Halo Happenings

Angels name new awards for Adenhart, Gomez.

2009-06-21T22:30:28Z

Preston Gomez and Nick Adenhart will be further remembered by the Angels with a pair of new team awards, announced earlier today.

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The Los Angeles Angels today announced the club has established two awards, which will be presented annually, honoring the memory of Nick Adenhart and Preston Gomez.
The Nick Adenhart "Pitcher of the Year" award will be given to the Angels' pitcher whose Major League performance is selected by his teammates as the most outstanding throughout the course of the regular Championship Season.

At the same time, the "Preston Gomez Minor League Manager of the Year" award has been established to recognize one of the organization's seven minor league manager's for a standard of excellence in the areas of leadership, player development and professionalism exhibited throughout the course of the season. This award will be determined by members of the Angels Baseball Operations staff.

"It is important that the legacy of these two men and their impact within our organization be continued for years to come," said Angels' General Manager Tony Reagins. "I can think of no more important manner of doing so than by recognizing members of our baseball family in their honor."

Both awards will be presented in pre-game ceremonies during the final regular-season homestand each year.

Adenhart, 22, along with Courtney Stewart and Henry Pearson, were killed in a traffic accident April 9, shortly after the native of Silver Springs, MD pitched a masterful six innings, April 8 against Oakland (6 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 S), leaving with a 4-0 lead before a late-inning rally resulted in a 6-4 Angels defeat.

Originally drafted by the Angels in the 14th round of the June, 2004 draft, Adenhart was in his fifth professional season and made the Angels Opening Day roster for the first time. He began the 2009 campaign with a 37-28 career minor league record and a 3.87 ERA. Adenhart made his Major League debut May 1, 2008 against Oakland. At the time, he was the youngest pitcher in the majors.

Gomez, who devoted over 65 years of his life to professional baseball, passed away last January in Fullerton. He was 86.

During his career, Gomez served as a player, coach, manager, talent scout and consultant. He spent his last 28 years in baseball with the Angels, first as a major league coach and later as a special assistant to the General Manager.

A native of Havana, Cuba, Gomez began his playing career in 1944 as a 21-year-old shortstop with the Washington Senators. He was brought to the U.S. by the ballclub when major league rosters were depleted because of World War II. He batted .286 in eight games before spending the rest of his playing career in the minor leagues. Gomez had his finest season in the minors in 1951, batting .268 with nine home runs and 58 RBI for Three Rivers (PA).

After his playing career ended, Gomez first managed in the Mexican Winter League before being offered a minor league coaching position by the Dodgers. He spent eight seasons as a minor league manager in the Cincinnati, Los Angeles and New York Yankees farm systems, guiding clubs such as Fresnillo, Mexico City, Havana, Spokane and Richmond. He led the Dodgers' Spokane club to the Pacific Coast League pennant in 1960. He also spent time coaching with Houston and St. Louis.

In 1965, Gomez became the third-base coach for the Dodgers, where he served through four seasons, earning two National league pennants and a World Series title. He left the club in 1969 to manage the expansion San Diego Padres (1969-72), joining former Dodgers' Vice-President Buzzie Bavasi. He later managed the Houston Astros (1974-75) and Chicago Cubs (1980). Gomez compiled a 346-529 (.395) managerial record in seven seasons. He then joined the Angels' organization in 1981 as third base coach, a position he held for four seasons (1981-84) before becoming a special assistant to the General Manager.

Born April 20, 1923, in Central Preston, Oriented, Cuba, Gomez was inducted into the Hispanic Baseball Heritage Museum Hall of Fame, May 3, 2003.

Shields to have knee surgery, miss season.

2009-06-14T21:05:52Z

Angels reliever Scot Shields will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair the patella tendon on his left knee and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Shields had been on the disabled list since May 27, after going 1-3 with a 6.62 ERA to start the season.

The surgery will be conducted by Angels Team Orthopedist Dr. Lewis Yocum at the Kerlan-Jobe Surgery Center in Los Angeles. Shields will be ready to resume baseball activities in approximately six months.

Escobar: Second rehab start a success

2009-05-28T18:20:02Z

The only thing separating Kelvim Escobar from the Angels' pitching staff is the 60-day disabled list. That was the right-hander's pronouncement after throwing six near-perfect innings Wednesday night in his second rehabilitation start for Rancho Cucamonga.

]]> Escobar hit his 75-pitch allotment on the mark, allowing only an infield single when a hard-hit ground ball was bobbled near the outfield grass. He retired the other 18 Lancaster JetHawks he faced, eight via strikeout, and allowed just three balls to leave the infield.

"I'm going to make one more start," he said, "but I'm ready to join the big club."

The reason Escobar can't is that his DL stint ends June 3, leaving at least a week of down time to keep his arm in shape. Escobar said he will start for the Angels' Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City next Monday with a 90-pitch limit.

If anything, he could use an opportunity to face stiffer competition and pitch out of the stretch. The right-hander was in the stretch for only three batters on Wednesday.

"It's good when you have guys on base, but what can you do? Throw from the stretch on the side, I guess," Escobar said.

Not that any of the 2,401 in attendance at the Epicenter noticed, but they didn't see the same Escobar that last pitched for the Angels in 2007. For one, he wasn't throwing any sliders -- only two- and four-seam fastballs, split-fingered fastballs, changeups and curveballs. The slider is considered among the most strenuous pitches to throw, and Escobar likes his repertoire without it.

For another, his fastball started at 95 mph on the radar gun but was only clocking 92 by the sixth inning. For now at least, he doesn't seem to mind.

"I can overpower and pitch at the same time," said Escobar, who preferred to look at the bigger picture. Prior to having surgery last July to repair his torn labrum, a doctor gave Escobar a cautionary foreboding. "They said, 'you might be able to pitch but your stuff might not be the same,' " he recalled. "If you look at my stuff, it's never been better."

By throwing six innings and leaving with a 6-0 lead, Escobar had a chance to earn his first Single-A victory since 1996, when he was a 20-year-old in the Blue Jays' system. Instead, two Quakes relievers allowed six runs over the next two innings, allowing Lancaster to tie the game.

Lackey tossed after two pitches

2009-05-16T21:41:07Z

John Lackey's season debut with the Angels lasted all of two pitches to Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler, as he was ejected after hitting Ian Kinsler in the ribs with a pitch. The hit-by-pitch came after Lackey's first pitch sailed behind Kinsler's back.

Mike Scioscia is currently arguing his case to no avail. Shane Loux to enter in relief.

Is Matt Palmer (4-0) real?

2009-05-14T06:24:30Z

A lot of people have been waiting for Matt Palmer to crack. It looked like it was finally going to happen Wednesday night. I mean, how does a 30-year-old career minor league pitcher go unscathed for a month in the majors? If you're good enough to start the season 4-0 with a 3.37 ERA, you usually get discovered before your 30th birthday.

The first-inning home run Jason Bay hit off him was absolutely hammered. It was one of those that you weren't wondering if it was out, just how far. It took a great play by Erick Aybar to get Palmer out of a rocky second inning in which the Red Sox added two more runs to Bay's two-run homer.

After toiling in the San Francisco Giants minor league system for seven years, Palmer was admittedly already heaping pressure on himself to deliver in this opportunity with the Angels. Add to that the return of two-all star pitchers and it was an obvious time for Palmer to cave. Before the game Angels manager Mike Scioscia even left it open for Shane Loux to return to the rotation the next time around and you can bet he wasn't going to take anybody's spot but Palmer's.

After dropping himself into a 4-0 hole, Palmer was untouchable. He retired 19 in a row, 22 of his last 23. After Bay's third-inning single was negated by an inning-ending double play, not a single Red Sock (is that the singular of Sox?) reached base.

Palmer pitched his first career complete game and the Angels won 8-4.

After the game Scioscia had some interesting insight on Palmer's rise to prominance. First of all he thought Palmer only started two games for the Giants last season - his first and only major-league starts - because San Francisco "has the best young arms in the major leagues." Secondly, he thought Palmer didn't have the type of stuff that's going to wow scouts. But he quickly followed that up with the fact that Palmer proved he could win in the minor leagues.

Four starts in the big leagues. Four wins.

At this rate, Palmer may not just be keeping a spot in the rotation warm for Kelvim Escobar.

"He spent seven years in the minor leagues" Torii Hunter said. "but he's up here now, fulfilling his dream, pitching his butt off."

Santana, Lackey to go Thursday, Saturday

2009-05-13T22:24:21Z

Yet to throw a pitch for the Angels this season, Ervin Santana and John Lackey are officially set to return from the disabled list to the Angels starting rotation.

Santana will test a sprained right elbow against major league hitters for the first time when he starts today's series finale against the Boston Red Sox and Lackey (strained right forearm) will start Saturday at the Texas Rangers.

Opening-day starter Joe Saunders, originally scheduled to start Thursday, will instead face the Rangers on Friday, a move Angels manager Mike Scioscia preferred for multiple reasons.

"Just trying to get some length in between (Santana and Lackey) in case it takes them a while to stretch into their length," Scioscia said. "It serves two purposes because it gives Joe an extra day plus it helps separate two guys who maybe you wouldn't want to have to throw the extra 10 or 12 pitches."

After two minor-league rehabilitation starts each, neither Santana, who went 16-7 with a 3.49 ERA last season, nor Lackey, who was 12-5 with a 3.75 ERA in 2008, will be on a strict pitch count. Scioscia estimates the two will be able to throw up to 100 pitches.

"They're going to have enough pitches to pitch deep into a game," he said, "but they're certainly not going to get to the 105-, 110-pitch range this next outing but they could grow into that."

Rotation shuffle

2009-05-13T09:30:14Z

Ervin Santana and John Lackey will be activated from the disabled list this week, throwing the starting rotation into flux. Matt Palmer will start today against Tim Wakefield as scheduled before Santana makes his 2009 debut Thursday afternoon against Brad Penny.

Joe Saunders, originally scheduled to pitch Thursday, will take the mound in the opener of the series at Texas Friday before Lackey makes his debut Saturday.

Rivera guns down Ellsbury at home

2009-05-13T03:51:21Z

The Angels retained their 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning when leftfielder Juan Rivera threw a one-hop frozen rope home, nailing Jacoby Ellsbury's attempt to try to tag up from first base.

Ellsbury led off the sixth with a single off Jered Weaver - who has given up only three hits thus far - and stole second before advancing to third on a tag up off a Julio Lugo fly ball to right. David Ortiz hit a slightly shallow fly ball to left, which Rivera caught and threw home to get Ellsbury on a bang-bang play.

Hunter brushed back

2009-05-13T03:05:02Z

Boston starter Justin Masterson's three walks and one hit batter in the first two innings apparently didn't move home plate umpire Jim Joyce, who gave Masterson and both clubs a warning after Masterson threw a pitch behind Torii Hunter to lead off the bottom of the third. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

It's a 1-1 tie right now, with the Angels having left five runners on base during the first two innings. A Kendry Morales sacrifice fly brought in Maicer Izturis in the bottom of the first for the Angels, while J.D. Drew hit a solo homer in to straightaway center off Jered Weaver in the second.

Callup bittersweet for Wilson

2009-05-13T01:31:58Z

With starting pitcher Anthony Ortega sent down to Triple-A Salt Lake Sunday, the Angels brought up catcher Bobby Wilson from the Bees. Wilson, who made a cameo for the Angels last September, made his first appearance in the Angels clubhouse since the tragic death of pitcher Nick Adenhart, a good friend of his, on April 9.

Wilson made it a point to stop by Adenhart's locker, which is as it was left after Adenhart's last game the night of April 8. Stopping by his former roommate's locker gave Wilson the perspective he needed.

"The way the locker looks is vintage Nick," Wilson said. "That's exactly how I would imagine he would have left it. (Going by the locker) was a hard thing to do, but I guess it gives a little more closure. Not complete closure, but I'm glad I saw it."

Wilson, who keeps in regular contact with the Adenhart family, could very well be sent down later this week, when John Lackey and/or Ervin Santana are recalled from the disabled list. But that's something that Wilson is at peace with, especially after the tragedy that befell his close friend.

"Ultimately, it's just baseball and just a game," Wilson said. "We are blessed to be playing in it and quite frankly, it's supposed to be fun. That doesn't mean that I'm not going to try hard or put all my effort out there, but it's just a game."

Starting lineups

2009-05-13T01:25:47Z

Lineups for tonight's Red Sox-Angels game at Angel Stadium. Boston is without All-Star first baseman Kevin Youkilis for the seventh straight game with a tight lower left side and without American League MVP Dustin Pedroia at second. Pedroia left Sunday's game with the Tampa Bay Rays with a strained groin.

In their place is Jeff Bailey, who is playing first and batting seventh, and Nick Green, who is playing second and batting ninth. Justin Masterson (2-2, 5.28 ERA) is starting for Boston against Jered Weaver (3-1, 2.66 ERA) - who is fifth in the AL in ERA and coming off his first career complete game against Toronto this past Thursday.

Boston lineup:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Julio Lugo SS
3. David Ortiz DH
4. Jason Bay LF
5. Mike Lowell 3B
6. J.D. Drew RF
7. Jeff Bailey 1B
8. Jason Varitek DH
9. Nick Green 2B

Angels lineup
1. Chone Figgins 3B
2. Maicer Izturis SS
3. Bobby Abreu RF
4. Torii Hunter CF
5. Kendry Morales 1B
6. Mike Napoli DH
7. Juan Rivera LF
8. Howie Kendrick 2B
9. Jeff Mathis C

Escobar, Moseley updates

2009-05-13T00:58:27Z

Starting pitcher Kelvin Escobar's start in extended spring training Monday in Arizona reportedly went off without a hitch, as Escobar threw 45 pitches in the next step in recovering from right shoulder surgery.

"(Kelvim) threw very well," Scioscia said. "Everything we've heard about it is good right now."

While Escobar looks on track, for the time being, to come back early next month, Dustin Moseley suffered a setback. Moseley, out since April 18 with a tight right forearm, felt some pain in his neck after a throwing session and will be slowed down while that is addressed, according to Scioscia.

Lackey feeling ready

2009-05-13T00:43:13Z

The Angels haven't officially announced when John Lackey will start in this weekend's series at Texas, but as far as Lackey's concerned, he's ready to come back from his strained right forearm injury after throwing 79 pitches in a rehab start with Triple-A Salt Lake Sunday. Although that announcement could come as early as today, Lackey made it known how he feels

"I feel really good, like I'm ready to go," Lackey said. "I have a good idea of when my body is ready - I've been around the block a couple of times."

Lackey's position in the rotation could be based on the status of Ervin Santana, who pitched in a rehab start Saturday and threw a bullpen session earlier today, If Santana comes back ready, he would likely be inserted into the rotation Friday while Lackey would be reintroduced Saturday.

"There are a lot of factors that we still have to consider," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We aren't expecting any setback or anything, but we just want to make sure they are completely ready before we announce anything."

Royals familiar to Hunter

2009-05-09T22:43:19Z

Entering the current three-game series with the Angels, the Kansas City Royals were as hot as they've been in years, winning six in a row and eight of their last nine.

That streak came to an end last night, but 18-12 Kansas City, with its newfound success, is causing Angels centerfielder Torii Hunter to recall his early days with the Minnesota Twins.

"They remind me a lot of my days in Minnesota," Hunter said. "From 1998 to 2001, we were getting lit up pretty regularly, but we kept working and battling. In 2002 it started to click for us and come together. It seems like that's happening for them now."

Angels move to .500 with 4-1 win

2009-05-09T05:59:51Z

In a somewhat goofy game, the Angels moved to .500 for the first time since April 12 with a 4-1 victory over the Royals - breaking a six-game Kansas City winning streak. Not that Mike Scioscia is concerned with it.

"We really don't care about that right now," Scioscia said. "Our strategy isn't going to change just so we can be .500 at this point of the year. We are going to go out there and work the same way we have been working."

Howie Kendrick provided the big hit with a sixth-inning inside-the-park two-run homer that put the Angels up 4-1. The homer, a fly ball along the right field foul line that Kansas City rightfielder Jose Guillen couldn't get to, bounced around the fence at the warning track, allowing Kendrick and Juan Rivera to score easily.

The homer was the first of the year off Kansas City starting pitcher Gil Meche, who struck out seven in the losing effort. Matt Palmer struck out five and gave up two hits in 5 1/3 innings to get the victory, moving to 3-0, while Mike Napoli went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

Great pitching matchup coming up tomorrow, as Zack Greinke (6-0, 0.40 ERA) starts for the Royals against Joe Saunders (4-1, 3.29 ERA) at 6:05 p.m.