotella, who is batting .265 with three home runs and 40 RBIs, has not played since this past Thursday. Manager Mike Scioscia said Friday that Giavotella was “ill.” Scioscia said he could not say anything more because of Hipaa.

Giavotella told reporters Sunday he had been experiencing flu-like symptoms.

Grant Green is currently spelling Giavotella at second base. The Angels on Tuesday recalled right-handed pitcher Drew Rucinski to take Giavotella’s roster spot.

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Tim Salmon recalls the year the Angels won whole ball of wax

Photo of Tim Salmon

Tim Salmon was one of three former Angels to be inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame on Saturday at Angel Stadium. The other two were pitchers Dean Chance and Mike Witt.

The one thing Salmon had over the other two was he helped the Angels win their only World Series title in 2002, beating the Giants in seven games.

Salmon, who batted .346 in the Series, was asked about his fondest memories on that championship season.

“I think the bigger memories are the memories that you see all the time,” said Salmon, who turned 47 Monday. “I mean, the highlight reels of that Game 6. It seems like I’m always seeing Troy’s hit to the gap that cleared the bases, and seeing Ersty make that final catch (in Game 7). And then, of course, I have my own personal images of being in the pile-up and just the images of the faces of my teammates. Just that feeling of relief and just excitement all in one.

“Those are the kinds of things that stick out to me. But as far as that team went, just a bunch of grinders, blue-collar guys that never quit, guys that really kind of put the blinders on, put their heads down and played the game hard for every inning.”

Troy Glaus had a two-run double to left-center in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Angels a 6-5 lead in Game 6. They held on to win the game by that score on their way to a 4-1 victory in Game 7, centerfielder Darin Erstad making the catch for the final out on a fly ball by Kenny Lofton.

Games 6 and 7 took place at Angel Stadium, though it was called Edison Field back then.

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Dean Chance, Mike Witt, Tim Salmon in Angels Hall of Fame

Photo of Dean Chance

 

 

 

Dean Chance/Photo courtesy of BaseballReference.com

Pitchers Dean Chance and Mike Witt and outfielder Tim Salmon were inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame before Saturday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Chance won the Cy Young Award in 1964 when only one award was given for both leagues, Witt threw a perfect game against the Texas Rangers in 1984 and Salmon helped the Angels to their only World Series title in 2002.

In 1964, the Angels were still playing at Dodger Stadium. Chance noted Saturday that his Cy Young Award was part of a string of five pitchers winning the award whose home park was Dodger Stadium. The others were Don Drysdale (1962) and Sandy Koufax (’63, ’65, ’66).

Chance went 20-9 with an ERA of 1.65 in ’64. He talked about win No. 20.

“It was at Dodger Stadium, which is a pitcher’s park,” he said. “And the 20th win – (second baseman) Bobby Knopp – they (Minnesota Twins) had runners on first and third with one out and he (Knopp) made the greatest defensive play I’ve ever seen an infielder make.

Jimmie Hall hit a shot back through the middle and he went clear to his right, turned his glove and slapped the ball back to (Jim) Fregosi and we got a double play. That play there, I mean, it’s a game of inches. And that was a big play because in those days your goal as a pitcher was you win 20 games. And you’ve gotta really be lucky to get the breaks to do it.”

Chance is 74.

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Angels’ catcher conundrum: veteran Iannetta or rookie Perez

Carlos Perez didn’t make it any easier to insert Chris Iannetta into the Angels’ lineup Thursday night.

While Iannetta’s .080 August batting average dropped to 0.71 in his only start of the eight games preceding Thursday’s series finale with the White Sox, the Angels’ other catcher headed in the opposite direction.

Perez punctuated his 8-for-21 performance over those game eight games by going 2 for 3 Wednesday with the decisive home run in a 1-0 win.

Despite a 3-for-43 slump, Angels manager Mike Scioscia inserted Iannetta in the starting lineup on Thursday. One reason for Angels manager’s optimism was “a productive one-on-one session” for the catcher with hitting coach Don Baylor last week in Kansas City. Continue reading “Angels’ catcher conundrum: veteran Iannetta or rookie Perez” »

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