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Clips

(June 11, 2016)

June 11, 2016 Page 2 of 26

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Hector Santiago has early exit in Angels’ 6-2 loss to the Indians

Angels go young during second day of MLB draft

FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 6)

Hector Santiago makes another early exit as Angels drop fifth straight, fall nine games below .500

Miller: Angels effort is apparent, but the season is slowly unraveling

Angels focused on high-ceiling prep prospects in first two days of MLB draft

On deck: Indians at Angels, Saturday, 7 p.m.

Angels lineups: C.J. Cron out for series opener against Cleveland

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 13)

Shoemaker, Bauer set to square off in Anaheim

Angels betting on high-ceiling high schoolers

Santiago gets knocked around by Tribe

Halos focus on shortstops on Day 2 of Draft

Santiago’s woes add to bullpen’s burden

Simmons ‘doing great’ but isn’t quite ready to return

FROM THE ASSSOCIATED PRESS (Page 21)

Kluber throws 3-hitter, Indians beat slumping Angels 6-2

FROM FOX SPORTS (Page 23)

Indians-Angels Preview

FROM UPI (Page 25)

Corey Kluber pitches Cleveland Indians past Los Angeles Angels

June 11, 2016 Page 3 of 26

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Hector Santiago has early exit in Angels’ 6-2 loss to the Indians

Mike DiGiovanna

Mike Scioscia has a stock phrase for times like these, when he refuses to use the grueling travel demands of a 162-game season as an excuse.

“The schedule,” the Angels manager likes to say, “keeps coming.”

The schedule came again Friday night, showing no mercy for a bleary eyed Angels team that, after getting swept in a four-game series in Yankee Stadium, flew all night from New York to Los Angeles, landing at LAX at 2:45 a.m. Friday and reaching Angel Stadium at 3:45 a.m.

Waiting for them Friday night was first-place Cleveland and 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, who threw six scoreless, two-hit innings against Kansas City in his last start.

The result was almost predictable. Kluber went the distance, allowing two runs and three hits, striking out seven and walking one, and the Indians knocked out Hector Santiago in the second inning of a 6-2 victory.

The Angels have lost five straight and 11 of 16 to fall nine games under .500 for the first time since Sept. 9, 2013. They’re 11 games behind Texas in the AL West and would have to go 64-37 the rest of the way to reach 90 victories.

With a rotation battered by injuries and a lineup thinning beyond Yunel Escobar, Kole Calhoun, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, the Angels are fading badly.

“We need to play better,” Scioscia said. “We need to do some of things we’ve done periodically during the season on a more consistent basis.”

Effort is not an issue, as Calhoun showed in the third inning Friday, when he raced to the right-field line and made a diving catch of Yan Gomes’ fly ball.

Nor is the offense on many nights; the Angels scored seven runs or more in 12 of 27 games before Friday.

Starting pitching is the biggest problem. With Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney lost to elbow injuries, the rotation is 16-26 and ranks 12th in the league with a 4.88 earned run average.

June 11, 2016 Page 4 of 26

The Angels sent Santiago home from New York on an earlier flight Thursday to keep him fresh, but the left-hander still got clobbered, giving up six runs — five earned — and seven hits in 11/3 innings.

Santiago was tagged for four runs — three earned — and four hits, including back-to-back RBI doubles by Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana, in a 39-pitch first and two runs and three hits before being pulled in the second.

Santiago was an All-Star in 2015, with a 2.33 ERA at the break, but in 28 starts since, he has a 5.56 ERA. He was 3-2 with a 3.42 ERA on May 15 but is 0-2 with a 12.18 ERA in his last five starts, allowing 23 runs and 24 hits (seven homers) in 17 innings. Santiago is 3-4 with a 5.64 ERA on the season.

The Angels sent Santiago to triple A when he struggled in 2014. With so many injuries, they have no choice but to continue to send him to the mound.

“It seems like it’s one extreme to another. We can absorb the occasional tough start, where you only get into the fifth or sixth inning, but too many times with Hector, we’re looking at the second inning.”

Angels go young during second day of MLB draft

Mike DiGiovanna

The Angels took more of a gambler’s approach to the draft under new General Manager Billy Eppler, using four of their first six picks on high school players who grade high on raw tools but are not as polished as the college players favored by previous GM Jerry Dipoto.

After taking college catcher Matt Thaiss (Virginia) and Buford (Ga.) High outfielder Brandon Marsh with their first two picks Thursday, three of their next four picks Friday were high school players — shortstop Nolan Williams (third round) and pitchers Christopher Rodriguez (fourth) and Cole Duensing (sixth).

The Angels, whose farm system is rated the worst in the game by Baseball America, selected 17 high school players — total — in the last four drafts.

“We definitely wanted to get some athletic, high-ceiling guys into our system,” scouting director Ric Wilson said. “If you hit with those kinds of guys, you hit with them big.”

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Williams (Kansas City, Kan.) is an athletic switch-hitter with excellent speed and above-average power.

“He’s a very quick-twitch toolsy guy with a lot of upside,” Wilson said.

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Rodriguez, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-hander from Miami Gardens, Fla., has a 92-95-mph fastball and tight slider.

“He’s attacks hitters with multiple weapons,” Wilson said. “His delivery and arm action lead us to believe there’s more there.”

Duensing, a 6-4, 175-pound right-hander from Overland Park, Kan., features a 90-93-mph fastball and an advanced changeup.

“He has a good velocity and can spin a breaking ball,” Wilson said. “It will take him time to gain his man strength.”

Fifth-round pick Connor Justus, a 5-11, 185-pound shortstop from Georgia Tech, hit .324 with a .442 on-base percentage, .486 slugging percentage, six homers and 37 runs batted in this season after slashing .249/.349/.308 as a sophomore.

Seventh-round pick Jordan Zimmerman, a 6-1, 186-pound second baseman from Michigan State, hit .374/.461/.594 with nine homers, 17 doubles, 37 RBIs, 33 strikeouts and 32 walks.

Eighth-round pick Troy Montgomery, a speedy 5-8, 188-pound center fielder from Ohio State, hit .297/.423/.466 with eight homers, 34 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 62 games. He had more walks (50) than strikeouts (41).

Ninth-round pick Michael Barash, a 6-1, 200-pound catcher, and 10th-round pick Andrew Vinson, a 6-1, 180-pound right-hander, are seniors at Texas A&M.

Short hops

Andrew Heaney, who underwent stem-cell therapy six weeks ago, will be examined Monday to determine whether there has been enough healing in his left elbow for him to resume throwing. “It will definitely help determine the next steps,” said Heaney, who is trying to avoid ligament-replacement surgery, “but I don’t know what the next steps will be.” … David Huff, who took the loss Tuesday in Yankee Stadium, will start Sunday against the Cleveland Indians. … Pitchers Javy Guerra and Chris Jones cleared waivers and were sent to triple-A Salt Lake.

June 11, 2016 Page 6 of 26

FROM THE OC REGISTER

Hector Santiago makes another early exit as Angels drop fifth straight, fall nine games below .500

By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER

ANAHEIM – When Hector Santiago chased a rolling ground ball along the first-base line in the top of the first inning, he appeared to aggravate his right hamstring as he stepped off the mound.

The ball hit by Cleveland Indians first baseman Mike Napoli went foul for strike two, but Santiago seemed to wrestle with a little pain.

Trainers came out and spent several minutes evaluating the left-hander. Santiago threw a couple pitches and stayed in the game, but his 13th start of the season did not last much longer.

On the next pitch, Napoli crushed an 81 mph slider that hung high on the outside part of the plate off the left-field wall for an RBI double. Another double in the next at-bat by Carlos Santana brought in Napoli. The Indians scored four runs in the inning.

Santiago exited with one out in the top of the second inning Friday after giving up six runs (five earned) on seven hits.

The Angels lost their fifth in a row, falling nine games below .500 after a 6-2 defeat to the Indians.

“We lost this game early, obviously,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

For Santiago, it was another setback after a strong start to the season, where he finished April with a 3.34 ERA. But he did not pitch past the fourth inning for the fourth time in his last five starts.

“It seems like one extreme or another,” Scioscia said. “We can absorb maybe a tough start where you get into the fifth inning or the sixth inning. But too many times with Hector we’re looking at the second inning and having to get someone up to try to get out of inning. He’s trying hard. It’s just a tough stretch for him right now.”

Over his last 17 innings, Santiago has given up 23 earned runs.

“It just kind of seems like it’s snowballing,” Santiago said.

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Scioscia pulled Santiago after he walked Napoli in the second, allowing four of the first five batters to reach base. The only one who did not, Francisco Lindor, was out on a sacrifice fly that brought in a sixth run.

Santiago felt his command was OK. His walk was his only one of the game, and 34 of his 54 pitches went for strikes.

“Early in the year, it just kind of seemed everything was kind of going the right way,” he said. “Right now, it’s just kind of a little slump, where I need to figure out a way to get out of it.”

The Angels’ bullpen did not allow a run against the Indians, who entered Friday with the fourth-best record in the American League and a three-game lead atop the Central Division. They had just three hits off Angels relief pitchers and did not put a runner in scoring position.

Right-hander Deolis Guerra, who replaced Santiago, went as long as anyone, lasting 22/3 innings. He allowed only one batter to reach base.

But the Angels’ bats never got going, tallying three hits and going 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position, as Indians ace Corey Kluber improved his ERA to 3.65.

Yunel Escobar led off the bottom of the first inning with a double and later scored on a fielder’s choice. It was the only extra-base hit the Angels had during the game.

Their 3-4-5 hitters, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Jefry Marte, went a combined 0 for 11.

At one point, Marte struck out swinging hard enough that his bat slipped out of his finger tips and landed near the shortstop.

Miller: Angels effort is apparent, but the season is slowly unraveling

By JEFF MILLER / STAFF COLUMNIST

ANAHEIM – The Angels made scouting director Ric Wilson available to the media before their game Friday to discuss the second day of the draft.

The following is a partial transcript of that event:

Wilson: “Thanks for coming everyone. Any questions?”

Media: “Who did you take in the third round, and can he pitch on Sunday?”

All right, things aren’t quite that bad for the Angels, but there’s still time.

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The team returned home at an absurdly early hour Friday morning, after flying all night from New York, where the Angels played four games against the so-so Yankees and lost each one of them.

On the plus side, no one was hurt during the sweep, although that didn’t stop setup man Joe Smith from going on the disabled list anyway. Smith, at least, was officially injured before the Angels reached the Bronx.

So, too, was starter Nick Tropeano, who was placed on the DL while the team was in Pittsburgh, the Angels finishing their trip with the same number of lost bodies as won ballgames – two of each.

“Nobody is taking this lying down,” Manager Mike Scioscia said, soon after the Angels, in all probability, really were lying down, trying to catch up on the sleep they lost somewhere over Iowa. “Nobody is taking this easy. Our guys are working hard.”

It would be foolish to question the Angels’ effort, although I’m pretty sure Yunel Escobar’s attention to detail is worth monitoring. As long as Scioscia is around, the Angels aren’t likely to start quitting.

Sure, quitting is exactly what Jerry Dipoto did just about this time last season, a development that was reportedly linked directly to Scioscia’s presence. But that was an entirely different awkward situation.

Today, the Angels are faced with the uncomfortable challenge of trying to win games while employing several players who weren’t, in the most technical sense, expected to be Angels.

As well as Gregorio Petit and Jefry Marte and the rest have played at times, they wouldn’t be playing for the Angels at all under normal circumstances.

If you’re not aware, normal circumstances in baseball generally don’t include teams having to use the disabled list as often as they do the rosin bag.

There are 11 Angels out with injuries at the moment, and it certainly is a good thing that no one around here has thrown in the towel, the Angels are in no position to risk another blown-out elbow.

“I think they’re in a good frame of mind,” Scioscia said of the players who do remain. “We just need some things to fall into place. Hopefully, we’re going to play at a higher level.”

That, of course, is the problem. The Angels – that is, this particular version of Angels – might already be playing at their highest level.

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And, even if there is room for improvement – along with the promises of restored health – how much improvement can genuinely be expected?

The Angels entered their game Friday against Cleveland eight games below .500 and on pace to win only 70 times. That would mark, by five games, the worst season of Scioscia’s 17 as manager, but this is hardly his fault.

I’m sure Tommy Lasorda would have struggled trying to win with a rotation so patched up that a hole keeps springing open every five days or so.

“I’m not even looking at the standings,” Scioscia insisted, and good for him and his mental health. “If you would happen to look at the standings … my message would be we need to play better.”

While the notion of simply playing better sounds good, a reminder of the Angels’ reality showed up just a short time later, in the first inning, when Escobar’s throw to first eluded Marte, the error helping the Indians during what would become a four-run rally.

Marte was starting because of his offense not his defense, the Angels needing all the potential production they can concoct.

It certainly didn’t help Friday that one of the players who was expected to be an Angel all along also failed. Starter Hector Santiago retired only four Cleveland hitters on a night when he permitted six runs.

Since these are the 2016 Angels, all of this naturally happened after Santiago appeared to possibly injure himself barely four batters into the game.

He remained in but, given the way this season is unraveling, I wouldn’t, until further notice, assume anything concerning Santiago’s health.

The Angels already have used 39 players – 20 position players and 19 pitchers – and that’s not counting Lucas Luetge and Chris Jones, who were with the team briefly last month but never appeared in a game.

That’s also not counting Tim Lincecum, who will make his Angels debut some time soon, assuming he avoids anything calamitous, like, with this team this season, being flattened by a cartoon anvil.

As it is now, Scioscia confirmed that David Huff will start here Sunday in the finale against the Indians.

By the way, in the third round of the draft Friday, the Angels took a high school shortstop from Kansas.

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The kid’s name is Nolan Williams. Who knows, by the time he gets here, maybe the Angels’ limp won’t be so noticeable.

Angels focused on high-ceiling prep prospects in first two days of MLB draft

By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER

ANAHEIM – The Angels’ first draft under new General Manager Billy Eppler has seen one noticeable difference from his predecessor.

They are going in early on high school prospects.

On Friday, the Angels started Day 2 by selecting two, Nolan Williams, a shortstop from Kansas City, and Chris Rodriguez, a right-handed pitcher from Miami Gardens, Fla.

Over the first 10 rounds of this year’s draft, the club selected four players from the high school ranks, including second-round selection Brandon Marsh (outfielder) and sixth-round selection Cole Duensing (right-handed pitcher).

It was not by accident.

“We definitely wanted to get some athletic, high-ceiling guys into the system,” said Ric Wilson, the Angels’ scouting director since 2010. “And that’s what we accomplished.”

Asked about Eppler’s influence, Wilson said, “We thought about it collectively. That’s how I’ve always liked to do it.”

“I know it hasn’t always worked out that way with high-ceiling guys with some tools,” he added. “You’ve got to be smart about it. You just can’t go get guys that have no baseball skill at all. These guys have some baseball skill, as well.”

In the five previous drafts, the first under Tony Reagins and the rest under Jerry Dipoto, the Angels drafted a total of five players in the first 10 rounds.

The early returns have not yielded much. The Angels signed all five players, but none have advanced past Class-A, and left-hander Hunter Green, the first player the Angels took in the 2013 draft, retired in April. Green had not pitched the past two seasons because of back and arm injuries.

Of the prospects selected Friday, Williams, the shortstop, ranks the highest, falling just outside Baseball America’s top 100.

“He’s certainly got the tools to be a solid every day player,” Wilson said.

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Williams, who was home-schooled, played out of Turner High and is committed to LSU.

The last time the Angels approached this sort of high-risk, high-reward draft strategy came in 2010 when their four first-round draft picks were all prep prospects, including Kaleb Cowart and Cam Bedrosian.

“If we hit on these guys, we hit high on ’em,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t happen that way all the time, but the more you have, the better chance you have hitting on a couple of those guys.”

SIMMONS NEARS RETURN

Shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who has not played since early May because of thumb surgery, is expected to be activated from the disabled list soon, but not this weekend, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Simmons is scheduled to be evaluated early next week.

In a rehab game Thursday night at Fresno, Simmons went 3 for 5 with a double and 5 RBI.

“He’s swinging the bat fine,” Scioscia said. “Certain throws, I think, he’s building some confidence with, but he’s just not ready to come back here. … It’s getting better, but not quite there.”

He did not play shortstop in the last rehab assignment.

ALSO

With Tim Lincecum making another start for Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, David Huff will take the mound that afternoon for the Angels. … Andrew Heaney, who underwent stem-cell therapy six weeks ago, is scheduled to be reevaluated next week. … Daniel Nava (groin) has been taking part in baseball activities, but has not been slated for a rehab assignment. … C.J. Wilson, who was shut down in late May with biceps tendinitis, has resumed his throwing program. … Relief pitchers Javy Guerra and Chris Jones, who had been designated for assignment, cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake. ... First baseman C.J. Cron had his second day off in three games. Scioscia said he wanted to give Jefry Marte more at-bats.

On deck: Indians at Angels, Saturday, 7 p.m.

By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER

Where: Angel Stadium TV: FS1

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Did you know? Jim Edmonds’ famous over-the-shoulder, diving catch at Kansas City occurred 19 years ago Friday. THE PITCHERS ANGELS RHP MATT SHOEMAKER (3-7, 5.40) Vs. Indians: 1-0, 1.29 At Angel Stadium: 11-13, 3.16 Hates to face: Lonnie Chisenhall, 2 for 5 (.400) Loves to face: Carlos Santana, 0 for 5 (.000) INDIANS RHP TREVOR BAUER (4-2, 3.88) Vs. Angels: 2-0, 2.45 At Angel Stadium: First appearance Hates to face: Mike Trout, 1 for 3 (.333), 4 BB Loves to face: Kole Calhoun, 1 for 7 (.143) UPCOMING MATCHUP Sunday – Angels LHP David Huff (0-1, 12.27) vs. Indians RHP Danny Salazar (6-3, 2.24), 12:30 p.m., FSW

Angels lineups: C.J. Cron out for series opener against Cleveland

By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER

ANAHEIM — As the Angels open their three-game weekend series against Cleveland on Friday night, C.J. Cron will not be in the lineup.

Cron, who is hitting .255 with a .264 on-base percentage and .451 slugging percentage in his last 15 games, was out for the second time in the last three days.

The first baseman/designated hitter is not injured, Manager Mike Scioscia said.

“C.J.’s OK. Jefry Marte is just swinging the ball well,” Scioscia said. “We want to give him some more at-bats. C.J.’s still in the mix.”

Marte is 3 for 9 in the last five games with two home runs and three RBIs.

The Angels, who sit a season-low 11 games out of first-place in the American League West, will need some pop against the Indians, as they send their ace, Corey Kluber, to the mound.

Tonight’s lineups:

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ANGELS (26-34) 3B Yunel Escobar RF Kole Calhoun CF Mike Trout DH Albert Pujols 1B Jefry Marte 2B Johnny Giavotella LF Rafael Ortega C Carlos Perez SS Gregorio Petit SP Hector Santiago (3-3, 5.07) INDIANS (33-26) CF Raja Davis 2B Jason Kipnis SS Francisco Lindor 1B Mike Napoli DH Carlos Santana LF Jose Ramirez 3B Juan Uribe C Yan Gomes RF Michael Martinez SP Corey Kluber (5-6, 3.84)

FROM ANGELS.COM

Shoemaker, Bauer set to square off in Anaheim

By Earl Bloom / Special to MLB.com

A pair of right-handers, the Indians' Trevor Bauer and the Angels' Matt Shoemaker, will be the focal points on Saturday night as the teams play the second game of a three-game series at Angel Stadium.

Bauer (4-2, 3.88 ERA) is coming off a career-best 10 strikeouts while working 7 2/3 innings in a 3-1 road victory on Monday over the Mariners. He is 2-0, 2.45 in two career starts against the Angels. Bauer began this season in the Indians' bullpen, but rejoined the rotation after six appearances and is 3-2 with a 3.67 ERA in eight starts.

Shoemaker (3-7, 5.40 ERA) got off to a rocky start this season, which led to a brief stint with Triple-A Salt Lake. Since his return to the Angels, Shoemaker has recaptured much of his rookie

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form, when he was 16-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 2014. Shoemaker has struck out 39 batters since last issuing a walk, an Angels record, and he has a 2.80 ERA in his past five starts. He's 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his career against the Indians.

Things to know about this game

• Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall is 2-for-5 (.400) with a home run against Shoemaker. Designated hitter Carlos Santana is 0-for-5, with four strikeouts.

• Angels slugger Albert Pujols is 2-for-7 (.286) with a double against Bauer. Center fielder Mike Trout is 1-for-3 with four walks.

• Indians first baseman Mike Napoli, who began his career with the Angels, is hitting .319 (60-for-188) against his former team, with 18 home runs and 38 RBIs.

Angels betting on high-ceiling high schoolers

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- It was right around the time the Angels selected their third amateur player, at 10:49 a.m. PT on Friday, Day 2 of the 2016 Draft, that change began to seem evident.

The Angels are taking chances again.

Their Drafts the previous four years were made up mostly of seasoned collegiate players, those with potential to quickly matriculate through the farm system but didn't necessarily boast the raw tools that would make them impact players. It was a strategy under former general manager Jerry Dipoto, who wanted to maximize the number of prospects who reached the upper levels of a thin farm system that could ill-afford complete flops in the Draft.

This year, though, the Angels, under first-year GM Billy Eppler, are seemingly betting on the upside again. Their third-round pick, an 18-year-old shortstop named Nolan Williams, marked the second consecutive high-school player selected by longtime scouting director Ric Wilson, who made outfielder Brandon Marsh his second-round pick on Thursday night.

All told, the Angels took four high school players in the first 10 rounds, doubling their previous high through Round 10 in each of the last previous years. They selected a teenager with two of their first three picks for the first time since 2010, the last Draft orchestrated by Eddie Bane, who loved to gamble on high ceilings and high risks.

"I love high-ceiling guys with some tools, but you have to be smart about it," Wilson said after wrapping up Day 2. "You can't just get guys that are just high school guys that have no baseball skills at all. These guys have some baseball skills as well."

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The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 9 a.m. PT.

Williams -- deemed the 60th-best amateur by MLBPipeline.com -- is a "well-above-average runner," according to Wilson, who described him as a "very quick-twitch, toolsy guy with a lot of upside."

Williams didn't turn 18 until May, but he was already deemed the best position-player prospect produced by the state of Kansas in the last five years. And though scouts believe he will eventually transition out of shortstop, the Angels believe he is versatile enough, athletic enough, to eventually find a position somewhere.

Williams, who was home-schooled but played baseball out of Turner High School, is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound switch-hitter. Wilson sees him as a future leadoff hitter, and his upside as that of "a strong everyday player."

The Angels also selected a couple of high school right-handers, Chris Rodriguez from Miami Gardens, Fla., in the fourth round, and Cole Duensing out of Overland Park, Kan., in the sixth round.

Their system remains the consensus worst in the industry, partly because they've gone a few years without a first-round pick, partly because they've traded prospects for veterans, partly because they haven't been aggressive in Latin America and partly because the types of amateurs they recently targeted don't grab the attention of prospect experts. From 2012-15, the Angels drafted a combined 17 high schoolers, which is just one more than the number they selected in 2010 alone.

Wilson admitted that drafting high school players "is a risky thing to get into."

"But if you hit with those kinds of guys," he said, "you hit with them big."

Santiago gets knocked around by Tribe

By Fabian Ardaya and Earl Bloom / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Corey Kluber had a four-run lead before taking the mound, and the right-hander didn't look back, tossing his ninth career complete game to lead the Indians to a 6-2 win over the Angels on Friday night at Angel Stadium.

"I just made some good pitches at the right time," Kluber said. "The offense did a great job, giving me four runs in the first inning, then after I gave up a run, they put up two more in the second."

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The Indians pounced on the Angels early, chasing starter Hector Santiago after just 1 1/3 innings. They scored four runs on the first -- all with two outs -- before adding on two more in the second to jump out to a 6-1 lead.

While the Indians maintained their 3 1/2-game lead in the American League Central, the Angels have now lost five in a row, dropping them to 26-35, 11 off the pace in the AL West.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Two-out thunder: The Indians scored four two-out runs in the first inning against Santiago. Three consecutive hits -- doubles by Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana and Jose Ramirez's single -- scored the first three runs. The fourth scored on a throwing error by Angels third baseman Yunel Escobar. The Indians were averaging four runs per game on the road coming into the series.

"They're always gold," second baseman Jason Kipnis said of the two-out runs. "They set the tone for us. We wanted to play a little bit better than in Seattle, where we split four games, but our offense didn't really get untracked."

Short-lived Santiago: Santiago struggled yet again, lasting no more than four innings for the fourth time in his last five starts. He got rocked by the Indians, giving up six runs (five earned) on seven hits while throwing just 54 pitches. It was his shortest outing since going two-thirds of an inning on Sept. 17 last season against the Twins.

"I'm making the same pitches I did when I would throw eight scoreless or seven scoreless, but right now it just seems like it's snowballing and carrying over from each start," Santiago said. "The last five starts have been very frustrating."

Game of Klu: Kluber settled in nicely after Escobar led off the first inning with a double, retiring 16 of the next 17 batters he faced. He went the distance for the second time this season, surrendering two runs on three hits while striking out eight.

"When you get the lead, my goal is to go out and attack the zone," said Kluber, who threw a season-high 114 pitches, 73 for strikes.

Silent Night: Escobar's first-inning double off Kluber led to a run. He came around to score on Mike Trout's RBI groundout, but the Angels wouldn't get another hit until Escobar's one-out single to right in the sixth. The only other baserunner during that stretch was Johnny Giavotella, who walked in the second. The Angels would land just three hits off Kluber all night, scoring a second run on a wild pitch.

HIGHLIGHT REEL Angels right fielder Kole Calhoun prevented the Indians from adding to their lead in the third inning, robbing Yan Gomes of an extra-base hit with a full-extension diving grab near the foul line.

June 11, 2016 Page 17 of 26

WHAT'S NEXT Indians: Trevor Bauer (4-2, 3.88), coming off a career-best 10-strikeout performance, starts Saturday night at Angel Stadium. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two career starts against the Angels, the latest a masterful eight-inning effort in Cleveland on Aug. 28, when he allowed one earned run and struck out seven.

Angels: Matt Shoemaker (3-7, 5.40 ERA) will start against the Indians on Saturday night at Angel Stadium. The right-hander has struck out 39 batters since last issuing a walk, an Angels record, and he has a 2.80 ERA in his past five starts. He's 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his career against Cleveland.

Halos focus on shortstops on Day 2 of Draft Club takes SS Williams in 3rd round, SS Justus in 5th; RHPS also a focal point

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels continued to go heavy on position players in Day 2 of the Draft and have now selected one with seven of their first 10 picks, following the trend from a 2015 Draft in which they took a position player with 12 of their first 14 picks.

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at 9 a.m. PT. Below is a look at each of the Angels' picks from Friday:

Round 3 (96th overall), Nolan Williams, SS Williams is a home-schooled student who turned 18 in May and played out of Turner High School in Kansas City, Kan. He has a commitment to Louisiana State University and is considered the state's best position-player prospect since Bubba Starling went fifth overall to the Royals in 2011.

Williams has a lot of projectable tools, including blazing speed, a great arm, plus bat speed and raw power. He is listed at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds and is committed to switch-hitting. Scouts question his ability to stay at shortstop, but believe he has the quickness to play second and the arm strength to play third. He may even move to center field.

MLBPipeline.com ranked Williams the 60th-best prospect heading into the Draft. He was the No. 4-ranked player in the Perfect Game 2017 ranking, but chose to re-classify for the 2016 class.

Angels scouting director Ric Wilson is "very" confident Williams will sign and projects him as a future leadoff hitter in the big leagues. Asked about Williams' upside, Wilson said: "A strong everyday player."

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Round 4 (126th overall), Chris Rodriguez, RHP, Monsignor Edward Pace HS (Miami Gardens, Fla.) Rodriguez -- 6-foot-1, 185 pounds -- sports a low-90s fastball and a solid slider/cutter, two pitches that he can throw for strikes. His delivery requires a lot of effort, which makes it difficult to repeat and may prompt him to eventually move to the bullpen, but the Angels like his projectability.

Rodriguez is raw, but he has plenty of time to grow. He won't turn 18 until July 20. He's three weeks removed from leading his Spartans team to the Class 5A state championship game with a shutout that required only 90 pitches. Rodriguez finished the regular season 7-2 with a 0.40 ERA.

"He has a really quick arm, he's very aggressive and he attacks hitters with multiple weapons," Wilson said. "We also think he has some really good upside."

Round 5 (156th overall), Connor Justus, SS, Georgia Tech Justus, a three-year starter, has always been considered a solid defender. He came around with the bat this spring, making him one of the best all-around amateurs at his position.

The 21-year-old doesn't necessarily boast a plus tool, but the Angels can feel confident with his ability to stick at shortstop at the pro level. He has good anticipation, a quick first step and a solid arm on defense. And though he isn't a burner on the basepaths, he is instinctive.

From 2015-16, Justus' slash line went from .249/.349/.308 to .324/.442/.486, prompting MLBPipeline.com to consider him the 131st-best prospect available.

Round 6 (186th overall), Cole Duensing, RHP, Blue Valley Northwest HS (Overland Park, Kan.) Duensing is listed at 6-foot-4 and is deemed a "developmental project" by MLB.com prospects expert Jim Callis. Duensing sits 92-93 mph with his fastball and sports a changeup that is a little bit ahead of his curveball right now. The teenager is part of a major flux of baseball talent coming out of Kansas in this year's Draft. Asked about Duensing, listed at only 175 pounds, Wilson said: "It's just going to take him some time to gain his man strength, but he's got some projectability."

Round 7 (216th overall), Jordan Zimmerman, 2B, Michigan State University Zimmerman is a plus offensive player who is deemed a little shaky with the glove and may eventually fit best in an outfield spot. A junior who bats right-handed and is listed at 6-foot-1, Zimmerman batted .374/.461/.594 for the Spartans this season, adding nine home runs, 10 steals and 130 total bases in 56 games. Zimmerman is "a versatile guy," Wilson said, one the Angels would eventually like to see play multiple positions.

Round 8 (246th overall), Troy Montgomery, CF, Ohio State University Montgomery batted .297/.423/.466 in his junior season with the Buckeyes, adding eight home runs, 21 steals, 50 walks and 41 strikeouts in 62 games. A left-handed hitter, Montgomery is

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listed at only 5-foot-8, 188 pounds. He has some pop, but his swing tends to get a little bit long. His best tools are his speed, arm strength and defense.

Round 9 (276th overall), Michael Barash, C, Texas A&M Barash, a senior sign, is a defensive-minded catcher, with plus receiving skills but a fringy arm. The 21-year-old batted .328/.397/.436 for the Aggies this past spring, with four home runs, 18 walks and 20 strikeouts in 57 games.

Round 10 (306th overall), Andrew Vinson, RHP, Texas A&M Vinson, Barash's teammate with the Aggies, is a 6-foot relief pitcher with a knack for throwing strikes. Vinson finished his senior year with a 2.40 ERA, striking out 55 batters and issuing only eight walks in 48 2/3 innings. All but one of his 21 appearances came out of the bullpen, but the Angels will probably start him off as a starting pitcher next summer.

Santiago’s woes add to bullpen’s burden

By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Angels manager Mike Scioscia found himself in an all-too-familiar predicament on Friday night -- going to his bullpen early.

Left-hander Hector Santiago went just 1 1/3 innings, giving up six runs (five earned) in his shortest start since Sept. 17 as the Angels fell to the Indians, 6-2.

It was the fourth time in his last five starts that Santiago logged no more than four innings, with the long exception being a May 31 start against Detroit in which he gave up six runs.

"He's pitched some really good games this year for us, and it seems like it's been one extreme or the other," Scioscia said. "Too many times with Hector we're looking at the second inning and having to get somebody up."

After throwing eight shutout innings against Seattle on May 15, Santiago has yet to give up fewer than three runs in a start.

"It just seemed like everything was going the right way, but right now it looks like a slump," Santiago said. "I just have to keep going and see if I can get things going the right way."

On Friday, Santiago had allowed a single on a pitch that jammed Jason Kipnis and was working a 2-2 count with two outs to Indians first baseman Mike Napoli in the first. Napoli fouled off the next pitch, and as Santiago stepped off the mound he grabbed at his right hamstring.

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He remained in the game after some warmup tosses, but subsequently gave up a Napoli RBI double to left. The next batter, Carlos Santana, did the same. Michael Martinez hit an RBI single to center, and another run came home on a throwing error from Yunel Escobar.

"It kind of carried over," Santiago said of the injury. "You're worried about [the hamstring] and just trying to adjust to that and make sure it doesn't fire up again."

Santiago recorded just one out in the second inning, on a sacrifice fly, allowing two more runs to score before exiting with two runners on and a 6-1 deficit.

While Santiago said the hamstring feels fine, his recent stretch has been alarming.

"I'm making the same pitches I did when I would throw eight scoreless or seven scoreless, but right now it just seems like it's snowballing and carrying over from each start," Santiago said. "The last five starts have been very frustrating."

With starters Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, C.J. Wilson, Tyler Skaggs and Nick Tropeano down with injuries, Santiago's struggles have been even more impactful. The bullpen, taxed over a four-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees, was called on yet again for heavy duty.

They delivered, tossing 7 2/3 scoreless innings, but Scioscia wasn't in the mood for any kind of silver lining.

"I don't know if you can take too many positives away when you're looking up at a [6-1] score in the second inning," he said.

Simmons ‘doing great’ but isn’t quite ready to return

By Fabian Ardaya / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who is just a month removed from left thumb surgery, is not expected to be activated this weekend, manager Mike Scioscia said.

The 26-year-old injured the thumb against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 8 and underwent surgery on May 10. Scioscia said that while Simmons has been well ahead of schedule with his recovery, he's still not fully comfortable with a Major League return.

"Andrelton is doing great, but he's not quite where he thinks his comfort level needs to be to do what he needs to do up here," Scioscia said. "Right now, it's mostly just glove work. He's getting there. Swinging the bat, he's fine, certain throws, too. He's building some confidence with it, but he's not ready to get back here."

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Simmons, who was originally given a 6-8 week timetable for his return, has begun playing in Minor League rehab games and is currently with Triple-A Salt Lake. He went 3-for-5 with five RBIs on Thursday night.

Gregorio Petit, who was called up on May 13, has taken over shortstop duties while Simmons and fellow shortstop Cliff Pennington have each dealt with injury issues.

Scioscia said Pennington, who reinjured his strained left hamstring and was place on the 15-day disabled list on June 1, has yet to begin baseball activities.

Worth noting

• Relievers Javy Guerra and Chris Jones cleared waivers and have been sent outright to Salt Lake. Both were designated for assignment on Tuesday. This is the second time this season Guerra has been designated for assignment and cleared waivers. He appeared in three games after being called up on June 1, posting a 2.70 ERA. Jones was optioned on June 1 and has not appeared in the Majors this season.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kluber throws 3-hitter, Indians beat slumping Angels 6-2

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Corey Kluber had a hefty lead before he even took the Angel Stadium mound, freeing him to go after hitters with confidence.

The result was another superb start for an ace rapidly rediscovering his top form for the Cleveland Indians.

Kluber pitched a three-hitter with eight strikeouts and Jason Kipnis had three hits in the Indians' 6-2 victory over the slumping Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

Mike Napoli doubled home the first run in a four-run first inning for AL Central-leading Cleveland, which has won eight of 10 in June. The Indians led 6-1 in the second inning, and Kluber (6-6) took advantage.

"When you get that big a lead, my goal is to go out there and attack the zone," Kluber said after his second complete game of the season and his first career win over the Angels. "If they're going to beat us, make them swing the bats. That's the goal every time out, but especially when you've got a five-run lead early on in the game."

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Kluber started the game by giving up Yunel Escobar's double off the wall in center field, but Los Angeles' next 17 batters couldn't get a hit off the right-hander. He retired 12 straight between a second-inning walk and Escobar's sixth-inning single, and he retired the Angels' final 11 batters in his ninth career complete game.

"He did exactly what you're supposed to, pounding the zone," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "It's nice to let him pitch like that. He rested our bullpen. Those are some pretty big bats over there, especially up the middle (of the order). He did a great job."

After going 9-16 last season, Kluber has been close to his 2014 Cy Young Award form lately, winning four of his last five starts.

"That season he had was pretty magical," Francona said. "Whether that happens again, a lot of things have to go right. But he's still one heck of a pitcher. Every time we put his name (on the lineup), we feel good."

The Indians quickly chased Hector Santiago (3-4), who got just four outs in his shortest start of the season.

Escobar had two hits for the Angels (26-35), who lost their fifth straight to drop a season-worst nine games below .500.

Mike Trout went 0 for 4 with an RBI groundout for the Angels, whose struggles continued in the opener of a six-game homestand after a brutal travel schedule. Less than 24 hours after losing their fourth straight game at Yankee Stadium, the Angels took their home field on the opposite coast and swiftly fell behind.

Santiago, who came home from New York a day early, bent over in pain after his 16th pitch, possibly tweaking his hamstring while moving to field a ball. The Angels' training staff kept him in the game, but the Indians battered him for six hits in their next eight plate appearances.

"He had a chance to get out of that first inning and couldn't get that last out," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Hector has had a little rough patch here for sure."

Napoli hurt his former team yet again with a run-scoring double before Carlos Santana and Jose Ramirez followed with run-scoring hits. Cleveland added another when Escobar botched the throw to first on what should have been the third out.

Santiago was gone after giving up three straight hits, a sacrifice fly and a walk to start the third.

"It's frustrating, for sure," said Santiago, an All-Star last season. "Right now it just seems like it's snowballing and carrying over from start to start. It seems like it's going through everybody. Tonight was just bad. The last five starts have been very frustrating. You try to go out there and be better, and it just seems like it's not happening right now."

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At least the Angels' bullpen was outstanding, with five relievers giving up three hits and facing just one batter over the minimum during 7 2/3 scoreless innings.

Escobar singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch in the sixth, but Kluber didn't allow another baserunner.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: SS Andrelton Simmons is close to returning from a left thumb injury, but it won't happen this weekend, Scioscia said.

UP NEXT

Indians: Trevor Bauer (4-2, 3.88 ERA) won both of his career starts against the Angels.

Angels: Matt Shoemaker (3-7, 5.40 ERA) took a hard-luck loss earlier this week. He has 39 strikeouts since issuing his last walk, a franchise record.

FROM FOX SPORTS

Indians-Angels Preview

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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- When Angels pitcher Matt Shoemaker was sent down to Triple-A Salt Lake after a terrible season-opening month of April, it figured he had a number of things to work on.

Shoemaker admitted his mindset was his biggest issue -- specifically, taking a more aggressive approach to the mound.

That approach of going after hitters and not nibbling seems to have worked. He goes into Saturday's start against the Cleveland Indians with an impressive streak alive -- he has set an Angels franchise record by striking out 39 batters without mixing in any walks.

Over his last four starts, he has 37 strikeouts and zero walks. His last walk came against the Dodgers on May 16, when he gave Trayce Thompson a free pass. He has gone 33 2/3 consecutive innings without a walk.

"It's kind of just a bunch of little things," Shoemaker said. "The execution of pitches, there's more focus on that. Throwing better pitches in better counts. A whole mix of stuff. Mentally,

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I'm a lot different. A better state of mind, going over hitters, game plans, sticking with it. I'm the same guy but maybe a better mindset."

Though Shoemaker seems to have turned things around, the Angels are going south quickly. They have lost five in a row and have fallen a season-worst nine games under .500 (26-35). They had not been nine games under .500 since Sept. 9, 2013.

The Indians, though, are going in a different direction, winning eight of their last 10 and moving into first place in the American League Central on June 4.

Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer, who will start Saturday's game, has been a big part of the Tribe's resurgence. Bauer was the starting pitcher in two of the victories during a recent six-game winning streak, giving up four runs on nine hits with 16 strikeouts and four walks in 14 2/3 innings.

Like Shoemaker, Bauer is attributing some of his success to a mindset.

"What is happiness? What is fun?" Bauer told MLB.com after his last start June 6 against Seattle. "It's a feeling. I want to enjoy playing. I've been trying to do that more this year."

The Indians also will take into the game the advantage of having "Angels killer" Mike Napoli, who played his first five big league seasons with the Angels before they traded him away after the 2010 season.

Since the trade, it doesn't seem to matter for which team Napoli is playing. With the Rangers, Red Sox and now the Indians, Napoli has hit .319 (60 for 188) against the Angels with 18 homers and 38 RBIs in 56 games.

It's the most homers against any opponent for Napoli other than the A's (21 homers) and the Mariners (20), but he's played twice as many games against those teams (112 vs. Oakland; 111 vs. Seattle).

"I like doing that, but I don't know what it is," Napoli told the L.A. Times when asked whether he wants to make the Angels pay for trading him. "It just happens. Guys have teams they do that against. The Angels happen to be it for me."

June 11, 2016 Page 25 of 26

FROM UPI

Corey Kluber pitches Cleveland Indians past Los Angeles Angels

By Joe Haakenson, The Sports Xchange

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Corey Kluber went from leading the American League in victories in 2014 to leading the league in losses in 2015.

So far, the 2016 version of Kluber has been a little of both. But his performance Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels resembled much of what he was during his Cy Young award season a couple years ago.

Kluber threw a complete-game three-hitter to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 6-2 win over the Angels at Angel Stadium, the Tribe's eighth win in 10 games.

Kluber allowed only an RBI groundout to Mike Trout in the first inning and a run that scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning on the way to his second complete game of the season. He led the majors with four complete games last year.

"That season he had was pretty magical," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Kluber's 2014. "Whether that happens again, a lot of things have to go right. But he's still one heck of a pitcher. I know every time we put his name in there we feel pretty good."

The victory for Kluber (6-6) marked his first career win against the Angels, leaving the Oakland A's as the only American League team he has not beaten.

The Angels' only hits in the game came from Yunel Escobar (two) and Kole Calhoun. The Angels' 3-4-5 hitters -- Trout, Albert Pujols and Jefrey Marte -- went a combined 0-for-12.

Making his performance even more impressive was that Kluber said he didn't feel especially great when he took the mound.

"I think that says a lot about him and his maturation," Francona said. "As you start to know the league you can navigate your way through a lineup like that and still pitch a complete game."

The Indians offense had 10 hits in the game, seven of them coming in the first two innings when they scored all six of their runs against Angels starter Hector Santiago. Santiago lasted only 1 1/3 innings, failing to last more than four innings for the fourth time in his last five starts.

"He's pitched some really good games this year for us," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It seems like it's been one extreme or the other. We can absorb a tough start when you only get into the fifth inning or the sixth inning, but too many times with Hector we're looking at the second inning and having to get somebody up and try to get out of an inning.

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"He's trying hard, it's just a tough stretch for him."

Jason Kipnis led the Indians offense with three hits and Michael Martinez had two. Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana each had an RBI double, Jose Ramirez had an RBI single and Francisco Lindor had a sacrifice fly, helping the American League Central-leading Indians send the Angels to their fifth consecutive loss.

The Indians put together a two-out rally in the first inning against Santiago, getting RBI doubles by Napoli and Santana, and an RBI single by Ramirez for a 3-0 lead. Angels third baseman Escobar's throwing error led to the fourth run of the inning.

"(Santiago) had a chance to get out of the first inning and just couldn't get that last out," Scioscia said. "It's just finishing innings. Hector's had a little rough patch here, for sure."

Escobar doubled and scored on a Trout groundout in the bottom of the first, but the Indians added two more runs in the second inning, knocking Santiago out of the game. Kipnis drove in one with an RBI single and Lindor added a sacrifice fly, putting Cleveland up 6-1.

Kluber gave up the double to Escobar leading off the bottom of the first, then retired 15 of the next 16 Angels hitters through the end of the fifth, giving up only a one-out walk to Johnny Giavotella in the second inning.

The only bright spot for the Angels was the work of their bullpen. Five relievers combined to shut out the Indians on three hits over the final 7 2/3 innings.

"Our bullpen did a great job to give us even somewhat of a chance," Scioscia said. "But I don't think we can take too many positives away when you're looking up at a 6-0 (actually 6-1) score in the second inning."

NOTES: Angels 1B/DH C.J. Cron, who started 43 of the club's first 59 games, did not start for the second game despite not being injured. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he wanted to get hot-hitting 1B/3B Jefrey Marte into the lineup. Marte went 3-for-6 with two homers in the final two games of the series against the Yankees. ... The Indians selected RHP Aaron Civale from Northeastern University in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft. During an exhibition game against the Red Sox in spring training in 2015, Civale struck out David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez, Mike Napoli and Xander Bogaerts in a two-inning appearance. ... Angels RHP Tim Lincecum is expected to make his third rehab start with Triple-A Salt Lake at Fresno on Sunday. ... Indians C Yan Gomes returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with a bruised groin, suffered Tuesday in Seattle.