The Oakland A’s got a look Monday at the Los Angeles Angels lineup they will see often this season.
They can only hope the results will get better after the Angels beat them 9-1 in Albert Pujols’ Cactus League debut with his new team.
Pujols went 2 for 3 and drilled an RBI double off young A’s right-hander Brad Peacock, who faced what was close to the Angels’ opening-day lineup. The only missing piece was designated hitter Bobby Abreu, who was scratched because of illness.
“I’m going to be in the big leagues, I’ve got to face them anyway,” said Peacock, who has only three career major league appearances. “I might as well get it out of the way and see how I do. I learned a lot today.”
Mainly he needs to keep the ball down more. Peacock, 24, allowed four runs and four hits in 1 2/3 innings.
A’s manager Bob Melvin said a tight strike zone also hindered Peacock.
“I thought he got squeezed a little bit, and it affected the way he had to pitch,” Melvin said.
Peacock was sidelined briefly last week with back stiffness but said he is now feeling fine.
The A’s also faced left-hander C.J. Wilson, the Angels’ other marquee free-agent signing whom they know well from his days with Texas. Wilson delivered two shutout innings.
Melvin said he wasn’t getting caught up in the Angels’ additions. Los Angeles seems equipped to give two-time A.L. West champ Texas a run for its money this season, with the A’s and Mariners seemingly far behind.
“They added a middle-of-the-order bat that I know they’re excited about,” Melvin said. “But doesn’t affect what we’re going to do.”
– Closer candidate Grant Balfour had his second straight rocky outing, lasting just two-thirds of an inning and surrendering a two-run homer to Chris Iannetta and three walks.
Melvin maintained that he isn’t worried about Balfour, who has allowed three home runs and five runs in two outings (12/3 innings).
Balfour said he typically has shaky springs and doesn’t get too concerned over early struggles. But Melvin said: “At some point in time you’ve got to change your mindset about that. You can talk yourself into it. But I know the competitor he is.”
– Monday marked the A’s first split-squad day. Their other team beat the Chicago Cubs 8-7 in Mesa, with shortstop prospect Yordy Cabrera delivering a go-ahead home run in the ninth.
Bartolo Colon made his first start with the A’s and allowed three runs and four hits in 2 2/3 innings.
– Designated hitter Manny Ramirez went 0 for 3 with a strikeout against the Angels. He is 0 for 5 this spring.
– Daric Barton will be sidelined three days after getting a cortisone shot in his right biceps, and Melvin acknowledged it could get tough for Barton to win the first-base job.
“Certainly he’s going to have to be able to throw and play first base, and it’s going to be a little bit longer to come,” Melvin said. “I don’t want to rule anything out at this point, but you can count the days.”
– Melvin said he doesn’t feel an urgency to get Coco Crisp time in left field. The A’s might insert Yoenis Cespedes in center and shift Crisp to left.
“I’m confident that if we had to do something with Coco in left that he’d be able to handle it very quickly,” Melvin said. “But we’re not close on that yet.”
– Attendance was announced at 3,511, less than half of capacity at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
