News
Adenhart gets fresh start against A's
Los Angeles (1-1) vs. Oakland (1-1), Wednesday, 7:05 p.m. PT
Nick Adenhart was roughed up by the A's in his debut 11 months ago. (Jeff Chiu/AP)
By Lyle Spencer / MLB.com
04/08/09 2:40 PM ET
ANAHEIM -- The new kid in town is back, a year older at 22, a year wiser, and, the Angels hope, light years better. Nick Adenhart returns to the Angel Stadium mound 11 months after his disappointing Major League debut against the same team he faced that night, the Athletics. Oakland's lineup doesn't look the same, and neither does Adenhart, exuding a new sense of belonging and confidence. "Night and day," he said, describing the difference. That May 1 night against the A's, Adenhart couldn't find his rhythm, couldn't find the strike zone, couldn't get in touch with his delivery. He would refer to it as something close to an out-of-body experience. "I was numb," he said. "I couldn't make adjustments. I'd go ball one, ball two ... I couldn't pull myself out of it." He was gone after getting six outs, having yielded five earned runs on five walks and three hits, striking out none. "After what I went through last year," Adenhart said, "I'm trying to stay within myself game to game, pitch by pitch. "Last year when I got called up, I was like, 'This is it.' I realized it was a dream come true, something I'd wanted since I was a kid. "I wanted to throw a shutout the first couple times. I set my expectations high." When he fell considerably short, surrendering a total of 12 earned runs across 12 innings of three starts, Adenhart took his disappointment back to Triple-A Salt Lake and let it chip away at him internally. "I struggled last year," he said. "When I regained my confidence at the end of the year, I realized I couldn't worry about what happened after the ball left my hand. "I'm trying to relax and have fun." With three starters -- John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Kelvim Escobar -- on the 15-day disabled list to start the season, and neither Lackey nor Santana expected back before May, Adenhart should have some time to express his considerable talent. Angels manager Mike Scioscia has expressed nothing but confidence in Adenhart this spring, and the kid from Maryland, drafted out of Williamsport High School in 2004, has delivered quality work start after start. He was 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA in six outings, five as a starter, with 18 strikeouts against just five walks in 26 innings. Adenhart will be facing a veteran lineup with the power and expertise to challenge any pitcher with the likes of Jason Giambi, Orlando Cabrera, Eric Chavez, Jack Cust and -- if he's feeling better after missing Tuesday's game -- Matt Holliday. Pitching matchupLAA: RHP Nick Adenhart (0-0, -.-- ERA)
Adenhart has been a different pitcher and person this spring, having matured at 22 with a more confident, assured presence on the mound. He had a rough Major League debut last year, pressing and fighting his command against the Athletics, and carried his frustration back to Triple-A after three starts with the Angels. He had a superb spring and could be hard to ship down, if he maintains his stuff and confidence, when John Lackey, Kelvim Escobar and Ervin Santana return to claim their spots. He has all the tools: mid-90s fastball, 12-to-6 curve and a changeup that might be his best pitch. OAK: LHP Dana Eveland (0-0, -.-- ERA)
Eveland, 25, is the most experienced starter in the Oakland rotation. He's made 35 career starts, 29 of them in 2008, his first year with the A's after having been acquired in the December 2007 trade that sent Dan Haren to the D-backs. Eveland, who went 0-2 with a 6.06 ERA in three games against the Halos last season, doesn't throw particularly hard but had above-average command upon returning from a 2 1/2-week stint in the Minors late last season. He'd been sent to Triple-A Sacramento to sort out some mechanical issues. Eveland made his big league debut in 2005 with the Brewers, who made him their 16th-round pick in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft. Tidbits
Holliday wasn't feeling well in Monday night's season opener and sat out Tuesday with an unspecified "non-baseball-related condition," according to manager Bob Geren. He was, in other words, sick, and it is not know when he'll be back in the lineup. ... Team consistency: the Angels have gone 15 consecutive months at .500 or better, the longest current streak in the Majors. Not since June 2006 when they were 12-14 have they been below .500 in a month. ... Chuck Finley and Brian Downing join Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Bobby Grich, Don Baylor, Jim Fregosi and Jimmie Reese in the Angels Hall of Fame in Thursday's induction ceremonies. The game will start at 7:25 p.m. PT, not the usual 7:05. Tickets
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• KLAA 830, KFWB, KWKW 1330 (Español) Up next
• Thursday: Angels (Jered Weaver, 0-0, -.--) vs. Athletics (Brett Anderson, 0-0, -.--), 7:25 p.m. PT
• Friday: Angels (Shane Loux, 0-0, -.--) vs. Red Sox (Tim Wakefield, 0-0, -.--), 7:05 p.m. PT
• Saturday: Angels (Joe Saunders, 1-0, 0.00) vs. Red Sox (Brad Penny, 0-0, -.--), 1:10 p.m. PT
Lyle Spencer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
