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Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (36-39) @ Florida Marlins (33-41)
Pitching Probables: LAA – Joel Pineiro (3-3, 3.92 ERA) FLA – Brian Sanches (3-1, 1.93 ERA)
Game Info: 4:10 PM PT; TV – Fox Sports West; Radio – KLAA 830 AM
Oh what a great day today is going to be for us Angel fans. Today the universe is handing us the victory on a silver platter, and all the Angels have to do is not suck. I know that sounds like a tall order, especially with the way this offense has been playing, but it is entirely manageable. Today is going to be a bullpen day for the Marlins, meaning the Angels won’t have to worry about being dominated by just one mediocre pitcher, just a handful of them.
Don’t let Brian Sanches stats fool you, he’s only a bullpen pitcher. That doesn’t automatically mean he isn’t good, it just means he won’t be good for very long. At the most the Angels will only have to deal with him for 4 innings at the most, 5 if he’s really making them work for their hits. Then again, based on recent history, he’ll most likely take them for 7 innings, shutting them out the whole way.
Monkey See Monkey Do: Today is finally going to be the day, the day that the Angels break the ugly trend of not being able to hit low level pitchers. Don’t get me wrong, Sanches is a good reliever, but that doesn’t mean he’ll make a good spot start. This is exactly the kind of break the Angels offense needs to get something, ANYTHING going. My biggest hopes for today is seeing the Angels come through in clutch situations. Last night was a great example of how pathetic this offense is when it comes to bringing runners home. Going up against a low stamina reliever who most likely is on a short leash should be all the motivation the Angels need to pump some life back into their bats.
Monkey See Monkey Don’t: Do you remember that hot streak Pineiro hit before the All-Star break last year? If not, these next few week’s should be a great remind on exactly how great he was. Do you think he’s going to let some bullpen kid come in and wrassle a W away from his hands? Not MY Joel Pineiro! He may not have been hot stuff recently, but that is all going to change tonight. No, I don’t have any evidence or stats to prove so. The only evidence I have to back these claims is the evidence I feel in my gut. I know you probably don’t feel the same way, but if you we’re in my stomach you would completely understand where I’m coming from.
The Monkey’s Bananas Prediction of the Game: Joel Pineiro wants a win bad today, so bad in fact, that he is going to help himself out mightly at the dish. So mightly that he is going to show up some of his fellow Halo’s at the plate. With his 2-3 1 RBI game, including the double he promised us back in New York, we will all wonder how long it’ll take for Scioscia to sit Trumbo in favor of keeping Pineiro’s hot bat in the lineup.