august 9, 2016 page 1 of 16 - mlb.commlb.mlb.com/documents/8/6/4/194761864/august_9_2016...august 9,...

August 9, 2016 of 16

Clips

(August 9, 2016)


Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LA TIMES (Page 3)

Mike Trout is emulating his idol Ken Griffey Jr., and not just between the lines

Angels mailbag: OK, so, what’s the plan?

FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 8)

Analysis: Angels will spend final 51 games looking for answers that will help shape offseason decisions

On deck: Angels at Cubs, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 11)

Inbox: Are Angels charting the proper course?

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS (Page 14)

Angels-Cubs Preview


FROM THE LA TIMES

Mike Trout is emulating his idol Ken Griffey Jr., and not just between the lines

Pedro Moura

On Sunday afternoon in Seattle, Mike Trout took away a grand slam at the house that Ken Griffey Jr. built, knowing Griffey was watching from a suite. After the game, one of his worst of the season, Trout made one telling remark about his idol.

“What a great guy,” Trout said. “The way he played the game, no one really hated him. Everybody loved him. It gives me chills, just thinking about it. It’s pretty special.”

Twenty-five years of age as of Sunday and replicating his best-in-baseball statistics again in 2016, Trout is on a path to a Hall of Fame career. But because he is not much for speaking about himself or speaking about anything at all, really, he has somewhat quietly established himself alongside Griffey in the realms of reputation and personality.

Trout is respected throughout the sport, admired by most of his contemporaries, loved by many. In road ballparks, he’s typically the last Angel out on the field in the minutes before the first pitch, signing autographs. Often, he’ll start to jog off only to come back upon the inevitable clamor. There are stories across the league about impacts Trout has had on others, either with his time or with his influence, the latter a particularly powerful force.

For September roster insurance two years ago, the Angels called up a minor league lifer named Shawn O’Malley, now a Mariners utilityman. He arrived at Houston’s Minute Maid Park with one pair of cleats, the same ones he had used throughout the triple-A season.

“They were all cut up and beat up and worn down,” O’Malley said.

O’Malley knew it could be an issue in the majors, but he could not coax New Balance into sending him new shoes. When he left for the batting cages that day, veteran catcher John Buck brought it to Trout's attention, and Trout called Nike. When O’Malley got to Minnesota’s Target Field two days later, new pairs of cleats, tennis shoes and turf shoes were waiting for him.

“He didn’t have to do that,” O’Malley said last weekend in Seattle, where he helped beat the Angels with a late home run Saturday. “That just shows you kind of the person he is. To me, that was really special, and something that I’ll never forget. The funny thing is he’s way younger than me, but he’s still a guy that you can look up to.”

He used the new shoes all month, and now keeps them in his apartment. When, a year later, Angels catcher Carlos Perez drilled O’Malley in the head trying to throw to second base, Trout came running in from the outfield to check on him. He watched and waited, hands at his hips. As O’Malley stood up to stay in the game, Trout ran back and yelled something that neither man remembers but made both of them laugh.


“Again, he didn’t have to do that,” O’Malley said. “He could’ve stood in center field and just waited for me to quit being a baby and get up. But that shows you the kind of guy he is.”

Trout’s teammates know him to be an uncomplicated individual. He does not have a wide array of interests. He likes competition, pays excessive attention to the weather, and spends extensive time playing games on his iPhone.

“He is a simple man,” said former Angels reliever Joe Smith, who spent 2 1/2 seasons with Trout before being traded to the Chicago Cubs last month. “He likes to hunt, fish, play golf, play baseball and play Pokemon.”

It rained when the Angels were in Colorado last year, and the start time for their series finale against the Rockies was delayed by more than two hours. To pass the time, the Angels played hybrid baseball-golf, using bats as putters and removing a drain cover to create a hole about the size of two baseballs.

Splitting into teams, players were to design trick shots. Trout’s side went first, and he schemed one where the baseball was first bounced off the ground, onto the side bank, and then slipped under a crevice created between the wheel of a re-purposed, laid-down L-shaped batting-practice screen.

His teammates did not understand what they were supposed to do, did not believe it was exactly possible, so they asked Trout to demonstrate. He did, and he made it on the first try.

“Everything he . . . does, he does well,” said Angels batting-practice pitcher Mike Ashman, who was watching that day. “The guys that made it here, every last one of them did something freakish relative to the average athlete. And Mike is a freak relative to all of them.”

As Griffey said on the Angels’ television broadcast over the weekend: “He’s one of those guys that can change the way baseball’s played.”

Angels mailbag: OK, so, what’s the plan?

Pedro Moura

Hey, how are you? Your favorite baseball team was swept by rival Seattle over the weekend, and now they are off Monday, before continuing their road trip in Chicago and Cleveland. The Angels are 49-62 this season, on pace to lose 90 games, which is not as bad as it looked like they might be earlier this year, but is definitely not good either.

As always, this is the place to ask anything you want about the Angels, with questions submitted through my email ([email protected]) and Twitter account (@pedromoura).


@pedromoura What's the Angels' basic problem: insufficient revenue? They're not the Mets, but way more popular than the White Sox.

The Angels’ most basic problem, the way I see it, is that they issued a few free-agent contracts as if they were a massive-market team, and otherwise do not operate in that manner. I don’t think any team but the Yankees and Dodgers could survive a $53-million annual outlay to two players who, together, are not worth 1 Win Above Replacement. Those players, of course, are Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols, and the Angels are paying nearly $41 million to Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson this season, and, again, those players are not worth 1 Win Above Replacement.

The rest of the Angels’ 25-man roster, or what they opened the season with, is not bad. New General Manager Billy Eppler found some legitimate bit pieces to surround the core he assumed. And, with commensurate production from the four who are receiving 57% of the team’s payroll, this team could have been in contention right now.

But because of these free-agent signings, because of their inactivity on the international market, — first voluntarily, then forced by their ill-fated Roberto Baldoquin signing — and probably because of a few other things that are harder to pin down, the Angels do not have reinforcements ready. The upper levels of their farm system are devoid of interesting prospects.

Pedro, you have repeatedly stated throughout the season that Arte Moreno refuses to talk to the L.A. Times. Do you have a theory or an explanation for this? Furthermore, your Yunel Escobar comments in this past mailbag were quite interesting. The guy is such a clubhouse cancer that even his extremely team friendly contract isn't worth the headache of picking him up? How is he liked in Angels clubhouse? Lastly, what are the fines MLB imposes on those who don't talk to the media like Escobar and Moreno?

Thanks,

Kirk Dingley (via email)

Moreno has said he is displeased with the coverage of the team. I would not describe Escobar as a clubhouse cancer. He more or less keeps to himself, but his effort can elicit frustration from others. He is a very good hitter, with no power and average on-base ability, who plays below-average defense and displays a remarkable lack of desire on the basepaths.

Altogether, he is going to be worth about 2 WAR this year, which, going into his age-34 season next year, would, probably get him paid $10 million to $15 million, if effort and comportment were not in consideration. He stands to make $7 million, so, yes, he will be underpaid, but not by a huge amount.


And, I hope none of the other players are reading this, but, players are not fined if they do not speak to the media. It is not written into MLB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement like it is with the NBA and NFL.

Pedro,

It is well known that the Angels farm system is the worst in baseball. How has that system changed (for better or worse) with the influx of this year's draft class and players acquired at the trade deadline. I noticed that many of them are now listed in the Angels Top 30 prospects.

Lon Brunk (via email)

It has not changed, Lon. They are still considered the worst. This year’s first-round pick, a great-hitting college catcher named Matt Thaiss who said in college he was too slow to play the field and is now playing first base, might be the potential impact player closest to reaching the majors. As I write this, he has three home runs in 191 plate appearances across two levels.

With the dismal production in left field this year (and last year), why don't the Angels give Nick Buss an opportunity? Is there some kind of knock on him? He is having a very solid year at AAA, and surely the 40-man roster could be juggled to activate him.

Dan Morgan (via email)

Nick Buss is having a nice season at triple-A Salt Lake, but it is nothing exceptional. Not a lot of power, stolen bases, on-base percentage or batting average. And he is below Shane Robinson, Rafael Ortega and Todd Cunningham on the organizational depth chart, all of whom also had nice seasons at triple-A Salt Lake when they were there. And now, he is below Daniel Nava, who is also at Salt Lake after being designated for assignment.

Now that he's been in the job through an off season and through his first trading deadline, do you have a better sense of how Eppler differs from Dipoto in approach or philosophy?

Bob (via email)

Not really, actually. I think it takes longer to discern a decision-maker’s preferences. And, as with Jerry Dipoto, it is difficult to know which decisions were made by which decision-maker. Obviously, Dipoto was the Angels’ general manager from October 2011 to July 2015, but owner Arte Moreno made some of the biggest decisions during that time. Obviously, Eppler has been the Angels’ general manager since October 2015, but he has had to work within the constraints of Moreno’s wishes.

We can really start to judge Eppler on who he hires to replace Ric Wilson as the Angels’ amateur scouting director, and how the Angels perform in the first international signing period they can truly participate in, July 2, which will be key for the future of the franchise.


Otherwise, it’s notable that Eppler's approach to last off-season was largely to acquire players who do not strike out, and turn the Angels into more of a contact-making squad than Dipoto assembled. It’s too early to say if that will be an ongoing trend.

@pedromoura who has jerry dipoto impacted more with his moves this season... Angels or mariners? #pedrosmailbag

I find this sort of question interesting. At what point does a former general manager cede the majority of responsibility to the current one? It is challenging to come up with a rational answer. Look at Boston, for example, to steal something discussed on Baseball Prospectus’ superb Effectively Wild podcast this year.

How much credit should Theo Epstein get for the 2016 Red Sox? He signed David Ortiz. He signed Xander Bogaerts. He drafted Mookie Betts. How much credit should Ben Cherington get, and Dave Dombrowski? I think Epstein might be more responsible for this year’s team’s successes or failures than either of the two who followed.

Generally, general managers’ effects on franchises last longer than our inclinations would have it. So, I would say, Dipoto has impacted the 2016 Angels more than the 2016 Mariners, although he did make quite a lot of moves last winter.

This concludes the Dipoto section of this week’s mailbag.

@pedromoura With Escobar staying on the team, is Kaleb Cowart still on the plans or he'd be better as a trade chip?

Kaleb Cowart holds little to no value as a trade chip. He has seven home runs in the Pacific Coast League this season. That does not really play at third base in the major leagues, even with above-average defense. He last hit double-digits in homers in 2012. While he has remade himself into a guy who should at least get another chance at the big leagues in some form, he is not going to get a position handed to him.

I was curious to see what the Angels would do at the position if they traded Escobar. Gregorio Petit and Cliff Pennington could’ve handled it the rest of the season. Would the Angels try to do the same next year, give Cowart the chance, or sign someone else?

That could still come into play if Escobar is dealt in the off-season.

@pedromoura What's the Angels rotation next year? Richards, Skaggs, Shoemaker and ????

Richards is still no lock to be fit to start next year. But, if you want to look at it optimistically and count on him, you would say: Garrett Richards, Tyler Skaggs, Matt Shoemaker, Rick Nolasco and, ideally, Alex Meyer.


Without him, it’d be Skaggs, Shoemaker, Nolasco, Meyer, and maybe Nate Smith, or maybe a retread with some track record of success.

This is the reason it will be so difficult for the Angels to compete next season. In their best-case scenario, their top pitchers are going to be coming off unusually abbreviated major league seasons. Who knows if Richards and Skaggs will be able to handle 200 innings apiece in 2017?

@pedromoura do you get the feeling Moreno will sell the team with all the issues with city combined with poor farm & injuries mounting?

Again, Moreno has declined repeated requests for an interview with The Times, but there has been nothing that would indicate he is interested in selling the team. Owning professional sports franchises is generally a pretty profitable enterprise.

FROM OC REGISTER

Analysis: Angels will spend final 51 games looking for answers that will help shape offseason decisions

By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

CHICAGO – Depending on your perspective, the final 51 games of the Angels season are meaningless or vitally important.

The knee-jerk response, which comes with any look at the standings, is that nothing is left for the Angels or their fans in 2016. After all, the ultimate goal – making the postseason and winning the World Series – is virtually out of reach.

The 2017 season, on the other hand, is still fully in play, which is why the homestretch of 2016 still matters.

Although the Angels, as they are currently constituted, look like they will be underdogs to contend in 2017, they do have an offseason to try to retool. Before that, though, they have 51 games left to help them shape what they’ll do in that offseason.

So, before you shift your focus to football, here are some of the issues and story lines that will bear the most attention from the Angels, and the fans.

HOW MUCH STARTING PITCHING IS NEEDED?

Obviously, injuries to the starting rotation are the main reason this season has gone so badly.


It’s difficult to imagine they could plug all the holes by next season – especially considering the thin free agent pitching market – but the final two months of the season will help them ascertain how much help they need.

Matt Shoemaker and Tyler Skaggs, at the moment, look to be the Angels’ top two healthy pitchers under control for next season, but both still have question marks.

Shoemaker has a 2.80 ERA over his past 15 starts. If he’s really this good, that’s a big head start on next year’s rotation. Shoemaker, though, has had his three years in the majors marked by inconsistency, so it’s fair to say the jury is still out. If he can string together 10 more starts like the last 15, Shoemaker looks like a key piece of the future.

If he looks good, but the rest of the staff doesn’t, the Angels also could trade Shoemaker for multiple prospects. At the deadline this year, there was probably enough skepticism of Shoemaker that the Angels couldn’t get the same value they could if he does it for another two months.

Skaggs has started three times since missing nearly two years rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and a shoulder problem. He looked very good in two outings, not as good in the third. If he finishes his season strong, the Angels are much better positioned.

And then there is the big question: Garrett Richards. The Angels are holding out hope that Richards won’t need Tommy John surgery. It’s a question that might linger until November. In the meantime, each week he makes progress is good for the Angels. His workouts and throwing sessions in the next two months will be as important as anything that happens during any of the final 50 games.

WHAT ABOUT THE BULLPEN?

At the moment, the Angels have a bullpen that includes three pitchers – Deolis Guerra, J.C. Rodriguez and Jose Valdez – who have been designated for assignment this year. Two others – Mike Morin and Jose Alvarez – were demoted to Triple-A because of ineffectiveness.

The Angels are going to be rolling them all through a variety of roles the rest of the season to try to get an idea of who might be a part of the answer for next year.

About the only certainty is that Cam Bedrosian is a piece of the puzzle, but Bedrosian’s performance as the closer while Huston Street is on the disabled list will help them know where he fits. If Bedrosian is a closer, the Angels could trade Street, assuming he comes back and pitches well enough to have some value.

IS THE CATCHER HERE?


A year ago, Carlos Perez was about to take over as the Angels’ “catcher of the future,” a spot he held through the winter and into the season.

By July, Perez had been demoted to Triple-A, with Jett Bandy passing him on the depth chart.

You can bet the Angels want to see lots of both catchers the rest of the season to determine which, if either, should be the No. 1 catcher next year.

Also, Geovany Soto is due to come off the disabled list this week. The Angels aren’t going to keep three catchers, so they’ll have to figure out how to juggle that situation. It’s possible they could still trade Soto – getting him through waivers – but not without letting him play to show his value to other teams.

HOW GOOD IS C.J. CRON?

Cron, who is out with a broken hand, should be back by mid-August, which will give the Angels a solid six weeks to continue evaluating him.

Cron has looked like a legitimate middle-of-the-order run-producer at times, and at other times he seems lost at the plate. He was on a hot streak right before he got hurt.

With Albert Pujols not likely to return to regular playing time at first base, the Angels need an everyday first baseman, not another DH. If Cron isn’t that guy, they could probably trade him.

On deck: Angels at Cubs, Tuesday, 5 p.m.

By JEFF FLETCHER / STAFF WRITER

Where: Wrigley Field TV: Fox Sports West, 5 p.m. Did you know? This will be the third time former teammates Jered Weaver and John Lackey have faced each other. Lackey, who was pitching for the Boston Red Sox in both of them, got the victory in 2010, and Weaver won in 2013. Obviously, this will be the first time they hit against each other. THE PITCHERS

ANGELS RHP JERED WEAVER (8-8, 5.11) Vs. Cubs: 1-0, 0.69 At Wrigley Field: 1-0, 0.00 Hates to face: None Loves to face: None CUBS RHP JOHN LACKEY (3-5, 3.93) Vs. Angels: 4-2, 4.02


At Wrigley Field: 6-5, 2.60 Hates to face: Yunel Escobar, 11 for 30 (.367) Loves to face: Cliff Pennington, 1 for 16 (.063) UPCOMING GAME

Wednesday: Angels RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.23) vs. Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (11-5, 3.07), 5 p.m., Fox Sports West

FROM ANGELS.COM

Inbox: Are Angels charting the proper course?

Beat reporter Alden Gonzalez answers fans’ questions

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com

One final Angels Inbox before I go. Let's get right to it …

Do you think the Angels are headed in the right direction as an organization? -- Ben W., Chino Hills

This is the utmost question, but it is dependent on how "the right direction" is defined. To some, it's a path that sacrifices losing in the present while in pursuit of sustainable winning in the future. To others, it's maintaining a competitive roster each season. Neither path is necessarily incorrect. The problem comes when an organization chooses the latter when contention isn't truly feasible, thus severely mortgaging its future for no reason.

The question: Is that where the Angels stand?

I posted a poll about this on Twitter, centered on whether the Angels can be contenders next season if Garrett Richards is healthy, and the results were interesting:

Legitimately curious: If Garrett Richards does not need TJ, do you think the Angels can contend next year?

8:33 PM - 2 Aug 2016

50%yes

50%no

On one side, you can say the Angels would at least be within earshot of the second American League Wild Card spot if Richards, Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeanoall had healthy ulnar


collateral ligaments and if Tyler Skaggs wasn't set back two months. On the other side, you can note that the Angels will have trouble filling out their rotation next year, even if Richards doesn't need Tommy John surgery. And that the farm system will be thin for a long time. And that the free-agent class doesn't have the marquee names worth spending on. And that too much of the Angels' budget will still be tied to aging veterans.

First-year general manager Billy Eppler has continued to say the Angels will aim to contend in 2017, and I get it. You can't truly rebuild with Mike Trout and Albert Pujols on your roster, or with owner Arte Moreno signing checks. But underneath whatever is stated publicly, I think the Angels should aim to contend again in 2018, when all their starting pitchers project to be healthy, when Josh Hamilton finally comes off the books and when Trout still has three years left on his contract. Anybody who isn't controllable through then should be used as trade chips.

I think the Angels understand this, too.

What's the most likely solution for left field long term? -- @JohnHollands65

This is a question that requires us to first pause and consider how bad the Angels' left-field situation has been. Since the start of the 2015 season, the Angels' left-field OPS, .593, is easily the worst in the Majors, 32 points lower than the 29th-place Braves. Last year's mark was the fourth-lowest since 1974; this year's is sixth-lowest.

The three players the Angels acquired to help in left field before last year's non-waiver Trade Deadline -- David Murphy, David DeJesus and Shane Victorino -- are all out of baseball. The two counted on at the start of this season -- Daniel Navaand Craig Gentry -- are no longer in the big leagues. And that's without going into Hamilton, Raul Ibanez or Vernon Wells.

In short, this has been a major problem, made even more painful by Matt Joycegoing from a .564 OPS with the Angels to a .955 OPS with the Pirates.

The upcoming crop of free-agent corner outfielders will probably be headlined byYoenis Cespedes, Jose Bautista and Josh Reddick. They're all massive upgrades, but they'll probably all be too expensive for an Angels team that will have needs elsewhere. Below that? Norichika Aoki, Carlos Beltran, Jay Bruce, Ian Desmond, Matt Holliday and -- hey look, Mark Trumbo.

Is Vladimir Guerrero a first-ballot Hall of Famer? -- @OPannouncer

He probably will not be enshrined his first year. I don't necessarily believe in the sanctity of the first ballot, but it remains a distinction reserved for only the most elite. Guerrero has been one of the most fun players of my lifetime, but he doesn't fall into that class. The question is whether he gets into the Hall of Fame at all. And his case seems unpredictable.


The dependable JAWS system -- which takes a player's career Wins Above Replacement and averages it with their seven-year peak in WAR -- has Guerrero 22nd all-time among right fielders. Four ahead of him -- Larry Walker, Dwight Evans, Reggie Smith and Sammy Sosa -- have been eligible for the Hall and have not been voted in. Valid cases can be made on both ends.

I'm a huge fan of Jered Weaver and everything he's done for the Angels over the years. But where does he go after this season? I know he's still a competitor, but the skills are declining. -- T.J. R., Wellington

This one is tough to answer. If he pitches reasonably well over these next two months, and is perhaps able to sit comfortably in the mid-80s with his fastball, I can see the Angels bringing him back on a low-cost, incentive-laden contract. They badly need arms to make up next year's rotation and manager Mike Scioscia still values him a great deal. But these last couple years have been so draining on Weaver, who will turn 34 in October.

Imagine how excruciating it must be to have been that good, to remain so competitive, to still be reasonably young and to continually struggle no matter how hard you try. Weaver demands respect for what he has done. He has swallowed his pride, has taken each turn with a fastball others ridicule and has not made excuses. Along the way, he's even pitched a few gems. But sometimes I wonder if he wants to keep trying so hard.

Who are legitimate targets next year? Who will be on the block next year? -- @Spot4SC

I suspect that the Angels will navigate through this coming offseason very similarly to the way they went about the last offseason. By that I mean their budget will remain about the same. They won't sign free agents tied to Draft pick compensation, won't trade controllable young players unless they're getting the same in return and won't overspend on aging veterans. (Refer to the first question for why this is the practical approach.) To me, the most interesting topic will be what they do with Kole Calhoun. I think they can get some real value for him, but he is also a major part of their fabric.

Which lineup spot do you think is the best for Trout to hit? -- Kaz M., Anaheim Hills

The most important aspect of lineup construction is maximizing opportunities for your best player to drive in runs, and that is especially the case for the Angels and Trout. I like him batting second, but I don't mind him batting third right now becauseYunel Escobar and Calhoun have done a nice job of getting on base in front of him. Trout ranks 34th in the Majors in plate appearances with runners in scoring position this year. Last year, 129 players were ahead of him in that category, which was unacceptable.

Most memorable moment while you covered the Angels? -- @Squidwai


I remember being on the field the night they clinched the division on Sept. 17, 2014. I remember how well C.J. Wilson pitched against the Mariners, how packed the stadium remained hours after he was finished. I remember Weaver coming out first, with a champagne bottle in each hand. I remember Hank Conger hugging everybody. And I remember Scioscia and Jerry Dipoto embracing in the clubhouse.

What's crazy is how recent that was. The Angels were at their pinnacle then, on their way to a Major League-leading 98 wins. And what's even crazier is how quickly it all changed. They lost two really close games to the Royals at home, got blown out in Game 3 of the AL Division Series and went home. The next year, they dealt with the Dipoto and Hamilton mess and got eliminated from postseason contention on the final day.

Now here they are, with an uncertain future and an undefined blueprint.

Things can go from good to bad so quickly, so dramatically, so unpredictably in this sport -- but it also works the other way.

FROM YAHOO! SPORTS

Angels-Cubs Preview

The Associated Press

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Angels meet on Tuesday for the first time since the first week of the season.

Their respective fortunes since then couldn't be more contrasting.

Chicago (69-41) is on a post-All-Star Game roll with baseball's best record, a seven-game winning streak, victories in 10 of its last 11 contests and a double-digit game lead in the National League Central.

"(We're) firing on all cylinders right now," right-hander Jake Arrieta (13-5, 2.59 ERA) told reporters over the weekend after working eight strong innings in a 4-0 win over theOakland Athletics. "We're playing good baseball, there's always things to improve on (but) there's things to be happy about."

The teams open a two-game series kicking off a 10-game homestand for the Cubs.


Chicago sends right-hander John Lackey (8-7, 3.70 ERA) against righty Jered Weaver (8-8, 5.11 ERA) in the series opener. Jason Hammel (11-5, 3.07 ERA) is scheduled for Wednesday's start against Los Angeles right-hander Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.23 ERA).

The Angels (49-62) have limped through late July and early August with 10 losses in their last 16 contests, including a current four-game losing streak.

Los Angeles came out of the All-Star break with six straight victories and sparked slim hopes at a run for a wild-card spot. But the subsequent slump left the Angels hovering near the AL West cellar and the need to leapfrog six teams to secure one of two wild card berths.

Manager Mike Scioscia insisted his team hadn't given up even after a pair of trades involving a starter and reliever.

"There's absolutely no white flag being run up," he told reporters last week.

The Angels sent their top starter - left-hander Hector Santiago (10-4) - to Minnesota for Nolasco and a prospect. Los Angeles separately traded sidearm reliever Joe Smith (1-4, 3.82 ERA, six saves) to the Cubs for a minor league pitcher.

The Angels also pulled the plug last week on an experiment with two-time Cy Young winnerTim Lincecum. He was designated for assignment last Saturday after posting 2-6 record, 9.16 ERA and 2.37 WHIP in nine appearances.

Lincecum, who had surgery last year to repair a torn labrum in his hip, signed a one-year deal with the Angels in May.

The departures of Santiago, Lincecum plus others currently on disabled list with a variety of ailments, leaves Weaver, Matt Shoemaker (6-12, 4.07 ERA) and Nolasco as staff aces.

Not all is bleak. Outfielder Mike Trout, who turned 25 on Sunday, remains a highlight for the Angels. He has a big league-best .427 on-base percentage, is tied for second in runs scored (88) and owns a .316 batting average.

Albert Pujols, meanwhile, needs two home runs to reach 583 for his career and a 10th place all-time tie with Mark McGwire.

The Cubs enter the series 11-4 in interleague play this season, are a season-high 28 games over .500 and with two-thirds of the season in the books are on track for 101 wins.

They finally got Jorge Soler back from the disabled list (hamstring). Soler went 2-for-4 on Sunday against the A's and has five RBIs since coming off the disabled list on Saturday.


Chicago increasingly looks likely for a second straight postseason berth. Even when the Cubs were struggling, manager Joe Madden insisted they'd be all right and were capable of a strong run similar to how they started the season (25-6).

The Cubs lost 15 of 20 prior to the All-Star break. They beat the Pirates 6-5 last month to close the first half and then picked up after the break with 17 wins in their next 23 games.

"It's just trending in the right direction," Maddon said.

august 9, 2016 page 1 of 16 - mlb.commlb.mlb.com/documents/8/6/4/194761864/august_9_2016...august 9,...

Documents