« Baseball Today: Friday, October 5
Main
Cali view (part 2): Angels ready to follow plan off a cliff? »
October 5, 2007
By MATT HURST
The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.)
BOSTON - After being shutout - and shutdown - in Game 1, the Angels will make some slight adjustments in the hopes of getting something, anything, going against a pitcher they've never faced before.
For the first time since Sept. 4, Vladimir Guerrero should start in right field after testing his sore right triceps with throws from right to third base during Thursday's workout and deeming it healthy enough to play. That will push Chone Figgins to center and either Juan Rivera or Kendry Morales will be the designated hitter.
"It's gone. It's nothing I have to live with at least," Guerrero said through an interpreter about the triceps pain that hampered him from early September through the end of the regular season. "That's one reason I wanted to hold back longer. If I had any pain right now I probably would not force Mike (Scioscia) to do it, to put me in the outfield. I don't feel anything right now."
Much of the decision to either start Rivera or Morales against Daisuke Matsuzaka will depend on how the team feels who has the best shot to break through against the Japanese sensation that the Angels missed in 10 meetings with Boston this season.
Matsuzaka allowed a higher batting average to right-handers this season but gave up more homers, RBI and walks to lefties. Morales, a switch-hitter, batted .311 left-handed with all four of his homers while Rivera hit .286 in 14 at-bats vs.
righties.
Rivera, though, has the luxury of being able to pull balls off the Green Monster while some areas of right field - the 380-foot power alley and 420-foot triangle in deep center field - don't help Morales' case. Another way Rivera could get into the lineup is as the left fielder because Garret Anderson's right eye was still puffy with conjunctivitis.
Anderson said after Wednesday's game that "I can't see well, but I'm going to play," then said Thursday that "It's about the same. No change."
"That's not the word he gave to us, so unless something changed during the game, he told us that his vision is fine," Scioscia said. "Unless something unforeseen happens, he's a guy who has been swinging the bat as well as anybody in baseball for the last 200-300 at-bats, we need him to contribute. Obviously if his eye is not where it needs to be, it's something to consider."
First Impressions
As Orlando Cabrera exited the clubhouse following Thursday's workout he had a DVD in his hand, likely video of Matsuzaka, something all of the Angels said they will watch. But, just how much info can they process in their minds about the pitcher, who went 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA, without actually facing him?
"Video will give you a little piece of the puzzle," Scioscia said. "The real biggest piece of the puzzle is the batter's box experience, that's what we're going to have to do."
Said Figgins: "For some guys they like to but for me I don't. I just like to watch what his ball kind of does, his curveball, changeup, slider, whatever he throws just to see how he moves. And then after that get in the box and get ready to hit."
Echoed Anderson, "When you see a guy you haven't seen it's just weird because I'm a feel guy. I try to just know what he has and what he throws and not really worry about what he likes to do to finish guys off. Then you'll find yourself guessing up there and I don't want to guess."
Posted by Mike McDermott 
at 8:55 AM | Permalink
