Wells to Yankees
written by: Todd Boldizsar
@toddboldizsar
Weaver to DL, Broken Elbow
written by Steve Granado
@SteveGranado
Independently submitted articles on your Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, do you agree or disagree? What's your opinion?
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
What should be a great day for Angels fans has turned sour with the news of Jered Weaver’s broken elbow, spoiling the Halos’ home opener.
Weaver will miss 4-6 weeks due to a non-displaced radial head fracture on his left elbow.
Weaver suffered the injury when he landed on his left arm while avoiding a line drive hit at him by the Texas Rangers’ Mitch Moreland on Sunday. The bigger question now is, “What does this mean for the Halos?”
Yes, they lose their ace and leader in a crucial start of the season. Despite early reports that Weaver’s x-rays came back negative, the Dream Weaver will miss multiple starts even if all rehab goes perfectly well.
To replace Weaver’s roster spot the Angels have called up righty Dane De La Rosa, who has only thrown two innings for the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees this season. De La Rosa hasn't allowed a run, however. Though De La Rosa has been called up, in all likelihood, Garret Richards will take Weaver's spot in the rotation. Richards (whom I spoke of in
a podcast with Angels Nation Talk creator Sean Muert) has a 2.08 ERA this season in 4 games (1 ER in 4.1 IP).
The Angels need Garret Richards to really step up this time. He has been great so far this season and it really is his time to shine. Whether it works out like we hope it will or not, this is also a blow to the bullpen since Richards won't be able to be called upon in later innings.
According to Mike DiGiovanni, the Angels “could pursue” two ex-Dodgers in Aaron Harang or Chris Capuano to replace Weaver for the time being. This would be tough for the Angels to pull off with very minimal trading chips in their farm system.
Weaver’s injury really cripples the Angels starting staff, but I wouldn’t worry too heavily with the loss of Weaver. Yes, Angels fans love him and know he is a success and a competitor, but as Angels Fox Sports broadcaster Victor Rojas pointed out, the Angels went 12-7 while he was on the DL last season with a back injury. We'll see how it all plays out and if Richards will get the call to be the next starter. In the mean time, CJ Wilson will assume the role of ace in the pitching rotation as he faces the Oakland Athletics at 7:05 PM at the Big A in the Angels home opener.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have agreed to send reserve OF Vernon Wells to the New York Yankees in exchange for minor league pitcher Kramer Sneed and outfielder Exicardo Cayones.
Wells had a full no-trade clause, but according to USA Today, Wells is excited to be given the opportunity to join the Yankees organization."I'm here and I'm honored to be," says Wells, “The numbers side of it is way above my head. They got that all squared away. It just came as a shock."Wells, 34, is in the sixth year of a seven-year deal worth $126 million contract, originally signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. Wells is owed $21 million for each of the next two seasons - the Yankees will reportedly pick up roughly $13 million each year.The outfielder’s locker was reportedly cleared out at Angels Spring Training by staff on Sunday, according to Bill Plunkett on Twitter.
Although Wells has played primarily in center field during his 14-year major league career, the Yankees will look to start him in left field. Curtis Granderson will return in May from a broken right arm.
For the Angels, they likely optimized their return for Wells, who stood to be the most expensive bench player in baseball in the 2013 season. With the emergence of Peter Bourjos, the Angels had no need for Wells, and will only have to pay a smaller portion of his bad contract.
For the Angels, they likely optimized their return for Wells, who stood to be the most expensive bench player in baseball in the 2013 season. With the emergence of Peter Bourjos, the Angels had no need for Wells, and will only have to pay a smaller portion of his bad contract.
For the Yankees, it makes less sense. The Bronx Bombers had planned a platoon of Ben Francisco and Brennan Boesch, two veterans that figured to cover Wells’ woeful offensive stats over the last two seasons. Yankees GM Brian Cashman had vowed to get the team’s payroll under $90 million, but paying Wells $13 million a season hardly fits into that budget.
Advantage: Angels
For more Angels coverage, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
How important is the role of a backup catcher for the success of a team? Just ask the San Francisco Giants.
Giants' catcher Buster Posey suffered a MAJOR injury in 2011, and the Giants, who were expected to be one of the top teams to contend for a World Series, missed out on the playoffs. The backup catchers for the defending champion Giants in 2011 -- Eli Whiteside and Chris Stewart -- combined for a measly .200 average, and just 7 home runs. Now, I am by no means an expert, but if San Fran would've had better options to replace Posey, they would of had no problem winning the NL West, and could have repeated as world champions.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have what one could call a "good problem," with their addition of former Washington Nationals' catcher Chris Snyder.
Snyder, 32, looks to compete for a job backing up Chris Iannetta.
His competition?
Hank Conger, a 25-year-old California-native who has been in the Angels organization for six years.
Conger has been nothing short of incredible with the bat so far this spring, batting .417 with 2 doubles, 2 jimmy jacks, and 11 RBI's. However, it is his defense that has manager Mike Scioscia concerned. Conger leads the team with four errors -- all on throws, and has not caught any of the six base runners that
have attempted a steal.
"Nothing is really handed to you, whether it's a starting job or a backup job," says Conger. Conger continues, "I knew my back was against the wall from the start of spring training. There have been ups and downs the whole spring."
To me, it sounds like Hank is willing to push himself even harder now thathis organization has signed someone to try and take his would-be job. He hasalways come off as a guy who will do whatever it takes to succeed, and I thinkhe will rise to the challenge and secure a spot as the backup catcher. If Conger can solve his defensive puzzles, he will be scary good.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a team built to succeed in 2013, did not do as well as was expected during the spring. After a tough 3-0 loss to the freeway-foe L.A. Dodgers, the Halos saw their spring record fall to 9-19-3, good enough for last place in the Cactus League.
Not to be blown out of proportion, a team’s Spring Training record means virtually nothing.
When Spring Training rolled around in 2012, the Angels, looking to show off their new toys – free agents Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson -- brought upon themselves nothing but promise. The Halos, as you may know, went on to miss the playoffs completely. So there we have it, Spring Training means absolutely nothing, right? Wrong! Some players thrive, but others are sent down, cut, or in Vernon Wells’ case, traded.
Angels’ General Manager Jerry Dipoto let utility infielder Macier Izturis walk away from the team without a contract during the offseason, so there was a void that needed filling. Players competing for the utility role include: Andrew Romine, Luis Rodriguez, and Taylor Lindsey (33-year-old veteran Bill Hall was also in the mix, but suffered a calf injury, causing the team to release him). The winner of the utility competition has not been officially announced, but it’s almost a sure thing that Romine will be the guy.
Romine, 27, posted a .267/.365/.356 slash line in the spring, while driving in four runs, and scoring six more. Rodriguez had a much better spring at the plate than did Romine, putting up a .311/.340/.356 line, but it is believed that his lack of skill with the glove will hold him back.
There is a huge, yes, HUGE question mark surrounding the Angels’ pitching staff -- more specifically, the bullpen. That was the story of 2012: Lack of depth in the ‘pen (blowpen). Dipoto tried his best to improve the bullpen for 2013, by signing lefty Sean Burnett, right-hander Ryan Madson, and trading Jordan Walden. But the ‘pen is still decent at best. With Madson being out for at least the first week of the regular season, there is a spot, or maybe even two, left to be filled in this shaky bullpen.
Perhaps 24-year-old Garrett RIchards can step up and be a key piece in the late innings. He’s shown promise in the past, and he posted very good numbers in the spring. In 16 2/3 innings, the right-handed Richards managed to maintain an unbelievable 1.62 ERA, while striking out 10, and only walking two batters.
Another name being tossed around to work in the bullpen is 29-year-old Mark Lowe. Acquired by the Angels about a week ago, Lowe didn’t throw as well as he could in his one appearance for the Angels.
Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com speculates that manager Mike Scioscia “knows who’s getting his last two bullpen spots,” but wants to see how they “bounce back,” before announcing.
Gonzalez goes on to say, “My guess: Richards and Lowe.”
If there is such thing as a smaller question mark, place that one on the starting rotation. There are three new names in the rotation this year -- Tommy Hanson, Jason Vargas, Joe Blanton. Each is consider league-average, but if they’re able to eat up innings avoid injury, they should be able to accumulate a lot of wins.
I’m not going to touch much on the offensive side for the Angels. You know what they’re capable of. I mean, really... Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, AND Josh Hamilton on the same team? How is that even fair to opposing pitchers? Not to mention Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick, a middle-infield duo capable of hitting .300 and 15+ home runs.
All in all, this team should win the AL West by a long-shot. They are one of the top teams in baseball on paper, and they need to act like it right from the get-go. If they can stay healthy and play together as a team, they should have no problem whatsoever of making a deep run in the postseason, and winning it all is definitely in the realm of possibility.
Angels 2013 Season Outlook
written by: Austin Borgen
@TNT4427
Angels sign Chris Snyder
written by: Austin Borgen
@TNT4427
I’m done analyzing the physical play, the approaches, the pitches, the swings; I’m done with it all (for now). Let’s take look at something different for a change.
The Angels are composed of 35 men: 25 players and 10 coaches. These men have feelings, emotions, dreams, and goals like every other person on the planet. Men interact, build relationships/friendships, and work together in permitted situations. While these are all true, I have yet to see any instances of bonding on this team.
There is no cheering, rooting, smiling, or laughing among the team. Granted, the Angels are not playing to their expectations or ability level, but they need to build some relationships and work together.
Our beloved Halos are now 2-8 on the season, and, to be completely honest - it is getting hard to watch this team play. Some may say we can attribute the lack of team comradery to the loss of long-time team captain Torii Hunter to the Detroit Tigers.
I say it’s time to stop using that cop-out and someone needs to step up to become the leader to surge this team forward. Whether its Pujols, Aybar, or even Trout, it needs to happen and it needs to happen now.
Baseball is more than what happens on the field. Baseball involves the mind more than anything. Every pitch brings a new situation and opportunity to succeed. But success will not come by individual effort. This “team” needs to come together now more than ever and work together to win every pitch. Not game, not even inning, but the Angels need to really focus on winning every pitch.
What do I mean by that? The Angels need to keep their minds right in every moment of the game by being patient and letting the game come to them. Yes, every cliché possible, but completely true.
The time is now. You can have all the talent in the world but you can’t become successful unless it all comes together as one unit. It’s time someone steps up.
And after a team meeting and coaches meeting, there’s nothing else that can be said. Focus on being teammates; focus on building relationships with each other, then you will be successful. Have some fun out there fellas.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
What's Wrong w/ the Angels?
written by Steve Granado
@SteveGranado
The Angels lose yet another series (3 of their first 4) with another game to play against the Minnesota Twins. With Wednesday’s game likely to be postponed due to inclement weather, the halos will remain among the bottom of the AL West with a 4-10 record.
Is it already time to press the panic button in the third week of the season?
The pitching staff has a combined 5.18 ERA while the offense is only scoring an average of 3.54 runs per game. It’s obvious to see the problem between these two numbers. Everything seems to be in a funk right now even after fans thought they saw the turning point in Saturday night’s walk off win against the Astros. What’s to come? Trades? Firings?
The move that most fans seem to agree on is letting go of long-time pitching coach Mike Butcher. Butcher has been Scioscia’s right-hand man since the start of the 2007 season and his job security wasn’t a question until last season’s pitching woes appeared.
The men on the bump clearly are not getting the job done - allowing around five to six runs per game, especially with the offense going the way it is of late. Will Butcher be fired? I believe if the woes continue as clearly as they are, he will be gone by the All-Star break. We saw last year how quickly Mickey Hatcher, once long-time hitting coach of the Angels, was let go after a disappointing April. Is the same fate in the near future for Butcher?
The halos haven’t seen another pitching coach besides Butcher since Bud Black, who was with the club from 2000-2006 before deciding to become a full-time manager with the San Diego Padres. Black was an incredible pitching coach and finding someone of his caliber would be tough, especially with such a thin market.
Regardless of what the “move” is, it needs to be done before the Angels quickly slip into another long losing streak as it currently stands at two.
They will face two tough teams at home in the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, and it may be make-or-break for Mike Butcher. We’ll see how it all plays out, but look for the Angels to make some type of move in the near future.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
Panic Button Time?
written by Steve Granado
@SteveGranado
The moment Torii Hunter announced he signed with the Detroit Tigers, I wanted to know when I would be able to see him again: That day would be April 19, 2013. Big Bang Friday featured the Angels facing the Tigers with Hunter starting in right field.
In the first inning, Tigers’ leadoff hitter Austin Jackson made the first out of the game and so came old the Halo favorite, “Big Game Hunter”. New Angel Stadium PA announcer Michael Araujo came over the stadium sound system saying six simple words in a calm and monotone voice, “Number 48, right fielder, Torii Hunter” to bring a crowd of over 39,000 to their feet.
Cheers, whistles, applause, and multiple fan signs greeted Hunter as he took the short walk from the unfamiliar visitor’s on deck circle to the all-familiar batter’s box.
The loud roars continued to ring through the stadium as Mr. Hunter removed his batting helmet and saluted his old Anaheim family of five incredible years. A beautiful moment for baseball that only lasted ten seconds - then it was back to business for the Tigers slugger. Hunter hit a single that at-bat.
Hunter also doubled and scored a run in the top of the 9th inning. His five memorable years in Angel red will never be forgotten by Halo faithful and the fans at the ballpark showed their gratitude towards number 48 in an incredible way.
Hunter was a special player for the Angels as he reeled in two Gold Gloves, two All-Star appearances, and a Silver Slugger award.
Being the class act he has always been, Hunter was signing autographs and taking photos with fans before the game began.
Hunter will be missed by all Angels fans, but his Anaheim return brought closure to the Halo faithful and its now back to business as usual.
The Angels will look to carry the momentum gained from the series opening 8-1 win and attempt to win only their second series of the year.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
Torii Hunter Returns to Big A
written by Steve Granado
@SteveGranado
With Tommy Hanson placed on the bereavement list (death in the family), Angels skipper Mike Scioscia will hand the ball over to rookie Michael Roth in the rubber match against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
Many thought Jerome Williams would get the call, but with Williams only throwing a miniscule five innings so far this season, Roth is the man on the bump and will be in charge of hopefully leading the Halos to a series victory over Texas.
There isn’t much to know about Roth. He’s a 23 year-old 9th round pick from the University of South Carolina. He played in the minors last year in rookie ball with the Orem Owlz where he posted a 4.91 ERA in nine starts. After an average minor league season,
Roth was asked to pitch for Great Britain in the 2013 World Baseball Classic but his team never made it out of the qualifying rounds.
Michael Roth will not over power the Rangers lineup in Wednesday’s matchup. He’s a junk ball pitcher who has seen a minimal five innings of major league action in his career which started a mere 10 days ago when he faced the Houston Astros in a relief appearance. Roth was able to pick up a win with four strikeouts in two innings pitched.
Do not expect the young rookie to throw seven or eight shutout innings as he faces a potent and hot Rangers lineup. It was evident in Tuesday’s 11-inning walk-off thriller that Scioscia had a plan to save his relievers as he let Scott Downs, Dane De La Rosa, and Ernesto Frieri relieve a laboring Jason Vargas while leaving Nick Maronde, Micahel Kohn, David Carpenter, and Williams to take a breather.
One thing in Roth’s favor is his lack of an in-depth scouting report. No one on the 25-man Texas roster has ever faced or even seen Roth. The 13-7 Rangers will be going into their at-bats almost completely blind as they only have five innings of film available to them. Nevertheless, Roth needs a decent start and will look to give the Halos a chance to win their second series in a row and cut the Rangers’ AL West lead to 3.5 games.
For more on #Angels baseball, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
You’re awake? How? Did you not just watch the longest game in Angels’ history?
19 innings, six hours and 32 minutes, and the 16th loss this season was the story of Monday night’s (and Tuesday morning’s) opening game against the Oakland Athletics. The 7:05 PM start lasted until the early hours of Tuesday morning and ended in an unfavorable way for the most faithful of Halo fans.
Last season, it seemed like the A’s were always winning in walk-off fashion. Well, on April 29th, they continued that trend when Brandon Moss stepped up to the plate with two outs and a runner on base. Moss hit a towering homer to right field on a decent pitch down and in from the Angels’ eighth reliever in the game, Barry Enright, to give the Athletics their third walk-off win this season.
Yes, the Angels lost a five-run lead twice. Yes, they had plenty of opportunities yet did not capitalize. Yes, the A’s are struggling - but more importantly, so are the Angels. The Halos have now lost six of their last eight games since cleanly sweeping the Detroit Tigers at home and are now dealing with another injury as Peter Bourjos has been placed on the 15-day disabled list. The Angels hottest hitter is batting a team leading .329 and will now suffer through a tough situation in a strained hamstring.
The best thing to come out of the ridiculously long 19 innings is the igniting of Angels’ hitters Mark Trumbo and Albert Pujols. Trumbo hit a monstrous 475-foot home run while Pujols collected four hits, including two homers. When these guys get hot, it is definitely fun to watch, so continue to look for their success in the final two games beginning tonight at 7:05 PM and Wednesday at 12:35 PM.
Let’s pray we play a simple nine innings this time.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
New Low for Angels in 19-Inning Loss
written by Steve Granado
@SteveGranado
It’s no mystery that the Angels have been struggling to put together wins so far this season. A lot of questions surround the clubhouse and the coaching staff, and this Astros series may be the biggest series so far.
The Halos are under the microscope. They have only 11 wins this season, and only four of those have come on the road. They haven’t won a series since sweeping the Detroit Tigers at home on April 19 – April 21, and find themselves in 4th place in the AL West. Now how come this series so important? I’ll tell you why…
This series with the Houston Astros should be fairly easy for them; the Astros have an even worse win total with a measly eight (worst record in baseball), and have lost their last six in a row. If the Halos do not sweep this series, it will feel like a loss in the clubhouse. They need momentum to build as they will head to Chicago to face the White Sox, and then back home to face the second place Kansas City Royals.
These next two series with the Astros and White Sox can be used to build that momentum fans have been looking for. I believe if the Angels can sweep Houston, and take at least two of three from Chicago, they will have enough momentum to finish May with an overall record over .500 (a huge accomplishment considering the early struggles). The hardest part of May is over and the Halos have a fairly “easy” schedule remaining with facing Houston four times, Chicago seven times, Kansas City seven times, and the Los Angeles Dodgers four times.
Aside from the record, this three game set with the last place Astros is crucial for the starting pitching staff. The Angels will throw CJ Wilson, Joe Blanton, and Jason Vargas. Wilson (3-0 in his last 4 starts with 3.42 ERA) needs to find his rhythm as he has been getting himself into trouble and working into too many deep counts. He has the perfect opportunity to work out his kinks versus a struggling ball club.
Joe Blanton is still looking for his first win in Halo red and will look to gain confidence in Houston. As far as Jason Vargas, he has been lights out in his last two starts. He has thrown a combined 17 total innings over his last two games and has only given up a mere two earned runs. His continued success is crucial to resting the bullpen and giving the Angels a chance to win.
On the offensive side of the field, the Angels need to use this series to get back to “Mike Scioscia small ball”. The Anaheim ball club is in last place in stolen base percentage in the AL at 60%.
Angels broadcaster Jose Mota called the Angels “a team that does not run a whole lot on the bases” which may be surprising given the speed in the lineup. Small ball is crucial especially given the recent struggles of two sluggers in Albert Pujols and season-long struggles of Josh Hamilton.
I can not stress enough that the Angels need to sweep this series. Look for solid starting pitching, small ball, and crooked numbers as their keys to success.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
Why Angels NEED to Sweep Astros
written by: Steve Granado
@SteveGranado
After losing two of three to the Kansas City Royals at home, and now falling 10 games under .500 once again (15-25), the Angels will host the Chicago White Sox for a four game set starting Thursday night.
If you recall, the Angels recently faced the Sox in Chicago and took the series by winning two of three. What can we expect in this mid-May matchup?
The White Sox are coming off a series win against the Twins in Minnesota and will look to stay hot against a fluctuating Angels squad.
The Angels on the other hand are scuffling after a poor performance last night against the Royals in a 9-5 loss.
Jerome Williams will take the hill for the Halos in Thursday night’s game, which is also Mark Trumbo bobble head night. Williams threw 6 2/3 in his last start (also against Chicago) where he picked up the win while giving up two earned runs.
Big Bang Friday will hand the ball to CJ Wilson, who had his best start off the 2013 season his last time out but picked up the loss as he faced an almost perfect game (one-hitter) against Chris Sale.
Military Saturday at the Big A will feature Joe Blanton who will look for his first win once again (0-6) in Halo red. The Angels will wrap up the series with Jason Vargas who picked up the win as he threw seven innings and allowed two runs in the opening Royals game.
Halo pitching is still trying to find a groove as they have a -41 run differential, which is the third worst in the Major Leagues only behind the Miami Marlins and Houston Astros. Its time they get it together as the Angels find themselves 11 games behind the first place Texas Rangers.
In this series, watch out for a red hot Mike Trout who is batting .368 in his last 15 games with six home runs and 17 RBIs. Also watch out for Albert Pujols. Pujols is scuffling of late, but is sitting on 499 career home runs (18 postseason, 481 regular season) and has a .333 lifetime batting average against Thursday’s White Sox starter Jose Quintana.
Hot. Like really, really hot.
Prior to Thursday’s game versus the Kansas City Royals, he surpassed the league batting average on fastballs, curveballs, and change-ups, while posting a .375 average on the slow breaking ball - Not to mention he hit for his first career cycle Tuesday night, becoming the youngest player to conquer that feat since 1929.
He’s heating up, and looking better and stronger than he did in his rookie campaign. And boy, is it fun to watch.
Since Angels center fielder Peter Bourjos went down in that 19-inning marathon in Oakland (April 29th, and 30th), Trout has assumed the role of the everyday center fielder. Since the end of April, Trout is batting .351 with a .437 OBP, and an astonishing .770 SLG. His 15 extra base hits are only seven behind a franchise record held by Garret Anderson, who had 22 XBH in June of 2003. Let’s also not forget his eight home runs in May which trails only Miguel Cabrera by one (9).
It’s not just what he’s doing in the batter’s box, but also what he’s doing on the basepaths. After a less than stellar four stolen bags in April, “Kid Fish” already has six so far in May, bringing his season total to 10. With those bags taken, and a monstrous 463 ft. homer in the Royals opener (a career long), he’s the first in the Majors to reach double digits in HRs and SBs, which begs the question: Will he reach the 40/40 plateau in 2013?
It’s an incredible feat that has only been done four times, last seen by Alfonso Soriano back in 2006. At this point in time, Trout is projected to hit only (I say only tentatively) 34 big flies, but is also on track to steal a ridiculous 79 bags. In that retrospect, it’s hard to tell. From the spectator standpoint, it is most certainly a possibility. He knows how to play, and he’s only getting better every time he steps on the diamond. It’s a question that should honestly be considered, but it’s too early to tell.
With 115 games left in the season, anything is truly possible. The Angels find themselves at 20-27 and rolling on a 5-game winning streak and playing the best baseball they have all year long.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
For four games a year, everything relevant to the season takes the back seat. Positioning in the division, though necessary to consider, takes a secondary place too who’s in the other dugout.
This is a series where taking care of “Bad Blood” becomes tops on the agenda. This series becomes more about the fans than any other time during the season. Even if you don’t follow baseball to heavy but you live in Southern California, you know exactly what game starts at 7:05.
Well, tonight this heated rivalry kicked off game one of a four game set. Angels came into Chavez Ravine as one of the league’s hottest teams. After completing the four game sweep of the Kansas City Royals Sunday afternoon, the Halos had strung together an eight game win streak. For the Dodgers, they’ve hit the 2013 version of rock bottom, rumors about coaching changes, players possibly on the block, and through it all LA still continues to struggle. If anyone has seen Matt Kemp, please contact the authorities, the team is looking for him and is worried.
It was pitchers match-up down at Chavez Ravine, Zack Grienke going for the Dodgers and CJ Wilson getting the call for the Angels. To what was expected to be a low scoring game couldn’t have been any further from what actually happened.
The Angels, who tagged up Grienke early, got a little help from LA on a passed ball and then a throwing error to open up the first inning with a 2-0 lead. After a big fourth inning, which saw the Angels hit a pair of doubles and Trout adding his sixth triple of the year, Anaheim jumped ahead of LA 6-1. Despite, an eight game win streak, Angel fans still recall what has taken place over the course of the season, so no lead is safe, especially with a potent lineup like the Dodgers.
LA, rallied in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to pull off something rare, erase a five run deficit and take a 7-6 lead. This game didn’t see any home runs, but saw plenty of good solid hitting from both ball clubs. The game went back-and-fourth one last time in the seventh, but ultimately the Dodgers snapped the Anaheim win streak with an 8-7 win. Both starting pitchers didn’t decide in the decision.
So the Battle for LA, has drawn first blood, three games remain in the series, with game two tonight in LA. Come Wednesday night the series with shift down the 5 freeway to Anaheim for games three and four.
As baseball fans, we should all make sure that we keep this series about baseball. The jersey you wear on the front, is a representation of the team you like, no disrespect to anything or anyone. Stop the fighting and violence after a win or a loss. Keep this series something children can enjoy, and fans can look forward to.
Notes: Dodgers remain in last place of the NL West, 7.5 games behind Arizona. Angels are in third place in the AL West, 8.5 games behind Texas Tonight at 7:05 (5/28/13), Joe Blanton (Angels) faces Hyun-Jin Ryu (Dodgers)
For more on the #Angels/#Dodgers #FreewaySeries, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
After 50 days of watching his team go through ups and downs, heartbreaks, and struggles, Jered Weaver will step back on the rubber at Angel Stadium for his home debut - which should have been April 9th if it weren’t for a radial fracture on his left elbow.
After two starts that can only be described as not “Weaver-esque” to start the season, he will face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday in an important game to Angels fans as the Halos lost the first two of a four game set at Chavez Ravine.
Weaver threw an extended Spring Training game last Wednesday (May 22nd) where he threw 75 pitches, 62 for strikes, with nine punchouts and zero walks. After a start like that, one could imagine Weaver will be back to his old, 20 game winning self.
What can Angels fans expect out of the reliable ace?
According to MLB associate reporter William Boor, Mike Scioscia said Weaver will not be throwing 100-110 pitches. Of course, it’s obvious that the Dream Weaver would not be out there throwing an unruly amount of pitches, but it looks as though he will not have a set pitch count. Weaver will go out there and try to win like he always does. He will more than likely stay under 100 pitches to preserve his arm, being it the first time back in the bigs.
In his brief two starts in the beginning of the season versus the Reds and A’s, his fastball velocity was down, living around 84-86 MPH. Weaver hasn’t been the type of pitcher to blow hitters away in the last few years, but he needs to get back to throwing around 87-90. Throwing in the high 80’s while touching 90 occasionally will allow his already devastating change-up to be more effective as it lives in the mid-70’s. Comboing his fastball and change while mixing in his slider and curve occasionally will allow Weaver to keep the Dodgers off balance and hopefully lead the Angels to victory.
It’s no question that The Angels need Weaver to be at his best as they face Chris Capuano and the Dodgers. The Halos will look to get their first win of the series at the Big A tonight starting at 7:05 PM.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter.
Angels’ outfielder Peter Bourjos will make his return to the Angels after straining his hamstring in that 19 inning marathon against the Oakland Athletics on April 30th. Does he have what it takes for this club to find consistency and finally get it going?
All season long, the Angels have not been able to find the consistency they need to make a solid run at the Rangers or Athletics. Last season, it was the same story – but their struggles ended in May with the calling up of Mike Trout. As Bourjos is activated to play his first game back against the Baltimore Orioles, he sits at a solid .313/.370/.458 slash line.
The Angels need a spark. Fans believed Jered Weaver’s return could have been the spark they needed, but it’s hard to make that type of impact when he only pitches every five days. Bourjos will be back in the lineup every day and in the batter’s box around four times a game. Mike Scioscia has already said he will not bat leadoff (given Trout’s recent success back in his old spot) and he will be in centerfield (Trout in left).
Angels’ reporter Jose Mota believes Trout should be in center, but knows the move will not affect Trout’s offensive prowess. Scioscia has made it very clear that Bourjos will be the everyday center fielder, despite much criticism.
Bourjos’ rehab stint went very well with the AAA Salt Lake Bees as he batted .313 with a home run and four runs scored in four games. His glove shined as well when he made a nice running grab in his first game in Salt Lake, showing his strained hamstring was back in good condition.
He may have what it takes to get this team going. His speed is always a threat on the bases and his glove gives the Angels’ outfield three potential gold gloves including Trout and Josh Hamilton. The Angels need Bourjos to be exactly what he was, if not better, before he went to the disabled list as they hit one of their toughest stretches of the season as they will face the Orioles, Yankees, Pirates, and Tigers in the month of June.
Mike Trout is a shoe-in to make an appearance at the New York Mets’ Citi Field for the 2013 All-Star game in July. Mark Trumbo may have a roster spot as well, if he is able to turn it on before the break.
The one man in Angels red who is even more deserving of your All-Star vote? One Howie Kendrick. Kendrick is off to the best start of his career with a batting average that currently sits at .328 (third in the American League) and has 84 total hits (fifth in the American League).
The most impressive thing about Kendrick’s batting prowess is his ability to hit to all parts of the ballpark for power and average.
Take a look at his hit spray chart at Angel Stadium this season:
His ability to drive the gaps for power (four home runs to left and right center) and his other hits range from foul line to foul line shows his maturity as a hitter.
This is the year Halo fans have been waiting for out of the 2011 All-Star second baseman. The only crippling factor he has hidden in his stats, lies in his eight errors committed (nine total in 2011) and his .975 fielding percentage (which ranks eighth in the American League) - but that still doesn’t take away from his continued success at flashing the leather.
Kendrick has proven to be the Angels’ best and most consistent hitter this season. His ability to get it done on both sides of the field should get him on the All-Star roster. His counterpart second baseman Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees currently leads the AL fan vote.
If I’m putting together an American League team, there’s no question in my mind that I would choose Howie Kendrick to be turning double-plays up the middle for my ball club.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter.
The Angels bounced back from a ten inning 3-2 loss, Tuesday night, to shut out the Mariners by a final of 1-0 Wednesday night at the Big A.
CJ Wilson took the hill for the Halos, and behind seven innings of near-perfect baseball (allowed two hits, and gave up two walks) Wilson improved to 6-5 on the year.
Wilson had to be on his game tonight, because across the diamond, former Angel Joe Saunders was dealing his best performance of the season. Saunders took the complete game loss, allowing six hits over eight innings of play, with the only run being scored by Mike Trout on a wild pitch in the bottom half of the sixth inning.
This wasn’t the Angels' best game of the year by any stretch of the imagination, but from the 57 Freeway, the halo above the Big A is lit up which means they got the win.
Josh Hamilton, who clearly isn’t having a Hamilton-type year, dropped to seventh in the lineup, and with an 0-3 night, including two strikeouts, that may be his home for a while.
He wasn’t alone though, the 3-4-5 hitters (Pujols, Trumbo, and Kendrick) combined to go 1-10, Wednesday night.
This series with AL West rival, Seattle, has been an all-tell story about the 2013 Angels. On Monday night, the Angels were on the horizon of franchise records, posting 21 hits in an 11-3 win, finally showcasing the “Big Bats” that we have all heard about. To Tuesday night's loss in extra innings, and finally a combined two-hit shutout by Wilson, Scott Downs, and Ernesto Frieri, Wednesday night.
Winning is always a better conversation and story, and the upcoming stretch through the All-Star break can make or break the season for the Angels. After tonight's series finale with the Mariners, which cannot be taken lightly, the Halos next 15 games are brutal (Pittsburgh, @Detroit, @Houston, St. Louis, Boston).
On the bright side for Mike Scioscia’s ball club, consistency has been more of a discussion for the Angels. Just about everybody besides Hamilton is seeing the ball better, making contact, hustling out plays, or pitching solid innings, to keep from destroying the bullpen on a nightly basis.
If the Angels can keep playing their game, give Weaver a little run support at the top of the rotation - this stretch run for Anaheim can look in their favor heading into the break.
“Heads up dude, I’m back now”
Angels DH and first baseman Albert Pujols uttered these six words to Mike Trout after the Halos beat the Chicago Cubs on June 5th. If you recall, Pujols hit a two-run monstrous home run to give the Angels a 1-run lead in the 8th inning. But it wasn’t until the first game of a double-header on June 8th, against the Boston Red Sox, that things “clicked.” Pujols lined out to first base and that’s when it all changed for him.
After that day Pujols swears was the turning point, he’s batting .391 with a .652 slugging percentage.
I think he’s back. He looks confident, relaxed, and like he’s having fun for the first time this season. Pujols has said that he hasn’t felt this confident about his swing and bat speed since his St. Louis Cardinals days.
The Angels need this. They need a Pujols that drives the ball and brings in runs. It goes without saying that Josh Hamilton’s struggles have affected the Halos, but with the emergence of Pujols, those struggles may not matter anymore.
After a four game set with the Seattle Mariners in which the Angels won three, LAA now finds themselves back in third place and flirting once again with getting back to a .500 record. The Seattle series win was due in large part to Albert, who batted to a .412/.474/.647 slash line while driving in four runs with a home run and a double. He also made his return to first base after a long string of DH appearances in which he looked solid.
The question has been brought up a thousand times: Is this what gets the Angels going? Man, I hope so. Even after winning six of their last eight games, the Angels still find themselves nine games out of first place in the AL West.
But as long as Pujols keeps doing what he’s doing (with the help of Trout, Kendrick, and Bourjos) the Angels may still have a chance to make the postseason.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter
Who would have thought back in December of last year there would be a real possibility the Angels could be sellers at trade deadline?
Well that seemingly unimaginable situation back then has become a reality now at the end of 2013 June.
Angels general manager Jerry DiPoto recently denied the notion of being a seller, and even denied becoming a buyer to Alden Gonzalez.
“We are not a buyer, we are not a seller. We’re the Angels who are sitting here trying to win a game today. Our sense of urgency has to be today, tomorrow and every day.”
DiPoto also stated, “I’m always thinking about 2014 and 2015. There is no dramatic point in time, there is no single day. That’s how I think every day — how can we maximize our talent level today and for years to come?”
Regardless of his statements, one could imagine the Angels will be sellers at the July 31st trade deadline. They have yet to find any consistency in their rotation, bullpen, or offense. One day they score 14 runs on 16 hits, another day they’re shut out with two hits.
There’s no question there’s a lot of talent on this Anaheim ballclub, and they potentially have a lot of trading chips. Some of these chips could include (even though I don’t agree with some) : Chris Iannetta, Alberto Callaspo, Jason Vargas, and (dare I say) Mark Trumbo and Howie Kendrick have been names that have been tossed around (For the record, I disagree with Kendrick and Trumbo).
Realistically? I see the Angels being a quiet seller at the deadline. What do I mean by “quiet seller?” - I mean the Angels will definitely be making some moves that may upset fans initially. I do not know what they are, I do not know who will be coming or going, and I do not know what the field focus (pitching, fielding, or offense) will be.
Do not expect them to be drastic moves made that will shock the general public, but expect some moves that may not make complete sense in terms of present success.
The season began with extremely high expectations after signing free agent Josh Hamilton to a 5-year 125 million dollar deal.
Many analysts had the Angels not only winning their division but the entire American League as well. Some even had them winning the World Series.
With a lineup that has two former MVPs, young emerging stars (Mark Trumbo, Mike Trout) and a solid 1-2 punch at the top of the pitching rotation, it was understandable why the bar was set so high. Arte Moreno built this team for exactly that.
Clearly the numbers aren’t living up to Spring Training expectations. As of July 2, the Halos are 39-43, nine games back in the American League West.
For any average person just tuning into the 2013 season, they would probably say the Angels are not having a good year. This is true, but the baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. Over the last 17 games the Angels are 12-5 including a six game win streak. A six game win streak that all came on the road (back-to-back sweeps over Detroit and Houston).
The problem with any type of Angels success sits atop the division with the Texas Rangers and Oakland A’s. It seems anytime the Angels begin to warm up, either the Rangers or A’s do so as well. Despite winning six straight the Angels are only a game and a half better than where they were exactly one month ago.
Another problem with the Halos gaining any ground in the division - when the Angels struggle or drop a couple games, Texas and/or Oakland continues to win. It seems that LA is running in circles regardless of the effort on the field. This is why in the MLB every game counts. Some look at a season and believe that 162 game schedule leaves plenty of room to get it together. If you feel this way, you are obviously oblivious to the AL West.
While the Angels were getting off to a slow start, dealing with injuries, and flat out not producing, the Rangers and A’s were building a cushion for the division lead (Oakland trails Texas by half a game). It looks as if heading into the all-star break the Angels will need to play at their best just to gain minimal ground, especially thru this Sunday.
LA returns to the field tonight beginning a six game home stand with two of Baseball's best, the St. Louis Cardinals, followed by the Boston Red Sox. Texas plays host to the Seattle Mariners followed by the Astros with the A’s taking on the Cubs, in Oakland, before heading to Kansas City.
Nothing is going to come easy to for the Halos, but the offense is starting to click, even Josh Hamilton has drawn four walks over the last week. Although it’s hard not to do, Mike Trout and company don’t have any business scoreboard watching. Like Mike Scioscia always says, “.....we can’t worry about what the rest of the division is doing, as long as we take care of our business, everything else will fall into place.”
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter.
Not the first half Angels’ fans expected heading into Opening Day on April 1st, where the Halos faced the Cincinnati Reds (the first interleague opening series in MLB history).
The sub-.500 record may be a little deceiving though, as the Halos have shown glimmers of hope through the last 50 games or so. With all the injuries to the pitching staff and the constant battle with Peter Bourjos’ health, the Angels are still in contention for some sort of a playoff berth. Up until the road series, LA looked extremely confident and like they were finally catching some fire. The biggest key to second half success will be getting healthy.
Looking back to the first half, the Angels had some awesome moments. Some of these moments included walk-offs from Howie Kendrick, Albert Pujols, Erick Aybar, and Josh Hamilton. Peter Bourjos robbed J.J. Hardy of a 2-run home run in Baltimore, and of course Mike Trout hit his first career grand slam and cycle.
The rest of July will be important for the Halos as they face the two teams ahead of them in the standings: the Oakland Athletics seven times, and the Texas Rangers three times. Players like Peter Bourjos, Jason Vargas, Sean Burnett, and Tommy Hanson will be huge in making a final push in the last 69 remaining games.
It’s no question that the Halos pitching staff has had their share of struggles, and they will definitely need the pitching to step up big if they want any chance of going anywhere after the season ends. Call me crazy/insane/sick in the head or whatever you want, but I see the Angels playing in October.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter.
Angels Swept by M's to End 1st Half
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Hambone’s hitting streak looked as though it would be snapped last night after eight games – that is until he came up to face St Louis Cardinals’ closer Edward Mujica in the bottom of the 9th with Albert Pujols on first and trailing in a 5-3 ball game.
Mujica, who at this point was a perfect 21 for 21 in save opportunities, started Hamilton off with an off-speed pitch down and in.
If this were May or June, Hamilton would have more-than-likely swung through the first offering wildly, but he has transformed into a different and uncharacteristically patient hitter.
The left-hander then received a 1-0 fastball that started in, but tailed back over the heart of the plate. Being the veteran hitter he is, Hamilton did not miss the huge mistake, driving the ball over the 400 ft marker in center field to tie the game at five (while also extending his hit streak to nine games). Erick Aybar eventually singled in Howie Kendrick later that inning to win the game and the series.
While the walk-off win was the talk of the town, Hamilton has changed. No, it was not the 2-run bomb that made me realize, it’s been ongoing since June 25th: If you recall, Hamilton received three of days due to a sore wrist as well as a cortisone shot on June 22nd to relieve his pain.
Since his black swan event, the right fielder finds himself hitting .400 with a 1.100 OPS. The Angels are coincidentally 8-1 during his 9-game hitting streak. His new found patience is evident by the numbers by seeing he has six walks in these nine games (he had ten total in all of May).
Hamilton’s clutch home run last night is just another step for the slugger. His opposite field patient approach is the best we’ve seen out of him all year long. Look for him and the Halos to stay hot as they face an equally hot rival Boston Red Sox in the last home series before the All-Star Break.
With the unforgettable moments, World Series droughts, and ridiculous but seemingly true curses, the game to be played is still the same: Hit the ball, score more runs than your opponent.
The Angels traveled to the Windy City of Chicago to face the Cubs in a quick, two-game interleague set.
Seeing this as an opportunity to see my favorite team play in one of America’s most historic landmarks, I could not pass it up; and boy, was it one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
A 20-minute subway ride through the beautiful city of Chicago led me to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley field - A small ballpark located on the corner of Addison and Clark having a “vintage” feeling as it came into sight.
“Wrigley Field Home of Chicago Cubs” -
the big red and fading sign greets fans on the main entrance of the ballpark. Simple hellos and welcomes from stadium employees make one feel right at home even as an away team fan.
Upon entering, the concrete hallways seem so simple as signs point to the diamond. Through the tunnels and up the ramps, the field becomes visible. The most beautiful ballpark in history brings immediate grins from ear-to-ear. Our beloved Halos were taking batting practice and you feel like you’re home. The hand-operated scoreboard above the centerfield bleachers stands as the highest point of the confines and the outfield wall covered in ivy immediately grabs one’s attention as the Angels prepare for the game ahead. Truly one of the prettiest things I have ever seen in my entire life.
As warm-ups end, and fans make their way to their assigned seats, baseball begins: no extravagant pregame video showing the team’s history or highlights from the night before, just players running on to the diamond. Being it that I attended each of the two games, I saw the Halos get smashed and do the smashing. Whether a losing score of 7-2 or a winning score of 13-2, the game seemed so much simpler; it was once again the kid’s game.
A 7th Inning Stretch where every fan sings along to the organ music trounces that of Angel Stadium. At Wrigley Field, everyone is a baseball fan first, and a fan of their favorite team second. When the Cubs come out on top after nine innings, the faithful sing “Go Cubs Go”, a song dedicated to a victorious contest.
Upon exiting the Friendly Confines, a feeling of elation comes over one’s body. Win or lose, the three-or-so hours spent at Wrigley were some of the best you’ve ever had.
Visit Wrigley Field - you will never regret nor forget the experiences you encounter. You forget the analysis, the struggles, the records, and the numbers. It’s just baseball. After visiting the historic Wrigley Field, you fall in love with America’s Pastime all over again.
Hanson came out in the first inning, blowing up the radar gun in touching 94 MPH.
Whether it was adrenaline, or his rehab really went well, he lived around 92-94 all day long. For a pitcher who is consistently around 89 MPH, throwing 43 of 76 pitches at 90 MPH or above is incredible.
The right-hander worked 5 1/3 innings where he tied his season high with eight strikeouts, and only allowed one earned run. While the fastball velocity was better than usual, his off-speed was not entirely crisp. A few curveballs really worked for Hanson, yet he did let a few of them go.
Hanson’s solid performance wouldn’t be enough for the Halos as they would eventually lose their third straight game, this time in extra innings (by horrific means) and second to the Minnesota Twins. The story has been the same during the 3-game losing streak: The Angels keep leaving runners on base. Wasted opportunities have hurt them during a few different stretches this year and it seems to be the continued story here early after the All-Star break.
After tonight’s loss the Halos are in sole possession of fourth place in the AL West, courtesy of an 8-game winning streak from the Seattle Mariners. They also find themselves 11 games back of a seemingly impossible to catch Oakland Athletics.
Angels: Hanson Shines in Return
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Angels came into the series with visiting St. Louis on a hot 6-game win streak. For two team that don’t really have a history, how the teams matched up were simply based off individual numbers from this season.
The story-lines across LA/Orange County were of Albert Pujols facing his old team for the first time since signing a 10-year $240 million with the Angels, two years ago. How the series would go was to be determined on the field.
LA opened up the set with a big 5-1 over the Red Birds. Weaver was outstanding in his seven inning outing, allowing 6 hits and striking out five. Pujols went 0-3, with two strikeouts.
In game two, unaware of what time the game started, mixed with Jerome Williams losing all control of his command, the Cardinals snapped the Angels' streak at seven with a 12-2 slaughter. Pujols again went hitless (0-4 with a strikeout). Not every game can be a win, sometimes win streaks make a team complacent, and a little shake up is necessary moving forward. Although the streak column says; Lost 1, the bigger picture at this point reads, "Winners of seven of their last eight."
Heading into series finale, the stage was set for the Fourth of July. There is no better way to celebrate our nations independence than with baseball. It was a packed house at the Big A. American flags were strung across the railing throughout the stadium. The American Flag was pulled out, covering the entire outfield during the national anthem. With 42,707 fans cheering, the Blue Angels flew over just after the Anthem. An amazing fireworks show was scheduled following the game, all the fans needed was an Angels win. What the fans got was more than anyone could have asked for.
Mike Trout opened the game up with a 2-run single, and Joe Blanton came out dealing-striking out five through three innings. Blanton began to lose his command in the fourth, giving up a 3-run shot to Alan Craig, and then two more runs through the sixth.
With the Angels looking for an Independence Day miracle, LA came to bat in the bottom half of the ninth. Pujols opened up with his first hit of the series-singling to left. With number five on first, Josh Hamilton stepped to the plate.
Hamilton has not delivered throughout the season in these type of scenarios, but this night was different. Hamilton took a 1-0 count and sent his 11th homer of the year deep over the centerfield wall, tying the game at 5.
After Howie Kendrick and Mark Trumbo reached base, still with no outs, Alberto Callaspo and Hank Conger quickly brought the Angels to their last out. Erick Aybar stepped to the plate and right on cue, with a 2-1 count, singled to left driving in Kendrick for the winning run. Angels won in walk-off fashion 6-5, taking the series two games to one.
So back to the top, two teams without a real history, story lines headed by Pujols, what did we learn? For one, Pujols didn’t really factor in any of the first 26 1/2 innings, but when it mattered he reached base. We have learned that the Angels have now won eight of their last nine, with big wins over baseballs top teams-Detroit and St. Louis. The Angels are getting the timely hitting that is required to make a run for a post season berth. Pitching is coming together, as well as the bats, both are making the Angels look like the contender they should be. The road isn’t going to get any easier, LA opens up a three game set with AL East leaders-Boston Red Sox, Friday night. Although the division seems to be hovering around 8.5 games for the Angels. The next 8 games will play a critical role heading into the second half of the season.
After the All-Star break the Halos open up with 10 of their first 13 against the A’s and Rangers. Quality wins will lead to big wins, which will turn into a run at the division.
Outfield prospect Kole Calhoun has been called up from Triple-A Salt Lake and will replace him on the roster Sunday. Calhoun has been flat-out destroying Triple-A since his return from an early season injury, batting .354 with 12 home runs (including a 3-homer night earlier this week).
Losing Pujols may be the final blow the Angels did not need. He was surprisingly on pace for 106 RBIs this season, even considering his multitude of struggling stretches at the plate. After playing poorly in a crucial Oakland series, it doesn’t look good for the Halos. Calhoun is a huge addition to the 25-man roster, but it’s still uncertain on how he will perform at the Major League level.
The Halos will have a 3-game set in Texas against the Rangers beginning Monday after the conclusion of the Oakland series Sunday afternoon. However, even a sweep may not be enough. A playoff berth is not mathematically impossible, but it is realistically unattainable.
Albert Pujols to DL, Torn Ligament
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Rumors of the Cardinals, Dodgers, Blue Jays, and Royals potentially trading for one of the middle infielders scared Angels’ fans up until 1 PM on July 31st, but they ultimately stayed with the club. For the Angels, the double-play duo presents solid infielders and offensive mastery for potential up-and-coming pitching prospects.
The Halos will be looking to beef up their pitching staff including their rotation as well as their bullpen. The transformation already began with the trading of Scott Downs to Atlanta for young pitching prospect Cory Rasmus, and you can expect more to come during the offseason.
However, don’t expect the Angels to play the free agent market as they have the last few years, especially since the free agent signings in recent memory haven’t been exactly what management or fans wanted or anticipated.
You must also remember that Peter Bourjos, Mark Trumbo, Kevin Jepsen, and Ernesto Frieri are arbitration eligible after the season, while Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson will have salary raises as their contracts are back-loaded.
Instead of spending money they don’t have, look for the Angels to make trades for prospect/major league ready talent.
Personally, I can’t see Aybar leaving, but Kendrick may be more of a possibility as they now have Athletics’ second baseman prospect Grant Green, as well as farm system grown Taylor Lindsey and Andrew Romine waiting in the wings.
The only position players the Angels may go after would be a third baseman and/or catcher, but expect pitching to be priority number one for Dipoto and the front office.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter.
Angels: Time To Talk Offseason?
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We saw a small sample of him in his first game in an Angels uniform as he collected his first career hit in his first at-bat, followed by his second career hit in his second at-bat (both singles up the middle). We also saw a few dazzling plays at second base, showing some of his range and arm strength.
Green is actually a lot like Howie Kendrick: he’s a utility infielder that hits for average to all fields with average speed. Sounds familiar, yes? Despite a few nice plays last night, Green isn’t necessarily the guy to raise eyebrows as a defender, but the Athletics thought very highly of him. He’s a Southern California kid who attended USC and was drafted 12 players before Mike Trout in the 2009 first year player draft.
Out of his draft class, Green was ranked the number 52 prospect by Baseball America, and has a solid .333 batting average in triple-A this season with a Minor League career .822 OPS in five seasons.
Green’s best asset is definitely his bat and expect him to hit mostly line drives to all fields. While this probably won’t be Green’s final call up, expect him to definitely get his first couple Major League hits while Kendrick is looking at a minimum of four days resting his sprained knee.
Grant Green: What To Expect
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Trout is reaching base more often through 116 games, and even has an OPS that is 34 points higher.
Let’s dig deeper; just from watching the 22-year-old, his plate discipline has grown as he has been flirting with in the top three spots in the lineup this season. As Howie Kendrick and Albert Pujols went, Trout has filled the roll of reaching base, striking out less, and most importantly - swinging at fewer pitches out of the zone. Through the same amount of games, Trout has struck out 20 times less this season as compared to last. He’s swinging at more strikes and making more contact on those pitches than he was a year ago by roughly 4%.
Though Trout has not been as successful or frequent with stealing bases, his speed on the basepaths is evident. He has already reached base nine times when the defense makes an error while having seven all of last season. This shows his speed is more of a factor and makes the defense rush and make mistakes.
Defensively, he isn’t as dazzling as he was a year ago (but honestly, it’s not easy to do better defensively than 2012 Trout, even for the man himself). Many of his sabermetric defensive numbers do show a decline in his throwing arm. The biggest decline defensively for him lies within his Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) which is an overall assessment of a player’s defensive ability. In all of his rookie campaign Trout had a UZR of 12 in centerfield, while this season he ranks a lowly -.04 in the eighth position, according to Fangraphs.
Trout’s UZR was so high in 2012, which mostly to do with all the home runs he stole, and that has a lot to do with opportunity to rob home runs (which he has had only a handful during his sophomore season).
So is Mike Trout a better overall player in 2013? Simply, yes. After reviewing the deep statistics, his offensive proficiency outweighs his defensive decline. He has created 119 runs while holding a bat as opposed to the 14 runs that he is projected to allow compared to the average fielder while wearing a glove. Trout is MVP caliber, we all know this. But the fact that his team has won 16 less games in 2013 over a 116 game stretch (through no fault of his own) puts his name out of contention of an AL MVP award.
For more on the #Angels, follow @SportSpeakOC on Twitter.
2012 Mike Trout vs 2013 Mike Trout
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Win/loss percentage-wise, at .437 with a 55-71 record, this is the 10th worst season in the history of the franchise. The Halos are on pace to lose 20 of their final 36 games, and are eerily close to finishing below .500 for the first time in a decade; that’s not even the worst part.
Offensively, they're getting it done: they are in the Top 10 of the American League in hits, doubles, triples, home runs, batting average, runs scored, slugging percentage, OPS, on-base percentage, total bases, and runs batted in. Here’s the kicker: their ERA is the worst in the American League behind the AL West counterpart Houston Astros. Coincidentally, the pitching staff has allowed the third most hits only behind the Astros and Blue Jays. It’s obvious to see the importance of solid pitching in being a playoff-contending ball club.
Let’s get back to the big question: is this the worst season in Angels’ history? Boy, does it feel like it. It’s hard to imagine a season in Halos’ history that was more hyped than 2013. The last two seasons really, beginning with the big free agent signings during the winter meetings have felt like a huge letdown.
The Angels’ front office did an incredible job of hiding the Halos’ true problems by throwing out big checks to the biggest free agents available. Ultimately, it is impossible to hide the fact that Angels just can not pitch.
In short, this is easily the worst season in recent memory. The hype and letdown are just outstanding and mind blowing; no one could have predicted a fail of this caliber. Whether the 2013 season will be considered the worst season in Angels’ franchise history will be determined on how the Halos from Anaheim will finish out their last 36 games of the regular season.
Grant Green: What To Expect
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