ODDS ANALYSIS
The Angels and Giants dip into the interleague portion of their schedule for the first time this season hooking up in the middle of a three-game set. Both teams struggled offensively in the first month of the season ranking near the bottom of their respective leagues in runs scored and a breakout in a park that doesn’t normally allow a lot of runs is unlikely.
The Angels showed signs of snapping out of their scoring slump scoring six times in each of their last two games at Oakland winning both for their fourth straight over play.
The Angels cashed the over in four straight entering the series and were 12-8-2 through their first 22 games. The Halos have been a negative play this season down 1.86 units on the moneyline and 1.94 units on the runline but are up 2.58 units in seven games heading into SF.
The Giants have struggled to score runs mainly because they lack power in their lineup, which makes it difficult when you have to string hits together to score and your team batting average is below .250. Reason No. 1 why the under is 12-9-1 in SF’s first 22 games of the year. The defending champs are bringing up the rear of the NL West and are in the red 4.77 units on the year. Things might change when Hunter Pence returns, but not much.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Angels’ Hector Santiago (2-1, 2.28 ERA) walked six Rangers hitters on Sunday, doubling his season total, but gave up only two runs – one earned – in 5.1 innings to continue his impressive start to the season. In four starts the lefty has allowed seven runs – six earned – in 23.2 innings with 22 strikeouts.
Santiago will be making his first career start against the Giants.
Tim Hudson (0-2, 3.91 ERA) pitched seven strong innings at Colorado last Saturday giving up three runs on eight hits with no walks and missed out on a win when the bullpen failed to hold a ninth-inning lead. He mixed his pitches well, kept the Rockies off-balance and stayed off the middle of the plate.
Hudson has a season’s worth of work in his career against the Angels going 13-7 with a 3.85 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 163.2 innings over 25 starts.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“Out of all the guys you’d want to hit behind Mike (Trout), right now it’s Kole (Calhoun). It’s a deviation from what we really want to do in our lineup, but I think the circumstances are very clear. Right now, there a lot of guys trying to find their game, and with Albert (Pujols) out of the lineup we have to make some adjustments.” – Angels manager Mike Scioscia
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
The Angels have the best closer in the league in Huston Street but the bridge between him and the starters has been an adventure to cross. Several players have tried to fill the role with minimal success leaving the Giants with hope if they can somehow get Hector Santiago out of the game before the eighth inning. The Halos had a comfortable 6-0 lead over the A’s on Thursday but the inability of Mike Morin and Vinnie Pestano to close it out forced manager Mike Scioscia to call on Street in the ninth. He got the save but not before some anxious moments for Angels fans.
PROP TALK
Few players in baseball make you want to watch every time they step into the batters box. Angels outfielder Mike Trout is one of the few. Heck he’s so good you want to watch him play the field as well. Trout, last year’s AL MVP, is off to another fantastic start and apparently is immune to the hitting woes that have befallen the Angles the first month of the season. You expect him to get a hit every at-bat and he’s come real close against the Giants during his career with seven hits in 13 AB’s. With Albert Pujols likely out for the series, Trout will bat third in the order with more RBI opportunities and he delivers.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Angels have the best player in the game in Mike Trout and a nice cast of players that makes them a contender again in the AL West. The Angels seem to kick it up a notch as the season progresses and now that the calendar has turned to May let’s see what happens. This team is too good to be struggling offensively so expect Erick Aybar, CJ Cron and David Freese to get it going. Hector Santiago has been the Halos best starter and shouldn’t have much trouble shutting down the light-hitting Giants.
An eight-game losing streak earlier set the Giants back a bit and they are trying to climb out of the hole they put themselves in. They just can’t do it with the offensive troubles they’ve endured. The Giants score only three runs a game and are even worse on their own turf hanging their starters out to dry. When they have to be nearly perfect to get a win it’s doubly tough and the staff hasn’t been able to pick the team up. Angel Pagan, a career .280 hitter, is the team’s top offensive threat so that should tell you something about their difficulties.
Los Angeles 5, San Francisco 3
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