April 19, 2018 Page 1 of 49

Press Clips

(April 19, 2018)

April 19, 2018 Page 2 of 49

CLIPS CONTENT

FROM THE OC REGISTER (PAGE 3)

Angels drop second straight lopsided game to Red Sox

Taiwanese baseball might have found its pioneer in Red Sox’s Tzu-Wei Lin

Angels, fans begin Blister Watch with Shohei Ohtani

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (PAGE 9)

Red Sox blow out Angels second straight night

Ohtani not expected to be sidelined by blister; should be able to DH Thursday

FROM ANGELS.COM (PAGE 13)

Skaggs shaky as Angels blanked by Red Sox

Halos still optimistic Ohtani will make next start

FROM MiLB.COM (PAGE 16)

Southern notes: Ward switching gears in Mobile

FROM ESPN.COM (PAGE 18)

Inside Albert Pujols’ path to 3,000 hits

Shohei Ohtani likely to make next start despite blister, could DH Thursday

Shohei Ohtani leaves with blister after two ineffective innings

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (PAGE 30)

Red Sox continue best-ever start with 9-0 win over Angels

FROM THE ATHLETIC (PAGE 32)

Minor League Matters: Who’s turning heads in Class AA?

After being humbled twice by Boston, the Angels are ready for Round 3

Only human: The Red Sox, and a blister, bring Ohtani back to earth for a night

Rosenthal: Albies dazzles for the Braves, Pujols and Moustakas are rejuvenated, and more

notes from around MLB

FROM CBS SPORTS (PAGE 46)

Red Sox poised to sweep Angels

FROM THE COMEBACK (PAGE 48)

Amid all the overreactions and freak-outs, here is one reason for optimism for each of

baseball’s 30 teams**

FROM SB NATION (PAGE 48)

Baseball phenom echoes Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas: Quiet on the field

April 19, 2018 Page 3 of 49

FROM THE OC REGISTER

Angels drop second straight lopsided game to Red Sox

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — Remember when the Angels could seemingly do no wrong?

Just a few days after they were riding a seven-game winning streak and scoring the most runs in the

major leagues, the Angels have seen their joyride come to abrupt halt at the hands of the Boston Red

Sox.

The Angels are now enduring their first losing “streak” of the young season, after dropping a second

consecutive game to the Red Sox, the latest a 9-0 loss on Wednesday night.

“It’s just two games,” Zack Cozart said. “We obviously didn’t play well. Me for sure. We’ll come back

tomorrow and try to play better. It’s pretty simple. We just have to play better all around.”

The Angels had been off to the best 16-game start in franchise history, at 13-3, before a weather

postponement on Sunday in Kansas City and a scheduled off day interrupted their momentum. Also, the

equally sizzling Red Sox came to town, having won 14 of their first 16 games.

“They’re a tough team right now,” said starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who gave up most of his six runs on

a Rafael Devers grand slam. “They’re seeing it well. When you’re hot, you’re hot.”

The Red Sox have hit nine homers in the two games, including a 10-1 victory on Tuesday night. That ugly

game actually contributed to this one, by chewing up so much of the Angels’ bullpen that Manager Mike

Scioscia had to give Skaggs a longer leash than he probably should have.

The Angels needed five relievers to finish Tuesday’s game. Luke Bard threw 39 pitches and Noé Ramírez

and Blake Parker each threw 23 over multiple innings.

Typically, when a team has to use so much of its bullpen, it will send down a reliever and bring up a

fresh arm who has some length, in case they need significant work from the bullpen the next day.

However, the composition of the Angels roster doesn’t allow them to easily do that. Of the eight

relievers currently on the roster, the only one who can be optioned is Keynan Middleton, and he’s been

used as the closer lately.

The other pitchers are out of options, meaning they’d have to be designated for assignment and

possibly lost to the organization. Bard is a Rule 5 pick, so he’d need to be offered back to the Minnesota

Twins and then clear waivers before the Angels could keep him in the minors.

April 19, 2018 Page 4 of 49

As a result of all that, Skaggs remained on the mound on Wednesday night even as it was apparent that

he did not have his best stuff, and the game got out of hand quickly.

Skaggs gave up a run in a 27-pitch first inning. After a perfect second, the wheels fell off in the third. No

one was warming in the bullpen even as the Red Sox loaded the bases.

It wasn’t all Skaggs’ fault. Cozart, the third baseman, made a bad throw to try to get a force at second.

Cozart said if he’d made a good throw, they’d have actually gotten the double play.

The inning continued. Mitch Moreland’s bases-loaded single drove in one run. With the bases still

loaded and no outs, Devers came to the plate.

Still, no one was warming up in the bullpen.

“There’s no doubt at some point you’ve got to make some pitches and try to get out of it,” Scioscia said.

“We barely had enough bullpen to get through the game as it was. If we didn’t give Tyler a chance to

work out of it and get to a certain point, it was going to go south anyway.”

Skaggs remained in the game and Devers crushed a curveball, which Scioscia said wasn’t a bad pitch,

over the line on the right field fence, putting the Red Sox up 6-0.

Scioscia still left Skaggs to get into the fifth, milking every out he could get out of him before going to

the bullpen. As it was, the Angels needed to use every reliever who hadn’t pitch the night before, even

Middleton in a mop-up role.

Short outings by the starters have been a problem for the Angels, even as they’ve been winning. The

bullpen and offense had bailed them out for much of the early going, but the hole was too deep this

time.

“We have to start picking it up as a starting pitching staff,” Skaggs said.

The hitters, who had been averaging a major league-leading 6.4 runs per game before the season, could

not overcome the deficit. They scored just one run in the first two games of the series, with a

particularly discouraging wasted opportunity in the first inning, when it was a 1-0 game. They loaded the

bases with one out against Rick Porcello, but Kole Calhoun and Cozart struck out.

“You’re going to run into some waves like this where it doesn’t seem like you’re putting things together,

but we’re a much better offensive team than any time in the last number of years,” Scioscia said.

“We’ve got a lot of confidence we’ll continue to swing the bats well.”

April 19, 2018 Page 5 of 49

Taiwanese baseball might have found its pioneer in Red Sox’s Tzu-Wei Lin

By J. P. Hoornstra

ANAHEIM — When the Boston Red Sox signed Tzu-Wei Lin, an 18-year-old infielder from Taiwan, he

immediately began taking an English class and was assigned an interpreter, Mickey Jiang. A couple years

ago, still in the minor leagues, Lin said Jiang offered some unusual advice: stop using me.

“Don’t be by yourself,” Lin said. “You have to play with your teammates. Last year I tried better. I was

more comfortable.”

Lin is 24 now. He is married with a child. His professional baseball career is about six years old, almost all

of it spent on the east coast of the United States – 12 time zones away from Kaohsiung City, as far from

home as a man can be.

Wednesday, Lin conducted an entire interview in English for what he said was the first time. He

answered questions for more than 17 minutes.

It’s not hard to imagine how, in some alternate timeline, a Taiwanese-born position player could have

become a household name in the U.S. years ago. In that case, by now it would take more than one hand

to count the number of Taiwanese-born players active in MLB.

Yet here we are. Lin has spent a mere eight weeks in a Red Sox uniform. As of Tuesday he needed only

14 hits to become the all-time hits leader for a Taiwanese player. Only Chin-Lung Hu is ahead of him on a

remarkably short list.

Hu played from 2007-11, mostly for the Dodgers. He hit well enough to become the subject of a famous

meme – “Hu’s on first” – and that remains his biggest claim to fame in the United States. He did not hit

well enough to become an everyday player.

Only two other Taiwanese-born position players, Che-Hsuan Lin and Chin-Feng Chen, have reached the

majors at all. Why?

BROKEN PIPELINE

The answer isn’t a simple matter of talent. Taiwanese teams have won 17 Little League World Series

championships, more than any foreign country. The first was in 1969. Many believed the first Tzu-Wei

Lin would have arrived years ago. The fact that he did not points to a break in the developmental

pipeline – specifically in the teenage years.

April 19, 2018 Page 6 of 49

“There has to be a place to play after (Little League),” said Fred Claire, the former Dodgers general

manager. “There wasn’t any high school or college (development) that enabled them to be ready to play

in Japan or other places.”

Pro baseball has existed continuously in some form in Taiwan since 1996. Along with the usual growing

pains, the Chinese Professional Baseball League has suffered from game-fixing scandals throughout that

time. It has lagged behind the organized pro leagues in Japan and South Korea as a development vehicle.

Claire once signed pitchers Hideo Nomo and Chan Ho Park, turning each into a pioneer. To this day

Claire remembers the fawning scouting reports he received on the Korean-born Park, who debuted in

1994. He vividly recalled the surprise phone call from Arn Tellem alerting him to the possibility of signing

Nomo, who was an established pitcher in Japan before his Dodgers debut in 1995. Claire said he never

had the same reaction to a scouting report from Taiwan.

Including Claire, I reached out to 11 current or former major league executives for this story. None has

personally scouted in Taiwan. This also suggests a break in the pipeline. As baseball operations

departments expand, it’s less necessary for a top executive to travel that far to see a player. But if there

is a large enough pool of talent or even one elite prospect – Shohei Ohtani comes to mind – it’s not

uncommon.

Starting with Claire, the Dodgers tried to make it work. They scouted Taiwan with the same scrutiny as

Japan and South Korea. Between 1999 and 2003 they signed three of the first five Taiwanese players to

reach MLB. One, pitcher Hung-Chih Kuo, remains the only Taiwanese-born player to make a major

league All-Star team.

For all his success, Kuo never had a “mania” attached to his name. His status as a pioneer never rivaled

that of Nomo or Park. His talent didn’t match theirs, and neither did his hype. Lin’s favorite player

growing up?

“Ichiro Suzuki,” he said. “He got power but he doesn’t want to use it. He just want to get on base. Me

too. I just want to get on base.”

‘GOOD FEEL FOR THE GAME’

At 5-foot-9, Lin doesn’t cut a superstar’s frame. Despite his torrid start to the season – he was batting

.500 when the Red Sox opened a three-game series in Anaheim on Tuesday – his ceiling for achievement

might not be that of an All-Star. Still, those close to him in Boston describe a player whose fundamentals

are so solid, his floor could keep him in the major leagues for years.

That is somewhat remarkable in itself. Unlike Ohtani – again, the extreme example – Lin’s physical tools

would not have been enough to overcome subpar coaching. But it appears that Lin was very well-

April 19, 2018 Page 7 of 49

coached as a teenager. The Yankees tried to sign him at 16, two years before Lin was set to graduate

high school.

Lin said he wanted to leave, and the Yankees offered $305,000. But his desire was neutered by pressure

from teachers and coaches who urged him to finish high school.

“They told me don’t go because it’s not good for me,” Lin said. “I’m 16. I have to finish high school.

Maybe more money’s coming. You never know what team may want you.”

Boston saw enough in Lin to sign him to a $2 million bonus.

One evaluator who saw Lin shortly after his arrival as an 18-year-old remembered seeing a player who

“looked raw, physically immature, but with good feel for the game on both sides of the ball.” His main

shortcomings were size and strength.

Once his physical maturity came around, Red Sox general manager Dave Dombrowski said, Lin proved

quickly that he fit in. He could play four positions well. And his newfound willingness to speak English

paid off.

“He’s the funniest guy – really quiet, so then when he talks you’re not expecting it,” Red Sox coach Tim

Hyers said. “He’ll say a one-liner.”

THE MESSAGE

Lin said his older brothers and cousins played baseball, too. That got him started as a 9-year-old.

However, no one in his family tried to make it outside of Taiwan. Even after he signed with Boston, Lin

didn’t believe he would reach the majors.

No pioneer ever had it easy. But then, why has it taken so long for the long-awaited Taiwanese

breakthrough in the U.S.?

“Language and life is different,” Lin said. “Food. For me, the language is hard. Just a couple years ago I

thought I couldn’t do it because it’s tough, it’s hard in my life.”

Anyone with a map can see that Taiwan is an island a world away, but sometimes the simplest

explanation is also the most accurate.

Lin doesn’t think of himself as a pioneer, at least not yet. Still, he doesn’t want to go quietly into history.

He doesn’t want to be a singular figure in the baseball history of Taiwan.

“I just want to tell the young guys: you guys can do it,” he said.

In English.

April 19, 2018 Page 8 of 49

Angels, fans begin Blister Watch with Shohei Ohtani

By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM — Let the analysis of the world’s most watched blister begin.

Shohei Ohtani, whose every move is watched closely by fans on both sides of the Pacific, came out of

Tuesday’s start in part because he was developing a troublesome blister.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Angels still weren’t certain he would be able to make his next start,

although they are remaining optimistic.

“We’re anticipating him to make his next start,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’ll let you know when

that is.”

So far the Angels have shown they prefer to have Ohtani pitch on six days rest, which would have him in

line to start next Tuesday in Houston. However, because all the other pitchers are able to go on four

days rest, they could easily push Ohtani back to Wednesday or even next weekend.

“He’s not very concerned about it,” Scioscia said. “Our medical staff is going to pay a lot of attention to

make sure first that he’s able to throw his bullpen and see how he comes out of things. We’re going to

take this one step at a time. We don’t have to make a decision for a while.”

Although Ohtani missed two months of pitching because of a blister problem in 2016, he said after

Tuesday’s game that this didn’t seem that serious. He said he usually was able to return without missing

any time when he’s had blisters.

The blister, on his right middle finger, makes his split-finger fastball difficult to command.

Scioscia, however, doesn’t feel the blister will take that pitch from his repertoire.

“He used his split a lot in his first two outings and had no issue with it,” Scioscia said. “It’s just something

that came up last night. He’ll be able to throw all his pitches.”

As for Ohtani’s hitting, Scioscia said he will be “available” to be in the lineup at DH on Thursday. The

Boston Red Sox are starting left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, so it would not be a surprise if Ohtani didn’t

play. A left-handed hitter, Ohtani has started just one of the three games when he’s been available and

the opponent started a left-handed pitcher.

Scioscia reiterated that the decision whether Ohtani is in the lineup is totally baseball-related, not

blister-related.

“He has no problems swinging the bat,” Scioscia said.

April 19, 2018 Page 9 of 49

However, it’s worth noting that the Angels would lose days they could retroactively place Ohtani on the

disabled list if he plays as the DH. As of now, they could still put him on the DL and delay his next start

by only four days. If he hits, the 10-day clock would start over.

TALKING TO OHTANI

Before Ohtani came out of Tuesday’s game, a new issue arose that puzzled catcher Martín Maldonado.

Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, accompanied pitching coach Charlie Nagy to the mound in the

second inning. When Maldonado later came out on his own, Mizuhara remained in the dugout.

A day later, Maldonado said in that particular case he didn’t need Mizuhara because that visit was just

to give Ohtani a break, not to discuss strategy. But he acknowledged he wasn’t sure about the rules of

when Mizuhara could come to the mound.

Scioscia said Wednesday that Mizuhara would have been allowed if Maldonado would have needed him.

UP NEXT

Angels (Nick Tropeano, 1-0, 0.00) vs. Red Sox (Eduardo Rodriguez, 1-0, 3.72), Thursday, 7 p.m., Fox

Sports West, KLAA (830 AM)

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Red Sox blow out Angels second straight night

By Mike Digiovanna

The Angels and Boston Red Sox convened in Anaheim this week sporting the best records in baseball

and explosive lineups led by two of the most dynamic players in the game, outfielders Mike Trout and

Mookie Betts.

It seemed a little bigger than your typical mid-April series, and not just because two-way sensation

Shohei Ohtani started the opener for the Angels. It was a chance for the upstart Angels to see how they

stack up against one of the best teams in baseball.

Or maybe not.

April 19, 2018 Page 10 of 49

"It's always fun to play good teams, regardless of the time of year, but it's April, and we're just worried

about ourselves and what we can do to get better,"Angels second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "We're not

measuring ourselves against anyone else."

A sound approach, this was, because two games in against the Red Sox, the Angels clearly don't measure

up.

Boston pounded Angels starter Tyler Skaggs for six runs and eight hits in 41/3 innings, Rafael Devers'

grand slam keyed a five-run third, and right-hander Rick Porcello threw six shutout innings to lead the

Red Sox to a 9-0 victory in Angel Stadium on Wednesday night.

J.D. Martinez had four hits, including a solo homer in the seventh, and Mitch Moreland capped a three-

hit, four-RBI night with a two-run homer in the ninth to push the Red Sox to 15-2, the best start in the

118-year history of the franchise.

Including Tuesday night's 10-1 thrashing of the Angels, Boston has outscored the Angel 19-1, outhit

them 29-10 and outhomered them 9-0 in two games. They have badly outpitched the Angels and played

superior defense.

"You're gonna run into some waves like this where it just doesn't seem like you're putting things

together," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We haven't pressured them on the offensive side the

way we need to, but we're confident we're gonna swing the bats well."

Porcello, who mixes a heavy sinking two-seam fastball with a slider and changeup, allowed six hits,

struck out six and walked none to improve to 4-0 with a 1.40 ERA.

He escaped a bases-loaded one-out jam in the first inning by striking out Kole Calhoun and Zack Cozart

with elevated fastballs and allowed only one more runner to reach second.

Skaggs was described as "effectively awful" in his last start, when he needed 114 pitches to complete

five innings of one-run, five-hit, four-walk ball against Texas.

He labored again at the start Wednesday night, need-ing 27 pitches to complete a first inning in which

Hanley Ramirez doubled and Moreland ripped a hanging curve to right field for a two-out RBI single and

a 1-0 Boston lead.

Skaggs righted himself in a 10-pitch, one-two-three second. More trouble awaited in the third. Betts,

who hit three homers Tuesday, led off with a single, and Ramirez chopped a grounder that Cozart, the

third baseman, backed up on and fielded well behind the bag.

Cozart, the converted shortstop who was making his fourth career start at third, appeared to have one

play, at first base. He threw to second in an attempt to force the speedy Betts, who slid in safely as

Cozart's throw pulled Kinsler off the bag. The play was ruled a fielder's choice, with no error.

April 19, 2018 Page 11 of 49

Scioscia thought Cozart made the right decision going to second.

"He had the play at second — the throw was just a little high," Scioscia said. "Coz has one of most

accurate throwing arms around, and he's gonna make that play a lot of times. We trust his judgment, we

trust his arm."

Said Cozart: "If it was a good throw in my opinion, he's out. In my opinion, it should have been an error."

Ohtani not expected to be sidelined by blister; should be able to DH Thursday

By Mike Digiovanna

Shohei Ohtani was unable to pitch for almost two months during the 2016 season in Japan because of a

blister similar to the one that forced the Angels right-hander out of Tuesday night's game after two

shaky innings.

But neither Ohtani nor the Angels believe this blister, located on the inside edge of Ohtani's middle

finger, will knock him out of the rotation.

"We're anticipating that he'll make his next start," manager Mike Scioscia said on Wednesday, "and

we'll let you know when that is."

Scioscia said Ohtani "will be available" to start at designated hitter Thursday night, but with Boston

starting left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, Ohtani might remain on the bench. That decision will not be

related to the blister.

"He has no problems swinging the bat," Scioscia said.

If Ohtani remains on his once-a-week pitching schedule, he would start next Tuesday in Houston. He has

been throwing a light bullpen four days before his starts and a regular bullpen two days before, so this

Friday and Sunday will be important benchmarks.

"There's always 'if thens' along the way, so we'll monitor him through this week and see where he is,"

Scioscia said. "It's something he's had before and he's managed. He's not very concerned with it.

"We'll make sure that, first, he's able to throw his bullpen. Then we'll see how he comes out of things.

We'll take this one step at a time. We won't have to make a decision for a while."

April 19, 2018 Page 12 of 49

Ohtani said Tuesday that this blister doesn't seem as severe as the one that sidelined him in 2016. The

location of the blister is an indication it is probably caused, and exacerbated by, his split-fingered pitch,

which he had no control of Tuesday, spiking most of them in the dirt.

"He used his split a lot in his first two outings and had no issues with it," Scioscia said. "It's just

something that came up [Tuesday]. He'll be able to throw all of his pitches."

Pitchman

Mike Trout is one of four star athletes featured in a campaign for Bodyarmor sports drink that will air on

TNT during the NBA playoffs. The ads were written and co-directed by former Lakers star and Oscar

winner Kobe Bryant.

In Trout's spot, the center fielder, donning a 1970s'-era headband, stares into the camera while being

jiggled violently by the belt of an old-fashioned waist-shaper.

"Mike Trout wouldn't use an outdated workout machine to be All-Star Mike Trout," a voiceover intones,

"so why would he choose an outdated sports drink?"

Trout filmed the commercial in the offseason.

"It took a couple of hours to shoot, so it was pretty uncomfortable," Trout said. "My goal was to make it

funny. You see me on the field playing the game, having fun, smiling. It's good to let the fans know I

have a humorous side."

Short hops

Mookie Betts, 25, joined some elite company with his third career three-homer game Tuesday. Twenty-

three Red Sox players have homered three times in a game, but only two have accomplished that feat

three times: Betts and Hall of Famer Ted Williams. … Top pitching prospect Jose Suarez, a 20-year-old

left-hander from Venezuela, was promoted to double-A Mobile after allowing two earned runs, striking

out 18 and walking one in nine innings in two starts for Class-A Inland Empire. Suarez started against

Biloxi Wednesday, allowing two runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings, striking out nine — all swinging — and

walking none.

April 19, 2018 Page 13 of 49

FROM ANGELS.COM

Skaggs shaky as Angels blanked by Red Sox

By Maria Guardado

ANAHEIM -- This early-season clash between the Angels and the Red Sox had been billed as a marquee

showdown between two of the American League's hottest teams, but it's been a one-sided affair thus

far.

For the second consecutive night, the Angels struggled to neutralize the Red Sox's mighty offense, as

left-hander Tyler Skaggs was rocked for six runs over 4 1/3 innings in a 9-0 loss on Wednesday night at

Angel Stadium.

Rafael Devers' first career grand slam capped a five-run third inning for the Red Sox (15-2), who saddled

the Angels (13-5) with their first series loss of the season by taking the first two games of this matchup.

Meanwhile, the Angels' bats mustered only six hits against right-hander Rick Porcello, who tossed six

scoreless innings to improve to 4-0 in four starts this season. While the Angels entered Wednesday

leading the Majors in several offensive categories, including runs, hits, home runs and batting average,

they've been outscored, 19-1, by the Red Sox in this series.

"Those guys, if you're missing spots, they're going to swing the bats," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

"We can, too, but we haven't really pressured those guys the way we need to on the offensive side."

Skaggs allowed eight hits while walking one and striking out four in the 98-pitch effort. He needed 27

pitches to get through the first inning, yielding a double to Hanley Ramirez and an RBI single to Mitch

Moreland that gave the Red Sox an early lead.

Skaggs faced more adversity in the third. After Mookie Betts led off with a single, Ramirez bounced a

grounder to new third baseman Zack Cozart, who threw to second to try to get the lead runner. But the

speedy Betts beat out Cozart's high throw to Ian Kinsler, allowing Ramirez to reach on a fielder's

choice. J.D. Martinez then singled to load the bases with no outs, setting up Moreland's second RBI

single of the night.

"I thought if I throw it right, I have him, and then we definitely turn the double play with Hanley," Cozart

said of his throwing decision. "If it was a good throw, in my opinion, he's out."

Added Scioscia: "He had the play at second. The throw was just a little high. Coz has one of the most

accurate throwing arms around, and he's going to make that play a lot of times. Any time you get that

forceout, you take it. We trust his judgement, we trust his arm, the throw was just a little high."

April 19, 2018 Page 14 of 49

Skaggs struck out Eduardo Nunez for the first out of the third, but he then hung a curveball to Devers,

who lined it off the right-field wall, over the new home-run boundary, for a grand slam that made it 6-0.

"It wasn't the greatest pitch," Skaggs said. "But at the same time, I thought I threw some good pitches

tonight. They're just seeing it well. It is what it is. It doesn't matter who's on the mound, they're seeing

it. Back to the drawing board."

The Angels' bullpen, which pitched seven innings in Tuesday's 10-1 loss after Shohei Ohtani exited after

two frames with a blister, endured another long night after Skaggs was removed with one out in the

fifth. Blake Wood allowed a solo homer to Martinez in the seventh, and Keynan Middleton gave up a

two-run shot to Moreland in the ninth.

Albert Pujols singled in the first for his 2,990th career hit.

MOMENT THAT MATTERED

Missed opportunities: After the Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Angels used singles

from Kinsler, Mike Trout and Pujols to load the bases with one out against Porcello in the bottom half of

the inning. But the Angels couldn't capitalize on the early opportunity, as Porcello struck out Kole

Calhoun and Cozart to end the threat. The Angels went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left

eight runners on base in their second shutout loss of the season.

"I think the last couple games, we hit some balls hard, but you're going to run into some waves like this,

where it just doesn't seem like you're putting things together," Scioscia said. "But we're a much better

offensive team than any time in the last number of years, so we've got a lot of confidence that we're

going to keep swinging the bats well."

UP NEXT

Angels right-hander Nick Tropeano (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will start opposite Red Sox left-hander Eduardo

Rodriguez (1-0, 3.72) in Thursday's series finale at 7:07 p.m. PT at Angel Stadium. Tropeano struck out

six over 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Royals last Thursday in his return from Tommy John surgery.

Tropeano is slated to make his first start at Angel Stadium since July 18, 2016.

Halos still optimistic Ohtani will make next start

Two-way phenom dealing with blister, could DH on Thursday

By Maria Guardado

April 19, 2018 Page 15 of 49

ANAHEIM -- One day after Shohei Ohtani exited his start against the Red Sox with a blister on his right

hand, the Angels remained optimistic that the 23-year-old two-way phenom will be able to make his

next start on the mound.

"We'll evaluate it," manager Mike Scioscia said Wednesday. "He's not very concerned about it. Our

medical staff is going to pay a lot of attention to it, to make sure that he's able to throw his bullpen and

see where he comes out of things. We'll just take this one step at a time. We won't have to make a

decision for a while."

The Angels' preference early this season has been to have Ohtani pitch on six days' rest, meaning his

next scheduled outing would likely be Tuesday in Houston. Ohtani normally throws a light bullpen

session four days before his starts and a more intense one two days later, so he could have a chance to

assess the blister's progress Friday, if he remains on his usual pitching routine.

Ohtani didn't pitch for nearly two months because of a blister issue in Japan in 2016, but he doesn't feel

this one is as severe. He added that he's been able to pitch through other blisters without having to miss

a turn in the rotation.

"Usually, in Japan, I pitched without it fully healing, without skipping days or anything," Ohtani said

Tuesday through an interpreter. "I think it will be something similar this time."

The blister, which is located on the inside edge of Ohtani's right middle finger, affected his ability to

command his pitches against the Red Sox and especially defanged his splitter, which had been a key

pitch for him in his first two brilliant outings. Scioscia said that he doesn't believe Ohtani's high splitter

usage led to the development of the blister, however.

"He used his split a lot in his first two outings and had no issue with it," Scioscia said. "It's just something

that came up last night. He'll be able to throw all his pitches."

The blister isn't expected to affect Ohtani's hitting. Scioscia said Ohtani would be available to serve as

the designated hitter on Thursday, but he wouldn't commit to having him in the lineup against Red Sox

left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. So far this season, the left-handed hitting Ohtani has started only once

at DH against a lefty.

April 19, 2018 Page 16 of 49

FROM MiLB.COM

Southern notes: Ward switching gears in Mobile

Angels No. 14 prospect making move from catcher to hot corner

By Guy Curtright

Taylor Ward has his own infielder's glove now, but even that has meant a new challenge for the Los

Angeles Angels' first-round choice in the 2015 Draft.

"I knew just how to break in a catcher's mitt," the Mobile BayBears third baseman said. "This is different.

I guess it's something else to get used to."

Ward was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training with the Angels and handled all the duties of an extra

catcher, playing in a couple of B games. As soon as Minor League camp began, though, the Angels' No.

14 prospect found himself at the hot corner, a borrowed glove part of the transition.

Although Ward, 24, hadn't played the infield in high school or in college at Fresno State, the Angels liked

his athleticism and thought his work at the plate might flourish by not having to toil behind it.

So far, so good.

The right-handed hitter went 12-for-19 in the BayBears' opening series with Pensacola and has a

.439/.520/.585 line with nine RBIs through the first 11 games.

Ward credits some tinkering with his stance over the winter and a little luck for his fast start at the plate,

but he knows the position switch could be a benefit late in the season.

"In July and August, my body should be feeling a lot better than I'm used to," he said.

Ward, who hit .286 with a .400 on-base percentage in 33 games at the end of last season with Mobile,

was sent home from the Arizona Fall League because of a shoulder impingement and got a hint of what

was ahead during January when the Angels had him concentrate on taking ground balls during a winter

camp.

It wasn't until March, though, that he got the final word.

"At first, I really wasn't on-board," Ward said. "I'd worked hard at being a good catcher and enjoyed it."

Ward is still adjusting to third base.

April 19, 2018 Page 17 of 49

"It's a lot different," he said. "Catching, you're constantly in the game. At third base, you're locked in

defensively for about three minutes the entire game. It's a weird change."

Ward is now convinced it could be a beneficial one, though.

"For this year, the Angels say they want me to just play third base," he said. "But it obviously helps to be

able to play more than one position. Major League teams want that."

Ward was charged with four early errors, so he knows he has plenty of work to do at third base.

"I worked hard to be a good catcher and I will work just as hard or harder to be a good third baseman,"

said Ward, who has a strong arm. "Balls I have to come in on or softly hit balls are the ones that are the

toughest for me. I'm fine when I just have to react."

Ward is advanced as a hitter, showing good plate discipline at all Minor League stops.

He came into this season with 144 career walks and 164 strikeouts and has seven walks and nine

strikeouts this year.

Ward, who has three doubles and a homer, knows this is an important season both at the plate and at

his new position as he tries to enhance his status in the Angels' retooled farm system.

"I do miss catching, but I'm excited about playing third base," he said. "I think everything is working out

well."

In brief

King of K's: Jackson left-hander Colin Poche got off to a prolific strikeout start, fanning 16 over seven

innings in his first five relief appearances. Poche, a D-backs 16th-round choice in the 2016 Draft out of

Dallas Baptist University, allowed one hit and one walk and had a save. The 24-year-old struck of five in

two perfect innings against Tennessee on April 13 in his most dominant outing. Poche fanned 81 in 51

innings while posting a 1.25 ERA in 31 Class A appearances a season ago.

Another setback: Chattanooga left-hander Tyler Jay, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 Draft by the

Minnesota Twins, is on the disabled list again, this time with a left groin strain. The former University of

Illinois standout was sidelined after making one relief appearance, striking out two and giving up one hit

against Birmingham on April 7. Jay, who turns 24 on April 19, missed most of last season because of a

left shoulder impingement and finished 2016 on the DL because of a neck strain. The Twins' No. 16

prospect has pitched just 115 1/3 innings, posting a 3.36 ERA.

Home breakthrough: Pensacola right-hander Keury Mella, the Cincinnati Reds' No. 21 prospect, got a

home win in his first start this season after going 0-6 over 14 games at Blue Wahoos Stadium last year.

The 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic got the victory in impressive fashion, limiting Chattanooga

April 19, 2018 Page 18 of 49

to five hits without a walk over six innings in the 3-0 decision on April 12. Mella, who made two

appearances for the Reds last September, was 4-10 with a 4.30 ERA for Pensacola in 2017 but is 2-0 with

a 1.06 ERA after three starts this year.

Shrimp big draw: Jacksonville had the largest Opening Night crowd in the Southern League and in the

process outdrew the parent Miami Marlins. The Jumbo Shrimp attracted 6,960 in the Baseball Grounds

of Jacksonville on April 11, while the Marlins attracted just 6,150 the same night for a game against the

New York Mets. The Jumbo Shrimp not only had the best SL crowd for an opener, but also the best draw

for an opening series, average 7,549 for four games against Mobile with a high of 10,254 on April 14.

FROM ESPN.COM

Inside Albert Pujols’ path to 3,000 hits

By Jerry Crasnick

ALBERT PUJOLS' THREE MVP awards, 10 All-Star Games and abundance of Baseball-Reference black ink

ensure him a place in Cooperstown and the right to take an occasional breather from the concept of

every pitcher-batter confrontation as a life-or-death experience. But he still arrived in spring training

with a competitive chip and a trace of defiance in his voice -- and who could blame him?

Pujols has spent several seasons playing on achy feet, he has undergone two surgeries to ease a

persistent case of plantar fasciitis, and he has had little opportunity to immerse himself in the grueling

winter workouts so vital to his long-term success. The new metrics paint an unfavorable picture, and he

has seen the stories of his decline and the suggestion that the four years and $114 million left on his

contract are a financial albatross for the Los Angeles Angels.

Amid the doubts, Pujols' high standards and professional pride continue to fuel him. He clings to the

traditional numbers that give him comfort because it's a little late in the game for him to embrace the

tenets of weighted runs created plus.

"I've still driven in [90] or 100 runs five out of the six years that I've been here,'' Pujols said. "Yes, my

average, on-base and slugging haven't been the same. But you know what? If I hit 30 homers and drive

in 100 runs in the four years I have left, I think I'm going to be in pretty good company.''

He's already in good company -- and it's about to get better.

Pujols hit the ground running this spring -- not an easy feat for a guy with two career bunt singles. He's

tied for 11th in the majors with 22 hits so far this season and is only 10 shy of becoming the 32nd player

April 19, 2018 Page 19 of 49

in MLB history with 3,000 career hits. He will join Adrian Beltre as the second Dominican Republic native

in the club, and he will enter a group of players with 3,000 hits, 450 homers and 600 doubles that

includes Hank Aaron, Carl Yastrzemski, Beltre and Pujols' baseball icon, Stan Musial.

For want of a better word, he's looking downright spry at age 38.

"I want to do it first, and then we can talk about it as much as you can,'' Pujols said. "To get to that

number is going to be really special. It's something you don't aim for or focus on, but when you're this

close, you're like, 'Wow, that's a lot of hits.'''

As the big day looms, Pujols sat down with ESPN.com and reflected on some of the moments, mantras

and personal milestones that have brought him to such a revered place.

He'll always remember the first

When Pujols tore up spring training in 2001, the rumblings began that the Cardinals might consider

breaking camp with a 21-year-old third baseman/outfielder with 127 minor league games on his

résumé. Pujols started in left field on Opening Day and got on the board with a single to left field against

Colorado's Mike Hampton on April 2, 2001.

Pujols went 1-for-9 in that opening series at Coors Field before collecting seven hits in 14 at-bats against

the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was on his way.

"I remember my [second] at-bat. I almost took him deep,'' Pujols said of the encounter with Hampton. "I

almost hit a home run. I hit a long fly ball, and they caught it right at the wall. Then I hit a pitch middle-

away, and I hit a ground ball, and Neifi Perez almost caught it, but it went through.

"Obviously, it's fun, but I was more worried about trying to stay up in the big leagues. Three days before,

they told me I was going to make the ballclub. Then three days later, on Opening Day, I got my first base

hit.

"I didn't think much about it, but that's how it's been for me. Everything I've accomplished is great, but

it's hard for me to soak everything in when I'm still playing the game. Sometimes people can take that

wrong. It's not that I don't care. I do care. But it's hard for me when I'm still active and playing the game

to sit down and think about what I've accomplished. I'm still probably going to get a lot of other things.

That's pretty much how I've been since day one.''

The stance laid the foundation

Many of Pujols' peers marvel at his ability to last so long while using such a physically demanding batting

stance. He settled into the box in a pronounced crouch, with his legs spread in a kind of wishbone, and it

was a natural antidote to over-striding. The approach put a strain on his legs and back, but it didn't

April 19, 2018 Page 20 of 49

prevent Pujols from playing the ironman role. During a 12-year span from 2001 through 2012, he

averaged 675 plate appearances and 155 games per season.

"I can't imagine being in that stance for 20 years,'' Pujols' former Cardinals teammate David Freese said.

"That's insane. He gets so far down there. It's got to wear on him. In the clubhouse, you see how guys

are hurt and have nagging injuries, and he's dealt with that most of his career. But 160 games later, he's

still in there unless he has surgery. It's all about having the desire and the focus and the need and the

want to be out there.''

Pujols has a simple explanation for his commitment to the stance. He used it early, it worked, and there

was no reason to change.

"I was always down on my legs until my injuries,'' he said. "Now I'm standing a little bit more tall.

Whenever I feel good on my legs, I still kind of get down in that position. But obviously because of my

knee surgery on my back side, I can't do as much because it flares up a little bit.

"I haven't changed it much. A little bit. I'm pretty sure if I tried to hit like other people, I would feel

uncomfortable. This is something I've done for almost 19 years now.''

Stan the Man set the standard

When Pujols was with the Cardinals, spring training was like touring a baseball museum. A stroll through

the clubhouse could easily yield an encounter with Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Bruce Sutter or Red

Schoendienst, the patron saint of every value Cardinals fans hold dear.

Pujols and Musial were separated by 60 years, but they developed an intergenerational bond as

superstars responsible for fulfilling the dreams of a baseball-obsessed city. Pujols' respect for Musial was

so profound that he chafed over the nickname "El Hombre'' because he thought it intruded upon the

hallowed ground that "Stan the Man'' had staked out in St. Louis.

"Stan did a lot of stuff for our foundation, and I did a lot of stuff for his foundation. We just became real

close," Pujols said. "I knew about him, but not much until I got to St. Louis and I started reading about

him and they started making the comparison between me and him. He was just a great human being.

Forget about what he did in baseball. Look at what he did to serve this country. To me, that's more

important than what he did in the game and showed the kind of person he was.''

Pujols and Musial rarely talked hitting in-depth, but one ritual endured throughout Pujols' 11 seasons in

St. Louis.

"When Stan played, I'm pretty sure they used to make their own bats,'' Pujols said. "The wood is so

much better now than it was back then. So every time I came around, he always touched my bat. He

would pick it up and say, 'Man.' I remember one time he told me, 'That's why you don't miss any

pitches. This feels good.'

April 19, 2018 Page 21 of 49

"It was just fun. Great times, great memories. It's always going to live with me, and nobody can take that

away from me.''

From his first at-bat, he loathed striking out

Of the 31 players with 3,000 hits, 20 never struck out 100 times in a season. But the majority of those

hitters were either contact types (Pete Rose, Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs and Rod Carew) or players from

a bygone era (Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Paul Waner and Napoleon Lajoie, to name a few).

"It's something in this game I really, really don't like. If you put the ball in play, you give yourself a

chance to put some pressure on the defense, and maybe they can make mistakes and make an error.

If it's two outs, you can start a rally. If you strike out, you don't have any chance."

Albert Pujols on strikeouts

Pujols' .560 slugging percentage will be the best of any 3,000-hit club member, yet he has never whiffed

100 times. His single-season highs of 93 came in his rookie season of 2001 and last season at age 37.

"Some guys in this era think the strikeout is a little overrated,'' Pujols said. "They're like, 'I don't care

about it.' I do. It's something in this game I really, really don't like. If you put the ball in play, you give

yourself a chance to put some pressure on the defense, and maybe they can make mistakes and make

an error. If it's two outs, you can start a rally. If you strike out, you don't have any chance.

"I can't really describe what it is with two strikes. I don't feel any pressure. I still feel like I can put my

best swing on it and not have to worry about it. Part of that is having the success. You have to have

success with two strikes and know that you can trust yourself.''

Consistency has been his trademark

Pujols has a .972 career OPS against lefties compared to a .938 mark vs. righties, and he has logged a

.954 home OPS in St. Louis and Anaheim compared to .938 on the road. If there's a pattern to his

monthly progression each season, it's his penchant for doing his best work during the dog days.

"August and September are my best months because that's what I train for in the offseason,'' he said. "I

train for the late months when your body is tired and you're draining out. My trainer and coaches used

to tell me those are the toughest months. It seems like I always hit better in the second half than the

first half. I don't know why because I never did anything different. It was just my preparation in the

offseason.''

He wore out the best of his generation

April 19, 2018 Page 22 of 49

Pujols is 0-for-16 against Corey Kluber, 2-for-21 against Chris Sale and 13-for-65 against Felix Hernandez,

the pitcher he considers his biggest career nemesis. His overall numbers have taken a hit as he has

transitioned into his late 30s with the Angels.

But the starting pitchers who dominated Cy Young voting and All-Star rosters during Pujols' peak

seasons in St. Louis always prompted him to raise his game.

Pujols Vs. Elite Pitchers

PITCHER PLATE APPEARANCES BA/OBP/SLG

Roy Oswalt 109 .314/.358/.608

Ben Sheets 78 .361/.397/.597

Greg Maddux 42 .341/.333/.585

Clayton Kershaw 41 .382/.488/.529

Zack Greinke 40 .343/.400/.514

Roger Clemens 39 .314/.385/.343

Andy Pettitte 39 .306/.359/.417

Justin Verlander 37 .300/.432/.600

Tom Glavine 33 .370/.455/.481

Randy Johnson 33 .452/.485/1.194

That 1.194 career slugging percentage against Randy Johnson is not a misprint. Pujols hit six homers and

drove in 15 runs in 33 at-bats against the Big Unit.

"Randy was still in his prime when I came up,'' Pujols said. "Even though I had the success, he was one

guy you really, really didn't want to face. He was a gamer, man. I remember you couldn't even say hi to

him before he pitched. I actually tipped my cap the first at-bat against him. He had his game face on all

the time.

"These guys were all so good, it takes you to another level where you have to zoom in and really focus

because they might give you one pitch to hit. One pitch to hit, and if you miss it, you're done. If they

made that mistake, you needed to take advantage.

"With the guys who were extra special, they already knew if you were ready to hit before you even

stepped in the batter's box. They'd track you all the way down from the dugout and see your body

language, and they knew if you were ready to hit or not. Those guys would take you to the next level

physically and mentally.''

April 19, 2018 Page 23 of 49

And Odalis Perez, in particular

When Pujols makes his Hall of Fame speech five years after his retirement, he should save a mention for

Odalis Perez, a fellow Dominican who pitched for 10 seasons with the Braves, Dodgers, Royals and

Nationals.

Pujols went 16-for-26 against Perez, with six homers, 10 walks and a 2.145 OPS. The beatings eventually

became too demoralizing for his countryman to bear.

"One time I hit a ball off the end of the bat and got an infield hit, and he put his hands up, and he was

like, 'Really? You even got a base hit on that?''' Pujols said. "It was so funny. He was like, 'Man, can I ever

get you out?'''

He has machine-like tendencies

What makes great hitters special? Hand-eye coordination, bat speed, anticipation and pitch recognition

invariably factor into the equation. But the best hitters have a certain something extra that sets them

above the crowd.

Angels second baseman Ian Kinsler has played with enough elite players to qualify as an authority on the

topic. His list of teammates includes Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Adrian Beltre, Sammy Sosa, Victor Martinez,

Michael Young and Josh Hamilton, who was about as good as it gets during a brief peak in Texas.

"In my opinion, good hitters make adjustments game to game or at-bat to at-bat,'' Kinsler said. "Great

hitters make adjustments pitch-to-pitch, and Hall of Famers can make adjustments as the pitch is

coming. They might be expecting one thing and see another and make an adjustment and put a really

good swing on it.''

A 2009 ESPN commercial that depicted Pujols as a ruthless cyborg -- aka "The Machine'' -- played out

each night at the plate.

After fouling off a pitch, Pujols would step out of the box, take a breath to collect himself and stare

intently at his bat while a swirl of split-second calculations whizzed through his head. If he was a hair too

fast or too slow or too quick firing his hips, he would recalibrate and makes the necessary adjustment to

do damage.

"I have a game plan every day,'' Pujols said. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to stick with it the whole

game. Maybe the pitcher has pitched me a little different than the game plan I was taking. You can't just

wait until you're 0-for-4 or 0-for-5. You have to make that adjustment right away.

"Batting practice is a little bit different because we're under time, but even in the cage, I'll take a couple

of swings, step back and close my eyes. I'll walk around -- and boom, boom, boom -- three more. What

I'm doing is visualizing what I'm going to do in the game. Mark McGwire was really good at that. He was

April 19, 2018 Page 24 of 49

really focused and visualizing, 'That pitch is going to be right here, and this is what I want to do.' It's the

same thing for me. I'm thinking. I'm processing. It happens in less than 10 seconds. Everything.

"When I get back in the batter's box, I've already processed all the things I want to do. If that pitch was

there and I missed it, I'm like, 'Why did I miss that pitch?' And now I know. So if they throw it again,

that's when I make the adjustment and do my best to try and put my best swing on it.''

He's a Joey Votto fan

Pujols and Votto have the same agent, Dan Lozano of the MVP Sports Group, and they're two of only 11

players in MLB history who have signed contracts in excess of $200 million. They also dot the

leaderboard in a slew of career categories. Votto ranks 16th in history with a .964 OPS, while Pujols and

Miguel Cabrera are tied for 22nd at .9461 -- right down to the ten-thousandths.

"Albert was never going to be out-prepared. He was really comfortable taking that first pitch all the

time because he always knew what the second pitch was going to be. And you never saw that ugly

swing where he was completely fooled and out on his front foot and looked terrible. For Albert,

looking terrible was a lineout to right."

Former Cardinals teammate Skip Schumaker

Skip Schumaker, now a coach with the San Diego Padres, played with Pujols in St. Louis for seven

seasons and in Cincinnati with Votto for two seasons. He found that their attention to detail is

remarkably similar.

"Their video work and preparation were relentless,'' Schumaker said. "Joey would be on the plane flight

watching video. It didn't matter what video work the pitcher did on him because he had already done

more than the pitcher could ever do.

"Albert was never going to be out-prepared. He was really comfortable taking that first pitch all the time

because he always knew what the second pitch was going to be. And you never saw that ugly swing

where he was completely fooled and out on his front foot and looked terrible. For Albert, looking

terrible was a lineout to right. He even knew the umpires' strengths in the strike zone. For instance, if

Rob Drake gave more on the outside corner than normal, Albert knew that.''

Ask Pujols which active hitters he admires most, and he mentions Cabrera from the right side of the

plate and Votto from the left. He swears by Cabrera as baseball's best hitter, even though Miggy's

numbers declined precipitously last season, when he played with two herniated discs in his back, and he

is off to a slow start again this season.

"Miggy is awesome,'' Pujols said. "He's the best hitter in the game right now. It's Miggy from the right

side, and Joey Votto is pretty special. His hand-eye coordination is great, and I enjoy his swing and his

April 19, 2018 Page 25 of 49

work ethic. I wouldn't mind having either one of those guys up with the game on the line. You can't go

wrong with either of them.''

He once inspired a future MVP in Houston

Pujols is a fan of Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, who was just a pint-sized overachiever striving to

stick in the big leagues when they first crossed paths at second base during Altuve's rookie year in 2011.

"I just hit a double, and I was at second base, and he asked me, 'Albert, I just want to stay here. Do you

think I have a chance?' I was like, 'If you keep doing what you're doing, buddy, you're going to be here

for a long time.' I always make a joke about it when I see him now.

"It's great. I'm excited because I saw him from day one in Houston coming up and how hard he's

worked. I'm just real excited to see him accomplish what he has in the game.''

Not to mention countless other young players

Zack Cozart, who signed a three-year deal with the Angels in December, broke into the majors with

Cincinnati in 2011 and was rendered mute in his initial encounters with Pujols.

"I was a rookie, and I was in awe of him,'' Cozart said. "I got on first, and I couldn't even say anything to

him because it's Albert Pujols. And now I'm teammates with him. It's crazy, and it's really cool to say I

played with Joey [Votto] and now I'm in Albert's group every day. We don't necessarily talk a ton about

hitting, but I watch him and how he goes about things, and you can't help but want to mimic that

because the guy is one of the best of all time. You just can't do everything they do because they're

among the best players ever.''

"I was a rookie, and I was in awe of him. I got on first, and I couldn't even say anything to him because

it's Albert Pujols."

Angels infielder Zack Cozart on his first encounter with Albert Pujols

Opposing pitchers, similarly, file away their matchups with Pujols for posterity. Detroit starter Michael

Fulmer will never forget striking out Pujols in their first meeting in 2016.

"I made the three best pitches of my whole career,'' Fulmer said. "I threw him two four-seam fastballs

down and away. He took the first one, swung through the second one, and then I threw him one of the

best sliders I've ever thrown. I don't know how -- I can't replicate it. He swung through that one too, but

just kind of seeing him in the box, and obviously I watched him growing up, I was a huge fan of his. Just

to be able to pitch to him, it was something I'd never thought I'd dream of.

"I exhaled for sure when I struck him out. I kind of turned around and to myself said, 'How did I just do

that? I can't believe I just did that.' It was a surreal moment.''

April 19, 2018 Page 26 of 49

He's a fan of old-school stats, and he's unabashedly old-school

"There's so much stuff going on with punching numbers and computers,'' Pujols said. "I always tell those

genius people that think they know everything, 'Put that computer on the plate, and see if it's going to

hit.' I believe in the wisdom the coaches have. You play for 20 years, and you know what you do because

you play it -- not because you punch a number in a computer.

"I think it was last year or two years ago, somebody said something about how the RBI doesn't matter

anymore. Are you fricking kidding me? How do we win games? You're going to tell me the RBI doesn't

matter. How are you going to win games if somebody doesn't drive somebody in? Nobody can score. So

let's just wipe it away then?"

And he believes a lot of success is about showing up

Pujols consistently preaches that his early work in the cage, video study and time in the weight room lie

at the heart of his success. He developed the proper work habits from his veteran teammates in St. Louis

and recoils at the idea of taking shortcuts.

"If I want young guys to follow and respect the rules of this clubhouse, I have to be here early myself,''

Pujols said. "If I'm the CEO of a big company, and I'm in charge of 400-500 employees, and your job is to

show up at 7 o'clock in the morning, and I'm the CEO and I show up at 9 o'clock, what kind of example

does that set? If you show up tomorrow at 9 o'clock, I can't say anything to you. But if I show up at 6:30,

before I open up those doors, you can't have any excuse to show up late unless there's an emergency.

You can't show up at 7:15 or 7:30 because the boss is there at 6:30. All the successful companies you

look at, I bet that's why they're a success.

"When I was in St. Louis, I learned from Placido Polanco, who was my compadre. Fernando Vina. Edgar

Renteria. Mike Matheny. J.D. Drew. Mark McGwire. Larry Walker. Reggie Sanders. Tony Womack. Jim

Edmonds. I was so blessed being around all those guys because they taught me the game the right way. I

was like a sponge. When you drop the water, and the sponge sucks everything up, that's how I was. It

stuck with me and helped me out up to right now. And that's what I encourage these young kids to do.''

His influence will transcend 600 homers and 3,000 hits

Schumaker can recount in vivid detail how Pujols took Brad Lidge deep in Game 5 of the 2005 National

League Championship Series and brought a hush to the crowd at Minute Maid Park. "For me, that's a

top-five moment in my career,'' Schumaker said. But two private clubhouse encounters better illustrate

Pujols' impact on Schumaker as a teammate and person.

"I was a fifth outfielder at the beginning of my career,'' Schumaker said, "and Albert treated me like I

was a starter. He was fantastic to me. One year, they had a tailor in the clubhouse, and he bought me a

suit. Another time, I was looking for watches. I thought I needed a dress-up watch, and all of a sudden in

April 19, 2018 Page 27 of 49

spring training, he threw me this beautiful Breitling watch out of nowhere. It had to be a $5,000 watch,

and he was like, 'Here you go, kid.' It was incredible. I still have the watch.

"He was excellent to all the young guys. He did it for a guy named John Rodriguez, too. And his wife was

excellent to the wives when they could have been the ultimate big leaguers. You're talking about maybe

one of the top five players ever. For him to go above and beyond the way he did for me and so many

other guys, that says a lot about who he is. It really stuck with me in my career -- how cool that was.''

As Schumaker watches Pujols pick off milestones, he recalls another encounter during spring training in

Florida, when he gained a greater insight into Pujols' charity work in the Dominican Republic.

"Albert asked me how my offseason was, and I told him I went to Hawaii,'' Schumaker said. "I asked him

what he did, and he told me how we went to the Dominican with mattresses and doctors and all this

stuff. I'm thinking, 'Well, my offseason was worthless.' He used the platform he had been given on and

off the field, and that really resonated with me. He did it right.''

There's more work to be done

As time moves on and the next milestone looms, Pujols collects memories along with hits. No. 3,000 will

provide an opportunity to reflect and thank all the people who've accompanied him on this road. Even

the most ruthless of hitting machines gets sentimental now and then.

"I've had great people around me,'' Pujols said. "After God and my family, I can name you names and be

here for weeks. People who helped me out on and off the field. Teammates. Ex-teammates. Guys I can

pick up the phone anytime and call, and they'll encourage me not just in baseball but in life. Those

memories stay with you forever.

"I've got three more years left after this. That's the mark I want to leave behind -- that path. Trust me,

the 600 homers are great, and 3,000 hits is awesome. But the memories and friendships you build here

are untouchable. Nobody can take that away from me.''

Shohei Ohtani likely to make next start despite blister, could DH Thursday

By Alden Gonzalez

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Shohei Ohtani is expected to make his next scheduled start and won't be limited with

his hitting, despite his struggling through a blister in his outing Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox.

April 19, 2018 Page 28 of 49

Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia was noncommittal about when Ohtani's next turn would

come, though a six-man rotation would line up Ohtani to pitch Monday on the road against the

defending World Series champion Houston Astros. Ohtani's typical schedule would also have him serve

as the designated hitter in Thursday's series finale against the Red Sox, but Scioscia only said that Ohtani

would be "available" to be in the lineup that day.

"It's something he's had before and he's managed," Scioscia said of Ohtani's blister. "He's not very

concerned with it, but we'll definitely, obviously, pay a lot of attention to it this week."

Ohtani gave up three runs, one of them on a leadoff homer by Mookie Betts, and required 66 pitches to

record six outs against the surging Red Sox, the first blemish in what had been a mesmerizing start for

the rookie two-way sensation.

Ohtani said his blister, which resides on the inside part of his right middle finger, impacted the

effectiveness of all his pitches, especially his split-finger fastball. The 23-year-old right-hander hit 100

mph on the radar gun with a handful of second-inning pitches but generated only three swing-and-

misses.

Ohtani has previously dealt with blisters in the same region. Asked postgame about the usual recovery

process, Ohtani, speaking through his interpreter, said: "It depends on the severity. Usually, in Japan, I

pitch without it fully healing. I've fought through it. I think it's going to be something similar this time,

too. ... It's early in the season. I'm just being very cautious with it."

Ohtani, the first player to attempt hitting and pitching since Babe Ruth 100 years ago, gave up only three

runs in 13 innings heading into his most recent start. At the plate, he's batting .367/.424/.767 with three

home runs in 33 plate appearances.

If he starts Thursday, the left-handed-hitting Ohtani would be facing a left-handed pitcher (Eduardo

Rodriguez) for the second time this season. Ohtani said blisters typically don't affect his ability to hit,

and Scioscia said he will "be able to throw all his pitches" by the time he starts again.

"He's not very concerned about it," Scioscia said. "Our medical staff is going to pay a lot of attention to it

to make sure, first, that he's able to throw his bullpen and see where he comes out of things. He'll take

this one step at a time. We won't have to make a decision for a while here."

Shohei Ohtani leaves with blister after two ineffective innings

By Alden Gonzalez

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The sliders sailed high, the splitters were spiked, and the fastballs remained flat.

April 19, 2018 Page 29 of 49

The impressive arsenal of pitches that Shohei Ohtani displayed through his first two starts for the Los

Angeles Angels were nowhere to be found against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night, and he was

removed after two innings with a blister on his right middle finger.

The two-way Japanese rookie sensation left after 66 pitches. He gave up three runs on four hits --

including one of Mookie Betts' three home runs -- in a 10-1 loss at a sold-out Angel Stadium.

"[The blister] had an effect on the overall command of all his pitches," Angels manager Mike Scioscia

said.

"He didn't say anything in warm-ups about it. .... He got through two innings, but we don't want it to get

any worse. Just make sure you bounce back for his next start, which we anticipate right now."

The date of Ohtani's next scheduled start has yet to be determined. The blister isn't expected to impact

his ability to hit, which leaves open the possibility that he will serve as the designated hitter in the series

finale Thursday.

"We'll be flexible," Scioscia said when asked specifically if Ohtani would start next Tuesday. "Obviously,

this is a new wrinkle right now, with the blister coming up, but we'll get into that later in the week. He's

going to hit a couple times, obviously, before he pitches again. We'll see where everything sets up."

Ohtani, 23, dealt with blisters on the same finger in Japan and said through his interpreter that they

typically don't impact his availability.

"I've fought through it," said Ohtani, who was still able to hit 100 mph on the radar gun with a handful of

second-inning pitches. "I think it's going to be something similar this time too."

Ohtani, who surrendered only three runs in his first 13 innings, began the game by giving up a leadoff

home run to Betts. He also gave up two walks while throwing only 52 percent of his pitches for strikes

and generating just three swing-and-misses.

"He didn't have his off-speed pitches, and his fastball wasn't as good as it has been the last two games,"

Angels catcher Martin Maldonado said. "They took advantage of it."

Ohtani took the mound on eight days' rest because his Sunday start against the Kansas City Royals was

postponed due to frigid weather.

The blister actually developed during Ohtani's previous start, when he carried a perfect game into the

seventh inning against the Oakland Athletics.

"The medical people took a look at it, and they felt like it would be fine for today," Ohtani said through

his interpreter. "I also felt the same way. I tried to pitch, but with the high intensity of the game, it didn't

hold up too well."

April 19, 2018 Page 30 of 49

Ohtani spiked five pitches in the first inning, one of which bounced about 5 feet in front of home plate

and resulted in a wild pitch. He began the second inning with two high sliders that backed up Eduardo

Nunez, then allowed each of the next four batters to reach base, with Brock Holt providing an RBI single

and Andrew Benintendi adding a sacrifice fly.

"My splitter, I didn't have good command of that. My fastball, I didn't feel off my fingertips. Same with

my slider," Ohtani said.

Ohtani threw just 34 percent of his off-speed pitches for strikes, down from 68 percent in his first two

starts, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Sixty-two percent of his off-speed pitches were

noncompetitive pitches, which means they were more than 18 inches from the center of the strike zone.

That was a sharp increase from the 26 percent in his first two starts.

It wasn't until Ohtani exited that Maldonado found out the pitcher had been dealing with a blister.

"I didn't know [he didn't have his best stuff] right away because sometimes he doesn't have it one

inning, and the next inning, he'll go out there, and he'll have it," Maldonado said. "Maybe he bounces

one split-finger [fastball], and the next pitch he throws it filthy. It's hard to tell when he has it or he

doesn't have it."

The Ohtani craze continued Tuesday, with an announced crowd of 44,822 -- the team's first sellout on a

Tuesday in four years. The Angels' public relations department also issued approximately 160 additional

credentials.

Ohtani dominated in his first two starts, at one point retiring 27 consecutive hitters in a stretch that

covered both outings against the A's. Offensively, he carried a .367/.424/.767 slash line, with three

home runs in 33 plate appearances.

Scioscia was asked pregame to compare what Ohtani was doing to the hype that surrounded Fernando

Valenzuela, his former Los Angeles Dodgers teammate, in the 1980s. The manager's assessment: "He

has the chance to be just as dynamic in his first season."

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Red Sox continue best-ever start with 9-0 win over Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Everything is going right for the Boston Red Sox, and it has propelled them to the best start in the franchise's long history.

April 19, 2018 Page 31 of 49

Rafael Devers hit his first career grand slam, Rick Porcello threw six scoreless innings and the Red Sox improved to 15-1 since losing on opening day with a 9-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night.

Mitch Moreland had four RBI, including a two-run homer in the ninth, and J.D Martinez hit a solo shot in the seventh to help the Red Sox to their sixth consecutive win.

The Red Sox are the fifth team since the American League was established in 1901 to post at least 14 wins in their first 17 games.

"We've had a pretty good run at it here, pretty much the whole season so far," Moreland said. "It seems like one through nine, everybody is kind of stepping up. Obviously, been throwing the ball really well on the mound. Just playing a real complete game, a clean game right now."

Devers hit a home run for the second game in a row, putting his third of the season off the wall in right field just over the yellow line to make it 6-0 after Moreland singled to score Mookie Betts.

After getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, Porcello (4-0) cruised to his league-leading fourth win. He gave up six hits and struck out six without issuing a walk.

The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the first. Hanley Ramirez doubled to center, with the ball landing just past a leaping Mike Trout, and Moreland drove him in with a single to right.

"Our offense is really setting the tone right now and doing an incredible job. I mean, they are doing a great job of getting on their starter early," Porcello said. "The runs they are putting up, we're just going out there and attacking the strike zone and get outs and chew up as much of the game as possible."

Tyler Skaggs (2-1) gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings for the Angels, who have lost two straight following a seven-game winning streak.

The Angels have been outscored 19-1 through the first two games of the series.

"You're going to run into some waves like this where it just doesn't seem like you're putting things together, but we're a much better offensive team than in the last couple of years," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: SS Xander Bogaerts (ankle) took ground balls during batting practice, but manager Alex Cora said "there's no rush" to bring him back. . RHP Steven Wright (knee) will start at Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday. . LHP Bobby Poyner(hamstring) will be sent out on a rehab assignment soon, with weather likely determining where he will go.

Angels: Shohei Ohtani is expected to make his next start after being limited to two innings Tuesday because of a blister on the middle finger of his right hand. Ohtani will be available to hit against the Red Sox on Thursday. . RHP JC Ramirez underwent surgery to repair a torn UCL on Tuesday.

April 19, 2018 Page 32 of 49

CALIFORNIA SUN

The Red Sox have not been good in the Pacific Time Zone, posting a .438 win percentage (89-114) when playing on the West Coast over the previous 16 seasons. After not winning a series at the Angels, Oakland or Seattle last season, they already have one under their belt.

AT HOME ON THE ROAD

Devers extended his road hitting streak to 12 games dating back to Sept. 18, 2017, and it was his fourth homer in that span. He has a hit in 19 of his last 21 road games going back to last season.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez(1-0, 3.72) gave up one run in six innings against Baltimore on Friday. Rodriguez's only career start at Angel Stadium was a brief one, giving up seven runs in 1 2/3 innings in 2015.

Angels: RHP Nick Tropeano (1-0, 0.00) held Kansas City scoreless in 6 2/3 innings to get the win Thursday. Tropeano has never faced the Red Sox.

FROM THE ATHLETIC

Minor League Matters: Who’s turning heads in Class AA?

By Melissa Lockard

Last week, we introduced Minor League Matters with a look at early performers in Class AAA. This week, we head to the Class AA level, where several top prospects are opening eyes in the early parts of the 2018 season.

All stats good through April 18.

Eastern League

(Reports by Emily Waldon)

3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) Ht/Wt:6-1/200 lbs. B/T: R/R DOB: March 16, 1999

Season Stats: 43 AB, .349/.404/.605, 15 H, 8 R, 5 2B, 2 HR, 13 RBI

April 19, 2018 Page 33 of 49

Guerrero seems to thrive off of adversity. Carrying a mirror-image swing to that of his Hall of Fame father, the younger Guerrero has taken on each minor league assignment he’s been handed and only seems to get better with every challenge he faces.

Signing with Toronto as a 16-year-old in 2015 for $3.9 million — the second-highest bonus in Blue Jays’ history — Guerrero didn’t begin his career until 2016 at age 17. While Vladimir Sr. began his minor league career at 19, Guerrero Jr. has reached Double-A at the same age, leaping two years ahead of his father's pace.

Among the many uncanny similarities, Guerrero is proving the ascetically ugly swing of his father is just as effective for the second generation.

Although Guerrero hasn’t posted the same high home run totals that his father did at the minor league level, the similarities in power are without debate. With 23 home runs since 2016, Guerrero also boasts impressive patience at the plate, proof of advanced pitch recognition. He isn’t afraid to draw a walk and hasn’t posted a strikeout percentage higher than 13 percent over his entire career.

He’ll barrel the ball to all fields with explosive raw power from a body that isn’t even fully developed. Defensively, Guerrero holds his own, spending his time primarily at third base, although a long-term home is still up in the air. His arm flashes plus, but his speed and footwork still come off as rough around the edges. The Blue Jays haven’t rushed Guerrero — or his teammate and fellow teenage infield phenom Bo Bichette — beyond what they can handle, but a late-season appearance for Guerrero in Toronto wouldn’t be entirely shocking.

1B Peter Alonso Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Mets) Ht/Wt: 6-3/245 lbs. B/T: R/R DOB: December 7, 1994

Season Stats: 36 AB, .361/.429/.722, 13 H, 7 R, 4 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI

Alonso, rated number four in the Mets’ top-30 prospects list by MLB Pipeline, is getting a second look at Class AA. He turned 23 in December and has a bat-first profile, thanks to his plus raw power.

Originally selected as the Mets’ 2nd-round pick in 2016, Alonso made some adjustments at the plate during his three-year career at the University of Florida. A shorter swing has proven effective in allowing Alonso to tap into his power to the greatest degree.

Slashing a combined .289/.359/.524 between Class A-Advanced and Class AA in 2017, Alonso has been successful in keeping his strikeouts down assignment by assignment. While his swing still runs long at times, the adaptation on an as-needed basis is there, and Alonso shows good situational awareness.

At the plate, Alonso uses a quiet stance to sit back slightly and leverage his upper body strength with a smooth one-piece stroke that will rope the ball to all fields. Beginning his second campaign with Binghamton, Alonso has been on a tear, hitting in nine of 10 appearances and flashing plenty of extra-base power.

April 19, 2018 Page 34 of 49

Defensively, while he’s fairly adaptable overall, Alonso still struggles to know his identity at the first base corner, looking slightly lost at times and somewhat uncomfortable.

While his hit tool sells itself just fine, his defense should pick up, but he needs to settle in at the corner in order to maximize the his opportunity to advance. We could see Alonso move closer to Class AAA before the end of the year, but his defense needs polish before that movement should happen.

RHP Shane Bieber Akron RubberDucks (Indians) Ht/Wt:6-3/195 lbs. B/T: R/R DOB: May 31, 1995

Season Stats: 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 20 IP, 10 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 23 K

Either there’s something in the water down in Akron, or Bieber is simply coming into his own. If it’s the latter, it’s a scary realization for opposing hitters in the Eastern League this season.

Bieber, 22, is a wizard when it comes to command. Over 173 ? innings of work in 2017 — a season in which Bieber jumped three levels in all — Bieber walked a mere 10 batters and his accuracy has only shown an upward trend since then. Bieber’s walk rate in 2017 led all of Minor League Baseball and coming into 2018, he’s still proving how hard it will be to match his eye for location from the hill.

A lanky 6-3, 195 pounds, Bieber uses his full height in a well-proportioned way, working from an average three-quarters slot to achieve good downhill plane. Bieber works a four-pitch mix that all sit average to flashing plus, and a few added ticks to his heater since his debut have made him that much more attractive as a prospect.

Bieber’s fastball will tap as high as 95 mph, sitting more comfortably between 92 and 94 mph with enough life to create plenty of swing-and-misses and keep hitters guessing. Bieber’s curveball has made the greatest strides out of his secondary offerings, flashing as a future plus pitch. He also has an average-grade changeup and slider. Bieber’s natural feel on the hill for his other offerings has worked to his advantage in developing the rest of his secondary pitches.

Bieber already showed the durability and ingredients of a successful number four starter, and 2018 is only solidifying that. Named the No. 5 prospect in the Indians system by Baseball America, Bieber is off to a dominating start to the season. At the rate he’s going, don’t expect Bieber to stay put in the Eastern League for long.

Southern League

3B/C Taylor Ward Mobile Bay Bears (Angels) Ht/Wt: 6-1/200 lbs. B/T: R/R DOB: December 14, 1993

Season Stats: 41 AB, .439/.520/.585, 18 H, 9 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBI

(Report by Melissa Lockard)

April 19, 2018 Page 35 of 49

Ward was the Angels’ top pick (26th overall) in the 2015 draft out of Fresno State. He profiled as an above-average defensive catcher with a decent bat coming out of college, and he was behind the plate exclusively for the first three seasons of his pro career. The Angels decided to speed up Ward’s development this spring, moving him from behind the plate to third base, where they hope he will be able to focus more on his hitting.

Ward hit .258 with a .368 OBP in 87 games last season at the Class A-Advanced and Class AA levels. He missed a month at the start of the season with an oblique injury and it took him awhile to get his bat going when he returned. He finished the season on an up note with a solid .286/.400/.387 line in 33 games with Mobile to end the year.

Back with Mobile this season, Ward has been red-hot out of the gate. Not only is he continuing to get on base at a high clip, but he is also showing power at the plate. Ward has always had a strong approach at the plate, but he has yet to hit for the kind of power that he was projected to hit for at the start of his pro career. Now that he isn’t taking a beating behind the plate, the Angels are hopeful that Ward’s power will emerge fully.

Defensively, Ward is learning third base on the fly and it is showing in the early going. He’s already committed four errors in nine games at third. He has the tools to be a solid third baseman, with athleticism, soft hands and a strong arm. The Angels will be patient with his progress at third, especially if they see Ward making progress at the plate.

3B Austin Riley Mississippi Braves (Braves) Ht/Wt: 6-3/230 lbs. B/T: R/R DOB: April 2, 1997

Season Stats: 46 AB, .370/.420/.739, 17 H, 10 R, 4 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 12 RBI

(Report by Melissa Lockard)

Pitching prospects and Ronald Acuña receive the bulk of the attention when people talk about the Braves’ farm system, but Riley is a strong prospect in his own right. He reached Class AA as a 20-year-old last season and more than handled the level, posting a .900 OPS in 178 at-bats. The Braves returned Riley to Class AA to start the 2018 season, but he may not stay there for long with the way he is swinging the bat.

In the early going, Riley is using the whole field well, although all three of his home runs have gone to the pull side. He has struck out 12 times, the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding start to the year.

Riley is a profile third baseman with above-average power and the ability to hit for average. He has below-average speed, but is a solid base-runner. He has an aggressive approach at the plate and could stand to be more selective, though he has good bat-to-ball skills and can spoil pitches until he gets one he can handle.

Defensively, Riley is further away. He still has room for improvement with his footwork, but he has decent hands and a solid-average throwing arm. The Braves recent signing of José Bautista as a third

April 19, 2018 Page 36 of 49

baseman to a minor league deal is a sign they don’t intend to rush Riley. The more time he has in the minors, the better he is likely to be with the glove when he arrives in the major leagues.

LHP Ian Clarkin Birmingham Barons (White Sox) Ht/Wt: 6-2/215 lbs. B/T: L/L DOB: February 14, 1995

Season Stats: 2-0, 0.73 ERA, 12.1 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

(Report by Emily Waldon)

In addition to settling into a new league, Clarkin is also entering his first full season as a part of the prospect-rich White Sox farm system. Selected as the Yankees' first-round pick in 2013, Clarkin was a piece of the sizable exchange that sent Todd Frazier and company to New York while Clarkin and three teammates packed up and headed to Chicago.

Clarkin, a 6-2, 215 pound southpaw, isn’t flashy, but he works his arsenal with enough deception to submit an average to just-above-average pitch mix. Clarkin’s best pitch is an above-average curveball with good shape and sink, and his fastball clocks in between 89-92 mph with good movement.

While there is plenty of interest in what Clarkin brings to the table, health issues have created an uphill battle for him since 2013. His injuries have included knee surgery and elbow inflammation.

Clarkin mixes his pitches well enough with good feel, but location has been a struggle on and off. So far this season, he’s polished his command some, and full health should allow him to continue to improve on placing pitches where he knows he should.

With Clarkin’s current profile, the odds of him developing a lights-out pitch are slim, but as he showing this season, deception can still do the work to keep your name on the radar. If he continues to polish that deception and work out any additional location issues, Clarkin flashes the look of a back-end starter. As long as he can stay healthy, he’s an interesting arm to keep an eye on.

Texas League

(Reports by Melissa Lockard)

1B Josh Naylor San Antonio Missions (Padres) Ht/Wt: 5-11/250 lbs. B/T: L/L DOB: June 22, 1997

Season Stats: 43 AB, .395/.491/.837, 17 H, 11 R, 1 2B, 6 HR, 15 RBI

It took a few years, but Naylor appears to be rounding into the hitter the Marlins thought he would be when they selected him 12th overall in the 2015 draft out of St. Joan of Arc High School in Ontario, Canada. The stocky slugger came to the Padres in 2016 as part of the deal that sent Andrew Cashner to the Marlins. He has been red-hot since the start of the season, and he earned season’s first Texas League Player of the Week honors on Monday.

April 19, 2018 Page 37 of 49

Naylor got a taste of the Texas League last season when he appeared in 42 games with the Missions. He hit only .250/.320/.346, although he was one of the youngest players in the league at 20 years old. This season, Naylor – who won’t turn 21 until June 22 – has been locked in at the plate. Not only is he showing off his prodigious power, but he has also been very selective, walking nine times against six strikeouts.

Naylor had some growing up to do early in his pro career, and he had a highly publicized incident that had some questioning his make-up. He appears to be gaining maturity, and that seems to be translating to a more consistent day-to-day approach. Naylor’s focus from at-bat to at-bat is improved and, if that holds throughout the season, he could put up monster numbers.

Naylor has been deemed a “bad body” player by scouts, although he moves well for a player his size. He projects to be limited to first base in the big leagues, although the Padres are trying him out in left field this season to see if they can find another position for him, with first base set to be occupied in San Diego by Eric Hosmer for many years to come. Naylor’s physique and powerful, left-handed swing have drawn Prince Fielder comps, and he could have some 30-40 home run seasons in him down the road. In the near term, Naylor should be inline for a midseason promotion to Class AAA if he continues to show power and patience at the plate.

OF Myles Straw Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros) Ht/Wt: 5-10/180 lbs. B/T: R/R DOB: October 17, 1994

Season Stats: 37 AB, .378/.531/.432, 14 H, 8 R, 1 3B, 9 SB

Straw was an unheralded 12th-round pick out of St. John’s River State College in 2015. Since he’s arrived in professional baseball, he’s gotten on base at a prodigious clip and has used his speed to terrorize opposing defenses once on the bases. This season has been no different for the 23-year-old. He currently leads the league in OBP and stolen bases. He has walked (11) more than he has struck out (6). Perhaps most remarkable: He’s had more infield hits (nine) than he has hits into the outfield (five).

In an era where sluggers like Kyle Schwarber bat leadoff, Straw is a throwback. He no power, but he has above-average bat control and plate discipline. In 2017, Straw walked 94 times in 127 games with Class A-Advanced Buies Creek and Corpus Christi. He also stole 38 bases in 47 opportunities.

Straw reportedly ran a 6.25 60-yard dash in a pre-draft workout with the Astros and he is an elite runner. He is also an excellent defensive outfielder who can play all three spots. Straw’s lack of power likely limits him to a fourth outfielder role in the big leagues, but his ability to run, play defense and get on base could make him a very useful player, even in a part-time role.

RHP Dennis Santana Tulsa Drillers (Dodgers) Ht/Wt: 6-2/160 lbs. B/T: R/R DOB: April 12, 1996

Season Stats: 0-1, 1.93 ERA, 14 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 22 K

April 19, 2018 Page 38 of 49

Usually hitters are at an advantage when pitchers make two straight starts against the same team, because the hitters have a better idea the second time what to expect. That wasn’t the case when Santana pitched against the Midland RockHounds on Monday. Facing Midland for the second time in six days, Santana struck out 10 in 4 1/3 innings, including eight in a row, a new Tulsa record. The only thing that stood in Santana’s way in that start was the Dodgers’ 75-pitch limit.

Santana began his professional career as a middle infielder, and he uses a lower release point that is somewhat reminiscent of a shortstop’s. The thin right-hander has plenty of life on his fastball, which can touch 97 mph. He has a heavy sinker and a slider can be a swing-and-miss offering when he is sharp. Santana also has a solid changeup. He is a good athlete who repeats his delivery well and offers some deception from his three-quarters arm slot.

Because Santana began his career as a position player, the Dodgers have been cautious with his development, keeping his innings low each year. He has been prone to fatigue late in seasons and may need to gain weight to last a full season as a starter. His command can come and go, although he has been sharp so far this season. If he can’t remain a starter, Santana has the pitch mix to be an elite reliever. He was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster this offseason and could see time in Class AAA by midseason.

After being humbled twice by Boston, the Angels are ready for Round 3

By Steve Dilbeck

Raise expectations and then fall short, there will naturally be a letdown. Whether it’s a hyped movie or a possible mate or a … baseball team.

The Angels weren’t concerned about getting the faithful lathered up, they were just playing baseball. Really good baseball. They were scoring more runs than any team in the majors. Had unveiled a potential superstar in Shohei Ohtani. Took an early 3½-game lead over the world champion Astros.

The Angels were off to the best start in team history at 13-3 and had won seven consecutive games when they returned home to meet, unfortunately, the equally hot Boston Red Sox.

And immediately lost two games by a combined of 19-1 score.

Ohtani was made to look very human in a 10-1 loss to the Red Sox on Tuesday. The Angels were shut out 9-0 Wednesday by Rick Porcello and three relievers. They trailed 6-0 after three innings and that mighty offense was not going to muster a charge.

“You’re going to run into some waves like this where it just seems like you aren’t putting things together,” said manager Mike Scioscia. “But we’re a much better offensive team than any time in the last number of years, so we have a lot of confidence that our team will swing the bats well.”

Offense is the one area the Angels were not particularly concerned with when they started the season. But the rotation was filled with uncertainty and the bullpen lacked a closer or designated set-up man.

April 19, 2018 Page 39 of 49

Those concerns very much remain. Tyler Skaggs started Wednesday, a 26-year-old left-hander who has been dogged by injury and opened the season with a career record of 13-21. He pitched well in his first three starts (2-0, 1.69 ERA) but was no match for the Red Sox.

Boston scored once in the first, but after being retired in order in the second, scored five times in the third, four on a 1-2 pitch to Rafael Devers that went for his first career grand slam.

“It wasn’t the greatest pitch, but at the same time I thought I threw some good pitches tonight,” Skaggs said. “They’re just seeing it well. It doesn’t matter who’s on the mound. So back to the drawing board.”

In the series finale on Thursday the Angels will send 27-year-old right-hander Nick Tropeano to the mound. He opened the season in the minors after spending all of last season on the disabled list following Tommy John surgery. He started the season with a career 7-7 record.

The Angels have a lot of arms like that, guys approaching their late 20s who have shown promise but struggled to really put it together.

When the rotation struggles, the burden falls unfairly to the bullpen, something of an undefined element of its own. Ohtani lasted only two innings Tuesday, meaning the bullpen had just provided seven innings of relief and was hardly in position to repeat it Wednesday.

After giving up those five runs in the third, Skaggs remained in the game and managed to get through a scoreless fourth and the first out of the fifth.

“The third inning kind of snowballed,” he said. “I thought I was going to have a chance to wiggle out of it.”

Scioscia had little choice but to squeeze a couple more innings out of Skaggs.

“We barely had enough bullpen to get through the game as it was, but if we didn’t give Tyler a chance to work out of it and didn’t get quite to a certain point, it was going to go south anyways,” Scioscia said.

“He made some good pitches, he just ran out of gas.”

Skaggs threw 98 pitches in his 4 1/3 innings. The Red Sox hit three home runs, giving them nine in the two games. They had only 13 homers in their first 15 games.

Meanwhile, the Angels offense managed but six hits, all singles.

“We obviously didn’t play well, me for sure,” said third baseman Zack Cozart. “But it’s just two games. We’ll come back tomorrow and go out there and battle, and try to play better. It’s pretty simple. We just have to play better all-around and move on from these past two games.”

Where at least immediate expectations had been diminished.

April 19, 2018 Page 40 of 49

Only human: The Red Sox, and a blister, bring Ohtani back to earth for a night

By Steve Dilbeck

It was never going to be all rose petals and golden sunsets, not that anyone was exactly ready for a game like this. Shohei Ohtani returned to Anaheim on Tuesday, where when last seen he had flirted with a perfect game, and the sequel did not play well.

The phenom who had captured baseball’s imagination with both his hitting and pitching experienced the game’s darker side against the Red Sox. Ohtani lasted but two labored innings, surrendering three runs on four hits and two walks on 65 pitches before leaving with a blister on his right middle finger.

“Obviously I’m not going to be at my best in every start,” Ohtani said.

Anaheim let out a long, slow exhale.

A game postponed because of poor weather in Kansas City meant the rookie from Japan had not pitched for nine days, which even given his usual only-on-Sundays usage may have proven a tad long.

It must be noted Ohtani had won both of his initial two starts against the Oakland A’s, who the Boston Red Sox are most definitely not. The Red Sox are 14-2, off to the best start in their 118-year history. The A’s are 8-10, though half those losses came against the Angels.

The wonder that is Ohtani is already proving a tremendous attraction. Not only did his start Tuesday draw a surge in national media, the sellout crowd of 44,822 was the second largest regular-season attendance at Angels Stadium since it was renovated in 1998.

Yet instead of the Ohtani who had dazzled on the mound and in the batter’s box, the sellout got the spring training Ohtani who struggled both ways.

From the moment the game began it was clear he was not the same pitcher who lost a perfect game in the seventh inning of his last start. His pitches were not crisp, his command a constant struggle, and the splitter that had looked unhittable against Oakland, was too often bouncing in front of the plate.

Ohtani the remarkable superstar, reduced to mere mortal.

Mookie Betts opened the game by working the count full and then drilling a home run to deep left-center. The sellout, already used to Ohtani the invincible, was stunned into silence.

For Betts, it would prove the first of three home runs on the night. And for a Red Sox team that was second in the majors in runs per game but had hit only 13 home runs, it was the first of six homers in a 10-1 win that snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Angels.

Ohtani would need 28 pitches to get out of the first. He said the blister that clearly impacted his control had actually started to develop in his last start against the A’s. His catcher, Martin Maldonado, said he knew nothing about it until after the second inning, when he threw another 38 pitches.

April 19, 2018 Page 41 of 49

“I didn’t know what was going on,” Maldonado said. “I just tried to get him out of the inning.”

His control was so off in the second inning, manager Mike Scioscia approached him afterward and learned of the blister.

“He didn’t say anything during warmups was bothering him, but it seemed obvious it had an effect on some of his command,” Scioscia said. “We got through two innings but we didn’t want it to get any worse, just make sure he could bounce back for his next start.”

Scioscia said Ohtani experienced similar blister problems in Japan and worked through it. Scioscia hopes Ohtani can both make his next start and be available for the three games in between as a designated hitter. These things change, of course.

Ohtani said depending on the severity, he normally could bounce back from his blister issues in Japan to take his regular turn. Despite his struggles against the Red Sox, Ohtani said would have preferred to remain in the game.

“I tried to pitch today in a high-intensity game and it didn’t go too well,” he said. “I wanted to go back out there, but they wanted to play it safe.”

Maldonado said he kept trying to find a pitch Ohtani could command, but it would never arrive. His arsenal was devoid of a single sharp pitch.

“It’s a different game when you fall behind,” Maldonado said. “He didn’t have his off-speed pitches and his fastball wasn’t as good like the last two games location wise. And they took advantage of it.”

It was one game, however dispiriting for a fan base eager to embrace its new hero. For one night, Ohtani had fallen back to Earth.

Rosenthal: Albies dazzles for the Braves, Pujols and Moustakas are rejuvenated,

and more notes from around MLB

By Ken Rosenthal

During spring training in 2017, some of the Atlanta Braves’ position players were on a back field, staging a hitting contest.

A line drive to the outfield grass was good for one point. If it rolled to the wall, two points. Off the wall, three. Home run, four.

Ozzie Albies, 5-foot-8 and 155 pounds, dominated the competition.

“He was launching oppo homers at will with an easy swing,” Braves catcher Kurt Suzuki said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

April 19, 2018 Page 42 of 49

Albies, who turned 21 on Jan. 7, made his major-league debut last Aug. 1, but remains the youngest player on any 25-man roster.

Not that there was much doubt, but the entire sport believes in him now.

Suzuki echoes the sentiments of his manager, Brian Snitker, who says Albies and the Houston Astros’ 5-6, 164-pound José Altuve are the best pound-for-pound players in baseball.

Two of the most exciting as well, as Albies demonstrated last Friday at Wrigley Field with two brilliant, electric plays at second base.

In 319 career plate appearances — the approximate equivalent of half a season — Albies is batting .292 with 11 homers and an .857 OPS. The Braves, a surprising 9-7, are second in the majors in OPS at second base.

A native of Curaçao, Albies speaks English, Spanish, Dutch and Papiamentu. Braves officials describe him as fearless, relentless, full of confidence — but with the right touch of humility, too.

“A few years ago, the Braves had a winter camp for a week in Atlanta at Turner Field. At the time, Albies was a shortstop at (Class-A) Rome,” recalled Braves field coordinator and former farm director Dave Trembley.

“During the media session that week, Albies was asked about his chances of playing shortstop in Atlanta as the Braves already had a major-league shortstop (Andrelton Simmons). His response was, ‘I will put the catching gear on and catch if it gets me to the major leagues.’”

As it turned out, Albies indeed changed positions, moving to second to accommodate Dansby Swanson, whom the Braves acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in Dec. 2015. The two, then in the minors, quickly became good friends.

The Braves signed Albies for $350,000 in July 2013 under former general manager Frank Wren and international scouting director Johnny Almaraz. Alex Anthopoulos, the team’s current GM who took over last Nov. 13, said he previously knew all about Albies’ ability, but not his makeup.

“The energy, the work ethic, the confidence, instincts, being a great teammate,” Anthopoulos said. “He’s always been highly regarded as a prospect so no one ever doubted his talent. Being around him as a person and watching how he handles himself has been the most impressive part. I expect him to develop into a leader on this team.”

Trembley went a step further.

“He is a shot in the arm for the game of baseball.”

MOOSE REJUVENATED, EVEN AFTER TRYING WINTER

Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas knows the perception that he was not in top condition might have been a contributing factor in the limited interest he received as a free agent. But

April 19, 2018 Page 43 of 49

Moustakas, 29, addressed that criticism by getting in better shape, and GM Dayton Moore spoke excitedly last week about the slugger’s off-season work, saying he is running as well as he ever has.

Even better, Moustakas is hitting the way he did last season, extending his hitting streak to nine games, raising his batting average to .361 and contributing his fourth home run Tuesday night. He already looks like a top trade candidate — he will be owed slightly more than $2 million of his $6.5 million salary, plus incentives, at the non-waiver deadline. Come next off-season, he might be in better position as a free agent, too; the CBA prohibits players from being offered a qualifying offer a second time, so any team that signs Moustakas will not face the loss of draft picks or international bonus pool money.

Some Royals officials worried about Moustakas’ body even when he was younger, but Moustakas’ only two career trips to the DL both were somewhat freakish, and both occurred in 2016. First, he fractured his left thumb, saying later he believed the injury occurred on a tag play. Then he tore the ACL in his right knee after a collision with Alex Gordon, ending his season on May 22.

In Moustakas’ five other full seasons, he averaged 144 games.

“It’s always been my m.o. — I’m a bigger-bodied guy,” Moustakas said. “I guess teams were concerned how I would come in after surgery, which is understandable. But I go out and play 150 games a year, go out every single day, play hurt, play injured.

“In this game, there aren’t a lot of days off. You’ve got to grind through pain and injury. I feel like I’ve done that for a great part of my career. I feel like I’ve been pretty durable.”

WITH LUCCHESI, NOT A MATTER OF LUCK

San Diego Padres left-hander Joey Lucchesi already is justifying the team’s faith in him as a fourth-round pick out of Southeast Missouri State in 2016 — he cracked the team’s Opening Day rotation, then struck out 25 and walked only four in his first 21 2/3 innings, producing a 1.66 ERA.

Some with the Padres, however, wanted scouting director Mark Conner to wait on Lucchesi in the 2016 draft, believing he would be available in a later round. Lucchesi was a fifth-year senior who previously had gone undrafted. But both the Padres’ area scout, Troy Hoerner, and cross-checker, Yancy Ayres, recommended him strongly.

The Padres wanted an affordable sign with their fourth rounder, 114th overall pick — they would end up going above the recommended bonus for Stanford right-hander Cal Quantrill at No. 8 overall, below for high-school shortstop Hudson Sanchez (now Potts) at No. 24, then above again for high-school right-handers Reggie Lawson at No. 71 and Mason Thompson at No. 85.

Lucchesi was just about to turn 23, an advanced age for a college pitcher at a time when teams prefer their players to be as young as possible, even as prospects. Conner, then in only his second year as scouting director, faced a choice: Gamble on another player his people liked? Or grab Lucchesi?

“To me, it was one of those things where I would rather step up to get the player our scout really knew and the group really liked than potentially lose him,” Conner said. “I’ve been very fortunate to be

April 19, 2018 Page 44 of 49

around a lot of smart people in the game. A lot of people have given me advice, ‘Don’t lose the player that you really want, that you really like.’ He was the one.”

Padres executive Logan White, who as Los Angeles Dodgers scouting director drafted Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp and Russell Martin, among others, was impressed by the poise Conner showed in a divided draft room.

“Mark did the most important thing a scouting director has to do,” White said. “A scouting director has to know who to listen to, when to listen to them and know the timing of when to take the player — the feel to make the right call.”

Conner made the call and the Padres signed Lucchesi for $100,000, well below the recommended slot of $521,200.

“I don’t want to say it was an easy decision. The other guys were making really good arguments,” Conner said. “But I think it turned out all right.”

RUN, ALBERT, RUN!

Like Moustakas, Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols is moving better this season, and his increased friskiness is making an impression on new Angels second baseman Ian Kinsler.

“I know DHing is tough on him because he’s such a workaholic — he’s always in the cage, taking swings, trying to get ready for his next at-bat,” Kinsler said. “He’s baseball player. He wants to be out on the field. He wants to run the bases. Some of us are like, ‘Dude, slow down!’ But he wants to go.”

The rejuvenation of Pujols is partly the product of his first normal off-season of training, without needing to rehabilitate a foot injury, since 2012-13. His timing is perfect — the Angels need him to play more first base so they can use Shohei Ohtani as a DH.

Pujols, 38, already has started nine games at first, three more than all of last season, and he has regained explosiveness in his lower half, helping him on the offensive side. He is 11 hits away from 3,000, and a $3 million bonus for reaching that milestone.

Only three other players have reached 600 homers and 3,000 hits — Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez.

ARE THE MARINERS LEGIT?

The Seattle Mariners’ dynamic offense looks even better following the return of designated hitter Nelson Cruz and will get deeper still with catcher Mike Zunino and left fielder Ben Gamel expected to make their respective season debuts this week.

Closer Edwin Díaz (eight innings, 16 strikeouts, two walks) is also off to a terrific start, and the Mariners believe the rest of their bullpen will be competent even with right-hander David Phelps out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

April 19, 2018 Page 45 of 49

The starting rotation, though, remains a major question.

Take away oft-injured ace left-hander James Paxton, who has never made 25 starts in a season, and the three other starters in the Mariners’ Opening Day rotation — right-handers Félix Hernández and Mike Leake and left-hander Marco Gonzales — are averaging 5.96 strikeouts per nine innings. That figure would be nearly the lowest of any major-league rotation; the Chicago White Sox are at 5.90.

Yes, it’s early, but to this point Hernández’s strikeout and swing-and-miss rates are at career-low levels, while Leake has more walks (nine) than strikeouts (eight) and Gonzales averaged four innings in his first three starts. Right-hander Erasmo Ramírez, who could return from a strained right lat muscle and become the fifth starter on Sunday, also is a finesse pitcher.

WHOLE NEW BALLGAME . . . EVENTUALLY

Major League Baseball, in its quest to develop a ball easier for pitchers to grip, sent a prototype for six clubs to test in spring training and into the regular season, according to sources. Baltimore Orioles pitchers were still fiddling with the experimental balls when they visited Yankee Stadium from April 6 to 8.

The sport first tested prototypes during the Arizona Fall League in 2016, as first reported by Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. Don’t get too excited, though: While MLB would love to introduce a ball with enough tackiness on the leather for pitchers to refrain from using foreign substances such as pine tar and sunscreen, the league is years away from actually making such a thing happen, sources said.

First, MLB would need to approve a new ball for Rawlings to manufacture; the sport received “mixed feedback” on the current prototype and likely will try another version this year, one source said. Once the new ball was available, MLB likely would test it for a year at Single A, then a year at Double A, etc. The sport would want to explore any unintended consequences that might result from the new ball before introducing it to the majors.

So much is unpredictable. A new surface might increase the number of blisters for pitchers. The difference in surface friction might result in an increase or decrease in home runs. MLB also would need to settle on a color. Uniformly produced balls would not need to be rubbed up with mud, and pitchers no longer would be permitted to discard discolored balls the way they do now.

AROUND THE HORN

—As I reported in this week’s Full Count video for Fox Sports, one rival executive says tens of millions are at stake for Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson based on the condition of his right shoulder.

Donaldson will be much less attractive as a free agent if there is some question about whether he could play third base — a first base/DH role could limit him to the American League, and he already faces the handicap of turning 33 in December.

Donaldson has been dealing with the shoulder issue since early in spring training. If he comes back healthy, no problem. If not, the questions about his value in the open market will intensify.

April 19, 2018 Page 46 of 49

—The Royals are raving about their new pitching coach, Cal Eldred. During my visit to Kansas City last weekend, several pitchers noted with admiration that Eldred spent 14 years in the majors, with closer Kelvin Herrera saying, “There is no situation he hasn’t been in.”

Right-hander Jason Hammel, a 13-year veteran with his sixth club, said Eldred already is one of the best pitching coaches he has ever worked with. Lefty Eric Skoglund described Eldred as fun to play catch with, saying, “his arm is still there.”

Royals GM Dayton Moore believes both Eldred and new hitting coach Terry Bradshaw stand a chance of becoming elite in the next two to three years.

—Pace of play update: Through Monday’s play, the average time of a nine-inning game was 3 hours, 1 minute, 32 seconds. The average at the same point a year ago was 3:03:31. By the end of the season, it was 3:05:11.

It’s too early to form any kind of judgment, but perhaps a greater drop was expected with new rules in effect and so many games taking place in cold weather?

—And finally, cheers to Colorado Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in November 2016 and did not return to the majors until last August.

Through four starts, Bettis is 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA, going 7 and 7 1/3 innings in his most recent two outings against the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates.

FROM CBS SPORTS

Red Sox poised to sweep Angels

The highly anticipated three-game series between the two hottest teams in the American League has turned into a one-sided affair.

The highly anticipated three-game series between the two hottest teams in the American League has turned into a one-sided affair.

The Boston Red Sox head into the series finale against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night with a chance to sweep after two impressive wins at Angel Stadium. Boston hasn't swept Los Angeles since winning a four-game series at Angel Stadium from April 21-24, 2011.

The Red Sox (15-2) have outscored the Angels 19-1 through the first two games, powering nine home runs.

April 19, 2018 Page 47 of 49

"Those guys, if you miss some spots, they're going to swing the bats," Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters Wednesday night. "We can too, but we haven't really pressured those guys the way we need to on the offensive side."

The two starters for Boston, David Price and Rick Porcello, came in with losing records against the Angels in their decorated careers, but neither had problems mowing through the batting order, and neither has the Boston bullpen.

Seven Red Sox pitchers have combined to strike out 18 batters in the series.

Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0, 3.72 ERA) will take his turn in his third start of the season on Thursday. He'll not only try to follow up Price and Porcello, but his last performance as well.

Rodriguez allowed one run and five hits in six innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night, using a steady stream of fastballs to strike out eight and walk two in the 7-3 victory.

"Elevated fastball, that should be a weapon for him," Rod Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters after the game. "He keeps learning, but you can see the stuff is there. He's electric."

Rodriguez has faced the Angels once and produced the worst numbers of his four-year career in that outing at Angel Stadium on July 20, 2015.

Then a rookie, Rodriguez was up against a red-hot Los Angeles team that had won 13 of its past 16 games, and he allowed seven runs and six hits in 1 1/3 innings of the 11-1 loss. He gave up all seven runs in a span of eight pitches.

Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols each went 1-for-2 with a home run off Rodriguez.

Scioscia said he doesn't expect the offensive slump to last long.

"We're a much better offensive team than any time in the last number of years, so we have a lot of confidence we'll continue to swing the bats well," Scioscia said.

The Angels will send right-hander Nick Tropeano (1-0, 0.00) to the mound in his second regular-season outing since undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2016. Tropeano shut out the Kansas City Royals for 6 2/3 innings April 12 in a 7-1 victory. He allowed six hits, struck out six and walked two.

"Our bullpen's been used a lot and we have to get a little bit of length from our starters," Scioscia said.

Tropeano is a native New Yorker who went to West Islip High School and Stony Brook College on Long Island. He has never faced the Red Sox in 26 major league appearances (25 starts).

Boston first baseman Mitch Moreland faced Tropeano seven times as a member of the Texas Rangers and is 1-for-7 with a home run. The only other current Red Sox player to bat off Tropeano at the major league level is second baseman Eduardo Nunez, who is 0-for-4.

April 19, 2018 Page 48 of 49

FROM THE COMEBACK

Amid all the overreactions and freak-outs, here is one reason for optimism for

each of baseball’s 30 teams**

By Alex Putterman

For baseball fans, April is supposed to be a time of hope and belief and wide-eyed optimism. It’s the

month when everyone has a shot, when even the wildest of pipe dreams is possible, at least in theory.

But too often, April instead becomes a time of premature panic. Phillies fans hate Gabe Kapler. Yankees

fans hate Giancarlo Stanton. Dodgers and Cubs fans hate their entire teams. So much negativity!

And so, in the interest of imbuing some of that optimism back into April, we have come up with one

reason for optimism for each of baseball’s 30 teams. Because ultimately, every baseball fan should have

something to smile about.

Los Angeles Angels (13-4) — Reasons for optimism are abundant out in Anaheim. Mike Trout is his usual

MVP-caliber self; Shohei Ohtani looks like a two-way star; Ian Kinsler, Justin Upton and Andrelton

Simmons are off to hot starts and the team has one of baseball’s best records. The Angels have

solidified their status as a wild-card front-runner.

**Article cut to only include Angels-related material.

FROM SB NATION

Baseball phenom echoes Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas: Quiet on the field

The Angels want some Augusta in their life.

By Emily Kay

You know how PGA Tour golfers unhappy with “Get in the hole” guy and his fellow nitwit spectators

yelling “Baba Booey” and other inanities often point out that their sport is different from football and

baseball games in which fans shout at players throughout the games?

Well, tell that to Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese sensation who throws 100 MPH and bats for power and

average. Ohtani, the Los Angeles Angels’ two-way phenom, may be better suited to plying his trade in

hushed environs like Augusta National than in major league ballparks.

April 19, 2018 Page 49 of 49

Remember how Rory McIlroy reached for the Advil after playing the opening two rounds with Tiger

Woods at Riviera, and Justin Thomas got a fan booted from the gallery during the final round of

the Honda Classic because the guy was rooting against him?

Well, it seems that Ohtani, who has made quite a splash in his first couple weeks as an Angels’ pitcher

and designated hitter, has taken a page from the golf superstars’ playbook, or at least some associated

with the MLB rookie have. With a stadium less than half-full of fans Friday night in Kansas City, USA

Today reported that three Japanese college exchange students sitting behind the visiting Angels’ dugout

were “screaming” when their countryman came to bat, trying to get his attention — until someone in

the Angels’ organization got a Kauffman Stadium security guard to ask them to pipe down.

Unlike the idiots who increasingly continue to spoil everyone’s experience at golf tournaments other

than the Masters (where such hooting and howling are verboten), the fans hushed right up and

remained mum when Ohtani next came to the plate.

“He heard it, he’s thankful for the cheers,’’ Ohtani’s interpreter said after the game, “but at the plate, he

likes to focus and block out the noise.”

And while Ohtani said he was aware of the loud cheering, he noted he did not request quiet.

“[The Angels] just did it so everyone could focus at the plate,” Ohtani, who throws righty, bats from the

portside, and went 2-for-4 in his team’s 5-4 win, told USA Today. “I was thankful for that.”

So if you wish to see the Angels’ whiz kid, maybe pretend you’re watching McIlroy line up a shot and

refrain from yelling “mashed potatoes” — or whatever the baseball equivalent of that idiotic bleat

would be.

Tell that to the fans in the Bronx, who are already booing the Yankees’ big offseason acquisition,

Giancarlo Stanton, and we’re not even a month into the baseball season.