Are we havng fun yet?

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

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

Here are some thoughts and observations on all things Angels…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yeah, I just went there.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And now on to more observations and comments…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Call me a Weaver apologist.  I admit it. 

Now, about that bullpen…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yes, it really was that bad

The Angels had an opportunity to bring their fan base a little bit of joy at the end of the season when they headed to Texas for a four game series.  As it turned out – had the Angels won a single game during that road trip they would have been responsible for knocking the Texas Rangers out of the play-off picture all-together.

Wishful thinking.

Not only did the Angels stink up the stadium – they provided their fans with a great deal of frustration, anguish, anger, and outright disgust.  Take the second game of the series as an example. 

In the bottom of the second inning with the score tied and one out, C.J. Wilson gave up a line drive base hit to Elvis Andrus.  With Alex Rios batting – Wilson uncorks a wild pitch that sends Andrus all the way to third base.  Rios then walks.  Wilson then hits the next batter Adrian Beltre to load the bases.  Up steps A.J. Pierzynski, who also gets plunked by Wilson to walk in a run.  Up steps Jeff Baker and Wilson uncorks another wild pitch and Rios scores.

That inning – was all too familiar in a season of pathetic play.  You have to work really hard to have an inning like that and watching it is like suffering a slow, anguishing death (not that I’ve actually experienced such a thing).  It’s enough to send a sane man into a fit of rage (no, I didn’t do that).  After an experience like that – you feel like part of you just died and that your life was shortened considerably because of what you just absorbed with your own eyes.

I imagine that a lot of televisions were turned off at that point or at the very least the channel was changed.  In some cases, I’m guessing an object found the front of the screen at a high rate of speed.

Even though the game wasn’t over and there were two more games on the schedule, I knew then that the Angels would probably be swept and that the Rangers would live past 162 games somehow.   All I wanted was a little bit of joy in having the satisfaction of seeing my team knock the Rangers out of the play-off race; but no, that just wasn’t going to happen.  Of course not.

Obviously, it was too much to ask.  Thankfully, the Rays would take care of the Rangers’ post season dreams instead.

Throughout the season, I wanted this team to respond to adversity with a purpose and silence the critics.  Instead, they rolled over when the going got tough. There were times when they couldn’t get out of their own way and they couldn’t give away runs and opportunities to the other teams they faced fast enough.  It was worse than a bad movie because this was real and it unfolded day after day before our eyes.

To a fan that is emotionally invested in a team – it was one of the most frustrating and agonizing seasons ever. 

There was a time when I wasn’t nearly as emotionally invested in the Angels.  Even though I am a longtime fan, my “fandom” didn’t really escalate until Cheryl and I became season ticket holders.  Sometimes, I long for those days when being fan didn’t necessarily mean that I would live and die each day with the team and my mood wouldn’t be affected by how they played.

Ok, maybe I’m not that bad – but there are days when it all takes its toll.

So the season is over and it’s time to dust ourselves off and get back to waiting for the spring and the optimism that it brings. 

I don’t know how to fix this team.  Sure, I have some ideas – but what does it matter?  As a fan, I have to wait and watch to see what is going to happen.

Here’s what I do know.  The Angels need more players like Kole Calhoun.  There’s something about a guy who actually looks like he loves playing the game and can actually play it pretty well that’s compelling.  His kind of enthusiasm has to be contagious in the club house.  He’s already become one of Cheryl’s favorites and who can blame her?

This guy plays hard – smiles a lot and shows no fear.  I haven’t noticed any deer-in-the-headlights moments from him unlike oh… I don’t’ know… perhaps, Howie Kendrick for example. 

I know a lot of baseball people and even fans will say that chemistry and all the intangibles aren’t real – but I don’t buy it.  I love players who have a chip on their shoulder and bring a certain intensity to the game.  I don’t think you can have a whole team of individuals like this – but having some who can have an impact in the clubhouse has to help.

Look at what happened in Boston.  That organization set out to change the culture in the clubhouse and it worked.  They brought in high character guys like Jonny Gomes and Shane Victorino who helped change the mindset on that team.  In the process they traded away guys who look great on paper  - but not so good on the field.  Seemingly overnight, the Red Sox were transformed into a team that  brought a bull-dog-like mentality into every game. 

This make over extended to their pitching as well.  You know, there’s a fine line between being intense and being a jerk and they got rid of the jerk in Josh Beckett and in the process they freed up John Lackey to be the John Lackey.  I have my issues with the things Lackey said about the Angels fan base on his way out of town, but I have to say, part of me misses the guy who loves to compete and it’s clear to me that guy is back.

I don’t like the Red Sox, but I certainly respect what they did in the last year to bring that franchise back to relevance.

When I look at the Angels – I see a team without a soul and with no identity.  That all died the day they let Torii Hunter go to Detroit.  When you think of the Angels now – you think of the stoic Mike Scioscia, the angry Arte Moreno and two highly paid and underachieving players in Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton.  You almost forget that this is a team that has Mike Trout who is arguably the best player in the game.

Fans are so focused on the bad stuff that some of them miss the opportunity to enjoy Trout on a regular basis.  I’m not kidding.  There is so much that is wrong and frustrating about the team – that not even Mike Trout is enough to draw them in.

That’s sad.  We’re talking about a once-in-a –generation type of player who is playing historic baseball.  He’s doing things that have never been done and he’s doing it as player who just turned 22 in August.  Some are so disgusted with the team that they spend more time speculating that Trout will leave when he becomes a free agent rather than enjoying him in the here and now.

What does that tell you?

This off season is one of the most important in the history of the Angels franchise.  Whatever gains they made during the years following the 2002 World Series is dissipating.  A great many season ticket holders aren’t going to renew.  They’re fed up.  They’re moving on.  I imagine that if and when the team gets back to being relevant, they’ll be back – but they’re done for now.

The team needs a make-over – not necessarily a total redesign, but a make-over.  They need Arte Moreno to step up and publicly hold himself accountable.  He needs to face the music – and by that I mean the local media.  He needs to take the shots and he needs to respond by showing true leadership.  Sports fans love fearlessness in their athletes and the same trait should be demonstrated in the front office and most certainly in the ownership.

We don’t want to see an owner who takes punitive action by moving the media down in the right field corner – we want an owner who’s not afraid to stand toe to toe and fight for his team. 

I’m encouraged by the recent news of a united front between Mike Scioscia and Jerry Dipoto.  I believe the news that they’re now working together as a team to fix it all.  This had to happen and I’m hopeful in the outcome.

Sports is supposed to be fun and baseball is supposed to be America’s pastime.  It’s time to put the fun back in being an Angels fan and ownership needs to take the responsibility of making that happen.  The last thing anyone wants is for their favorite baseball team to be a source of angst when it should be a source of joy.

Right now – there is very little; if any actual joy.  This can change.  It’s going to take hard work and patience from the fan base, but it’s possible.  After all, its baseball and we know anything is possible in baseball.

I know this post is overdue.  My apologies.  I won't make any promises about what is to come - but there will definitely be more to come.  Thanks for reading.

Yeah, we'll be there

For the 17^th time this season, Cheryl and I will walk into Angel Stadium to watch a game tonight and even though the Angels have struggled mightily this year, I’m excited.  I hope I never lose that feeling. 

There are people who have never had the privilege or opportunity to go to a game and I don’t ever want to take it for granted that I can basically go whenever I want and to make things even better, I get to go with my wife.  I’m blessed for sure.

Some nights are thick with anticipation; like the night Mike Trout made his major league debut.  Some nights, you go and before you know it Jered Weaver is throwing a no-hitter.  That’s the thing; you just never know what’s going to happen.  Chances are nothing spectacular will occur and yet, every game there’s the hope that you will get to watch something special; maybe even something that’s never been seen before.

For me, there’s nothing like being at the ball park. I like seeing the whole field and not just the way television presents it from behind the pitcher, looking in at the batter.  I want to see where the infielders and outfielders are positioned and I want to watch them react to every pitch.  I like being able to look into the bullpen to see whose warming up and taking a glance at the out of town scoreboard to see who’s winning and losing.

I like talking baseball with some of my friends in the stands.  Sometimes we sit around and make up names for the players like Jeff “English isn’t my favorite subject, but Math-is.”  Sometimes we speculate about trades or question a move Mike Scioscia makes or predict what Howie Kendrick is going to do with the bases loaded.  We laugh, we high-five, and we cheer.  Every now and then, we whine, and moan and scream out in agony.  On a good night, we walk away satisfied with a win and we look forward to the next game.

We talk about ex-Angels who are doing poorly and lament about those that are doing well.  We notice the loud mouths cheering for the other team and hope that in the end, the scoreboard shuts them up once and for all. 

Some nights the game is in the background.  On those occasions, it’s usually because we are celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions.  Some games the mood is somber because we are mourning the loss of a loved one or even a friend from our section.  

Since we’ve been season ticket holders, we’ve had a lifetime of baseball experiences.  We’ve celebrated division titles, mourned the death of Nick Adenhart and embraced the wonderful smile of Torii Hunter.

We felt the joy of acquiring impact players at the trade deadline and the sadness of watching one of our favorites traded away. 

Being die-hard fans requires a huge investment of time, resources and even emotions.  We experience joy, sorrow, elation and even pain.  When we became invested fans and started coming to games regularly we had no idea it would be like this.  Now, it’s hard to imagine what it would be like to not have baseball games to go to and enjoy.

We’re going to a game tonight.  It could be great.  Maybe you should be there too.

Things are getting interesting

Michael Roth will make his first major league start tonight against the Texas Rangers and Yu Darvish.  Darvish is a potential Cy Young Award candidate. Roth is a year removed from pitching in the College World Series (CWS).  It’s a match up that’s tailor made for baseball.

It’s David vs. Goliath.  It’s the stuff that makes baseball compelling.

Some things you should know about Roth… he’s from the University of South Carolina (USC) – where he was the winner of the President’s Award; the most prestigious honor given to a South Carolina student-athlete.  He is also the winner of the 2012 SEC's Boyd McWhorter Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award as well as 2012 SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  The kid has talent and brains.

Roth made eight career CWS starts; so he’s used to pressure.  He holds the record for innings pitched in the CWS with 60.1 career innings.  His career ERA in the CWS is 1.49 – 5^th lowest among all pitchers who have at least 30 career innings in the CWS.

Roth is one of the best pitchers in USC's and the CWS' history.  He has the pedigree to be a success and I have a feeling he will be up for tonight’s challenge.  In fact, I’m fired up about it because there’s a lot of potential for a great story here.  It’s must-watch stuff in my opinion.

For more details about Roth's career at USC - click HERE.

Speaking of "much-watch-stuff"… last night’s walk off homerun by Howie Kendrick was awesome.  I’m always curious as to why people would leave a tied game going into extra innings.  I mean, when you think about it – from the bottom of the 9^th on, there’s that chance you could be a part of something special – like a walk-off homerun, base hit, etc.  Sure, Cheryl and I didn’t a lot of sleep last night, but it was worth it.

Had the Angels lost it probably wouldn’t have been worth it – but that’s the chance we took.  I’m not saying we never leave early – but when the only thing that is standing in our way of watching what could be a great finish is sleep – we say, “Let’s do this!”  

This season has been a tough one so far; so moments like the one last night are extra special.  That’s part of the journey; that’s baseball at its best.  Being there for the experience is what it’s all about.

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?

Head shakes and face palms

Baseball is a funny game. The very moment you think you have some it figured out; it baffles you again and again. The only thing we know for sure is that on any given day, anything can happen. The routine can become an adventure, the spectacular can look routine and when all is said and done you wind up shaking your head in amazement or with your face planted in the palm of your hands in total frustration.

As baseball fans all we can do is enjoy the ride, but sometimes that’s easier said than done.

Take the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. For the life of me, I can’t figure this team out. Doubt anyone else can either.

This is a team that continues to find ways to beat themselves; be it with poor defense, poor base running, poor plate discipline, poor situational hitting… you name it. It’s just hard to watch. But "watch" is exactly what we do and after a while - one starts to form some opinions...

I’m writing this blog on the fly. In other words, I’m basically writing whatever comes into my head. This seems like the best route to go today because quite frankly, I haven’t found the inspiration to write about anything specific lately and thus the absence of posts in recent days.

So what’s on my mind?

Let me start with Mark Trumbo. Are you kidding me? Most Angel fans thought he was good, but I doubt any of us really knew he was going to be this good. He’s clearly the most valuable player on the team to date and he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.

Mark Trumbo makes me smile. In fact, he might even make me a little giddy from time to time. When I think back to the comments that were made by a great many baseball analysts as to why he wasn’t as good as Eric Hosmer of the Royals and how his plate discipline was going to limit his production, etc., etc. I just smile. You might even catch me laughing out loud once in a while.

Like I said earlier – baseball is a funny game and despite the best efforts of those who like to do projections and such – sometimes, stuff just happens that defies expectations. Thank God for that.

And then there’s Mike Trout. Once again… are you kidding me? Everyone who pays any attention what-so-ever to baseball knew he was going to be good. I mean the whole baseball world kept telling us as much – but even still, here’s a 20 year old doing things that just aren’t supposed to be possible when you’re that young.

But you know what I like best about Trout? His smile. He flashes it a lot. He’s having the time of his life (as he should be) and winning over fans by the boat load. It’s refreshing to watch a young player play the game hard, without fear and have fun doing it. His production is tremendous and I have to pinch myself every time I think about being able to watch him for the next several years because if this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.

Now, let me tell you something that I really, really love about both Trout and Trumbo. I absolutely love the fact that they play the game at full speed all the time. When they hit a ball on the ground, they bust their rear ends down to first base – every time. They never take a play off and if there’s anything that a fan appreciates more than anything – its maximum effort all the time.

You know who doesn’t do that?

I know you know who doesn’t, but I’ll say his name just the same – Albert Pujols.

I hate that. I hated the fact that I had to even write that. He’s not alone in that category, but he certainly stands out in my mind.

I know he’s older than Trout and Trumbo. If I wanted to, I could probably come up with all kinds of excuses why it’s okay that he doesn’t hustle down the line every time he hits the ball, but I won’t. It bugs me and it bugs my wife Cheryl too who is quick to point it out every time it happens.

It bugs me because I see guys like Josh Hamilton play every moment like it might be his last. It bugs me because no one is willing to call him on it. It bugs me just because this is the kind of thing that annoys me to no end.

There, I said it.

Like I said earlier – I’m just writing about whatever comes to my head and that includes stuff that I’ve been holding on to all season.

In fact, I picked up something early on that bugged me about Albert. It was the third game of the season against the Royals. It was the bottom of the first and Howie Kendrick was on second base. Albert was up to bat and Jonathan Sanchez uncorked a wild pitch. As the catcher was scrambling for the ball and Kendrick was making his way to third base – Albert had his head down, scratching the dirt with his feet to prepare for the next pitch.

In other words – he was NOT giving any direction to the base runner; instead he was focused on his at bat and nothing else. It seemed odd to me; even out of character.

It was the first moment when I found something that bugged me about Albert. Am I nitpicking? Probably. Hey, it’s what a fan does when he sits down to try and find something to write about for his blog.

Maybe I’m making a bigger deal out of this than I should. Heck, I probably won’t bring it up again – but today is one of those days to just let some stuff fly.

Now with all that being said – let me tell you something else that I noticed about Albert and it happened last night.

Like I said earlier – when you think you have something or someone figured out – something happens that makes you rethink everything.

In any case – in the bottom of the 9th after Albert had doubled and tagged up and run to third on a fly ball (showing good hustle) he stood at the base and looked to be cheering Kendrys Morales on who was up to bat.

It was a small thing – but I loved it. It was the first time that I noticed Albert looking like he really wanted to win a game.

I’m not saying he doesn’t want to win every game – I’m just saying it was the first time I personally noticed Albert acting like he really cared.

Please don’t take any of this the wrong way. I’m absolutely thrilled to have Albert on the Angels and I am looking forward to watching him play for the next ten years. I really and truly am excited about it.

Let’s just say that I’m still trying to understand him as best as any fan can. Maybe I never will understand him completely, but it won’t be for a lack of trying.

If you have spent any time on this blog at all – you know that this is what I’m all about. I’m not about statistical analysis (although I will dabble in that once in a while) and I’m not about any kind of in-depth player evaluation or analysis, etc. I’m about the fan experience and that’s what makes True Grich the blog that it is – for better or worse.

I absolutely love Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout. I am still trying to love Albert Pujols. I believe in time I will feel the same way adoring Cardinal fans felt about him for all of the years he was in St. Louis. I’m still looking for reasons to embrace him. Time will tell.

Please note that I haven’t been totally honest here. I didn’t write down everything that came to my mind. That would have involved a long Erick Aybar rant. I’ll spare you from that for now. Just saying.

Faithful till the end

Last night in the 8th inning when the Rangers expanded their lead to 4-2, Cheryl looked intently at the action on the field and said, “We still have six outs.”

When Erick Aybar singled in the bottom of the 9th, she gripped my hand tightly. She didn’t want the season to end just yet. When Russell Branyan came to bat, the intensity was too much for her. She let go of my hand to cover her eyes and said “I can’t watch.”

It was soon after that moment that the ball went sailing past Rangers’ catcher Yorvit Torrealba and the crowd let out a roar. She looked up, looking for the ball and asked what happened. I told her the ball got past the catcher and Aybar was now on second.

She was excited and nervous at the same time – but she was into it; boy was she into it.

Maicer Izturis flied out.

Then Peter Bourjos singled to drive in Aybar, Cheryl’s adrenaline was pumping big time. She let out a yell, clapped and pumped her fists. Her body language said “We can do this.” She still believed.

I wanted to believe too, but as I sat and watched the game unfold, I was already done. My emotional tank was empty and I was waiting for the inevitable.

As Howie Kendrick struck out to end the game and the Angels play-off hopes, I felt a little sad – not for me, but for my wife who was faithful to her team till the end.

Sure, she had her moments when she was utterly disgusted with the team and may have even verbalized the idea that she too was done at certain times during the season – but her actions said otherwise.

All season long, she didn’t understand how this team could not play better. She knew they were capable and her desire for the team to win never wavered. She saw the flaws in the team as clearly as anyone. She would often say, “We need a big bat! They keep saying they’re going to get one, but here we are again…” Never-the-less, she still believed they could get it done.

She never failed them, but unfortunately, the Angels failed her.

It took 160 games for the Angels to be eliminated, but they broke our hearts all season long. Time after time – they lost games they should have won. The team failed on so many levels; offense, defense, bullpen, front office…. It was hard to watch, but we watched just the same.

A tremendous season for Jered Weaver and really solid seasons by Dan Haren and Ervin Santana were wasted. Pitching this good should be in the post season. It’s a darn shame they’re not going to have that opportunity this year.

Now that the Angels have been eliminated – Cheryl and I will become Diamondback fans for the rest of the year. It is our sincere hope that Joe Saunders gets a ring – a championship ring. Who knows, we may even make a trip out to Arizona to see a game or two. We’ll see.

It’s a long time till spring rolls around. We are exhausted. We started this journey in Kansas City for opening day on March 31. We attended tons of games and even made trips to San Bernardino to see the 66ers and trips to Texas and San Diego as well. I even made a trip to Dodgers Stadium. I should probably count how many games we saw and at some point, I just might. We didn't miss many.

We tried our best to look at this season as a story unfolding before our very eyes and it was just that; only problem was there was no happy ending.

All year long I have written in this blog that the margin for error was ever so small. After 160 games, that really came to be true.

We’ve been season ticket holders for a short time; only since 2004 – but we’ve been spoiled with five post season appearance. Not going to the playoffs for two years in a row hurts like heck and as I said before – I don’t ever want to get used to this feeling.

I’m a lucky man; my wife loves Angels baseball and we get to share this great game together. When all is said and done – baseball has provided us with lots of memories and we have been blessed to be a part of this season and others. It’s all about the journey and we can’t wait till the next one begins.

In the meantime, I will still be blogging and Cheryl will still be right here by my side feeding my ideas and keeping tabs on the Hot Stove season.

What if?

Hello “Swagger” my old friend; it’s really good to see you again.

I’m definitely feeling it; yes, I am. Call it confidence. Call it pennant fever. Call it whatever you want; it’s all good.

The unmistakable aroma of an American League West pennant is in the air and if things go just right, we’ll be tasting victory once again. There’s nothing like a little three game winning streak to get the adrenaline going and I’m getting more and more excited with each passing day. How could I not?

Think about where this team was a year ago; heck, think about where they were August 18, 2011.

My confidence has been fueled by an old, late arriving friend... It took a good long while for him to get here, but from what I can tell the Angels Offense has finally arrived. Better late than never, right?

The Angels have really been swinging the bat. I’d run down the numbers for you, but quite frankly – you can look that up yourself! It’s all about Torii Hunter, Mark Trumbo, Howie Kendrick, Peter Bourjos and even Vernon Wells. Sprinkle in some Mike Trout and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Any struggles the team had earlier this year seem like a distant memory. It’s all about the now and right now – the Angels offense is rolling. Mark Saxon of ESPN LA wrote that “Vernon Well is hitting .383 with eight extra base hits in his past 12 games.”

If ever there was a barometer for the Angels’ offense, it’s right there with Wells. When Wells and Hunter are hitting the Angels are simply a better, more dangerous team. Speaking of Hunter, I’m actually proud of the way Torii Hunter has risen to the occasion. It really warms my heart to see him playing so well. Just look at his smile and you know – you know he’s feeling it too.

Right now, when the Angels have run scoring opportunities, I feel like they’re going to capitalize. I don’t need to look at their statistics. I don’t need to know what their history is with runners in scoring position or how they’ve faired against certain pitchers over the season. I just feel like this team is competing and that’s all I can ask.

Yes, I feel that swagger again.

Most people and even some Angels' fans seem to have counted this team out and given the way the season has gone, it’s easy to understand why. The home crowds have been lighter and some season ticket holders have even gone so far as to not order play-off tickets. I don’t think Cheryl and I would ever forgive ourselves if we passed on the opportunity to be a part of a special play-off run.

What if? Seriously… what IF?

Now, I understand sometimes life just doesn't allow you to do certain things – but if you love baseball and nothing is holding you back – you need to pay attention.

Right here; right now, the Angels are quietly making a push. I see it. I feel it. This is real folks. This is a good old fashioned pennant race. Some of the national sports media might be ignoring it, but that doesn’t mean you should too.

If you’re an Angels fan and you’re not excited; check your pulse. Yes, its gut wrenching at times, but the thrill of a pennant race is one of the best things in sports. This is what baseball is all about. You gotta love it.

The eventual champion in any sport often come out of nowhere. It’s become common place for the experts to be wrong and the teams that emerge victorious are often the teams no one expected. You can project and predict till your blue in the face, but when all is said and done - things happen that aren't necessarily explainable, but are often magical.

Think about the possibilities.

Ask yourself… what if? What if this ends up being like 2002? Stranger things have happened. I know it seems like a long shot to some of you - but wouldn't it make for an incredible story? How often do we get to take part in something that special?

All I want is that chance. How about you?

Don't make excuses, don't say "but..." - and leave your skeptical self in the closet. Just keeping asking yourself - WHAT IF?

Random thoughts from the last four games

Friday:

Why isn’t Mike Trout in the lineup?

I think somebody else is occupying Dan Haren’s body. He’s looking more like Scott Kazmir tonight…

I hate you Gilligan (Erick Aybar). That botched double play cost us four runs.

I really hope this is the start of something good for Vernon Wells.

Why did the Rangers want to trade Michael Young? Seriously...

11-0? Really? Good grief.

I just knew Russell Branyan was going to homer for some reason.

Seven runs are nice, but not so much when the other team scores 11. I hate moral victories.

Why didn’t Mike Trout start this game?

I hate the Rangers.

Saturday:

Come on Ervin.

Trout is starting… I like it.

I guess Bobby Wilson will be catching Ervin Santana for the rest of his life.

The way Vernon is hitting – some people will start saying he’s under paid…. Then again, probably not. I'll take what we can get just the same.

Say... Peter Bourjos shaved his head? Makes me wonder if Torii Hunter followed up on our discussion back in January. Check out the video from that post.

Thank you Mike Napoli. That’s the way I want to remember you (throwing error).

Really? David Murphy? Good grief.

Jordan Walden continues to blow saves and the Angels faithful continue to look the other way. Why?

Thank you Hisanori Takahashi.

Two back!

Sunday:

Really? Jeff Mathis has to catch Jered Weaver EVERY time?

Why isn’t Mike Trout in the lineup?

Thank you Jeff Mathis. Wait, did I just say that?

Howie Kendrick… I see you hitting like an all-star. If only you were this good all the time.

How does a slow guy like Bobby Abreu successfully steal so many bases?

Good grief. I hate it when it all goes so bad, so fast.

I hate the Rangers.

Monday:

Why isn’t Mike Trout in the lineup?

Nice to see you Hank Conger, I almost forgot what you look like.

Peter Bourjos hitting 8th? Really?

I really like the uniforms the Mariners are wearing tonight.

Hey Joel, we’ve seen this before. My wife Cheryl doesn't like you very much.

Thank you Mark Trumbo. If you’re not the Rookie of the Year, something is very, very wrong.

I thought Dustin Ackley was struggling?

So much for the lefty vs. lefty deal… Mike Carp just went deep.

I think we can still win this thing.

Maybe not.

Thank you Mark Trumbo for keeping hope alive.

Vernon Wells can do it.

I guess not.

Side note: Turns out Bourjos' shaved head is explained in this LA times piece.

Random and not-so random thoughts for a Friday…

Joel Pineiro won the second annual Angels Cook-off Thursday. Later that night, Mike Scioscia informed the media that he’s removing Pineiro from the rotation. Put two and two together… and you have a new career for Joel. Just saying.

Thursday was kind of an odd day… Doug DeCincnes was charged by the Security and Exchange Commission for insider trading, just a day after he threw out the first pitch as part of the Angels 50th Anniversary celebration.

Last night Jeff Mathis made a big play when he blocked the plate and stopped Danny Valencia who tried to score on a single. It was a very solid play and unfortunately, probably bought Jeff Mathis another 200 at-bats.

By the way… In 16 games, Hank Conger is hitting .317 with a .962 OPS since being sent down to Salt Lake City. He also has four homeruns and 19 RBI. Funny, Jeff Mathis has 35 hits in 63 games and 15 RBI in 63 games. Why do I even bother with this stuff?

Even still…

The Jeff Mathis PR Machine must be hard at work – the Angels scoreboard operator keeps posting the statistic that the Angels are (now) 71-27 when Mathis has an RBI. Really? How about posting that he only has 132 RBI in 7 seasons? If the goal is to make Jeff Mathis look good – they need to give Angels fan more credit. We’re not buying it.

Speaking of buying it – how monumentally crazy is it that the Angels team store doesn’t sell shirts with Peter Bourjos’, Mark Trumbo’s, Tyler Chatwood's or Jordan Walden’s names on them? Hey, but you can buy a Jeff Mathis shirt! Isn’t that special? Seriously – have you (or the Angels marketing department) seen the number of young girls holding up “Peter – will you marry me?” signs?

It’s funny – they got Ervin Santana’s no-hitter commemorated on a shirt and in the store in less than a week – but continue to miss the boat on the four young guns.

Peter Bourjos continues to impress everyone with his amazing speed. Last night he went from first to third when Jeff Mathis grounded out (surprise) to the pitcher, who threw him out at first base. If you blink, you might miss something he does on the field; he’s that fast.

Check out the great interviews by David Saltzer from Angelswin. Interviews with Bert Blyleven, Mark Trumbo, Tyler Chatwood, and Peter Bourjos up (among others).

In other news…

The Angels’ Wives are partnering with the OC Animal Care Center and the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation to host the fourth annual Angels for Animals night at the Big "A" this Saturday, August 6th. Fans are invited to join the Angels' Wives at the Home Plate Gate in an effort to promote the importance of animal adoption and spaying and neutering pets.

From 4:00 PM through the second inning* (6:05 PM start time), the Angels’ Wives will sell $40 mystery bags containing a baseball signed by an Angels player or coach as well as $5 raffle tickets to win other autographed items. Fans will also have the chance to meet many of the animals currently available for adoption at the OC Animal Care Center and the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation.

This year, 10 lucky fans that purchase a Mystery Bag will also win tickets to the September 6th game vs. Seattle, a VIP Pass to meet select Angels players before the game and a chance to watch the team take batting practice from the Diamond Club.

Prior to the mystery bag event, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, Angels’ second baseman Howie Kendrick will sign autographs for a 10 dollar donation to the fundraiser. The first 200 fans in line will receive wristbands and be guaranteed a personalized autograph, limit one per person. Gates open at 10:00 AM (no camping out) and all proceeds will go to local animal shelters.

*Due to the limited number of "Mystery Bags," there will be a three bag limit per person, while supplies last.

Ten games in and a ton to go

I can’t stand it. In fact, I’m sick and tired of it. If I hear one more fan go off the deep end about Vernon Wells, I might lose my mind.

Last night while driving home from the game I tuned in to hear Terry Smith taking calls on the post-game show on AM 830 when a guy calls in to ask when the Angels would get rid of Vernon Wells. This guy claimed to be a “big fan” and a “big critic” at the same time. Instead, he sounded like a "big idiot" in my book. I’m sorry, but that’s exactly what went through my mind as I listened to this guy go off.

This “big fan” tried to compare Vernon Wells to Gary Matthews, Jr. Hello? I would not have blamed Smith had he hung up right then and there. Smith merely chuckled a bit and then addressed this guy’s mini-rant. Smith is a better man than I am and clearly has more patience for this kind of thing.

Let me remind everyone that we are ten games into the season. Ten games folks; just ten - not 80 or even 50 for that matter.

Yes, Vernon Wells is hitting .091. Big deal. If you actually believe he’s going to stay around this number for the rest of the year, you’re the one who’s actually lost their mind.

Enough of that topic.

By the way, it was great to hear Smith doing the call-in part of the post-game show again. He does a great job and handles callers as well as anyone in the business.

So… here we are ten games into 2011 and I’ve made a few observations.

I’ve taken note of how quickly Mike Scioscia has moved Fernando Rodney out of the closer role and Jordan Walden into it. I’ve also noted the way he has used all three of his catchers in Jeff Mathis, Bobby Wilson and Hank Conger. Perhaps Jeff Mathis does not have the strangle hold on the position that I thought. One can only hope.

I’ve also noted that Kevin Jepsen who spent all of 2010 with the big league club was sent down to Salt Lake City. I was surprised by that move; although, Jepsen was probably more surprised than I was. Just saying. In any case, I like it.

All of these moves make me believe the Angels and perhaps more specifically Mike Scioscia has a sense of urgency about 2011. I get the impression that 2010 probably ate at Scioscia all off season and he’s not going to play the wait-and-see game this year.

The move to put Scott Kazmir on the DL is also telling. Perhaps Kazmir is really having some back trouble, but one might speculate that Scioscia just didn’t want to trot him back out there at this point in the season.

I’m telling you, something is different about the team’s approach to personnel this year.

This brings me to Tyler Chatwood.

Let’s just say that this young man could be special. I love his make-up and the way he battled back last night after giving up four runs in the first two innings. He only gave up four hits which is somewhat impressive; it’s just too bad two of them happened to be homeruns.

He didn’t get rattled and held his own. He didn’t light the world on fire, but he served notice that he’s not intimated and he will be back. I think he has something to build on and should get better over time; be it this year or whenever he gets more of an opportunity.

I love seeing Angel pitching prospects get their shot. It’s become somewhat of a tradition for Cheryl and I to show up early and take photos of their debut from the moment they walk on to the field to warm up to the first inning and beyond.

I’ll post those photos in the near future. Between late nights at the ballpark, sleep and work - keeping the blog up to date is a bit of a challenge. I can tell you right now, I won’t be posting after every game because that task would make me lose my mind faster than the people calling into the post-game show. What I will do is try to keep the blog as up to date as I humanly can and keep things relevant.

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know I’m not a big analysis guy and my posts are definitely from a fan’s point of view and often about the fan experience itself. I think we’ll all be better off if I try to keep the blog fun and focus on things you’re not likely to find on other blogs or fan sites.

I mean, my credentials as an analyst are about as solid as a Jeff Mathis throw to second base. In other words, I will often miss the mark.

Take Howie Kendrick for example. This off season I will admit that I was ready to ship him off to parts unknown in hopes of obtaining a piece that would help the Angels. I proposed making Alberto Callaspo the second baseman and using Howie to acquire a third baseman or another piece that would make the team better.

Given Howie’s start that proposition looks pretty foolish, even though we are only ten games into the season. I even said Howie was “expendable.”

Well, what do I know?

In any case, that doesn’t mean I won’t be making suggestions in the future and I’m certainly not backing off my “Jeff-Mathis-is-horrible” stance either. I’m just noting that I’m apt to make mistakes and get things wrong from time to time… just like everyone else. Difference is I don’t have a problem admitting it.

Speaking of Mathis, don’t think I didn’t notice his epic failure in Kansas City on April 3 when he went 0 for 6 at the plate and 0 for 6 in trying to throw out runners. I’m just glad I wasn’t in Kansas City to witness the debacle. I certainly noticed it; I just decided to give Mathis an early season pass.

Okay, truth be known, I wasn’t ready to start ranting so early in the season. That may all change at any given moment though; so stay tuned just in case.

Opening Night in Anaheim

Cheryl and I love opening day and this year we were very blessed to be at two of them; first in Kansas City and then again last night in Anaheim. There’s something special; even magical about one of the best days of the year.

We started our day early with a trip to the stadium mid-day to check out the new merchandise in the team store and then stopped by to say hello to Steve Mason of ESPN 710 who was about to start a live remote from under the hats and then to AM 830’s Roger Lodge, who was doing a marathon session from 7:00 a.m. until the pregame show at 5:00 p.m. Kudos to AM 830; this is the kind of stuff that builds tradition.

After a quick trip home, Cheryl and I returned to the stadium; ready for a night of good old fashioned Angels baseball. We were greeted by the Budweiser Clydesdales and a sea of fans dressed in red.

Last night marked the beginning of the Angels 50th Anniversary Celebration and what better way to start off the festivities than to have Eli Grba, the first Angel to ever throw a real pitch, throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the opener? Grba, who is now 76, threw the first pitch to Arte Moreno.

It was a tad bit chilly (game time temperature was 54 degrees), but no where near as cold as Kansas City was on March 31. Opening night came complete with player introductions, the traditional display of the flag covering the field, a fly over and more.

I was standing close to the field snapping pictures when I sighted Hank Conger warming up in left field. I will admit, my eyes grew wide and my heart raced just a bit knowing the young man was getting an opening day start. What a thrill it must have been for him and his family.

One of my favorite moments at every game is when the pitcher and catcher emerge from the bullpen and take their slow walk to the dugout before the game. It’s sort of symbolic in some ways as two warriors prepare for battle. Santana looked like he was ready for business as usual, while Conger appeared to be soaking in the moment.

The game began and our 50th Anniversary Season was under way (again). Eli Grba even took some time during the game to sign autographs for a hundred or so lucky fans. Cheryl and I talked a bit with Tim Mead and complimented him on the night’s activities. We met some Angel fans in line including a couple of kids who were attending their first Angel games ever with their dad. How cool is that?

“Torii Town” made its debut in right field. Gotta love it when fans do something creative like that and I can’t think of a better player to celebrate than Hunter.

The game was pretty uneventful and unfortunately the Angels did not prevail. 514 Fanatics John and Linda, John and Ann, Bo and Mary, Dave and Kim, Steve and June, Dori and Vic along with our friends Jim and Paula were out to support the Halos.

The night went quickly (two hours and thirty five minutes) and the first of 81 home games was in the books.

Player highlights included two hits from both Torii Hunter and Howie Kendrick (who is now hitting .429). We even had a tub of goo (Juan Rivera) sighting; he even managed a couple hits (go figure).

And so it begins…

Below are a few more photos from opening night including Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos; Vernon Wells; player introductions, and Kendrys Morales.

Baseball is finally here and we are looking forward to the 50th Anniversary Celebration and a return to post season baseball. Yes, post-season baseball. Look out Texas!