Empyreal Environs

Game 54: June 3, 2005
The Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States of America, North America, Earth, Solar System, Galaxy, Universe (31-23), 4
Red Sox (30-24), 7
H: Brendan Donnelly (7)
BS, L: Scot Shields (3, 4-3)
W: Mike Myers (2-1)
S: Keith Foulke (12)

The 3rd inning found the Angels falling over each other avoiding a foul ball. Jerry Remy mentioned that the players were all the way at the far end of the dugout because players don’t like being near their manager. I’d modify that to say that players probably don’t want to be near Mike Scioscia. I mean, you could look at him funny and he’d suspend you for the rest of the season, just ask Jose Guillen. Ultimately, that move benefited the Red Sox and it was a notable alteration from the typical managerial course of action that indulges players’ immaturity rather than have them face consequences for their misdeeds.

Lou Merloni is back in Massachusetts because of his season-ending injury where three of the major tendons of his right ankle ruptured. Maybe him and Flutie can hang out before Doug reports to Patriots minicamp?

Bengie Molina caught stealing in the 4th? Did Dale Sveum put on an Angels uniform and put on the steal sign? Career steal attempts: 7. Successful steals: 2.

What kind of geeky, 70s sitcom-loving, shut-in blogger could not help but write about David L. Lander, a.k.a. “Squiggy,” an advanced scout for the Mariners? Hello! Lander has an event on June 7th at the Reading Jordan’s Furniture. He’s appearing with Ellen Lathi, MD, and they will present information on managing multiple sclerosis. He was also one of the original 75 people that bought the first Bill James Baseball Abstract.

David Wells gets his 2,000th strikeout. Now let’s reduce his daily caloric intake by that much and we’ll be headed somewhere.

Johnny Damon’s bases-clearing double in the 8th makes for a spectacular resurgence. At second base, he talks with Orlando Cabrera about his eye. Cabrera was like, “What the hell did you do to your eye, man?” And Damon was all, “This? Dude, it’s permanent eyeliner and it’s great!” Couldn’t they do one of those OC handshakes for old time’s sake? Probably not; it’s against some rule or something.