Tigers Lose to the Angels Again, Trade Rumors for the White Sox

For the Los Angeles Angels (36-43) it was business as usual as they won their ninth straight game against the Detroit Tigers (42-35) on Thursday.

This represented the sixth Angels victory for 2013 and if you factor in last year’s three wins, this comes to the magic No. 9. But it took an extra inning to get it done for the 3-1 win and the team can thank Albert Pujols for his tiebreaking double in the 10th.

Contributing to win was the Angels Mike Trouts four hits for the game.

For most of the game, the W looked headed to the Angels corner. Its righty pitcher Jered Weaver (1-4) stood on the mound for seven innings with one run, consecutive strikeouts (a total of six) and two walks. When he exited the game, it had been tied and therefore he received a no-decision.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Weaver’s outing via CBS Sports.com, “As the game went on, he got sharper. I thought he maintained his fastball and really finished strong. That was really a strong seven innings against a tough club on a really hot day.”

For the Tigers, Doug Fister pitched very similarly to Weaver as he allowed one run from seven hits, one walk and four strikeouts over his seven innings of pitching.

In the game, Detroit jumped out first for a 1-0 lead during the second from a Brayan Pena single as Victor Martinez came in for the first score. The Angels got their first run in the fourth inning after three straight singles to get the inning going but didn’t score again until the 10th.

The Tigers still sit atop the AL Central with their three-game losing streak. The Cleveland Indians (40-38) sit 2.5 games behind.

Max Scherzer

This weekend, the Tigers have a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays (41-38). Desperately needing to snap out of their losing streak, they’ll put ace pitcher righty Max Scherzer (11-0) on the mound for Game 1 on Friday. The undefeated pitcher will try for win No. 12, which would be a first since Rogers Clemmons had his 14-win record in 1986 as a Boston Red Sox.

No pressure here for Scherzer. He is 2-2 (2.64 ERA) from his five career starts against the Rays.

Tampa will put its green righty Alex Colome (1-0) on the mound. He hasn’t given up an earned run in his two starts but allowed four unearned with 10 hits (10 innings) during that time.

Scherzer gets another win (-137, 8 o/u).

White Sox Open to Trading Players–Except for Two

There’s not a lot of positive things to say about the Chicago White Sox (32-43) this summer as they sit at the bottom of the division. On Thursday, CBS Sports Jon Heyman reported that change could be coming as the the team is ready to trade (can you say fire sale?) any of their players except for lefty pitcher Chris Sale and veteran first baseman Paul Konerko.

Alex Rios

Trade bait includes shortstop Alexei Ramirez, center fielder Alex Rios and pitcher John Danks, who just signed a$65 million, five-year extension last year.

Rios and Ramirez could see some interest as the “Rangers, Yankees, Giants and Royals are among teams that could fit for Rios, and so could the Phillies if they decide to buy or trade and not to sell. The Dodgers could make sense for Ramirez, and one competing executive said a team like the Mets could consider him as a long-term option if they were so inclined,” wrote Heyman.

Other names thrown out for possible trades included pitcher Jake Peavy and second baseman Jeff Keppinger.

This weekend, the White Sox will host the Indians for a four-game series (a doubleheader on Friday).

It’s a lost season for the Sox (+15000 to win the World Series) but it’s a little brighter for the Indians (+3300).