ANGELS NOTEBOOK: SCIOSCIA SAYS ANGELS IN A DIFFICULT POSITION.Byline: Gordon Verrell Staff Writer ANAHEIM - Manager Mike Scioscia v. con·ced·ed, con·ced·ing, con·cedes v.tr. 1. To acknowledge, often reluctantly, as being true, just, or proper; admit. See Synonyms at acknowledge. 2. Friday night for the first time ``we're probably going to have to get help'' if his Angels are to make it into the postseason. ``We have enough head-to-head games (with Seattle and Oakland),'' he said. ``But, as the games narrow, we might not be in a position to do it all ourselves. And that's not a comfortable position.'' Of their remaining 21 games, the Angels have three left with American League West The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. leader Seattle and four with second-place Oakland, all in the final week of the season. ``Obviously, that's a key week,'' Scioscia acknowledged, ``and we want to get ourselves into a position to take advantage of those games.'' --Keeping it loose: Scioscia has had the luxury of being in a number of pennant Pennant A continuation pattern in technical analysis formed when there is a large movement in a stock, the flagpole, followed by a consolidation period with converging trendlines, the pennant, followed by a breakout movement in the same direction as the initial large movement, the races during his playing career with the Dodgers. Not so for most of the Angels players. ``I don't buy that 'playing tight' stuff, or other teams (out of the race) being loose,'' Scioscia said. ``You want to live or die with the same style you have in the spring . . . the same aggressiveness. ``No one's going to hit 500-foot home runs or strike everybody out if that's not their game. The important thing is to stay the course. ``Yes, we've talked about that (with the club). ``Sure, some games are more meaningful as far as the standings go,'' he went on. ``I'm not wearing blinders blind·er n. 1. blinders A pair of leather flaps attached to a horse's bridle to curtail side vision. Also called blinkers. 2. Something that serves to obscure clear perception and discernment. . ``But,'' he added, ``we're not changing our approach. We want to get to the point those (season-ending) games are meaningful. Being in a pennant race doesn't happen often. It's a unique opportunity. ``Hey,'' he said, laughing, ``who knows? We might be six games up by then.'' --Quicker hook? One thing Scioscia said he might alter slightly is how long he stays with his starting pitchers Noun 1. starting pitcher - (baseball) a pitcher who starts in a baseball game baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; . ``It's not as essential as it is in May, June or July for the starter to get deep into games,'' Scioscia said. ``Now, as the (season) gets shorter, it's more with how he's pitching.'' In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , if the starter's going well, he's out there regardless of the pitch count. And if he isn't going so well, he's gone. ``We've got an 11-man bullpen,'' Scioscia pointed out. ``If we struggle with an 11-man bullpen, we're in trouble.'' |
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