Los Angeles Angels Sparkplug Johnny G

The Los Angeles Angels made a huge charge last September to get back in the thick of the pennant race. One of the main cogs leading the charge was diminutive second baseman Johnny Giavotella getting clutch hit after clutch hit

After the Los Angeles Angels traded veteran second baseman Howie Kendrick to the Dodgers in a three-ream trade that netted the Angels young lefty Andrew Heaney, the immediate question was who was going to replace Kendrick at second base.

The Angels acquired four second basemen during the off-season and the least thought of candidate, Johnny Giavotella came out of the Spring Training fray as the starter.  Other than a four-week stretch where Giavotella was on the disabled list with fourth cranial nerve palsy, he held the spot the rest of the season finishing with a .272 average with four home runs and 49 runs batted in.

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Flash-forward to 2016, after an off-season of speculations that the Los Angeles Angels were going to acquire a top-tier second baseman, Johnny G. again emerged again as the last man standing as the Angels 2016 starting second baseman.

However, the season did not start well for Giavotella as he was batting .136 after an 0 for 3 game against Seattle on April 24th. He only had one RBI and no homers. The next game Johnny G. went 3 for 4 scoring three runs and his average slowly started to climb.  Just over a month later Giavotella sits at .286 with two home runs with 15 RBI’s as Johnny G.  hit .330 with two homers and 14 RBI’s in the last 30 games and has had numerous clutch hits including a go-ahead two-run single that capped a four-run Angels rally to beat the Dodgers in the final game of the Freeway Series.

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The numbers prove Giavotella’s knack for coming through in the clutch as he is batting .301 with four home runs and 57 RBI’s over the past two seasons with runners in scoring position. Giavotella also has improved on his fielding which was one of the biggest knocks against him in 2015 raising his fielding percentage from .978 to .993 this season making only one error in 148 total chances.

While Giavotella may never become an all-star second baseman, although I wouldn’t put it past him, he is a solid part of the Angels line-up both at the plate and in the field.  His hustle and infectious enthusiasm, which have been his trademark throughout his two season in Anaheim have made him a fan-favorite.  Many fans have even compared Giavotella to fan-favorite David Eckstein, who was a catalyst of the 2002 Angels World Championship team.

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Whatever you want to say about Giavotella he is here to stay and most Los Angeles Angels fans are very happy he is.