INSIDE PITCH
In Ned Colletti’s six years as the Dodgers’ general manager, the organization has avoided the biggest free agent names, not even bothering to negotiate with players who signed massive long-term contracts. Instead, the Dodgers focused on one- to three-year contracts to stay with the salary restraints imposed by ownership.
They didn’t pursue Cliff Lee…
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INSIDE PITCH
Despite winning six more games in 2011 than they did a year earlier, the Angels missed out on the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2000-01—Mike Scioscia’s first two seasons as manager.
In the end, the outstanding pitching provided at the front of the starting rotation by Jered Weaver, Dan Haren…
INSIDE PITCH
The Dodgers are trying not to read too much into the massive week Jerry Sands(notes) put together. Similarly, they’re trying not to read too much into the struggles he endured for over a month when he was in the big leagues earlier this season.
They know it’s part of the learning curve, part…
INSIDE PITCH
Mathematically, the Angels have not been eliminated from the playoff picture yet. But realistically, they’re doing a pretty good job of knocking themselves out of it.
Errors led to all the Blue Jays’ runs Monday—including the game-winner in the 10th inning—as the Angels lost 3-2 in Toronto. The defeat was Los Angeles’ third in the…
INSIDE PITCH
The return of Stephen Strasburg was the biggest story in baseball on Tuesday, and the Dodgers were excited to be part of it.
“I think you want to see the best guys out there,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “Guys like this are fun to play against.”
But it also provides a road map for…
Even though Stephen Strasburg hadn't pitched in more than a year, Andre Ethier compared facing him Tuesday night to facing Felix Hernandez or an in-form Ubaldo Jimenez. Rod Barajas marveled at how Strasburg had a changeup and curveball to complement a fastball that reached 99 mph.
But there was at least one player in the visiting…
INSIDE PITCH
When the Angels and Rangers parted company nine days ago, the Rangers had just taken two of three in a series in Texas to pump their lead up to three games over the Angels in the AL West.
The Angels took heart in the fact that they would play two last-place teams over the…
By Mike DiGiovanna
September 6, 2011, 11:24 p.m.
Neither the opposing pitcher nor the out-of-town scoreboard was as forgiving to the Angels on Tuesday night as they were on Monday. The Angels, on the hand, were in quite a charitable mood.
The result was a sloppy 2-1 loss to Seattle that, combined with Texas' win over Tampa Bay,…
INSIDE PITCH
Any way you look at it, it was a very good weekend for the Angels.
They swept the woeful Baltimore Orioles, gained ground on the first-place Texas Rangers, made an overdue move to infuse some life into their offense by promoting youngsters Mike Trout and Hank Conger—and, most importantly for the long term,…
By Jim PeltzAugust 22, 2011, 10:11 p.m.
Reporting from St. Louis — For eight innings, the St. Louis Cardinals' veteran pitcher Chris Carpenter extended his career-long mastery over the Dodgers while clinging to a one-run lead Monday night at Busch Stadium.
But then Carpenter hit the Dodgers' Juan Rivera with a pitch to start the ninth inning,…