Show Me Something

There’s a bad news epidemic that’s rolling through the Angels and it isn’t taking any prisoners.  It’s kicking the team’s butt and barreling through it like a tidal wave and that’s not to be confused with a title wave.

Every time I check MLB Trade Rumors, tune into MLB network or just open my eyes – I see one awful report after another.  Good grief, somebody please make it stop.

I guess this is what happens when you don’t show any empathy for other teams who go through seasons with devastating injuries to their team.  I guess this is just the way the ball bounces – like an inning ending double play.  Boom.  Just like that.

It’s only May 10 and I’m not prepared to give up on a season.  The idea of a long, losing season just makes me want to… well, it make me want to puke.  I don’t know if I can stomach it. 

I guess there’s two ways the team can respond.  They can either roll-over and play the “Woe is me” card or they can look each other in the eye and say, “Let’s win this thing anyway.”

I really don’t know what they will do or what they’re capable of doing.  Certainly, things don’t look very good on paper, but we all know that games aren’t won on paper. Time will tell what this team is made of and if they can overcome and become something special. 

This is what I do know…  It’s time for Albert Pujols to step up.  In fact, it’s past time.  I don’t know if Father Time has finally caught up with him or if he’s just on cruise control as he coasts towards Coopers Town – but I’ve been more than patient waiting for some semblance of greatness to show up on a consistent basis. 

There was a time when any team that Albert Pujols in its lineup had a chance.  There was a time when Albert wanted to prove to the world that he was in fact the best hitter in baseball.  He had a chip on his shoulder.  He played with an edge and a fierceness that was awesome to watch.

I don’t know if he still has any of that.  I just don’t.  I don’t know the man personally.  I’d like to believe he still has a fire in his belly, but I’d like to believe a lot of things…

Losing isn’t fun.  Watching a team not compete is just plain painful.  I don’t want or need that kind of aggravation.

I’ll be going to the games against the Cardinals and I’ll be watching to see what kind of effort they put forth.  If I don’t see guys battling like they’d rather die than make an out, let alone lose a game – I won’t be happy.  I want to see a team that is out to prove the doubters wrong and to show the rest of baseball that they’re not done.

The great Jim Valvano once gave a great speech about how ordinary people do extra-ordinary things every day.  Well?  It all starts tonight and I’ll be watching.  

Choosing to Believe

I’ve made a decision.  As long as Albert Pujols is able to step on a baseball field, I’m not going to count him out.  I’m just not going to do it.  I don’t care what anyone says or anyone thinks, I will continue to believe that Albert is capable of doing great things.

Everyone knows he had off season foot surgery.  The funny thing (at least to me) about that is that from the moment that was made public; fans, experts, insiders, etc. started to write him off.  They said he wouldn’t be ready for opening day.  They said a lot of things that were made to cast doubt on what kind of season he would have.

Not me.  Never.  No way.

There are some people out there (you know who you are) who will look for any little thing to pile on when it comes to Albert.  These people have an agenda.  I guess they don’t feel like he’s lived up to his expectations and more importantly (for them), his contract.  I get that. 

What I don’t get is the notion that some people think he doesn’t care.  That doesn’t make any sense to me what-so-ever.  There is no way Albert has achieved what he has achieved in his career without caring.  Talent alone doesn’t make you a Hall of Fame candidate.  The great ones are driven.  They play with a chip on their shoulder.  They play with something to prove every time they step on the field.  I believe that.

Albert has said that if he doesn’t feel like he can play at a high enough level, he’ll retire before the end of his contract.  I believe him.  Some of you (again, you know who you are), don’t.  Whatever.

I’m pretty much over the people who have taken it upon themselves to hate on Albert every chance they get.  Hating on certain ball players has become a new favorite pastime for some.  I don’t get that (unless we’re talking A.J. Pierzynski, of course).

I believe Albert always gives his best effort.  I know he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations, but I believe some of those things are about circumstance and certainly not about effort.  When I look at Albert, I see a proud man who takes his job very seriously. 

Obviously, I don’t know him personally – but neither do most if not all of you reading this.  We don’t know what he thinks, what motivates him or what’s going on in his life.  It doesn’t matter.  I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and just believe that he’s doing everything he can to be the best player he can be.

His contract is what it is.  Get over it.

So, as the season inches closer – I am looking forward to seeing what Albert will do.  I’m going to root for him.  I’m going to be optimistic and positive.  I’m going to wear his name on my back to games.  I’m even going to expect greatness; yes, greatness. 

I love come-back stories.  I love it when good people prove doubters wrong.  I admire those who do the unexpected.  I champion those who exceed expectations and defy the odds. 

The story is yet to unfold.  I can’t wait to see what happens.  I know I may be disappointed.  Then again, I might not.  Regardless, I’d rather stay positive and expect greatness than be that guy who’s just negative for the sake of being negative, never happy and always looking for the sky to fall. 

That’s just not me. 

Baseball is supposed to be fun and this is what I choose to do as a fan. 

Good Baseball Hunting

Something is different.  Usually when pitchers and catchers report, I get a little extra pep in my step.  I usually feel a little more optimistic about everything.  I’m usually in a little bit of a better mood and I’m looking forward.

It’s March and the teams are in full spring training mode. Games are being played and competition is taking place and guess what?  I haven’t even looked at a single box score or searched the internet for any little tidbit of baseball news; at least not to the extent I usually do.

I know Albert Pujols is ahead of schedule in his recovery from off season foot surgery; and although that makes me smile, I’m just not where I usually am at this point in time.

Baseball isn’t taking up much, if any time in my head right now.  I’m guessing as opening day gets closer things will change, but I don’t know for sure.

At a recent chalk talk held for season seat holders with Billy Eppler; the new Angels’ general manager, I heard some things that were encouraging.  First and foremost there is a movement towards a return to Angels baseball, Mike Scioscia style. The Angels are making a point to acquire Scioscia’s type of players; guys who put the ball in play, go first to third and play good defense.  I love that. 

In many ways that news is better than any “big splash” signing the Angels could have made in the off season.

Even still… something is different.

What’s puzzling, is that I can’t tell you why it’s different.  I mean, I’m excited about getting to watch the best player in baseball continue to do amazing things in Mike Trout.  I’m excited about seeing if Jered Weaver can bounce back from a disappointing season and re-emerge as the guy we have always counted on.  I’m just not as excited, I guess.

Is this what happens when your team doesn’t have a certain level of success anymore?  2002 seems like a million years ago.  The run of consecutive division championships seem like a lifetime ago. 

Is it because the team hasn’t lived up to expectations in recent years?  I really don’t know.

Maybe it’s because there isn’t a Torii Hunter type of guy who makes me laugh and smile.  Maybe it’s because there isn’t a Joe Saunders, who Cheryl and I were able to connect with on a certain level.  Again, I don’t know.

As I write this – it’s like I’m thinking out loud.  I’m asking questions and feeling certain things and I’m trying to figure out why.

I’m not feeling the anticipation of great baseball to come.  I don’t have any real expectations.  I have hopes for good things, but I am not sure what to expect.  I’m not sure I’m ready for the grind and if the Angels struggle, I’m not sure I’m ready for the negativity that comes from the fan base when that happens.

They say baseball is America’s favorite pastime.  It’s been more than that for me for quite some time.  It’s been an obsession of sorts.  Not so much this year; at least, not so far.

Maybe this is better.  Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised.  Maybe something will happen that I didn’t see coming and baseball will be fun again. 

Ah yes, maybe that’s it.  Maybe I’m waiting for baseball to be fun again.  Maybe I need to be around like-minded fans who are all about the Angels.  Our season seat section has shrunk considerably from where it once was when we had so many regulars surrounding us every game.  It’s a sliver of what it was.  I miss that a lot. 

Maybe we can engage whoever will be sitting around us this year.  Maybe we can add on to our “summer family” like the one Jimmy Fallon’s character talked about in the movie “Fever Pitch.” 

One can hope…

Are we havng fun yet?

This post is dedicated to my young friend – Evan, who is the son of a long-time friend of mine who happens to be an Angels fan living in the heart of Dodger country in the San Fernando Valley.  Evan recently came to a game and told me how much he liked my blog and then nudged me about my not writing much.

Well, Evan – I have lots to say, but unfortunately, I haven’t had time to say it…  So, this one’s for you.

Here are some thoughts and observations on all things Angels…

The 2015 version of the Los Angeles Angels is one of the most frustrating teams of recent memory.  Sure, there was a time when the Angels didn’t always play meaningful games in September and even though the Angels are doing that – they don’t “feel’ like a play-off team at all.

Yes, there was an all-too-brief period when they looked like world beaters going 17-3 over a 20 game span, but was just a blip in a season of disappointment and anxiety.  It’s so bad, that part of me can’t wait for the season to be over and I never want baseball season to end. 

In true “buttercup fashion” (why do you build me up, just to let me down), the Angels teased me yet again this past weekend by winning the first two games against the Houston Astros before blowing a 3-0 lead with two outs and two strikes in the 9^th to lose 5-3.  The loss was devastating.  It was horrific.  And sadly, not all that surprising.

I’ve come to expect the worst of this 2015 team and that’s not fun.  I want to believe they’ll rally and pull out a miracle, but my gut says otherwise.  I can view the baseball world through rose-colored glasses as well as anyone – but not this year. I nearly didn’t buy post-season tickets – but had to succumb to it because with my luck – the Angels would defy me and make the post-season without me and I can’t have that.  That being said, I waited until the last day to make that commitment. 

So… here are some thoughts on this year’s squad and they will be in no particular order…

Fernando Salas is the new Kevin Jepsen.  For the life of me, I don’t understand how in the world Salas can be second in appearances to only Joe Smith.   To date, he’s appeared in 61 games with an ERA of 4.34.  Seems like he comes out of the pen for just about any situation.  Things usually go bad when he comes in with men on base.  I admit, I’m too lazy to look up the stats to verify that – but there must be a reason I roll my eyes every time he comes into a game.

More CP-58, please.  That’s my nickname for Carlos Perez who appears to be the far better option at catcher than Chris Iannetta.  I can’t believe it’s taken nearly a whole season for Mike Scioscia to come to that conclusion.  Perez definitely has more upside and I just feel better when he’s behind the plate and "Joe Base Stealer" is on first.

Better late than never, but come on!  It took C.J. Cron a while to find his way into the everyday lineup, but it finally looks like the Angels have found their DH and some additional pop in their lineup.  Even still – as he started to heat up, it took Scioscia a while to recognize he’s the best option regardless of whether there’s right hander or left hander on the mound.  If only he and his bat had found their way into the lineup from day 1 on – this season might look a lot different.

Let’s see – 3 observations so far and it looks like I’m blasting Mike Scioscia in each of them.  Well, before you Scioscia-haters get to excited – read this…

It’s time for the Angels to give Scioscia the kind of baseball players that fit his style.  The fact that Erick Aybar leads the team in stolen bases with just 11 is a clear indicator to me that the roster is not constructed to fit Scioscia’s style of baseball. 

Stop. I see you out there.  Don’t even go there.  Don’t even tell me it’s up to Scioscia to adopt to the lineup he’s given…  I’m not buying it.  I want a roster that has guys who love to force the issue, guys who put the ball in play instead of looking at strike 3 (more on this in a bit).  Guys who are on a mission to go from first to third whenever possible and constantly put pressure on the defense.

And speaking of defense – I want a roster full of guys who can flat out pick it.  A team that doesn’t require late-in-the-game defensive replacements.  I hate sloppy play and this season has been like one big "sloppy Joe" of a season. 

Now, forgive me as I head into the deep part of the pool to talk a bit about Mike Trout.  No question – he’s the best all-around player in the game and from all indications will be a Hall of Famer one day.  And yet… (Don’t you hate when people do this?)… There are times when he makes me crazy.

I want to turn Trout lose.  I want him to be a little more like Rickey Henderson and a little less like Jim Rice.  Both are hall of famers, but one had the distinction of being a disruptive force.  Teams had to go out of their way to figure out how to keep Henderson off the base paths.  Teams may have “feared” Rice as so many of his advocates will tell you – but Henderson was pure chaos.  He could beat you with his bat and his legs and there usually wasn’t a darn thing you could do about it.

I want teams so focused on Trout when he's on base that they’re not paying as much attention to who is in the batter’s box.  You see, I don’t see anything wrong with putting the best hitter on your team in a position to get the most at-bats.  He’s not only the best hitter, he also has the best chance of getting on base (when he’s no looking at strike 3). 

Yeah, I just went there.

I don’t have any hard data to back this up (remember, I’m lazy), but I can’t stand watching Trout take strike 3 in big situations or any situation for that matter and it appears to me that this happens all too often.  Swing the bat!  For the love of baseball, swing the bat!

I’m not here to tell Mike Trout how to play baseball – but someone please explain to me why he almost always looks at the first pitch.  I think it was very telling when he was mic’d up at the all-star game and came back from an at bat and said, “I really wanted to swing at the first pitch, but couldn’t pull the trigger.” 

What is going on in his head?  This started out as being a not-so-big deal, but I think it has gone a tad bit out of hand.  I know he recognized this and worked on it in spring training, but he’s back to falling behind in the count early and often. 

Look, I count my lucky stars every day that I get to watch Trout play on my favorite team.  I know I’m blessed and beyond thankful, but that doesn’t mean, I can’t nitpick just a bit.

I’m selfish.  I want Trout to dominate the highlight reel every night.  I want people around the country to get sick and tired about hearing how great he is.  I don’t want to hear how Josh Donaldson is the front-runner for the MVP award.  Heck, no – that’s not going to do anything for the Trout Legacy.  I want total domination.  I don’t want it to even be close. 

I want Trout to go 40/40.  Heck, 40/60+ would be even better.  I want opposing fans to think that every time Trout is on base – he’s destined to score.  I want Dan Patrick saying, “You can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him.”  I want to people paying tribute to the late Stuart Scott and give us a “boo-ya” every time Trout does something great.

I don’t think I’m asking for the impossible.  Mike Trout was born for greatness. Time to put him in a position to be just that.

And now on to more observations and comments…

Johnny G. – get well soon, but when you’re ready, please forgive me for wanting a better option at second base.  I get the fans’ appreciation of “Johnny Baseball” as Roger Lodge affectionately refers to him, but I miss Howie Kendrick.  Yes, I know he had that deer-in-the-headlights effect in the post season, but his bat and defense were a solid part of the Angels and both have been greatly missed in 2015.  How about we bring him back in 2016?

Sorry Grant Green and Taylor Featherston – but your upside isn’t close to what Kendrick brought to the table.

I’m not certain that Featherston was worth a Rule V pick.  Having him on the roster all year has definitely limited the team’s options in my opinion.  I hope I’m wrong about that (I know he’s finally starting to hit with regular playing time), but I won’t be surprised if this becomes a regrettable move.

Erick Aybar – you will always be Gilligan to me.  Pujols’ little buddy – still has the propensity to do something great one moment and something absolutely unfathomable the next.  I continue to question his baseball IQ and the thought process he uses to make decisions on the field.  No doubt the talent is there – but the decision process doesn’t quite match the ability.

I wouldn’t be terribly upset if the Angels found another option at SS.  I might one day regret that statement, but I’ll take my chances for now.

Ever been at the game and heard a group of fans in the upper level yelling “Cal-hooooun” (think Ya-hoooo) whenever he comes to bat?  That’s a small group of dedicated fans who are in the Kole Calhoun admiration society.  Is there a harder worker baseball player than Calhoun? That was a rhetorical question because of course, there isn’t. 

Any baseball fan that doesn’t love Calhoun simply has issues and needs professional help.  Calhoun is the prototypical Scioscia player.  He may not be the fastest guy on the planet, but what he lacks in speed he makes up for in effort.  He gets to balls in the outfield that mere mortals never come close to.  He’s the consummate teammate and openly celebrates the success of his teammates.  He smiles.  He has fun.  It’s clear he loves to play the game and fans like me – can’t get enough.

One thing I’ve had enough of is the revolving door in left field.  We’ve seen a plethora of guys trotted out there over the years.  Everyone from Juan Rivera to Vernon Wells to gulp… Matt Joyce.  I had high hopes for Matt Joyce, but that move just turned out to be ugly all the way around.  It reminded of the season Scioscia kept trotting Steve Finley out to center field despite his not being able to hit his weight. 

The guys the Angels brought in mid-season – David Murphy and David DeJesus haven’t exactly worked out great either.  Murphy has had his moments and is adequate, but he’s not necessarily the kind of guy you want batting in the middle of your lineup.

The depth of the batting lineup has hurt the Angels all year long and when David Freese went on the DL, it was really magnified.  I like Freese’s presence in the lineup and his post season experience is a huge plus.  Then again… am I really talking post season?

Freese also happens to be a free agent after this year and I hope the Angels bring him back.  The pickings are slim for 3B and he’s solid enough.  I’m not sure Kaleb Cowart or any of the other Angel farm hands are ready to assume that position just yet.

The guys who have tried to fill Troy Glaus’ shoes since he departed in 2004 include Chone Figgins, Dallas McPherson, Maicer Izturis, Edgardo Alfonzo, Shane Hillenbrand, Robb Quinlan, Alberto Callaspo, Chris Nelson, and Freese.  It’s been a revolving door and I’ll keep Freese, thank you very much.

And then there’s the pitching.  Truth be known, I’ve had a hard time adopting C.J. Wilson as an Angel.  I still think of him as a mouthy Texas Ranger from back in the day.  It’s like when the Lakers signed Karl Malone.  Are you kidding me?  I’m supposed to now cheer for a guy I hated because he changed uniforms?  I have a lot of issues with Wilson.  Perhaps I’ll get into another time, but quite frankly – I can’t wait to see him move on.

I liked the additions of Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano, but I like the idea of adding someone like David Price in 2016 even more.  Heaney has been pretty good at times, but I’m not sure he was worth losing Howie Kendrick.  I’m not going to bag on either guy, but they aren’t the kind of guys a team wins pennants with at this point in their careers.  The Angels had to count on them a little too much, in my opinion.

I think we all counted on Garrett Richards a little more than we should have.  We expected him to return to is pre-injury form and it didn’t happen.  He’s pitched well, but not at the one-of-the-five-best-in-the-American-League well.  It was unfair of us to think he was going to be that good after returning.  He’s still a solid pitcher and I expect him to be just as good or better next year.

Hector Santiago was an all-star this year.  Go figure.  The guy struggles to go more than five innings and he’s picked to play in the mid-season classic.  I’m happy for him and I like the guy a great deal, but he just doesn’t give the team enough innings.  Every time he takes the mound – you know the bullpen is going to get some work.  He’s fine as a fifth starter, but the Angels asked him to be more than that.

Ok, so I saved Jered Weaver for last.  If you’re looking for me to blast the Dirtbag in anyway, you’re going to be disappointed.  Yes, Weaver slipped a lot in 2015 and he wasn’t as effective as he needed to be, but I refuse to blast the guy in any way.  Weaver will be done when Weaver decides he’s done as far as I’m concerned.  I have too much admiration and respect for a guy who has given Angel fans so much to be thankful for. 

Jered Weaver is always going to hold a special place in my heart.  Watching him throw a no-hitter was one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen in baseball.  And even though he hasn’t pitched like himself this year – there were games when he was as good as he ever was and his defense let him down.  That wasn’t always the case – but it happened more than it should have.

Call me a Weaver apologist.  I admit it. 

Now, about that bullpen…

I already touched on my disdain (for lack of a better word) for Salas.  I don’t have a lot of issues with the rest of the pen, but I wish Mike Morin was used more.  He was pretty good last year and I thought he should have made more appearances this year.

I keep waiting for Cam Bedrosian to be the pitcher everyone thinks he can be.  The guy throws hard, but he hasn’t been able to harness control of all his pitches.  He makes me nervous… like Kevin-Jepsen-nervous every time he comes in a game. 

I don’t have much to say about the rest of the pen, except to say – they weren’t the issue this year.  I’m happy to have Huston Street – even after he blew that 3-0 lead Sunday… Stuff like that just happens. Even Troy Percival blew ten saves one season.

Now about those “ten things” I mentioned in an earlier post (something else Evan wanted an update on)….

Cheryl and I made it to a Nationals game at Petco Park. The night we went Harper didn’t homer, but had homered the night before and would again the night after.  Go figure.  It was nice to see the young star in person never-the-less.  We almost had one of his foul balls when one landed near us – but it wasn’t in the cards.

When the Dodgers came to town – so did their fans… in mass.  It was not fun and Cheryl and I didn’t even go to the last game of the series.  We had enough from the previous two nights.  I just hate it when Angel fans disappear for the free-way series. 

We only made it to one Padre game – the schedules just didn’t match up right for us.  When the Padres were home – the Angels we usually home too. Maybe next year… but then again – that team didn’t turn out to be nearly as entertaining as anyone had hoped.

We got to see Troy Tulowitzki more than we thought after his trade to Toronto.  I made an effort to get his autograph one home game – getting there early, etc. – but it was to no avail.  I didn’t have it in me to do more than one long day at the stadium.  Maybe next year.

No Evan Longoria autograph either… I just didn’t make an effort.  Joe Saunders left the Mariners and never saw the major league roster, A.J. Pierzynski was off my radar all year (hooray!) and it continues to be an absolute joy to watch Mike Trout day in and day out.  Regarding Saunders – I fear he may be done as a major leaguer, but we’ll see.  Lefties have a way of sticking around…

As I attempt to finish off this post, it’s Tuesday night and the Angels are losing to Seattle 3-1 in the 7^th and David Murphy has homered for the second night in a row.  I guess he’s trying to make me look bad after my comments in this post.  He’s been the lead-off hitter the last two games and you know how I feel about that. 

Trout just struck out swinging in the 8^th to make the third out with two men on… Ugh.

Anyway – the season seems to be slipping away.  Texas is in first place and that makes me want to puke.  I don’t have a lot of animosity for the Houston Astros, but I don’t care for Texas at all… not quite as much as I hate the stinkin’ A’s – but they’re high on my list just the same.  It’s bad enough that the Angels have been horrible.  Texas surging at the end of the season just makes it worse. 

This season is fast becoming a real downer.  Wait, I take that back… it hasn’t been fast.  It’s more like a slow, agonizing, and painful experience.  That being said, when it’s over – I’ll still miss it because it’s still baseball.

That’s all I have for now.  I will definitely make an effort to write more – even as we head into the off season.  I have lots of topics rolling around in my head – it’s just a matter of sitting down and pounding them out.

Thanks to Evan for the nudge – I felt pretty guilty about letting down anyone who is kind enough to actually take the time to check in on this blog. 

Who knew?

Angel fans are a spoiled bunch.  I have often said that 2002 changed everything.  Prior to that monumental occasion, we were pretty used to not rooting for a franchise that didn’t make the post season in consecutive years.  We had sort of a happy yet mediocre existence as a fan base.

When the Angels emerged as World Champions in 2002 – we got a taste of what it was like to be on top.  Then Arte Moreno bought the franchise and we enjoyed unprecedented success through 2009. Although we didn’t get back to the World Series – we were relevant and contenders year in and year out.

We got spoiled.  We started to have unrealistic expectations and we began to gripe at every little thing.  It was almost like the guy who lives a mundane life and then one day wins the lottery.  He lives high on the hog for a period of time and then one day – it’s all gone.  He squanders his good fortune and is left wondering what happened as he longs for the “fat” years.

The last four years have been frustrating.  Mind you, it wasn’t Cub- fan-base-frustrating, but it was frustrating never-the-less.  How could a franchise with the kind of resources the Angels’ had not continue to be successful?  We focused on blaming the manager, the players, the GM, the Rally Monkey, the marine layer, the umpires and anyone or anything else we could point a finger at.

We argued with each other.  We took sides… those for Mike Scioscia and those against.  One day we applauded signings like Albert Pujols and the next we moaned about them being albatross contracts. 

We became our own reality T.V. show, full of drama and irrational behavior and we couldn’t manage to look away.

And then 2014 arrived.

For many; gone were the lofty expectations.  Cynicism had set in.  No way could this team win with this starting rotation. Skaggs, Santiago?  Really? Some would say that Weaver was no longer an “ace” and who knew what we would get out of Garrett Richards.  Most were thankful that C.J. Wilson was on board because he could be the anchor….

Oh how this team would miss Peter Bourjos and Mark Trumbo.  You just don’t trade away that kind of speed and defense (Bourjos) and 40 homer guys don’t grow on trees (Trumbo).  Why didn’t this team sign Jason Vargas or Matt Garza?

We focused on how the team would start the season; after all, this had been a point of contention in recent seasons… with the team getting off to poor starts and never being able to recover.  We put Scioscia and GM Jerry Dipoto under a microscope. This was it; if they didn’t get it done – surely Arte Moreno would have their heads.

Opening day couldn’t get here soon enough and then… Bam!  The Seattle Mariners came into Anaheim and swept the Angels.  Panic set in and Angel fans invaded call-in shows and message boards to voice their displeasure.  “Here we go again” they thought. 

As the apologists emerged – the disgruntled were ready.  Don’t tell us “it’s early” again.  “We’ve heard that before” they’d exclaim.  And thus the 2014 season was born.

On April 11 the Angels moved to 5-5 after Howie Kendrick had a walk-off hit by pitch to win a game against the New York Mets.  For the next several games the team would hover around .500 . They end April one game above .500 at 14-13.  Yes, it was an improvement over the past few seasons, but the team did not give most fans a reason to believe just yet.

On May 13, 2014 the Angels would move two games above .500 for the first time all year and begin their rocky climb upwards.  It would mark the first victory of the year for Matt Shoemaker and little did we know it was a sign of things to come.  Shoemaker had out pitched Cliff Lee of the Phillies that day.  He would follow up that outing with victories over the likes of David Price, Yu Darvish, Justin Verlander, Jeremy Hellickson, and Hisashi Iwakuma over the course of the season.

Meanwhile, Garrett Richards was raising eyebrows.  He would end May with a respectable 3.65 ERA, but would then put the league on notice that he had arrived by lowering his ERA to 2.61 by the time he was injured.  Analysts everywhere were putting him in the Cy Young conversation as he put up impressive numbers. 

Meanwhile the team began to show signs of promise.  By May 29 the team had fought its way to 7 games above .500 at 30-23.  They would then level off to a certain degree and panic among the fans would raise its ugly head yet again.  Many just refused to believe this team was good enough and they had good reason for it…

The Angels ventured into Oakland for a huge four game series.  Trailing the A’s by 1.5 games this was the team’s chance to make a statement.  Instead – they would leave the Bay area with their tails between their legs having been swept in four games while being outscored 33-13.  It was horrific.  It was the worst case scenario.  We had every reason to believe this was going to be yet another season of disappointment.

They headed off to Houston and the struggles continued as they dropped 2 of 3.  It looked like the team was ready to fade into oblivion.  The team was 5.5 games behind Oakland and hovering at 31-28.  Being 3 games above .500 was hardly going to get it done.

And then a funny thing happened on their way down into the abyss… they put together a little five game winning streak.  They would sweep the White Sox and win the first two at home against Oakland which would include a walk-off win in 14 innings behind a Collin Cowgill homerun.  Collin Who?  Exactly.  This team would get contributions from names like C.J. Cron, Efren Navarro, Cowgill, Cory Rasmus and others who were virtually unknown to everyone except maybe their immediate families.

Were the Angels finally on their way?  Would this be the turning point of the season? Um, no.

Unfortunately, it was one step forward and two steps back for a while.  The Angels would even put together a six game winning streak in June and another five game winning streak from July 3^rd to July 7.  All well and good, but it wasn’t enough as they were still 3.5 back after that little run.

Little did we know that the roller-coaster was about to end and the team would start to put it all-together from there on out. The signs of greatness would not be obvious, but they would begin to percolate for sure.

It would all begin with an 8-7 win over the Blue Jays on the last game of a three game series in Toronto.  It was significant in that it was Albert Pujols that put the team up 8-7 with a two-run homerun in the 7^th inning.  It wasn’t something Angel fans were accustomed to seeing (Pujols coming up big late in a game) in the last couple seasons. 

From there, momentum would begin to build with a four game sweep of the Rangers in Texas.  The Angels were now 1.5 games behind Oakland on July 13.

Even though the Angels were playing well (except for a horrific home stand against the Dodgers and Red Sox, where the Angels would lose 5 of 7) – Oakland was doing the same and the Angels could not get any closer than a 2.5 back by August 13 despite being rising up to be 21 games above .500. 

When the Angels hit the road on August 15, they were just a game back.  The A’s were in the midst of a five-game losing streak and the Angels would win 6 out of 7 in Texas and Boston. 

The Angels would finally pull even with Oakland on August 16 with a 5-4 win in Arlington behind Shoemaker and they would never relinquish the top spot in the AL West the rest of the way.  Not even losing the first two of three in Oakland August 22 and 23 would derail the team.

As successful as that road trip was (the team went 7-3) – it was marred by the loss of Garrett Richards on August 20.  Most in and around baseball believed the injury would be too much for the Angels to overcome.  It was harsh and Angel fans everywhere found themselves with their heads in their hands in dis-belief.

It was like being punched in the stomach.  Our best pitcher (statistically) was done.  Hope seemed to evaporate into thin air.

Oh, but this is baseball and it’s a beautiful game.  Just when you think you can predict what will happen next – baseball does what she always does and surprises us all.  The team revealed its character and they kept their focus.  The rest would be history. There would be no pity parties.  No “woe is me;” none of that.

Hope would be fulfilled and prayer would be answered.

The rise of the Angels and the demise of the A’s (boy that sounds good) really came into focus when the Angels swept the A’s in four games August 28 through August 31 to go up by 5 games.  The final game of that series had Shoemaker going 7 scoreless innings with 7 K’s, while giving up just 5 hits and no walks.  Oh yes, “Shoe” was giving opponents a reason to “fear the beard.”

That series was the defining moment in the season.  As a fan it was extremely gratifying to see the Angels step up and finally make a statement.  Did I say, finally?  Well, it was about time!  I will freely admit I felt great joy in seeing the A’s totally demoralized. 

Going into that series, most hoped for at least a split which would ensure the Angels remaining in first place after-the-fact.  What we really, really wanted was total domination and a statement that the AL West was ours to win or lose. 

What we got was a boost of adrenaline and a huge shot of confidence.  The swagger was all the way back and it was time for the A’s fans to panic and start pointing fingers.  As I tuned into MLB Network radio and listened to A’s fans calling in to complain about the “light wave” the lack of an A’s offense and countless other tidbits, I couldn’t help but smile.  It felt good; real good.

There were moments prior to that series when it felt like the Angels would never catch the A’s no matter how well they played because the A’s seemed equal to the task.  It looked like we fans would have to settle for a wild-card berth and we wondered if it would be against the likes of Felix Hernandez, James Shields or Max Scherzer.

Thankfully, things changed.  The team overcame adversity.  Their offense found its way and their pitching; especially their bullpen became a strength.  There were different heroes every game and the players rallied around one another.  It was beautiful to watch.

So here we are…  Man it’s great to be back.  No dreading a long winter and wishing for spring just yet. 

We enter the post-season with the probable M.V.P in Mike Trout, and a combination of swagger and talent that allowed the team to come from behind to win games time after time.  You could say the Rally Monkey really earned his bananas this year.

Thursday – October 2, 2014, Jered Weaver will take the mound and I couldn’t be happier. There isn’t anyone, I would rather see representing the Angels in that game.  He may not throw the hardest and he may not get the respect and recognition he deserves, but make no mistake about it – Jered Weaver is THE Man.  I love watching him pitch and I have full confidence in his ability to compete.  It’s easy for me to get emotional about Jered because I feel like he’s one of us.  He’s all ours and he embodies the spirit of this team.

This is what it’s all about.  I have tried very hard to appreciate every victory in this season.  I have tried not to be anxious along the way and worry about the things that are totally out of my control as a fan. 

I have tried to savor every special moment and I am ready.  I believe in this team and I have come to love the cast of characters that make up this ball club.  I do not know what the future holds, but I’m all in.

Many said this team didn’t have the pitching to compete and yet, here they are.

Some claimed Jered Weaver was no longer an “ace” – 18 wins later, he’s our game 1 starter.

I said numerous times (mostly privately) that Howie Kendrick wasn’t clutch – and yet – he’s produced in big ways out of the cleanup spot while Josh Hamilton tries to recover from various injuries.

I once labeled Erick Aybar “Gilligan” because of his knucklehead like antics and yet, he’s had a remarkable season and impact on the team.  I have come to appreciate his hustle and baseball IQ.  I love the way he makes things happen and I recognize his leadership qualities.

I continue to hope for Josh Hamilton’s healthy return, still believing he can have a tremendous impact on the team’s success.  I want Hamilton to be a part of this story for all the right reasons and pray he has a chance to do exactly that.

Many have noticed the smile on Albert Pujols’ face and enjoy the idea that he is having fun playing baseball.  There’s something about great players who look like they’re enjoying the game that makes us happy.  Torii Hunter got it right and it appears that Pujols has found that joy as well.

I refuse to take Mike Trout for granted and fully realize we are blessed to watch this young man do things on a baseball field that no human being should be able to do.  I wince when he strikes out as often as he does – but I know we are watching an amazing athlete doing unbelievable things. 

We embrace Kole Calhoun as a fan favorite.  We love players who play the game the right way and Calhoun is our champion.  We know that he is coveted by other fan bases and to that we say… neener, neener, neener.

We have much to appreciate and be thankful for and I’ve only touched the surface here today.  Most of all, I am thankful Arte Moreno had the wisdom and fortitude to keep Mike Scioscia as this team’s manager.  In the face of the dark days of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 – Moreno remained steadfast in his commitment to the man best suited to lead this team.  I absolutely love the fact that Scioscia will have his hand at the wheel for this postseason.

I look forward to seeing a stadium colored in red and full of my Angel brothers and sisters.  I feel fortunate that Cheryl and I will be able to soak it all in.  It’s time folks.  It’s time to come together and do our part as fans; to be loud and to give our support whole-heartedly. 

Are you ready? 

Let’s do this.