This Angels run prevention strategy is embarrassing but it actually works

The Angels' pitching staff just turned in their best month of the season, but still has a few annoying tendencies. Excluding the four games they played in March, Angels pitchers had a better ERA, K:BB, FIP, WHIP and HR/9 in June than they did in either April or May. The relievers did a complete 180, going from MLB's worst bullpen to one of the better units the past month. Yusei Kikuchi and José Soriano posted some incredible starts and Kyle Hendricks showed signs of life after a poor beginning of the season.

It's hard to knock the now departed Ron Washington, Ray Montgomery, Barry Enright, Sal Fasano and the rest of the pitching braintrust for their game planning, but their strategy of intentionally walking opposing teams' best hitters is definitely wearing on fans.

This Angels run prevention strategy is embarrassing but it actually works

Look, Washington's James Wood is an incredible hitter. The 22-year-old might be the face of the sport soon, given that he ranks sixth on both the home run and runs batted in leaderboard this season. Intentionally walking Wood four times in a single game when he only had four total IBBs his whole career seems incredibly excessive, though.

Wood's only the ninth player in baseball history to be intentionally walked four times in a game, and it has not happened since 2004 with Bonds (the all-time home run leader drew four IBBs on three separate occasions that season). During the three-game series between the Nats and Halos, Wood was intentionally walked five times. They also made Connor Brogdon intentionally walk Josh Bell during the series.

The Angels have issued 30 intentionally walks this season, which is by far the most in baseball. The Seattle Mariners' 18 IBBs are the next most in baseball. The Angels have intentionally walked Cleveland's José Ramirez and New York's Aaron Judge four times each, albeit those were split between two separate series against those teams. Like with Ramirez and Judge, the Angels also intentionally walked St. Louis' Nolan Arenado and Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. twice during their series against STL and TOR this year.

So, is this working? It actually has been a resounding success...

Opposing teams are slashing .077/.200/.077/.277 this season against the Angels when the previous PA was an IBB. That BA, OBP, SLG and OPS are all among the best in baseball, and the Angels have a far bigger sample size than every other team. That OBP against is 7th best in baseball, and that BA, SLG and OPS against are all 5th best. Angels pitchers have a 30% K% when the previous PA result was an IBB and have yet to allow a HR. (Stats are via TruMedia Networks).

While one would think that making pitchers intentionally walk hitters would both hurt their confidence and boost the next batter's confidence, the data shows that there is no correlation present there. Hang in there, Angels fans. The plan is working!

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