D6 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 LATIMES.COM/SPORTS
knowledge to speak out, but
the responsibility to do so as
well. That’s not a responsi-
bility reserved for politi-
cians and athletes, which
Bedoya wants to stress:
It’s time for everyone to
make themselves heard on
issues like gun violence, at a
time when there have been
more mass shootings than
days in the year.
“I used my platform. I
used my voice, which I think
is important for others to do
as well, to keep the conver-
sation going,” he said.
“Long before I was born,
politics and sports have
been intertwined. Especially
after this weekend, how can
you just watch a soccer
game without thinking of
something like that?”
Last year, when James
made personal and emo-
tional comments that tou-
ched on politics in an ESPN
interview, Fox News com-
mentator Laura Ingraham
advised him to “shut up and
dribble.”
Those words have be-
come a rallying cry to ath-
letes in every sport.
“That’s the stupidest
logic I’ve ever heard,”
Bedoya said of Ingraham’s
comment. “Before I’m an
athlete, I’m a human being.
And I think I’m a knowl-
edgeable person that does
some of the homework to try
to understand the issues.
“I would never just shut
up and dribble.”sides,” Bedoya said.
“Whether you’re Republi-
can, Democrat, independ-
ent, whatever you are, I
don’t care. It doesn’t matter.
Come together and work on
solutions.
“You don’t agree with
trying to end gun violence?
C’mon, man.”
Seems simple, yet the 10
words Bedoya spoke into a
cable TV microphone just
two miles from the U.S.
Capitol were more than
many lawmakers could
muster that day. Fifty Re-
publicans were asked to
come on a cable news net-
work to discuss the issue; 49
of them declined.
At a time of a political
paralysis in Congress, it’s
fallen to players such as
Bedoya to step forward.
Whether it’s Megan Rapinoe
calling for gay rights and
gender equality, Colin
Kaepernick taking a knee to
protest racial injustice or
LeBron James speaking out
against police brutality and
funding a school for at-risk
kids in his hometown, high-
profile athletes increasingly
have become the moral
compass of the nation.
It doesn’t really matter
whether you agree with
everything they say or stand
for; the point is they’re
standing while people
elected to address these
issues stay seated.
“My statement was not
politically charged. It
shouldn’t be seen as that,”
Bedoya said. “It’s just me, as
a concerned citizen of
America, sharing the senti-
ments of other fellow Ameri-
cans to do something.
“Doing nothing hasn’t
done anything.”
Bedoya, 32, has played
professionally in Sweden,
Scotland, France and the
U.S., which has informed
many of his views. And as
the son of Colombian immi-
grants, he has been an out-
spoken critic of President
Trump’s attempts to ban
refugees and asylum-seek-
ers.
Those experiences have
given him not just theBedoya is hopeful, but
not optimistic, that his
action may in some small
way help the break the
logjam that has prevented
the country from address-
ing gun violence in a mean-
ingful way. There were too
many coincidences, too
many things that had to
break just right for his mes-
sage to get out, to make him
think it was just happen-
stance.
Before the game, he said,
he prayed for the shooting
victims, and then three
minutes into the match,
with the prayers still fresh in
his mind, he scored for the
first time since April. While
celebrating with team-
mates, he caught sight of a
sideline microphone. When
he picked it up and yelled
into it, he wasn’t sure it was
even on — and if it was, he
was sure Fox Soccer would
keep the message from
going out over the air.
After the game, a police
officer congratulated him.
“Good stuff, man. You’re
viral,” he said.
And Bedoya hopes that
moment will mean more
than his 66 appearances for
the U.S. national team or
playing in the World Cup.
“It was meant to hap-
pen,” Bedoya said Tuesday.
“I would be happier with
having the ability to try to
save lives than having been
someone who kicked a ball
around.”Bedoya joins athletes
speaking out on issues
ALEJANDRO BEDOYAwasn’t sure the sideline mic
was on, or Fox Soccer Channel would air his words.Patrick McDermottGetty Images[B axter,from D1]CINCINNATI — A tough
couple of outings by an opener
will not deter the Angels from
employing a strategy that
generally has been effective
this season.
Manager Brad Ausmus
said Tuesday that using a re-
liever to start the first inning
or two of games “absolutely
makes sense” a day after the
Angels’ record when using an
opener dropped to 12-10.
The Angels can point to at
least one success story: Felix
Pena, a starter who struggled
to pitch late into games when
taking the mound in the first
inning. Pena thrived as a “pri-
mary pitcher,” posting a 4.32
ERA in 14 outings after replac-
ing the opener. The ERA bal-
looned to 5.34 in seven tradi-
tional starts, of which he
made three in the second half
before tearing the anterior
cruciate ligament in his right
knee Saturday.
On the other hand, sec-
ond-year pitcher Jaime Bar-
riahas not warmed well to the
scheme. He has a 11.15 ERA in
four games as the Angels’ pri-
mary pitcher and a more pal-
atable 4.08 ERA in six starts.
Asuccessful outing by an
opener allows the primary
pitcher to delay facing the top
of the order for a third time
until later in the game — if he
does so at all.
That hasn’t been the case
for the Angels the last two
times they’ve used one. Tay-
lor Colehas given up nine
runs in his last two outings.
The five he yielded in Mon-
day’s 7-4 loss prevented rookie
Patrick Sandovalfrom pos-
sibly earning a win in his
major league debut despite
pitching five strong innings.
“I still think it’s extremely
viable depending on who the
starter is and the availability
of your relief corps,” Ausmus
said.
Cole has served as an
opener all five times the An-
gels have employed one in the
second half, beginning with
the July 12 combined no-hitter
the Angels threw in their first
home game after Tyler
Skaggs’ death. He had
pitched three scoreless starts
before Saturday’s four-run
debacle.
The Angels have not yet
scheduled an opener during
the four-game series in Bos-
ton this weekend.Minor leaguer
honored for hot July
Gareth Morgan was
named the California League
player of the month for July.
The 23-year-old outfielder led
the league in homers (12),
RBIs (28), slugging (.664) and
on-base-plus-slugging per-
centage (1.014).
Morgan, the 74th pick of
the 2014 draft, signed a minor
league deal with the Angels in
April shortly after being re-
leased by the Seattle Mari-
ners.
Despite a strikeout rate
approaching 50% over 44
games for the high-A team,
Morgan was promoted to dou-
ble-A Mobile on Aug. 1. He
took the roster spot of top
prospect Jo Adell, who was
elevated to tripleA the same
day.
Another Angels prospect
worthy of consideration for
player of the month honors
was shut out by the Dodgers’
Gavin Lux. Jared Walshhit
.358 with a 1.307 OPS. His 13
home runs and 29 RBIs paced
the Pacific Coast League. He
was also second in doubles
(11). But Lux led the league in
batting average (.435), on-
base percentage (.519) and
OPS (1.356).Short hops
Players Weekend is ap-
proaching at the end of
the month, and rookie Ty
Buttrey learned Tuesday
that his somewhat salacious
nickname was accepted by
the league to be displayed on
his jersey. He chose a peach
emoji to represent the
“butt” portion of his surname
and a tree emoji for the latter
half.... Noe Ramirezthrew a
bullpen session Tuesday for
the first time since coming
down with a viral infection se-
vere enough to be placed on
the injured list July 27. He
could begin a rehab assign-
ment this weekend. Once re-
instated, he will begin a three-
game suspension for throwing
at Houston Astros outfielder
Jake Marisnick.ANGELS REPORT
Recent woes won’t
deter use of opener
By Maria Torres
look better,” Angels man-
ager Brad Ausmus said be-
fore the game. “He’s letting
the ball travel deeper. He’s
not swinging and missing
like he was on pitches way
out of the zone.”
Yet Upton’s breakout did
nothing to assuage Suarez.
After he got two outs in the
first, Eugenio Suarez hom-
ered on the Angels left-
hander’s diving changeup.
Two batters later, Jose Igle-
sias elevated the same pitch
for a game-tying blast.
Suarez never recovered.
He surrendered six runs and
10 hits over five innings.
The Reds did all of their
damage with two outs.
“A lot of times they were
sitting breaking ball,”Suarez said in Spanish. “I
tried to throw them the way I
wanted to, but I kept putting
them in the zone. They
weren’t breaking like I
wanted them to.”
Suarez threw 70% of his 91
pitches for strikes, but the
career-best percentage
didn’t mask the ineffective-
ness of his off-speed pitches.
He again struggled to com-
mand his changeup, receiv-
ing only two swings and
misses on 22 of the ones he
threw. His curveball drew no
whiffs.
“I don’t know that it’s one
particular reason or one par-
ticular pitch,” Ausmus said.
“Today it was a couple
changeups and a fastball out
over. So I don’t think it’s a
pitch. It’s probably locationon particular pitches.”
A 54-minute rain delay in-
terrupted the eighth.
As the Angels suffered
their 10th loss in 12 games,
Mike Trout continued his
chase of the home run title —
and bid for a third most valu-
able player award. He
blasted a solo homer in the
fifth inning for his 38th of the
season, a total that leads
Minnesota’s Nelson Cruz by
six in the American League.
Christian Yelich of Milwau-
kee leads the majors with 39
home runs.
Troutfinished the game
worth a big league-leading
7.6 wins above replacement,
according to Fangraphs’
version of the statistic that
calculates a player’s worth
to his team. The Dodgers’Cody Bellinger, who paced
Trout in that race midway
through June, was tied for
second with a 6.4 WAR.
Trout has 16 home runs in
his last 26 games.
On the eve of his 28th
birthday, the Angels star’s
legend grew. Only Alex Rod-
riguez (322), Jimmie Foxx
(302), Eddie Mathews (299),
Ken Griffey Jr. (294), Albert
Pujols (282) and Mickey
Mantle (280) hit more ho-
mers than the 278 Trout hit
before turning 28. Unlike five
on that list, Trout has never
led the league in home runs.
“It’s pretty cool with
Yelich and Bellinger,” Trout
said. “They are all having
great seasons, MVP sea-
sons. It’s fun to watch. Fun to
be a part of.”THE REDS’ Aristides Aquino reacts as he rounds third on a solo home run off the Angels’ Jose Suarez.Gary LandersAssociated PressAngels lose sixth in a row
[A ngels, from D1]