Angels suffer as Texas strengthens roster
A Rangers team that entered Friday with an 8 1/2-game lead over Oakland and a nine-game lead over the Angels in the American League West looks even better now than it did last weekend, when it won three of four games over the Angels in Texas.
On Thursday, the Rangers acquired Jorge Cantu from Florida to play first base, the one weak spot in their lineup. On Friday, Texas acquired Cristian Guzman from Washington to replace the injured Ian Kinsler (groin strain) at second base.
These came on top of the deals that brought ace left-hander Cliff Lee from Seattle and veteran catcher Bengie Molina from San Francisco this month.
“If I was a general manager, I’d definitely put my foot down,” Angels center fielder Torii Hunter said. “They’ve been doing it since the All-Star break, when they acquired Lee. Then they got Molina, and now they have Cantu and Guzman …”
Hunter didn’t finish his thought. He didn’t have to. The message was clear. Despite being in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the Rangers are serious about winning not only a division title but a World Series, and the Angels are being trampled in their path.
Cantu, who hit .262 with 10 homers and 54 runs batted in for the Marlins, joined the Rangers on Friday but was not in the starting lineup Friday night. Guzman, who hit .282 with 25 RBIs for the Nationals, is scheduled to join the Rangers on Saturday.
“I know Guzman, and he’s a tremendous athlete,” said Hunter, who played with Guzman for six years (1999-2004) in Minnesota. “I don’t know if Kinsler is hurt real bad, because Cristian is a good player, with great speed and bat control. You don’t acquire a player like him to sit on the bench.”
Odd man out
Kevin Frandsen has the highest batting average (.288 in 139 at-bats) on the team, but that didn’t prevent the Angels from optioning the utility player to triple-A Salt Lake on Friday.
The Angels recalled pitchers Trevor Bell and Bobby Cassevah, with one of the right-handers taking the roster spot of starter Joel Pineiro, who went on the disabled list because of a rib-cage strain Wednesday, and one taking Frandsen’s spot. Bell will be in the bullpen this weekend but is expected to start Tuesday in Baltimore.
“It’s the last thing I expected, not to say that in a negative way,” said Frandsen, who replaced the struggling Brandon Wood at third in June and was batting .337 on July 4 before hitting a 0-for-18 skid. “It’s never fun going down, but you’ve got to go with it and know it’s the right thing for the organization. We’re obviously thin on pitching now, and this is a big series.”
The move confirms that the Angels have not been able to get Wood through waivers despite his .168 average, 52 strikeouts and four walks in 173 at-bats. Had Wood, who is out of options, not been claimed by teams, he would have been in Salt Lake weeks ago.
On the rebound
Scott Kazmir, on the DL because of shoulder fatigue, will throw off a bullpen mound Saturday, and if all goes well, the left-hander will make a minor league rehabilitation start Monday.
That would put Kazmir, who is a highly disappointing 7-9 with a 6.92 earned run average, in line to pitch next Saturday in Detroit, when the Angels need a fifth starter.
“I feel like I have a lot more range of motion,” Kazmir said. “It’s a crucial time of year, and you have to go with what you have, but you also want to make sure you’re healthy.”
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