Press Clips (March 29, 2018) - MLB.com
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
March 29, 2018 Page 1 of 68
Press Clips
(March 29, 2018)
March 29, 2018 Page 2 of 68
CLIPS CONTENT
FROM THE OC REGISTER (PAGE 4)
Angels 2018 Preview: Roster breakdown, predictions and updates
A healthy Garrett Richards opens Angels’ season with optimism
Hoornstra: 10 easily overlooked things to watch in baseball in 2018
Angels: Ian Kinsler making progress from groin injury
These couples professed their love for the Angels – and each other – at their weddings
FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (PAGE 13)
Garrett Richards re-assumes ‘lead dog’ role for the Angels in opener against Athletics
FROM ANGELS.COM (PAGE 16)
Healthy Richards ready for Opening Day start
Revamped Angels eye return to prominence
All eyes on Trout, Ohtani this season
FROM THE ATHLETIC (PAGE 20)
Gammons: Foolish predictions on Opening Day, when half the teams in the majors can dream
of October
Angels notebook: Simmons feels confident at the plate, pitchers embrace the six-man
rotation, and more
Sarris: Ten bold predictions for the upcoming season
Rosenthal: Want serious predictions for the 2018 MLB season? Not here!
FROM ESPN.COM (PAGE 36)
Opening Day Live: Primer, predictions and updates from every game
FROM MLB.COM (PAGE 37)
Game on! Here’s your guide for Opening Day**
One hope for all 30 teams in 2018**
These are the 100 people who will influence the 2018 season the most (Part 4)**
Here’s every single Opening Day start for 2018**
FROM MiLB.COM (PAGE 41)
Top prospects making cut in Major Leagues**
FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (PAGE 42)
All eyes on Shohei Ohtani as Angels open season at Oakland
FROM FOX SPORTS.COM (PAGE 43)
Richards, Graveman get starts as Angels face A’s
LEADING OFF: Astros open defense, Giancarlo leads new faces
Predictions for the 2018 MLB season**
Series Preview: Angels vs. Athletics
FROM NBC SPORTS (PAGE 47)
Opening Day 2018: Top storylines**
FROM CBS SPORTS (PAGE 48)
MLB Opening Day pitching matchups, ranked: Corey Kluber vs. Felix Hernandez tops our list**
FROM YAHOO! SPORTS (PAGE 49)March 29, 2018 Page 3 of 68 All eyes on Shohei Ohtani as Angels open season at Oakland How two video-game designers tried to unravel the Shohei Ohtani problem FROM BLEACHER REPORT (PAGE 53) Scott Miller’s Foulproof 2018 Predictions (Or: Why I Hate Your Team) Projecting Each MLB Team’s Top Prospect in 2018** Ranking the Top 100 MLB Players at the Start of the 2018 Regular Season** Predicting Boom or Bust for Each MLB Playoff Hopeful in 2018** FROM FANRAG SPORTS (PAGE 57) Inside Baseball | Heyman’s 2018 Predictions 2018 MLB Opening Day storylines to watch** FROM SB NATION (PAGE 60) MLB Opening Day matchups, ranked** FROM THE RINGER (PAGE 61) The Ringer Staff’s 2018 MLB Season Predictions** FROM THE GUARDIAN (PAGE 63) MLB 2018 Predictions: Standton’s 70 homers and Dodgers-Astros power struggles** FROM LARRY BROWN SPORTS (PAGE 68) A’s use Angels’ Shohei Ohtani for marketing purposes
March 29, 2018 Page 4 of 68
FROM THE OC REGISTER
Angels 2018 Preview: Roster breakdown, predictions and updates
By James H. Williams
The wait is over for the Los Angeles Angels, who take the field Thursday to open the 2018 season against
the Oakland Athletics in a showdown between the two American League rivals.
The Angels will have familiar faces such as Mike Trout and Albert Pujols back for the 2018 season along
with new additions to the roster such as Shohei Ohtani, Zack Cozart and Ian Kinsler.
Feel free to bookmark this page for breaking news, updates and more on the Angels this season.
A healthy Garrett Richards opens Angels’ season with optimism
By Jeff Fletcher
OAKLAND — On a team whose starting pitchers have been victims of a raft of injuries over the past few
years, Garrett Richards stands alone in a couple ways.
He’s had the most serious injuries. He’s also performed the best when healthy.
The confluence of those facts brings Richards to the forefront of any discussion about how good the
Angels can be.
If only Richards could stay healthy, Angels fans lament, he has the stuff to be an ace. In between stints
on the disabled list, Richards has managed a career that matches up with some of the game’s Cy Young-
winning elite. His 96 mph fastballs and sharp sliders compose a dominant arsenal, one to which he has
worked to add a curveball this spring.
He will bring all that to the mound on Thursday against the Oakland A’s, throwing the first pitch of the
Angels’ season.
“I know what I can do when I’m on the mound,” he said. “I think everybody knows that. The name of the
game is staying healthy, and that’s what I’m concentrating on now.”
The skeptics will say they have heard this before. A year ago, in fact, Richards seemed to be a stem-cell
therapy success story, avoiding Tommy John surgery to make a healthy debut. He was not even five
innings into his season when he walked off the mound with a trainer, not to return until September.
While he was out, Richards heard all the critics say he should have just had Tommy John surgery in 2016,
but he has no regrets. The injuries of 2016 and 2017 were, he said, “totally unrelated. Two different
body parts.”March 29, 2018 Page 5 of 68 Richards insisted repeatedly last year, and again this spring, that last year’s biceps nerve issue was a fluke, one that took weeks to adequately diagnose. Now, Richards is beginning a season after a winter of increased flexibility training, which he hopes will keep him healthy. The Angels also plan to use a six-man rotation, which will often give Richards and the other starters another day of recovery. After tearing a tendon in his knee in 2014, blowing out his elbow in 2016 and suffering the nerve issue in 2017, Richards figures he’s due for some good luck, too. “Hopefully,” he quipped, “everything works in threes, and I’m done. … Hopefully the other stuff is behind me, and I can get back on track.” He’s been gone for so long – just 12 starts in the past two seasons – that it’s easy to forget just what it looks like when he is “on track.” Since Richards became a full-time starter in July 2013, he has a 3.16 ERA over 83 starts. To put that into context, just 14 pitchers have started at least 80 games in the past four years with an ERA of 3.16 or better. Among them: Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Max Scherzer, Corey Kluber, Madison Bumgarner, Dallas Keuchel, Chris Sale and Jake Arrieta. Among the pitchers with a worse ERA than Richards over the past four years: Felix Hernandez, David Price, Cole Hamels, Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander. Richards’ consistency is also notable. He’s allowed three runs or less in 76 percent of his starts since becoming a full-time starter. The major league average is 64 percent. The Angels have a .566 winning percentage in his starts over that span, and for much of that time they haven’t had an offense or defense as good as they believe they have now. If the Angels get a healthy Richards for 25 to 30 starts, they have essentially acquired an ace. Richards’ teammates want to see this for the obvious reason that it will make their team better, but also because they want to see a friend who has suffered so much rewarded. “We saw what he can do a few years ago, being healthy,” fellow starter Matt Shoemaker said. “I want to see him go out and dominate, and us go out and dominate. Knowing the capability is there, it’s exciting.” In 2014, Richards was enjoying his breakout season, posting a 2.61 ERA through 26 starts. He didn’t get a chance to finish that season after he crumpled to the ground at Fenway Park, his knee shredded when he twisted it covering first base. In 2015, he started 32 games and pitched 207-1/3 innings, posting a 3.65 ERA. Since then, even though he’s started just 12 times because of the injuries, he has a 2.31 ERA in those games.
March 29, 2018 Page 6 of 68 The fact that Richards has been consistently good, even when pitching sporadically around injuries, gives him and the Angels hope. “It’s not just potential,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “If you look at the season Garrett was putting together in 2014, it’s very real. Hopefully he’s going to be throwing the ball as well as he has all spring, and stay healthy. And we’re very confident he will.” If that’s the case, it is going to prompt the next question: will the Angels re-sign him? Richards, 29, is eligible for free agency at the end of the 2018 season. He said the Angels have not approached him about an extension, but he’s certainly ready to listen. He’s been with the organization since it drafted him in 2009. “I am just going to go put up numbers,” he said. “I’m sure at some point we’ll talk about something. … I’m interested to see whatever the appeal of free agency is, but this is all I’ve ever known. It has sentimental value. I have known everybody around here since the minor leagues. This is a place I’d like to stay, but sometimes it works out differently. This is a business. We’ll just see what happens.” At the moment, Richards’ value is hard to assess because of all the injuries. He is clearly a No. 1 starter, a pitcher Scioscia recently called the “lead dog” of his staff. Richards knows as well as anyone that he needs to stay healthy to reach the stature in the game that his talent would suggest. That starts with getting through Thursday’s game. He was hurt in his first start in 2017, on the same mound he’ll be taking for this game. “Right now,” he said, “it’s all about taking it one day at a time, and making sure I recover and do all the things in between that will make me successful and healthy on Day 5.” Hoornstra: 10 easily overlooked things to watch in baseball in 2018 By J.P.Hoornstra Invisible tickets? Invisible injuries? Invisible free agents? Baseball is changing in some important but imperceptible ways. As the 2018 season begins, here are 10 easy-to-miss trends worth your attention. THE BASEBALLS
March 29, 2018 Page 7 of 68 ESPN recently commissioned a USC professor, Meng Law, to put a batch of eight baseballs through a CT scanner. It was a blind study, so Law didn’t know the source of the baseballs. It turns out, four of the balls were bought off eBay after being used in the first half of the 2015 season (and authenticated by MLB). The other four were used in the 2017 season. All Law could tell was that half of the balls were significantly less dense than the other half. As you might have guessed, the 2017 baseballs were less dense. Other studies have supported the conclusion that the composition of balls changed in the second half of the 2015 season, which coincided with a rise in home runs. MLB is expected to complete a study of its own, in consultation with independent experts. There is no timetable for the announcement of the results. THE UNSIGNED FREE AGENTS It makes no sense to pay attention to players who aren’t on the field. Then again, can you remember a year when a dozen similarly talented players in their early-to-mid-30s remained unemployed on opening day? The ranks of the jobless include Matt Holliday, Jose Bautista, Mark Reynolds, Melky Cabrera, J.J. Hardy, Brandon Phillips, Seth Smith, Stephen Drew, Carlos Ruiz, Andre Ethier, Greg Holland, Joe Blanton, John Lackey, Ricky Nolasco and Scott Feldman. If each of these players is simply waiting for a major-league job, every significant injury to a player at their position will thrust their name into someone’s imagination. If they’re lucky, maybe that someone will be a major league general manager. THE HEALTH OF MINOR LEAGUE PITCHERS Making an opening-day roster carries more honorary significance than practical significance. It’s only one day. For pitchers, though, the difference between starting the season in the minors or the majors means a bit more in 2018. Minor League Baseball imposed a 15-second pitch clock with no runners on base at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. The only affiliated league to experiment with a 15-second clock before, the Class-A Florida State League, saw a rise in pitcher disabled list stints. There’s reason to believe that isn’t a coincidence. It’s something to keep in mind if your favorite pitcher is suddenly unavailable for a call-up, or develops an injury only after being demoted to the minors. MOUND VISITS
March 29, 2018 Page 8 of 68 To combat the ever-expanding pace of play, teams will be limited to six mound visits in nine-inning games this year. In spring training, that led to some misunderstandings. Players seem to think stealing signs will be easier if pitchers and catchers can’t meet to change them. In any event, veteran umpire Ted Barrett told ESPN in March that any remaining nuances with the mound-visit rule would be clarified by opening day. If umpires and managers are still sorting out their misunderstandings on the field, the pace of games definitely won’t pick up. NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF PHYSICAL TICKETS Dodger Stadium is among the venues introducing a new ticket-taking technology, exclusive to iPhones and Apple Watches, that will someday make physical tickets look like 8-track players. Just scan the code on your device and you’re in. YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD LOWER OVERHEAD, BUT … … tickets aren’t getting cheaper, at least in Southern California. According to VividSeats.com, the median price of a Dodgers ticket rose 11 percent from 2017 to 2018, from $75 to $83. Angels tickets rose 20.9 percent, from $48 to $58. Looking to the secondary market? No help there. The average Dodgers ticket rose 16.5 percent to $92, according to TicketIQ.com. At least neither team won the World Series. The Houston Astros inflated ticket prices more sharply than any team over the winter, and now own baseball’s most expensive median ticket at $96. CONCUSSIONS Baseball’s concussion risk might be minuscule compared to football and hockey, but it’s demanding more attention than ever. Dale Scott didn’t umpire a game last year after April 14, when an errant foul ball left him with a concussion. He chose to retire at age 58. Yasmani Grandal and other major league catchers recently invested in Force3, a company that manufactures what they hope is a safer mask. FASTBALLS, OR THE LACK THEREOF Pitchers have thrown fastballs at a declining rate since 2008, when pitch type was first reliably tracked. At one point in last year’s playoffs, Astros pitcher Lance McCullers threw 24 curveballs in a row. Why? It’s his best pitch. As more and more pitchers embrace this strategy – and eschew the conventional wisdom of “establishing the fastball” – there’s little reason to believe the trend will stop. THE YULI GURRIEL SUSPENSION
March 29, 2018 Page 9 of 68 Five games without pay, effective later: that’s the suspension Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel received during last year’s World Series for making a gesture and uttering a phrase that many interpreted as racist. Yu Darvish, then with the Dodgers, quickly encouraged fans to forgive and move on. Gurriel’s suspension begins Thursday. He told reporters in January that he’s already completed the sensitivity training mandated by Commissioner Rob Manfred. Meanwhile, The Athletic reported that various advocacy groups have reached out to Manfred with their own concerns. In a perfect world, we won’t be writing about the incident after this week. THE LAST 3,000TH HIT FOR A WHILE A week from Friday, the Angels will give away an Albert Pujols figurine commemorating his countdown to 3,000 career hits. Pujols is healthy and sitting on 2,968 hits. It isn’t too ambitious to expect another 32. And hey, why not celebrate early? There won’t be many 3,000th hits in the years to come. After Pujols, Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who turns 35 in April and is under contract until 2023, is next with 2,636. Robinson Cano, 35 years old and the owner of 2,376 career hits, is third on the active list. It’s a dying milestone. Better celebrate it while we can. Angels: Ian Kinsler making progress from groin injury By Jeff Fletcher Ian Kinsler, who missed the Angels’ final two exhibition games because of a groin injury, made progress during a workout on Wednesday, according to General Manager Billy Eppler, but the club was not ready to finalize its opening day roster. Teams can wait until Thursday morning to submit their first 25-man roster of the season. It remains likely that Kinsler would begin the season on the active roster, because his injury is considered day to day. Zack Cozart can play second in the short term, with either Luis Valbuena or Jefry Marte moving to third. If Kinsler has to go on the disabled list, it’s likely the Angels would recall Kaleb Cowart or Nolan Fontana.
March 29, 2018 Page 10 of 68 These couples professed their love for the Angels—and each other—at their weddings By Samantha Bush There’s nothing quite like celebrating true love on your wedding day. Especially when the true love of both the bride and groom is Angels baseball. That’s why, to commemorate Opening Day 2018, we asked for readers to send in memories and photos of special Angels moments at their weddings. We got over 200 photo responses and dozens of tales of special baseball-themed memories from wedding ceremonies. Many brides wore Angels garters, quite a few couples actually got married at Angel Stadium and one pair even got married on the 27th as a nod to Mike Trout. Here are all the Angels details our readers had as part of their weddings. Some responses were edited for clarity. Alexandria Weinfurter, Chino Married Jan. 27, 2018 I gave my husband a baseball glove that was red (because of the Angels) as well as a baseball. We also got married on 1/27 because of Mike Trout being #27 on the angels and he is our favorite baseball player of all time!! Then my father in law gave my husband and I a signed MLB baseball that was personalized from Mike Trout for our wedding gift. It was the best day ever and nothing will ever change that. My husband even said in his vows “I promise to make this the best day of my life even if I meet Mike Trout one day!!” Lacy Merrell, Orange Married Nov. 11, 2015 Lacy wore an Angels garter belt at her nuptials. Steven Aguilar, Eastvale Married March 23, 2018 Steven and his wife had Angels lapel pins, jerseys, bobbleheads, centerpieces and Angels socks at their “House Divided” baseball themed wedding. He also went to Spring Training for his Bachelor Weekend. Elisa & Jeff Willis, Orange Married May 24, 2013 We were both Angels fans when we met and knew it was important to us both. We wanted a wedding that would be memorable for our family and friends. We had our engagement pictures on the field at Angel stadium, I had my bachelorette party Sunday at the day game before the big day, and our wedding reception was in the Diamond club. It began with our save the date shaped like a baseball ticket with the seat number and Angels theme. Mike Scioscia even signed one for us. At my bachelorette
March 29, 2018 Page 11 of 68 party we sang “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” on the field at the seventh inning stretch. Our wedding was filled with an Angels baseball theme. From popcorn and pretzels for the appetizers, Angels baseball garter to cracker jacks and baseball chocolates for our party favors. The groomsmen had Angels baseball ties, the groom had baseball cuff links, and the tables had baseball numbers. Our wedding party pictures were in the dugout and our final photo was at dusk with the stadium behind us. As we near our 5 year anniversary this May it is the wedding that all our family and friends still have amazing memories from. Emily Perez, Cerritos Married Nov. 24, 2012 We got married at Angel Stadium at home plate and the reception was in the Diamond Club. We are huge baseball fans so each table was a different MLB team and we took our photos all around the stadium. We also served baseball food like hot dogs and nachos. Michelle and Steve Hindman, Tustin Married June 4, 2010 I am a Dodgers fan and my husband is an Angels fan. We had Dodgers and Angels M&M’s as party favors and also took our engagement photos at Angel Stadium and used them as part of our centerpieces on the tables. Joshua and Maxine Franks Married April 7,2017 We got married April 7th, 2017 at the old Orange County courthouse. After we got married, on a whim, we bought club loge seats to the Angels vs Mariners game and celebrated together in her wedding dress and my suit above third base. I wore my late father’s Pioneer League Championship ring the he won when he played in Idaho Falls for the Angels minor league system in 1970. The staff at Angels stadium was so kind when we arrived and found out that we were just married that they gave us a gift basket full of giveaways that we still have. The fellow fans that sat around us bought us drinks and one bought us a cheesecake yogurt to celebrate like a wedding cake. The Angels won that game 5-1 over the Mariners. It was such a wonderful experience. And we both truly believe that my father was there celebrating with us in spirit. Looking forward to another great season! Go Angels!! Amanda Ward, Tustin Married July 7, 2017 My wedding gift to my husband was a new Angels hat that he wore during our reception. Nicole Wood, Garden Grove Married Jan. 7, 2017 We had a full baseball wedding reception. The head table was Angels/Cubs (my husband likes them also) but our bridesmaids had baseball bouquets . Our flowers were red and white. It was a major color in our wedding our cake was baseball themed. Shandi Cardenas, San Bernardino Married Sept. 12, 2015
March 29, 2018 Page 12 of 68 We had an Angels and Dodgers wedding, we walked as husband and wife to “Take Me Out To The Ball Game,” and we had Angels flags and my wedding shoes were Angels-themed. Annica Bodkin, Huntington Beach Married March 14, 2015 Both of us wore Angels jerseys while we were getting ready. But my favorite, is our Angels detail for when we announced our wedding date. We had custom jerseys made, he was 3 and I was 14, as our wedding date was March 14th. We put his last name (and my name-to-be) on top of the jerseys! Karen Penwarden-Alvarado, Anaheim Married Dec. 16, 2016 Our wedding reception was held at Angel Stadium! Jayme Crist, Murrieta Married May 11, 2013 We got married on home plate at the Angel Stadium, our reception was in the Diamond Club. Lorelei, Winchester Married June 7, 2008 We did our engagement photos at Angel Stadium. We used the photos in a book that guests signed at the wedding. Franny Guerrero, Garden Grove Married Nov. 20, 2010 Our wedding took place at Angel Stadium! All of the details were baseball themed, from the baseball roses, the vintage glove the rings were carried on, the baseball cake, to the actual ceremony, reception and getting ready all occurred at the stadium. We had it all planned out, paid for the lights to be on, for the ceremony to be at home plate (leaving all the guests in suspense). Unfortunately 11/20 is a day of rain! We were the first ceremony planned under the lights and we were rained out! I was devastated! The tears were flowing, however my soon to be husband at the time, sent be some beautiful flowers and reassured me everything would be perfect, and it was! They quickly moved our ceremony into the then Knothole Club and the show went on! We had an amazing reception in the Diamond Club and everyone had a blast. We have now been married 7 years and hope to renew our vows at 10 years, at home plate as originally planned. So get ready Angel Stadium, the Guerrero’s will be back November 20, 2020! Melissa Weaver, Buena Park Married May 26, 2007 We had a lot of different Angels references in our wedding! I gave my husband Angels cuff links as his day-of gift, I had an Angels garter and he wore his favorite Angels hat the entire reception. Our table names and numbers were our favorite Angels players and their jersey numbers. The grooms cake was a replica of Angel Stadium as well. Our wedding party walked out to “Spirit in the Sky” and we walked out to “Enter Sandman” ! It was definitely an Angels-filled wedding!!
March 29, 2018 Page 13 of 68
Lacy Gavin, Riverside
Married May 12, 2018
We rocked our Angels hats & Trout jerseys in our engagement pictures. We also wrote our wedding date
on a ball that my fiance caught at an Angel game on my birthday (which was our first Angels game
together as a couple). We loooove our Angels!
Jennifer Fehr
Jennifer had an Angels-themed bridal shower and went to an Angels game with her bridesmaids.
Julie Elmquist
Married 1991
My husband and I were married at Anaheim stadium before an Angels vs Red Sox game in 1991.
Blanca Lemos, Yucaipa
Married October 4, 2014
Took our engagement pictures at the stadium. Our colors were Red and Gray. I wore an Angels garter.
Summer Serna
My husband and I got married in 2012. We are both huge Halo fans, we actually met at an Angels
tailgate in 2008. We wanted subtle touches of baseball at our wedding. My husband and his groomsmen
took their photos in front of the stadium. Instead of our ring bearer carrying rings, he carried a home
plate that was laid at the alter as we said our vows. We then used it as a “guest book”. The cake topper
was baseball themed. The bag that my husband carried for our money dance was hand made and had
the Angels logo on it.
Mariana Antunez
Married May 7, 2011
Our first time we hung out together was a group event at Angel Stadium – Pennant playoffs with the
Minnesota twins back in 2002. The year the Angels won the world series. Several Spring Training years
later, we decided to make it permanent. Fast forward to May 7, 2011: We were married in our Angels’
gear at home with our children, family and baseball family in attendance. We rented a large suite at the
stadium for our guests and celebrated the evening while watching our favorite team.
Angels baseball was our common thread that brought us together. Our wedding day was full of great
memories. The only regret was not having rented (2) suites and invited more people!
FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
Garrett Richards re-assumes ‘lead dog’ role for the Angels in opener against
Athletics
By Jeff MillerMarch 29, 2018 Page 14 of 68 Entering this season, Garrett Richards hopes to employ his curveball more, intent on emphasizing its spin. In the lead-up to starting the Angels' opener in Oakland, the right-hander was spinning brilliantly the potential benefits of his team's expanded rotation. "If you can get 28 crispy starts instead of 28 crispy starts and five soggy ones, I think the team would take the former," Richards said. "Hopefully, it will boost our performance." Extra crispy is actually the Angels' preference for 2018, a goal club officials believe can be achieved by using at least five and often six starters, an idea that blossomed after the December addition of Shohei Ohtani. To better approximate the schedule that helped make Ohtani a two-way star in Japan, the Angels will be giving the members of their rotation more rest to start this season. Rather than rigidly working every fifth day, the pitchers will be forced to practice flexibility, their schedules significantly more fluid than what's normal for athletes who can be so committed to routine that they'll eat the same lunch every day. And this is happening in an era when finding five capable starters can be a challenge for teams. No, the Angels aren't playing this aspect of their promising season by the book. They're instead trying to write a new-age story about an age-old game. "I guess we're going to find out together what it's all about," Richards said. "But it's not something that's going to be a negative. An extra day of rest…it can't be bad." And it should be healthier. That's another thing those Angels officials believe, theirs being a rotation that has been tattered by injuries the past few seasons. Richards started only six games in 2016 and six more in 2017, his issues involving his knee, elbow and biceps. Because of his backstabbing body parts, Richards will be making just his second opening day start Thursday. This for a pitcher manager Mike Scioscia first labeled the "lead dog" quite some time ago. Richards became a full-time starter in July of 2013 and, since then when healthy, rarely has disappointed. In 99 career starts, he has a 3.46 ERA and nearly 2 1/2 strikeouts for every walk. The opposition has hit .233 against him. "I'm sure at times he's looked like a legitimate ace," new teammate Ian Kinsler said. "I don't see why he can't be an ace. He's always been a tough pitcher to feel comfortable against."
March 29, 2018 Page 15 of 68 Still, Richards will be pitching Thursday on the same mound where his most recent injury happened. He departed his first start last season in the fifth inning because of cramping in his arm. He didn't return until September, until the Angels basically were done being surprise playoff contenders and players like Richards were left to salvage what remained. "It's just a coincidence, I guess," he said of facing the A's on the road again 51 weeks later. "I don't really think about that too much. I'm just really excited to be back playing baseball again." Pitching coach Charles Nagy said Richards this spring displayed "dominant stuff." General manager Billy Eppler called his performance in Arizona "remarkable." He had to be the final, the most obvious opening day starter to be so deemed by his manager, Scioscia, as has become his custom, waiting until this week to make Richards' appointment official. Even so, this start brings with it a profound amount of uncertainty, uncertainty that has nothing to do with Richards' health. He is about to begin what could be his final season with the Angels. Richards, 29, a first-round pick of this organization in 2009, is eligible for free agency in the winter. The two sides have not discussed an extension and aren't likely to any time soon. To appreciate how dramatically circumstances can change, consider that the Angels' opening day starter last season, Ricky Nolasco, was just released by Kansas City and, for now, is out of baseball. Though their situations are vastly different — Nolasco, for one thing, is six years older than Richards — the point is that being the "lead dog" today doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot when tomorrow arrives. "I'd like to stay here," Richards said. "I like what we've built. I've played with a lot of these guys for a while now. But, obviously, it's a business. If I can stay healthy, I know everything will be fine." ### Kinsler, who missed the final two games of the Freeway Series because of a groin problem, was evaluated Wednesday before the Angels traveled to Oakland and continues to improve. He is considered day-to-day, the team hoping a move to the disabled list will be unnecessary. Rosters aren't required to be set until Thursday, giving the Angels more time to monitor Kinsler's progress.
March 29, 2018 Page 16 of 68
FROM ANGELS.COM
Healthy Richards ready for Opening Day start
By Jane Lee
OAKLAND -- A pair of American League West rivals will converge in Oakland on Thursday for yet another
Opening Day meeting. The host A's will pit right-hander Kendall Graveman against Angels righty Garrett
Richards in the 1:05 p.m. PT matchup at the Coliseum.
It's the second straight Opening Day nod for Graveman, who at age 27 is the vet of a youthful A's
rotation. His first resulted in a win, with Graveman striking out seven and holding the Angels to two runs
and six hits over six innings.
Shoulder injuries, however, limited Graveman to 105 1/3 innings last season. He endured two stints on
the disabled list and finished the year with a 4.19 ERA in 19 starts.
"He might not be the most veteran pitcher in the league, but for us, he's our guy, he's embraced it," A's
manager Bob Melvin said. "He's ready for it."
Richards, meanwhile, missed much of the last two seasons with arm injuries but remains the resident
ace on staff. Now fully healthy, the 29-year-old seeks a return to his old self. He posted a combined 3.18
ERA in 58 starts for the Angels between 2014-15, before being limited to just six starts in each of the
past two seasons.
Richards has a deep lineup behind him. The Angels, who re-signed left fielder Justin Upton in the first
days of the offseason, also added infielders Ian Kinsler and Zack Cozart to their Mike Trout-led offense.
Then came two-way player Shohei Ohtani, who they still believe to be a power threat despite mixed
results at the plate in the spring.
Ohtani is expected to serve as designated hitter in the opener, before shifting to the mound for a start in
the fourth game of this four-game set on Sunday.
The A's are also primed for big things at the plate this year. Khris Davis, who has 85 home runs over the
past two seasons, is surrounded by several homer-happy hitters, including Matt Olson. Matt Chapman,
Marcus Semien, Matt Joyce, and newcomers Stephen Piscotty and Jonathan Lucroy also possess 20-plus-
homer power.
Three things to know about this game
• As a franchise, the A's are 55-62 on Opening Day, while the Angels have played to a 24-33 record on
the first game of the season since their inception.
• Trout has 13 career home runs in 218 at-bats at the pitcher-friendly Coliseum, where he's hit .266 with
a .351 on-base percentage in 56 games as a visitor.March 29, 2018 Page 17 of 68 • Graveman is 2-2 with a 3.96 ERA in 11 career starts against the Angels, including 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA in five starts against them in 2017. Richards is 2-4 with a 4.12 ERA in 16 career meetings (12 starts) opposite the A's. Revamped Angels eye return to prominence Offseason acquisitions have club upbeat with postseason aspirations By Maria Guardado TEMPE, Ariz. -- Angels camp has been at the epicenter of media attention this spring, and it's not because of the presence of superstar Mike Trout or future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols. The main draw this year has been Shohei Ohtani, the 23-year-old pitcher/hitter who is attempting to translate his two-way play to the Majors after five groundbreaking seasons in Japan. Ohtani has sparked plenty of curiosity because of the novelty of his endeavor in the Majors, but he is expected to be a key member of the Angels' roster in 2018, forming part of their six-man rotation and serving as a part-time designated hitter in their lineup. The arrival of Ohtani and several other new pieces have created heightened expectations for the Angels, who were forced to watch the postseason unfold without them for the third consecutive season after falling just short of an American League Wild Card berth in 2017. "With all the new additions, we're just going to go out and try to win ballgames," Trout said. "People are going to think the expectations are higher, for sure. We're trying to get to the playoffs and make a push." What's the goal? The Angels haven't won a postseason game since 2009. They've reached the playoffs only once since Trout debuted in 2011, when they were swept by the Royals in the '14 AL Division Series. With Trout under contract for only three more seasons, the urgency to win is building for the club, which was active this offseason in building a competitive roster for '18. The World Series champion Astros will enter the season as the heavy favorites in the AL West, but the Angels' offseason additions should, at the very least, put them in contention for an AL Wild Card spot. What's the plan? In addition to landing Ohtani, general manager Billy Eppler and his staff largely focused on beefing up their offense this offseason, re-signing left fielder Justin Upton, acquiring second baseman Ian Kinsler from the Tigers and convincing free-agent infielder Zack Cozart to come onboard to play third base. The Angels are hoping the newcomers will help deepen their lineup, which ranked 11th in the AL in on-base percentage and last in slugging percentage in 2017.
March 29, 2018 Page 18 of 68 After being burned by rotation injuries in each of the past two seasons, the Angels are also entering '18 with enough depth to make a six-man rotation both feasible and sensible. Their pitching staff should receive plenty of support from the club's defense, which has Gold Glove Award winners all over the diamond, including Andrelton Simmons, Martin Maldonado, Kole Calhoun, Kinsler and Pujols. What could go wrong? The Angels' projected rotation features five pitchers -- Garrett Richards, Tyler Skaggs, Andrew Heaney, Matt Shoemaker and JC Ramirez -- who missed substantial chunks of last season due to injury, so their success this season will likely hinge on their starters' ability to stay healthy. There are also questions surrounding the Angels' bullpen, which lost two of its best relievers, Yusmeiro Petit and Bud Norris, to free agency. Blake Parker, who enjoyed a breakout 2017 campaign, and Keynan Middleton, who showed promise as a rookie, will be back, but the club will be counting on bounce-back seasons from Cam Bedrosian and veteran Jim Johnson to help fill the gaps at the back end of their bullpen. Who could surprise? Everyone will be watching Ohtani, who could become the Majors' first two-way star since Babe Ruth. The Angels will give Ohtani a chance to hit and pitch, but managing his workload while keeping him sharp in both disciplines will be a challenge for both sides. Still, Ohtani clearly possesses the talent, discipline and skill to make this unique undertaking work. He has the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation starter, with an upper-90s fastball and an impressive array of secondary pitches, including a splitter, slider and curveball. A left-handed hitter, Ohtani is also gifted with elite raw power and was known to launch 500-foot home runs in Japan. Ohtani will face a myriad of adjustments this year, from the higher level of competition, to the grueling 162-game schedule to living alone in the United States for the first time. It's a tall task for any rookie, let alone one who will be subject to intense media scrutiny as he navigates his first season in the Majors. All eyes on Trout, Ohtani this season By Maria Guardado TEMPE, Ariz. -- They were featured on the latest cover of Sports Illustrated, the best player in baseball standing beside the game's most intriguing newcomer. The pairing was appropriate, as Mike Troutand Shohei Ohtani figure to be the two most visible faces of the Angels, a franchise looking to reassert itself after missing the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. Trout and Ohtani have not only amplified the star power of the Angels' roster, but they've also helped shape the club into one of the most exciting teams to watch in 2018. "Not only those guys," shortstop Andrelton Simmons said. "We have a lot more guys that are big names in the lineup, and if you put all that together, it's supposed to be a really good team. It's promising. I'm
March 29, 2018 Page 19 of 68 excited for the start of the season and seeing, once everybody gets settled in, how the team is going to play." Ohtani's arrival has deflected some attention away from Trout this spring, but the center fielder remains the Angels' unequivocal superstar, a generational talent who has enjoyed a brilliant and largely unprecedented start to his career. At 26, Trout is a two-time American League MVP, a six-time All Star and already the most valuable player in Angels history, with a 54.2 WAR over his first six full seasons in the Majors, according to Baseball Reference. Trout's streak of five consecutive top-two finishes in the AL MVP balloting came to an end last year, in part because he missed 39 games with a thumb injury, but he still finished in fourth place and will likely be a preseason favorite to recapture the award in 2018. "He's very talented," manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think Mike's challenge is going to be consistency. He's shown what he can do. I know his goal is to do it year in and year out." For all of Trout's individual accomplishments, the Angels have struggled to build a competitive team around him and have yet to win a playoff game since he broke into the Majors. The Angels have received criticism for seemingly squandering Trout's prime, but general manager Billy Eppler and his staff were active in constructing a strong supporting cast this offseason that should put the club in position to contend in 2018. "With all the new additions, we're just going to go out and try to win ballgames," Trout said. "People are going to think the expectations are higher, for sure. We're trying to get to the playoffs and make a push. We've got one goal in there, to win a championship." No offseason acquisition generated as much buzz as Ohtani, who surprised many by choosing to sign with the Angels following a wild courtship from nearly all 30 clubs. Ohtani gained notoriety for his ability to fire a triple-digit mph fastball and launch 500-foot home runs in Japan, and he's drawn intense media scrutiny as he's attempted to carry over his two-way endeavor to the Majors. While the 23-year-old has produced underwhelming results this spring, logging a 16.20 ERA in four starts on the mound and going 3-for-28 (.107) in 12 Cactus League games, the Angels have expressed confidence in his talent as both a pitcher and hitter. "He's young," Simmons said. "I think he's going to take a little bit of time to make adjustments because it's a different league, new environment. There's a lot of attention, but once he gets settled in, I think he's going to be a good player. I don't know when that's going to be, if it's going to be early or if it's going to take a couple weeks or months, but once he settles in, I think he's going to be a really good player." The spotlight will only intensify once the regular season begins, as Ohtani is expected to earn a spot on the Angels' Opening Day roster despite his struggles this spring. Ohtani will likely pitch on a minimum of five days' rest and hit two to three times a week, though the Angels will manage his workload carefully as he navigates his rookie season in the Majors.
March 29, 2018 Page 20 of 68
Though his exploits have been the dominant storyline this spring, Ohtani has remained unfazed by all
the attention and has integrated well into the Angels' clubhouse despite the language barrier and
change in culture.
"I don't know how everybody else feels, but I feel like I'm fitting in well," Ohtani said via interpreter
Ippei Mizuhara.
FROM THE ATHLETIC
Gammons: Foolish predictions on Opening Day, when half the teams in the
majors can dream of October
By Peter Gammons
In Theo Epstein’s time as the Red Sox general manager, there was a sign in the baseball operations
meeting room that read, “We Don’t Know —.” It was a grounding reminder, not only to an organization
that ended a mythical curse, but to all of us who daily answer the friendly question, “Who do you like
this year?”
The reply is usually the name of some player who struck me the previous day. While what we believe on
Opening Day may be steeped in logic, it cannot consider Madison Bumgarner’s dirt bike accident, or
Aaron Sanchez’s blisters. Billy Beane always says, “The first two months are to figure out what you have,
the next two months are to get what you need and the last two months are the run to get into the
playoffs.” And even then, Derek Jeter decides a Barry Zito-Mike Mussina classic with a backhand relay
flip.
On Opening Day 2015, no one knew the Royals would have Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto for the
postseason. In 2016, no one knew Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman would be pitching in a Game
Seven in Cleveland and Zobrist would get the hit down the line. In 2017, no one could have imagined
that Justin Verlander and Yu Darvish would start Games Six and Seven or that Charlie Morton would
close out Houston’s first World Series championship.
The Astros were really good. But if the best reliever in the National League, Kenley Jansen, doesn’t give
up a shocking home run to Marwin González with a one-run lead in the ninth inning of the second game,
is the end different? If Corey Kluber had been healthy, were the Indians not the team to beat?
It’s always been that way. Pedro Martínez going back out in the eighth inning of Game Seven of the
2003 ALCS with a 5-2 lead?… Mariano Rivera closing out Game Four of a would-be sweep in the ninth
inning in 2004?… The Rangers twice one strike away in Game Six in 2011?… Jordan Zimmerman removed
one out away from a 1-0 shutout of the Giants in the second game of the 2014 NLCS?…
Remember, 2018 is the 70th anniversary of “Dewey Defeats Truman.”
The Astros absolutely can be the first team in this century to win back-to-back World Series. The
Yankees can win it all. So can the Indians and the Nationals, the Cubs, the Dodgers, the Red Sox. ThereMarch 29, 2018 Page 21 of 68 will be a Loyola-Chicago, maybe someone like the Diamondbacks. After what we’ve seen these last three weeks, climate change could make a Yankees-Dodgers World Series last until the Army-Navy game, between Northeasters and fires and floods. But on Opening Day 2018, start with what I now believe: —Those seven teams—the Nationals, Cubs, Dodgers, Astros, Indians, Yankees and Red Sox—are most likely to play in October. —Because of the new postseason format that justifiably rewards finishing first, the Yankee-Red Sox race could take on heated significance, and so, too could the National League Central if everything went right for the Cardinals' young pitching. —If the Nationals, Red Sox (with the highest payroll) and/or Indians do not make it to October, the ramifications would be interesting, especially given the free agencies of Bryce Harper, Miller, Cody Allen and Craig Kimbrel. —The Angels, Mets, Rockies, Cardinals and Brewers have every right to look back at where the Twins went in 2017 and believe they can do the same. For that matter, so do the Twins. —The Rays reiterated to inquiring contenders this past week that Chris Archer is off the market. But think about the auction should the Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs and Astros think they’re one more frontline starter away after the All-Star break. A longtime friend calls the day before Opening Day “the real Apil Fools Day” because all the media’s predictions are due. On this day, annually, he texts me a picture of the cover of the 1987 Sports Illustrated baseball issue with Cory Snyder and Joe Carter and the prediction that the Indians would win the World Series after a 39-year drought that dates back to George Herbert Walker Bush’s senior year at Yale. In 1987, Cleveland finished 61-101 with a -215 run differential. In my defense, I actually thought the Mets were far and away the best team in the game last season… and by June almost every one of their vaunted starting pitchers had been hurt. The way I look at 2018, I believe that 15 teams have a right to dream about October. Starting out, reminding one and all that I had the Indians beating the Cubs in the 2017 World Series, I would rank the potential postseason teams— half the teams in MLB— in this order: In brief:
March 29, 2018 Page 22 of 68 Indians: Their starting pitching can be the best in either league, beginning with Corey Kluber and his focus and diligence, which rubs off on others. Players this spring touted Carlos Carrasco for the Cy Young. This may well be Trevor Bauer’s true breakout season, with the addition of a Kluber-esque slider and a maturity that allows him to follow his game plan without hesitation. This can be a breakout season for Mike Clevinger, too. The bullpen is deep and solid at the end with Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. They are superb defensively on the left side of the infield, catcher and center field, and whatever might be lost in going from Carlos Santana to Yonder Alfonso should be mitigated by the health of Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley and the depth provided by Bobby Bradley. Cubs: All those position players Chicago developed are now in their primes, with Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant becoming stars and leaders. Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Addison Russell, Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber can have monster years, and the pitching staff is extraordinarily deep, especially if Brandon Morrow has the season he expects and especially if this is Kyle Hendricks' top-three Cy Young debut. Astros: While on the subject of star level players in their primes, the Astros are, again, really good. Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman are MVPs waiting to happen, George Springer is a driving force, and adding Gerrit Cole entering his prime adds to a deep, versatile pitching staff with two Cy Youngs (Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel). It’s interesting how many times this spring I heard some high ceiling swingman referred to as a “potential Brad Peacock.” Yankees: The potential power is sick. Three 40+ homer guys that go to right-center in a right-center park in Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sánchez? Depth (Brandon Drury was a winning contender trade) to allow Miguel Andújar and Gleyber Torres time to let the Yankee front office know when they’re actually ready. Luis Severino, Sonny Gray, Masahiro Tanaka, Jordan Montgomery and C.C. Sabathia are fine when you have a seven-man bullpen who can strike their way out of trouble in what will be a lot of 8-5 games (116 in the AL East runparks). Come October, the postseason days off and the autumn nights will make that bullpen even better, especially if what Aroldis Chapman did this spring lasts seven months. Ten strikeouts in 13 batters? Goodness. Dodgers: This is another deep team, with power and a loaded farm system that could add pitching depth by June. They will get better as the season goes on, though with these questions: Justin Turner’s hand not lingering, Corey Seager’s elbow health and their ability to use their system to acquire another starter and another reliever by midseason. Bet on all of those to be answered positively, with the team making a couple of smart trades, plus having Walker Buehler and Julio Urías ready to contribute down the stretch. Red Sox: Hey, they won 92 games last season, essentially without David Price and Hanley Ramírez. The early, aggressive fastball contact approach fits Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi, J.D. Martinez et al. With Price, Chris Sale and Rick Porcello, the biggest questions are whether Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodríguez, Brian Johnson and Steven Wright can meld into a deep, significant rotation, and whether the middle relief in front of Craig Kimbrel is consistent. Mets: Sandy Alderson hired the right manager (Micky Callaway) for the right team at the right time, and he lined up the depth needed in their rotation. Either Noah Syndegaard or Jacob DeGrom could be a legit number one, and what they get out of Matt Harvey, Steven Matz and eventually Zack Wheeler will
March 29, 2018 Page 23 of 68 be fascinating to watch. If they keep Harvey and/or Matz healthy, they will win a lot of close games, and Callaway will not manage the bullpen to its max every day of the season. Diamondbacks: What their pitching did last season to allow the fourth fewest runs in the majors, in that park, where they are annually above league average in singles, doubles, triples and homers, was astounding. They don’t seem concerned about Zack Greinke’s spring velocity, and they have Robbie Ray, Zack Godley, Patrick Corbin and Taijuan Walker, one of the best rotations in the game. If Brad Boxberger can close, Archie Bradley is the righthanded Andrew Miller. They do need Steven Souza’s shoulder injury to heal. Twins: Adding Lance Lynn, Jake Odorizzi and Addison Reed and knowing they get Ervin Santana back in May makes this a far more competitive pitching staff. Byron Buxton’s .300 second half was the introduction to a superstar dance, the outfield is among the best in the game and this could be a breakout season for Miguel Sanó. Watch. Brewers: To be around this team is a joy, from top to bottom. Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain give them a formidable outfield, and if Ryan Braun gives them 135 games at first they should score a lot of runs in their park. They need Jimmy Nelson healthy after the All-Star break, but don’t underestimate their willingness, creativity and outfield depth to acquire another starting pitcher. Blue Jays: They lack the star power they had, but the Jays, with Aaron Sanchez, have a solid rotation and enough defense to remain in contention. If they do, and they then transition over to the Vlad Guerrero, Jr. era, this front office will have done a masterful job. Cardinals: Never underestimate this team. Marcell Ozuna was a huge addition, giving them a strong outfield, and they've had spring promise with their infield production. Whatever Adam Wainwright can do, he will exceed, and he will rub off on the young pitchers who potentially can be even better: Carlos Martínez, Jack Flaherty, Alex Reyes et al. Rockies: Besides the two superstars, Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon, there remains plenty of young, interesting talent. Bud Black can really manage pitching, especially bullpens, and with a big power starting staff, if Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw, Adam Ottavino, Scott Oberg and Jake McGee can hold up in the light air, they could allow those young starters to put the Rockies right into a repeat of wild card contention, or perhaps even higher. Angels: No one knows what they’ll get from Garrett Richards, Shohei Ohtani, Andrew Heaney or the bullpen, but the ceiling is higher than many realize. The Mike Trout-Justin Upton-Kole Calhoun outfield is exceptional, and the infield defense with Andrelton Simmons, Zack Cozart and Ian Kinsler will be among the best. And if Albert Pujols’ foot holds up, we’re looking at a Hall of Famer with a lot to prove. Opponents beware. What we cannot predict now is which of these teams trade for the Millers, Chapmans or Verlanders come July or August. We do know this: the Yankees, Dodgers, Astros, Indians and Nationals have the farm systems to get into the bidding for an Archer, Cole Hamels or Michael Fulmer if and when they are available. Or a Zack Britton, Brad Brach or Raisel Iglesias if the need is the bullpen. Or a Manny Machado, Mike Moustakas, Nelson Cruz, Jonathan Lucroy, J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Seager or Adrián Beltré if those players were made available. Obviously, no one predicts injuries, unless there’s a pitching staff out
March 29, 2018 Page 24 of 68 there where two-thirds of their pitchers are throwing from the glove side of the rubber, surgeons’ delights. In 1948, G.H. W. Bush and future major league teammates Dick Tettelbach and Frank Quinn took Yale to the finals of the College World Series, losing two out of three in the final series to the University of Southern California. Four months later the Indians beat the Boston Braves in six games to win the World Series. The Indians coulda-shoulda won in 1954 and 1997, 2016 and 2017. In a world that keeps on pushing them around, they don’t back down, and win the 2018 Series. Kluber to Carrasco to Allen to Miller. Angels notebook: Simmons feels confident at the plate, pitchers embrace the six-man rotation, and more By Pedro Moura Andrelton Simmons tried not to think about baseball all winter, tried to be a “random person,” as he called it. He did not succeed. When he’d return home to Curaçao, he’d inevitably see some children playing on some field somewhere, locate a glove, and take a few grounders. When he’d scroll through his Instagram feed, he’d see a highlight and find that familiar feeling flushing back into him. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, I want to do that more,’” Simmons said. “You just get that urge.” Simmons, 28, is a preternaturally gifted shortstop. The ease with which he fields his position inspires envy across the sport, from teammates to competitors. His hitting, not so much. While his friends in Curaçao signed with major-league teams, he attracted little attention. Only at age 19 did he earn an offer to come to the United States, and that was from an Oklahoma community college. Soon, clubs took notice. Seventeen months later, he went 70th overall in the MLB draft, on the strength of his defense, and two years after that he debuted in the majors. He has starred since, mostly through his glove. Then, in 2017, he registered by far the best offensive season of his career, setting career-highs in on- base and slugging percentage. Even in a changing league, he was better than the average hitter. He switched out his leg kick for a toe tap and increased the intention in each of his swings, finding it allowed him to better control his plate appearances. Combined with his steadily superb defense, his offensive improvements made him one of baseball's most valuable players. So, Simmons entered the winter in a rare state: content with his hitting. “Maybe this was kind of the first time where I kind of have a really good idea of how I have to approach my game,” Simmons said. “Not that I’ve figured anything out.”
You can also read
