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Pearly Gates: An Angels Blog
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Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Cleveland Indians at Anaheim Angels

Tonight's game is actually being shown on ESPN here! This is the first game I actually get to watch this season!

Today's Matchup: Jake Westbrook (0-3, 4.50) vs. Bartolo Colon (2-1, 3.66)

Westbrook was phenomenol last season, but is not expected to be a long term ace (more like a solid 2-3 pitcher). When he is on, he can be very very good. His one appearance in Anaheim, he gave up 5 runs in 7 innings, but still managed a win. Colon seems to be working himself into a groove, although he did this last year, too, before he fell apart. Vlad has been smoking the last few games.

IMPRESSIONS: I didn't get to see the beginning of the game due to the postponed Cards-Cubs game being on (damn, Pujols can hit hard), and I came in at the top of the 5th, with two outs.
First At-Bat: Colon struck out Coco Crsip...good start.
First Vlad At-Bat: Grounded into DP.
First Hit: Blake off of Colon in the 7th. He was caught stealing by Molina by about 5 feet (Eckstein was caught in a similar fashion in the earlier game, although that was a botched hit-and-run).
First Dallas At-Bat: Strike out. As was his first at bat of the game and last. He also was responsible for the "single" Blake had. It was hard hit and bounced off of him. He then threw it away (the throw was already late), but it fortunately bounced close to Erstad. He will need to learn not to throw that ball (the ball bouncing off of him was not as big of a deal).
First Run: About as unlikely as Brian Roberts' power surge, Figgins gets a home run to give me my first look at a live Angels run this season.
First Baserunning Mistake: As surprising as the Figgins home run, Erstad was picked off first base. It looked like he was about to break for second, realized the pick off attempt and just didn't quite make it back in time.
First Frankie K Look: Damn, he is good. His misses were incredibly close, but the velocity of his fastball and break of his slider make him a fearsome closer. If I was a batter given a single at bat to save my life against one MLB pitcher, Frankie would be my last choice.
Peripheral Stuff: They are on the Dodger-Padre game (Dodgers just picked up a 2 run triple in the top of the 10th) and the Padres camo uniforms are absolutely hideous. Also, they flipped to the 8th inning of the A's-M's game, bases loaded, two outs, Chavez up. The mighty Chavez struck out. And finally, my girlfriend was disappointed to see that Erstad is not wearing the high socks like he used to, but we are both glad to see DaVanon still doing it. There will always be a place in my heart for those players that do this.

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