Game 36: A’s-Angels …

Athletics (18-17)

Jemile Weeks, 2B
Cliff Pennington, SS
Josh Reddick, RF
Jonny Gomes, DH
Seth Smith, LF
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Daric Barton, 1B
Kurt Suzuki, C
Collin Cowgill, CF

Pitching: RH Tyson Ross (1-3, 7.71 ERA)

Angels (15-20)

Mike Trout, CF
Maicer Izturis, 2B
Albert Pujols, 1B
Kendrys Morales, DH
Mark Trumbo, RF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Vernon Wells, LF
Erick Aybar, 2B
Bobby Wilson, C

Pitching: RH Dan Haren (1-3, 4.19 ERA)

Some pregame notes …

• The Angels placed outfielder Torii Hunter on the restricted list so he can handle what the club called a “personal matter.” Hunter’s 17-year-old son, Darius McClinton-Hunter, was one of five arrested in Prospect, Texas, on charges of sexual assault. It’s not known how long Hunter will be out at this point.
• To take his place on the roster, the Angels called up LHH outfielder Ryan Langerhans from Triple-A Salt Lake. Langerhans wasn’t with the club by the time they were taking BP, but was expected to be available for the series opener.
• Trumbo will see the bulk of the playing time in right field while Hunter is away. If Peter Bourjos, Trumbo and Trout are in the same outfield, manager Mike Scioscia said, it would be Trumbo (stronger arm) in RF and Trout in LF.
• Situations like this, it sure is good to have a guy like Trumbo who can bounce around and give you production at different positions. “His numbers are good everywhere he plays, but I think as opposed to sitting here on the bench or going out and playing a different position than he has before, he’s fine with playing a different position,” Scioscia said. “He understands the situation, he’s a good athlete, and he’s shown well in the corner outfields and first base and been able to pick up third base, so we’ll see how it goes.”
• Scioscia, on Pujols (.196/.234/.275): “There’s a lot of video tape that [Mickey Hatcher is] poring through, we’ve pored through, Albert has pored through, and really, there’s indicators on both sides of the fence as to what he’s doing when he swings well and what he’s doing when he’s not so locked in. The key is the feel in the batter’s box. And Albert’s searching for a feel. … There’s not one clone to how he needs to look at the box. It comes into him getting a comfort level, getting a feel in the box, and once he gets that, just running with it. Because once he gets it, it stays for a long time.”
• Scioscia doesn’t anticipate any problems with Haren (tight lower back) tonight.

Some Angels links from Sunday …

• Jered Weaver shown early exit by Rangers
• Aybar, Hatcher working on fixing consistency
• Jordan Walden working his way deeper into games
• Angels add a touch of pink on Mother’s Day
• Haren’s back OK, ready to take on A’s

Some AL West links …

• New bat in hand, Josh Hamilton aims to stay hot
• Jarrod Parker pitches well, but Justin Verlander shuts down A’s
• Mariners’ Brendan Ryan not letting struggles carry into field

And the Heat beat the Pacers in Game 1 of their second-round series, but Chris Bosh is now out indefinitely.

– Alden