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Clips

(August 20, 2015)

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Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Jered Weaver is right on target in Angels' 1-0 win over White Sox

Angels second base job still belongs to Johnny Giavotella FROM THE OC REGISTER (Page 5)

2015 has been a season to forget for Angels pitching prospect Jeremy McBryde

Angels manager Mike Scioscia sits Albert Pujols, but it's just routine day of rest

Upon further review, Angels get their third straight win over White Sox, 1-0

On deck: White Sox at Angels, Thursday, 7 p.m. FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 11)

Scioscia plans off-days to keep Pujols healthy

Solo shot enough for Weaver to hook Shark

Overturned safe call seals wild win for Angels

Angels eye four-game sweep of White Sox FROM THE LA DAILY NEWS (Page 16)

L.A. Angels’ Albert Pujols has rediscovered power stroke, but sits Wednesday

L.A. Angels ride Jered Weaver’s arm, Carloz Perez’s bat to 1-0 win over White Sox

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 19)

Weaver delivers, Perez HRs in Angels' 1-0 win over White Sox

White Sox-Angels Preview FROM YAHOO SPORTS (Page 22)

Mike Trout's off-field obsession proves he's a man for all seasons

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FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES Jered Weaver is right on target in Angels' 1-0 win over White Sox BY ZACH HELFAND When Angels Manager Mike Scioscia emerged from the dugout to fetch Jered Weaver in the seventh inning on Wednesday, the crowd at Angel Stadium booed. On the mound Weaver huffed and shook his head. Before he plunked the ball in Scioscia's hands, he appeared to say something. “Why?” The crowd wanted to see more, and Weaver wanted to deliver more. Why not? The Angels' 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox was the latest start in Weaver's budding reclamation project. He went 61/3 innings, struck out five and allowed five hits. It was perhaps his best start of the season, save a shutout in May. Since returning from the disabled list on Aug. 9, Weaver is 2-1 in three starts with a 2.08 earned-run average and 13 hits over 171/3 innings. “Just feels nice to be able to locate again,” Weaver said. When he was pulled, Weaver had thrown just 86 pitches. The last, a 74-mph changeup, danced past Alexei Ramirez, who flipped his bat into his hands after striking out, put his head down and stole a quick glance at Weaver, as if in wonderment. Scioscia said Weaver isn't stretched out enough to go much deeper. Weaver said he wasn't bothered. “That's just the competitive side of things,” he said. Ramirez was so far in front of one 69-mph curveball that he grazed the ball off the nub of his bat and grounded out feebly to the pitcher. Tyler Saladino did the same two innings later on a 68-mph curve. “He was a master tonight of changing speeds,” Scioscia said. Joe Smith, who earned the save, said of Weaver: “He's freezing guys on mid-80s fastballs inside. How do you do that?” Ultimately, the pitching moved worked. Trevor Gott closed the inning and pitched the eighth. With Huston Street out after three straight appearances, Smith got the save in rather dramatic fashion, on a three-minute 36-second video review. With two on, the White Sox seemed to avoid a game-ending double play, but after the review, it was determined Smith's foot grazed first base to record the final out. Weaver's performance was enough to offset the Angels' inability to hit with runners in scoring position. Their only run came when Carlos Perez hit a fastball for a home run in the sixth inning.

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White Sox right-hander Jeff Samardzija gave up only one run, but while Weaver did it with off-speed offerings, and with ease, Samardzija did it with heat and drama. The Angels loaded the bases in the second inning with no outs. Kole Calhoun led off the third with a double. In the fourth, there were runners on second and third, and in the fifth there were runners on first and second. All were stranded. The Angels found a way to win, as they often have at home. They are 1-12 on the road since the All-Star break but have won four in a row at home. They are 24-34 in away games and 39-23 at Angel Stadium. They needed the win to keep pace of the Houston Astros, who beat the Tampa Bay Rays in 13 innings. They remain 21/2 games back in the division and stayed half a game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for the last wild-card spot. Up next Right-hander Nick Tropeano (1-1, 3.00 ERA) will oppose White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana (6-10, 3.62) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Angel Stadium. TV: FS West; Radio: 830, 1330.

Angels second base job still belongs to Johnny Giavotella BY ZACH HELFAND Even though he has been the Angels' starter at second base for the entire season, Johnny Giavotella has said he still checks the lineup card with interest before each game. His time with the Kansas City Royals taught him that playing time is tenuous, that a spot is never secure. When Giavotella checked Wednesday, his name was atop the order, which, given the day's events, was not always a lock. The Angels had been linked to second baseman Chase Utley since he cleared waivers more than a week ago. In fact, the Angels had been chasing Utley even before the season began, according to a person familiar with trade talks but not authorized to speak publicly about them. Reports surfaced early Wednesday that a trade was imminent, but ultimately, the destination was the Dodgers. Giavotella's starting role was secure. Angels Manager Mike Scioscia acknowledged that the Angels had engaged in talks with the Phillies but did not say how close they came to acquiring Utley. “I know that he's been talked about a lot, in a lot of rumors and a lot of teams,” Scioscia said. “What is close? We really don't know.”

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Offensively, Giavotella has been a steady force, batting .267 with three home runs and 40 RBIs, and he has been particularly reliable in the clutch. He has hit .371 in late and close situations. On Wednesday, he was hitless in three at bats. Lately, however, Giavotella's glove has become a liability. After Monday's game, Scioscia grumbled about the Angels' fielding, and called Giavotella a work in progress. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Giavotella was pulled in the late innings for Ryan Jackson. That strategy, Scioscia said, could continue. “If we have a premium glove like Ryan Jackson and can upgrade at whatever positions it might be, whether it's third or second, we'll try to use it,” Scioscia said. He added: “I think a player can be playing at a level you expect and you're satisfied with it, and if somebody's going to bring a different dimension, you're going to consider it anyway. So it's not really a slight on Johnny. It's confidence in the guy you're putting in there.” Short hops Right-hander Nick Tropeano will start Thursday for the Angels as right-hander Matt Shoemaker works through struggles in the minors. … Third baseman David Freese threw with his injured index finger Wednesday for the first time since his injury.

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

2015 has been a season to forget for Angels pitching prospect Jeremy McBryde BY BUBBA BROWN SALT LAKE CITY — This was supposed to be the season Jeremy McBryde made it to the show. Instead, it has turned into one of the most frustrating of his career. You can hear it in the tone of his voice. It betrays the disappointment in his eyes, hidden behind reflective sunglasses on a warm afternoon in the middle of the season’s final long homestand. The right-hander has witnessed his ERA balloon to 5.23 during a string of rough outings in recent months after pitching well to start the season. For McBryde, it’s the latest disappointment in a career that has often left him searching for answers. “It’s been pretty rough. A lot of disappointing outings,” he said. “I feel like I’ve made pretty good pitches, getting ground balls, but they’ve been getting through.” McBryde started the year optimistic he would finally get the call to the big leagues. He signed a major league contract with the Angels in the offseason, a rarity for a reliever who’s never thrown an inning above Triple-A. And his performance to in April and May bolstered those hopes.

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But then his fortunes turned. The brutal pitching environment of Salt Lake and the Pacific Coast League reared its head as the spring turned into summer. His slider, the best weapon in his arsenal, abandoned him, refusing to tumble in the thin mountain air. The season quickly soured. “Last season, I had the best year of my career,” McBryde said. “You’re just looking to come out and build on that. And the Angels gave me a (40-man) roster spot and every opportunity to make the team, but I just didn’t perform. It’s frustrating, but what can you do? You’ve got to keep your head up.” McBryde would lie awake at night after bad outings, wondering if his career was nearing the end. He wasn’t ready to give up on his dream, especially since it had seemed earlier in the year as though all he had to do was stretch out his hands a little further to touch it, but the decision, he knew, might not be his to make. “You think that maybe tomorrow is the last day I’ll get to play,” he said. “You never know what the team’s decision is. Every thought you can possibly think of goes through your head.” Then, late last month on a trip to Albuquerque, he got called into the manager’s office. The Angels needed space on the 40-man roster, he was told. Keeping him was no longer a priority. The Angels had designated him for assignment. Like that, his career, and a lifetime of working toward the singular goal of pitching in the major leagues, were in jeopardy. He rented a car and made the 6½-hour drive from New Mexico to Oklahoma City, where his family lives. He spent three days contemplating his future, unsure if he’d ever throw another pitch again. The emotions were strong and conflicting. “At one point, I came to the realization that, if this is my time to be done, I think I’m OK with it,” McBryde said. “But that’s just one side of your brain. The other side is like, ‘I’m 28, my arm still feels good every single day.’ I mean, I want to be home with my family, but not many people get this opportunity to play baseball for a living.” McBryde’s career, as it turned out, was not finished. He cleared waivers and was sent back to Salt Lake. Since returning, he has given up just two runs in seven innings while striking out nine. He is hopeful he can continue pitching well. If he does, perhaps the final chapter of his career will not have been written when this season ends next month. “As long as they give me the ball, I’m going to keep playing. I’m going to keep pitching,” he said. “Hopefully my luck will turn a little bit and get going on the good side.”

Angels manager Mike Scioscia sits Albert Pujols, but it's just routine day of rest BY PEDRO MOURA ANAHEIM – For the fifth time this season, Albert Pujols sat out an Angels game, with Manager Mike Scioscia saying Wednesday night it was a routine day of rest meant to ensure the 35-year-old would be healthy for the final 42 games of the season.

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“With Albert, there’s a definite parallel between the health and the strength of his legs and his production,” Scioscia said. “You want to make sure that stays there.” That parallel was not presenting a beaten-down image. Pujols homered in each of the Angels’ past two games and three of their past four. He went through the same postgame routine Tuesday as he does most nights. Scioscia simply opted to give him Wednesday off. Asked to assess Pujols’ physical condition as compared to this stage in previous seasons, Scioscia took the opportunity to praise his cleanup hitter. “I think he’s just at a higher level physically right now then we’ve seen since he’s been here,” Scioscia said. “But, like any player in the league when you get this many games and at-bats under your belt there’s wear and tear on every player out there and Albert’s no different.” Pujols played 154 games in his first season with the Angels and 157 last year. In the year in between, 2013, he logged only 99, missing the season’s final two months after undergoing surgery to repair a partially torn plantar fascia in his left foot. He has said repeatedly this season he is feeling healthy. He said Wednesday’s day off was indeed just a day off. “There comes a point where you’re possibly putting players at risk to go out there,” Scioscia said. “You can’t keep grinding guys. Every at-bat’s going to get magnified as you get down through this pennant race. “Hopefully you have enough depth to still have a strong, cohesive lineup when you do have to give Albert a day off and I think we do.” Without Pujols, trade-deadline acquisition David Murphy hit fourth for the third time as an Angel, and C.J. Cron manned first base. TROPEANO TO START The Angels will promote right-handed pitching prospect Nick Tropeano to the majors to start Thursday’s series finale against the Chicago White Sox. They needed a spot starter after optioning Matt Shoemaker to Triple-A last week, and Tropeano has twice proved capable in that role this year. The team will need a fifth starter once more before rosters expand Sept. 1, but Scioscia was unwilling to commit to Tropeano as the choice for that outing. He was also unwilling Wednesday to discuss the prospects for Tropeano’s start. “Ask me tomorrow,” Scioscia said. Tropeano has a 4.81 ERA in 821/3 innings over 15 starts with Salt Lake this season, and a 3.00 ERA in 12 major-league innings. He has also missed time this season with rotator-cuff tendinitis.

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NOTES Scioscia replaced second baseman Johnny Giavotella with infielder Ryan Jackson for Tuesday’s eighth inning, and characterized Wednesday not as an indictment of Giavotella’s defense but as an expression of confidence in Jackson’s defensive abilities. Scioscia said Jackson has a “premium glove,” and indicated his late-inning usage could continue. … David Freese (broken finger on right hand) threw from 70 feet, encouraging the Angels that his return could be nearing and the commencing of a rehab assignment could be imminent. “We hope he broke through a plateau,” Scioscia said. “The pain has diminished significantly. … Outfielder Matt Joyce sat out of his rehab assignment Tuesday with back pain but returned to log two at-bats for Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday and hit a home run. … Outfielder Collin Cowgill (wrist) went 0 for 4 with a walk for Salt Lake, continuing his rehab.

Upon further review, Angels get their third straight win over White Sox, 1-0 BY PEDRO MOURA ANAHEIM – Manager Mike Scioscia jumped out of the Angels’ dugout with ferocity Wednesday night. He had to make sure the play on the field was dead. He had to motion immediately to plate umpire Dana DeMuth he would be requesting a review. The Angels had just turned what appeared to be an game-ending double play of an Adam LaRoche grounder — first baseman C.J. Cron to shortstop Erick Aybar to pitcher Joe Smith, at first base. But, in real time, Smith’s foot was ruled off the bag, and Chicago’s potential tying run stood 90 feet away at third base. The umpires conferred. Scioscia waited to hear what video coordinator Diego Lopez had seen on the replay. Eventually, there was a review, a 3 minute, 36-second one, as the suspense built. Finally, DeMuth signaled that an out had been recorded, Angel Stadium’s center-field fireworks went off instantaneously, and the Angels won, 1-0, over the Chicago White Sox. “That,” Scioscia said afterward, “is not an easy double play to turn. Even though it was a little hairy at the end, we got it done.” At first, Smith was unsure if he had succeeded in touching the base with his outstretched right foot. “I thought I was gonna land on the bag and I didn’t,” he said. “So, I just took a shot in the dark and accidentally hit it. That’s pretty much what happened.” What else happened was this: Angels catcher Carlos Perez hit a home run for the game’s only run, and Smith saved Jered Weaver’s dominant if abbreviated effort. Earlier, the resurgent Angels right-hander fired 61/3 scoreless innings, striking out five batters and walking none.

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“It’s really nice to be able to locate well again,” Weaver said. Rookie right-hander Trevor Gott got five outs behind him, and then Scioscia had a decision to make between Joe Smith and Huston Street for the ninth inning. Both men had pitched three consecutive days, but Smith reported feeling better than Street, and so Scioscia opted for Smith. Weaver never found himself in serious trouble and threw only 86 pitches; he stepped slowly to the dugout as the crowd stood for him when he was pulled two batters into the sixth. Scioscia said he wasn’t comfortable stretching the veteran much past that point. “It’s his decision,” Weaver said. “I felt good, but I’m still trying to get back over that hump, so I was OK with Scioscia coming out there.” Said Scioscia: “He got us to a great part of the game.” Scioscia said Weaver was a “master” at changing speeds, from the mid-60s to the mid-80s. Smith went further. He was amazed at how Weaver made accomplished major-league hitters look foolish. “I mean, he’s freezing guys on mid-80s fastballs,” Smith said. “You’re like, ‘How can you do that in the big leagues?’ But he knows how to mix things up. He knows how to pitch. “Everybody talks about velocity. Everybody loves it. It doesn’t matter.” In three starts since returning from a seven-week disabled list stint for hip inflammation, Weaver has thrown 171/3 innings, struck out 15 batters, walked just two, and posted a 2.07 ERA. In Wednesday’s sixth inning, Perez launched a ball deep to left-center field and willed it out with his eyes down the first-base line. Melky Cabrera leaped, could not corral it, Perez had a home run, and the Angels had what they needed for a victory. Making his third consecutive start behind the plate, Perez also stole a base and later threw out a runner trying to steal — ex-Angel J.B. Shuck. The Angels (63-57) appeared to execute small ball to perfection in the second inning, when Cron singled and took third on an Aybar single. But, after David DeJesus walked to load the bases, three Angels made outs without advancing Cron another base. They own a three-game winning streak for the first time in four weeks and can secure a four-game sweep with a win Thursday. Street will again be available to pitch in relief as the Angels turn to rookie spot starter Nick Tropeano. Smith will not. “I won’t be participating tomorrow,” he said, smiling. “I’m tired. I’m down. I’m done.”

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On deck: White Sox at Angels, Thursday, 7 p.m. BY PEDRO MOURA Where: Angel Stadium TV: Fox Sports West Did you know: – Mike Trout and Albert Pujols are on pace to become the first Angels teammates to record 40 home runs in the same year. The last time it was done in the major leagues was in 2006 by Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome of the White Sox. THE PITCHERS RHP NICK TROPEANO (1-1, 3.00) Tropeano has started twice for the Angels this season, once in April and once July, and pitched well. In 12 combined innings he has given up four earned runs, all coming July 23 against the Oakland Athletics. With the loss of C.J. Wilson to surgery and the recent demotion of Matt Shoemaker to Triple-A Salt Lake, Tropeano could be pitching for a spot in the rotation for the rest of the season. Vs. White Sox: First game At Angel Stadium: 1-1, 3.00 LHP JOSE QUINTANA (6-10, 3.62) The left-hander from Colombia is having a good year for the White Sox. The same cannot be said about his career against the Angels – in four starts he has a 4.50 ERA. In his most recent start against the Angels he gave up four runs in just 41/3 inning while allowing seven hits and walking four. Vs. Angels: 0-3, 4.50 At Angel Stadium: 0-2, 5.06 Loves to face: Erick Aybar, 1 for 9 (.125) Hates to face: Albert Pujols, 4 for 12 (.333), HR, 3 RBI

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FROM ANGELS.COM

Scioscia plans off-days to keep Pujols healthy BY DAVID ADLER ANAHEIM -- When Albert Pujols started heating up and hitting homers in May and June, the common observation was how much healthier he was -- specifically, his lower half -- compared to his previous season with the Angels. That's still true, and manager Mike Scioscia is trying to give Pujols enough days off his feet to keep it that way. "With Albert, I think there's a definite parallel between the strength in his legs and his foundation and his production, and you want to make sure that stays there," Scioscia said. "I think he's at a higher level physically right now than we've seen since he's been here. But like any player, when you get this many games under your belt and this many at-bats under your belt, there's wear and tear on every player out there. Certainly Albert's no different." Pujols has played in 115 of the Angels' 119 games and recorded 485 plate appearances in 2015. He was out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the White Sox -- a routine "recharge day," Scioscia said, Pujols' second in this month -- despite the veteran slugger hitting three home runs in the last four days. With Pujols' bat being as valuable as it is to the Angels, starts at designated hitter instead of first base have been more common than full off-days; Pujols has been the Angels' DH 27 times, at fairly regular intervals. He doesn't put nine innings of fielding wear on his legs, and the Angels don't lose his bat in the middle of their order. Occasionally, when the score has permitted it, the Angels have also taken Pujols out of games early. "I don't think it's ever easy for Albert to have a day off," Scioscia said. "I don't think it's ever easy to give Mike [Trout] a day off when he can't play, or Kole [Calhoun], or whoever the core guys are on our team." Still, maintenance days are a necessary part of the Angels' plan to stay healthy as they push for a playoff spot. "There comes a point when you're possibly putting players at risk to go out there. It's a sensitive time of the season right now," Scioscia said. "Every at-bat's going to be magnified as you get down through this pennant race. You can't start that spring too early by grinding guys, or you're out of gas." Worth noting • Right-hander Nick Tropeano will be recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to start Thursday's series finale against Chicago in Matt Shoemaker's slot. Shoemaker was optioned to Triple-A on Sunday. Tropeano, the team's No. 7 prospect, has made two spot-starts for the Angels this year. • Third baseman David Freese tested his fractured right index finger by throwing from 70 feet -- a significant step forward from the past several days, when Freese was only able to lightly toss to keep his arm activated, without putting pressure on his finger.

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"We hope he broke through a plateau," Scioscia said. "He's not at a level where he needs to be to go out there and play or get excited about him where he can go play defense and get close [to returning], but this is the best he's thrown since the injury and that's encouraging. … The pain has diminished significantly when he's throwing."

Solo shot enough for Weaver to hook Shark BY DAVID ADLER AND SCOTT MERKIN ANAHEIM -- Jered Weaver pitched his best game since coming off the disabled list three starts ago and, backed by a solo home run from Carlos Perez, led the Angels to a third straight win over the White Sox on Wednesday night. Weaver allowed five hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking none to outduel Jeff Samardzija in a 1-0 Halos win. "I feel pretty good," Weaver said. "I still feel like I can gain some strength back and get the velocity up, but even if I stay where I'm at, I'm totally comfortable out there. And everything's coming out of the same slot, which I was having problems with before. I'm throwing the ball the way I want to, which is nice." Samardzija turned in a seven-inning, 116-pitch effort in which he struck out seven and allowed only Perez's sixth-inning homer. The White Sox right-hander pitched out of multiple tight spots, including a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the second. He stranded nine baserunners and held the Angels hitless in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position. "What had been getting me in trouble [in previous starts] was giving up little hits and letting them get to me and then it snowballs," Samardzija said. "I wanted to go out there and stay in control of the game and continue to make good pitches. Regardless of the results, just keep doing that." Angels setup man Joe Smith and closer Huston Street had both pitched on three straight nights entering the game, but it was Smith who got the call in the ninth inning. Smith gave up a leadoff single and a one-out walk, but recorded a huge game-ending double play to notch his second save and keep the Angels a half-game up on the Orioles for the second American League Wild Card spot. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Light that baby up ... eventually: With runners on first and second and one out in the ninth, Smith got Adam LaRoche to roll over a sinker to C.J. Cron at first base. Cron turned and fired to shortstop Erick Aybar, covering second, for one out, and Aybar relayed to Smith, covering first, for the potential game-ending double play. But Smith's footwork was slightly off, he had to stab for the base with his right foot as the ball arrived in his glove, and first-base umpire Mike Estabrook ruled that LaRoche had beat Smith to the bag. Angels manager Mike Scioscia challenged the play, and after a three-minute, 36-second review, the call was overturned and the game was over. "Out of my hand, 'Oh God, you left it up,' was the first thought," Smith said of the pitch LaRoche put in play. "And then, 'Oh my goodness, he rolled it over.' And I was just like, 'Get to the bag. Get to the bag.

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Get to the bag.' And then, once I knew I was getting close to the bag, I was like, 'Catch the ball. Catch the ball. Catch the ball.'" "You could see if his foot's on there, it beat him," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "It's a tough one." Perez ends power outage: Not only did Perez's home run -- off a 95-mph Samardzija fastball -- break the scoreless tie, it was only the rookie catcher's third career long ball, and his first since May 30. Perez went 118 at-bats between home runs, and his 41-game drought was tied with Aybar for the second-longest by an Angels hitter this season. "I'm more disappointed in falling behind, 2-0, than the pitch that happened and the result," Samardzija said. "You are in attack mode there, [game tied] 0-0, you want to be ahead in the count or at least 1-1." Shark swims free in the second: The Angels loaded the bases with nobody out in the second inning, but Samardzija was able to escape. Perez popped out to second, Kaleb Cowart struck out swinging and Adam Eaton made a nice running catch of Johnny Giavotella's blast to center to save three runs. Perez would get Samardzija in the sixth, but Samardzija also danced out of jams in the third, fourth and fifth. Trying to steal a run: Missed scoring opportunities came for the White Sox in the first inning, when they had runners on first and third with one out, and in the fifth, when Carlos Sanchez opened with a double. In the seventh, J.B. Shuck led off with a single, and one out later tried to steal second against reliever Trevor Gott and Perez. He was thrown out at second, a move that was all the tougher when Sanchez singled in the ensuing at-bat. "Carlos Perez, great night," Scioscia said. "And not only the home run -- he caught a great game and threw out J.B. Shuck. That was a big caught stealing in the seventh." QUOTABLE "In a 0-0 game, you just want to stay on the gas as a pitcher and keep them in the defensive mode. I gave him the green light there by being 2-0 and then leaving one up over the plate for him." -- Samardzija, on the count to Perez contributing to the game-winning homer "If he locates his stuff, he makes guys look pretty foolish, and it's kind of fun to watch. … That's Weaver, he can do that stuff because he knows his stuff. He knows how to pitch. I mean, he's freezing guys on mid-80s fastballs inside. You know, you're like, 'How can you do that?'" -- Smith, on Weaver's effectiveness despite limited velocity SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Mike Trout lined a first-inning single to center field off Samardzija, snapping an 0-for-12 streak spanning four hitless games. It was Trout's longest hitless stretch of the season, and just the third four-game hitless streak of his career.

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WHAT'S NEXT White Sox: Jose Quintana gets the call in Thursday's series finale at Angel Stadium. The Chicago lefty has 10 losses, but he has the second-lowest ERA among pitchers with double-digit setbacks, only trailing the Indians' Corey Kluber. First pitch is set for 9:05 p.m. CT. Angels: Right-hander Nick Tropeano will make his third spot-start of the season for the Angels in the 7:05 p.m. PT matchup. Tropeano, the team's No. 7 prospect, is starting in place of Matt Shoemaker, who was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday to work on fastball command and other parts of his game.

Overturned safe call seals wild win for Angels BY DAVID ADLER ANAHEIM -- When the 88-mph sinker that turned into the game-ending double play in the Angels' 1-0 win over the White Sox Wednesday left Joe Smith's hand, he said his first thought was, "Oh God, you left it up." His next thought -- after Adam LaRoche chopped it on the ground to C.J. Cron at first base -- was, "Oh my goodness, he rolled it over." The Angels were clinging to the lead in the ninth inning, and Smith was trying to finish the game while pitching for a fourth consecutive night. Closer Huston Street had also pitched three straight nights coming in, but he'd thrown more pitches than Smith and was unavailable. Before LaRoche grounded Smith's sinker to Cron, the White Sox had gotten runners to first and second with one out. As Cron wheeled and fired to shortstop Erick Aybar, covering second base, for the second out of the inning, Smith said all he could think was, "Get to the bag. Get to the bag. Get to the bag." When Aybar fired a relay back to Smith on the run, that turned into, "Catch the ball. Catch the ball. Catch the ball." Smith thought about the pitch, the hit, the coverage, the catch. The one thing he didn't think about was getting his foot onto the first-base bag. He almost missed it. "I stepped, I thought I got my weight on the bag, I didn't, so then I just took a shot in the dark and accidentally hit it," Smith said. "That's pretty much what happened." But as Smith stabbed for first base with his right foot, and LaRoche barreled through it, first-base umpire Mike Estabrook called LaRoche safe -- later telling Smith he thought LaRoche had simply beaten him to the base. Angels manager Mike Scioscia charged out of the dugout, both because he knew they would likely challenge and to alert Smith, who had turned his back to the play to protest the call, that the play was still live and the tying run was at third base. Once the action settled, and the Angels had called for time, Scioscia requested that the play be reviewed. After a three-minute, 36-second review, crew chief Dana DeMuth made the out signal. The call was overturned, and the Angels had held on for a win that kept them in the lead for the second Wild Card slot in the American League.

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"It was, uh, pretty acrobatic," right-hander Jered Weaver, who started the game, said of Smith's play. "We didn't know how it was gonna go when the play actually happened. ... It was a weird way to end things, but a nice way to end things." As Smith thought back to it in the clubhouse, his right shoulder wrapped in a large ice pack, a big smile crossed his face. "I was ... very happy," Smith said. He notched his second save and it was well-earned. Street will be back in the closer's role for Thursday's series finale. Smith, on the other hand, will take the day off. "I'm tired. I'm down. I'm done," Smith said with a laugh. "Tomorrow, I won't be participating."

Angels eye four-game sweep of White Sox BY SCOTT MERKIN Jose Quintana was listed as the White Sox starter for Thursday's series finale at Angel Stadium, with a first pitch of 7:05 p.m. PT, since his last start, Saturday against the Cubs. But with Matt Shoemaker being sent to the Minors, the Angels didn't announce Nick Tropeano as their Thursday starter until Wednesday. The Halos are looking to complete a four-game sweep. Tropeano, who is ranked by MLB.com as the Angels' No. 7 prospect, will be recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to make his third start of the season. He's 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in the first two (four runs allowed in 12 innings). Shoemaker got optioned to Triple-A on Sunday to work mostly on fastball command, after being inconsistent this season. Quintana enters the game with 10 losses, but he has the second-lowest ERA among pitchers with double-digit setbacks, only trailing the Indians' Corey Kluber. The Chicago southpaw stands at 0-1 with a 4.34 ERA over three August starts and is closing in on his third straight season with at least 200 innings pitched. Things to know about this game • The Angels optioned reliever Mike Morin to Salt Lake following Wednesday's 1-0 win to make room for Tropeano. • Mike Trout, the reigning American League Most Valuable Player and a strong candidate to repeat in 2015, is 4-for-20 over six games against the White Sox this season. • White Sox outfielder Melky Cabrera is 5-for-30 over his last seven games. • Angels manager Mike Scioscia wouldn't say whether Tropeano would make more than one start, as the Angels would need a fifth starter one more time before rosters expand in September.

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FROM THE LA DAILY NEWS

L.A. Angels’ Albert Pujols has rediscovered power stroke, but sits Wednesday BY ROBERT MORALES Albert Pujols went on one heck of a power surge when, from May 28 through July 20, he blasted 21 home runs in 45 games. He hit just one over his next 22 games. Suddenly, he has again found that stroke. Starting Saturday, Pujols had hit home runs in three of his past four games — including one Monday and another Tuesday. Not that the Angels’ first baseman likes to discuss such things. “I don’t care about that, the same way that I hit 21 home runs in 40-some games,” Pujols said. “It comes and goes. I don’t go out there to try to hit homers. My job is to try to have good quality at-bats and if it happens, it happens. But the one thing I can tell you, like I give everything that I can every night to this organization and the team, so as long as I do that, I can’t control the results at the end of the day. “I think everybody wants to win and the fans to come and watch us play every day. But I wish that we can control that. You don’t control that. What you can control is just go out there and play hard and do the best to come out with a win. It’s even harder to hit home runs in (batting practice), imagine in the games. So you guys get caught up in that, I don’t get caught up in that.” Interestingly, Pujols was not in the starting lineup Wednesday against the White Sox. Angels manager Mike Scioscia was asked about the timing of giving Pujols the day off after rediscovering the long ball. Pujols, 35, had appeared in 115 of 119 games the Angels had played. “I think there comes a point when you’re possibly putting players at risk to go out there, and it’s a sensitive time of the season right now,” said Scioscia, whose team began the night 21/2 games behind first-place Houston in the AL West. “After this week, I think you just look at where we are and what we need to do, you’re going to see guys grinding like that the whole (rest of the) year. “I think guys need to be prepared for that. Every at-bat is going to be magnified as you get down through this pennant race. You can’t start that sprint too early with grinding guys, or you’re out of gas.” Pujols is tied with Mike Trout for the team lead in home runs with 33. Pujols has 553 for his career, just two behind Manny Ramirez. If Pujols can improve upon his average with runners in scoring position, that would help his team. He is batting .206 (20-for-96) in that regard.

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SCIOSCIA SAYS LITTLE ABOUT UTLEY The Angels were rumored to be one of the teams vying for the services of second baseman Chase Utley. A report Wednesday afternoon on ESPN.com citing league sources indicated an accord had been reached to send Utley from the Phillies to the Dodgers. Scioscia reacted. Sort of, anyway. “Nothing’s been confirmed,” he said. “I haven’t heard. I know that he (Utley) has been talked about a lot. A lot of rumors, a lot of teams, but I haven’t heard anything official.” Were the Angels one of those teams? “To be honest with you, I know that (general manager) Bill (Stoneman) might have talked about a lot of players and talked to a lot of teams,” Scioscia said. “What was close or what is close, we really don’t know.”

L.A. Angels ride Jered Weaver’s arm, Carloz Perez’s bat to 1-0 win over White Sox BY ROBERT MORALES Angels right-hander Jered Weaver entered his start against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday with a career record of 12-2 an ERA of 2.15 ERA against them. But as Angels manager Mike Scioscia pointed out before first pitch, that’s going back a ways as Weaver is in his 10th season. What really mattered was whether Weaver could continue his comeback in positive fashion after missing more than a month and a half with a hip injury. Weaver pitched very well, and thanks to a home run by Carlos Perez off starting and losing pitcher Jeff Samardzija in the sixth inning, the Angels defeated the White Sox 1-0 before 35,036 at Angel Stadium. With closer Huston Street taking the night off, set-up man Joe Smith earned his second save in a scary ninth inning that ended with a 3-6-1 double play. Initially, Adam LaRoche was ruled safe at first, Smith allegedly not touching the bag. It was overturned upon review. “It was obviously bang-bang,” Smith said. “So that was good. But you still never know, when it’s that close. But I guess the replay showed it. I haven’t seen it yet. I was very happy.” Smith was smiling from ear-to-ear. Scioscia said that he was sure Smith had touched the bag. He also complimented first baseman C.J. Cron for fielding a tough hop and starting the twin-killing with a perfect throw to Aybar. “That is not an easy double play to turn,” Scioscia said. “And even though it was a little hairy at the end, we got it done.”

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The Angels (63-57) had left nine men on base through the first five innings before Perez connected for his third home run on a 2-0 pitch from Samardzija (8-9). The victory was the Angels’ third in succession and kept them 2 1/2 games behind first-place Houston in the AL West. Chicago is 55-63. Weaver (5-9) earned his first victory since May 30 against Detroit. That was also the last time Perez hit a home run. Weaver tossed 6 1/3 innings and gave up no runs on just five hits. He struck out five and walked none on 86 pitches. Weaver’s fastball was clocked in the mid-80s, his slow stuff in the 60s. “Curveball was working pretty good,” said Weaver, once a very hard thrower. “It feels nice to be able to locate again. Defense played well behind me and we were able to hit a home run there and that’s all we needed, so it was nice.” Adam Eaton went 1 for 3 against Weaver, who struck out Eaton looking on a pitch that went 74 miles-per-hour in the third inning. “I spoke to the older guys before the game and they were saying things like, ‘I remember when he used to throw 94 to 97 with that cross-body motion and he was tough to hit,’ ” Eaton said. “But he developed his curveball and changeup over time. He still has that great cross-body motion, and I truly believe he still has his arm velocity. “I mean, the way he comes at you, it’s still like a 98 can come out of it - but it doesn’t - and you swing at it.” It was Weaver’s third start since returning Aug. 9. He had given up four earned runs in 11 innings in his two previous starts - against Baltimore and at Kansas City. Samardzija (8-9) took the loss. He threw seven innings and allowed one run on eight hits. He struck out seven and walked two while heating his fastball up to 97 miles-per-hour. He threw 116 pitches. Trevor Gott pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief of Weaver before Smith entered. The Angels wasted a golden opportunity in the bottom of the second. They loaded the bases with no outs. But Perez lined out softly to second baseman Carlos Sanchez in shallow center, Kaleb Cowart was struck out by Samardzija and then Johnny Giavotella flied out deep to center for the third out. Cowart was just called up Tuesday to play third base. His family had arrived from Georgia in time to see him play in this game. He was looking for his first major-league hit, and still is after striking out three times. The Angels blew another chance to score in the third when Kole Calhoun led off with a ringing ground-rule double to right field, but could advance no further than third base, Cron grounding out to third for the last out.

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Again, in the fourth, the Angels had a shot to score. Erick Aybar led off with an infield single and Perez singled to center with one out. But Cowart was again struck out. With Giavotella at the plate, Aybar and Perez executed a double steal, but Giavotella grounded out to second. The Angels had left seven on base through four innings. They left two more on in the fifth to run that total to nine, with Cron whiffing and Aybar flying out to left with runners on first and second for the final two outs of that inning. Thursday night’s finale will pit Nick Tropeano (1-1, 3.00) of the Angels going against southpaw Jose Quintana (6-10, 3.62) of the White Sox.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Weaver delivers, Perez HRs in Angels' 1-0 win over White Sox ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Joe Smith had to wait 3 1-2 agonizing minutes to learn whether his fancy footwork at first base had turned into a game-ending double play. By the smallest of margins on the scoreboard and on the bag, the Los Angeles Angels did it again. Jered Weaver pitched five-hit ball into the seventh inning, and Carlos Perez homered in the Angels' third straight victory over the Chicago White Sox, 1-0 on Wednesday night. After Weaver (5-9) shut down the White Sox early, the game ended when a call was reversed on a lengthy video review. Smith barely touched the bag while covering first and catching Erick Aybar's throw, doing it all just an instant ahead of pinch-hitter Adam LaRoche on a 3-6-1 double play. LaRoche initially was called safe, which would have given the White Sox runners at the corners with two outs. "My first goal was just to catch it so the other guy didn't score," said Smith, who earned his second save. "I stepped. I thought I was going to land on the bag. I didn't, so I just took a shot in the dark and accidentally hit it, is pretty much what happened." The double play was the last in a string of solid defensive plays by the Angels. Weaver earned his first victory since May 30, striking out five without a walk in his third start back from a seven-week injury absence. The Angels' longtime ace showed command and deception that made up for his pedestrian velocity, and he eventually left to a standing ovation. "It just feels nice to be able to locate again," said Weaver, who hasn't allowed more than two earned runs since his return. "It's fun to pitch in a game like that. It's one of those things where one error can hurt you, one bad pitch can hurt you. It's exciting."

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Perez delivered the game's only run with his third homer of the season in the sixth. The catcher hadn't homered since May 30. Jeff Samardzija yielded eight hits over seven solid innings for the White Sox, who have lost five of six. Chicago was shut out for the first time since June 16. Samardzija (8-9) was less effective than Weaver, but just as resourceful during his most encouraging start in a dismal August. He repeatedly escaped trouble -- including a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the second -- but lamented his poor pitch to Perez. "It's going to be in your head for a while, but I'm more disappointed with falling behind him 2-0 than the result of the next pitch," Samardzija said. "When you're in attack mode in a 0-0 game, you need to be ahead in the count." J.B. Shuck and Carlos Sanchez had two hits apiece for the White Sox. Los Angeles stranded nine runners in the first five innings, including six in scoring position, continuing a season-long trend. Mike Trout went 1 for 3 with a walk, improving his August batting average to .169. The reigning AL MVP ended just the third four-game hitless skid of his career with a first-inning single. Albert Pujols got the day off for the Angels, who were swept in a three-game series in Chicago last week during a 1-6 road trip. Los Angeles has ended a 6-17 skid with three straight wins this week over the White Sox, staying right behind Houston in the AL West and moving back into playoff position in the wild card race. CLOSING TIME The Angels had to use Smith, their eighth-inning specialist, in the ninth because closer Huston Street had pitched in the three previous games. Smith had pitched in three straight games, but thrown just 30 pitches. "I'm tired," Smith said with a smile. "I'm done. I'm down tomorrow. I probably won't be participating." TRAINER'S ROOM Angels: Pujols got a rest day despite hitting three homers in his last four games. Manager Mike Scioscia wants to keep the slugger's legs fresh for September. He played in 115 of Los Angeles' first 119 games this season. UP NEXT White Sox: Jose Quintana (6-10, 3.62 ERA) has never beaten the Angels in four career starts. Angels: Nick Tropeano (1-1, 3.00 ERA) will come up from Triple-A to make his third start for Los Angeles. Reliever Mike Morin was optioned after the game to make room.

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White Sox-Angels Preview Much like last week's road series against the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels have struggled to produce with runners in scoring position in their rematch at home. Unlike that first series, the Angels are in position to sweep this four-game set thanks to their opponent's own offensive struggles. The Angels can do so by handing the White Sox a ninth consecutive loss at Anaheim on Thursday night. Los Angeles (63-57) was outscored 14-4 and went 1 for 32 with runners in scoring position while being swept on Chicago's South Side from Aug. 10-12. The Angels have managed eight runs and are 1 for 16 in those situations through the first three of this series. However, they've held the White Sox (55-63) to four runs and a 1-for-19 effort with runners in scoring position. Carlos Perez's sixth-inning homer was the difference in Wednesday's 1-0 victory for Los Angeles, which has recorded six of its runs on five homers in the series. The Angels held on thanks to a game-ending double play that needed replay to overturn a safe call at first. "It's one of those things where one error can hurt you, one bad pitch can hurt you," winning pitcher Jered Weaver said. "It's exciting." Mired in its third seven-game road losing streak of the season, Chicago has dropped 14 of 17 at Anaheim. Losers of 13 of 19 overall, the White Sox turn to Jose Quintana (6-10, 3.62 ERA), who is 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in three road starts against the Angels. He's 0-1 with a 4.34 ERA and has received seven runs of support in three starts this month. "I love the kid," manager Robin Ventura told MLB's official website after the left-hander allowed three runs in six innings of Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Cubs. "He's a competitor. When he goes (to the mound), the other teams know they're in for a fight. He's grinding the whole time. His record is one thing, but we know what he is. ... That record, you can throw it out the window." Mike Trout and Albert Pujols are each batting .333 with a home run against Quintana. Trout, however, is 1 for 15 in the last five games. Pujols, who's homered in each of the first two games of this series and three of four overall, is expected to be in the lineup after being rested Wednesday. "I don't think it's ever easy for Albert to have a day off," manager Mike Scioscia said. "With Albert, I think there's a definite parallel between the strength in his legs and his foundation and his production, and you want to make sure that stays there."

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Los Angeles has recalled Nick Tropeano (1-1, 3.00) from Triple-A Salt Lake to make this start in place of Matt Shoemaker, who was sent down Sunday. The right-hander has started twice this season, most recently July 24 when he gave up four runs in six-plus innings of a 4-2 loss to Texas. Tropeano will try to cool off Chicago second baseman Carlos Sanchez, who is batting .417 with nine doubles in his last 18 road contests.

FROM YAHOO SPORTS

Mike Trout's off-field obsession proves he's a man for all seasons BY JEFF PASSAN At first, Jim Cantore thought the question was a joke. Then he saw the blue checkmark verifying the Twitter account that sent it and realized the best baseball player in the world really did want to know everything he could about the size of the snowstorm headed for New Jersey. “All of a sudden, I get this direct message from Mike Trout,” said Cantore, the Weather Channel’s voluble on-camera meteorologist and among the most trusted voices in forecasting today. “He’s asking me about the storm. Not like, ‘Hey, Jim, it’s Mike.’ He just went right into the details. He was genuinely curious about what the models said.” For all of Trout’s star power and the possibility of back-to-back American League MVP trophies, precious little is known about him away from the field. Which is why Cantore, a New York Yankees fan, was tickled to learn something that a few Internet sleuths later figured out. Mike Trout is a weather geek. And if he weren’t patrolling center field for the Los Angeles Angels nightly, the 24-year-old figures he would be holed away in some corner of the northeast where snow falls during the winter delivering the daily weather report on local TV. “I would love to try it,” Trout said. Instead, Trout consumes weather information with a voraciousness that’s apparent to his Angels teammates. On his phone, he said, is a folder of apps called “Weather.” Trout scrolls through different models (Global Forecast System, European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, North American Ensemble Forecast System) and others that specify short-, medium- and long-range forecasting. If ever there’s a question about whether the Angels are going to play a particular game with gloomy skies above, they know whom to ask. Garrett Richards saw Trout’s forecast-following prowess early in his career. The two roomed together in the minor leagues from 2009-11. At Double-A in Little Rock, Ark., they spent late nights grilling food and watching the rain. “We’d have bad thunderstorms there,” Richards said. “He’d always be checking the radar. And we had a balcony at our apartment. He’d go out there and sit all night.”

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[] Trout’s weather obsession started in the same place as Cantore’s: a deep desire to avoid class and a common bond with dad. “I was young, and I always wanted to get off school,” Trout said. “So I’d ask, ‘When’s the snowstorm coming?’ I was the kid in class who would see snow out the window and start looking at it and want to play with it.” Trout said his father, Jeff, fostered his love for storms even more, and whether it was ski trips or just sitting atop a mountain and watching flakes fall, it mesmerized Trout. Because he ended up in Los Angeles, Trout grew accustomed to its one season of perfect weather. He lives in Laguna Beach and has a private beach on which he drinks his coffee every morning. Life without snow, he admits, isn’t the worst thing in the world. Still, he can’t help but chase bad weather every now and again. Once during spring training, Trout noticed on a model that Flagstaff, Ariz., was going to get blanketed with snow. The Angels had a day off, so Trout drove the 2½ hours north to watch the storm. All of Trout’s social-media allusions to weather – tweets from screenshots of the Weather Channel app, other tweets to the wonky @NJWeatherBlogs, Facebook posts of forecasts – led one Reddit user in May to posit a theory: “Mike Trout [maybe secretly] wants to be a meteorologist.” Another user said Trout followed more than 20 weather-related accounts, though a recent look through his followers found no fewer than 36, including one specific to Maryland (@TerpWeather), a local Connecticut TV guy (@TylerJankoski), a handful of AccuWeather experts and, of course, Jim Cantore, with whom he’ll DM regularly during particularly ugly storms. They’ve discussed helping Trout fulfill part of his childhood dream this offseason. He spends every winter in his house on the outskirts of Millville, the south Jersey town in which he grew up. And should a big storm hit the area this offseason, the Weather Channel wants to offer Trout a correspondent’s gig. [] “We’re planning on me doing a story when there’s a big storm in Jersey,” he said. “I’m gonna be on the Weather Channel. Hopefully, we get a big snowstorm.” And if not, perhaps he can do it like Cantore and follow the bad weather where it goes. “A sick vacation for me,” Trout said, “would be to go to upstate New York when a big snowstorm hits.” In the meantime, all Trout gets to chase are flyballs. Never has he gone after bad weather – Richards, an Oklahoma native, has invited him home to hunt for tornadoes – and considering he’s still improving, Trout may be playing baseball through plenty more El Niños than the one scheduled to hit California this winter. That hasn’t stopped Cantore from dreaming about Trout’s post-career plans and trying to steal him away from post-career baseball-broadcasting opportunities. “I definitely see this guy chasing tornadoes, standing in snowstorms,” Cantore said. “And I hope I’ll be right there alongside him.”