Johnny G, The Red Baron and Why The 2015 Angels Are Always Fun to Watch

Yeah, it's the middle of May and the Angels are still under .500.

Yeah, we had to deal with the entire Josh Hamilton fiasco throughout April and now the Angels are paying him to play for rival Texas.

Yeah, Jered Weaver has looked more like Jeff Weaver for 85% of his starts.

But honestly, this year has already been a lot of fun.

Last night against the Colorado Rockies, Johnny Giavotella (Howie Kendrick's replacement at 2nd base) hit his 6th Game Winning RBI of the season.  Considering the Angels have only won 16 games to this point, that is quite the impressive feat (even more impressive, he only has 13 RBI on the season, so roughly half of his RBI's have won the game for the Halos).  Not only is Johnny G ridiculously clutch, he is also just a fantastic at-bat to watch every time he steps up to the plate.

He makes the pitcher work almost every time up, even if he isn't getting on base or driving in a run.  He knows what he is looking for and when he gets it, he almost always connects.  Although I don't know if messing with success is the right thing to do, Johnny G seems like the perfect #2 hitter for this Angels lineup.  He would make things happen, he isn't afraid to sacrifice an at-bat to move a runner over and he can drive in more runs hitting higher in the lineup.

Also a ton of fun to watch this year is Kole Calhoun (who has been dubbed the Red Baron by Angels announcer Victor Rojas).  Calhoun has been a pretty solid outfielder for the Angels the last couple of seasons, slowly improving his game piece by piece, but it seems like 2015 is the year he puts it all together.  He leads the Angels in batting average, is 2nd on the team in RBI (despite hitting lead-off) and has been gold glove caliber every night in Right Field.  His at-bats are what you want from a traditional lead-off guy.  He sees a lot of pitches and when he gets on base (second on the team in OBP) he has enough speed to distract the pitcher.  Kole Calhoun is one of two Angels who should be locks for the All-Star Game, and hopefully the rest of the country catches on soon enough.

Even though this year hasn't been without it's pitching woes (don't get me started on Weaver, Shoemaker or Houston Street), it's also had plenty of surprises as well.  Hector Santiago came over last season in the trade that sent Mark Trumbo to Arizona (we also got Tyler Skaggs in that deal), he immediately got off to a rough start (0-7, with a 4.50+ ERA).  He eventually calmed down and had a mostly respectable 2nd half of the season, but expectations were still pretty low coming into 2015.  Now, he has a 2.57 ERA (HALF of where it was this time last year) and has looked pretty damn good in all six of his starts so far this year (even in giving up four runs to the Giants a few weeks ago, he was locating his pitches pretty well and a few got away from him).  He isn't going to be winning a Cy Young anytime soon, but as a #4 Pitcher, he is exactly what the Angels need right now.

Speaking of pitching, the true ace of the staff this season has been... wait... this can't be right... no, yeah... it's CJ Wilson.  Aside from one bad start in his 2nd game of the season, Wilson has been far more consistent this year than in his first few as an Angel.  While Weaver has struggled and Richards is getting back to 100% after knee surgery last August, Wilson has certainly stepped up as the ace of this staff.  While the Angels are 4-3 in games started by Wilson, he has certainly given them the best opportunity to win (with the exception of that start against the Royals in his 2nd game of the year).  His walks and home runs are way down, as are his WHIP and ERA.  Even if he hasn't been perfect, I'll always feel good about a game CJ Wilson is starting in 2015.

So there you have it, just four of the multiple reasons why the 2015 Los Angeles Angels are always fun to watch.  I also got through this entire article without mentioning the MOST fun reason to watch the Angels: Future President of Earth Mike Trout.  Yeah, you know... the best player in baseball who basically eliminated his only weakness, the high fastball.  Even if this season ends with 85ish wins and an early exit in the playoffs, it will a lot of fun to watch thanks to guys like Johnny G, The Red Baron and the gang.

The First Cut Is The Deepest

So there I was.  Harmlessly flipping through channels on Tuesday night.  The Angel game had ended early so I flipped over to see what the Dodgers were doing.  Then I finally saw it.  Howie Kendrick in Dodger Blue.  Not only was it difficult to see, but it was Howie driving in a go-ahead run against the Padres.  Thankfully, the Padres eventually took the game, but the damage was done.  My heart was in two.

I'm really happy with what Johnny Giavotella has been doing for the Angels over the last month or so.  He had a three-hit game in Wednesday's rubber match with the Mariners and has been solid defensively at 2nd base.  But in the long run, he is no Howie Kendrick.  Since Adam Kennedy left the club in 2006, Kendrick has been a constant, and been my favorite player, especially through the dark times (2010-2012).

Literally two articles ago was my Ode to Kendrick, so going over all the reasons I'll miss him is redundant.  But actually seeing him play baseball in a Dodger uniform for the first time stung a lot more than I was ready for.

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Fortunately, the play of the Angels has been good enough to start the season that little things like seeing Howie in a Dodgers uniform and Hank Conger in an Astros uni aren't hurting THAT bad.

The pitching has been marvelous, especially CJ Wilson with his 8 Innings of shutout baseball against the M's on Tuesday.  Weaver was a little shaky on Opening Day, but had he not been facing Felix Hernandez, he probably would have had better run support.

Hitting has been a little inconsistent, but like I said earlier, Giavotella has been a pleasant surprise while guys like Calhoun and Aybar try to find their groove.  David Freese looks like the player we THOUGHT we were getting last year, and Matt Joyce looks like he could actually contribute while Hamilton is... away.  (I'll probably do another article on Hamilton at some point in the near future, meant to do one about a month ago)

Looking forward to the home opener tonight, and with any luck, we can open our season taking 4 of 6 from the 2014 AL Champs (Royals) and everyone's sexy pick to the be the 2015 AL Champs (Mariners).  My only concern is that Hector Santiago is on the mound tonight, and to say that he got off to a slow start last season is like saying King Joffrey from Game of Thrones is kind-of a jerk.

The 144.5 Million Dollar Man

Today the Los Angeles Angels made a big time move, an even bigger one than dropping the biggest negative on the ballclub.  The Angels have signed Trout to a six year extension (that begins after his current, $1 Million dollar deal for 2014) worth $144.5 Million.  Getting the best player in baseball for $24 Million a year from 2015-2020 is an amazing bargain for the ballclub, which is a nice change of pace, considering the enormous bounties owed to Pujols, Hamilton and Wilson over those years.

Compare it to the deal Miguel Cabrera (really the only other guy who could even be considered for Trout's "Best Player in Baseball" crown), who got over  $300 Million for the next 10 years.  So not only are the Angels getting a discount of about $6 Million annually, they are getting Trout while he is in his Mid-to-Late 20's, rather than the Tigers and Cabrera, who will be 41 when the deal runs out at the end of the 2024 season.

I could post all these stats and bullcrap going over why Trout is better than Miggy, but it's pointless.  You are on one side of that argument or the other.  Either you are smart and know that what Trout does for the Angels is almost unquantifiable, or you are 100 years old and still think Batting Average and RBI's mean anything anymore.  Either we are friends or we aren't.  You aren't going to change your mind and neither am I.

Regardless of where you fall on the debate of who is the better player, everyone can agree that Mike Trout has more MVP-caliber seasons ahead of him.  So the Angels getting Trout for 80% of what the Tigers are overpaying Cabrera is clearly a fantastic bargain for the club, especially since they don't have to worry about paying him until 2015 when Vernon Wells and Joe Blanton come off the payroll.

Even if things aren't great in Anaheim for the next seven seasons, at least we have the best (and one of the most exciting) player in baseball to enjoy and give us a reason to come to the ballpark.

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In other news, the Angels announced that former MVP (and another great Angels "27") Vladimir Guerrero will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day on Monday.

Yankees to Jeter: "Test the Market"

Jeter to Yankees: "Yeah? Well **** You!"

Not really, but man, wouldn't that be awesome? Let me preface this post by saying I love Jeter, and like the Yankees, but the Angels take precedence, and my dream world is completely nonsensical. Oh, and the Yankees did, in fact, tell Jeter to test the market, because they think he is asking for too much money, and while that might be true, the Yankees need Jeter more than Jeter needs the Yankees.

Its like telling Babe Ruth or Joe DiMaggio to take a hike, just because they are getting older. Granted, Jeter's 2010 was not a typical "I'm going to be a Free Agent, I need to play better" season. But his worth to the Yankees over the last 15 years is not to be ignored. 1/3rd of the seasons Jeter has been in a Yankee uniform, the Yankees have won the World Series. A Third! Any given season Jeter has been in Yankee Pinstripes, the Yankees have had a one in three shot of winning it all! Not to mention, they have made the world series 7 of those 15 seasons.

Regardless, if the Yankees dont want him, and for whatever awful reason we can't sign Carl Crawford, the Angels should go after him. Well, him and Jayson Werth, because we will still need someone who can actually still hit a baseball. Jeter would be a fantastic fit on the Angels, and a great reason to finally get rid of Erick Aybar, my nemesis.

Jeter is a great clubhouse guy, a team leader on and off the field, and is clutch in September and October. Not to mention it solidifies the Shortstop Position defensively. Even if he doesn't have the range or the arm of Aybar, he is far less prone to stupid throwing errors, or simply giving up on plays. Even if his bat isn't as potent, it can't be any worse than some of the sub-.250 hitters we had last season (Aybar included).

Also, consider this: In 69 Career Games in Angel Stadium, Jeter is hitting .344 with 10 Home Runs and 42 RBI's... Need more convincing? I didn't think so.

I 100% believe that Jeter will still be in a Yankee uniform next season, but if he isn't, for whatever reason, I hope to god its an Angel Jersey.

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More congratulations are in order for the 2010 AL/NL MVP's, Josh Hamilton of the Rangers and Joey Votto of the Reds. I won't pretend to understand why Votto was the NL MVP. He had a really good year on a really mediocre Reds team that happened to have the most wins in a terrible division. Josh Hamilton makes more sense, although he owes a lot to Vladimir Guerrero. Once people found out Vlad could hit again, Josh started seeing a good amount of hittable pitches. Regardless, congrats on the new hardware.

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In some non-Yankees related Hot Stove news, Catcher/First Basemen Victor Martinez (formerly of the Indians and Red Sox) has agreed to terms on a deal with the Detroit Tigers.

Also, the door has almost completely been shut on Hideki Matsui's Angel career. The Angels have not offered the 2009 World Series MVP Arbitration, and it would appear he will be testing the Free Agent market himself.

Only The Losers.

I almost feel bad for Rangers Fans... almost.

They have had to endure one thing the Angels never have.

We have both shared the 40+ years of play without a postseason series win, or a world series appearance, but now, the Rangers have the ultimate shame. A feeling that now only the Rockies, Rays, Padres (Twice!) and Astros understand. Having made it to a World Series, only to end it without a victory. No champagne (or Ginger Ale for Hamilton), no banners, no streamers, no roaring crowd. Just that awful feeling in the pit of your stomach that you were so close, but couldnt get the job done.

I think the Rangers will get back here in the near future, maybe not next year (because Torii, Carl and the crew are going to take us back to the promised land in 2011), but soon. They have a great core of young, home grown talent in guys like Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus, Nelson Cruz and Colby Lewis, to name just a few. Also, rumors are going around that unless the Yankees absolutely overpay for Cliff Lee by an astronomical amount, the Cy Young Winner will stay in Texas.

Today starts a very interesting Hot Stove Season to say the least. Maybe tomorrow or the next day, I'll go over the big free agents and who I think will be switching uniforms in the next 4 months before Pitchers and Catchers report.

Molina Leads Power Surge Past Yanks

Ok, Angels Fans, I'm giving you one more chance to hop on the Rangers bandwagon.

I told you back, right after the season, that they were going to do big things. You should take that negative energy you used all season against the Rangers, and use it for good. They were the lesser of 4 evils. I could go on.

But the best reason to root for the Rangers, as they inch themselves one game closer to a World Series berth, is that Bengie Molina is playing like its 2002 all over again. Josh Hamilton will probably win the ALCS MVP, but Molina's impact on both this series, and the series with Tampa, is irrefutable.

Don't get me wrong, Angels Fans, as soon as Postseason Baseball comes to a close, and a World Champion is crowned, I'll go back to hating the Rangers like I always do, but for right now, they are my horse in this race, and it looks like I picked the right horse.

Oh, and enjoy the Karma, Mark Teixeira. It couldn't have happened to a better person.

Rangers' Lee Dominates to Push Texas Into ALCS

One final dominate pitching performance in the ALDS was really all it took for the Rangers to find themselves in the ALCS. Cliff Lee pitched a complete game, struck out 10 and only gave up one earned run to help lead Texas to its first Playoff Series victory ever.

The Rangers used small ball to get an early lead, then more small ball to push the score to 3-1. Ian Kinsler added insurance in the 9th with his 3rd Homer of the Postseason, and the Rangers went on to win 5-1, and win the series 3-2. It was the first time in baseball history that the away team won every game of the series.

The Rangers have home-field advantage in the ALCS, however, and their sights have to be on winning Games 1 and 2 at home, because the Yankees in October are near un-beatable in Yankee Stadium. Cliff Lee will be ready to go in Game 3, the first game in Yankee Stadium, but if the Rangers find themselves in an 0-2 hole, then it might be too little, too late.

Regardless of what happens in the ALCS, however, you have to consider this season a success for the Rangers. The first Division Title in ten years, and the first playoff series victory in franchise history. When you throw all that together with the fact that this team was bankrupt and being threatened by Major League Baseball to get their act together, or the league would seize control of the club six months ago, not to mention the positive drug test for Manager Ron Washington, which led many in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area calling for his job, this season will be as much of a success for this team as whomever wins the World Series, in my opinion. Granted, a trip to the World Series or even a Championship will taste even sweeter for Texas, but they should be really proud of where they are.

Oh, and a nice note from the Rangers celebration, Josh Hamilton (who overcame drug and alcohol addictions to make a comeback to the Majors), who was relatively absent from the Western Division Championship celebration because of all the champagne and such, was doused by his teammates in Ginger Ale. Its kinda silly, but its cute.

By the way, I was 100% correct in my Division Series predictions, and my LCS predictions will come tomorrow, so you will know who makes the World Series a week before anyone else.