Ten years after the franchise's only championship run, the Angels are
being reminded of a key find during that 2002 World Series run.
Right-hander
Francisco Rodriguez, then 20 years old, was a September call-up in
2002. He struck out 13 in his first 5 2/3 innings, was added to the
post-season roster and quickly became a bullpen weapon deployed by
manager Mike Scioscia all the way to the World Series title.
This
year's bullpen phenom is right-hander Ernesto Frieri. Since being
acquired in a trade with the Padres on May 3, Frieri has been
unhittable, striking out 25 and allowing no hits or runs during his
first 12 innings as an Angel.
According to Elias, Frieri is the
first pitcher in major league history to make 12 consecutive appearances
without allowing a hit to begin his time with a new team.
According
to STATS LLC, Frieri is the first pitcher since at least 1921 to have
25 or more strikeouts and no earned runs allowed in his first 12 innings
with a new team.
"I remember it vividly and there are some
comparisons, the K rate being the most obvious," Angels' general manager
Jerry Dipoto said of the comparison between Rodriguez and Frieri.
"But Frankie was doing it with his breaking ball. Ernie is doing it with his fastball."
Dipoto
calls Frieri's a "magic fastball" for its ability to miss bats. A
deceptive delivery makes the mid-90s fastball even less hittable than
the radar gun indicates.
"I've always done that; it's just the
way I throw," Frieri said of the way he wraps his right arm around his
back hip before whipping the ball toward home plate, making it even more
difficult for hitters to pick up.
"They (Padres instructors)
tried to change me. They thought I would hurt my arm. But I throw, throw
and throw and I've never had a sore arm. I don't want to change until
the hitters tell me to change. It works. If I start getting hit around,
then maybe I'll change."
NOTES, QUOTES
Pujols has two more hits to continue resurgence
--1B Albert Pujols raised his average to .243 with two hits Wednesday.
That is the highest his batting average has been since he was at .246 on
April 22. Pujols is batting .344 (22-for-64) with seven home runs and
16 RBI over his last 16 games.
--LHP C.J. Wilson and the Japanese
free agent who replaced him in Texas, RHP Yu Darvish, will match up
again on Saturday, this time in Anaheim. Wilson and Darvish started
against each other on May 11 in Texas but the game was interrupted in
the first inning by a two-hour rain delay. Darvish returned to pitch
after the delay and got the win. Wilson did not return after the delay
and started the next day as well.
--RHP Dan Haren is expected to
move up and take RHP Jered Weaver's spot in the rotation Sunday. Because
the Angels were off Thursday, Haren will be pitching on normal rest.
Rookie RHP Garrett Richards was promoted from Triple-A to replace Weaver
(on the disabled list because of a back injury) in the Angels'
rotation. He will make his first start either Monday or Tuesday against
the Mariners.
--RHP Ervin Santana leads the majors with 15 home
runs allowed in 11 starts this season after giving up two in Wednesday's
loss to the Yankees. "I'm a home-run pitcher," Santana said. "I'm a
power pitcher and if they make good contact, that's the way it ends up."
--RHP Jerome Williams will start the opening game in a three-game
series with the Rangers in Anaheim Friday night. Williams is 7-0 with a
1.74 ERA in seven starts at Angel Stadium.
BY THE NUMBERS: 3.3/4.1 -- Improvement in Angels' runs per game average from April to May.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Offensively, we're leaps and bounds better than we were." -- Angels INF-OF Mark Trumbo.
