Sports talk radio in Detroit is abuzz with criticism of Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, who pulled Ervin Santana and Jered Weaver from their scheduled starts against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday and Wednesday and arranged to start five rookies in each game.
The Angels started Tyler Chatwood in Tuesday’s 10-3 loss to the Rangers, and rookie Garrett Richards will start Wednesday’s season finale. Wednesday night’s lineup also includes September call-ups Gil Velazquez at second, Efren Navarro at first and Jeremy Moore in left field.
The Tigers need the Angels to win to have any shot of winning home-field advantage and avoiding the New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs.
But Scioscia bristled at any suggestion that he wasn’t honoring the integrity of the game by sitting so many regulars, saying Santana “has battled forearm stiffness all year,” and Weaver “has had multiple issues with his upper back, which flared up recently.”
First baseman Mark Trumbo was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot Monday, and second baseman Howie Kendrick sprained his left wrist Tuesday night.
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