It’s got to be the… mouthpiece? As strange as it sounds, it sure seems to be a major reason that Ervin Santana was able to regain his long lost ace form against Oakland last night (I’m sure it had nothing to do with the fact that Oakland’s offense is fairly pathetic).
With the exception of one bad pitch to Matt Holliday, Ervin Santana was a stone cold killer out there last night. As much as I hate to agree with Rex Hudler (and I assure you it is a substantial amount of hate), that mouthguard certainly seemed to help Santana maintain his mental focus, an issue which has plagued him throughout his career. I don’t totally understand what clinching one’s jaw has to do with making good pitches, but I am all up for whatever works.
Hmm, maybe Arte Moreno should buy mouthpieces for the entire bullpen?
Good News:
- It’s about damn time, but Kendry Morales finally showed some power from the right-side of the plate. Clearly he had been saving it all up because he absolutely smoked that ball out to straightaway center.
- Mike Napoli is starting off the half on fire. Me likey. That is exactly what the short-handed Halos need while they wait for their stars to get healthy again.
- Kendrick didn’t really hit last night, but that stellar diving play he made to start a double play still has to be a big boost to his confidence. He was grinning like the Joker (Jack Nicholson version, not Heath Ledger, that would be creepy and sad) in the dugout after that little Web Gem.
Bad News:
- I’m definitely glad to see Juan Rivera back in the line-up, but I am still a bit concerned that he was limited to DH duties. Hopefully that is just a precautionary measure from Sosh, but I still am a bit suspect. Maybe I am just paranoid after all the injury woes the Halos have dealt with this year. It is like I have baseball Munchausen’s syndrome.
- Fox Sports West insists on running that ClubWPT.com commercial during games which means that I have pretty much had “Pokerface” stuck in my head for three weeks now. I am this close to taking a power drill to my skull to make it stop.
- Dude, Speier, you’re killing me. Why do you have to almost ruin my night by pitching so lousy AGAIN? Scioscia is practically begging you to become the set-up guy and you crap the bed every time you have the opportunity to lock the job down. Two times in a row now you have come in with a lead and failed to record an out. Just make the bad man stop, please!
Halo Hero:
- Ervin Santana
8 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 mouthguard chewed to hell. That’s the Ervin we all know and love. Keep it up!