ANAHEIM -- When Angels manager Mike Scioscia says routinely that he's searching for groupings for his team's batting lineup he's not kidding.
The Angels have shuffled their lineup all season because of injuries and inconsistency. They have used 67 total batting orders in 84 games this season and their most common lineup has been used just five times.
The Angels moved around their lineup again on Tuesday against the A's, hoping the new order will stick when they host Oakland again on Wednesday in the series finale.
Casey Kotchman moved into the second spot for the fourth time this season and Maicer Izturis batted third for the first time. Both batters are known for working counts and getting on-base, which is something Scioscia wants to see at the top of his lineup.
"We've juggled lineups to try to get the groupings to create offense," Scioscia said. "Our preference would be when guys are solid and playing their game and you get one lineup every day. The roles would be very clear and the situational hitting is defined. But we haven't seen consistency to pencil guys in, even from one to six or seven."
The offense has been struggling so bad that Tuesday marked the first time in five games that the Angels scored at least two runs. Scioscia again said the key is to find a grouping of players who hit well together even if the entire lineup doesn't produce.
"If we can get guys, not even the whole team, just three or four guys to get into their game, there's a lot these guys can do," Scioscia said. "We're not seeing it at all. This is as stagnant as I've seen from this group."
The one positive for the Angels is that they hit the ball well against Oakland starter Dana Eveland when he pitched against them on April 30. The Angels roughed up Eveland for six runs over 5 1/3 innings. But Eveland has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his past four starts.
LAA: LHP Joe Saunders (11-4, 3.06 ERA)
Saunders wasn't razor-sharp, needing 70 pitches to get 12 outs on his way to allowing three runs (two earned) in five innings against the Dodgers on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. But he pitched well enough to keep his team in the game and did nothing to damage his case for an All-Star Game berth. Saunders wasn't hurt by his four walks while striking out four, but they elevated his pitch count. Back on more familiar AL West turf, Saunders beat the A's 2-0 on April 29 at home, holding them to four hits across eight innings. He's 3-1 with a 4.24 ERA in six career outings against Oakland.
OAK: LHP Dana Eveland (6-5, 3.34 ERA)
Eveland appeared to have the command he said he's been missing during his past few appearances in his most recent start against the Giants. He limited San Francisco to just one run on five hits while walking two and striking out three in 7 1/3 innings. It was the fourth time in 16 starts he lasted at least seven innings and the seventh time he walked two batters or fewer. In his first career start against the Angels on April 30, Eveland was tagged with the loss after giving up six earned runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Tidbits
Right-handed reliever Chris Bootcheck, who is on the disabled list with a strained right forearm, is scheduled to pitch two innings for Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday. If all goes well he will pitch one inning on Thursday to build up his stamina. He said Tuesday that physically he feels good and his velocity is up, but there's no timetable for his return. ... If the Angels continue the pace with their record of 16-20 when scoring three or fewer runs, it would be the sixth-best record based on winning percentage in baseball's history, according to Stats LLC. All five teams ahead of the Angels' current pace at least made the World Series. ... Vladimir Guerrero's .375 batting average in June was the third highest in baseball.
Angel Stadium is located in Anaheim, California, and has been known as many names over the years. They include Angel Stadium of Anaheim (which is the formal name), Anaheim Stadium, and Edison International Field of Anaheim. Although Angel Stadium was built many years ago in 1966, it still has a lot to offer both fans and the teams who are lucky enough to play on the field on a regular basis.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the MLB is the only team to play their home games at Angel Stadium. In the past other teams have also played at Angel Stadium, but none since the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL in 1994.
At this time the seating capacity of Angel Stadium is approximately 45,000. Although this is one of the smaller ballparks in the country, is has a lot to offer the fans who show up at an Angels game during the summer. Not only do all of the seats offer good site lines of the field, but the concessions are also top of the line as well.
In addition to the many baseball games that are played at Angel Stadium each year, this venue has also hosted high school and professional football games and concerts. Some of the best concerts in Angel Stadium history include David Bowie, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, and Madonna among many others.
With so much to offer it is easy to see why Angel Stadium has been a favorite among teams and fans for more than 40 years. Although it may not be as modern as other venues in the league, Angel Stadium has a lot to offer. For this reason it is safe to say that it will be around for many more years to come. And this is a good thing for Major League Baseball!
