ANAHEIM
Twelve games into the month of May, the Angels have scored 42 runs (tied for 23rd in the majors) while batting .223 as a team (27th) with a .280 on-base percentage (29th, only the Astros have been on base less frequently) and .331 slugging percentage (25th).
With so many soft spots, Angels manager Mike Scioscia and his staff apparently decided to tackle them one at a time. Today’s priority was “table-setting.”
“When everybody’s swinging the bat the way they can, this lineup has the potential to be very deep,” Scioscia said. “But one thing that we evaluate right now is — Bobby Abreu and Torii Hunter are just not getting opportunities with runners in scoring position.
“We’re going to go with this look for awhile. We can adjust it moving forward but we need to set the table better for the middle of our lineup.”
The new look has Howie Kendrick in the No. 2 spot with everyone behind him moving back one spot.
Lineups:
ANGELS
SS Erick Aybar
2B Howie Kendrick
RF Bobby Abreu
CF Torii Hunter
1B Kendry Morales
DH Hideki Matsui
LF Juan Rivera
C Mike Napoli
3B Brandon Wood
LHP Joe Saunders
A’S
SS Cliff Pennington
2B Adam Rosales
1B Daric Barton
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff
LF Jake Fox
C Landon Powell
DH Josh Donaldson
RF Gabe Gross
CF Rajai Davis
LHP Dallas Braden
(This is Braden’s first start since his perfect game against the Rays on Sunday. How have his perfect-game predecessors fared in their follow ups?)
Five questions about … the A’s
Scioscia juggles soggy lineup is a post from: Angels blog
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