News
Bullpen poised to deliver for Angels
Los Angeles (4-5) at Minnesota (4-7), 5:10 p.m. PT
By Lyle Spencer / MLB.com
04/17/09 1:56 AM ET
Scot Shields wants the baseball and the responsibility, game on the line. Brian Fuentes has the same attitude. "We've got all the confidence in the world in our bullpen," Shields, its senior member, said as the Angels prepared for a three-game weekend series with the Twins at the Metrodome. "We want the game to come down to us getting the job done. You have to feel that way to be successful. "We've had a few bad games, but that's going to happen. We're fine. You've got to have a short memory as a reliever. It's like a quarterback who throws an interception, or a goalie who gives up a goal. We've got the same personality as those guys. You've got to let it go and move on." The Angels, who took five of eight from the Twins last season and were 3-1 at the Metrodome, departed Seattle on Thursday night feeling better about themselves in the afterglow of a 5-1 victory. It was delivered by All-Star Joe Saunders with help from Jose Arredondo and Fuentes out of the bullpen, each working an inning. Roles are being shaped and defined, personalities blending, on the move. Fuentes, Francisco Rodriguez's successor as closer, has two saves in three opportunities. The bullpen overall has been roughed up -- 19 earned runs in 24 2/3 innings for a 6.93 ERA -- but the track records of its occupants suggest it will find its groove and start making good things happen. This would be a good time. Dustin Moseley knows it would help to get fairly deep in the series opener against Twins right-hander Nick Blackburn, given the state of the Angels' pitching staff in general. The Angels' Saturday night pitcher, Darren Oliver, will be making his first start since 2004 when he was a spry young lad of 34. His buddies in the bullpen know they'll be needed sometime in the middle innings. "It's so early in the season," Fuentes said. "Yeah, we've scuffled as a whole. But I'm not overly concerned. It's not that we ignore it or are OK with it. At the same time, it's a long season, and guys are going to be knocking off rush and jitters. "The track record here is pretty good. Shields, [Justin] Speier, Darren Oliver, [Jason] Bulger. We have these younger guys who have had success in the Minor Leagues. They've all proven over time they're able to step up and take it to the next level. They've shown they can do it." So has Fuentes, a three-time All-Star who feels he has been making progress even if his numbers (four earned runs in four innings) are not reflective of high-caliber work. "I'm getting closer," Fuentes said. "I felt I threw the ball better against Boston [saving Sunday's win], and in the game before that against Oakland I thought I threw well. Some things happened in that game -- a dribbler, a ball that fell in - but it started with a leadoff walk. That was the part that upset me. I can't do that." Angels manager Mike Scioscia has made a habit of assembling bullpens with few equals in his decade on the job. "The proving ground in Major League Baseball is every day," Scioscia said, "but particularly with the bullpen, guys aren't going to get it done every time. There has to be some patience there. We're comfortable with our bullpen. We're confident we're going to have a productive bullpen. "Some guys are trying to find their routines. Some guys are struggling with things in their mechanics and rhythm. They'll get through it." Pitching matchupLAA: RHP Dustin Moseley (1-0, 3.86 ERA)
Moseley has delivered impressively in his first two starts, keeping the Angels in games with quality efforts. He went 5 2/3 innings against the Red Sox on Sunday, holding them to three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks, one intentional, while striking out three men. Moseley is committed to pounding the strike zone with his two-seam and four-seam fastballs along with his off-speed stuff, and it shows: two walks (one intentional) in 11 2/3 innings against seven strikeouts. Moseley has faced Minnesota three times in his career, all as a reliever, with a 5.40 ERA in 3 1/3 innings. MIN: RHP Nick Blackburn (0-1, 5.73 ERA)
Once again, it was a Jim Thome home run that came back to haunt Blackburn. After giving up the solo shot to Thome last September in the one-game tiebreaker, Blackburn gave up a two-run blast to the White Sox DH in his last start. It was the only real mistake for the right-hander in his six-plus innings. He allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits while walking one and striking out one. But afterward, Blackburn said that he felt he was on top of his pitches and was pleased with the way he threw. Next up for Blackburn will be a start against the Angels at the Metrodome. He is 0-2 with a 3.09 ERA in two career starts vs. the Angels. Tidbits
Ervin Santana (sprained elbow) and John Lackey (strained forearm) both came out of their first bullpen sessions on Wednesday in good shape, Scioscia said. Kelvim Escobar is ready to start playing catch again, the soreness in his right shoulder having subsided. All three starters hope to be back in the rotation sometime in May. ... The Angels already have spent more days out of first place in the American League West -- 10 -- than they spent all last season (eight). ... Saturday's game is a 4:10 p.m. PT start, changed from 12:40 p.m. ... If he gets three strikeouts in that game, Oliver will reach 1,000 for his career. ... Chone Figgins, who has hit safely in seven of the past eight games, is seven steals shy of 250. Since the start of the 2005 season, he leads the AL with 194 thefts. Tickets
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• KLAA 830, KFWB, KWKW 1330 (Español) Up next
• Saturday: Angels (Darren Oliver, 0-0, 2.45) at Twins (Kevin Slowey, 1-0, 7.94), 4:10 p.m. PT
• Sunday: Angels (Shane Loux, 0-0, 3.38) at Twins (Glen Perkins, 0-1, 1.69), 11:10 a.m. PT
• Monday: Off-day
Lyle Spencer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
