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. 

You can call him Al

If Albert Pujols is going to be a shell of himself, we might as well call him Al instead of Albert.  Think about the song by Paul Simon…

A man walks down the street
He says why am I soft in the middle now

Okay, Al may not be soft in the middle per say, but he’s certainly soft in the middle of the Angels lineup.

Why am I soft in the middle
The rest of my life is so hard

We’d like to know why you’re so soft too, Al.  The rest of your life is going to be hard?  Not with the kind of cash you’re making – now your life on the baseball field… well, we shall see.

I need a photo-opportunity
I want a shot at redemption

A walk off hit yesterday would have gone a long way toward both.

Don't want to end up a cartoon
In a cartoon graveyard

Too late...

Image borrowed from:  The Jert Blog

Bonedigger Bonedigger
Dogs in the moonlight
Far away my well-lit door
Mr. Beerbelly Beerbelly
Get these mutts away from me
You know I don't find this stuff amusing anymore

Well... Al, we are not amused with the lack of production in key moments of a game.  This is not the Albert Pujols we thought we were getting.  The “dogs” in the moonlight – are you and Josh Hamilton who aren’t living up to expectations.  The media here is soft, but every now and then they might nip at your heels...if you want them away from you - start producing.

If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al

Mark Trumbo has done everything he can to protect you… but I don’t think you should call him Betty.  Now, about being called “Al;” I’m all for that.

A man walks down the street
He says why am I short of attention
Got a short little span of attention
And wo my nights are so long

Focus bro; focus.  See the ball; hit the ball.  Got it?

Where's my wife and family?

I hope they’re not back in St. Louis.  I hope that distraction has been resolved.  Just saying.

What if I die here?

Well… you’re killing us, Al.

Who'll be my role-model
Now that my role-model is
Gone Gone

You mean Torii?  Yeah, we miss him too.

He ducked back down the alley
With some roly-poly little bat-faced girl
All along along
There were incidents and accidents
There were hints and allegations

The only hints and allegations around here about whether or not you should be on the DL and although some people question your actual age – I’m not going there.

If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al

Again, talk to Mark Trumbo.

A man walks down the street
It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the Third World
Maybe it's his first time around
He doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man

I know this hitting .250ish is a strange new world for you.  We don’t like it much either.  Something has to give.

He is surrounded by the sound
The sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterlings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says Amen and Hallelujah!

Umm… those are Angel fans.  Most haven’t taken to booing you just yet… and I for one, would never do that – but the natives are getting restless.

If you'll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty when you call me
You can call me Al
Call me Al

  

You got it, Al.  You’re Al to me until Albert reappears.

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.

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.  

It needs to be said...

I firmly believe the Angels are a better team with Peter Bourjos on the field.  So, I’m sure you can imagine that as the rumors surrounding the possibility of trading Bourjos circulate, I feel like standing on top of the 'Big A' and shouting “NOOOOOOO!” 

When most people look at Bourjos, they see a guy with “game-changing” speed, a great glove and not much more.  When I think of Bourjos, I think of Jacoby Ellsbury.  That’s right – Jacoby Ellsbury.

Both players are 6’ 1” and Bourjos weighs just ten pounds less (175 lbs.).  Bourjos happens to be four years younger than Ellsbury and in my mind – could be the same kind of player.  Ellsbury made his major league debut when he was 23; as did Bourjos.   In 2011 at 24 years of age, Bourjos gave us a glimpse of what he could become.

That year he hit .270 with 12 homeruns, 11 triples, 22 stolen bases, with a respectable 4.8 WAR.  That 4.8 WAR is better than 5 of the 6 seasons Ellsbury has had in the big leagues.  And when you consider Ellsbury didn’t have his break out season until he was 27 years old, it gives us reason for optimism.

Given the playing time and appropriate number of at-bats, Peter Bourjos could be a star in this league.  Is that a reach?   I don’t think so.  Maybe he won’t hit 32 homeruns like Ellsbury did in 2011, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he hit more than 20.  If you’ve ever seen Bourjos in person, one of the things you might notice is how muscular his forearms are.  Okay, I know that probably sounds strange, but I remember the first time I noticed because it really surprised me.  He’s not some skinny kid with a lot of speed.  He’s an athlete who was made to play baseball.

Look, I know that I’m the last person in the world who should try to play talent evaluator and I have no idea how to break down a player’s swing, but I have seen Bourjos do things on a field that help his team win ball games.  His background as the son of coach and as a player who had made adjustments at every stop in his baseball career, suggest to me that he could be something special.

We already know what he can do on defense and on the base paths and I think it’s time to see what he can do with 500-600 at bats as well.  The upside is too great to pass up.  I believe in Bourjos’ bat and I’m basing that on what he was able to do in 2011.  In three of the months of that year (April, June and August) he hit over .300; in fact he had an OBP of .340, .365, and .367 in those months as well.  Those numbers are good enough for me to believe there’s a lot of potential there.

There’s no question that an outfield that has both Trout and Bourjos in it would be among the best in baseball.    Factor in Josh Hamilton, who is no slouch as a defender and you have a group of players that will help the Angels pitching staff sleep better at night.

I know the Angels will most likely make a move to add pitching depth and that will come at the expense of one of their players.  Given the choice – I would rather see the Angels move 29 year old Kendrys Morales and keep Bourjos (and Mark Trumbo for that matter). 

Which lineup would you prefer; a line up with Trumbo as DH and Bourjos in CF or a lineup with Trumbo in LF and Morales at DH (take the poll on the right)?  Given the choice, I’ll take the one with Bourjos for the better all-around lineup. I understand that Morales helps balance the lineup as a switch-hitter, but he's going to walk next year and Bourjos just makes the team better as a whole, in my opinion.

It needs to be said; Keep Peter Bourjos!  Angel fans have already had to watch fan favorite, Torii Hunter go to another team; don't add insult to injury by trading Bourjos as well.  

Checking in long enough to bash Keith Law

Ever notice that the baseball season just rolls along with or without you?  I’ve been more than busy lately and haven’t had time to put any thoughts on paper for a while.  Never-the-less, the baseball season is moving along.  Shocking, right?

So, call this my better-late-than-never, just-past-the-half-way-point-of-the-season – check-in post.

Okay, so are you pinching yourself every time you watch Mike Trout play a baseball game (my arm is black and blue)?  Can you believe that this amazing young man is on our favorite team?  I mean – there aren’t enough superlatives to describe how great he is, let alone how much fun he is to watch.  And let’s really put the emphasis on “fun.”

If you haven’t been to a game yet to watch Trout – you owe it to yourself to make it to the stadium.  In fact, load up the car with kids, parents, grand-parents, whoever because Mike Trout is a once-in-a-generation type of player.  Be sure to warn them all that when Trout does something spectacular –you might give them a shove… like a - did –you-see-that? – kind of a shove.  It could get dangerous.

Believe the hype – better yet, go see what all the hoopla is all about for yourself.

I’m not kidding folks.  Every time he steps on the field he’s liable to do something absolutely spectacular, be it in the batter’s box, on the base paths or in the outfield.  Trout is so good he could leave Chris Berman speechless. 

If there’s a player in baseball who is more fun to watch than Mike Trout, I sure would like to see him.

And then there’s Mark Trumbo… and before I get to singing his praises, I have a bone to pick with ESPN’s Keith Law.

Keith Law hates Mark Trumbo.  I don’t know how else to say it, but he just does.  At least that’s the impression I get every time I read something Law has to say about Trumbo. 

Take this bit from his July 2, 2012 post on ESPN about how Trumbo didn’t deserve to be on the All-Star team.  “If you're obsessed with current-season performance, Austin Jackson certainly belongs on the team over Mark Trumbo, a disaster with the glove whose early-season walk-rate spike has disappeared.”

Come on Law – lighten up.  I really think you take yourself a little too seriously.  Mark Trumbo is an absolute blast to watch.  He hits absolutely mammoth homeruns, plays the game hard (ever watch him run down the line?) and is the kind of player who absolutely should be in an All-Star game.  Besides Law – the game is for us fans – not people like you who don’t know how to have a good time or appreciate the game for its true beauty.  Just saying.

Law loves to accentuate the negatives.   Granted, he knows more about baseball and how to break down players better than I ever will – but sometimes he goes a little too far with his “campaign to be right.”

I know I should care less about what Keith Law has to say – but there’s something about his pompous attitude that rubs me the wrong way.  I generally respect him as a talent evaluator and usually enjoy reading his work (especially when he focuses on a player’s mechanics), but sometimes he’s just a little twerpy to me.  Sorry.

As right as he’s been about Mike Trout – and he’s been dead on; he’s been just as wrong about Mark Trumbo – but he’ll never admit it.

Trumbo is one of the bright spots in the game and one of the young stars of the game who deserves more praise and less bashing by the likes of Keith Law in my opinion.  Mark Trumbo makes me smile so much my face hurts.  He’s given me a lot of moments of unbridled joy this season than Austin Jackson will give anyone in his whole career.

Anyway… enough with Keith Law.

Okay – so how about Mark Trumbo Angels fans?  We all knew he was going to be good – but hasn’t he exceeded all of our expectations?  Come on – when he’s up to bat – do you leave your seat at the stadium?  Do you get off the couch at home?  Of course you don’t.

By the way – when Austin Jackson comes up to bat… well, you know.  I mean - let’s say nature comes calling and Jackson is up to bat…. given my options – I’m heading to the john.  When Trumbo is up, I’m holding it for as long as it takes. 

Trumbo has that Reggie Jackson (no relation to Austin by the way) quality about him.  You know that if he gets a hold of one – it quite possibly is going to be of the jaw-dropping variety.  The show he put on at the Homerun Derby was must-see TV.  He’s simply impressive.

So… here we are 89 games into the season and the Angels are trailing the Texas Rangers by 5 games.  Most of the experts talk about the Angels in Wild-card terms, but I’m not giving up hope on a Western Division title.

The fact that so many analysts and the like are penciling the Rangers in as division champs actually makes me feel pretty good.  Face it – more often than not, these folks are just wrong.

I’m not discounting how good Texas is.  I mean I do consider them to be the second best team in the American League.  I just like the Angels’ pitching and the offense has shown signs of being really good when it has to be.  I never feel like the team is out of a ball game and I haven’t had that feeling in a while.

Look these two teams are going to square off 13 more times between now and the end of the season.  A lot can happen just in those 13 games alone.  I can’t wait to watch every one of those games.

Let’s just say I like the Angels chances.  I didn’t like them much last year or the year before, but this year has a different feel to it.  Maybe it’s the vibe I’m getting from my rose-colored glasses.  Maybe it’s the euphoria of watching a little more than half a season of Trumbo and Trout.  Whatever it is – doesn’t really matter.

The last two post-seasons have been a miserable experience for Angel fans forced to watch other teams or not watch at all. 

I believe this year can be special (how that’s for deep analysis?).  Deep down – you do too, don’t you?  The journey continues folks and every game is a new adventure.  It’s time to get to the ball park and let yourself love baseball like never before.