The Kole Calhoun appreciation post

Kole Calhoun makes me smile. 

The first thing I noticed about this guy was his enthusiasm on the field.  The way he celebrates his teammate’s successes is a joy to watch.  The perfect example comes at about the :36 second mark of this video showing J.B. Shuck’s amazing catch last season…

The image of him cheering Shuck on has stuck with me ever since the moment I saw it.  This is a guy who gets it.

Calhoun seems like the ultimate “wing man.”  He’s the kind of guy you always pick first in a game of pickup basketball or broom hockey or any sport because you know he’s going to do anything and everything it takes to win and he’s going to have fun doing it.

Calhoun was obviously born to play baseball.  He’s got the look; the dirty uniform, the game face stare, and the “I will run through a wall to beat you” attitude.

He’s fearless.  As a kid he was probably the guy you sent over the fence to retrieve a baseball when there was a mean dog on the other side.  If he was a surfer, he’d want to tackle the biggest waves.  If he was a soldier, he’d be the first in line for any tough duty.  He’s this team’s Darin Erstad and that is high praise.

I have this vision of him as a kid in tough situations with his friends.  I see his friends turning to one another and saying… “Let’s send in Kole” or don’t worry “Kole’s got this.”  I see him grinning and smiling like a bandit and saying, “Let’s do this.”

If Mike Trout is the Michael Jordan of baseball, Kole Calhoun is Kurt Rambis.  Yes, all the clichés fit… he’s a gamer, a throw-back, he’s old school. 

Angels fans love him, but it’s funny; as usual, the Angels marketing team hasn’t caught on.  You still can’t buy a Kole Calhoun t-shirt in the team store.  When the Angels acquired Scott Kazmir in 2009, his shirts appeared in the team store in short order.  As Kole wins over the hearts and minds of Angels fans young and old… nothing.  Zip.  Nada. 

Fans love guys like Kole Calhoun and why shouldn’t they?  He doesn’t take any plays off.  He brings that blue collar work ethic with him every time he steps on the field.  This is a country that still values hard work and when ball players who get paid a lot of money to play a game – approach the game the way Calhoun does – we notice.  We appreciate it and we applaud it.

Calhoun isn’t just a guy who gets dirty and plays hard.  The man has skills and he puts up numbers too. 

Calhoun has the same OPS as Albert Pujols at .801.  He’s among the league leaders in outfield assists with 7 and he has a fielding percentage of 1.000 with zero errors.  He has scored 58 runs to rank 47^th in the league despite playing only 82 games.  Most everyone above him has played at least 100 games with two among the leaders playing 99 and 91 games respectively. 

He’s not your prototypical lead-off hitter and that’s what makes him fun to watch.  He approaches every at bat as if his life depended on him getting on base.  He’s not the fastest guy or the strongest guy, but he’s tough enough and works hard enough to make people stand up and notice. 

Whenever he comes up to bat at a home game, some of us have taken to giving him a “Yahoo” like cheer by yelling out Cal-hoooo-ooon.  This is a guy who should be marketed more.  He would be worshiped in St. Louis, revered in Pittsburgh and would probably never have to pay for a meal in Chicago.

In the land of lights and tinsel, he’s an oddity.   He’s not the kind of guy doing Head n’ Shoulders shampoo commercials, if you know what I mean.

When lines are being drawn and sides are being chosen – Kole Calhoun is the guy you want by your side and if the Angels get to the promise land, you know Kole Calhoun will play a big role, an under-appreciated role, but an important one never-the-less. 

Who you going to call?

Cat stuck up in a tree with no way down. Call the Fire Department.  What if it’s a mountain lion?  Call Calhoun.

Lost in the forest. Call a Forest Ranger.  Lost in the Amazon?  Call Calhoun.

Have to get a package to a foreign city overnight?  Call FedEx.  Top of Mount Everest?  Call Calhoun.

Need a base hit in the bottom of the 9^th?  Call Mike Trout.  Against King Felix? Umm, Call Mike Trout… Let's be real.  Calhoun is good, but he's not Mike Trout.

Grit: The key to success

Every now and then a player will come along who inspires the phrase – he’s a "gritty" player.  For Angel fans names like David Eckstein come to mind almost immediately or perhaps Darin Erstad or even… Bobby Grich.

For a long time – you could attach such a label to a ball player and nobody would really question it at all.  With the emergence of sabermetrics and more in depth statistical analysis – some people view grit as nothing more than fairy dust.  In other words it’s not real because it’s not really measurable.  Admit it; when you read the title of this blog, you smiled and maybe even chuckled a bit at the notion that something like “grit” was real.

Is “grit” real?  Are there players who have it and those who don’t and is it a factor in the success or failure of a player?  Before you attempt to answer those questions – please spend six minutes watching the video below.  It’s just six minutes long, but it could shed some new light on the subject.

Duckworth describes grit in a variety of ways.  She says it’s about  “passion and perseverance.”  She goes on to say that “grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

Her data shows that grit is “usually unrelated or even inversely related to measures of talent.”  

Duckworth also admits that science knows very little about how to build it.  Her studies are clear that talent alone does not necessarily translate into success.  In fact, her data shows that grit is unrelated or inversely related to measures of talent.

The most telling part of her talk is that those who have grit don’t view failure as a permanent condition.  I think good closers have grit because they’re able to put past failures behind them and attack the next opportunity.  

The idea that grit is a factor also feeds into one of my own philosophies about Cuban born players.  Given what some of them have had to go through just to have an opportunity to play in the major leagues is beyond amazing.  When you really think about guys like Kendrys Morales who made 8 attempts to defect it makes you stop and realize that playing baseball isn’t pressure at all.  In fact, it’s easy compared to their other life experiences.  Does Morales have grit?  I’d think he’d have to, wouldn’t you?

In any case - I think there's some merit to the notion that having grit matters.  How about you?

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.

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?

Vote Halos

Angel fans, I have a bone to pick with you.  For whatever reason when it comes to all-star voting – you (okay – we) are an apathetic bunch.  By in large our fan base lacks passion and that really shows when it comes time to putting Angels on the all-star team. 

It’s a darn shame that Tim Salmon never made an all-star team.  As one of the teams with the best attendance, there really isn’t an excuse for that gigantic mistake.  We felt content to leave it up to the players and coaches to see to it that Salmon made a team instead of voting him in as a starter.  That didn’t work out so well now did it?  Look, I was as guilty as anyone in that case.  I admit it and I regret it.

As a fan base – we suck sometimes.  I don’t know how else to say it.  Sure, we can fill up a stadium when it’s play-off time, but we don’t do the other things that make a fan base great.  Look, I know some of you are great fans, but by in large – we just don’t support our team in all the ways we should and one of those is by voting for deserving Angels when all-star ballots are available.

You know where I’m going with this don’t you?

Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout deserve to be all-stars; more than that – they deserve to start, but in order to make that happen they have to be voted in. 

Now, if you call yourself a die-hard Angels fan and you haven’t voted for Trumbo and Trout – shame on you.  Seriously, it’s not that hard and no one (at least not me) is asking you to vote 1,000 times.  I’m not even asking you to vote a 100 times (although that would be nice).  All I’m asking is that you vote the 25 times Major League Baseball will allow you to vote (on-line) per email address.

Doesn’t Trumbo and Trout deserve as much?

The only Angel who is in the top five of votes for any position thus far is Albert Pujols and he’s fifth among American League First Basemen. 

I’m not asking you to vote for Albert (Paul Konerko is much more deserving in my opinion) and I’m not asking you to stuff the ballot with all the Angels.  All I’m asking is that you vote for the two guys who have given you the most joy this season and that’s Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout.

When you look at the league leaders in statistics, you’re going to see Trumbo and Trout well represented.  Trumbo is 10^th in batting average (.326), 9^th in RBI’s (47), 6^th in OPS (1.009), and tied for 11^th in homeruns (16).  Trout is 6^th in batting average (.337 – just qualified last night with enough plate appearances), his .929 OPS is 14^th best, he’s 4^th in stolen bases (19) and is playing gold-glove caliber defense.

Did I really need to cite those stats to you? 

Look at this way – both players are having phenomenal seasons – if everything goes the way they should they will both have fantastic careers.  Trout has already been compared to several Hall of Famers and although it’s early in both their baseball lives – they are laying the foundation for careers of significance.  When all is said and done – part of their legacy should be as all-star game starters.  Not just participants, but as starters.

Do you hear me?  Does that resonate with you at all?

Let’s not leave it up to the players and coaches.  Let’s not forget the mistakes we made in not making sure Tim Salmon made a team.

Think about the players we never voted on to the squad as starters and then left for another team where they voted them on.  Players like Jim Edmonds (2000, 2003, and 2005) and David Eckstein (2005).

The list of players who we voted on to the starting squad is small.  It includes Vladimir Guerrero (2004, 2005, 2007), who undoubtedly benefited on his popularity long before he became an Angel; Troy Glaus received enough votes in 2003 (one of his worst seasons), but failed to get voted into the starting lineup in 2000 and 2001 when he had monster seasons hitting 47 and 41 homeruns respectively.

Wally Joyner made one all star start in his career and that was in 1986; his rookie year.  Don Baylor only made it once; his 1979 MVP season.

Heck, Bobby Grich was only voted on as a starter once (1982) as an Angel (he was also voted on in 1976 as a member of Orioles). 

Angel fans loved Darin Erstad.  Did he ever get voted on as a starter?  Nope. Bengie Molina?  Nope.  Jim Fregosi?  Nope.  Garret Anderson?  Heck no.  Sure some of them made all-star teams, but it wasn’t because of Angel fans.

How about players who have been all-star starters prior to coming to Anaheim – only to not get voted on the starting squad again?  Well, there’s Torii Hunter for one.  Vernon Wells is another (okay, not the best example). 

There are players who continued to have success in the voting prior to and during their Angel careers – but they’re Hall of Famers – Rod Carew (4 times) and Reggie Jackson (2 times).  Even Fred Lynn had one all-star start as an Angel (1983), but had five prior starts as a member of the Red Sox.

Over time, Trumbo and Trout will get more and more of the national vote.  Their talents are too good to be ignored and it’s only a matter of time before the whole nation begins to appreciate them and recognize them as bona fide stars.  In the mean time – it’s up to us to push them into the spot light.

Look at the current vote leaders in the American League.  Do you really want a team full of Texas Rangers?  Just saying.

One last thing – some of you will whine and belly ache when the national media ignores the Angels or doesn’t give enough love to Angels having great seasons or even a great game and yet – when given the opportunity to push those players into the view of a national audience yourself (via all-star voting) – you sit on your hands.

Let’s do this folks.  #VoteHalos  Vote online now.

Baseball is in the air

The way I see it the 2011 season has a very different feel to it. It feels as if we are on the verge of some sort of turning point in Angels' baseball history. It’s more than just the 50 year anniversary for me; it’s about turning a significant page. I can’t really put my finger on it. Let’s just say that I get a strange vibe when I think about where the Angels are and where they are going.

It all began when Scot Shields announced he would retire after the 2010 season. Granted, Shields had not been anything like his “old self” of late and it was time; but it was more than that. We are seeing player after player from the 2002 World Series team hang up their cleats for good. It’s as if an era is coming to an end and a new destiny is being forged.

This week Garrett Anderson announced his retirement. David Eckstein and Troy Glaus are without contracts. Bengie Molina has basically retired; although I have not heard of any official announcements from him. They’re joining Tim Salmon, Darin Erstad, Jarrod Washburn, Troy Percival and a host of others from the 2002 team that are no longer playing baseball.

A handful of guys are still out there; guys like John Lackey, Francisco Rodriguez, Chone Figgins and Jose Molina, but the list is dwindling and none of the remaining players are a part of the current Angel team.

At the same time – there are a few new faces on the roster; most notably, Vernon Wells. Other players like Brandon Wood and Jeff Mathis are at a turning point in their careers. It’s do or die time for them. To a lesser degree the same might even be said for guys like Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar.

Bobby Abreu and Torii Hunter are in the twilight of their careers. Young players like Hank Conger, Peter Bourjos and Mark Trumbo are trying to make their mark and then there’s the prospects like Mike Trout and Tyler Chatwood both of whom loom big on the horizon.

It’s as if the team is going in a million different directions and I’m not sure what to expect. Maybe that’s a good thing. I haven’t really decided yet.

I know my blog has been relatively quiet lately. Mostly because of just being busy, but also because I’ve just been thinking; thinking about this team and trying to wrap my mind around what I might expect. I haven’t really come to any conclusions yet.

A lot of focus in the AL West seems to be on Texas and Oakland. In some ways, I like that. Even though I’m optimistic about this team’s chances, I am also waiting for an identity to emerge that I can embrace.

My hope is that this team plays the game with a bit of a chip on its shoulder. This team has something to prove and I believe they will get down to the business of winning the AL West again. I expect them to grind to and to play hard in an effort to make things happen as opposed to watching things happen.

I get the sense that this is becoming Jered Weaver’s team and I like that notion quite a bit. I have a feeling that a couple players will emerge from the shadows and shine brightly when it matters most. I expect Vernon Wells to silence his critics and for Danny Haren to return to being an all-star caliber pitcher.

When all is said and done, I believe people will once again marvel at the job Mike Scioscia has done and many will be ashamed for ever doubting this organization.

It’s spring and I want desperately to believe. After all, this is what fans are supposed to do. Writing this post has helped me sort some things out in my head. Putting words on paper once again has given me some renewed energy.

Baseball is definitely in the air and I’m ready for some. Are you?

The 50 Greatest Angels (11-20)

Today’s Orange County Register’s (OCR) list of the 50 greatest Angels take us to a place that is reserved for a very special group; those rannked 11-20. If you make this list, you are truly special in the eyes of the panelists who put the list together.

The names are: Mike Witt (20), John Lackey (19), Francisco Rodriguez (18), Wally Joyner (17), Troy Glaus (16), Frank Tanana (15), Don Baylor (14), Gene Autry (13), Darin Erstad (12) and Mike Scioscia (11).

That’s a list that’s hard to argue with. Each made significant contributions to the Angels and/or hold a place in the Angels’ record books.

Two of the individuals listed (Autry and K-Rod) did not make my top 20 although I did rank each of them in the top 50.

Our first Angel who received some first place votes finally appears in Gene Autry. Four panelists including the Angels’ Tim Mead, Vice President of Communications believe Autry is the greatest of all.

It’s really hard to argue with that sentiment. I can appreciate and understand why anyone would believe that. I really wouldn’t fault anyone for voting for Autry; after all, if it weren’t for him, the Angels may have never come into existence. What I can’t understand is why Mat Gleason of Halos Heaven didn’t vote for him at all.

It’s also clear that Mead has the highest regard for Mike Scioscia who he voted as the 4th greatest Angel of all time. Angels talk show host Jeff Biggs ranked Scioscia 3rd and the OCR’s Bill Plunkett ranked him 4th. Four other panelists ranked him 6th. I ranked him 15th.

My feeling about Scioscia is that he is easily the most important Angel within the organization today. His finger prints are all over this organization and its success or failure is mostly his responsibility. That being said, he probably doesn’t get enough credit for how good the Angels have been over the last ten years and at the same time probably receives too much of the blame when it doesn’t meet expectations.

I can’t imagine anyone else managing my favorite team, but it wasn’t enough to put him for me to put him in the top 10. Interestingly, Gleason who left Autry off his list also excluded Scioscia.

It may be interesting to some folks out there that K-Rod ranked so low on my list at 35. It’s hard to argue with his accomplishments; however, for me it was more than that. I always said that if Frankie Rodriguez wasn’t an Angel (when he was on the team), I’d hate him because of the way he carries himself. I guess you could say that feeling carried over into my voting and I was unable to separate how I felt about him from what he did as an Angel.

I also have to admit that even though I have publicly chastised John Lackey for going to the worst possible destination in Boston last year, I had to include him in my top 20.

It was great to see some old familiar names on the list in Frank Tanana, Mike Witt and Don Baylor. And who could forget Wally World (Wally Joyner). I gave Joyner high marks for his impact on the Angel fan base (ranking him 12th).

Tomorrow we get down to the nitty-gritty; the top 10.

Not bad; not bad at all

Of all the players from the 2002 World Series team that went on to play for someone else; Bengie Molina is the guy I miss the most. I miss him more than Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus, David Eckstein or anyone else.

Last night he reminded me and all Angel fans why he was so beloved. He had what might have been the biggest hit in the ALCS, a three run homerun to put the Rangers ahead for good in game four.

"It's not a bad job for a fat kid who everyone makes fun of when he runs," smiled Molina, after going 3-for-4 with a homerun and three runs batted in.

Bengie has always played the game with the rare combination of both pride and humility. He never sought the spotlight, but it always found him just the same. I never felt like he was ever overwhelmed by any situation. Most of all I always viewed him as a “clutch” player.

Now, I know some sabermetric types and other baseball folk believe there is no such thing as “clutch hitting,” but as long as this game isn’t being played by robots or computers, I will always disagree. Baseball players are human beings with emotions and voices in their heads that speak to them all the time. You can’t tell me that some players don’t thrive in the “big” moment or game. You can’t convince me that some athletes have a tendency to tense up when the lights are at their brightest and the stage is at its biggest.

Some people want the bat (or ball) in their hands when the game is on the line and some don’t. That doesn’t mean they’re going to succeed all the time; it just means that the moment isn’t too big for them. It’s not something you can necessarilly measure or even project, but it’s often very evident.

Maybe I’m romanticizing the game too much here.

Well, baseball will do that to you. Every big play has the ability to flood your mind with memories, thoughts, emotions and so much more. Baseball is about indelible moments and although it’s easy to get lost in the statistics and numbers associated with the game, it’s those walk off homeruns and suicide squeezes that you remember most. And when certain players seem to step up and deliver in key situations time after time, you remember them for being “clutch.” Imagined or real? It really doesn’t matter.

Watching Bengie Molina last night took me back. It took me back to a time when he was an Angel. I always believed he had the ability to soak in a moment, take a deep breath, settle himself and if necessary – his teammates’ nerves and get down to business. He was always had a calm and steady presence and I’ve always considered him to be a great leader. He’s not necessarily a” raw, raw” type; he just leads by example.

A lot of conversations will take place between now and next season about what a great addition Cliff Lee was to the Rangers’ rotation and rightly so. It should also be noted that adding Molina to the Rangers club house was just as big. He’s that veteran presence that’s been here before and he never gets too high or too low.

Molina also knows full well about the mind set needed to take down a Yankee club in the post season; having lived that experience as an Angel. He knows no fear.

I find it interesting that he could end up in the World Series facing the team that basically gave him away to clear a spot for the potential National League Rookie of the Year; Buster Posey. I would bet Bengie finds that thought more than just interesting. I would bet that the way he was pushed aside hurt just a tad.


Seems to me that during his free agency years he's frequently the guy no team really wants to sign, but ends up being the guy everyone loves to have on their tea. Even still, though he constantly exceeds expectations; he's also taken for granted. He's kind of an after thought, but one that pays off big in the end.

Remember, this is a man with tremendous pride; at least that’s what I’ve gathered after watching him for all these years as a fan. Now, I don’t know Bengie personally and my only interactions with him have come at spring training or before games when he would warm up down by the bull pen and interact with fans, but the impression I always got was that this is a man who plays with confidence and has his own quiet swagger about him.

Everytime I think about him I keep coming back to his pride and humility.

Take the 2006 season when he played for the Toronto Blue Jays. On May 16 of that year his Blue Jays lost to the Angels 8-3, but the thing that probably stung Bengie the most was that Jose Molina (his brother) stole a base against him.

The next night, Bengie tried to return the favor, but was thrown out by Jose. One can only imagine the post game conversation those two might have afterwards. I’m sure Bengie didn’t like being upstaged by his brother, but at the same time I would also believe he got a good laugh out of the whole thing.

He also got the last laugh.

Apparently he didn’t forget that night in May because a few months later on September 9 Bengie got his revenge and stole a base against Jose. Justice was served and order was restored within the Molina family.

Interestingly both Molina’s had only stolen one base all year; not only that, neither tried to steal a base against anyone else the rest of the year.

It was vintage Bengie.

I even loved the way he interacted with fans. He was always kind, cordial and accommodating. He never “big leagued” anyone. He always made time for as many people as possible. There’s something endearing about a guy who’s always approachable and seems to be the same person regardless of whether he’s signing autographs or launching bombs into the outfield stands.

I can even remember a potentially volatile situation at a spring training game in Tempe after the 2002 season. A few of the players were gathered at the tunnel that leads from the field to the club house. Frankie Rodriguez said something that offended a fan who was trying to get someone’s autograph. I don’t know what he said, but I remember this fan going off and saying some things in a pretty angry tone. Frankie looked a little shell shocked, but Bengie was there and gave the fan a “come on man, you’re not serious” look. He said a few things to defuse the situation and everyone walked away just fine.

Bengie has always had a way of putting people at ease; be it on the field or off it. It’s one of the things I love about him.

You see, every memory I have of Bengie is a good one. Last night, he gave me one more.

Making a dream come true

Ever wonder what it would be like to work for a major league baseball franchise? Wonder how you make that happen? Well, it’s like anything else worth achieving; it takes hard work and dedication.

A prime example of that is represented in Ryan Cavinder’s story. Who’s Ryan Cavinder? Ryan is a Media Relations Representative with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and he was kind enough to take the time to give us an inside look at what he does, how he got there and what it’s like to be a part of a major league franchise.

Ryan’s family and mine have known each other for years. His grandmother and my mother are like sisters (his dad and I are close in age). I’ve able to follow Ryan’s path to the Angels from afar and was delighted when he agreed to telling his story. So… let’s get to it.

TG: First of all Ryan; I know that you’re an Angels fan. How long have you been a fan of this team and did you have any favorites growing up?

RC: I have been an Angels fan all of my life. I spent most of my childhood in the cheap seats at the Big A with my dad and brother. We would make an annual trip out to spring training with my grandpa and then catch about 20 games or so during the season.

Some of my favorite Angels growing up were Wally Joyner, Luis Polonia, Jim Edmonds and Darin Erstad.

One of my favorite memories comes from one of my all-time favorite Halos. My dad and brother and I would always wait after the games in the parking lot to get players autographs. I was a pretty shy kid, so my brother would get most of the autographs and I’d try my best to follow his lead.

One day Rod Carew, who was the hitting coach at the time, came out and signed a few baseballs on the way to his car. He didn’t have time to sign for everyone, so he said goodbye and left me without an autograph. My brother came away beaming about his signed baseball and I immediately burst into tears.

My dad started to console me as the crowd departed and that’s when I heard a voice from behind me whisper, “Little boy, come here”. There was Rod, waiting to sign my baseball and give me a word of encouragement. Having had the chance to get to know Rod over the past few years has been a special treat for me. He is still the same caring individual he was that evening some 15 years ago.

TG: What is your current role with the Angels and how long have you been doing it?

RC: I am the Media Relations Representative for the Halos and I just finished my third season with the club. My job description covers a wide range of responsibilities, but includes arranging player interviews, producing game information used by writers and broadcasters, traveling with the club on road trips and writing the media guide.

Future Angels Brain Trust (in red)? Ryan is on the far left

TG: How many people do what you do?

RC: There are four full-time staff members in the Media Relations department, including my boss, V.P. of Communications, Tim Mead. Teamwork is crucial in our department as many of our responsibilities require constant communication.

TG: When did you decide that this was the career path you wanted to pursue?

RC: After finishing my senior season of high school baseball, I realized that I did not want to play ball for a living and to be quite honest I was probably not talented enough any way. I love the game so much and I decided I would do whatever I could to be around it. I had a passion for people and for public relations so I decided my dream job would be in the public relations office for the Angels.

TG: How did you make it happen?

RC: When people ask me this question, my answer is always, “A little bit of hard work and a whole lot of luck”. In all honesty, I worked tirelessly to put myself through school at Chapman University where I received the tools necessary to make it in this business.

I was fortunate enough to build some relationships in my time there and those relationships ended up landing me an internship with the club. Once I had my foot in the door I realized how close I was to my dream. I didn’t let anything stand in the way of me and my dream. Two years as an intern paid off as I was offered my current position at the beginning of this calendar year.

TG: I know you had a lot of different jobs through college and while working as an intern. I think it speaks to your desire to make it in the business you’re in. As you look back on those experiences, do you have any thoughts?

RC: I definitely think the many jobs I worked in college and while interning with the Angels taught me a lot about being dedicated to my dream. I had to make sacrifices to get to where I'm at but every one of them has paid off.

TG: Tell me more about your background; did you play any baseball?

RC: I played baseball at Valley Christian High School, a small high school in Cerritos. Though our school only had about 800 students, we had a very successful baseball program. After a brief stint at the University of Arizona, I wound up at Chapman University where I graduated in 2008 with my B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising.

TG: What is a typical day like for you?

RC: It seems like there is never a typical day here at the ballpark, but for a typical home game I arrive at the ballpark in the morning and begin preparing our game notes. Game notes offer our broadcasters and writers specific stats, trends and interesting notes to use in their articles/broadcasts.

On a typical day, we also are busy setting up interviews for our players, both with Fox Sports West (FSW) as well as with radio stations and writers. The better part of the afternoon is spent in the clubhouse where we are available for the players and the media to fulfill any requests they may have.

During the game, we are in the press box assisting the media with their coverage of the game. I’ll normally leave the ballpark about 30-60 minutes after the conclusion of the game. It makes for a very long day but it is incredibly rewarding.

On the road trips I have many of the same responsibilities; however I am the only one to fulfill those duties so it presents a whole new challenge. The up-side to that are the incredible hotels, chartered flights and amazing cities I am able to visit.

While the team is on the road and I am not with them, we (staff) are preparing for the next home stand and assisting the person from our office that is traveling with game notes and such.

TG: What will you do in the off season?

RC: Baseball’s offseason is very short and once you factor in the beginning of free agency, the winter meetings and the holiday season it’s almost time for spring training!

A large amount of our time in the offseason is spent preparing the coming year’s media guide. This offseason will be special as we will be preparing for the 50th anniversary celebration in 2011. We have a lot of special surprises in store and it’s going to be a very exciting year!

TG: What is your role at spring training?

RC: Many of my responsibilities are the same whether in Tempe or Anaheim, but the environment is much different. For instance, on a typical day in Anaheim we may have between 5-10 player interviews; while in Tempe we can have upwards of 20-30. Spring training is heavily covered by the media due to the fact that there are so many teams within a 15-20 mile radius.

This last spring was my first opportunity to be in Tempe for the entirety of spring training and it was a real treat. The relaxed atmosphere out there provides me a great opportunity to build relationships with our players.

TG: Ryan, you are obviously in a position that a lot of people would love to be in. Have you ever had any “wow” moments where you had to pinch yourself?

RC: There have been countless “wow” moments in my short time with the club, many of which I never even dreamed possible. Celebrating with the team in the clubhouse after clinching division titles in 2008 and 2009 most definitely top that list. Being around such baseball greats such as Rod Carew, Vin Scully and Reggie Jackson has also left me saying, “wow.”

TG: What do you do when you are not absorbed in all things Angels?

RC: It’s difficult to truly separate myself from this club, but when I do - I try to spend as much time as possible with my family and friends. I also love to be outdoors and I have a passion for distance running.

TG: Do you have any advice for people looking for a career in baseball?

RC: Never take no for an answer. Persistence is key to making it in this business. It is crucial in this market to take any job that will get you some experience. If there isn’t a job open; go for an internship. If there isn’t an internship available; volunteer. Much like the challenge the players face, you have to be willing to do it for free and prove yourself before anyone will be willing to pay you.

TG: Angel fans know that Tony Reagins (the current General Manager) started as an intern. I believe the Yankees’ Brian Cashman and Red Sox’s Theo Epstein also started that way. Can you envision yourself as a future GM?

RC: I don't envision myself being a GM one day but I would not rule it out. I love that side of this business and have been inspired by the path Tony took.

TG: Anything you’d like to add? A funny story perhaps? How about your first road trip?

RC: My first road trip was a surreal experience. This is the way to travel. I’m a young guy not far removed from college, so the days spent in European hostels and road tripping in the U.S. aren’t far behind me.

The chartered flights, the hotels and the incredible food (and tons of it) are more than a young guy could ask for. As a matter of fact, I gained six pounds on my first road trip. Six pounds in seven days, while working out! Needless to say, it was on that first trip that I learned how to say no.

The only other thing I would like to add is that if anyone would like to get a hold of me they can feel free to reach me at ryan.cavinder@angelsbb.com.

That concludes our interview. I’d like to thank Ryan for his time and insight.