About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.

Mike Trout leaves Angels game with tightness in right hamstring.

Mike TroutMike Trout was removed in the fifth inning of the Angels’ game against the Houston Astros on Sunday with tightness in his right hamstring.

Update: “It’s all right. I’m just sore,” Trout told reporters after the game. “It’s not like it popped or anything. It was just a little grabbing, so it shouldn’t be too serious. … I’ll see how it is tomorrow. I came out just because I didn’t want it to get worse. It’s definitely frustrating when you can’t be out there. For me as a speed guy, I’ve got to take care of my legs.”

Trout has reached base safely in 40 consecutive games and is second in the American League in batting average at .333.

Trout was replaced in center field by right fielder Collin Cowgill. Kole Calhoun took over for Cowgill in right.

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Whatcha talkin’ bout? Dontrelle Willis pitches six shutout innings in Triple-A debut.

Dontrelle Willis made an impressive debut in his return to organized baseball Tuesday, shutting out the Albuquerque Isotopes in his first start for Triple-A Salt Lake.

Willis allowed three hits, walked one batter, hit another and struck out five. With a bright orange glove, a fastball in the 86-88 mph range, and his trademark high leg kick, Willis needed only 80 pitches (52 went for strikes) to complete six innings against the Isotopes, who had scored 15 runs their previous two games.

The Angels signed the 31-year-old left-hander to a minor-league deal out of the independent Atlantic League on August 4.

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Angels’ Mike Trout believes PED users should be banned for life by MLB.

Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez was suspended 211 games last week by Major League Baseball. (Getty Images)

Mike Trout grounded out in his first at-bat Monday by hitting the ball to New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. Who knows who would have fielded the baseball if his preferred penalties for known steroid users were in effect.

Trout told a New York radio station Monday morning that he would support lifetime bans for players who were caught using performance-enhancing drugs.

“To me personally, I think you should be out of the game if you get caught,” Trout told WFAN’s Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton. “It takes away from the guys that are working hard every day and doing it all natural.”

Last week, Rodriguez was suspended 211 games — the remainder of this season and all of 2014 — on the strength of evidence that he used performance enhancing drugs obtained from the shuttered Biogenesis clinic. Rodriguez appealed his suspension and is allowed to play in the meantime.

Under Trout’s proposal, Rodriguez and 13 other major leaguers would have been out of the game for life.

“Some people are just trying to find that extra edge,” Trout told WFAN. “It’s tough as a guy that goes out there and plays hard every day and puts (out) 110 percent effort every time. And then you wake up the next day and you see there’s a list of guys that are, you know, on the list. It’s good that MLB caught them and they are moving in the right direction with suspensions.”

Trout walked and singled in five plate appearances Monday, extending his streak of games reaching base to 42.

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Angels send Tommy Hanson to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Tommy Hanson

Tommy Hanson went 4-3 in 13 starts for the Angels this season. He was sent to Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday.

The Angels optioned Tommy Hanson to Triple-A Salt Lake after losing 2-1 to the New York Yankees on Monday, making room for Jason Vargas to be activated from the disabled list so he can start tomorrow.

Hanson is 4-3 with a 5.59 earned-run average in 13 starts for the Angels. He missed time early in the season while on the bereavement list and nearly a month — from June 20 to July 23 — on the disabled list with a forearm injury.
Continue reading “Angels send Tommy Hanson to Triple-A Salt Lake.” »

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