Ailing Angels hope 105-mph fireballer Ben Joyce can make speedy impact

Around this time last year, Ben Joyce clocked the fastest pitch in college baseball history. On Sunday, as he fielded questions in front of a score of reporters and some cameras in the hallway outside the Angels’ clubhouse, Joyce was a major league player.“It means everything to me,” Joyce said ahead of the Angels’ 2-0 loss to the Miami Marlins. “It’s what I’ve been working for since I was 3 years old playing baseball, trying to dream of making it to the big leagues and then finally hearing that call.”The Angels sent for Joyce — who has been at their double-A affiliate, the Rocket City Trash Pandas, since he signed with the Angels last summer — on Friday night, amid uncertainty of the health of veteran Matt Moore. Moore was put on the injured list with a Grade 2 oblique strain Sunday morning. Joyce’s locker was prepped and ready by the time he arrived at the clubhouse for the matinee game.Joyce went viral last May for throwing a pitch 105.5 mph for the University of Tennessee. Since he became a professional, Joyce’s pitching velocity has hit 104 mph during big league spring training (Joyce was a non-roster invite this year).
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