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The Opener: World Series, Scherzer, Angels

By Nick Deeds | October 30, 2023 at 8:29am CDT

As the World Series continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. The World Series heads to Arizona:

With the World Series now tied up at one game a piece, the clubs will square off this evening for Game 3 after arriving in Arizona yesterday. On the heels of Merrill Kelly’s one-run nine-strikeout gem in Game 2, the Diamondbacks will turn to right-hander Brandon Pfaadt this evening. Despite posting a lackluster 5.72 ERA in 96 regular season innings this year, Pfaadt has looked good as the club’s third starter this postseason, with a 2.70 ERA across four starts and 16 strikeouts across his last two appearances.

Dominant as he’s looked in recent appearances, however, manager Torey Lovullo has consistently stuck with a quick hook regarding the 25-year-old righty. Pfaadt’s 5 2/3 inning performance against the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLCS is his longest postseason outing to date, and Pfaadt was at just 70 pitches when Lovullo handed the game to the bullpen. We’ll find out tonight whether Pfaadt can keep his recent success up or if he’s earned additional trust from Lovullo and the Arizona front office with his performance this postseason, as the game is set to begin at 7:03pm CT this evening.

2. Scherzer’s playoff homecoming:

Pitching opposite Pfaadt in tonight’s game is veteran ace and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, who is set to face off against the team that drafted him eleventh overall in the 2006 draft to kick off what has been an illustrious professional career. Scherzer ultimately pitched in just two seasons with the Diamondbacks, posting a 3.86 ERA and 3.73 FIP in 226 1/3 innings of work for the club before being shipped to Detroit in trade. Of course, Scherzer has become one of the league’s finest starters since then, racking up three Cy Young awards and more than 3,000 strikeouts since leaving Arizona.

Scherzer’s homecoming comes with its fair share of question marks for the Rangers. The veteran righty missed over a month with a teres major strain that was initially expected to end his season in mid-September, and he was not at his best upon returning in the ALCS against the Astros. Across two games against Houston this postseason, Scherzer surrendered seven runs in 6 2/3 innings of work for the Rangers, striking out six while walking three and allowing two home runs. In addition to the rust from more than a month away from the mound, however, Scherzer recently revealed he was dealing with a cut near the nail on his thumb that impacted his performance against the Astros, though he added the issue shouldn’t continue to impact him going forward. That should come as a relief to fans in Texas, as a strong start from the 39-year-old would put the Rangers in excellent position to head into Game 4 with a series lead.

3. What are the Angels looking for in a new manager?

While the Red Sox have wrapped up their GM search and the Giants landed Bob Melvin to replace Gabe Kapler as their manager, plenty of front office and managerial searches are continuing around the league in the background of the postseason. Among those searches is that of the Angels, who are looking for a new manager to replace outgoing skipper Phil Nevin. It’s been a somewhat curious search so far, as while reports have indicated that the club prefers to hire a veteran manager to lead the club into an uncertain 2024 campaign, many of the known candidates don’t fit that description.

Former Angels players Benji Gil, Darin Erstad, Torii Hunter, and Tim Salmon are all names reportedly under consideration, despite the fact that no member of that group has experience as a major league manager. Erstad and Salmon have experience as head coaches of collegiate and prep programs, respectively, and but Gil is the only one of the group to serve in a major league dugout since retiring as a player; he’s served on the Anaheim coaching staff since 2022 in addition to several stints as a manager in Mexico. That said, some names who wouldn’t be rookie managers have been floated as well. Former big league managers Buck Showalter and Ron Roenicke have both seen their names come up in relation to the Angels’ manager job, with mutual interest being reported between Anaheim and Showalter in particular.

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View Comments (44)
Post a Comment

44 Comments

  1. TradeAcuna

    2 years ago

    Atta Boy, Phillies.

    Reply
    • VonPurpleHayes

      2 years ago

      Lol. Bitter? Phillies have nothing to do with this thread. Neither do the Braves. Both teams have been rendered irrelevant.

      4
      Reply
      • TradeAcuna

        2 years ago

        Yes.

        Reply
        • heiniemanush

          2 years ago

          Trade Acuna?????

          Reply
        • Deadguy

          2 years ago

          No habla was the appropriate response lol

          Reply
      • Hemlock

        2 years ago

        Don’t feed that one
        It will dine on your fingers

        3
        Reply
    • Hemlock

      2 years ago

      Phillies sign the Salmon,
      Schwarber trade for Trout
      Walker to the Bullpen,
      Nola on the Mound

      Philly trade for Trout
      Suarez to the Rangers,
      Fans getting hungry
      Fans getting hungry

      TROUT ON THE GRILL
      SALMON ON THE STOVE
      TURNER OVER TROUT
      PUT THE FIRE OUT

      2
      Reply
      • aragon

        2 years ago

        Dream on!

        1
        Reply
  2. Spaced-Cowboy

    2 years ago

    It’s 8:30am, and the trolls are out. Do you know where your kids are?

    6
    Reply
    • Deadguy

      2 years ago

      Honor roll
      Welfare?
      Hopefully not Parole?
      Top of the world?
      Guess it’s about time I talk to my kids
      Tell em the same thing my daddy told me
      “You ain’t never gonna amount to nothing”

      1
      Reply
  3. Hemlock

    2 years ago

    Sign the Salmon, teach the Trout

    7
    Reply
  4. 30 Parks

    2 years ago

    Scherzer – 2 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K.

    Reply
    • WiffleBall

      2 years ago

      Scherzer – 714 IP, 3ER, 402 BB, 9,094 K

      3
      Reply
    • Go Go Power Rangers

      2 years ago

      What about Pfaadt?

      3
      Reply
      • WiffleBall

        2 years ago

        .3.1 IP, 7,400,516ER, 6BB, 12K.

        Reply
  5. User 2079935927

    2 years ago

    Hemlock don’t quit your day job IF you have one.

    1
    Reply
    • Deadguy

      2 years ago

      But never sit and pout

      Straight up bourbon?

      Or just a stout?

      Reply
  6. Missippi_has_3Ks

    2 years ago

    Trouts less fatty and much more delicious than Salmon but Trouts more expensive too.

    Reply
  7. James Midway

    2 years ago

    I would like to see them give Benji Gil a shot.

    6
    Reply
    • solaris602

      2 years ago

      I agree. He managed in the WBC and acquitted himself quite well. He’s already in the organization so the adjustment time will be minimal. He has the most upside of anyone they’ve interviewed. We all know Showalter and Roenicke would be placeholders until the next hot name catches Moreno’s eye. We saw that with Ausmus/Maddon.

      2
      Reply
      • avenger65

        2 years ago

        Solaris: Didn’t Mark Derosa coach Team USA?

        1
        Reply
        • thomyorke'sbag

          2 years ago

          avenger: gil managed team mexico

          1
          Reply
  8. Tom the ray fan

    2 years ago

    Angels are a dumpster fire

    1
    Reply
  9. Halo11Fan

    2 years ago

    I feel the same way about Salmon as I do about Erstad…. No.

    2
    Reply
    • troutfishing

      2 years ago

      Haha why no to Erstad? He has proven success as the head coach of Nebraska.
      A guy like that might connect really well with a squad of young players fresh out of college. Dude played in the show forever and was a solid, well respected player known for his grit and hard work.
      You dont think any if that translates?

      5
      Reply
      • Halo11Fan

        2 years ago

        College are not the major leagues. That’s why no.

        Too big of a jump.

        Reply
    • BigA 3

      2 years ago

      College to pro Coach. Others have succeeded Why not Ersty or Salmon? Halos stink so try a new approach. Even a few players like Shanuel Neto have made it just fine.

      Reply
      • Halo11Fan

        2 years ago

        Who has gone straight to college with no pro baseball experience?

        There was Bobby Winkles and he was a complete failure, and he was much much more successful than Erstad.

        Reply
        • BigA 3

          2 years ago

          Just thinking they need to try something different as nothing has worked since 2002. If Ohtani leaves then try Tori Hunter? Erstad?

          Reply
        • Halo11Fan

          2 years ago

          I think they need someone to guide Minasian. Minasian is completely lost.

          That’s why I say add Showalter.

          If Minasian doesn’t buy a vowel,, it won’t make a difference who they bring in.

          1
          Reply
  10. User 2976510776

    2 years ago

    The Angels are a team of contradictions. They say they want to win or compete, but the last few years they treat the last roster spots like open tryouts. Now the new manager may be the next Jeff Saturday.

    2
    Reply
  11. hyraxwithaflamethrower

    2 years ago

    I’ve thought for a year or two that Erstad might make a decent manager. He certainly got the most out of limited talent through hard work. I wouldn’t hand him the manager job right off the bat, though. Let him be a 3B / infield coach first, maybe bench coach. After a couple years there, make him manager if he’s ready.

    Reply
    • avenger65

      2 years ago

      hyrax: I’m sure the new manager would love to have his eventual replacement l
      on his coaching staff.

      1
      Reply
    • Halo11Fan

      2 years ago

      Erstad was a the number one overall pick.

      Limited talent? Guys with limited talent don’t go number one.

      1
      Reply
      • avenger65

        2 years ago

        Halo11: Wasn’t Clint Frazier a no. 1 pick? If he was, it’s sad to see him struggle with the White Sox.

        1
        Reply
        • Halo11Fan

          2 years ago

          I didn’t remember him going number one, I looked it up, he went 5th. Everyone drafted number one has talent. So does everyone drafted number five.

          1
          Reply
  12. BaseballisLife

    2 years ago

    Is it bad that I hope Scherzer gets shelled again? I really like Bochy and the Rangers. Just do not like Scherzer.

    Reply
    • avenger65

      2 years ago

      BaseballisLife: I hope he gets shelled, too, because I want the Diamondbacks to win it all.

      3
      Reply
  13. scottaz

    2 years ago

    Dbacks game 3…Pfaadt starts, bullpen pitches 4 innings, Dbacks win!
    Dbacks game 4 bullpen game, Dbacks win
    Dbacks game 5 Gallen pitches 5 innings, Kelly pitches 4 innings, Dbacks win World Series!

    1
    Reply
    • stymeedone

      2 years ago

      Why would they use Kelly out of the bullpen in game 5 when game 6 and 7 may need to be played?

      4
      Reply
      • avenger65

        2 years ago

        stymeedone: Who says there’s going to be a game 6 or 7? I like the way scottaz thinks.

        Reply
  14. radar

    2 years ago

    What does this have to do with the price of Yak Fat in Mongolia?

    Reply
    • Ignorant Son-of-a-b

      2 years ago

      I’m sorry, I don’t have the time to explain it, but have you ever heard of Google?

      Reply
  15. Out In Left

    2 years ago

    “Dominant as he’s looked in recent appearances” is not proper English. Grammar isn’t optional, especially if someone is paying you to write about baseball. It needs to be “AS dominant as he’s looked in recent appearances.”

    Reply

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