Clips (May 17, 2016)

May 17, 2016 Page 1 of 46 Clips (May 17, 2016)

May 17, 2016 Page 2 of 46 Today s Clips Contents FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 4) Albert Pujols, Mike Trout help fuel Angels offensive surge Angels left fielder Daniel Nava appears headed for disabled list - again Angels put up two big innings, beat Dodgers, 7-6 Huston Street likes Angels potential addition of Tim Lincecum Angels Garrett Richards opts for stem-cell therapy instead of surgery Angels pursuit of Tim Lincecum a familiar ring to it Angels mailbag: Questions after a rare good weekend FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 16) Trout, Pujols and Angels get to Dodgers Maeda early, open Freeway Series with 7-6 victory Angels Garrett Richards has stem cell injection, seeks to avoid Tommy John surgery Angels nearing deal with former Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum Angels Daniel Nava could be headed to disabled list Miller: Angels-Dodgers avoiding baseball s strong Odor Angels C.J. Wilson throws simulated game On deck: Angels at Dodgers, Tuesday, 7 p.m. Angels lineups: Why Mike Scioscia is batting his pitcher eighth FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 26) Angels stave off Dodgers in Freeway opener Trout, Pujols lead way as Angels bats stay hot Sources: Angels, Lincecum close to deal Angels show perseverance through hits to rotation Nava in danger of another DL trip Weaver hopes to right ship against Kershaw

May 17, 2016 Page 3 of 46 Richards opts for alternative to Tommy John surgery Wilson throws sim game, but return isn t near FROM THE ASSSOCIATED PRESS (Page 37) Angels edge Dodgers 7-6 in Freeway Series opener Angels Richards has stem-cell injection in elbow FROM ESPN (Page 40) Tim Lincecum unlikely to provide big rotation lift for Angels Source: Lincecum agrees to deal with Angels FROM YAHOO SPORTS (Page 43) Struggling Angels have nothing to lose by signing Tim Lincecum Sources: Tim Lincecum closing in on a deal with Los Angeles Angels FROM CBS SPORTS (Page 45) Report: Angels near agreement with Tim Lincecum to fill pitching void

May 17, 2016 Page 4 of 46 FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES Albert Pujols, Mike Trout help fuel Angels offensive surge Mike DiGiovanna Albert Pujols has been playing major league baseball long enough -- 16 years, to be exact -- to know that some things are almost impossible to explain. Like how the Angels could score 36 runs in five games, including Monday night s 7-6 victory over the Dodgers, after scoring only 24 runs in their previous eight games, six of them losses to Tampa Bay and St. Louis at home last week. Sometimes teams go through tough stretches -- that s how it goes, Pujols said after he and Mike Trout combined to go five for eight with five runs batted in Monday night. I wish I had a magic ball to figure out why, but we don t. Sometimes it happens for a reason, to make us tough, to make us a better team, to come together... who knows? The Angels were in a deep funk last week, scoring eight runs and going three for 30 with runners in scoring position in five losses to the Rays and Cardinals, a slump that began right about the time the team learned its best pitcher, Garrett Richards, had suffered a major elbow injury. But the Angels turned a corner offensively in a 12-10 loss to the Cardinals last Thursday night, racking up 15 hits, including two homers, and almost erased a five-run ninth-inning deficit. The bats stayed warm in Seattle over the weekend, the Angels accumulating 19 runs and 35 hits, including five homers, in a three-game sweep that moved them to within five games of the first-place Mariners in the American League West. Over the course of 162 games, you re going to have ups and downs, and the teams that survive, that make it, are the teams that are physically and mentally strong and don t let those things bother you, Pujols said. We know we can put a good streak together, and we still have a lot of baseball left. Trout and Pujols each had a hand in the team s four-run third inning and three-run seventh inning Monday night. Carlos Perez doubled to left-center to open the third and scored on Gregorio Petit s one-out single to left off starter Kenta Maeda. Yunel Escobar singled, Kole Calhoun walked to load the bases, and Trout grounded a two-run single to left. Pujols RBI single to center gave the Angels a 4-2 lead.

May 17, 2016 Page 5 of 46 Escobar and Calhoun singled to open the seventh off Pedro Baez, and Trout walked to load the bases. Pujols followed with a two-run single to center, and Johnny Giavotella added a sacrifice fly to give the Angels a 7-3 lead. The Angels, who have won four straight, went six for 16 with runners in scoring position. We set the table all night -- Yunel and Kole got on base a lot, Manager Mike Scioscia said. And those guys, he added, referring to Trout and Pujols, when they got some guys on base, they hit the ball hard. Angels left fielder Daniel Nava appears headed for disabled list - again Mike DiGiovanna Angels left fielder Daniel Nava is expected to be placed on the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday after he suffered a left-groin strain and was pulled from Monday night s 7-6 victory over the Dodgers in the fifth inning. Nava, who will undergo an MRI exam on Tuesday, said he tweaked the hamstring while running toward center field to back up Mike Trout on a fly ball in the first inning. He appeared to aggravate the injury on a fifth-inning swing. I ve never had that happen before, and I don t know if it s serious or not because I ve never experienced anything in my groin, said Nava, who missed three weeks of April and early May because of patella tendinitis in his left knee. It s very frustrating. I ve only been back for a week, and I was starting to get things going a little bit. Hopefully it isn t anything too serious. If Nava goes on the DL, the Angels will probably recall left-handed-hitting outfielder Rafael Ortega from triple-a Salt Lake. Ortega hit.294 in 14 games before being demoted May 6. The Angels have placed eight players on the DL already this season, and that doesn t include pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who has been slow to recover from elbow surgery and has been relegated to a rehabilitation assignment at Salt Lake. The Angels will probably also recall a reliever from Salt Lake to bolster a bullpen that has combined to throw 59 1/3 innings, including four in Monday night s win, in the last 15 games. That pitcher would likely replace infielder Jefry Marte on the roster. Our bullpen is exhausted, Manager Mike Scioscia said. Our rotation needs to get deeper into games, and when that starts happening, and we continue to swing the bats, we ll get our

May 17, 2016 Page 6 of 46 bullpen in shape and put up wins. Right now, we re putting up wins, but using a lot of pitching to do it. Angels put up two big innings, beat Dodgers, 7-6 Andy McCullough Health has never been a strength for the 2016 Dodgers, not after spring training shredded the roster and forced 10 players on the disabled list on opening day. The group avoided catastrophe through the first six weeks of the season. The seventh week may not be so kind. After the fifth inning of 7-6 loss to the Angels, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez did not return to the diamond with the rest of his teammates. The diagnosis for his departure was lower back tightness. Two other Dodgers Carl Crawford and Scott Van Slyke were sidelined earlier this season with similar ailments. He just said his back stiffened up, Manager Dave Roberts said. So after that, I just wanted to take it out of his hands and take him out of the game. So it s day to day. Gonzalez did not relay the nature or severity of his condition. He left Dodger Stadium without speaking to reporters. Losing Gonzalez added injury to the insult of a defeat to the Angels (17-21), who have now won four in a row, building off a sweep of the Seattle Mariners over the weekend. Matt Shoemaker logged five innings and allowed three runs, jumping a low bar for one of his better starts this season. Mike Trout drove in two runs in a four-run third inning against Kenta Maeda. Albert Pujols had three RBI, including two in a three-run seventh against Pedro Baez. The brightest spot for the Dodgers was rookie outfielder Trayce Thompson. He bashed a pair of home runs to keep his team within striking distance. The performance of Maeda was the other sour note -- save for the standard, unreliable performance from the offense -- for the Dodgers (20-19). Manager Dave Roberts removed Maeda for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fourth. It was the shortest outing of his career. He gave up four runs on five hits and two walks. He threw 73 pitches. The entirety of the damage occurred within the third inning, but Maeda lacked the crispness of his encouraging April. Maeda allowed one run in his first four outings. In his next three, he surrendered 10. Regression can be expected for any rookie, especially one transitioning from Nippon Professional Baseball. He also shied away from usage of his fastball, preferring to deceive batters with sliders and curveballs.

May 17, 2016 Page 7 of 46 It s hard to make a living as a starting pitcher working only off your slider, Roberts said. Maeda demonstrated some trust of his fastball at the start on Monday. He fired at pair to Trout. Trout grounded out to complete a 1-2-3 inning. Maeda retired the three batters he faced in the second. His night would unravel soon after. When the day began, the earned-run average of Shoemaker looked more like an albatross than a simple statistic. With a 9.12 ERA going into the game, Shoemaker rated as the worst pitcher in the American League who has thrown at least 20 innings this season. His performance earned him a demotion on the first day of May, but he returned to the majors after injuries sidelined Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney. Whoever has a voodoo curse on me, please reverse it now, thank you, Shoemaker wrote on Twitter after he gave up four runs in four innings on May 11. Shoemaker could not blame black magic for what occurred in the second inning. The responsibility lay on his shoulders after he issued a two-out walks to Joc Pederson and Trayce Thompson. The duo combined to see 12 pitches along the way. Pestered by patience, Shoemaker soon yielded to aggression. Carl Crawford punched the first pitch he saw, a 91-mph fastball, into left for an RBI single. Three pitches later, Maeda did the same with another fastball over the middle. Shoemaker s teammates picked him up in the third. After a leadoff double by catcher Carlos Perez, shortstop Gregorio Petit cut the deficit in half with an RBI single. Yunel Escobar followed with a single, as Maeda s pace slowed to a crawl. When Kole Calhoun walked, the bases were loaded for Trout. Maeda did not get a chance to throw Trout a fastball. He let a curveball flutter over the plate. Trout rolled a two-run single into left. Albert Pujols extended Maeda s misery by punching an RBI single into center. I do feel I need to use more of my fastball, Maeda said. The Dodgers chipped away at the deficit in the fourth. Shoemaker hung a slider, and Thompson hit his fifth home run of the season. Roberts decided to pinch-hit for Maeda two batters later. The Angels put the game away in the seventh. Working at a glacial pace, Pedro Baez allowed a single to Yunel Escobar and another to Kole Calhoun. Trout walked to load the bases. Pujols roped a two-run single. Johnny Giavotella capped the three-run frame with a sacrifice fly. Thompson delivered his second scoring strike in the eighth. After a walk by Joc Pederson, Thompson crushed a changeup from Angels reliever Mike Morin.

May 17, 2016 Page 8 of 46 Trayce is doing a lot of good things, Roberts said. He s definitely deserving of more playing time. Huston Street likes Angels potential addition of Tim Lincecum Mike DiGiovanna Angels closer Huston Street said he is excited by the team's expected acquisition of Tim Lincecum and credited the front office for attempting to bolster the roster after a rocky week. "I think it s a phenomenal sign for us," Street said. "For us in the clubhouse, it establishes very firmly that, hey, we re still adding pieces to this team. I think the team has done a good job of showing its resiliency and not making excuses." The Angels lost ace Garrett Richards and shortstop Andrelton Simmons to injury within the past 10 days, and they endured a winless homestand. Then they went to Seattle, swept the Mariners, and returned to the news that they were on the verge of adding Lincecum. "You want to talk about morale," Street said. "That does have an effect, when the front office goes out and signs somebody like a Tim Lincecum in a spot like this, right after we swept a series. "They re really saying, hey, we re still investing in this team. I think we do need that. Leadership starts at the top, it does. The GM, ownership, sets the tone for the entire organization. It s similar to a team that is five games out in July and trades one of its best players. It sends a poor message. So I think this signing sends the right message at the right time." Street said he knows and respects Lincecum. "He s a very straightforward person who doesn t make excuses and really cares about doing the best he can," Street said. "I was equally proud of him through all the dominant years as I was for the years when he wasn t as dominant but still took the ball every start, and he never discarded or dismissed anything, stood there and answered the questions. "There are certain guys in the game who have undeniable talent, and that talent doesn t just go away, not at that level that he has. But sometimes, either your body is in a funk or your mechanics are in a funk, or both, and time is the only thing that allows you to work through it. I think this is a great opportunity for us to bring a two-time Cy Young Award winner who knows how to work and win."

May 17, 2016 Page 9 of 46 Angels Garrett Richards opts for stem-cell therapy instead of surgery Mike DiGiovanna Angels ace Garrett Richards, who suffered a high-grade tear of his ulnar collateral ligament in early May, has opted to forgo ligament-replacement surgery for now in favor of stem-cell therapy in hopes of pitching again this season. Richards underwent the procedure, in which stem cells are derived from bone or fat and injected into the injury site in hopes of repairing and regenerating the damaged ligament, on Monday. There is no guarantee the procedure will be successful, but doctors should know in six to eight weeks if it is. "Garrett weighed all the evidence that was given to him through MRI exams, he researched the process, talked to people who have gone through the procedure and people who have not and came to this decision," Angels General Manager Billy Eppler said. "We support him." Richards, who went 1-3 with a 2.34 earned-run average in six starts, had all but resigned himself to Tommy John surgery, which would have sidelined the hard-throwing right-hander for the rest of this season and most, if not all, of 2017. If stem-cell therapy, which Eppler termed a "conservative care route," doesn't work, Richards, 27, could have surgery in July and be ready for 2018. "He got input from numerous sources, both players and doctors, and felt this was the best course of action to heal and get healthy," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "I don't think you want to jump into any kind of surgery, let alone one the magnitude of Tommy John surgery. "That puts you out for this season and most of next season. Garrett has a few months to evaluate where his elbow is. He really isn't having many symptoms at all, so I know he's confident with this course of action." Eppler said there are pitchers "who have had this procedure and are pitching well in the big leagues," but he declined to name any. New York Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon underwent stem-cell therapy in March of 2010 to help repair ligament damage in his elbow and a torn rotator cuff. Colon, now 43, missed all of 2010 but returned in 2011 and has gone 68-53 with a 3.67 ERA in 155 games since his stem-cell treatment. If the treatment is successful, Richards could resume throwing by mid-july and return sometime in August. Fellow pitcher Andrew Heaney also opted to forgo elbow surgery in favor of a platelet-rich plasma injection in April.

May 17, 2016 Page 10 of 46 Short hops Angels left fielder Daniel Nava left Monday night's game in the fifth inning because of a left groin strain and will undergo an MRI test Tuesday. Nava spent three weeks on the disabled list in April and early May because of patella tendinitis in his left knee. C.J. Wilson, sidelined since the start of spring training because of shoulder inflammation, threw a 40-pitch simulated game Monday. The left-hander hopes to return by mid-june. "He looked good for a first workout against some hitters," Scioscia said. "It's encouraging, but it's still a long process." Tyler Skaggs, out for three weeks because of biceps tendinitis, was cleared to resume throwing after passing a strength test Monday. Closer Huston Street (left-oblique strain) has extended his long-toss program to 140 feet and hopes to throw off a mound Wednesday. Reliever Javy Guerra cleared waivers Monday and was outrighted to triple-a Salt Lake. Angels pursuit of Tim Lincecum a familiar ring to it Bill Shaikin The Angels' owner had zipped up the team wallet. But the team desperately needed a pitcher, so management gambled on a fragile arm. The arm belonged to a former Cy Young winner, a guy who inspired a city, wore multiple World Series championship rings and drew raves from teammates for his accountability and effort. So the Angels signed Fernando Valenzuela, two months after the Dodgers let him go. The Angels got two major league starts out of him. He lost both, and the Angels let him go. That was in 1991. Here we are 25 years later, when the Angels ought to be above these kinds of gambles, and Tim Lincecum feels a bit like Valenzuela all over again. The Angels are close to signing Lincecum, two people familiar with the decision but unwilling to speak publicly ahead of a team announcement said. Lincecum, eight months removed from hip surgery and 11 months removed from his last competitive game, probably would make a few starts in the minor leagues before reporting to Anaheim. This is not a criticism of Angels General Manager Billy Eppler. The Angels have two starting pitchers with an earned-run average above 6.00, four starting pitchers on the disabled list, nothing significant in the way of money to spend or prospects to promote and an expectation to contend this season.

May 17, 2016 Page 11 of 46 "I think it will come down to September," Eppler said Monday. It might. The Angels and all their woes are only 4 1/2 games out of first place in the American League West, which appears to be the weakest top-to-bottom division in the major leagues. So Eppler, in his first year, has provided low-cost upgrades to the margins of the roster over the last week: shortstop Brendan Ryan, pitcher Jhoulys Chacin and now Lincecum. Lincecum is no longer a brand name, the guy with the two Cy Youngs, three parades and signature hair. He is one month from his 32nd birthday, five years removed from his last good season. "You try to find lightning in a bottle," Angels coach Gary DiSarcina said. DiSarcina was the Angels' shortstop during the lost decade of the 1990s, when the money did not flow from ownership and the minor league talent had just started to flow. In the interim, the Angels regularly imported former All-Stars with their best days well behind them. Not just Valenzuela. There was Eddie Murray, who hit.217 at age 41, and Dave Parker, who hit.232 at 40. In the same year 1992 there was Hubie Brooks (.216) and Von Hayes (.225). Of those five players, the Angels cut all but Brooks before the end of the season. "As a player, it was frustrating," DiSarcina said. "You're not making the big splash. You're not going out and getting David Cone, or Rickey Henderson in his prime." The Angels had Henderson in 1997, at age 38. He hit.183. "A lot of people want to downplay those signings," DiSarcina said. "They're not flashy like this year, the [Yoenis] Cespedes or Alex Gordon or those guys. "But, for an organization that wasn't winning at that time, to bring in winning ballplayers, even if they were past their prime, helps the organization. It helps the core group of young players the [Tim] Salmons, the [Garret] Andersons, the [Darin] Erstads, the [Troy] Percivals. We didn't win in the minor leagues. We were rushed out of need. It was awesome to see these other players coming from winning organizations." The names came flooding back to DiSarcina: Pat Borders, Alvin Davis, John Farrell, Mark Gubicza, Jack McDowell. They all helped young players back in the day, he said, and he expected that Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney would pepper Lincecum to share his knowledge. Still, the 1990s Angels were muddled in mediocrity. These Angels, with the best player in baseball and October aspirations, should not have to resort to a pitcher that is the equivalent of lottery ticket.

May 17, 2016 Page 12 of 46 "They have financial constraints now," DiSarcina said. "[Owner] Arte [Moreno] has a certain number he really doesn't want to go over. You have to operate within that budget. "If you bring five guys in like that and even one contributes, it's worth it, especially when the minor league system isn't producing all these big league players. We've got to fill that void somehow." Lincecum might come back strong this year. He might, as Valenzuela did, pitch one year for the Angels and come back strong in later years, for other teams. You never know. Are the Angels better today than yesterday? The best they can say is, they don't know. Angels mailbag: Questions after a rare good weekend Pedro Moura The Angels swept Seattle over the weekend, but, overall, they are still struggling, at 16-21, third in the American League West, 5 1/2 games behind first-place Texas. This is the spot to ask anything you want about the franchise. This weekly feature is the forum to get responses to any queries regarding the Angels or, really, any topic at all, submitted through my email (pedro.moura@latimes.com) and Twitter accounts (@pedromoura). Here we go. @avisholkoff: when do you think the start of the Angels' "downfall" began? It's hard to remember, but this was a team that won 98 games in 14 I like this question. They did indeed win 98 games two seasons ago. They had a good team that year, perhaps even great, but it s important to note they might ve also overplayed their true talent level. There are several moments you can point to as the initial source of the descent. Scouting director Eddie Bane s September 2010 firing remains difficult to understand. I keep going back to Jan. 21, 2011 the day they inexplicably agreed to trade Mike Napoli for the corpse of Vernon Wells and his massive contract. But they probably wouldn t have made that trade if they had signed Carl Crawford or Adrian Beltre earlier in the off-season, and they were reportedly in on both men. In Beltre s case, there have been public hints that they nearly signed him. So, I don t know. It feels impossible to pinpoint. In general, Tony Reagins hiring appeared a mistake, and Jerry Dipoto seemed to do more good than bad. Of course, it's not Billy Eppler's

May 17, 2016 Page 13 of 46 fault. So, perhaps the downfall started in 2008 or 2009 and was just buoyed, at times, by huge hits like Mike Trout. Whatever the specific start, I feel pretty confident in saying it was a misguided free-agent signing or trade that set it into motion. For five straight seasons from 2003 to 2007, the Angels farm system ranked among Baseball America s top five. No other organization made the top five in more than three of those years. And then they stopped infusing the system with top picks and traded away much of what they had. They ve never ranked in the top 10 since, and their system is now the consensus worst in baseball. Multiple talent evaluators have told me the Angels might be the worst-positioned franchise in the sport going forward. What has been the nadir or if the nadir has even been reached is unclear. @DuranSports: Scale 1-10 what's Scioscia hot seat meter? I ll peg it at a three, if Gregg Popovich is a one and Byron Scott was a 10 weeks ago. I still don t think Angels owner Arte Moreno is going to fire Manager Mike Scioscia, particularly at any point during this season. It s not like any manager could have this team, as currently assembled, atop baseball. The Angels issue is not their lineup construction or their bullpen management or anything like that. Their chief problem is that they don t have enough good, healthy players. Why? Refer to the question above. @TisdaleDr1978: If the Angels could acquire 4-5 good prospects for Trout (from the Cubs for example), why wouldn't they do it? Why wouldn t they do it? Well, would people continue to go to the ballpark at the same rate? Would people buy as much merchandise? I think not. Their season-ticket renewals would go down dramatically for 2017. The money-making enterprise aspect of the organization would be put into question. I think that is definitely in play here. @EricEsq503: Do you think the team will start running "big market" payrolls around Trout? This is the real question, isn t it? Not whether the team will trade Trout this season. It s about whether they can assemble a squad that can actually compete around him at some point over the next four seasons. They thought they could compete this year. Injuries have made that more challenging. If they determine that with their budgetary restraints they can t ever build a top squad around Trout, the only rational action is to trade him.

May 17, 2016 Page 14 of 46 Only Moreno knows, or will know, if he can start running payrolls to match the biggest teams in the sport. @KevinKLu: how important are these vets/clubhouse guys who sing/do impressions during a season like this? This, I presume, is in response to a story I wrote about Geovany Soto singing Bob Marley in the Angels clubhouse before their game last Wednesday. Soto sings a lot. His teammates seem to like him quite a bit. He definitely lightens the mood, probably more than any other person in the room. How important are those traits to the team winning? I m not sure. It s so hard to say with any degree of certainty. But I d say the fact that Soto can hit is probably more impactful. He has much more pop than the Angels other catching option, Carlos Perez, and is finally getting the playing time to reflect that truth. @ZachMaciel12: why did we trade Howie Kendrick The Angels traded Kendrick because they obtained six years of Andrew Heaney for one year of Kendrick. It was a great trade, even if Heaney ends up succumbing to a torn UCL and undergoing Tommy John surgery. Heaney and Kendrick were similarly valuable last year. Kendrick is a nice player, but the deal he signed with the Dodgers after last season two years, $20 million should show you that Heaney is a more valued commodity. Nobody wanted to top that and pay the first-round pick compensation attached to the qualifying offer. By the way, Kendrick turns 33 in two months and has hit.279 with a.319 on-base percentage and.377 slugging percentage since leaving the Angels. Johnny Giavotella has hit.261 with a.304 OBP and.358 slugging in that time. Kendrick s better, obviously, but not nearly by enough to outweigh Heaney s worth. @jaydieguez: thoughts on the new saosin? Given the farm is in shambles should they draft for need? or best player available? I have only heard the three singles from the new Saosin record. I particularly enjoyed Control and the Urge to Pray. I used to listen to their debut album a lot. It has been fun to go back to recently. In this case, drafting for need and drafting the best player available are pretty much the same thing. The Angels could use prospects at every position on the field, so the best player available, whoever he is and wherever he plays, will fill a need.

May 17, 2016 Page 15 of 46 @BStewart05: How bad would it have to get to drop Pujols in the order And How bad would it have to get for Pujols to consider retirement? Marcelo Pacheco also asked a similar question via email: Any plans to move Pujols out of the 4 spot? Please do so Sosh, been wanting this for a while now. Scioscia was asked this a few days ago: Would you consider moving him down? No, he said. Five seconds later, he added: I think you guys are misreading this if you don't think he's hitting the ball much better than his numbers show. While I understand the call for Pujols to move down in the lineup, I don t think it s as obvious a choice as many seem to think. For most teams, he would no longer be hitting cleanup. But, with the Angels, it comes down to this: Who do you think will hit better from here on out in 2016? Pujols or C.J. Cron? Whoever you like should bat higher, of course. Pujols is again failing to get on base and Cron has come around impressively in recent weeks, but I think the smart money is on Pujols from here forward. He will not produce at the level you would expect from a cleanup hitter, no, but he might be the best the Angels have. How bad would it have to get for Scioscia to drop him? He d probably have to start striking out a lot more. How bad would it have to get for Pujols to consider retirement? Really, really, really bad. He is still owed about $160 million from today forward. @MattMattwiles26: Not that the Angels will go rebuilding mode, but should we soon look for minor moves to position them for years to come? The Angels will not commit to selling until another month has passed, at least, and probably two. If they do decide to make trades, they must still determine if they will sell only short-term rental types Joe Smith, Yunel Escobar or longer-term options, too, like Kole Calhoun, Huston Street and Hector Santiago. @jw_mike: have the Angels quit or they're just that bad? They are lacking in good, healthy players.

May 17, 2016 Page 16 of 46 FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER Trout, Pujols and Angels get to Dodgers Maeda early, open Freeway Series with 7-6 victory By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER LOS ANGELES The first four starts of Kenta Maeda s major-league career offered history. The right-hander from Japan gave up a combined one run during those appearances. It was the fewest for any starting pitcher since at least 1913 and it seemed to mirror the debut of another rookie from 35 years ago. Fernando Valenzuela gave up only one run in his first five starts. But Maeda s four starts since have not offered nearly as much. He has allowed a total of 14 runs in that span, including four on Monday night in front of 39,583 at Dodger Stadium, swelling his season ERA to 2.87. The more hitters see you and start to know your tendencies, they make adjustments, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. The Dodgers lost their second straight game, this one to the Angels, 7-6, and fell to 20-19 overall. The Angels, who won their fourth in a row improved to 17-21 overall. They inflicted most of the damage on Maeda in the top of the third inning the four runs the most he had allowed in an inning. Angels catcher Carlos Perez led off with a double, as four of the first five batters reached base to score a run and load the bases with one out for Mike Trout. On the first pitch he saw, a 75 mph curveball that dropped over the middle of the plate, Trout drove the ball to left field, bringing in a pair of runs to give the Angels a 3-2 lead. Albert Pujols followed with an RBI single. Trout and Pujols, the Angels 3-4 hitters in the lineup, were a combined 5 for 8, driving in five of their seven runs. We re finding our stroke a little bit, Trout said. With his three hits, Pujols saw his batting average climb from.197 to.212.

May 17, 2016 Page 17 of 46 Albert s been hitting the ball hard for awhile now, but not finding some holes, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. He s starting to find some holes. The Angels as a whole are amid a bit of an offensive surge. They have scored 26 runs during their current four-game winning streak and 36 over their past five games. We re just doing a little more offensively, Scioscia said. I don t think there s any rhyme or reason. Sometimes it s just cyclical. The Dodgers bats were not exactly quiet either against Angels starter Matt Shoemaker. Maeda followed Carl Crawford s RBI single in the second inning with one of his own. Trayce Thompson, filling in for Yasiel Puig in right field, hit his fifth home of the season in the fourth (all since April 25), a 412-foot blast to left field. He added a two-run blast in the eighth for the first multi-homer game of his career. Trayce is doing a lot of good things, Roberts said of Thompson, who has five home runs in 26 at-bats this month. He s definitely deserving of more playing time. I know what kind of player he is. He s got a bright future. Roberts said Thompson, who has primarily platooned with Joc Pederson in center field, will start in left field Tuesday. For Shoemaker, who gave up three runs on six hits over five innings, it was not a brilliant effort, but one of his better outings in recent memory. He had not give up three runs or fewer since April 19. Afterward, he called it definitely a good step. By contrast, the four runs Maeda surrendered were the second-most he had allowed in a game. He was removed after four innings (73 pitches) when Kiké Hernandez came in as a pinch hitter in the top of the fifth. Maeda threw his slider 26 times, according to PITCHf/x. He has thrown his slider 41 percent of the time in his last four starts compared to 28 percent in his first four. It's hard to make a living as a starting pitcher pitching off your slider, Roberts said. Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (0 for 3, two strikeouts) was also removed from the game after five innings because of tightness in his lower back. He is day to day and declined to address reporters after the game. I ll let you know tomorrow, he said.

May 17, 2016 Page 18 of 46 Justin Turner took his place, moving Howie Kendrick from third base to first. Fernando Salas earned the save for the Angels, giving Joe Smith a breather for a night. Smith has filled in as the closer in the absence of injured Huston Street (oblique), but he had thrown 56 pitches in the three games in Seattle. Our bullpen is exhausted, Scioscia said. Our rotation needs to get deeper into games. Angels Garrett Richards has stem cell injection, seeks to avoid Tommy John surgery By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER LOS ANGELES -- Garrett Richards could return this season. The Angels ace, out indefinitely because of a torn ulnar collateral ligament, has opted not to pursue Tommy John surgery for the time being. Richards received a stem cell injection Monday in the hope of avoiding the procedure. Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Richards would be evaluated in six weeks. It s done just in hopes of having the best outcome of having him be healthy, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. I don't think you want to jump into any kind of surgery, let alone a surgery of the magnitude of a Tommy John procedure. I think, for Garrett s interests, it s best to take this course. Richards, 27, was 1-3 with a 2.34 ERA in his six starts this season before being placed on the disabled list. The hard-throwing right-hander sought a second opinion in recent weeks. Garrett got input from numerous sources, both players and doctors, and felt that this was the best course of action, Scioscia said. That s solely his decision. Stem cell therapy is uncommon, but not a course of action that is not unheard of. Among known players to have undergone the technique include former Angels pitcher Bartolo Colon, who underwent treatment after missing the 2010 season with the New York Yankees following elbow surgery. Colon, who turns 43 next week, has pitched for the New York Mets since 2014 and is 3-2 with a 3.53 ERA this season.

May 17, 2016 Page 19 of 46 For Richards, Tommy John surgery, with its recovery time of up to 16 months, would cost him most of the 2017. Certainly it is a long recovery and puts you out, not only for this season, but the lion s share of next season, probably all of next season, Scioscia said. I don t think it s anything you want to rush into. Richards becomes a free agent after the 2018 season. Meanwhile, the Angels on Monday were nearing a deal with former Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, who could offer some help to a beleaguered rotation. Lincecum, who had hip surgery last year, would almost certainly need to pass a physical before the deal could be finalized. The Angels were among the teams that scouted Lincecum at a workout May 6 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Lincecum, 31, posted a 4.13 ERA in 15 starts with the Giants last year before the hip injury ended his season. During the past four years, Lincecum has a 4.68 ERA, failing to recapture the form that made him one of baseball's best pitchers earlier in his career. From 2007-11, Lincecum was a twotime Cy Young winner and a four-time All-Star. He posted a 2.98 ERA over those seasons, including leading the Giants to the 2010 World Series title. He played lesser roles on their 2012 and 2014 championship teams. Lincecum would presumably work out at the Angels spring training facility in Arizona immediately after he signs, and then report to Triple-A Salt Lake. The Angels rotation is down four pitchers from the start of spring training, with Richards, Andrew Heaney, Tyler Skaggs and C.J. Wilson all hurt. Angels nearing deal with former Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum JEFF FLETCHER/ STAFF WRITER ANAHEIM - The Angels are nearing a deal with former Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, who could provide help for their beleaguered rotation. The Angels have not confirmed the deal, which was first reported by Jeff Passan of Yahoo!, and then by other national outlets.

May 17, 2016 Page 20 of 46 Lincecum, who had hip surgery last year, would almost certainly need to pass a physical before the deal could be finalized. The Angels were among the teams that scouted Lincecum at a workout May 6 in Arizona. Lincecum, 31, posted a 4.13 ERA in 15 starts with the Giants last year before the hip injury ended his season. Over the past four years, Lincecum has a 4.68 ERA, failing to recapture the form that made him one of baseball's best pitchers earlier in his career. From 2007-11, Lincecum was a two-time Cy Young winner and a four-time All-Star. He posted a 2.98 ERA over those seasons, including leading the Giants to the 2010 World Series title. He played lesser roles on their 2012 and 2014 championship teams. Lincecum would presumably work out at the Angels spring training facility in Arizona immediately after he signs, and then report to Triple-A Salt Lake City. The Angels rotation is down four pitchers from the start of spring training, with Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, Tyler Skaggs and C.J. Wilson all hurt. Richards will be re-examined in six weeks after having a stem cell injection Monday in an attempt to avoid Tommy John surgery. The Angels hope to have the other three back sometime this summer. Angels Daniel Nava could be headed to disabled list By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER LOS ANGELES Daniel Nava may be headed back to the disabled list. Nava, who spent nearly three weeks on the DL with left knee tendinitis before being activated earlier this month, left the Angels 7-6 win over the Dodgers on Monday night after flying out in the top of the fifth inning. The club said he suffered a left groin strain. Manager Mike Scioscia said he "could be" headed to the DL again. It s very frustrating, Nava said. The Angels left fielder was 5 for 19 in the past five games. "I ve never had that happen before," Nava said. "I don t know what to base it off if it s serious or not. I don t know what to say."

May 17, 2016 Page 21 of 46 Miller: Angels-Dodgers avoiding baseball s strong Odor By JEFF MILLER / STAFF COLUMNIST LOS ANGELES It was, quite possibly, the cleanest punch to ever land in baseball, Rougned Odor connecting with a right cross square enough to nearly break Jose Bautista s beard. But Bautista, who evidently chews bits of highway or something for breakfast, remained impressively upright, the man famous for flipping his bat and admiring his own home runs obviously more than just a poser. The incident Sunday between the Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays was so must-see and momentous that, within 12 hours, the Internet featured at least three different T-shirts commemorating the occasion. It remained the talk of the sport well into Monday, when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated he had no interest in challenging Odor to anything more physical than maybe a spelling bee. I want no part of him, Roberts said. That kid s got a good right. Yes, Odor-Bautista I, The Malice In Suburban Dallas continued to dominate baseball as the Dodgers and Angels renewed their interleague rivalry on the same field where Chan Ho Park once attempted to slice Tim Belcher in half using only his foot. That dugout-emptying altercation happened here in June of 1999, Park landing a left forearm followed by a less-than-courageous right kick, prompting then-angels shortstop Gary DiSarcina to observe, From the looks of it, he s not the most intelligent person when it comes to playing the game. DiSarcina is now the Angels first-base coach, the perfect position from which he could have interjected himself into any testosterone-fueled muscle waltzing the current Dodgers and Angels might have had in mind. As it turned out, the two teams stuck to the game, the Angels doing baseball a little bit better this time, winning 7-6 behind Mike Trout and Albert Pujols and just enough from starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker. Though they can t suddenly be classified as world-beaters, exactly, the Angels certainly have taken care of Seattle and L.A. the past four days. These teams this week are engaged in a series of four games, the first two here at Dodger Stadium followed by two more in Anaheim. For starters, both were interested in swinging nothing more at one another than their bats.

May 17, 2016 Page 22 of 46 A few hours before the game, in fact, several Angels even huddled on the field with the Dodgers Howie Kendrick, their former teammate. The gathering appeared quite jovial, the group more likely to exchange the highest of fives than the lowest of blows. Yet, in the third inning, it was Kendrick who dropped Johnny Giavotella on a force at second base, ending whatever chance the Angels infielder had of completing a double play. Angels manager Mike Scioscia immediately came out, apparently to raise the possibility that Kendrick s slide was heinous enough to warrant the umpires awarding the Angels the extra out anyway. Though his appeal was denied, Scioscia was wise to ask, baseball these days still sorting out what is and isn t a legal slide much the same way the NFL continues struggling to identify what qualifies as a caught football. These can be confusing times in sports, what with replays giving everyone not only a second look but also a glimpse into the DNA of each play. Remember, there was a time when close calls at first base weren t subjected to molecular analysis. The Angels and Giavotella have their own history with Odor, of course, the Texas second baseman having taken out Giavotella late last season with a slide that wouldn t have been any more violent had he executed it from behind the wheel of his car. Odor is generally referred to using words like fiery and competitive, which are kinder ways of suggesting he would, if the fatso just happened to get in his way, shatter the kneecaps of Santa Claus. Such risky maneuvers now are illegal, in large part because of the incident involving Chase Utley in the playoffs last season on this very field. Utley broke the leg of Ruben Tejada as the Dodgers were losing to the Mets in the National League Division Series. So, it seems, even when teams like the Angels and Dodgers aren t directly involved in meaty misunderstandings like the one Sunday in Texas, nobody in this game is too far removed from the grabbing and punching. And, with three games to go in this home-and-home series, who knows? The Angels and Dodgers still have plenty of time to figure out friendly pregame chitchats or not that, once the first pitch has been thrown, they don t really like each other much. Not that I m hoping that happens. Generally speaking, little is gained when baseball teams fight. Typically, there s more huffing and puffing than anything that actually matters, the only blows that land being bursts of hot air.

May 17, 2016 Page 23 of 46 But then something like Odor-Bautista comes along and a well-placed right hand connects to the jaw, stopping a sport long enough to ponder what s right and what s wrong and what belongs on the next T-shirt. Angels C.J. Wilson throws simulated game By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER LOS ANGELES C.J. Wilson threw his first simulated game on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, tossing approximately 40 pitches over three innings. It s encouraging, but there s still a process involved, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. It s going to take awhile. Wilson, who has dealt with shoulder tendinitis since the start of spring training, began throwing off a mound earlier this month. The 35-year-old left-hander has been targeting a mid-june return date if his rehab process continues as scheduled. Last season, Wilson started 21 games, going 8-8 with a 3.89 ERA No minor league rehab assignment has been set yet. He is not game ready, Scioscia said. At some point, he will throw another simulated game. Scioscia did not say if a return by mid-june was realistic for Wilson. I just know he had a workout today, Scioscia said. I don t think you re going to look too far down the road. There is a plan with C.J. when he s going to be available. It s very fluid. And I think it has to be. He s not ready to throw in a game, so this step, at the very least, has to be repeated. On deck: Angels at Dodgers, Tuesday, 7 p.m. By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER Where: Dodger Stadium TV: FSW, SNLA (where available)

May 17, 2016 Page 24 of 46 Did you know? Jered Weaver combined for a no-hitter through eight innings with Jose Arredondo in his second start at Dodger Stadium in 2008. But the Angels became only the fifth team in the modern era to lose a game despite not giving up a hit when they fell, 1-0. THE PITCHERS ANGELS RHP JERED WEAVER (3-2, 6.10) Vs. Dodgers: 6-2, 2.52 At Dodger Stadium: 2-1, 1.53 Hates to face: Adrian Gonzalez, 4 for 13 (.308) Loves to face: Clayton Kershaw, 1 for 5 (.200) DODGERS LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW (5-1, 1.74) Vs. Angels: 4-2, 2.91 At Dodger Stadium: 66-29, 2.06 Hates to face: Albert Pujols, 11 for 28 (.393) Loves to face: Brendan Ryan, 3 for 16 (.188) Angels lineups: Why Mike Scioscia is batting his pitcher eighth By JOEY KAUFMAN / STAFF WRITER LOS ANGELES -- The Angels on Monday night begin a stretch of four straight games against the Dodgers. The first two are at Dodger Stadium, leaving Manager Mike Scioscia with the dilemma of where to put the pitcher in the order. As was the case during their three-game series at Milwaukee, the last time they visited a National League ballpark, the pitcher will hit eighth. Matt Shoemaker, Monday's starter, will be in front of shortstop Gregorio Petit, who bats ninth. The idea is to put an everyday hitter in front of the top of the order as sort of a second leadoff batter. "In our situation, we re looking at (Yunel) Escobar, (Kole) Calhoun and (Mike) Trout," Scioscia said. "There s no doubt we want them connected with a hitter, because Kole Calhoun, in his own right, should be hitting with guys in scoring position. Escobar, in his own right, we d like to get guys in scoring position for him. I think this sets up the best way to feed that section of our lineup." For the Dodgers, Yasiel Puig was given a day off.

May 17, 2016 Page 25 of 46 Tonight's lineups: ANGELS (16-21) 3B Yunel Escobar RF Kole Calhoun CF Mike Trout 1B Albert Pujols LF Daniel Nava 2B Johnny Giavotella C Carlos Perez SP Matt Shoemaker (1-5, 9.12 ERA) SS Gregorio Petit DODGERS (20-18) 2B Chase Utley SS Corey Seager 3B Howie Kendrick 1B Adrian Gonzalez C Yasmani Grandal CF Joc Pederson RF Trayce Thompson LF Carl Crawford SP Kenta Maeda (3-2, 2.30 ERA)

May 17, 2016 Page 26 of 46 FROM ANGELS.COM Angels stave off Dodgers in Freeway opener By Jack Baer and Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com 4:03 AM ET LOS ANGELES -- Mike Trout and Albert Pujols combined for five hits and five RBIs as the Angels got production from up and down the lineup in a 7-6 victory over the Dodgers to open the Freeway Series on Monday night at Dodger Stadium. Only Daniel Nava, who left the game in the fifth, and Matt Shoemaker, the starting pitcher, failed to register either a run or RBI for the Angels, as a litany of singles and walks wore down the Dodgers. "We're starting to swing the bats, which is a good sign," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, whose club has won four straight after losing six in a row. "Our bullpen is exhausted. Our rotation needs to get deeper into games, and when that starts happening, we continue to swing the bats, we'll get our bullpen in shape and put up wins." The Angels had five straight reach base during a four-run third, and that played a big part in forcing out Dodgers rookie Kenta Maeda after four innings, the shortest start of his Major League career. "I haven't been able to execute my plan," Maeda said through an interpreter. "During the good times, I'm a little more careful. Even with runners on base, I've been able to get out of jams. But in a lot of situations these days, that hasn't been the case." Another rally in the seventh against Dodgers reliever Pedro Baez gave the Angels three more runs and enough cushion to survive Trayce Thompson's second home run of the game, which made it 7-6 in the eighth. After Fernando Salas came on in the ninth and worked a perfect inning, Shoemaker got the win with a five-inning, three-run outing to snap a streak of four straight losses. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Offensive surge: The Angels have scored 36 runs over their last five games, after totaling only 24 runs in their previous eight. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, they rallied in the ninth inning, with two of those surges resulting in victories. On Monday, they went 6-for-16 with runners in scoring position and totaled 12 hits, with Trout, Pujols, Yunel Escobar and Carlos Perez registering multi-hit games. "Every team goes through it," Trout said, referring to the Angels' early-season struggles. "We just went through it early in the season. We just turned the page, and it's fun."