Good Baseball Hunting

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

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

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

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

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

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

Even still… something is different.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One can hope…

Ten things

Call them goals.  Call them things I’d like to do or see.  In any case – they’re just ten things I’m looking forward to or hoping to see in 2015.

1. I’d like to see a Nationals game and get my first in-person look at Bryce Harper.  I know he’s somewhat polarizing, but I think he’s a heck of a talent and I enjoy the way he plays the game.

2.       See more red at the stadium when the Dodgers come to town.  Last year was one of the worst and I hated every moment of the beat down the Dodgers put on the Angels.  This “goal” is out of my control, but I can certainly encourage my fellow Angel brother and sisters to get their red on. 

3.       Never miss a Jered Weaver home start.  I just love watching him pitch and I know he’s not going to be around forever – so, I need to see as much of “Weave” as possible.  I usually don’t miss his starts as a rule and I want to continue the tradition.

4.       Get to a few Padres games.  I like the buzz the team created with all the additions they made and I’m in… I’d like to see some of their games. Their stadium is one of Cheryl and my favorites anyway.  Good chance I’ll combine this one with the Bryce Harper goal.

5.       Hope that by the time the Rockies get to Anaheim (May 12 & 13) that Troy Tulowitzki is healthy.  I have an affinity for Dirtbags and I don’t know how many more times I’ll get to see this fellow Long Beach State alum.  A bonus would be to get his autograph…

6.       I have to wonder if this will be Torii Hunter’s last season; therefore, I will try not to miss any of the Twins games when they head into town on July 21, 22 & 23.  It will be appropriate to see him in a Twins uniform once again.  I have the utmost admiration for Mr. Hunter.

7.       Joe Saunders signed a minor league deal with the Mariners.  My hope (and I’m sure Cheryl’s hope too) is that he makes the roster and we get to see him down in Anaheim.  We’ll have to make it a point to get down to the bullpen (he’s trying to make the team as a reliever) to say hello.  His career is winding down and he’s given us a lot of great memories. 

8.       Boo A.J. Pierzynski early and often. Oh wait, he’s now with the Atlanta Braves.  Is this guy ever going to retire? I hope he stays in the NL all season long or just gets released.  A guy can hope, right?

9.     I’d really like an Evan Longoria autograph.  If I could just get one from him and Tulo this year, I’d be pretty stoked.  I know some people think it’s silly – but it’s all about having that moment with a player and creating a memory.  A photo with both of them would be even better.

10.   More Mike Trout.  I don’t want to take it for granted that we get to watch the best player in baseball day in and day out.  I love his humbleness, his hustle and the way he has fun playing this great game. 

So, there you have it.  Nothing crazy like attending all 81 home games or eating 81 hot dogs.  Of course, I hope the Angels win the west and go all the way – but that goes without saying.

Good-bye Vernon Wells... Hello 2013 Season

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Catch phrases for 2013… courtesy of True Grich…

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

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

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

Things Cheryl and I are looking forward to…

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

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

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

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

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

Profoundly disappointed...

Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best when he said “There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”

Torii Hunter is a Detroit Tiger and a great many Angel fans are heart-broken today - Cheryl and me included.  We are disappointed like you wouldn’t believe and when I say we, I’m not pretending to speak for all Angel fans – just my wife Cheryl and me.

The disappointment in the Angels not resigning Hunter is monumental for us.  It is heart breaking to see someone like Hunter who has had such a positive impact on our fan experience leave.

What’s worse – we feel like the Angels lied to their fan base.  Arte Moreno intimated that resigning Torii was important.  Mike Scioscia said it was one of their top priorities.  And yet – when push came to shove, it was reported that the Angels offered Hunter a one-year, $5 million contract that Hunter found “disrespectful.” 

Yes, we know that anyone saying that being offered $5 million is disrespectful sounds silly, but it’s all about context and regardless of whether or not you think Hunter was politically incorrect is irrelevant to us right now.

The gaping hole left behind by his departure isn’t likely to be filled.  There’s no mistaking the void left behind for fans, the community, the Angels clubhouse and more.  Torii Hunter is one of those rare individuals who mere presence brings joy and today a big chunk of our joy was decimated.

Angels’ baseball will be a little less interesting for Cheryl and me.

There are so many things we will miss about Hunter and to list them all would take far too long; however, we will try.

We will miss his smile, his sense of humor, his genuine love of the game and the way he interacted with fans.  We will miss his commitment to community, to helping others, to the way he led by example on and off the field.  We will miss Torii Hunter because he made watching baseball that much more fun and every time he stepped in front of a microphone he made us smile.

In an era where celebrities are celebrated in some perverse way for being rude, obnoxious or even deceitful – Hunter was a breath of fresh air.  He was and remains one of the “good guys” and it’s a shame that he’s no longer an Angel.  It’s absolutely a darn shame.

The past five seasons went by too fast and the promise and potential that they held evaporated into thin air.  It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Personally; Torii Hunter became my all-time favorite player; in fact, he’s easily my all-time favorite athlete. 

So yes, we are disappointed.  We’re heart broken.  We are even a little angry.

This isn’t the first time that a fan-favorite was shown the door in Anaheim.  It happens all the time and that’s part of the business of baseball.  We get that.  It doesn’t mean that we have to like it much.

The silver lining in all of this is that Hunter’s departure paves the way for Peter Bourjos to get a legitimate shot at having an impact.  The same Bourjos that Hunter gracefully stepped aside for after 9 consecutive gold-glove campaigns in center field.  Vintage Torii.

We are huge Peter Bourjos fans… but that doesn’t diminish our disappointment in Hunter’s departure at all.

It’s not that we’re upset that the Angels lost a great talent in the prime of his career (we know he’s 37).  No, it’s the fact that the Angels lost a good man; a God fearing man who would have a tremendous impact on the world around him regardless of what he did for a living.

This is going to be a long off season and today, it’s difficult to look ahead to spring.  The only thing that can make any of this a little easier is if the Angels bring back Joe Saunders and that would be a nice Christmas gift.  

Mark my words

I don’t know who is going to win between the Rangers and the Orioles today, but I do believe one thing; Joe Saunders will pitch well.  Mark my words.

How do I know this?  It’s really quite simple.  Whenever the so-called experts and baseball analysts of the world come to a consensus on a prediction – they’re usually wrong.  It’s uncanny the way that happens.  I can’t even begin to count how many times their predictions fall short.

It doesn’t matter if their logic is based in sabermetrics or in something more “old school” – they get it wrong a lot.

And to my point - few, if any of them are giving Joe Saunders any kind of a chance.  

Look, I know the “numbers” look bad for Joe.  The experts will tell you that he’s never won in Arlington and his career ERA is above 7.  As a huge Joe Saunders fan, I find some comfort in that because that’s in the past and today is a new day.  Whenever the experts present past performance as a reason for predicted failure, I have to smile.  I mean c'mon - this is America, where the under-dogs always has a chance, right?

After all; life is unpredictable; so why shouldn’t baseball be as well? 

Well, it is and that’s why I believe on this day – we can throw the statistics out the window and believe in the person that is Joe Saunders.  I may be wrong, but I honestly believe Joe will pitch well and give his team a chance to win.  Yes, I’m biased and no, I don’t have any deep analysis to back this up.

This has been a crazy season.  So much of it was totally unpredictable.  Be thankful for that.  If it were that easy to predict outcomes, life – let alone baseball, wouldn’t be much fun.

I’m not an Orioles fan (obviously), but my wife Cheryl and I are huge Joe Saunders fans (and that’s been well documented on this blog).  Are we nervous?  You bet.  Are we excited?  Absolutely. 

Even though our beloved Angels aren’t in the post-season – today’s game holds a great amount of interest for my wife and me.  We’ll be watching, cheering and hanging on every pitch Joe throws.

You have to love post-season baseball.

The Saturday night dilemma...

Saturday night is going to be one of those nights that is filled with mixed emotions.  The Angels will be playing the Arizona Diamondbacks in a game that will mark the homecoming of Joe Saunders.  As regular readers of this blog know; Cheryl and I are absolutely huge Joe Saunders fans.  To top it off, it also happens to be Joe Saunders’ birthday.

We knew that sooner or later this day would come and it wasn’t necessarily something we were looking forward to.  We have a great deal of affection for Joe and always want to see him do well; however, Saturday night will be the one time Cheryl and I will not hope for “all” the best for Joe.  Sure, we want him to pitch well, but at the end of the day or in this case – the game, we want to Angels to emerge victorious.

A 1-0 Angels’ victory would be just fine with us – especially if that one run came after Joe leaves the game.  Actually, the Angels could win 10-0, so long as those 10 runs come at the expense of the D-Backs bull pen for all we care.

Joe is having another solid season so far.  He has a 3.48 ERA and is on pace to surpass his best seasons for strike outs (49 in 75 inning so far).  Normally a contact pitcher – he’s striking out 5.9 hitters per nine innings which is his best mark since 2006.  His walks per nine innings is 2.3 which is the second lowest of his career.

All in all –Joe is having a solid season and yet – he remains the subject of trade talks and is seen by some as someone blocking the way for the D-Backs biggest pitching prospect Trevor Bauer.

Joe’s not a sexy pitcher. He’s not a power pitcher with a big arm and a ton of strike outs.  He just gets the job done. 

Okay, so that last statement just got me an eye roll from the sabermetric types didn’t it?

Look, for whatever reason – Joe defies the expectations of a lot of “experts” which in my mind isn’t a bad thing; in fact, it’s one of the things I love about Joe.

One thing you can’t argue is that by-in-large, he keeps his team in ball games.  You can count on him for a good 200 innings a season and that in and of itself, is something to be proud of.  I would even venture to say that he is vastly under-rated.  And yes, I know I’m biased.

In any case – Saturday night will be interesting to say the least.  Should I wear my Joe Saunders D-Backs shirts with an Angel hat or should I wear my Joe Saunders Angels shirt instead? Or should I wear my Joe Saunders All-Star jersey from 2008?   Hey, these are important decisions (for both Cheryl and me)!

Look – Joe is one of the good guys and Cheryl and I are always going to be fans of his.  We’re Angels' fans first – but if ever there was a close second – the D-Backs (when Joe is pitching) is it.

Good luck Joe – but Go Angels!

Check out this link for other previous blogs related to Joe Saunders

One door closes; another opens

Every time we head out to Tempe in the spring, we (Cheryl and me) go with huge expectations. We are always hopeful that we can have some fun interactions with players; be it with an autograph, a photo opportunity, a conversation or by simply seeing them interact with one another. There’s nothing like spring training – the players are more accessible, generally relaxed and in a good mood.

It doesn’t always work out that way and there are times when things don’t like we hope. This trip had its moments, but almost turned out to be nothing close to what we expected.

First – not as many position players were in camp early as we had hoped for and those that were weren’t very accessible. The spring training facility is less fan friendly than it has been in the past. Let’s just say that Albert Pujols’ impact was evident.

If you’ve been to Tempe you are probably familiar with the path the Angels take from the practice fields to the stadium. The barricades that line the path are now doubled – meaning that if you want to have your picture taken with a player – there’s a bigger gap between you and them. It’s nothing horrible, but it’s a lot less intimate.

As Albert Pujols, Kendrys Morales, Vernon Wells and others took batting practice on the back fields near the minor league clubhouse, we were only allowed watch from beyond the outfield area. In the past fans were allowed to walk between and behind the fields. That’s not true any longer. One rumor floating around was that someone walked into the minor league club house and stole some bats – so security is now taking extra precautions. Bummer.

Those things made the experience a little less enjoyable, but our trip still had some bright spots; however, our last day – Sunday was almost a disaster.

We arrived at the stadium around 10 a.m. – a little later than usual, but normally a good time to accomplish the things we want to do. As I was heading towards the practice fields – I saw Morales and Mark Trumbo on a cart heading back to the clubhouse. I looked out and the practice fields were empty…

“What is going on?” I thought to myself.

I met up with Cheryl and we walked into the stadium to find that the catchers and minor leaguers were taking batting practice. Everyone else was done. We asked around and found out the players were pretty much done for the day. Turns out the rest of the position players would be arriving, checking in, taking their physicals, etc. (I would learn today that Mike Scioscia also happened to be sick and didn’t even come to the stadium).

What to do?

The day was looking like a total disappointment.

And then I had an idea – I asked Cheryl if she wanted to head out to the Diamondbacks facility? She was up for it and off we wet (the great thing about the Cactus League is that you're just minutes away from most of the stadiums)...

The day prior – Saturday, we took a trip out to the Fields at Salt River to have a look see. We had heard that it was a beautiful complex and it was. That trip turned out to be good recon. We knew exactly how to get there, where to go to see the Diamondbacks (they share the facility with the Rockies), etc.

Turns out our little journey to Salt River Fields would be the highlight of our trip.

As we walked from the parking lot to the practice areas, I caught sight of the pitchers working out. Cheryl was wondering why I was walking so fast… as she would soon learn, I was on a mission. As I got closer to the area, the pitchers were leaving the field (panic started to set in) and then I realized what was happening… they were walking to an area where fans were waiting to interact. It was at this point that I spotted… you guessed it, Joe Saunders (regular readers of this blog know about our history with Joe).

I pointed and turned back to Cheryl and said, “There’s Joe!” We made our way over, and much to our delight, got to spend a few minutes with Joe.

I asked Joe if he had gone golfing yet with Tom Glavine? He said that was “still in the works.” Turns out – he’s actually going to be golfing with John Smoltz sometime in the future. I read this article in 2010 about his wife Shanel setting up a golf date for Joe to play with Smoltz. Joe was too nice to correct me about the names - which is just like Joe.

Joe signed a few things for us, posed for pictures and basically “made our trip” as Cheryl would tell him. The day looked a little bleak at first, but it’s amazing what a little prayer can do. If we had been ten minutes later, we probably would have missed our small window of opportunity.

We hung around for a while, got a few autographs, pictures, etc. before heading to Hillside Spot Café (where we had breakfast earlier) to pick up an order of blondies (cookies) we had ordered and then headed home.

Photo opps (above) with Ian Kennedy, Kirk Gibson, and Ryan Roberts x 2. By the way - Ian Kennedy shares our affinity for one of our favorite restaurants - Jongewaard's Bake 'N broil in Long Beach. Bake 'n Broil made his wedding cake and he told us he always has his mom pick up some red velvet cake whenever she comes out to see him.

We had a blast with the Diamondbacks and Cheryl and I agreed, we could easily adopt the Diamondbacks as our National League team.

By the way… check out our breakfast: “Hit the Spot” pancakes (Two Flapjacks served w/ sliced Bananas, Caramel, Whipped Crème Fraiche & Peanuts) and an Egg Torta.

On our drive home, Cheryl proved once again how wise she is. She asked me "Where's Bartolo Colon?" I couldn't remember (it's hard keeping up with all the ex-Angels around the league these days) and I told her as much. Her response? "He should go to Oakland?" Why Oakland, I asked? She said, "That's where all the players seem to end up when they're on their way out."

Well, as you probably already know and I learned today - Colon is indeed in Oakland. When I told Cheryl this today - she laughed and then said, "John Lackey needs to go there next." Hey, the girl speaks the truth. Just saying.

Be sure to check out the posts about the rest of our trip (below)...

Reunion in San Diego

I will never forget the day (July 25, 2010) I had to tell Cheryl that the Angels had traded Joe Saunders to the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was a difficult task to say the least and something I wrote about the following day.

One of the hard parts about being a fan is knowing that you have no control over what your favorite team does on and off the field. Losing Joe was tough enough; not having a chance to say “good bye” made it all the tougher. At the time of the trade Cheryl and I had talked about the fact that Joe would be in Arizona and we would see him either at spring training or at a D-Backs game in Los Angeles or San Diego.

We finally got around to making that happen yesterday with a trip to Petco Park in San Diego to see the D-Backs take on the San Diego Padres. We usually make at least one trip to Petco every year, but this one would be special. I wanted to make sure we had a chance to say “hello” to Joe and put some thought and effort into making that happen.

I purchased two tickets in what the Padres call the “Third Base Coaches’ Box”- next to the camera well that sits next to the visiting team dugout. I bought seats in the front-row next to the field. Again, I wanted to make sure we could see Joe.

We arrived at the stadium two hours early when the gates open for a Saturday night game. We made our way to our seats and waited. As the Padres finished up their batting practice, D-Backs began to make their way to the field to stretch. Joe wasn’t among the group. I knew he’d eventually make his way out and was probably taking it easy; knowing he would be pitching on Sunday.

Yes, we decided to attend a game that Joe wasn’t pitching because our goal was to say hi and if Joe was scheduled to pitch, he’d be too focused on that.

Then it happened. Fans were gathered in the corner of the D-Backs dugout getting autographs and Joe was among those signing for fans. We made our way over, but were too far back to talk to him. We waved and that moment we had hoped for occurred; Joe looked up and recognized us and a smile immediately came over his face and he waved. Cheryl yelled “We miss you Joe” and turned her back to him to show him we were wearing his name on the back of our 2008 All-Star game shirts. Joe shook his fist postively and mouthed “all right” to us.

It was shortly after that moment that he left the dug-out and headed out on to the field. We quickly made our way back to our seats and Joe came over to say hello. He immediately reached out to shake my hand and as Cheryl approached, he put both his arms out wide to give her a big ol’ bear hug.

It was a special moment for sure. I snapped a photo of the two and we chatted for a short minute before he headed out to the field before he could “get in trouble.” We asked Joe about his daughter Mattea and he quickly informed us they had another (Avellina). He also said, “I want to try for a son pretty soon as well.” And with that he was off to shag balls in the outfield.

On his jog back in from batting practice he gave us one last wave and we wished him “good luck on Sunday” and he was off into the dugout.

As the lineups were being announced we could see Joe on the front of the steps of the D-Backs dugout clapping and firing up the players. He appeared in his element and entrenched in his new role as a veteran leader on his team; a team clearly headed to the post-season.

We miss Joe Saunders and seeing him again was special. Clearly, Joe himself is a special individual as he was nominated this year for the Roberto Clemente Award; which recognizes a player who best represents the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field. When the Angels lost Joe Saunders, they not only lost a solid left handed starter, they also a great citizen of the community as well.

In any case - the Diamondbacks lost the game, but I’m betting they win today when Joe takes the mound. We wish him well and will be cheering for the D-Backs as they march towards the post season.

We’ll definitely make the effort to see our favorite pitcher again.

Meanwhile the Angels were busy losing to the Baltimore Orioles to fall 4.5 games behind the Texas Rangers, who beat the Seattle Mariners. I've got a few choice things to say about the slide, but I'll get to that later.

The 50 Greatest Angels (31-40)

Today’s list in the Orange County Register (OCR) of the greatest Angels (31-40) is very revealing. As I said yesterday, my list isn’t perfect and today’s list reveals some holes in my selections.

From the Register: Fred Lynn (40), Jered Weaver (39), Clyde Wright (38), Bryan Harvey (37), Scot Shields (36), Bob Boone (35), Bobby Knoop (34), Jim Abbott (33), Bengie Molina (32), and Torii Hunter (31).

You might be asking yourself how in the world did James leave Torii Hunter off his list? That’s a good question. How did I? When I was developing my list a couple months back, I had a reason for leaving him off the list; however, I can’t remember why now for the life of me. This is easily the biggest regret I have with my 50 greatest.

Hunter is easily my favorite current baseball player on the planet. It’s not even close. I goofed. What else can I say? At least I wasn’t alone. The OC Register’s Jeff Miller also left Hunter off my list. Then again, I’m not a fan of Miller’s at all, and being of the same mind set in this case is more than a little disturbing to me. Just saying.

Two others who didn’t make my list include Bryan Harvey and Fred Lynn. Both are probably deserving.

Enough about me… let me focus on the “blunders” of others!

Scot Shields was recognized as the set up man of the decade (2000-2009) and yet the OC Register’s Earl Bloom, Bill Plunkett and Mark Whicker left him off their list. So did AngelsWin’s Chuck Richter and Ellen Bell. Shame on all of you!

Then again, I should talk right? Hey, well it’s not about me. Let’s continue….

Keith Sharon of the OC Register left Jim Abbott off his list. Wow. Come on Keith, Jim Abbott? I’m trying to imagine Keith telling Jeff Miller (who ranked Abbott 11th) why he left Abbott off his list. I think we should be launching a full scale investigation into this (anything that will take the focus off my leaving Hunter off my list). By the way he’s #21 on my list.

Then there’s the case of Bengie Molina. Keith and Sam Miller (also of the OC Register) left Molina off their lists. Molina is one of my all-time favorites (yes, I have many) and I can’t imagine leaving him off this list. He might be the greatest catcher in Angels’ history (just a tick ahead of Bob Boone). The OCR’s Dan Woike ranked him 18th.

Speaking of Boone; Bloom and the OCR’s Dan Woike managed to leave him off their lists.

Highest ranked player on the list by our panelists? Jered Weaver was ranked 13th by Sam Miller. I’m betting Miller has a sabermetrics argument that will knock our socks off to justify this high ranking. Perhaps he should share it with Jenelyn Russo, Bill Plunkett and Jeff Miller all of whom left him off their lists. Go get ‘em Sam!

Kudos to Tim Mead and Randy Youngman who managed to have all of today’s players on their lists.

I’m afraid one of my 50 isn’t going to make the cut and that would be Joe Saunders. I admit he was a sentimental choice on my part (ranked him #49). If he’s not on the list by now, I doubt he’ll be on it at all. I am curious about Rudy May, who I ranked 47th. He has yet to appear and I would be surprised if he cracked the top 30. May is 9th all time in career strike outs by an Angels pitcher, among the top ten in complete games, and 7th in shut outs. It will be a shame if he’s not on the list.

Until tomorrow…

Miracle in Minnesota. Oldest living man hits a triple

Jim Thome is about 115 years old. He hadn’t hit a triple since 2004; that is until June 28th of this year when he hit one against the Detroit Tigers. One would think the chances of him hitting a second triple in one season had to be about as likely as Reggie Willits hitting his first homerun. We’re talking long odds and slim chances.

It was darn near impossible to consider such a feat; unless of course, Juan Rivera happened to be playing left field and Thome decided to hit one… say in the direction of the man I’ve come to call a Tub of Goo.

I didn’t see it happen, but I had a very vivid picture in my head as Terry Smith of AM830 made the call. The ball went skipping off Rivera’s glove and if it had lips it would have been laughing all the way to the wall as Jim Thome, the 115 year old DH (okay he’s really a week away from his 40th birthday) went chugging into third for his second triple of the year. It wasn’t just his second triple this year; it was his second triple in nearly six years. SIX YEARS!!

It’s a good thing I wasn’t watching this on T.V. because there’s a chance I would have picked up the nearest object and flung it at the tube. Instead, I was listening to the call on the radio while driving, which was probably a heck of a lot more dangerous. A lesser man would have driven their car off the road or into a tree. How I managed to stay cool is beyond me. It could have been ugly.

Imagine having to explain what happened to a Highway Patrolman. I’m sure all I would have to do is utter the name Juan… and before I could even say his last name, the officer would say “never mind sir, I totally understand.” Heck, he’d probably give me a police escort all the way to the funny farm.

I can hear him now. “Lock him up boys, another victim of listening to the call of a fly ball hit to Juan Rivera while driving.” Friends shouldn’t let friends drive while Rivera is in a ball game.

Juan, Juan, Juan. Oh how you test me. You’ve made me come up with new ways of saying the word “stink.” Words like putrid and horrific fly off my tongue like they can’t wait to leave my mouth. Luckily I don’t swear, but I swear you make me want to in the worst way.

Rivera has some sort of super hero like powers. He can single handedly destroy the euphoria of a victory that came less than 24 hours ago.

I wish the Juan Rivera story ended here, but there was more (of course). Rivera, major league outfielder that he is, also lost a ball in the grey sky that ended up landng a good 30 feet behind him. That one left me speechless.

I know... I know I’m being too harsh, right? Wrong. Juan Rivera may not have lost the game, but he sure made the defeat all the more painful. He’s good that way.

Speaking of good; what good is Dan Haren? Haren is sporting a 4.55 ERA. And the man the Angels traded for Haren? Well, good ol’ Joe Saunders has a 4.24 ERA since going to Arizona. Neither is lighting it up, but let's not forget that Joe was Cheryl and my favorite.

I’m not a math guy, but even I can see that Haren is kind of picking up where he left off in Arizona and that’s not a good thing. Here’s some more math for you. Dan Haren is making $8.25 million this year. Compare that to Saunders’ $3.7 million. Wait, it gets better – Haren will make $12.75 million next year and that same amount again in 2012. Saunders will most likely have to go to arbitration to get a slight increase in his salary.

And to think some people actually wonder why I’m cranky this year. It’s one thing to take Cheryl and my favorite pitcher away from us, but it’s another to replace him with someone who doesn’t appear to be any better and costs the team a boat load more money.

I know the experts all loved this trade and because they love it so much, I even tried to justify it in my head; all the while hating to see Saundo leave. Well now, I'm getting grumpy.

Danny Boy; it’s time you started to show me something. The honeymoon is over and it’s time for you to live up to the hype. Cheryl and I even bought shirts with your name on it. Don’t make us regret that decision more than we already do. We wanted to show our support. Don't make us want to show you the door.

These are not good times. I’m just saying.

Give me a reason to believe

I’d really like to believe the Angels can and will climb back into the AL West race, but they have to meet me half way. They have to give me a reason to believe. If you can’t beat the Baltimore Orioles; who have the worst record in baseball, who can you beat?

The Orioles won their 34th game today and their second in a row. Teams looking to win pennants, especially teams who trail the leader by eight games can’t afford to lose a game, let alone two games to the team with the worst record in baseball. Well, that’s what happened today as the Angels fell 9-7. Hello?

Never mind that they tried to rally after being down 9-1. Never mind that Peter Bourjos went 2 for 4 with a stolen base. Never mind the 17 hits they pounded out today. Never mind the four stolen bases. At the end of the day, none of it means a darn thing.

They still lost and moral victories don’t mean squat to this fan. At least not yet. I want more. I want a reason to believe and nothing delivers that message better than winning. It’s as simple as that.

I don’t care that they have seven of their last fourteen games against Texas. If they don’t start winning now, the last two weeks will be meaningless. I’m getting a little tried of the kool-aid being served by some of the sports talk radio folks and others on the internet message boards who are so sure that Texas will fade and the Angels will catch fire.

They keep saying it’s not over. And even though they’re technically correct – the writing is on the wall.

There is no evidence what-so-ever to support the belief that they can come from behind to win the west. Last year and every year prior really doesn’t mean a darn thing. It’s a new day and a new history is being written.

I’m tired of waiting for Texas to fail. It doesn’t appear to be happening. The Angels need to get after it and start taking names and kicking butt. They need to beat up on the Baltimore Orioles of the world. They need to start… wait… are you ready for this… they need to start winning!

Meanwhile, I have to send our some big time props to Joe Saunders who pitched a complete game five hitter yesterday as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Washington Nationals 6-1.

I’m not saying the Angels made a bad trade. I’m just happy for Joe and I wish him all the best. I’m sure most Angel fans feel the same way.

Besides, by focusing on Joe I can end today’s post on a positive note. And to that end, here's a couple of photos from Joe's opening day start in 2009.