Facing Ersty

I took a pretty good shot on the foot in Kansas City but it feels fine. It's a little purple but it's all good. I've been icing it down. The trainers panic. They make you do a bunch of stuff but I just told them it's a bruise, it'll be fine. I've been hit a lot harder than that, trust me. I got a concussion playing football in high school. We were in San Angelo and I scrambled right. I couldn't decide if I was going to go out of bounds or take the hit and I just got smoked. Two plays later I handed it off and our running back broke it for a touchdown and that won the game. They checked me after the game and said I had a concussion. It's a good thing we scored that touchdown. Who knows what would've happened if I had to throw again. It'll be weird for me facing Darin Erstad. He is one of my really good friends. We worked out every day in the offseason together, me him and Adam Kennedy. We had some good trash talking going on - who's going to win when we face each other. I'll have to go through the same thing with Adam later. Ersty hit really well against us last week. He hit a home run and had six or seven hits. I definitely need to keep him off base. He's their leadoff guy and I can't allow their other big bats to bring him home. It'll be like going against your brother. We can be boys after the game, in fact we're going to hang out and watch the fight together tonight, but during the game you want to beat him badly.

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• BrianC6234 said May 05, 2007

  It looks like your command is off today. Hopefully you can hold the White Sox to three runs. At least the offense started scoring off Garland. I guess they figured out his strikezone is wide enough to drive a truck through so just swing at pitches.
  
  By the way, there's been a lot of talk about nobody hitting well behind Vlad. Gary Matthews, Jr. seems to hit well no matter where he bats. Maybe Scioscia should move Vlad back to the three hole and bat Gary behind Vlad. They don't need a big power threat as much as someone who can just get hits.

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• chonito said May 05, 2007

  Rough loss today John. Of course the 4 errors didn't help any. I liked the way you hung in there and stayed tough after a shaky beginning. Chin up! It's only one game. I am sure next outing will be different. Let's just focus on winning tomorrow and taking the series! GO ANGELS!!!

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  • Baseballmom replied May 06, 2007

    I guess Ersty got ya today, but my money is on you for the season!..Way to hang in there today.
• pooptacosmmm said May 06, 2007

  qiunlan was on fire today. i saw you kick jered weaver on tv. i got a new name for quinlan- Quinnie the Pooh. could you call him that from now on?

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  • BrianC6234 replied May 06, 2007

    Quinlan was on fire and what was his reward? The bench. Way to go. This loss today was really bad. Scot Shields needs to learn that when he is rushed into the game in an emergency he is allowed as much time as he needs. He scares me when this happens. He really blew it today.
    
    Mike Scioscia blew it too. Why wasn't Matthews either the DH today or at least used as a pinch hitter in the 9th? This loss is just unacceptable in my opinion. It wasn't a good day for the offense. They stranded 14 runners. You think Matthews would have helped a little?
  • John_Lackey replied May 13, 2007

    I like the sound of that. I just can't do that to my boy Q. Q is too cool a cat for that.
    • MustangSydney replied May 16, 2007

      What exactly was with that karate kick in the dug out anyways?
      • John_Lackey replied May 21, 2007

        I'm not sure. If I wasn't pitching I'm sure I was just jacking around.
• halosheaven27 said May 07, 2007

  i agree 2day's game was goin so well and bartolo was dealin and then all of a sudden all hell broke loose for heaven's team...who woulda thunk it? PS...Johnny u need 2 teach scotty shields how 2 pitch in the clutch...hes givin up 3 huge HR's this year...the 2 run HR to hafner to lose the game in milaukee...the grand slam 2 broussard that put seattle right bak in the game at home...and then 2days 2 run HR 2 pierzynski to tie it...unacceptable if u ask me hes really disappointing so far...and seriously wut was up wit benching quinlan after going 3 for 3 with a HR and 2 doubles once again unacceptable...halos gotta get their act 2getha!

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  • BrianC6234 replied May 07, 2007

    It's a day after the loss Sunday and I'm still mad about this loss. This was a game the Angels should have won. Mike Scioscia really messed up bad in my opinion. First, you can't sit one of your best hitters when you don't have much power to begin with. Gary Matthews Jr. should have been the DH. At the least he should have pinch hit for Hillenbrand in the 9th.
    
    This next series against the Indians has me worried. They have good pitching like the Angels but they also have a good offense. They have the best DH in baseball in my opinion. The Angels will need to make a trade today to get a big bat in the lineup for this series if they want to compete. Will Stoneman do it? No. I hope Robb Quinlan gets to play all three games for the whole game. At least he seems to be hitting. The Angels can't continue to strand 14 runners on base like this.
• lightitup said May 07, 2007

  That was a tough series against the White Sox. I would much rather have seen Ersty do the damage than AJ though.

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• SarahAshlee said May 09, 2007

  I just miss Darin being an Angel.

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  • BrianC6234 replied May 09, 2007

    I don't miss the Erstad from the last couple years but the Angels could have used the current Erstad. Too bad he finally got healthy when he left the Angels.