Game 13: Athletics-Angels …

Athletics (6-7)

Jemile Weeks, 2B
Cliff Pennington, SS
Josh Reddick, RF
Yoenis Cespedes, CF
Jonny Gomees, LF
Seth Smith, DH
Kurt Suzuki, C
Kila Ka’aihue, 1B
Josh Donaldson, 3B

Starting: LH Tom Milone (1-1, 2.57 ERA)

Angels (4-8)

Maicer Izturis, 3B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Albert Pujols, 1B
Torii Hunter, RF
Vernon Wells, LF
Mark Trumbo, DH
Chris Iannetta, C
Erick Aybar, SS
Peter Bourjos, CF

Starting: LH C.J. Wilson (2-0, 1.38 ERA)

Some notes from pregame …

• The Angels announced their four-year deal with Aybar via an informal luncheon today.
• Asked about Mike Trout coming up, Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said: “I don’t want it to be on a matter of need. I want it to be when Mike is ready to take an everyday position on our club. Whether that’s sooner rather than later, I can’t tell you. He is still 20 years old. He’s off to a great start, I think that’s what we all expected. He had a fractured Spring Training – first due to illness and then a little bit of shoulder tightness. He’s on the board, he’s playing extraordinarily well, as expected – or anticipated, I should say – and we know what Mike can deliver. When we get to the point where we feel like there’s an everyday position for him to impact the club, that’s when he’ll be here.”
• Hunter had a long, closed-door meeting with manager Mike Scioscia prior to the game, but was coy about the subject matter, telling reporters, “We just talked about DH days and stuff like that.” Hunter may be trying to make himself available so Trumbo can get more at-bats.
• Scioscia on Aybar batting eighth: “First just try to get Erick to catch his breath a little bit. He’s been grinding in the 1-hole for a while, and I think when Izzy’s playing, he’s a good option to set the table for the middle of our order, and it seemed like a good day to get Izzy up there and just let [Erick] hit down a little bit and catch his breath a little bit.”
• Jordan Walden is available tonight despite pitching in the ninth on Wednesday.
• Scioscia on Trumbo getting back to 3B: “He’s had some really good workouts, and yes, I think he’s definitely getting closer to getting back in there at third base and we’ll take a look at some things and see where he is.” The Angels’ skipper said the thought of sending Trumbo down for a little while to work on third base was thrown around, but dismissed very quickly.

Some links from Wednesday …

• Bartolo Colon baffles Angels hitters
• Angels finalize four-year deal with Aybar
• Wilson set for ‘Big A’ debut vs. A’s
• New deals about comfort for Kendrick, Aybar
• Angels’ lineup tweaks include Bobby Abreu at leadoff
• Bobby Cassevah nearing return to Angels’ bullpen
• Your Question of the Day, on the offense

Some AL West links …

• Rangers players, coaches reflect on Ivan Rodriguez‘s career
• Early homers help Jason Vargas quiet Indians
• Colon threw 38 consecutive strikes!

And the Miami Heat rolled past the Raptors.

– Alden