A rare postponement
The Angels’ game against Boston on Sunday was the first Angel Stadium rainout in 20 years.
A large crowd filed into Angel Stadium and witnessed history Sunday night, and it had nothing to do with Mike Trout or Albert Pujols.
The Angels’ game a gainst the Boston Red Sox was rained out, the first Angel Stadium rainout in 20 years and the 10th in the 49- year history of the stadium. The last was on June 16, 1995, against the Chicago White Sox.
The game, called after a 21⁄ hour delay in which the outfield was drenched by heavy rains, will be made up as part of a split- admission doubleheader Monday, the first game at 2 p. m. and the second at 7 p. m.
“Unfortunately, you never know how your drainage system works until you get enough water, and there is so much standing water in the outfield that has nowhere to go,” Scioscia said. “The field is unplayable with no way to remedy it.
“I’m not a landscaper, but I don’t think it’s ever been tested like this. It’s a lot of rain. I don’t think anything is clogged. It’s just saturated.”
Both teams will keep their rotations intact, so Angels left- handerHectorSantiago will oppose Boston left- hander Eduardo Rodriguez in the first game, and Angels left- hander Andrew Heaney will oppose Red Sox right- hander Steven Wright in the second. Both teams will add a 26th player for the nightcap.
Because of the rainout, the Angels will need a sixth starter Friday, but Scioscia said it won’t be Jered Weaver, who is returning froma left hip injury and will throw a simulated game Tuesday.
Atop candidate would be triple- A right- hander Nick Tropeano, who has a 2.63 earned- run average in 24 innings since returning from a shoulder injury in June.
Monday’s doubleheader will be the first in Angel Stadium since Sept. 6, 2003, against Kansas City, andwill be physically challenging for both clubs.
“When you put the lag time in between, it becomes more difficult,” Scioscia said. “There’s certainly a concern when guys get heated up and play, get cooled off and try to play again.”
Trade winds
The Angels had a highranking scout in Cincinnati over the weekend to watch Reds outfielder Jay Bruce, but a person familiar with the team’s thinking said that it’s part of the due diligence the Angels are doing on a number of trade targets and that no deal was brewing at this point.
The Angels are looking for an upgrade over left fielder Matt Joyce, who is hitting .189 with five homers and 20 runs batted in. They prefer a corner outfielder who bats left- handed, and Bruce, who is hitting .255 with a .342 onbase percentage, 14 homers and 46 RBIs, fits the bill.
Among the other possible trade targets are San Diego’s Justin Upton, Milwaukee’s Adam Lind and Gerardo Parra, Oakland’s Josh Reddick and Ben Zobrist, Philadelphia’s Ben Revere, Atlanta’s Nick Markakis, the Chicago White Sox’s Adam LaRoche and the Dodgers’ Andre Ethier.
Short hops
Wright’s start Monday will be his first in Angel Stadium since June 2003, when he was the losing pitcher in Moreno Valley Valley View High’s 1- 0 defeat by Huntington Beach Marina in the Southern Section Division I title game. . . . Of Garrett Richards’ 113 pitches in Saturday’s two- hit shutout, 20, or18%, were thrown when he was behind in the count. “That’s impressive,” said Scioscia, who added that the major league average is 26%.
Up next
Santiago ( 6- 4. 2.33 ERA) will oppose Rodriguez ( 5- 2, 3.59) at Angel Stadium on Monday at 2 p. m. Heaney ( 3- 0, 1.32 ERA) will oppose Wright ( 3- 2, 4.15) at 7 p. m. TV ( both games): FS West; Radio: 830,1330.