Adell reaches rare error in disturbing trend
Young outfielder lets a fly ball bounce out of his glove and over the wall. Maddon optimistic he will improve.
Top Angels prospect Jo Adell has begun his big league career going two for 15 with nine strikeouts in four games.
A slow offensive start was expected. The 21-year-old compiled a .676 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in just 27 games at triple A last year. He also arrived at the major league level after only two weeks scrimmaging against minor league teammates.
The most alarming trend involves Adell’s defense. Adell has made several mistakes in right field since being promoted. The most egregious one occurred in Sunday’s 7-3 loss to the Texas Rangers. In the sixth inning, Adell angled back to chase a f ly ball hit by Rangers rookie Nick Solak. He raised his glove to capture it. The ball hit leather but popped out and traveled several feet, up and over the right-field fence.
Adell put his hands over his head and looked up at Globe Life Field’s domed roof.
The play, which increased the Rangers’ lead to 6-2, was initially called a home run, but the scorer changed it to a rare four-base error.
“That’s an embarrassing play for a fielder,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said.
Adell agreed the play was “tough,” but he didn’t want to dwell on it.
“It’s gonna have to be me just settling in, figuring out my groove and understanding it’s a game and things happen,” Adell said. “You make mistakes. Just go out and do you. I think I’m not there yet. I’m ready to get there. I’m on my way to getting there.
“But it’s one of those things where I just have to, you know, go out, relax and just do my thing, and not really worry about the result.”
A few weeks ago, Adell was kept off the Angels’ opening-day roster because he needed to make improvements on defense. He struggled to handle right field at Angel Stadium during training camp.
Adell put in extra defensive work while at the Angels’ alternate site. He continued the fielding drills upon arriving at the major leagues, with Maddon taking over instruction in place of outfielders coach Jesús Feliciano, whose unexplained absence reached two weeks Sunday.
“It’s up to us now to continue that work, and we will,” Maddon said. “It’s by far not finished, but I know he’s willing to put in the work and he’s going to get better out there.”
Adell wasn’t the only Angel who struggled to adapt to the Rangers’ new ballpark. Second baseman Tommy La Stella kicked what should have been a double-play ground ball in Friday’s 4-3 loss. Shortstop David Fletcher couldn’t corral a chopper to his left Saturday. Center fielder Mike Trout let a fly ball glance off his glove in the eighth inning of Sunday’s game, allowing Solak to reel off his second double of the game.
Globe Life Field’s outfield is asymmetrical. The distance from home plate down the left-field line is 329 feet compared with 326 feet down the right-field line. It’s 374 feet to the power alley in rightcenter and 372 feet to the left-center power alley. Straight-away center is 407 feet, but the deepest point of the ballpark is 410 feet.
Plus, the synthetic turf plays quick and the retractable roof is paneled with a transparent material that filters in natural light. Afternoon sun wreaks havoc on right fielders, outfielder Solak said in a postgame interview with the Rangers TV network.
“During the day, that whole side is white,” Solak said. “It kind of blends in with the ball. Right field’s probably got it the worst of the positions.”
Rendon’s tepid start
Anthony Rendon is off to the worst 12-game start of his career after his hitless streak stretched to 28 plate appearances, dropping his batting average to .103.
During six years as a fixture in the Nationals’ lineup, the only time Rendon batted worse than .265 through 12 games was in 2015.
This season, Rendon has four hits in 39 at-bats, including a double and a homer, and he has struck out 12 times. The bright spot in his batting line: 14 walks.
Rendon is the only Angels regular other than Justin Upton, who was moved into a platoon last week, batting below .260.
Maddon doesn’t believe Rendon is feeling pressure to live up to his contract, the largest free-agent deal awarded by owner Arte Moreno.
“He’s got that slow heartbeat,” Maddon said, referring to Rendon’s trademark calmness at the plate. “He looks the same to me.”
Rather, Maddon suspects the tepid beginning of Rendon’s Angels career might be due to the offand-on nature of the 2020 season.
“I’m watching his work, and it looks good,” Maddon said. “You talk to Anthony, there’s no BS. It’s straight up all the time, and it would be hard for him to hide his feelings. So he’s feeling better ...”
Rendon on Sunday ended up fifth in the batting order for the first time since 2017. The move did little to change the Angels’ fortunes. But Rendon is a key piece of the puzzle Maddon believes the Angels will properly assemble.
“We have not put our whole game together yet,” he said. “And that’s a part of why I feel pretty good about it.”