Twitter Helps Heat Up AL West Rivalry

For about 4 years now, Twitter has been a popular place for athletes (both current and retired) to connect with their fans.  From the incredibly popular (like Chad Ochocino and Shaq) to the relatively obscure (Logan Morrison), many athletes can now quickly establish a huge fan base by simply being interesting or funny on twitter.

Well, last night, C.J. Wilson may have crossed a line.  As a prank, he tweeted the phone number of former teammate and current Texas Rangers catcher/first baseman (and former Angel) Mike Napoli.  Now, for many Angels fans (myself included), Napoli was always a favorite.  Even as a Ranger, we rooted for him to do well.  For the most part, we have no ill will towards the former backstop (many of us even think he unjustly lost playing time to the offensively inept Jeff Mathis), but he seems to have quite a bit of ill will towards his former teammates.

Things always seemed tense last year when Nap played against the Angels, especially when Jered Weaver was on the mound.  It makes you wonder if there was more going on behind the scenes than Angels fans knew about.  Could tension between Weaver and Nap led to his being traded for a terrible contract?  Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but regardless, things are about to get even more tense between the clubs.

As reported by Drew Davison, of Foul Territory:

"I don't even know why he did it," Napoli said. "You don't do that. I am not taking it as a prank.


"You know, I haven't even talked to him since the end of last season. We don't have that type of relationship."


Wilson tweeted this later: "Okay I think we've all had a good time, I'm even with mike for saying he can't wait to hit homers off me."


Napoli doesn't remember saying he wanted to hit home runs off Wilson specifically, and was confused why Wilson took it that way.


"I don't even remember saying I want to take him deep," Napoli said. "But as every power hitter, you're always trying to take pitchers deep. So I'll say it now, I'm going to try and take him deep."


So, its pretty clear that outside their working relationship as a pitcher and catcher, Wilson and Napoli didn't really get along in Texas.  Things aren't going to get any smoother with the recent "prank".

I'm quite conflicted as an Angel fan right now.  I want to side with Wilson, as he is now "my guy", but what he did was a little messed up, even if its an easy fix for Napoli (get a new number).  But, at the same time, I want to chastise Napoli for coming off as a bit of a jerk in the media surrounding the incident this morning, but the dude did just get his phone number sent out to 100,000 people, and has likely been fielding prank calls and texts for the better part of 12 hours.


I think I'm going to have to wait and make up my mind during the season, and watch how the whole thing plays out.  For the next week, its going to be sensationalized by the Dallas Media, and laughed off by the Los Angeles media.  Then, it will probably be forgotten about until the teams meet up for the first time this season on May 11th in Texas, where C.J. Wilson will be hit with a wall of boos.

In the end, it will likely just be another chapter in the Angels/Rangers rivalry, which is shaping up to be one of the best in baseball in 2012.

In Which I Obsess About Uniforms, Part 3

Happy St. Patrick's Day, and sorry about the delay between posts, but Spring Training is boring to write about (even if its delightfully charming to watch).  Thankfully for me (and all of you!), there were quite a few uniform changes in baseball during the off-season, and I'm thrilled to spout off my wonderful opinion about all of them.

But first thing's first... can we please put an end to holiday uniforms?

The atrocity that reminded me to even do this article in the first place were the Phillies hideous green alternates that they wore for their spring game today against Toronto (more on the Jays later).  Here is Scott Podsednik walking to first base in one of these atrocities:

He looks like Christmas... not a good look for Mid-March.  I get it if you are Boston, a city steeped in Irish heritage (and their special uniforms in Basketball and Hockey are quite alright), but everyone else should just back off.

While we are on the subject, lets just do away with those awful flag hats for Memorial Day, July 4th, etc... 

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Ok, now that I'm done with the festive nonsense invading baseball, lets move on to a more pressing matter, the hideous quality of the new-look Miami Marlins.  Their new logo looks like it belongs to a fast food chain that serves seafood.  While the regular white and grey default jersey's don't look too bad (and the Black alternate is almost kind of sharp), the home ORANGE alternate is one of the worst things I've ever seen...

But you know what?  They are so awful, they almost become awesomely bad, in the sense that the 1980's Rainbow Astros jerseys were awesomely bad, and I kinda want one... 

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The only other team that really underwent a severe Jersey makeover in the off-season (New logo, new colors, everything) was the Toronto Blue Jays, and oh my god, this is how you re-invent yourself.

Seriously you guys... Even Jeff Mathis can't look bad in these stunners.  Going back to the look and feel of the jerseys they first came into the league with, but properly avoiding light blue, while still having the freshness of a new jersey.  While they aren't the best jerseys in the league (Cardinals, Dodgers and Yankees all tie for first), they are certainly the best revamp job since the Angels switched to Red in 2002.  Not only does Toronto have maybe the best farm system, top to bottom, in all of baseball, but they are going to look good too.  The next decade of success couldn't have happened to a better group of fans.  Now we just need to fix everything about the Royals.

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One last thing I need to touch on.  While the Orioles didn't go all out in revamping their jerseys, they did bring back an old friend to all their caps and logos this year, The Bird!

I have a personal admiration of The Bird, and have always been a fan of the black cap with the white front and orange brim.  This causes problems at my home, because my wife hates The Bird.  She says he looks like a Saturday morning breakfast cereal mascot.  I don't understand why that is a problem.  He is awesome, and the caps look great.

It's going to be another rough season in Baltimore (only because the other four clubs in that division are so much better), but things are going to be looking up in the future, and they are going to continue to have some of the best caps in the league.

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Oh hey, I almost forgot to mention that the picture I led with, of the Texas Rangers throwbacks, is what the Rangers are going to be using to commemorate their 40th season.  That's right, they are ripping off our idea from last year, for a less important anniversary season.  I don't understand why they would want to look back so fondly at those hideous jerseys (the second from the left, from the late 80's/early 90's isn't so bad, the rest are awful)... they didn't make the playoffs in Texas until 1996, and didn't have a World Series appearance until 2010.  Some history.

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In actual Angels news:

- Garret Richards looked GREAT yesterday in his spring start against the Indians, I really hope he wins the 5th starter spot.  He is going to have a good season, no matter where he plays.

- Kendrys Morales is making quite a few starts for the minor league teams in spring training now.  He might actually be ready for April 6th!

- Chris Iannetta, who left the game in the 2nd inning yesterday with tenderness in his wrist, is day-to-day.

In Angels Nation news:

- A regular season preview post should pop up sometime next week full of terrible predictions that will never come true (I picked the Phillies over the Sox last year, haha).

- Angels Nation will be making its pilgrimage to Arizona for spring training next weekend, very excited.

Looking Ahead to 2015

In October of 2015, when the Angels have finished off another World Series run (their 4th in a row), whose names will be engraved on the bottom of the trophy?  What up and coming prospects will have made an impact, and what key players are still around?  Lets take a look.

Mike Trout - By 2015, he will probably be a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate.  By then, the outfield tandem of Trout and Bourjos will have taken the league by storm.  Covering enough room to let Right Fielder Torii Hunter (see below) take most plays off, not that Hunter ever would.  He will hit for average and power, drive in runs, steal bags and take away plenty of hits with his glove.  A five-tool guy in every sense of the word, Mike Trout has become everything Angels fans wanted and more.

Jean Segura - After winning his first World Series title in 2012, Eric Aybar took his talents elsewhere through free agency after the Angels let him know that they weren't going to pay him like he wanted.  It was a clean split, and Aybar currently enjoys playing beside David Wright and Skip Schumaker in St. Louis.  This opened up a big hole that couldn't be filled by Macier Izturis every day, so the Halos called up Segura, a great defensive shortstop with a solid bat.  He doesn't blow anyone away, but establishes himself as a solid  Top 10 Shortstop for the next decade.

Alexi Amarista - He is that everyman kind of guy that every Championship team needs.  He can play wherever and whenever, and does so with a good glove and a steady bat.  The diehards love this guy because he plays for the team and not himself.  Ammy comes up with the occasional big play that cements him as the ultimate utility player for years to come.  He will eventually sign a contract to play everyday in a smaller market, but he never achieves the level of success he found in Anaheim.

Kendrys Morales - Well, did he recover?  Never reaching his true potential, Morales would stick it out for 5 more years, having some success as a DH.  While he almost never plays in the field, nor plays more than 140 games a season, Morales does have key hits in every one of the Angels Back-to-Back-to-Back-to-Back run of championships.  After 2015, Morales will play one more season as a Yankee, but retire and ultimately become a successful hitting coach.

Torii Hunter - After re-signing with the team in 2013 for a bargain, the 40-year-old Hunter still plays serviceable outfield, and splits some time at DH with Morales.  While not the superstar he was before, he is still beloved by the fans and contributes enough to keep himself in the lineup.  Now with 4 rings to his credit, Hunter has all but cemented his Hall-of-Fame resume, and retires peacefully back to his home near Dallas.

Jered Weaver - Without Weaver, the Angels don't accomplish half of what has been laid out before you.  Weaver keeps up the Cy Young pace, taking home the award twice in the four years, and wins nearly 100 games in that span.  Though backed up by Haren (until 2014) and CJ Wilson, Weaver is clearly the ace of the staff, winning just about every big game down the stretch and in the playoffs.

Jeff Mathis - Lol, jk.  That bum is never coming back.  Just wanted to see you get all worried there for a second.

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So clearly, this is all a big pipe dream.  I'd love to win the next four WS titles, but even the most optimistic fan knows that just isn't in the cards.  I still think we take 2 of the next 4, especially while Pujols, Haren, Weaver and Wilson are at their most effective.  I do think, that besides the four titles and multitudes of awards, these are pretty reasonable expectations of the next 4 years.  Maybe Weaver only gets to 75/80 wins, but that is still really damn impressive.  I do think Segura takes over for Aybar in a year or two, and that Hunter resigns next winter for pennies on the dollar.

As for Trout, well, half the fun of having the best prospect in baseball is watching him develop into a superstar or fall flat on his face (aka The Dallas McPherson Effect).

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Name of my first baseball book: The Dallas McPherson Effect.  It will a super futuristic Sci-Fi where all the good baseball prospects can't make the transition from AAA to the bigs.  Its up to Tom Cruise to find out why (yes, I've already cast the movie).

Alternate Universe MLB; Episode 1: Prince Heads North

Welcome to the Alternate Universe MLB, where things that didn't happen did, and things that did happen didn't.  We begin our adventures with the legacy of one Prince Fielder, and what would have happened if he went to another of his father's teams, the Toronto Blue Jays.

Let us go back in our time machine of choice (mine is the TARDIS) to one week ago, when Prince Fielder was still deciding what Major League city he should make his home for the next 5-10 years.  When visiting Toronto, they roll out the red carpet.  They offer him big dollars, long years, incentives, a lifetime supply of Maple Syrup and the Key to Canada (which it turns out only opens bland beer factories and a safe full of Bryan Adams and Celine Dion records).  He gets to bat after the great Jose Bautista in an already electric lineup (that just added big time slugger Jeff Mathis), and has joined a club with one of the best fanbases in the league.

April rolls around and the new-look (down to the Jerseys, which are damn fly, and I'll get to in an upcoming "In Which I Obsess About Uniforms" column in the near future) Blue Jays are off to a fast start.  Fielder starts to shed a bit of weight to be able to last the entirety of his huge contract he signed with the Jays.  After finding themselves in first place at the end of May, Toronto begins to put its eggs in the Felix Hernandez basket.  They want an Ace who can help put the exclamation point on an already great club.

June 15th, 2012, and the Blue Jays just finished off a deal that sends half their farm to Seattle for King Felix. They also increase the food budget for travel days, which was already getting strained keeping Prince Fielder happy.  Now with both the King and Prince, the Jays are poised for a postseason bid, their first since becoming back-to-back World Series Champions in 1993.

October 3nd, 2012, The Blue Jays wrap up the Division Title, finishing with an even 100 wins, a full 10 games ahead of the 2nd place Yankees.  Felix and Prince both figure into the Cy Young and MVP discussions (respectively), and John Farrell is the clear favorite for Manager of the Year.  Things are going to be tough in the postseason, as the Jays need to take down the two-time AL Pennant winning Texas Rangers, who won the Wild Card.

October 10th, 2012.  In just 3 short games, the Blue Jays finish off the Rangers and look forward to Albert Pujols and the resurgent Angels (did you really expect anything less?).  After many battles in the NL Central, Fielder and Pujols already have a long rivalry.  The Series goes 7 games, with King Felix outdueling Dan Haren in a 2-1 Jays victory.  Toronto is back in the World Series!

October 30th, 2012.  In 6 games, three of which were won by King Felix (who won the World Series MVP and eventually the AL Cy Young), the Toronto Blue Jays defeat the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series!

This begins a long and storied chapter in the franchises history.  After re-signing Bautista and King Felix to huge extensions, the Great White North becomes a free agent destination for the better part of the '10's.  Prince retires in 2019 after 573 Home Runs and 4 World Series Titles.  He enters the Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 2024.  Like Joe Carter before him, Prince will transcend the game of baseball in Canada, becoming the most beloved ballplayer in Canada.

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Obviously, none of this happened or will happen, but this is the kind of BS I have to write about when the Angels have done jack diddly since signing Pujols and Wilson.  At least Pitchers and Catchers report in few weeks.

Winter Meetings Recap Part 3: Everything Else.

Before Arte broke the bank on deals to Albert and CJ, before Jerry Dipoto locked his name into SoCal sports folklore a month into the job, there were a few moves that would have made Anaheim a better team in 2012, even without King Albert and Mighty CJ.

Move 1: Jeff Mathis traded to Toronto for Brad Mills

It could have been Jeff Mathis to Toronto for more of Vernon Wells' contract (I'm sure he has more hiding somewhere). Hell, it could have been Jeff Mathis to Toronto for a bag of baseballs and a hoagie, this was a great deal for the Angels. Even if Brad Mills never steps on the mound at the Big A, neither will Jeff Mathis (at least in Angel red). I liked Jeff Mathis, I really did, and he was a nice guy, but his bat was a cancer to the team. Its unfortunate Hank Conger didn't have a stellar 2011, because he probably could have muscled a few starts away from him. Simply taking away Mike Scioscia's ability to start Jeff Mathis for 100+ games in 2012, I knew I already loved Jerry Dipoto as a GM.

Move 2: Tyler Chatwood traded to Colorado for Chris Iannetta

Is Iannetta the worlds best defensive catcher? No. But lets face it, neither was Mathis. I like this deal for a couple reasons. I don't think Chatwood is quite up to par to be a solid big league starter in the American League, at least not right now. I love the step up from Mathis to Iannetta in terms of On Base Percentage (.220something to .357 over their careers). Plus Iannetta has some pop in his bat, not as much as Napoli did, but he is a 20 HR guy. With Iannetta in the lineup, the only weakness offensively is really Vernon Wells, and considering he hit 25 homers in 2011, that isn't a bad thing.

Move 3: Angels sign Right Handed Reliever LaTroy Hawkins for 1 year, $3 Million

Adding a great right-handed compliment to Scott Downs in an improving Bullpen was a great move on its own, then you throw in the fact that he is a long-time friend of Torii Hunter and a fantastic clubhouse guy? This was a steal at $3 Million. The signing was overshadowed by the signings of Pujols and Wilson (which happened only hours later), but it could just as important in bringing the Angels a World Series title in 2012.

If the Angels don't do anything else this off-season but re-sign all the arbitration guys (Kendrick, Aybar, etc), they are already primed to be among the top contenders in the American League. With the Yankees and Red Sox getting older, and the Rangers pitching in question, it could be a perfect storm for the Angels this October. But lets hold off on any World Series talk until this team wins a few games. Still no reason not to be excited for baseball to return. Only 67 days until pitchers and catchers report!

The Curse of Jeff Mathis

A long time ago, on a baseball field far, far away (in Texas), a young man was being groomed. Being groomed to be the best, and to save a franchise.

Not many know what happened, but on a dark night in late 2009, after the dust had settled on a long postseason battle with the Yankees, Jeff Mathis turned. After being a hero in a losing effort, Mathis went mad. He alienated himself with his friends, teammates and mentors.

His mood changed, he went from a bright and sunny disposition to becoming of the most dark and brooding players in the league. He eventually slayed his best friend, a young warrior named Mike Napoli... leaving him for dead before he was allowed to flee for Canada.

Mathis came to destroy what he once loved, which was Angels Baseball and all it stood for. Mathis had defected to the dark side underneath the all-seeing eyes of Manager Mike Scioscia. He was filled with hate and darkness, spreading his piss-poor play to his teammates.

This is where our story comes, to the present day. With Jeff Mathis under the spell of the Dark Side, will our longtime leader Mike Scioscia and Angels Baseball's newest hope, Hank Conger, be able to thwart the plans of the evil Mathis before its too late? Or will Angels Baseball succumb to the dark side (and 4th Place)? Only time will tell. Stay tuned, baseball fans.

What to Watch on TV Tonight Because the Angels are Probably Going to Stink; Part 1

It's never a good sign when we trot our third best starter out to the mound, and he loses, 7-1. An even worse sign? Our sixth best starter is getting trotted out tonight, against the same team. Last time Matt Palmer Started a game, Dan Haren got the win. Somehow I doubt history repeats itself. So, what are you going to do tonight? Watch the Angels get embarrassed for the second night in a row? There is no need to do that, not with this handy "What to Watch" guide for Tuesday!


If you have MLB.TV:
Roy Halladay is pretty much always must-see-tv, and tonight when he faces off against former Philly Brett Myers and the Milwuakee Brewers. Yeah, I know we all have a strong moral stance against the National League and everything it stands for (Boredom, Actually having a guy who hits .100 in your lineup (who isn't named Jeff Mathis)), but trust me when I say that this is going to be a really good game between two possible playoff teams.
Philadelphia Philles vs. Milwaukee Brewers, 4pm PST, MLB.tv, MLB Network


If you have Cable:
Listen, I know its a show about Fishing, but The Deadliest Catch is one of the best shows on television, period. I can't really explain why, but its damn amazing. So far, you've only missed a two-hour premiere, and now is the best time to jump in if you haven't already.
Deadliest Catch, 9pm PST, Discovery Channel/6pm PST Discovery Channel HD

Josh Gates is in Antarctica to hunt ghosts on tonights season finale of Destination Truth. If none of those words, especially intertwined, don't get you excited, you are dead to me as a person.
Destination Truth, 9pm PST, SyFy/6pm PST SyFy HD


If you don't have Cable:
Go buy basic cable... seriously... You really want to be stuck watching some bullcrap like The Biggest Loser or Seinfeld reruns? Although... if you are really stuck with basic TV, Seinfeld Reruns are always the way to go. I'm sure they are on one channel or another at some point all night.
Seinfeld, Syndicated, Check your Local Listings.

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Also, I don't want to say we lost because Jeff Mathis was in the lineup.... but.... we lost because Jeff Mathis was in the lineup... He is my go-to guy for guilt, regardless of how he performs. I just assume Hank Conger would have gone 4-4 with 4 HR and 6 RBI, and called a perfect game from Ervin Santana.

Halos Slide Past Sox for 4th Straight Win

Vernon Wells scored his 3rd run in 3 games. Hank Conger and Howie Kendrick left the yard. Tyler Chatwood held the Sox to 1 run over 7 Innings of work, for the first win of his big-league career. It was a solid day all around for the Angels, who beat the Sox 7-2 after a 130 minute rain delay on Saturday Afternoon.

The biggest story of the day might be happening behind the scenes, however. On Saturday, Conger made his third straight start (and his 5th start in the last 6 games), after the lineup was announced, former golden boy Jeff Mathis went right to the top and asked to have a behind-closed-doors meeting with Skipper Mike Scioscia. He said he wanted more playing time, then didn't talk to the press afterward. Scioscia said the meeting was positive and he liked that Mathis asked him to play more.

However, after a three-run home run by Conger in the 6th inning, he used his abilities to ask for more playing time. This contest to be the Staring Catcher could get interesting. Not only is Conger effective at the plate, he can also throw out runners. Something Mathis has struggled with in 2011. Mathis will block the plate a bit better, and some have said he calls a better game (Angels pitchers have still been solid in Conger's starts, so I don't buy that as a plus for Mathis), but Mathis is a liability at the plate. There are Pitchers with better hitting stats in the last season and a half than Mathis.

Should Conger continue to hit the ball well, Angel Fans should hope that gives Scioscia little choice but to play the Huntington Beach native. However, I think we all remember a guy named Mike Napoli who also hit the ball incredibly well, and lost significant playing time to Mathis. Lets just hope Hank Conger doesn't become Napoli 2.0.


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Random Thoughts:

-Chatwood looked incredibly solid against the Sox today. Could it have been the cold weather? Maybe. Lets hold off on any incredulous judgments until he gets to face the Sox on Thursday (in Anaheim)

-These are the ugliest promotional giveaway caps of all-time:












They are supposed to resemble a "rally cap", which is when you turn a hat inside out and place it on your head for a rally. Instead, they look REALLY stupid.

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Angels look to sweep the Chicago White Sox tomorrow when Dan Haren (3-0, 0.73) faces off against Mark Buerhle (1-0, 4.26). Haren is 0-1 with a 4.67 ERA in his career against Chicago, while Buerhle is 2-6 with a 4.38 ERA against the Angels. Haren hopes to get his 3rd win in 9 days.

Jeff Mathis = Jeff Awesome!

Well, maybe more like Jeff Mathis = Jeff Rightplacerightime, but the comment stands. Jeff Mathis won the game in the bottom of the 12th with a sac fly that scored Vernon Wells (!). It was a great pitching match-up, and the Angels bats were pretty cool all night. It seemed like the game would go on forever. Thankfully, Mathis got the key hit (er, flyout to center) which ended the game. This may continue to befuddle Mike Scioscia, as Hank Conger (who started the game) had a really solid game, both at the plate and behind it. But if Mathis can get key hits (again, flyouts to center), maybe this is a revitalization of his bat.

Or maybe he just came up with the Bases Loaded and 1 out, and all he had to do was hit the ball more than 300 feet.

Oh Kendrys, Where Art Thou?

From down 5-0 to up 9-7, I thought this team had figured it out. Then Fernando Rodney walks the bases loaded in the 9th, and almost immediately Vernon Wells drops a ball in the outfield and lets the tying runs score. Then almost two hours and 4 Innings Later, Matt Treanor hits a walk-off three-run-homer off of a tired Jason Bulger.

There were a ton of problems with this game. First was Scott Kazmir, pitching what I can only hope in his final game as a member of the Angels, who allowed 5 runs in 1.2 Innings of "work". I was honestly shocked that Mike Scioscia pulled him as quickly as he did. I hope this is a sign that Scioscia is ready to move forward as an manger and will pull guys who aren't up to the task of playing at a Major League level (Read: Jeff Mathis).

Speaking of Jeff Mathis, our "Defensive-Presence" catcher who always "calls a good game", went 0-for-6 in the extra inning game, plummeting his 2011 batting average to .154. Not to mention his "great game calling" led to at 12-run outing by one of the worst offensive teams in baseball, and he has thrown out 1 of 9 would-be base-stealers. ONE! OF NINE!!! So this talk about Mathis being this "superior defensive catcher" is turning out to be total Bullshit. Unless he turns this around (either at the plate or, at the very least, behind it), Bobby Wilson or Hank Conger NEED to see more time in the lineup.

There were some bright spots in yesterdays game. The Angels hit 5 home runs (including 2 by Howie Kendrick), and Rich Thompson came in and pitched a great 3.1 innings of relief for Scott Kazmir, and really put the Angels back in the game. Jason Bulger showed he could be a decent option out of bullpen (Especially if its not for 3 innings). Jordan Walden showed he is as dominant as I think he can be, while Rodney came that much closer to losing his Closer role.

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I had planned on doing something yesterday recapping what happened around the league over Opening Weekend, but I really had no desire to write yesterday after the longest 5 hours of baseball I've ever watched. I might touch on some of the stuff going on around the league occasionally, since I'm currently working on a goal to watch at least one game of each team around the league. Philadelphia and Texas look better than I expected while Milwaukee and Boston look much worse.

Mathis Shines, Bullpen Does the Opposite, Angels Win Anyway

On his 28th Birthday, Jeff Mathis went ahead and hit a home run, throw in a double and an Angels win, and it was a pretty good birthday present.

While the Angels beat the Royals, 4-2, it wasn't an easy one. Jered Weaver looked amazing, giving up zero runs through 6.1 innings, but then the Bullpen decided to make things interesting. The only guy out of the pen who looked in command of his stuff was Jordan Walden. Michael Kohn didn't look bad, but he didn't look that great either. Fernando Rodney put runners on the corners with two outs, then watched Alex Gordon almost take him deep to end the game (if he swung any earlier, it would have been a no-doubter). Thankfully, Gordon struck out a few pitches later and the Angels won.

The offense looked better than I expected, including a DEEP home run by Torii Hunter to get them started. But if the Bullpen is going to play like this all season, we are going to need to get more than 6.1 Innings out of our starters. It was an embarassing display put on by our pen today. I don't know if its Scioscia putting his trust in the wrong guys, or something completely different, but this was bad.

Dan Haren gets a chance to push the Angels to 2-0 tomorrow. Lets hope he can go a little further into the game and with a bigger lead.

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Random Thoughts:
- Billy Butler looks like a chubby Country Music Star
- Vernon Wells had an average first day, had a nice double.
- Mark Trumbo looked rattled at the plate today, but was solid defensively at first.
- Of all the games played today, the only snoozer was Braves/Nationals. It was 2-0 early and you could tell it was already over.
- Can't wait to see the Freaky Franchise dominate the Dodgers tonight.

The Really Big 2011 Angels Preview

Well, just about 24 hours till the Angels open the season in Kansas City against the Royals, and that means its about time for an in depth season preview. Lets start out by looking at the Losses the Angels Roster took over the offseason:

Mike Napoli (Traded to Toronto) - Total dick move by the Blue Jays to trade him back into our division, but his power from the Catcher's position will be missed, but I think we can get by. If Jeff Mathis can show a solid improvement, we should be ok. If not, Hank Conger is waiting in the wings.

Juan Rivera (Traded to Toronto) - Oh no, an average hitting and poor fielding outfielder on a team packed with outfield depth, what ever will we do?!?

Hideki Matsui (Signed with Oakland) - Oh no, an average hitting and poor fielding outfielder on a team packed with outfield depth, what ever will we do?!? I know people are thinking he is going to help Oakland take back the division this year, but did those people watch the Angels play at all last year? If anything, making sure he played every game was more of a hindrance to the Angels. Have fun Oakland.

Ryan Budde (Signed with Toronto) - He went from a situation where he will never play to another situation where he will never play. That's a shame, he is a good guy. Hopefully it works out for him somewhere.

Kevin Frandsen (Signed with San Diego) - Its a shame to see him go, especially now with Morales' uncertainty, he was a good utility infielder and he will be missed.

Robb Quinlan (Released) - It will be weird to know that he won't be waiting in the wings in Salt Lake, hoping for someone to get hurt so he can get called up... but at the same time, he hasn't really done anything for the team since what, 2006?

Scot Shields (Retired) - Its a shame to see him go, but he hasn't really been the same pitcher since 2007, but as that last link to the 2002 team, it was a sad day when he retired.

Ron Roenicke (Hired as Manager of the Milwaukee Brewers) - One of my favorite all-time bench coaches for the Angels, its really good to see him get a shot at managing a big league club, especially one with such promise like the Brewers. He will probably be the toughest guy to replace on the whole list.

Now, in a natural progression, we look at the additions the Angels made for 2011:

Vernon Wells (Acquired in Trade from Toronto) - Easily our biggest acquisition in the offseason, Wells is essentially a Torii Hunter who hits for a bit more power and a bit less average. If he can perform to the level he achieved last year, he will be a valuable asset for the middle of our lineup. If not, well, there is no way he could be as bad as Steve Finley.

Scott Downs (Free Agent Signing) - With such uncertainty in our Closer role, Downs will be a good addition to the team, that is, if he cant stop injuring himself while playing with his kids. Also, looking a lot less like The Joker will help.

Hisanori Takahashi (Free Agent Signing) - I'm normally wary of anyone coming to our team from the Mets, but this lefty is going to bring a solidity to the long relief role that we lost when we let Darren Oliver go to Texas. He can also come in for the spot start, in case Scott Kazmir turns out to be the bust we all know he is going to be.

Rob Picciolo (Former Infield Instructor) - Our new bench coach has big shoes to fill, but will he be the right man for the job? I suppose only time will tell how Rob fits in as Mike Scioscia's new right hand man.

Overall, we lost a bit more talent than we gained, or so it would seem on paper, but I still firmly believe the Angels will finish 2011 above .500. A full season of Dan Haren, and at least 4 Months of Kendrys Morales should help remedy the loss in talent. Lets grade the team on a few attributes.

Defense:

Infield: Without Morales, this group suffers a bit. Morales is a damn fine defensive first basemen, and really solidifies this group. Without him, you have Mark Trumbo, Brandon Wood and Howie Kendrick platooning over there. Howie brings some solidity to Second, and as much as I don't like him, Erick Aybar will likely be our everyday starter at Shortstop. Third Base is another question mark, as Macier Izturis, Alberto Callaspo, and at least for a short time, Brandon Wood look to get starts at the hot corner. This is a solid infield up the middle, but with all the questions on the corners, it brings down the grade a bit. C+

Outfield: We now have the outfield depth that some teams dream of. Our starting 3 of Wells, Bourjos and Hunter (left to right) might be the best in baseball, at least defensively. Take into consideration that we have solid backups in Bobby Abreu, Reggie Willits and Chris Pettit. This is easily our safest bet this season. A

Catcher: We all know what Jeff Mathis brings to the table defensively at catcher, but if his bat continues to suffer, a more offensive minded Hank Conger may need to be the answer behind the plate. B

Offense:

Contact: Overall, this isn't a very patient team. Eric Aybar will swing at anything, and the rest of the team will swing at almost everything. Expect even fewer walks than last year for this club, and more strikeouts. C-

Speed: Peter Bourjos might be the fastest player in the league, and it doesn't get much worse from there. The only guy in the starting lineup who won't steal 10 bases this year is Jeff Mathis, and its not like he is Molina-Brother-Slow at all. If anything, this team will need to revisit its roots and play a ton of small-ball this season if they want to remain competitive. A+

Power: Again, another lacking aspect of our offense last year was Power. Napoli led the team with 26 Home Runs, and he is now in Texas. Vernon Wells is probably good for 25, Hunter is good for another 20, but unless Trumbo really gets off to a hot start, or Morales comes back sooner than I expect, Power is going to be another troublesome area for our club. C

Pitching:

Starters: If speed is our strongest asset, our starting rotation is right behind. Even with the huge question marks at the back of the rotation (will Pineiro ever get healthy? Is Kazmir really going to be our 5th Starter come May 1st?), this is still one of the best rotations in the American League. Led by a pair of Aces in Dan Haren and Jered Weaver. These two are both good enough to make the All-Star Team and contend for Cy Young Awards for years to come. We may be entering our last couple seasons with Weaver, so the time to win might be now. Ervin Santana in the 3 slot is one of the best 3rd Pitchers in all of baseball, that is, if he can ditch the "I only pitch well in even-numbered years" jinx. A

Bullpen: Our Bullpen overall is very strong. A couple of lefties help fix a huge problem we had last year, and Takahashi is a great guy to have at your disposal. He can start, mop up, or even close for you. Scott Downs could be our Closer come May, but for now he is a great set-up guy for Rodney (when he gets healthy, that is). Jordan Walden might be the one guy everyone is talking about though. This flame-throwing righty seems to be the heir-apparent to Rodney in the pen, and I wouldn't be surprised if he is our Closer come the All-Star Break. B+

Closer: Fernando Rodney might have the hottest seat in all of baseball. If he doesn't come out of the gates perfect, he could lose his job in a matter of weeks. I know Scioscia likes to stick with his guys, but anyone can tell that he is at wits end with Rodney. I'd be shocked if he is still in an Angel uniform come August 1st. C-

So, now that we have gone over who is gone, who is new, and what everyone looks like now. Seems like a proper time to go over predictions. Lets do this on a month by month basis.

April: 17-10
The Angels start out with a favorable schedule in Kansas City and Tampa to face the depleted Rays. Then a few easy series at home against the Blue Jays and Indians before heading back out on the road to face Chicago and Texas. The month wraps up nicely after a tough 4-game series against Boston in Anaheim.

May: 17-13
May is going to be a tough month, as the Angels only get ONE off day on May 12th. Combine that with a four-game series in Boston and another series in Texas, its going to be a rough month, and 17 wins might be kind.

June: 15-10
Another tough month in June, as it see the Angels playing the Yankees in Anaheim, then traveling to New York to play the Mets before coming back to California to play the Dodgers in LA. They don't play on any Thursday that month, its a bit strange.

July: 13-13
The toughest part of July is a 10 game road trip at the end of the month that takes the Halos through Baltimore, Cleveland and Detroit.

August: 14-13
Trips to New York (to play the Yankees) and Toronto start out an already tough month that sees a third trip to Texas towards the end of August. This might be their first losing month of the season.

September: 14-12
Another trip through the tougher AL opponents as the Angels play the Twins, Yankees and Orioles (yes, I'm sold on Baltimore this year), and the season ends with a vital 3-game set against the Rangers in Anaheim.

Overall: 90-72
While I don't think 90 wins is going to be enough to top the Rangers in the division, it could be enough to steal a Wild Card spot from the Yankees or Twins. The Angels should play above .500 for the entire season, and if they don't, while I won't be surprised, I will be disappointed. They are still a top 10 team in the league, and they should be able to play like one, even if no one thinks they can.

Final Division Standings predictions:
AL West:
Texas Rangers - 92-70
LA Angels - 90-72
Oakland A's - 80-82
Seattle Mariners - 69-73

AL Central:
Chicago White Sox - 95-67
Minnesota Twins - 91-71
Detroit Tigers - 85-77
Cleveland Indians - 78-84
Kansas City Royals - 62-100

AL East:
Boston Red Sox - 101-61
New York Yankees - 91-71
Baltimore Orioles - 88-74
Toronto Blue Jays - 82-80
Tampa Bay Rays - 79-83

NL West:
Colorado Rockies - 90-72
San Francisco Giants - 89-73
Los Angeles Dodgers - 83-79
San Diego Padres - 80-82
Arizona Diamondbacks - 78-84

NL Central:
Milwaukee Brewers - 89-73
Cincinnati Reds - 85-77
St. Louis Cardinals - 85-77
Houston Astros - 81-81
Chicago Cubs - 73-89
Pittsburgh Pirates - 59-103

NL East:
Philadelphia Phillies - 99-63
Atlanta Braves - 95-67
Washington Nationals - 83-79
Florida Marlins - 76-86
New York Mets - 66-96

Wild Card Playoff: Yankees defeat Twins
ALDS: Red Sox defeat Rangers, 3-2; White Sox defeat Yankees, 3-1
NLDS: Phillies defeat Brewers, 3-0; Braves defeat Rockies, 3-2
ALCS: Boston Red Sox defeat Chicago White Sox, 4-1
NLCS: Philadelphia Phillies defeat Atlanta Braves, 4-2
World Series: Philadelphia Phillies defeat Boston Red Sox, 4-3

Award Winners:
AL MVP - Adrian Gonzalez (Boston Red Sox)
NL MVP - Prince Fielder (Milwaukee Brewers)
AL Cy Young - Jon Lester (Boston Red Sox)
NL Cy Young - Roy Halladay (Philadelphia Phillies)
AL Rookie of the Year - Kyle Drabek (Toronto Blue Jays)
NL Rookie of the Year - Freddie Freeman (Atlanta Braves)
AL Coach of the Year - Buck Showalter (Baltimore Orioles)
NL Coach of the Year - Ron Roenicke (Milwaukee Brewers)

So there you have it, my obligatory and random 2011 predictions for all of baseball. If I get 40% of these right, someone owes me a coke. Regardless of what happens, though, this is shaping up to be one of the best seasons in recent memory for both the Angels and the rest of the league. I can't wait to watch it, discuss it and write about it!

Its Going to be a Long Season

That is, if what is going on RIGHT NOW in Spring Training games is any indication. In the Angels Cactus League match with the A's, Jeff Mathis just grounded out to the Shortstop and Mike Napoli hit a 3 Run Homer for Texas against the Royals. I expect this to be the norm for the remainder of the season. By getting to play everyday, Napoli will put up something along the lines of .270, 30 Homers and 80 RBI's, while Jeff Mathis will do something in the range of .230, 5 Homers and 35 RBI's. While Jeff Mathis will probably play more sound defense and have a shot at a gold glove, but that difference in production will likely hinder the team more than Mathis' Defensive Output will help it.

I'm happy to have Jeff Mathis on my team, he is a cool guy, and there is nothing wrong with him as a player, but its just tough to think that a team that already has its offensive struggles could have had a considerable upgrade at a position not normally known for its offensive output. Its going to be hard to do, but I'm still going to root for Napoli to have great season in Texas, and put up career highs. I'm just hoping Mathis can do the same.

Angels Ride Their Future Into Second Place.

The postseason hopes might be done, but the season is far from over. With a win against Oakland last night, the Angels moved into a tie with the team for second place in the West at 77-80. Bragging rights for the second best team in one of the worst divisions in baseball might not seem like much, but its not so much why we are doing it, but who.

Guys like Peter Bourjos, Hank Conger, Mark Trumbo, Jordan Walden Howie Kendrick, and Jeff Mathis have all played integral parts in the teams first two wins against this Athletics club. This is a great experience for these guys who, while they may not be on the 2011 Opening Day Roster, will play important roles in the Angels quest to reclaim the West Title.

A nice winning streak, a second place finish and a .500 record to end the season will go a long way to establishing confidence in these young players, not to mention the veterans who will be looking forward to the early vacation this year to help rest their bodies and minds.

I'll go further into the 2011 Angels later, but for right now, lets enjoy the last 4 1/2 games of the season (the Angels are currently tied with the A's 1-1 in their last home game of the year), wish our compadres in Texas well, and enjoy baseball while its still around.

Carl Crawford Countdown: 74 Days.

Angels Get Nice Win; NFL Season Kicks Off

Although the Angels are still 9.5 games out of first place, and the Rangers magic number is down to 14, the Angels got a really big win last night, outlasting the Cleveland Indians in 16 innings. After a Torii Hunter double led off the inning, Callaspo moved him the third which set up the sac fly by Jeff Mathis to win the game.

The Angels still only had 6 hits in 16 innings, and their offense looks as abysmal as ever, but wins like this could propel them back into second place, and help finish the season with a winning record. Also, Peter Borjous hit his third major league Home Run last night. I cant wait to see what this kid can do in a 162-game season with major league time under his belt.

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The NFL Season Kicks off tonight with the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints vs. the Minnesota Vikings (the team the Saints beat in the NFC Championship game to get to the Super Bowl).

I'd like to take this time to just throw out a few predictions for the upcoming NFL Season, and get some of you used to seeing football on here a bit more.

Playoff Teams:
NFC: Cowboys, Vikings, Saints, 49ers, Eagles and Packers.
AFC: Jets, Bengals, Colts, Raiders, Patriots and Steelers

NFC Championship: New Orleans Saints defeat Dallas Cowboys
AFC Championship: New York Jets defeat Indianapolis Colts
Super Bowl: New York Jets defeat New Orleans Saints

Yeah, its a homer pick, but part of the charm of the upcoming NFL Season is that no team is really a clear favorite. Every team has a number of weaknesses, and I think the Jets have the fewest weaknesses (even fewer is Mark Sanchez finally comes into his own as a great NFL QB).

Oh, and to be super cool, lets go ahead and add an NFL prediction section to this blog.

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Texas Rangers Magic Number (to Eliminate the Angels): 14
Carl Crawford Countdown: 94

NFL Opening Day Prediciton (Record: 0-0):
Saints defeat Vikings

Thats more like it!

Saunders pitched the Angels first complete game shutout of the year. Morales and Matsui had key hits in four run inning, and there were almost zero mistakes made on the field, by either team.

I really cant say much about this game other than that. It was the best Saunders has looked all season, by far. It was the best Matsui and Morales have looked this month.

Scioscia finally tinkered with the lineup the right way. Having Kendrick hit in the two hole is bloody brilliant. Matsui and Morales have a little stress lifted from them, and our best RBI guy with runners in scoring position (other than the injured Izturis) is hitting clean-up.

What I'm most happy about, is that we finally looked like a playoff team again.

A few thoughts:
- Hope you didnt go to the kitchen to get a drink in the middle innings, because by the time you came back, the game would have been over.
- Really hope they give Frandsen another shot at third, even though Wood didnt look completely miserable last night at the plate, he still wasnt good. Made some nice plays in the field though.
- Napoli called a good game, but I'm more ready now than ever for Mathis to come back. Having two rally killers back-to-back in the lineup is going to kill us down the stretch.


Around the League:
- Roy Oswalt told the Houston Astros that if it would help them rebuild for the future, he would waive his no-trade clause. I can't be the only fan in America who hopes that he could come to their team, I just dont think we have the flashy prospects to get a deal done anymore. I'm thinking the Dodgers, Rangers and Red Sox probably have the players (and the need for another solid starting pitcher) to get a deal done.

Also, a special thanks goes out to my friend, Alex, for the new site header. Looks good, man.