News
Angels aim to support starters in KC
Los Angeles (78-54) at Kansas City (51-81), 5:10 p.m. PT
By Lyle Spencer / MLB.com
09/02/09 11:10 PM ET
SEATTLE -- After a day off, the Angels spend four days in the land of barbecue and Zach Greinke, facing the Royals. The barbecue is something the tourists can taste every day, if they choose. They'll be served Greinke only once, which should be quite enough. After Jered Weaver engages Gil Meche in the opener, the centerpiece of the series arrives with Saturday's showdown between Greinke, the leading candidate for the American League Cy Young Award, and John Lackey, who has resumed his position as lead dog of the Angels' staff. Behind Joe Saunders, the Halos beat Greinke, 1-0, in Anaheim on May 9 during a three-game sweep. But they missed him on their first trip through the Show Me State in July, and it showed in the scores: 8-5, 10-2 and 9-6, the Angels taking all three. The first two wins came in a doubleheader after the July 20 scheduled opener was rained out. For three games, the Angels' offense poured it on, with Erick Aybar (eight hits) leading the charge. A return to that brand of high-powered offense after scoring just one run in losing the final two games in Seattle would elevate moods in the Angels' clubhouse. Texas clearly is not going away, intent on making the Halos perspire to the finish in the American League West race. While the offense has hit a little skid, the Angels are feeling good again about their rotation after a long, tumultuous season of trying to fit all the pieces together. Scott Kazmir's brilliant debut in an Angels uniform on Wednesday in Seattle gives manager Mike Scioscia five potential top-of-the-rotation starters, with Saunders and Ervin Santana joining Weaver, Lackey and Kazmir. Weaver has been the only starter to take his turn each time it comes up, and it shows in his 173 1/3 innings. Next, at 148 2/3, is Saunders, who appears to be close to his All-Star form from 2008 after seven shutout innings in Seattle. "The foundation of our club is our starting pitching," Scioscia said. "We like how it looks right now." The Angels are 6-0 against the Royals this year and have won seven of the past eight season series against Kansas City. Pitching matchupLAA: RHP Jered Weaver (13-5, 3.89 ERA)
Weaver, bidding for his 14th win on Saturday, kept the A's off balance and off the scoreboard for six innings, yielding four hits and two walks while striking out three. However, the bullpen couldn't hold on to a lead, costing Weaver the victory. Weaver has taken a leap in both effectiveness and durability this season, leading the staff in innings with 173 1/3. KC: RHP Gil Meche (6-10, 5.09 ERA)
Meche had the worst outing in the four starts he's made since coming off the disabled list with a back strain. Facing the Mariners at Seattle, he was dinged for seven runs on eight hits in just four innings and he was hit hard -- for two homers and three doubles. Meche insists his back feels fine, it's just his arm that doesn't have the old snap after his month-long layoff. In his four post-DL outings, he's 2-1 with a no-decision, but his ERA is 8.14. Meche faced the Angels on May 8 and lost, 4-1. But his career mark against them is 8-3 in 19 starts. Tidbits
The Angels have one more day off: Sept. 24. An original open date, Sept. 14, will be spent in New York making up a rainout. ... Howard Kendrick has nine hits in his past 19 at-bats, but he's having trouble finding plate appearances in a second-base platoon with Maicer Izturis. ... Izturis is a career .332 hitter with runners in scoring position in 395 at-bats. He has committed just four errors in 72 combined starts at shortstop and second base. ... The Angels are 128-75 in Jeff Mathis' past 203 starts behind the plate, a .631 winning percentage. ... Juan Rivera is batting .367 against lefties and is seven homers shy of 100 in his career. ... Reggie Willits had five of his 14 hits with the Angels this season during their three-game sweep in Kansas City, where in 2007 he batted third in the lineup for the only time in his career against Meche. Tickets
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• KLAA 830, KFWB, KWKW 1330 (Español) Up next
• Saturday: Angels (John Lackey, 9-7, 3.92) at Royals (Zack Greinke, 13-8, 2.32), 4:10 p.m. PT
• Sunday: Angels (Joe Saunders, 11-7, 5.02) at Royals (Luke Hochevar, 6-8, 5.74), 11:10 a.m. PT
• Monday: Angels (Ervin Santana, 7-7, 5.68) at Royals (Kyle Davies, 6-9, 5.71), 11:10 a.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.
