am570radio.com file photo: Los Angeles Angels pitcher Houston Street was recently rocked by the visiting Boston Red Sox, Street hopes to turn it around against his former team the Oakland A’s

ANAHEIM–All the excitement was gone when the Red Sox left town after scoring 5 runs in the top of the ninth inning to split a 4 game series at Angel Stadium. The Angels had a 3 run lead going into the ninth, when Huston Street blew-up allowing all the 5 earned runs, including a Homerun by Dustin Pedroia that put the Sox ahead. The whole series has a special buzz, because this was the last visit of David (El Papi Grande)Ortiz to Anaheim, he went 0 for 5 in his game on Sunday here at The Big A. But he enjoyed his stay and chat also with his good buddy Albert Pujols who now has 580 Homeruns, #10 in the all-time list, just 3 behind Mark McGwire’s 583 for the 10th spot in Homerun history.

 

Ortiz is also leading the American league in many offensive categories and he also carries a total of 528 Homeruns with him everyplace he goes on his ‘tour d’ force’ in 2016. Both Pujols and Ortiz from the Dominican Republic are two of the three active players today with over 500 Homeruns, the other one is Alex Rodriguez, born in Miami, of Dominican parents. Big Papi Ortiz looks intimidating today at 40 years of age and during a brilliant 20 year career.

 

Both Pujols and Ortiz are headed to Cooperstown, five years after they play their last game. Both are Designated Hitters, Ortiz has been a DH longer than Pujols, who  once in a while plays first base for the Angels, and has also  won a couple of Gold Gloves at that position, both as a Cardinal.

 

Many say that David Ortiz should never be elected to the Hall of Fame, because he basically got to his current numbers as a designated hitter. He is not guilty of playing as a DH, a position that was created in 1973. On April 6, 1973, Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees became the first designated hitter in Major League Baseball history, facing Boston Red Sox right-handed pitcher Luis Tiant in his first plate appearance. “Boomer” Blomberg was walked.

 

The excitement of the Boston Red Sox with David (Big Papi) Ortiz is gone and now starting Tuesday the Oakland Athletics visit Angel Stadium for a three-game series. Athletics and Angels are playing for 2017 but they have to settle the score and more than likely one of these two clubs will finish last in the West. The A’S hope they do not repeat with another last place finish in back-to-back seasons. The Angels are headed into very unknown territory for a Mike Scioscia team (he has been the manager of this team for 17 years) longer than any other current manager in the game. By the way for all you trivia nuts, among all three main professional leagues in the country MLB, NFL and NBA, only one guy has been directing a team longer than Angels skipper, it is San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich (20 consecutive years head coach of the Spurs).

 

Although this 2016 season could be the worst for the Angels since1999 when they finished in fourth place with a 70-92 record, it has not really affected the attendance at Angel Stadium, they are on their way to another over 3 million attendance. A lot has to do with he LA area home for 19 million people, the Dodgers 35 miles up north on I-5 from Angel Stadium are also on the way to even better number than the Angels.

 

We are now entering the last two months of the season, and for these two teams, there are lots of questions to be answer, and they are probably not going to ansawer them until this next off-season. Let’s face it, there is not one of two trades than can change the direction of these clubs in this 2016.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does the Spanish Angels TV and the Spanish A’s radio and News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com