Page’s Weekly LA Angels Predictions: Week Two

The LA Angels had a great start to their season. They went 5-2 in their first week of play. They split a series with the Oakland A’s and swept the Seattle Mariners in a weekend series.

The LA Angels gave the fans a lot of great baseball to watch this past week. They scored an average of five runs per game, an excellent pace for a team who many thought didn’t do enough this offseason to improve a lackluster offense. Of course it is early, but for an Angels organization that usually starts the season off extremely slow, it is an encouraging sign to see the squad playing like this.

Player of the Week- Yunel Escobar

No, I did not misspell Mike Trout. What seems like an easy pick turned out to be an undeserving one. Trout had a great week, but only hit .280. For the reigning MVP, more is expected out of him. That is why Escobar is this weeks position player champion. He hit an outstanding .414 with four RBI’s and a home run as the leadoff hitter. To go with that, he only struck out three times in 29 at-bats to go with two walks. He gave the stars behind him a runner to bring in, proven by his eight runs scored.

Pitcher of the Week- Cam Bedrosian

While starting pitchers Ricky Nolasco, Garrett Richards, and Jesse Chavez all had excellent outings this week, it is closing pitcher Cam Bedrosian who takes the title of the Angels’ best opening week pitcher. He only had two appearances, but was absolutely shutdown in his 2.2 innings of work. He shutdown the Oakland A’s in his first appearance of the season. Bedrosian retired the side on 14 pitches, striking out one. He earned his first save of the season, second of his career.

While his first outing was good, his second was absolutely phenomenal. He came in during the eighth inning of a game against the Mariners, with the Angels up 5-4. He finished the inning, striking out one while allowing a hit. It looked like his day was over but Mike Scioscia decided to shock everyone when he sent Bedrosian, with his 18 pitches, out to finish the game. Bedrosian made Scioscia look like a genius when he struck out the side for his second save of the season. It appears Bedrosian has earned the closer role, at least until Huston Street returns.