An open letter to Josh Hamilton

I want to get something off my chest.

I’m just a fan who will never know what it means to be a professional athlete or a world champion, but if I had the chance to talk to a struggling player – namely Josh Hamilton, here is what I would say…

Josh – you were born to play baseball.  God blessed you with incredible talent and as you know - To whom much is given, much is required (Luke: 12:48).  It’s time for you to embrace your gifts and go out and dominate.  No excuses, no fear.  Just get it done.

I know you’re human.  I know you have good days and bad, but I expect more from you than what you’ve shown us so far.  You have the ability; God given ability to play baseball at the highest levels.  I know it, you know it; we all know it. 

It’s time Josh.  Your team needs you to step up now; today.  Not tomorrow, not next week and certainly not next year – right now Josh.  We’re pulling for you.

Hello old friend

Hell-ohhhhh winning.  Hello 20 games above .500 at the all-star break for the first time in franchise history.  Hello series sweeps and winning streaks.  Hello confidence, optimism and that good old’ fashioned swagger.  Oh, how I’ve missed you.

Hey there to leading the league in come-from-behind wins and to leading all of baseball in runs scored and on-base percentage.  Thank you for making baseball fun again.  Angel fans can once again go to a game or watch on television with the expectation that the Angels will emerge with a win. 

Howdy hope and post-season aspirations.  Per Baseball Prospectus the Angels have a 98.9 percent chance of making the post-season.  I don’t know about you, but I like those odds; in fact, I like them a lot.

Hello Mike Scioscia haters.  You know who you are.  You thought the game had passed Mike Scioscia by and that his team no longer responded to him.  You begged for a change and became louder and louder with each passing day; that is, until now.

Many of you (myself included) wanted to see Albert Pujols moved down in the lineup and for Mike Trout to hit 3^rd.  Funny, but Trout and Pujols have combined for 137 RBI and 42 homeruns – more than any other duo in baseball.

For years Scioscia-haters moaned about the idea that this team wasn’t patient enough and now this Mike Scioscia-lead team leads the league on on-base percentage at .334.  As an added bonus, this team is third in OPS at .761 (2^nd in the AL).

Time after time, I heard how set in his ways fans thought Scioscia was.  Hello, have you seen the lineup lately?  Kole Calhoun is anything, but your proto-typical lead-off hitter and yet – he’s doing a bang-up job in that role.  Erick Aybar is last guy anyone would expect to see hitting 5^th and yet – that’s who’s hitting behind Josh Hamilton.  Don’t look now (okay, go ahead and peak), but Aybar has 50 RBI’s.  Hello all-star!

Face it; Scioscia has had a Midas-touch when it comes to making out the lineup.  Look at the catching tandem of Chris Iannetta and Hank Conger.  They’ve combined for 8 homeruns and 44 RBI while basically splitting time behind home plate.

It’s time to put your belly-aching aside and give praise to the man who has the Angels in the hunt for a red-October.  I know it’s hard for you to do, but it’s time for you to just pipe down.  I’m sure he’ll still do some things that will drive you crazy (me too at times), but you can’t argue with the results.

Look, I know this team isn’t perfect and still has some holes – but good grief, man – isn’t this a refreshing change of pace over the last four years?  It’s okay to step back and appreciate where this team is and where they’re headed.

This is fun.  This is what you hope for as a fan.  This is what being an Angel fan is all about.

Speaking of fans – where have you been?  Although the Angels are 4^th overall in home attendance average at 38,000, they’re actually 27^th in average road attendance (26,925).  27^th!  Hello?  Why aren’t baseball fans flocking to the stadium to see Mike Trout?  We’re talking about a once-in-a-generation type of player.  We’re talking about a 22 year old who is doing things that have never been done before.  C’mon, you know better.

Imagine having the opportunity to see Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle on a regular basis.  Those days are gone, but Mike Trout is here and baseball fans are missing out.  You owe it to yourself, your family, your neighbor, the kid down the street and whoever else you know to get them to the ball park with you.  Let’s do this, people.

Ok, now some of you might be wondering where the True Grich posts have been all this time.  It’s a valid question and I have an answer for you.

I lost my mom on April 18, 2014.  Prior to her passing she battled pulmonary fibrosis for months.  She suffered greatly and my wife Cheryl and I spent as much time with her as possible.  It’s been a difficult time and blogging just wasn’t on my agenda.

My mom liked the Angels and although she might not have been the biggest baseball fan, but she loved to watch Jered Weaver pitch (she had great taste).  She loved following the players from Japan and Ichiro was her favorite.  She got a great thrill out of meeting Hideki Matsui when he was an Angel thanks to a long-time family friend -  Ryan Cavinder. 

I think back and remember how worried she was about the pressures that would face Daisuke Matsuzaka when he signed a big contract in Boston.  It’s as if she knew he wouldn’t live up to expectations.  At the same ti me, she couldn’t wait to see Yu Darvish and always wished that some of the great players from Japan would end up in Anaheim.

Every year, I had to make sure I got her 3 pocket schedules so that she could keep track of games and of course – where Cheryl and I would be on a daily basis – knowing we went to most of the home games.  Why 3?  I have no idea, but I got her 3 just the same.  Our daily conversations on the phone would often include an update on whether or not the Angels had won and if we were going to the game that evening.

I miss those conversations and I miss her.  I’m not alone in that regard.

Many of the people who called my mom their friend thought of her as their “best friend.”  She earned that distinction through doing things for them all the time.  Some of them had no idea how sick she was and her passing was a shock to many.  That’s just how my mom was – she didn’t want people fussing over her (she was extremely private that way) even though she would fuss over them.

I think about her every day, and I give extra thought to her every time Jered Weaver takes the mound.  I miss not being able to tell her that he’s pitching on any given night.  That being said, she’s probably watching him from above, enjoying some cotton candy (a favorite of hers) and cheering out loud. 

Let's try something different

So the other night… Tuesday night, in fact – Cheryl and I are sitting in the View MVP section with friends and this guy starts walking around with a neon colored sign with the words “Show me the money Josh Hamilton” and “He’s robbing you blind, Arte.”

Now, the first question you have to ask yourself is what possesses a person to come to a ball game with such a sign.  The man happened to be at the game with three young boys, who I assume were his own.  Was he there to teach them a life lesson?  Was he looking for his fifteen minutes of fame and wanted to make sure his boys got to share in the experience?  Or was he simply looking to get a little air before he crawled back under the rock he lived under?

The interesting thing is that he didn’t really get a reaction from anyone – except for the security person who showed up to make him put his sign away.  No one seemed to care and although some were probably annoyed – they probably realized he wasn’t worth the energy.  Even when security had him put the sing away, no one made a peep.  When he left the game early… nada.  Nothing. 

No doubt he wanted the cameras to find him, but apparently he wasn’t bright enough to understand that wasn’t going to happen and the only camera that was going to notice him were the ones being viewed by security.

So – here’s the deal.  Showing up to rant about a player isn’t going to get you much.  For one thing – I’m certain Josh Hamilton couldn’t hear the man shout things like “I want your paycheck.”  Sitting in the upper level should be an obvious road block to your goal of having the player actually hear you.    Common sense should prevail in these situations, but I guess one has to have it to use it.

Think about it.  Hamilton can’t hear you and the cameras aren’t going to put you on a big screen.  At this point you have to realize you’re only annoying the fans sitting in the area and what you’re doing is making a much bigger statement about yourself than it does about Josh Hamilton.  And then there’s the kids… think about the kids, man.  Do you really want them growing up with this imbedded in their memory?

You have to be more creative than that. 

So here are some suggestions for anyone who wants to make a statement about Josh Hamilton’s struggles.  These things will at the very least, elicit a chuckle or two from the fans in the stands.

Make a voodoo doll.  No, not of Josh Hamilton, stupid; after all, we are still Angel fans – but one of the opposing pitcher.  Every time the pitcher goes to wind up – have his arm go crazy and throw the ball into the stands.  You accomplish two things this way.  One, the fans in the area will appreciate the souvenir and two, Josh Hamilton will get a walk and his on-base percentage will go up.   Now, I don’t believe in voodoo, but at this point anything might help.  Just make sure the voodoo doll is huge for impact.

This one is for the Hamiltown crowd – the group that sits in the right field pavilion holding up the sign.  Every time Hamilton makes an out – downgrade the sign.  For his first at-bat, you’re a town… if he makes an out – you’re a community then a cul-de-sac, and then a small house and last, but not least – an outhouse – which could have a couple different meanings, if you catch my drift.  What would all of that look like?  You figure it out – I’m just throwing out ideas.

Okay… enough of that.  And quite frankly - the Hamiltown crowd is a great group trying to do something positive. In fact - we need more fans to follow their example.

So... you know what would really be cool?  This would be sure to make its way to ESPN or at the very least the local news.  What if every time Hamilton came up to bat – we all stood and clapped and chanted Ham-il-ton! I’m not talking about a patch of people here or there – I’m talking about an entire stadium; standing in support of a man who desperately wants to live up to expectations.  To make it even more amazing – what if every fan was wearing a Josh Hamilton t-shirt or jersey?

Imagine the impact.

It’s too easy to sit and complain about how badly Hamilton has performed.  And booing?  That’s just weak.  Boo A.J. Pierzysnki or Ian Kinsler – but booing Josh Hamilton is pointless.  Do you really think that’s going to make him play better?  Would it make you perform better?

My crazy idea isn’t likely to take hold.  There are too many cynics and complainers in the world.  That’s not a group I want to associate with. 

I can only do what I can do.  I’m going to make a point of showing my support for Hamilton from now on.  This team needs him and baseball will be a lot more fun - if and when he starts playing like the player he can be.

Something has to change.  As fans we have no control over what happens on the field, but we can have an impact on the environment the player performs in.  Think about it.

Misery loves company; not

I don’t know what’s worse; the losing or the Angels fans who weigh in on the losing.  I’ve said this before and I will say it again – the old line “Misery loves company” doesn’t hold water with me.  There’s nothing worse than listening to other Angel fans trying to explain what’s wrong with the team, who needs to go, what changes need to be made, etc.   It’s nauseating. 

Look, I understand the need to vent.  I love a good rant every now and then, but if you’re not bringing something new to the table – better to keep it to yourself because chances are we’ve heard it before and that was probably once too many.  Just saying.

I’ve read everything from “Mike Scioscia needs to be fired” to “It’s time to send Josh Hamilton to AAA.”  There’s even the occasional – “Let’s rebuild.  Let’s trade Pujols, Hamilton, Trumbo, etc., etc.”  Some people have even gone so far as to say it’s time to bring in a whole new coaching staff made up of former players form the 2002 World Series team.  I swear I’m not making this stuff up.

There’s a ton of finger pointing going on and a ton of angst for sure.  It’s almost like a feeding frenzy as one crazy idea begets another one.  There’s a lack of common sense in a lot of these rants.  Some fans believe the players don’t care, they’re not giving a 100% and that they’re just going through the motions.

Hog-wash. 

I’m certain they’re even more frustrated than we are.   Nobody likes losing, least of all – professional athletes.  I see plenty of effort; I see comebacks that show plenty of desire even when they fall short.  This team is fighting.  They just happen to be losing the fight, but they’re definitely not giving up.  No way.

Some people have even decided to boycott games.  Good riddance.  Seriously, fair weather fans are showing their true colors.   I’m fine with them leaving until times get better.  Really, I am.  The way I see it, I’d rather not have them in my ear all game anyway and in most cases – the people saying this kind of stuff usually don’t even go to many games anyway.

Some of these people have the misguided impression that they’re being passionate.  Yeah, boycotting your team shows real passion.  Un-huh.

The way I see it, the off season is too long for me and I always look forward to the baseball season.  I know that my team isn’t going to win every year, but that doesn’t stop me from watching.  Its baseball and watching baseball is better than watching anything else on TV as far as I’m concerned.

As for Mike Scioscia – you can count me on the side that’s for him.  That’s right.  I’m not calling for his head.  I like him too much as a manager and as a man.  I appreciate the way he carries himself and even though fans get tired of hearing him say things like “we need to turn the page,” I appreciate his level headed approach to this game of baseball.

Fans aren’t happy that he hasn’t gone off the deep end and kicked a few butts.  Really?  It’s 2013 and Bobby Knight doesn’t coach any more.  I’m not a professional athlete by any means, but the last thing I need when I’m doing poorly is to have someone yelling in my ear.  That doesn’t motivate me in the least and I doubt it motivates most people in life.

Let’s all take a deep breath and relax.  There are more games to be played and more importantly – more for us to watch.  I know it’s hard to watch sometimes.  I really do.  There are times when I feel like I can’t take it anymore, but I get over that feeling by the time the next game rolls around.  I’m tired of the losing, but I would hate to miss a game if given the choice.   And that’s what it’s all about; choice.  What you do with your time and money is certainly up to you.  As for Cheryl and me – we’re still here.

Josh gets his wings

Maybe you've seen the Nike shirts that read "Josh gets his wings."  It's a clever play on words, given Hamilton's background and his faith in God.  The reality is that Josh has well documented struggles and also highly publicized faith.  Sometimes the two have come in conflict with one another.

I don't know about you - but I can't think about Josh Hamilton the baseball player without thinking about Josh Hamilton the Christian.  I started thinking about that recently and wanted to see if I could read about his testimony and to my delight - I found this video....




I'm usually not a fan of players who come from rival teams who end up on my favorite team. I never liked the idea of Karl Malone as a Laker (for example). In Hamilton's case - I can't help but root for him.

Opening Nightmare

Maybe it’s just me, but last night felt like 2012 all over again.  Am I over-reacting?  Perhaps, but the feeling I had in my gut was all too familiar.  It was a combination of angst, frustration, nervousness and a sick feeling that this is going to be the norm.  Sure, it’s a knee jerk reaction – but it feels very real.

Mark Lowe and Kevin Jepsen have already given me reasons for concern about the bull-pen and that’s something I was hoping wouldn’t be an issue in 2013.  The melt downs haven’t been small, they’ve been grand.  Nothing is more demoralizing than watching a reliever give up a huge homerun.  It’s deflating and painful to watch.

I keep trying to focus on happier times ahead… times when Josh Hamilton goes yard and Ryan Madsen is shutting the door on a game, but it’s hard to imagine those scenarios when your team is getting their teeth kicked in.  It’s like trying to find a “happy place” in the midst of chaos.

Enough already.  I’m ready for some winning.

And I’m going to say something that’s been on my mind since the day the Angels signed C.J. Wilson.  It’s hard for me to warm up to the thought of C.J. Wilson in an Angels' uniform.  I didn’t like him much when he was a Ranger and quite frankly, he makes me nervous.  This is a guy with a wide range of interests (just check out his web site) and you’ll see what I mean.  I’m not certain baseball is his highest priority. 

Wilson is a fascinating person, but I’m just not sure he’s ever going to be a "great" baseball player.  I imagine he could be successful at any number of things – but I have to wonder what he would be like if he really focused and dedicated himself to one specific thing, oh like... I don't know... baseball?  Again, he just makes me nervous and I get the impression he might over think things out there.  It’s just my own speculation, so take it with a grain of salt.

On the bright side – I’m really enjoying the play of Peter Bourjos.  I’m certain he’s going to be a really good player and a huge contributor to the team.  Again, you can mark my words on this one.  Giving him the every day job in CF was just the right thing to do.

Comments on Opening Night:

Logistically… Parking was a nightmare.  Cheryl and I didn’t get to the game as early as we had hoped and the external lots were a mess.  They were full and we didn’t know this until it was too late.  Traffic patterns made it extra tough around these venues.

We got to the game in time for the first pitch, but nothing else.  That was unfortunate.  The Stadium itself wasn’t much help.  Two escalators were out of commission – one on each side of the stadium.  Really?  You can’t have these things operational for Opening night?  I’ve come to expect such things…

At the end of the night I tried to get some pocket schedules and the kiosks and team store were out of them.  Again… really? 

On the positive side – I loved the way the fans welcomed Josh Hamilton to Anaheim.  Angel fans were awesome that way last night. I’m guessing he appreciated it too; especially after the reception he received on his return to Arlington. 

The best thing about last night is that it’s over and there’s another game to play tonight.  Come to think of it, there are 155 more to play!  Time to get after it!

Unacceptable

If you’re like me, you’re probably very happy that Opening night has finally arrived in Anaheim; however, you’re probably not pleased that the Angels start their first home stand with a 2-4 record.  Face it, we didn’t endure a very long off season to see the team get off to a bad start and quite frankly – it’s unacceptable.  So are the 36 strikeouts by Angel batters in the first three games.  And the six errors in the same series? C’mon; that’s not Angels’ baseball.

And then there’s the trip to Texas.  I’m sorry – but I really wanted Josh Hamilton to respond to the Ranger fans with some thunder from his bat.  I wanted him to go yard and trot around the bases while Ranger fans looked on and realized he was gone for good and how much they were going to miss him.  Instead – he gave Ranger fans what they wanted and that irked me to no end.

By the way Ranger fans - you can chant "Baseball town" all you want - it doesn't change the reality.  You're a football town and you always will be.  So don't get upset with Hamilton telling the truth.  What's the big deal.  Everyone knows the truth.  Embrace it and move on.

Sunday night was especially painful.  Yu Darvish wasn’t himself.  And we’re talking about a guy who may very well give Justin Verlander a run for his money when it comes to the Cy Young award.  A golden opportunity was wasted that night.

And for goodness sakes – if you’re going to give up a 3-run homerun to someone – for the love of baseball – don’t let it be Ian Kinsler (Or AJ Pierzynski for that matter).  Kinsler rounding the bases and pumping his fist was hard to watch.  It was painful and yet I can’t get that stinkin’ image out of my head.

I know it’s early… but we said that last year when the team got off to a horrendous start.  I don’t want to watch history repeat itself.

I don’t want this team to just show up and expect to win.  We’ve seen that before and it doesn’t work.  I want my team to play with a chip on its shoulder.  I want players that have a hunger in their gut to prove people wrong and have an “us against the world” mentality.

My expectations are high.  I want the Angels to kick butt and take names.  I want some intensity and not silly grins and giggling in the dugout. 

It’s Opening Night and I’m ready for some baseball.  I’m ready for some old’ fashioned Mike Scioscia baseball where the offense constantly puts pressure on the defense and runs come in waves.  I want at least two out of three against the stinkin’ A’s and a sweep of the Astros.

My expectations are high.  I won’t settle for mediocrity.  That’s unacceptable.  I’m fired up and I can’t wait for the game.  It’s go time people.  Let’s do this.  

Opening Day Thoughts

There were times this past off season when I thought the 2013 baseball season would never get here.  Checking baseball sites like mlbtraderumors.com every few minutes can be taxing and hunting for nuggets of baseball news can be exhausting.  I get to a certain point when the only thing that can pull me out of the dull drums of winter is real, live baseball.  That’s usually where Spring Training comes in; however, Cheryl and I didn’t get the chance to do that this year.

We managed to fit a little bit of baseball in by going to see the Nebraska Cornhuskers (coached by ex-Angel Darin Erstad) play the U.C. Irvine Anteaters and while that was fun; it made me miss baseball even more.

I got to a point where I didn’t want to read about baseball any more.  I can only read so much about how great the Dodgers are supposedly going to be and how Oakland is the favorite in the AL West.  Not that I care because I usually feel better when the experts don’t pick the Angels.  It’s just that I get annoyed with the hype.

I didn’t really even want to talk about baseball much and I didn’t even want to blog about it.  I just needed the season to start.  I’m sure a lot of you felt the same way.  There’s just no substitute for the game itself.  It's like being in a long car ride as a kid and constantly asking "Are we there yet?" 

Well, we're there!

So… we got a taste Sunday night when ESPN had the Rangers at the Astros.  I didn’t get to watch the whole game, but knowing baseball was being played was almost enough for me… almost.  The icing on the cake was in the Astros beating the Rangers, that’s for sure.

Opening Day is special, but it’s a lot more special when you can actually be at the stadium.  In a perfect world – Cheryl and I would have been in Cincinnati for the opener, but that wasn’t going to be the case.  Instead – I had to arrange my schedule to be near a TV around 1 p.m. to see a little bit of baseball and then continue to follow the game on the radio while in my office.

Opening Day should be a National Holiday.  I mean, c’mon – it would make our lives much easier if that were the case.

I’m usually pretty good at listening to a game and working at the same time – but when it comes to Opening Day – that’s a task that’s much harder than I’d like it to be.  The Angels didn’t help the situation any by playing a nail-biter.  I’m telling you, 161 more like yesterday’s game and I’ll be a basket case if I live that long.

A lot of things go through my mind during a game like yesterday’s 13 inning marathon.  At some point I started to wonder what kind of negative impact losing an extra-inning game would have on the rest of the season.  I know, I know – but I’m only human.

I tried to not second guess Mike Scioscia and the moves he made.   Okay, maybe I let myself indulge a little bit here and there – but it didn’t matter because everything worked out in the long run.

As the game wore on, I kept thinking about how happy Dodger fans must be after their big win over the Giants and how I would hate that if the Angels were to lose.  I’m perfectly fine with Dodger wins so long as I get to enjoy an Angel win at the same time.  Yeah, it’s silly – but there’s nothing worse than a gloating Dodger fan.  Just saying.

Yesterday’s game provided me with some valuable take-aways.  The bull-pen might just be good enough.  Yeah, it’s just one game – but it’s certainly nice to see them get off to a good start.  It’s also nice to know that Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton or Mark Trumbo don’t have to be heroes every game in order for the Angels to win.  It was nice to see Chris Iannetta come up big and comforting to know there are other guys on the team who can carry the load now and then.

It was great to hear Mark Langston paired up with Terry Smith.  I look forward to hearing the two of them on a regular basis.

And then there’s Jered Weaver.  Kudos to the LA Times’ Bill Shaikin for his piece on Jered’s opener.

Shaikin rightfully acknowledges how good Weaver is even when he doesn’t light up the radar gun.  Watching Weaver pitch is a thing of beauty.  He’s becoming more like Greg Maddux every day and that’s definitely a good thing.

Game one is in the books and I’m looking forward to a lot more “good things” in the games to come.  You know me, I always talk about enjoying the journey of the baseball season and thankfully; we all get to saddle up for another adventure.

Baseball is back, baby.  Go Angels.  Make me proud.

Good-bye Vernon Wells... Hello 2013 Season

So long Vernon Wells… and so ends another chapter in the legacy of Tony Reagins.  Slowly, but surely, Jerry Dipoto – the General Manager of the Angels who was hired to replace Reagins is reshaping the Angels to become the team they’re supposed to be.  It hasn’t been easy; although, Dipoto seems to be making it look that way.  Granted, there is much to prove on the field – but it all starts on paper and so far, so good.

The best thing about Vernon Wells going to the Yankees is the simple fact that Peter Bourjos can take a deep breath and just play baseball.  Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing Bourjos have his breakout season.  Mark my words – it’s going to happen.

And since I’m in the mood for predictions, I have a few other nuggets of observation to lob your way…

Don’t be surprised if Josh Hamilton struggles a tad this season.  If it can happen to Albert Pujols, it can happen to anyone.  It’s not something I hope happens, but it’s something I’m prepared for.  Even though I am monumentally excited about the fact that Hamilton will be the Angels’ clean-up hitter, I won’t be surprised if his stats dip a bit.

On the other side of the coin – don’t be surprised if Mike Trout has an even better season in 2013 than he did in 2012.  I know, I know – that would be amazing, but I’ve come to expect amazing from Trout.  It seems like every analyst and expert is saying that there’s no way Trout can replicate what he did last year.  Something in my gut says otherwise…  I truly believe we are seeing a once-in-a-generation type of player and he’s going to be fun to watch. 

People, people, people.. Mike Trout’s power is real.  While most are predicting less than 30 homeruns for him, I won’t be surprised if he hits more than 40.  I say that while fully acknowledging the fact that the only Angel in team history to do that is Troy Glaus who hit 47 in 2000 and 41 in 2001.

Speaking of homeruns – we might see something really amazing in 2013.  In 2000 Glaus, Mo Vaughn, Garret Anderson and Tim Salmon combined to hit 152 homeruns.  Could Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo, Hamilton and Trout surpass that?  They would have to average 38 between them. That 2000 team hit a total of 236.  I venture to say the 236 is safe, but the 152 is definitely in play.

The long ball is not a big part of Angel history – but this year, it could be.  There have only been 34 or more homeruns hit in a season by an Angel just 11 times in 50+ years.  And no one has done that since 2001.  Make that number 35 homeruns and the list goes down to just 7 times.  All that could change this year.

From a fan’s point of view – this is exciting.  Think about it, Angel fans have rarely had the opportunity to think about homeruns as such a big part of the team’s offense.  In fact, most years under Mike Scioscia it’s all about the pitching.  We’re entering un-chartered waters….

As we head into the 2013 season, the American League West landscape has changed dramatically.  The Texas Rangers don’t look to be the favorites, the “hated” Oakland A’s are (according to many of the “experts”) and the Seattle Mariners are much improved.  This might be one of the most competitive seasons for the AL West in a long time.  Welcome to the American League West, Houston Astros – be prepared for a beating.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the Angels will open 2013 in Cincinnati.  I love the fact that the AL West now has five teams, but I’m not thrilled with inter-league games taking place so regularly.  I’m wondering what the opening day lineup is going to look like and whether or not Mark Trumbo will be in the lineup when the team heads to the NL.

Catch phrases for 2013… courtesy of True Grich…

“Prodigious power.”  Don’t you love saying “prodigious power?” I love that phrase.  Who does that make you think of?  If you’re a Marlins fan you probably think of Giancarlo Stanton, but as an Angels fan – the name Mark Trumbo comes to mind immediately.  Not only is he “country strong” as ESPN’s Stuart Scott would say – but he definitely has prodigious power.

“Trout-a-here.”  That’s the phrase Cheryl and I will be using whenever Mike Trout goes yard.  With a hat tip to the stellar Angel radio announcer -Terry Smith who uses the call “that ball’s outta here” – we’ll be doing our own version.

“No Fly Zone.”  Yes, the United States Air Force and even NASA has declared the Angels outfield as a place where fly balls go to die…  with Trout, Bourjos and Hamilton patrolling the outfield – no fly ball is safe and each one will be terminated with extreme prejudice.

Things Cheryl and I are looking forward to…

Booing A.J. Pierzynski in a Ranger uniform.  A match made in heaven if you ask us… oh and if A.J. ever has a son who makes it to the major leagues – well boo him too.

April 19, 20, and 21, 2013 - Torii Hunter’s homecoming.  We miss Hunter and we’ll continue to miss this great ambassador of the game, but we look forward to seeing him back in Anaheim –even though he’ll be wearing another uniform.

The return of Joe Saunders to the AL West.  Our appreciation for Joe is well documented in this blog and we look forward to seeing the ever-classy, under-appreciated, ultra-competitive, all-around nice guy when the Mariners come to town.

The Mariano Rivera good-bye tour.  If ever there was a Yankee that I admired and respected – it’s Mariano Rivera (Bernie Williams too).  It will be nice to say farewell to a man who has had an unbelievable career.  We just hope he doesn’t get in any games while in Anaheim for obvious reasons.

So there you have it… a few predictions and observations.  My apologies for the lack of posting in the off season.  It was a long one and quite frankly, I needed the break.  

Getting my geek on

My mind has been racing since the news broke about the Angels signing Josh Hamilton.  I began to look at some interesting facts (mostly statistics), ask some big questions and formulate a few predictions.  You could say I decided to get my “geek” on.  The results of that process follows below.

FACT:  The Angels have six players who have hit at least 30 homeruns in a season on their current roster: Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, Mark Trumbo, Mike Trout, Vernon Wells, and Kendrys Morales.  QUESTION: How many Angels will hit 30 or more homeruns in 2013?  PREDICTION: Realistically, I can see Pujols, Hamilton, Trumbo and Trout hitting more than 30.  There’s an outside shot that Morales could join that group if he makes progress in coming back to being the player he was in 2009 when he hit 34 homers.  Vernon Wells isn’t likely to get enough playing time to sniff the possibility of that many homers. 

FACT: Chris Iannetta and Howie Kendrick have both hit 18 in a season.  QUESTION: Perhaps the question we should be asking is how many Angels could hit more than 20 homeruns in 2013?  PREDICTION:  I’ll say five (Pujols, Hamilton, Trumbo, Trout, and Morales); although there’s an outside shot that eight (add Iannetta and Kendrick) could, if Peter Bourjos isn’t traded and has a break-out season.

FACT: The statistic that measures “total bases” is somewhat misleading in that it only includes singles, doubles, triples, and homeruns.  I would have thought that walks and stolen bases would be included, but they’re not.  I started thinking about this statistic as it relates to Mike Trout, who figures to cover a lot of bases in 2013.  Trout is often compared to Rickey Henderson, and Henderson’s single season high for total bases in just 285.  Trout had 315 last season; despite missing all of April.  The other player, Trout is often compared to is Mickey Mantle, who led the league in total bases in 1956 with his career high of 376.  Only 29 players have had more than 400 for a season, with the most being 457 by Babe Ruth in 1921.  QUESTION:  Can Mike Trout lead the league in total bases and how many will he have in 2013?  PREDICTION:  As much as I’d like to believe Trout could set some records here – he’s more likely to approach the 350 mark at some point, but there are other records he could assault….

FACT:  The single season record for most runs scored is 198 by Billy Hamilton in 1866 with 198.  Babe Ruth scored 177 in 1921 and Lou Gehrig scored 167 in 1936 and 163 in 1931.  The active player with the most runs scored in a single season is Alex Rodriguez with 143 in 2007.  QUESTION:  How many runs will Mike Trout score in 2013?  PREDICTION: He scored 129 in 2013 and it’s certainly feasible that he can score more than 150 in my opinion and given the lineup that will have Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton hitting behind him, it’s conceivable that he be in the top five for runs scored in a single season (167). 

FACT:  Albert Pujols is currently tied with Stan Musial and Willie Stargell at 28^th all time for homeruns with 475. QUESTION:  Where will Pujols rank by the end of the 2013 season?  PREDICTION:  If Pujols hits 35 homeruns he would move up to 24^th all-time with 510; which would put him one ahead of Gary Sheffield and one behind Mel Ott.  I predict he will hit 34 (four more than in 2012) and end up typing Gary Sheffield on the all-time list.

FACT:  Mike Trout has the highest single season WAR of any active player (10.7).  QUESTION: Well, the first question those who aren’t sabermetrically inclined is going to ask is what is WAR?  Per Baseball-Reference.com:  WAR is a single number that presents the number of wins the player added to the team above what a replacement player (think AAA or AAAA) would add. Scale for a single-season: 8+ MVP Quality, 5+ All-Star Quality, 2+ Starter, 0-2 Reserve, < 0 Replacement Level Developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com.  With that in mind, the bigger question is what kind of WAR can Mike Trout put up in 2013?  PREDICTION:  Your guess is as a good as mine; in fact, it’s probably better since I couldn’t tell you how this statistic is computed to save my life, but it's fun to think that Trout could set a record here.

FACT:  Ichiro Suzuki set the single season record for hits in 2004 with 262.  QUESTION:  Could Mike Trout break the record?  PREDICTION:  I’ll say that’s somewhat unlikely, but not highly unlikely.  Look, Mike Trout is going to get a lot of plate appearance if the Angels lineup turns over as often as I think it will, given the lineup and when you consider that Trout is a good hitter, he’s got a shot at making some noise here.  He could certainly eclipse Darin Erstad’s record for most hits in a season by an Angel of 240 in 2000 and given his talent, I’m not about to sell him short.

FACT: Jimmy Rolling holds the single season record for most plate appearances with 778 in 2007.  QUESTION: Could Mike Trout eclipse that record?  PREDICTION:  This is obviously something that’s not in Mike Trout’s control, but given the lineup, he could certainly set a new Angels record; which is currently held by Darin Erstad with 747, which ranks 39^th all time.

One of the more intriguing statistics to me (especially since the Angels have Mike Trout) is the statistic that measures power and speed.  The definition: Power/Speed Number 2 x (Home Runs x Stolen Bases)/(Stolen Bases + Home Runs) The harmonic mean of HR and SB. To do well you need a lot of both. Developed by Bill James.

FACT: Alex Rodriguez has the highest score in this category at 43.91.  Mike Trout’s 2012 performance ranks 25^th with 37.22 and is the best among any Angels all-time.  It’s also the highest score for 2012.  The list is peppered with guys who have gone 30/30 or better (30+ homeruns and 30 or more stolen bases) Rickey Henderson ranks 4^th all-time with a 42.36 and since Trout is often compared to him, I’ll ask the QUESTION:  What will Mike Trout do in 2013?  PREDICTION: If Trout hits 30 homeruns again and steals 60 bases, his score would be 40.  I don’t think that’s unreasonable and there’s a good chance he could do better than that.  A score of 40 would put him 10^th all-time.  A-Rod’s score was based on a season where he hit 42 homeruns and stole 46 bases.  Forty homeruns might be within Trout’s reach; however, I’m betting that it’s more likely that his stolen base numbers go up instead.

One of the lists a player doesn’t want to be on is the list of number of times they grounded into a double-play (GIDP).  FACT: Jim Rice holds the record at 36 times and he did that in 1984.  Albert Pujols is tied for 17^th on this list with 29 GIDP in 2011.  Howie Kendrick did this an alarming 26 times in 2012 – which tied him for second place last year with Michael Young.  Interestingly, the AL MVP, Miguel Cabrera led the league with 28.  QUESTION:  Are any Angels candidates for this dubious distinction in 2013?  PREDICTION:  Let’s hope not; in fact, let’s predict that no Angel will make the top 5 in 2013.  *Gulp.*

In anticipation of the ball flying out of the ball-park whenever the Angels are on offense in 2013, I thought it would be interesting to see who has led the league in homeruns per at-bats.   FACT: Last year, Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins lead the majors with a homerun every 12.14 at-bats.  Josh Hamilton was third with a dinger every 13.07 at-bats.  Albert Pujols finished second in this category in 2010 and 2009.  In fact he’s been in the top ten, six out of the last nine years.  The single season record holder is Barry Bonds who homered an astonishing once in every 6.52 at-bats.  QUESTION: Will an Angel lead the league in this category in 2013?  PREDICTION:  Given that half the games are played in Anaheim where the ball doesn’t travel particularly well at night, I’d say that’s not likely.  Consider this – Jim Edmonds made the top ten list three times after leaving Anaheim and going to St. Louis.  Troy Glaus is the one recent Angel to make the list and he did that in 2000 with a homerun every 11.98 at-bats.   Note: Albert Pujols is 9^th all-time with a homerun every 14.57 at-bats in his career and Troy Glaus is 48^th all-time with a round-tripper every 16.91 at-bats.

We could do this all day and given the projected line-up for the 2013 Angels, we might find some areas where the Angels could indeed have a record breaking season.  I guess we'll see, won't we?

Oh my Josh!

When the news broke about the possibility that the Angels were going to sign Josh Hamilton, I felt excited and nervous at the same time.  Excited that one of the best hitters in baseball might be coming to Anaheim and concerned about the cost that might come with such a signing.  I know most fans don’t consider the cost, but I’m not most fans….

It didn’t take long for us to learn that the Angels would be signing Hamilton for five years and $125 million.  Two more years than any other team would reportedly go for.

It was at this point that it was time to take a deep breath.

If I’m eight years old, I’m jumping for joy and saying “We got JOSH HAMILTON!!”  In fact, that’s what most Angel fans are probably doing and rightfully so.  On the other hand, some of us are realizing that Arte Moreno just walked into the big stakes poker room and pushed all his chips in on the table and when that happens – there are only two possible outcomes.  Either, you win big or you lose big.

This is the price of doing business as a big time franchise, with huge expectations and an owner who wants to win at all costs and a fan base that can become disengaged and uninterested if their team isn’t winning.  Having great players like Mike Trout isn’t enough to fill the stands to capacity – for better or worse, it’s all about winning.

Win and the fans keep coming.  Don’t win and you’ll find tickets on StubHub for a $1. 

Like it or not, the Angels are playing “big boy baseball.”  Players like Arte Moreno operate in a different stratosphere.  Teams with revenue streams like the Angels, Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers view the world in a different way.  They’re not interested in waiting for tomorrow if the chance to win today is right in front of them.  They’re willing to gamble on today and if you’re faint of heart that scares the crap out of you.

If you are focused on what might happen four, five, six-plus years from now – you’re going to hate the idea of contracts like those given to Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols.  If you’re focused on the possibility of what might transpire this coming season and the next 2-3 years, you’re smiling like a Cheshire cat.

You see for some fans – there’s no down side to a signing like Josh Hamilton or even Albert Pujols for that matter.  If the Angels become champions, fans will show up to be a part of the party.  If they fail – most of those fans will find other things or even other teams to occupy their time.  The die-hard fans, the ones that live and die with their team will be left to suffer through seasons where aging stars play out the twilight of their careers.

Like I said earlier – it’s all about wining and I’m grateful that my favorite team has a chance to win it all right now.  Winning isn’t easy and even though some teams try to take a short-cut by signing incredible players to unbelievable contracts – nothing is guaranteed.  I know that, you know that and the Angels certainly know that.

So you’re probably thinking - why all the angst, right?  Live for the moment; ride the wave, right?

 I wish it was that easy.  When the Angels signed Vlad Guerrero  in 2004, I was all in; in fact that’s when Cheryl and I bought season tickets.  When they signed Albert Pujols, we had visions of championships like you wouldn’t believe.  In both cases, our expectations weren’t met and we were incredibly disappointed.

When baseball season rolls around – and I’m talking as early as when pitchers and catchers report – Cheryl and I will invest a lot of time and energy to being fans.  We simply hope that investment pays off and that the journey to get there is a lot of fun, filled with incredible memories.  That’s asking a lot, but that’s what it’s all about.

I will admit, when the Dodgers signed Zack Greinke I felt a slight twinge of jealousy.  I knew that feeling of having hope and excitement the Dodgers were feeling.  I had resigned myself to believing the Angels would not be making that kind of splash and that what we had was going to have to be good enough.

The Angels have missed out on some big free agents during the Arte Moreno years.  Names like Paul Konerko, C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Carl Crawford, Carlos Beltran and others slipped away because the price was too high.  Despite that, the Angels managed to stay competitive.  Arte Moreno even started to get the reputation of being somewhat “cheap” and even though that sounds absurd (all things considered) that was the buzz on the message boards and call-in shows. 

It’s amazing how all of that has changed. 

Now, if Arte wants a player – Arte is going to get that player.  Funny, but as a fan – that takes some getting used to.

Well, here we go.  Welcome to Anaheim Josh Hamilton.  Now, get to work and bring us that championship we all want so badly.  Please.  Pretty, please.

Now we're talking

Recently and when I say “recently” – I mean in the last 2+ seasons, I’d get a sinking feeling every time the Angels fell behind early in a game. Monday night was different. Perhaps it was because of the way the team had been playing lately or the fact that Phil Hughes was on the mound; take your pick, I had a sense of calm and confidence that the Angels would come back.

When the Angels rallied for four runs in the bottom of the first inning after giving up 3 in the top of the first, I wasn’t surprised. When all was said and done – the Angels outlasted the Yankees for a 9-8 victory and new day was born.

The team had finally reached a .500 record at 25-25 and the abysmal start of the 2012 season was starting to fade into the past Everything seemed right with the world again.

Tuesday night the United States Air Force declared the Angels outfield a “No Fly Zone” as well hit balls met their demise at the hands of Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos. Apparently, the baseballs had enough sense to not test Torii Hunter. Watching the two young guys run down fly balls in the outfield was a thing of absolute beauty.

The Angels won their eighth consecutive game last night (5-1) and moved to within 5.5 games of the Texas Rangers. Suddenly, the big bad Rangers don't seem so invincible. Just saying.

It’s been a long road – but baseball and more specifically Angels baseball is fun again.

How did the Angels turn things around? Perhaps it was all because of fellow Angel blogger Josh and his wife, who found that by not watching Angel games – the team has gone on their current winning streak. Josh chronicles his superstition on his blog “Angels Nation.”

Perhaps the Angels turn around coincides with Albert Pujols’ family arrival in Southern California to be with Albert during the summer – as it was chronicled in the USA Today. This is something I speculated about earlier as well.

Maybe it has something to do with the departure of Mickey Hatcher or Vernon Wells going on the DL or the recent solar eclipse. Who knows?

Whatever the reason, it all came just in time. I’m feeling less anxious and I’m starting to see a bit of a swagger in the way the Angels are going about their business now. Albert is back. Mike Trout is doing remarkable things at just 20 years of age and Mark Trumbo is just a beast.

And yet… there is still work to be done. The Angels have one more game against the Yankees and then three big games against the Rangers. Things could get very interested, very fast.

I know a lot of fans have hung in there through the struggles of the early season and I also know that some of you are just finding your way back.

Regardless of it all, now is the time for us to rally around this team, fill the stadium, be loud and show the rest of the baseball word how great this fan base can be.

If you’re like me, you’ve been taking names and notes of all the people who had a field day with the Angels struggles early on. If you wanted Mike Scioscia fired – be warned, I’ve got your name on my list. If you ceremoniously handed the Western Division title to the Rangers in April – I know who you are. If you thought Albert Pujols was a bust – I’ve got my eye on you too. After all, that's part of being a fan.

The fun of every baseball season is in the journey and the stories that unfold along the way. This season hasn't had any shortage of stories to be sure. Like the night Jered Weaver threw his no-hitter or even Monday night when the Angels overcame Weaver leaving early because of a back injury.

There is so much baseball still be played and so many more stories to be told.

My hope is that you have a chance to experience as many of them as possible. Join us in the journey because folks, this is going to be fun. It's time people; so break our your red and get your Angel game face on. Let's do this together!