A time to sparkle

In the movie “Fever Pitch” starring Drew Barrymore (as Lindsey) and Jimmy Fallon (as Ben); Ben introduces Lindsey to the folks who sit in his section at Fenway Park. Lindsey soaks it all in and says… “Wow, you have quite a group here.” Ben replies “Well, it’s my summer family.” In many ways that sums up Cheryl and my relationship with the folks we sit with in our section at Angel games.

Over the years we’ve met up with some of them at spring training (sometimes planned and sometimes not). We’ve met for dinner outside of the stadium (enjoying something other than a hot dog every now and then). And of course, watching baseball games is made to be a much richer experience when our “family” joins us for a game.

While all the 514 Fanatics are special to us, we’ve become particularly attached to one specific family who sits in front of us anywhere from 10-20+ games a year. It’s a relationship that is dear to us and one that was formed as a direct result of being Angels’ season ticket holders.

We’ve not only gone to dinner with this family and met them at spring training; we’ve also celebrated milestone birthdays and vacationed with them in Yosemite.

Even though we have different backgrounds and even different faiths; we have come to be a part of each other's lives in a way that goes beyond just being fellow Angel fans. Let’s just say that getting to know them is one of the best things to ever come from being season ticket holders. They’re just incredible, loving, giving and friendly folk.

I mention them today because all too often circumstance has a way of making sure we realize there is more to life than just baseball.

The mother of this incredible family (Lauren) is battling breast cancer. Hers is a journey that has just begun and though there are many days ahead; there is a legitimate hope for a great outcome.

It is a journey that I’m sure the family will tackle and triumph over together; after all they're quite the team. It is also an experience Lauren plans to share with anyone who has an interest via her journal/blog.

You can follow Lauren’s blog HERE.

The family invites you to not only follow along, but to become engaged by contributing your own messages as well. I’m told reading the messages and entries on her blog is one of Lauren’s favorite things to do. This is your chance to sparkle folks; so break out your rally monkeys and please lend your support.

Juan Rivera must go

Juan Rivera knows how to make me look good. Too bad that in the process he looks like a tub of goo. What else can I say about a guy who's not very athletic, extremely slow, and doesn't hit well in clutch situations? While I'm at it, where did his supposed power go?

I've been ranting about Rivera for a while now and last night he gave me even more amo when his lack luster effort on a fly ball to left field lead to two runs and ultimately a Red Sox victory. He's simply a stiff and I just can't stand watching him any more. We'd be better off putting the All-Star game Mickey Mouse statue that's been in front of the stadium in left field instead and the statue might actually have more range.

The Angels now trail Texas by 8.5 games. This morning Roger Lodge tried to be optimistic and proposed that the Angels could be just 4.5 back if they won today (and Texas lost) and then swept the Rangers over the weekend. What Lodge neglected to mention is that Texas also plays again tomorrow (which again proves my point that he doesn't do his homework - see yesterday's post) and the Angels could actually be just 4 games back by the end of the weekend if everything went their way.

Wow. So this is what it has come to? The Angels need to win five games in a row and watch Texas lose five in a row just to get to 4 games back? I'm a glass is half full kind of guy, but that's really reaching if you ask me.

Speaking of reaching... let's get back to bashing Rivera, who looked like a statue trying to reach up on the fly ball hit by Jed Lowrie that ultimately sailed over his head. I wouldn't have blamed Jered Weaver if he had walked from the mound to left field to grab Rivera by the nose and fling him to the ground. I'm just saying.

As my friend and fellow 514 Fanatic Bo said last night, "the swagger is gone." David Ortiz beats out an infield grounder? The miscues and mental mistakes are worthy of a Bad News Bears Sequel. Ever wondered what happend to those kids? Well, they grew up and put on Angel uniforms. Forget making the "Money Ball" movie; the Angels actually have some real characters people might find amusing. We could cast George Lopez as Juan Rivera and Jim Carey as Jeff Mathis.

Speaking of Mathis. He's back (boy is he back) and that's not a good thing. He teased us last year with a nice post-season peformance and started this year as a guy who might actually live up to his pre-big league hype (he was once the second best catching prospect behind Joe Mauer). Well, that was nice while it lasted. He's back to being a black hole on offense.

This season is going south fast. Too fast. It's not pretty and it's hard to watch. I would feel much better if Rivera could be moved by the trading deadline, but who would want a tub of goo? The only thing he has going for him is an affordable contract. Woo-hoo, any takers? Let's make room for Peter Bourjois. I don't know if he can hit at the major league level, but he's about 100 times the better outfielder than Mr. Goo. I'm thinking of Juan be Gone T-shirts. Who's in?

Come on Angels. Shut this blogger up and start playing like a Mike Scioscia managed team. You know I'd much rather be making fun of the opposition and not my favorite team!

Please, I'm begging you to get back to fundamentaly sound baseball and start playing like a team that actually cares. Your audeince is fading. It's hard to believe that the Angels can't sell out games against the Red Sox. We're going backwards not forward. You know things are bad when people would rather stay home and watch the summer reruns than come to the stadium for an evening of good old fashioned baseball.

I actually took a vacation day to head to the stadium today. I hope I don't regret that decision.

The week in review April 5-11, 2010

In a word the week was disappointing. Make those two words as in “extremely disappointing.” A 2-5 start is not what I had envisioned for the Angels. This team has too much talent to be this bad. I don’t care if it’s the first week of the season; matching last year’s longest losing streak of four games is totally unacceptable.

Things aren’t going to get any easier for the Angels as they head off to play the Yankees and Blue Jays on a six game road trip. The Yankees are well… the Yankees and the Angels have historically not played well in Toronto over the years (let’s hope my saying that changes their luck).

In any case as I look back on the week, the highlights were dominated by Hideki Matsui, who clearly hasn’t missed a beat since his MVP performance in last year’s World Series. I look forward to watching him all season long and believe he will be a tremendous asset in the post season as well. And yes, the Angels will be in the post-season despite this week’s lack luster effort.

It was also good to see our fellow 514 Fanatics and welcome some new additions to our section; including Bobby and Ashley’s daughter KayLynn and new comers Erik, Michelle, Elisa, and McKala. KayLynn attended her first ever Angel game on Saturday; which the Angels won 4-3. Perhaps we’ve found a new good luck charm.

The stadium looked prepped for the 2010 All-star game with new decorations and had a very festive feel.

We checked out two new concession stands this week – Chix the new eatery that features “freshly prepared chicken” and Major League dogs featuring “famously topped hot dogs from around the league.” Chix didn’t cut it for either Cheryl or me. The service was slow and pretty bad (they kept giving our order to people who ordered after us) and the sandwich wasn’t anything to write home about.

The hot dogs from Major League Dogs were a winner. I tried the Chicago Dog and Kansas City BBQ dog and both were delicious. The KC BBQ dog is a great deal, not only do you get a hot dog, but it includes barbequed beef brisket on top of the dog! Very delicious too.

Overall, the concessions didn’t get the best of reviews as I heard complaints of waits of up to 30 minutes and even one stand running out of hot dogs on Opening Night. One 514 Fanatic (Jeffrey) also noticed that the Angels were selling “blue” cotton candy and wondered aloud at that color choice. I guess when your team is getting beaten, everything looks bad.

As for the baseball… well, as I said earlier – it was extremely disappointing.

The low lights were Howie Kendrick’s two errors, the Angels only throwing out one runner in five attempts, Brandon Wood’s seven strike outs, Joe Saunders giving up four homeruns in two games and the overall poor performance of the bullpen with the exception of Brian Fuentes and Kevin Jepsen. The staff gave up eleven homeruns in seven games and walked far too many batters (26). They also hit two batters. That’s 28 free passes in seven games. Ugh.

The team didn’t do a good job of manufacturing runs this week and only managed to steal one base while being caught twice (once by Erick Aybar, of course).

The highlights aside from Matsui’s offensive display was the solid pitching of Jered Weaver, Erick Aybar’s .385 OBP for the week, Torii Hunter’s .994 OPS and Howie Kendrick’s solid week at the plate.

The True Grich Award – which will be used in this blog to recognize the most outstanding Angel of the week, goes to none other than Hideki Matsui. Matsui lead the team with 5 RBI, and a team high 1.080 OPS.

Other memorable moments included Jered Weaver receiving the Nick Adenhart Award which will be awarded annually to the Angels most outstanding pitcher, Mike Scioscia receiving his Manger of the Year award and Torii Hunter being presented with the Silver Slugger Award. It seems like most of the highlights came off the field, unfortunately.

Bobby Cassevah made his major league debut and pitched well in his first appearance. The 25 year old was a Rule V pick of the A’s this past December and was returned to the Angels in the spring. He was called up this week to replace Robb Quinlan, who was sent to AAA. This could be the end of the line for the 33 year old veteran.

Not the best opening week, but at least there is still plenty of upside for this team and this season.

No fun allowed

File this one under the heading of “unbelievable.” Last night at the Angels/Padres exhibition game, two little 514 Fanatics named Josh and Jake were being exuberant like any good baseball fan should be. They were chanting “Let’s go Angels,” followed by the customary clap that goes along with it.

Nothing wrong with that, right?

Well, the boys were a little relentless in their cheering. They only stopped between innings. Again, nothing wrong with that, right?

One wouldn’t think so, but apparently one fan sitting in the front row of our section got a little tired of it and actually complained to Jake and Josh’s dad. I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or scream when this “fan” took it upon himself to try and squash the enthusiasm of two nine year old boys.

Not to fear, the good fans in our section came to Josh and Jake’s rescue as everyone decided to show “Mr. Front Row” a thing or two by joining in the “Let’s go Angels” chant. It was perfect.

The guy doing the complaining was wearing a Chone Figgins shirt which might explain his foul mood. Maybe he didn’t know that Figgins was now a Seattle Mariner. Maybe he was confused by the new third baseman wearing #3 on the field and had to take it out on someone. I’m just saying.

Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end here.

A little while later, the usher who “patrols” our section came up into the stand to also try and quiet the boys. Seriously, he also tried to stop the boys form cheering. I wish I was making this stuff up; however, it’s true sadly enough.

The usher (who shall remain nameless) was greeted with boos and once again, other fans decided to give the boys some support and joined in the chanting of "Let's go Angels!" Soon the whole section and other surrounding areas were playing along.

You have to wonder about the mind set of "Mr. Front Row" and the usher don’t you? If you can’t cheer at a baseball game, what’s the point in coming? It’s no wonder Angel fans get tagged with the reputation of not being passionate when they’re efforts to show a little team spirit are squashed.

It’s insane. Then again, it’s more than that; it’s simply stupid.

Isn’t that grass around the diamond part of a baseball field? Or do they now play golf in stadiums? Now, I know they play tennis on grass, but the last time I checked tennis players don't wear uniforms and the guys on the field were swinging bats and not tennis rackets.

I mean what are these people thinking? What about those times when the message boards around the stadium flash the words “Get Loud” or “Make Noise.” What about the little song that ends with fans yelling “Charge!”?

This is okay, but two nine year old boys cheering is not? The world has apparently gone mad. What’s next? No more rally monkey or thunder sticks? I’m envisioning a stadium full of people sipping tea with their pinkies extended. Hot dogs will be replaced with finger sandwiches and crumpets (whatever those are). Again, the world has gone mad.

I guess John Lackey was partially right about Angel stadium lacking passion. Only it’s not the fans that are lacking, it’s some of the people who work there.

Our usher got the big FAIL last night and we told him as much on our way out. I guess it’s still spring training for some people. Can there be any other explanation? In any case, some of the joy was sucked out of being at the game last night. My only hope is that this doesn’t end up being a trend.

The day after

I took a deep breath. Actually, I took several deep breaths and even manage to exhale a couple of times. Then I began reading all the opinions and rantings and slowly developed some conclusions and thoughts of my own regarding Judas Lackey’s voyage to the dark side.

It’s kind of funny how easily my opinion about a player I’ve always liked can change ever so suddenly. Deep down inside, I kind of expected this outcome (Lackey going elsewhere) and although I thought the Yankees were a more likely destination, the fall out of his going to the Red Sox instead is basically the same.

My initial reaction to the news was disbelief. I just couldn’t believe it. Then anger began to take hold, followed by disappointment and then a return to anger. As I said yesterday, I felt like Lackey had given the Angels the finger on his way out of town. Perhaps holding on to that feeling makes it easier for me to part ways with him.

Never-the-less, I keep going back to game five of the ALCS when Mike Scioscia took Lackey out of the game and how angry Lackey was as he left the mound. This wasn’t anything new and if he had reacted any other way, I would have been stunned. Part of me wants to believe that Lackey made the decision to leave the Angels right then and there and nothing they could do would change that. Lackey would never have admitted to as much because like so many other free agents in the past, he needed the Angels to drive up his asking price.

That’s speculation on my part, but I think it might have some merit. I also wouldn’t be surprised that at some point, Lackey takes a parting shot at the Angels, the decision in game 5 and his time in Anaheim. Lackey tends to wear his heart on his sleeve and again, if he let be known why he left, I wouldn’t be surprised.

So now we (well, at least me anyway) begin the process of justifying the loss of one of the best pitchers in Angels history. It’s actually not a hard process to go through (especially when you have this vision of Lackey flipping us the bird).

Gulp… here it goes.

John Lackey lived off his game 7 performances in the 2002 World Series for seven years. During that time, he was a solid performer and evolved into the ace of the staff; however, many would argue that he was a tick below some of the other so-called #1 starters in the league. He finished as high as third in the Cy Young Award voting (2007), but only made the list of top vote getters just the one time.

On one side of the coin, we can point to the fact that of the 121 pitchers who made their debut in 2002, Lackey ranks first in wins with 102. No other pitcher from that year has more than a 100 and that list includes Jake Peavy (95), Cliff Lee (90), Erik Bedard (51), and Aaron Harang (75).

Despite all of that, since 2002 Lackey didn’t win another post season game until this past ALDS. In fact, his game one win over Boston in the 2009 ALDS is his only post season victory since 2002. He’s actually 1-4 since 2002 and 3-4 over all. Hardly stellar. And yet, Angel fans often labeled John as a “big game pitcher.” Now that he’s leaving, we might venture to say he was “over-rated.”

He started the 2008 and 2009 season on the disabled list. A red flag? Perhaps. His 3.83 ERA in 2009, while very good, was his highest since 2004 and represents a two year trend of it going up.

Then there were the public outbursts. He has been known to show up his players on the field when they make an error, complain about the lack of offense and argue about being taken out of the game. While he was an Angel, these things were likely to be viewed as signs of leadership. Now that he’s leaving, it’s easy to label them as jerk-like behavior.

Remember, we’re trying to justify his departure and that requires us to take off the gloves.

He was frequently called the “big dog” and the guy who set the tone for the entire staff. Was he really? Or was he the guy most likely to gravitate towards a microphone?

To be fair, Orange County Register columnist Mark Whicker paints a broad picture of Lackey in his latest column. He says, "We haven't always noticed when he holds up his fist in support of the players who do make plays. We haven't been around when he's taking young pitchers to the bistros and picking up the check. We haven't always heard his West Texas brogue in a clubhouse that slowly became his."

To that I say it’s easy to be the good guy when things are going well and while he had his good days, he was also volatile. Again, you have to remember that I’m a tad bit bitter about his departure.

Trying to gain some perspective in the aftermath of his departure is not an easy task. There are lots of great memories associated with the guy who wore #41.

His leaving is compounded by the arrival of one Cliff Lee in Seattle. It becomes even more difficult to swallow knowing that another Angel target – Roy Halladay is now in Philadelphia. It becomes nearly unbearable when we think that Scott Kazmir might be considered the answer as his replacement. No offense to Kazmir, but his post-season performance in 2009 did not strike a great deal of confidence into the hearts of Angel fans.

On the bright side (at least for Cheryl and I) is that Joe Saunders will be back and the trade rumors that included his name can be put to rest.

Perhaps this is the time when Jered Weaver will emerge as the pitcher we all envisioned he would become when he was drafted out of Long Beach State in 2004. He certainly showed signs of this in 2009. Weaver seems to have the temperament and qualities to become the leader of the staff. Like Lackey, Weaver has more wins than any other pitcher who made their debut in the same year (2006) with 51. More than Cole Hamels, Jon Lester, Chad Billingsley and 129 others. Weaver is 2-1 in the post-season with a 2.61 ERA and those numbers give us cause for hope.

And then there is Ervin Santana. Should the 2006 or 2008 version of the player show up, he could be something special. Maybe he likes pitching in even years and 2010 is just what he needs.

I will miss John Lackey, but come the start of the 2010 season, I will try to not give him a second thought. It will be time to move on and Lackey just became public enemy #1.

514 Fanatics react...

One 514 Fanatic named Bob wrote me and said, "In October during the playoffs, I told Stephen (his son) that we may not recognize the Angels team next spring. Unfortunately, I fear that is coming true, one step at a time. As if we needed another reason to despise the Red Sox."

Long time Angel fan and 514 Fanatic Bo (Mr. Yes We Will) wrote, "The word lackey means 'to act in a servile manner' in other words a bootlicker. Be gone with you to the gates of Fenway - you lackey. Or maybe his name should be what I had for dinner tonight... a latke. Look at it this way; Big John went for the big payday and we all knew it. To give him 5 years would have been insane... We have a young pitching staff and let's hope they pay off. Pitching basically sucks in the big leagues so it is really time for a youth movement."

Perhaps the best way to gauge the impact of Lackey’s leaving is by asking some kids what they think.

According to 514 Fanatics Jeffrey and Lauren’s nine year old twins Josh and Jake – their words are "BOO BOSTON!"

As I close this chapter in Angel’s history, I can’t help but think of my friend Scott’s 8 year old son, whose favorite player is John Lackey. I emailed Scott because I wondered how Evan was taking the news. Scott wrote, "To say that he's unhappy is putting it mildly. I had to take his Lackey T-shirt away or else he might have cut it up. He gets the playoff rivalry with the Sox, but doesn't get why a player would want to go to a team he just beat."

Evan, I don’t get it either.

Life isn't always fair

It wasn’t supposed to end this way, but sometimes life just isn’t fair. Sometimes in real life, the good guys don’t win. Sometimes good people have bad things happen to them and in the worse case scenario a young man, full of promise loses his life through no fault of his own. Unfortunately, that’s life.

The Yankees are going to the World Series and the Angels aren’t. The Yankees simply played better baseball than the Angels and even Mike Scioscia acknowledged that.

Losing hurts. It sucks to no end and when the sting of a loss is still fresh it’s hard to focus on anything other than the pain. There’s no sense in pointing fingers or casting blame because none of that changes anything and quite frankly it doesn’t make me feel any better.

This team overcame horrific circumstances to make a run at a title. The fact that they came as far as they did is a testament to their courage and their determination. It’s hard to do anything with a heavy heart, let alone compete on the biggest stage in the world. I am proud of the Angels and for the manner in which they conducted themselves all year long.

I have no idea what the future holds and I don’t even really want to think about it right now. All I know is another season has ended. The hours, days and months have all suddenly come to an abrupt halt. Our hearts are broken and we are extremely disappointed, but come spring, we’ll risk everything once again and take the plunge back into another season of tears and cheers that is better known as major league baseball.

Cheryl and I want to thank the 514 Fanatics who remained positive and hopeful throughout the season. You know who you are. We cherish your friendships and loved sharing the adventure that is baseball with each of you. We can’t wait to be with all of the Fanatics again in 2010.

To those of you who have taken the time to read this blog, thank you for humoring me and for reading about the ramblings of this die hard Angels fan. Some of you have had kind words to say and I sincerely appreciate your sentiments. In case you’re wondering, I will continue to blog in the off season because I still have much to say. It just won’t be nearly as often.

Although I am extremely disappointed, I find comfort is knowing that God is good. I was reminded today by Roger Beard, who is the retired pastor of Parkcrest Christian Church that each of us is a masterpiece, created by God. Yes, even Alex Rodriguez. I know God wants me to love even those who wear the pinstripes. That’s a lot to ask of me right now, and the best I can do is to tip my cap to them. I’m sorry, that’s as good as I can do today, but I promise to work on doing all that He commands in the days to come. Thankfully, God is always patient with me.

You know, today wasn’t the worst day in my life and in some ways it was a terrific day. Roger retired from Parkcrest last year and Cheryl and I have missed him tremendously. Today he was invited back to Parkcrest to teach, just like he used to. It was great to see him again and no matter what else happened today, I knew this day couldn’t be all bad.

This whole entire week has been one big adventure. It started with a terrific win for the Angels on Monday and an even more amazing rollercoaster of a win on Thursday. Sandwiched in between was a humbling loss, oh so painful to watch. On Friday I had to say a few words about the passing of a colleague. I could barely make it through that one. I then followed that up by accepting a service award for a professional organization I belong to. Minutes before all of that, Cheryl had a flat that ended up shredding the tire of our car on the way to the luncheon where I would be speaking; thankfully, she arrived safely and just in time. You could say my emotions have been through the ringer this week. I’m exhausted both mentally and physically.

It’s time to get back to work and to life away from baseball. Spring will be here before we know it and I can’t wait.

In closing today’s blog, I want to tip my hat once again to the Yankees – you earned your way to the World Series. That being said, I really want to wish the Phillies the best of luck. Go Philly!

Great Expectations

And so the waiting continues. I don’t like it much, but like so many things in life, it’s one more thing that’s out of my control. The game won’t get here soon enough, but at least we have a game.

Even though the rain thing was a bummer, there is a silver lining. When this series goes to 7 games, John Lackey could get the call on three days rest. Mike Scioscia probably isn’t thinking that far ahead, but I can. Don’t get me wrong, I’d be perfectly fine with Weaver getting the nod. Either way, the Angels will have a true competitor on the mound.

I want this in the worst way. I know there are more important things going on in the world today and yet winning still matters. The Angels stand for something. They’re about teamwork and a group of guys who are like a family, who have had to deal with real life issues and all the things that go with that. They're out to complete a goal and have remained focused on that goal, despite adversity, despite life itself.

We don’t know how the story will unfold today. We don’t know who might become a hero. We could end up talking about tonight’s game for years to come or we could end up wanting to forget about it. The anticipation is tremendous.

What is it about us fans that make us want to beat the Yankees so much? For me, it’s about making sure a self-centered turd like Alex Rodriguez never gets to experience what it means to be a champion. It’s about the stereotypical, arrogant Yankee fan who think that when his/her team wins, it some how makes them better than anyone else. It’s because when I look at the Yankees I see a team that plays without honor. I see mercenaries that are hired to complete a task and are there because they are receiving top dollar for their services. It’s about an organization that has tried to find a short cut to a title by simply buying whoever they want. It’s about an organization that thinks they’re bigger than the game itself.

The Yankees need to be knocked out in the worst way and the Angels are just the team to do it. I believe they’re up to the challenge. The stage is set for an incredible show. It couldn’t be more dramatic.

The media loves the Yankees, but we know the Angels are actually the better story. I want the Yankees to be irrelevant, a mere footnote in the 2009 season. The Angels are a team that is all about hope. They're all about getting up every time someone knocks them down. Sometimes they lift each other up, sometimes it's us fans that give them an emotional lift by being loud at games. This season they've found a multitude of ways to keep pushing forward.

Vic, a 514 Fanatic recently ran into a down trodden Rex Hudler after an Angels loss and told him “Angels shine brightest when it’s darkest.” Rex said, “I like that.” I do too.

Hollywood couldn’t write a better script. They’d never cast this group of players into their real-life roles.

Let’s expect the incredible and believe in miraculous. Let's Go Angels.

Waiting is the hardest part

It’s 1:45 p.m. and I can’t wait for the game to start. I’m anxious. I’m excited. I really want the Angels to win. I always want them to win, but this year is different. It really is. It’s about overcoming Boston. It’s about beating the Evil Empire and even though it may have been over-stated, it’s about Nick Adenhart. It’s as if winning it all would some how bring some closure to the Adenhart tragedy.

We may be seeing Vlad, Figgy, Lackey, Oliver and Abreu for the last time. It’s not something I want to think about. I just want them to win the whole thing. Whatever happens after that happens. But this team, this group of individuals need to complete the story. We need a happy ending. After all, we all love happy endings.

I love this team’s chances.

I have supreme confidence in Joe Saunders; however, I am not confident in the weather. It’s making me crazy. I’d just like to know if this thing is going to be played today. I hate waiting. I hate not knowing. Heck, sometimes I even listen to the radio when the game is on TV because TV is delayed by seven seconds and I can know what happens before I see it.

I hope they get this game in and that the weather isn't a factor.

If you are so inclined, you can follow the weather updates on Twitter. I just checked the twitter web page and the latest update says the gates are opening on time at 5 p.m. Eastern. That’s a good sign, I think. We’ll see.

This is torture.

We’ll be leaving to meet some 514 Fanatics at a local restaurant in a couple hours. Here’s believing that we will be celebrating later tonight.

Go Angels!

UPDATE:

Game postponed until Sunday!

Analyze This

When I started this blog, I told myself (and probably you as well) I wasn’t going to be doing any kind of deep analysis of the game or its players. I lied, but only sort of.

True Grich proudly presents; this, that and some other things about the New York Yankees. You see, Rob Neyer has nothing on me.

Here we go…

First up, Johnny Damon. Johnny makes up for his lack of arm strength with his ability to grow a very thick beard. Problem is Johnny isn’t allowed to grow any of that in NY. In Boston they sell t-shirts that say: Johnny Damon - Looks like Jesus. Acts like Judas. Throws like Mary. Ouch. Johnny wants to stay in NY next year (he’s a free agent after the season). Come on Johnny; why not go back to Oakland where you played in 2001? After all, that worked out well for Jason Giambi. Oh wait…

Mark Teixeira is a good hitter, but he’s a terrible liar. Please don’t tell me it’s not about the money and then go and sign with the Yankees. Now, if you had told me you didn’t want to live in the same time zone as your agent Scott Boras, I might have believed you. Then again, I can’t be too angry with Mark – his leaving paved the way for Kendry Morales and gave the Angels the flexibility to sign Bobby Abreu. I love Bobby. Players flock to Bobby. Salesmen with visions of large commission checks flock to Tex. I’ll take Morales and Abreu over Tex any day.

By the way does Tex remind you of anyone?



I'm just saying...

Alex Rodriguez leads the league in one thing. Derogatory nicknames. A-Roid, A-Fraud, A-Choke. You name it, he’s been called it. Make no mistake about it, Alex is all about himself. One WBC he wants to play for Team USA. The next he wants to play for the Dominican Republic. One day Madonna is his soul mate. The next he’s kissy face with Kate Hudson. When he orchestrated his way out of Texas, he didn’t care if he went to Boston or New York. A-Fraud is as wishy washy as a politician. He might have a bright future in congress. He might represent New York one term and then Florida the next. He’ll probably switch parties every other election too.

In New York they like to cheer – Hip, Hip, Jorge. I’m here to Rip, Rip Jorge. Jorge Posada is a catcher in name only. He wears the gear, but he can’t do the job. He’d be the perfect spokesman for one of those Holiday Inn commercials. I can hear him now… “I’m not a catcher, but I slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night.” His arm is so weak; he couldn’t even throw out soon-to be 51 year old Mike Scioscia on the bases. He’s so bad; A.J. Burnett would rather have Jose Molina catch for him. Posada doesn’t like that much. Isn’t dissention in the Yankee club house a beautiful thing?

Then there’s C.C Sabathia. And I thought Bartolo Colon was big. Sabathia is listed at 6’7” and 290 lbs. Everything about him is big, including his ERA against the Angels this year, not to mention his career post season ERA. It’s clear Sabathia likes donuts, because he’s 0-2 this year against the Angels so far.

Cheater, Cheater Derek Jeter. Don’t you just love the way that rolls off your tongue? What can I possibly say about “Captain Clutch?” It’s going on nine years since Derek Jeter was clutch enough to carry his team to a World Series win. I think it’s to the point now where he’s better known for all the Hollywood starlets he’s had on his arm. I hear they’re lining up for him. Don’t worry ladies… I believe Jeter will be back on the dating scene some time next week when his season comes to an end.

Mariano Rivera. It’s really hard to rip this guy; after all, he’s the greatest closer in post-season history. Just ask the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks.

Brian Cash-man. What a perfect name for a Yankee GM. He’s been quoted as saying - “I think they (Angels) look down on us.” Actually, Mr. Cashman, the Angels don’t look down or even back for that matter. They look ahead. It’s what you do when you’re pulling away from your opponent.

There you have it. It’s not comprehensive, but I think I’ve managed to hit all the low points. Peter Gammons, eat your heart out.

Extra Innings:

Happy Birthday to 514 Fanatic Lauren, who turned 40 yesterday!

Dear Boston, Dave Henderson Can't Help You.

We came. We saw. We conquered. Boston took their best shot and it wasn’t good enough. The better team won and that’s the name of that tune.

Baseball is a game of tradition. It is rich in history and full of superstitions and things like curses and such. The talk going into the series was all about the past. It was about 1986, 2004, 2007, and 2008. It was about looking back. I guess the past gives the experts and media types something to talk about.

Well, anyone that knows the Angels knows this is not a team that looks back and it is not a team that looks ahead. It is a team that focuses on the business at hand.

We heard (over and over) all about the Angels inability to beat Boston in the play-offs. We heard all about how Papelbon had never given up a run in the post season. Boston had a great record at home. They had a lot of confidence in their ball park. Blah, blah, blah. It was enough to make anyone want to throw up. Seriously.

Today the Red Sox even tried to resurrect the past by having Dave Henderson throw out the first pitch. Henderson is the man who broke the hearts of Angel fans in 1986 when his homerun sent his Red Sox to the World Series and the Angels home.

Well, Dave Henderson is no match for the Rally Monkey. Heck he’s not even a match for my rally cap. Cheryl had the monkey going and I had the cap firmly in place. Maybe Henderson should have closed the game instead of Papelbon. Maybe then he would have been of some help. I'm just saying...

Now, if anyone wants to talk about the past – let’s talk about how this team is like the team in 2002. It never gives up. During the game, Cheryl walked down the street to her mom’s to deliver some guacamole. One of our neighbors asked her if she was “giving up.” Cheryl confidently replied… “We never give up.”

During the game Buck Martinez the color commentator for TBS said something to the effect that Scioscia must be thinking about the depth of the Red Sox bull pen now and how they will have their work cut out for them tomorrow night. When he said that I had to laugh. I told Cheryl – I am certain Scioscia isn’t thinking about tomorrow night, he’s focused on this game right now.

And what a game it was.

So many players deserve thanks, but I'd just like to recognize a couple for now.

Vladimir Guerrero has more than 400 homeruns in his career. He has an MVP trophy on his mantle. He has as an impressive a resume as you will find in baseball, but none of it compares to the base hit he delivered today. Thank you Big Daddy.

Thank you Bobby Abreu. Bobby, you look good in red and your hit off the green monster was a sight to behold. You're one of us now, baby.

The past is right where it belongs. Time to start talking about the now. Time to remind everyone about this team’s heart. Time to go to the ALCS. Can I get a boo-ya!?

This feels good. In fact this feels awesome. It's never really been about revenge for me. It's been more about seeing the Angels getting the respect they deserve. It's been about putting the silly notion that the team was some how cursed. And okay, the revenge thing ain't bad either.

Perhaps Papelbon will take my advice from an earlier post and head off to Australia where summer is approaching and he can work on getting a tan. He can take Pedroia and Ellsbury with him. They can talk reminisce about the past. Ortiz can go and wash the spit off his hands and the good people in Boston can now focus on the Patriots. We Angel fans still have something to cheer for.

And to my friend from Section 514... Bo, this post is for you. Thank you for being Mr. Positive. I'm with you. I believe that Yes, We Will!

Remembering Bruce

When I started this blog I knew at some point in time, I would be writing about the passing of a fellow Angels fan. I wasn’t quite sure when to do it, but as the regular season comes to a close, this feels like the appropriate time.

In a season full of both joy and sorrow, the 514 Fanatics lost one of their own. On August 19, 2009 our friend Bruce Manning passed away from a sudden and unexpected heart attack at the age of 55.

I only had the pleasure (and it was truly a pleasure) of knowing Bruce for a couple years. I am sorry I didn’t know him longer. Bruce always greeted Cheryl and me with a smile. He always had a great story or funny joke to share and made everyone around him feel comfortable. You couldn’t help but be in a good mood when Bruce was around.

I enjoyed every moment I ever spent with him. It was obvious Bruce was a devoted father to his four daughters and a loving husband to his wife, Roberta. He was a dedicated volunteer to the Hillel Foundation of Irvine, an avid poker player and he loved baseball. He looked good in red too. A converted Yankee fan, Bruce clearly enjoyed his time at the ball park. He often brought friends and/or family to the game.

Sometimes it’s the little things you remember about people. Bruce grew his own grapes and he often brought them to the game to share. They were delicious too. I remember Cheryl and I looking at each other with that “oh my goodness these are awesome” look on our faces the first time we had some.

I can’t help but think about the care he must have given those grapes to make them grow into delicious little pieces of heaven. I also can’t help but think about the relationships Bruce must have also grown over the years. I’m sure all who knew him were better for the experience.

We’ll miss you Bruce and as the Angels march forward with their #34 patches on their uniforms, the good fans in 514 will also march forward with your memory in our hearts.

There's no business like shoe business

It's a good thing I don't believe in jinxes. Otherwise, I might think the debut of this blog had something to do with the Angels losing the first two games of their series with the hated A's. My wife Cheryl even asked me if my blog would some how jinx the Angels chances.

Again, I don't believe in jinxes (Cheryl doesn't really either). Never mind that the Angels lost in two of the worst ways possible; getting shut out on Friday night and then blowing a seven run lead on Saturday. Never mind that the Angels just lost four games in a row for the first time all season. It ain't the blog's fault.

It's all about the shoes. Yeah, that's right - it's those stinkin' white shoes the A's wear. When Brad Ziegler came into the game yesterday, I got a glare headache. Those shoes were ""Ross glow-in-the-dark teeth white AND... they were HUGE. I mean, I know Trevor Bell is related to Bozo the clown, but Ziegler has Bozo's feet. Cheryl asked me if he was wearing ski's. The Angels had no chance of yet another comeback looking at those things. I think Ziegler wore a path in the outfield grass on his way to the mound from the bull pen. The ground's crew had to work over time to repair the damage after the game. Fellow 514 Fanatics Ann and Linda know what I'm talking about.

The way I see it, the white shoes must impair the vision of any opponent playing them - especially at night, at least last night and Friday night. I think they should be banned from baseball. Those stinkin' A's always find a way to ruin my day.

Okay, so the Angels aren't going to clinch the AL West this weekend. Not to worry because I am not afraid. After all, Bobby Grich wouldn't be afraid. In fact, I guarantee the Angels will win today! How's that for looking at a jinx straight in the eye and spittin' in its face?

Joe Saunders takes the mound today and Joe just happens to be Cheryl's and my favorite pitcher. Joe won't let us down.

You see we have a little history with Joe. When Joe made his major league debut, we followed him around (from the stands, of course), taking pictures of him warming up on the field and in the bull pen. We took pictures of him during the game, capturing his strike out totals, stats on the scoreboard, etc.

The following spring training, Cheryl and I presented him with a little album from his first game. Joe was touched - he seemed sincerely surprised anyone would do this and he was very appreciative. Through that we've created a little bond. A good ol' fashioned player/fan bond. He knows us enough to recognize us whenever he sees us and we think that's fun.

A couple Saturday's ago we met his wife Shanel who was a part of the pet-adoption event held at the stadium. When we introduced ourselves, she said "you're the couple that made Joe that album!" Again, pretty fun.

Where am I going with all this?

Cheryl and I believe in Joe. Who's the guy who beat probable 2009 Cy Young award winner - Zack Greinke 1-0, while throwing his first complete game shut out? That's right - it was Joe. He's going to get the job done today. The Angels need a win today and Joe is going to deliver one. Guaranteed.

We don't need a rabbit's foot. We don't need a four leaf clover. We have Joe.