R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means to me

I’m an old fashioned guy. When I was growing up I always addressed my parents’ friends as Mr. and Mrs. (insert last name here). It didn’t matter if their kids called my parents by their first names, I just didn’t do that. It’s how I was raised and throughout my life I have always maintained that decorum.

For me it’s a matter of respect and I think that’s something that is severely lacking in society today. A lot of people don’t seem to respect a whole heck of a lot these days and it bothers me.

The world has changed so much during my lifetime and while some people may say it has “evolved” – I’m not so sure that’s the right description. It seems to me we’ve become world of “getting” and not “giving” and this even true when it comes to respect.

Even in the world of sports that’s become painfully obvious in my opinion.

I grew up in an era when sports were filled with classy individuals; athletes I respected and admired like Bart Starr, Jerry West, and Nolan Ryan. I always liked tough, no-nonsense guys and if they their game had a bit of a flare to it; even better. Guys like Barry Sanders, Pete Maravich, and Ozzie Smith caught my attention because their game was exciting and their play did all the talking for them.

Now-a-days they call that being “old school.” Well, that’s me.

So why do I bring any of this up in an Angels baseball blog? Good question.

As soon as the season ended and quite frankly probably even a little before that – I started thinking about the off-season and what the Angels should/might/could (take your pick) do. Like most fans, my mind has gone a million different directions.

Inevitably names start to pop up in all the usual places – message boards, columns, blogs, sports talk shows, etc. Most of the talk about players, center around their statistics; both old school stuff and sabermetrics.

While all of that is interesting and important, I don’t think enough time is spent talking about a player’s character or “make-up” if you will. Some will argue that stuff like that doesn’t matter and yet – “character” probably had something to do with the demise we witnessed in Boston this year.

I would imagine a player’s character is something front office personnel and baseball managers actually do consider, but I also get the impression that if the statistics are good enough, the “intangibles” don’t seem to matter as much. I mean how else can you explain why guys like Milton Bradley and Jose Guillen received multiple opportunities at the major league level?

I started thinking about all of this (at least more than usual) after I read something (and unfortunately, I can’t remember where) about the way the Texas Rangers front office goes about their business. I can’t remember if it was an interview with Jon Daniels or Thad Levine, but what I read got my attention.

I read something to the effect of how much a player’s “make-up” goes into their decision process. I don’t remember the specifics, but I know that I liked what I read. In fact – I’ve read a lot of stuff about these two that I found to be impressive and even refreshing.

Obviously, I don’t know Jon Daniels or Thad Levine. All I have are impressions of who they are and what they’re like based on what I’ve read, heard or seen. Never-the-less I’ve seen enough to draw my own conclusions.

It seems to me that these two respect the game of baseball a great deal and they want to surround themselves with people who do the same.

Which brings me to the Angels front office; after all, this is an Angels' blog.

I like what I’ve seen so far from Jerry Dipoto; in fact, I like it a lot. From the moment Dipoto spoke to the media as the Angels new GM, he has come across as a professional in every sense of the word. I like the fact that he sounds like a man with a strategy for getting the Angels back to where they should be.

A lot has been said and written about the Angels former GM Tony Reagins. I’ve often heard the phrase “over-matched” or “in over his head” when he’s being described or evaluated. Reagins came through the Angels’ organization as an intern and for better or worse; he was never really given any respect. At the same time, I always thought that Reagins didn’t give any respect either. Funny how that works.

The way he answered questions and generally communicated with the media made me think he didn’t have much respect for others. He didn’t respect the fans and tried to sell us the idea that the Angels made their big splash with the signings of Hisanori Takahasi and Scott Downs.

Most everything he did – seemed unprofessional. I’ve ranted about how he has handled things on this blog many times and rather than rehash all of it; let’s just say; I’m glad it’s a new day.

With Jerry Dipoto, I have a newfound confidence in the future of the Angels. There’s a new, fresh attitude that’s apparent. I have no doubt that he and his staff will be able to clearly evaluate what needs to be done and then go about the business of making it happen.

Like Daniels and Levine – I don’t know Dipoto. However, watching, listening, and reading about these folks gives me a sense of things. I never got the sense that Reagins knew what he was doing. I get the opposite impression with Dipoto.

Whether I’m right or wrong is anyone’s guess.

You see I want to like everything and everyone associated with the Angels. I find being a fan much more enjoyable when I actually like the people associated with my favorite team. I never cared much for Frankie Rodriguez and I was happy to see Jose Guillen leave town.

At the same time, I know that I have no control over who the Angels will acquire, but it’s my hope that this doesn’t include players I would rather not cheer for.

In case you’re wonder, that means that I’m less than enthusiastic about the team going after someone like C.J. Wilson – whose mouth grabs a lot more headlines than his arm does.

Maybe I have it all wrong and Wilson is just funny and not the jerk I’ve made him out to be in my mind. Maybe I’m just jealous because his team has had the kind of success I am used to seeing in Anaheim and have now missed for two years.

I mean here I am talking about how great Daniels and Levine are and yet I’m bashing one of their players, right? Well, Wilson was in the Rangers’ organization before Daniels and Levine arrived and if they don’t resign him, I’ll make note of it and think back to what I’ve written here.

I know I took the long way to tell you that my hope is the Angels don’t sign C.J. Wilson, but it was a journey I really wanted to share with you.

Oh and for the record – if and when Ian Kinlser becomes a free-agent, I hope the Angels pass on him too.

As for whom I hope the Angels do sign… I haven’t made up my mind yet. As to whom I think they will sign – I really have no idea. There’s this new guy in charge named Dipoto and I’m just going to respect the idea that he’s going to make the moves that puts the Angels back where they belong – a top of the AL West.

Wishing Brandon Wood all the best

If you’re one of those people who have booed Brandon Wood over the past couple years, I will bet that you’ve never met Brandon Wood. I’m also willing to bet that Brandon Wood has a lot more class than you.

Wood was designated for assignment yesterday and while some Angel fans are probably popping open a bottle of champagne, I am saddened by the news.

Wood’s struggle on offense is well documented and of epic proportions compared to what was expected of him. For most fans that’s most likely all they’ll remember about the 26 year old. Even though his release is justified, I am still very disappointed.

You see, even though statistics are critically important in baseball, there’s more to the game than just numbers for fans like Cheryl and myself. It’s about the experiences we have with our team and Wood has always made our experience special.

Wood has always and I mean always taken the time to stop to sign an autograph or pose for a picture over the years, especially at spring training. He was consistently up-beat, constantly smiling and never showed any signs of a player struggling. He was and is the consummate professional in that regard and I admire and respect him a great deal.

I know a lot of you could probably care less that Brandon Wood is a nice guy. The bottom line is that he didn’t perform at the level he needed to. I get that. I understand that. I don’t even disagree entirely with the need to designate him for assignment; I’m merely disappointed and saddened by the news.

At the end of the day, like most of you – I want to see the Angels win and I want to see players on the roster that will help contribute to winning. That being said, it’s also important to me that I like the players on my favorite team. Granted, that doesn’t always happen – but it definitely plays a role in my enjoyment of watching the team I root for.

I never embraced Francisco Rodriguez. I didn’t like his antics and his attitude and I especially found the way he interacted with fans (after 2002) to be especially unpleasant. Rather than go into details, let’s just say that I wasn’t disappointed when he went to the Mets.

I’ll take it a step further. Growing up in Southern California, I was a die-hard Lakers fan; in fact, the Lakers were my favorite team in all of sports. Now, I don’t even watch the NBA. Why? I don’t like a lot of the players. I stopped following the Lakers and the NBA as a whole when Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant continued to make more headlines off the court than on it.

It just got to the point where I could not separate the person from the athlete and just couldn’t cheer for the Lakers anymore.

I’m not saying that baseball is perfect and not without its own cast of characters; however, I do seem to find many more athletes that I do enjoy in major league baseball than elsewhere. Plus baseball teams have 25 man rosters and I find for every Milton Bradley that pops up now and then there are many more Torii Hunters or Vernon Wells’ throughout the game that are admirable men of character who love the game, make an impact in the community and do so many positive things.

I make note of these things all the time on this blog. My fandom for Torii Hunter is well documented here; as is my disgust for the likes of Milton Bradley.

So on this day, the day after Wood was designated for assignment, Cheryl and I are a little sad.

You know what? We are not the only ones. Judging by the reactions I’ve read from his teammates, a lot of them are saddened as well and to a man, they all seem to wish him the best.

So even though most fans might be happy with this move; Cheryl and I aren't like most fans and we too wish him all the best.

I will close with this: Lyle Spencer of mlb.com does a fantastic job of putting Wood’s situation in the proper perspective on his Rally Monkeys blog entry titled “Wood can find redemption.”

Bring me the head of John Lackey

Tonight’s contest against the Red Sox may not be the most important game of the year and in the grand scheme of things it’s not a make or break deal either; but make no mistake about it, it’s The Biggest game of the year (to date) for me.

I’ve been waiting for this day for a while now.

The Angels face off against John Lackey and I can’t wait. I want his head on a platter (figuratively of course). I want him to feel the fury of an offense that’s hitting him like he’s putting it on a tee for them. I want balls flying over the Green Monster and players racking up extra base hits by the truck load. I want to see Lackey doing some big time rubber necking as balls fly to all the places where Red Sox aren’t.

For some of us fans this game is personal. We feel like Lackey gave us the finger and we don’t like it much.

I’ve tried to let it go, but every so often I read another new quote or see another little interview with Lackey that raises my ire. The latest came from Mark Saxson of ESPN Los Angeles. Saxson quotes Lackey… "It's different. The way they preach the team game and giving it up for the team. That's a little suspect," Lackey said. "You're supposed to give it up for the team. When the time comes, they might not want to give it up for you."

I get it. The Angels didn’t offer Lackey the contract he thought he deserved and he went to the highest bidder. Even though I was upset I might have gotten over it in time, but it seems like every time I turn around Lackey is shooting his mouth off with little back handed and even some not-so-back-handed slaps at the Angels and/or their fans.

Whatever. Just pound him today. I like Mike Napoli’s attitude. Napoli said “We're not friends now," Napoli said. "He's on the other side. I'm going to try to get him."

Here’s the deal. I don’t want to see Lackey smiling when it’s done. I want his head to be in his hands as he looks at the ground dejected and beaten. Yeah, that’s right. It will make moving on a little easier.

Speaking of moving on… isn’t it time Seattle moved on without Milton Bradley?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Milton Bradley doesn’t deserve to wear a baseball uniform. Mike Salk from ESPN Radio in Seattle reported that Bradley left the team in the middle of the game last night.

More from Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times: here

What can I say that hasn’t been said before? Is it time to quit on Bradley and let him find another line of work?

Notes on Terry Evans, Milton Bradley and Joe Saunders

So many topics, so little time. I guess I have some ground to make up on this blog. There have been a few things that have happened over the last couple days that warrant some comments… So, I’ll just get right into it. Now, remember this blog isn’t necessarily about box scores, so bear with me.

Terry Evans was sent to Salt Lake City today to make room for Scott Kazmir. It was one of several moves the Angels made this week. This move is very disappointing on several levels.

The move enables Reggie Willits (who was also activated off the DL) to assume the role of the "fourth outfielder."

I had really hoped that Evans would stick as the fourth outfielder and while I realize the fan appeal of someone like Reggie Willits, it’s my opinion that Evans has more upside and just as much versatility as Willits.

On a personal level, I like both players – but Evans is 28 years old and this could be the end of the road for him. He’s now in that place where it’s time to look in the mirror and decide what would be in his and his family’s best interest. In other words, is it time to give up the baseball dream?

The move wouldn’t have been so hard to take had Evans been picked up by another team; however, much to my surprise he cleared waivers. Even then, had he been picked up by another team, there was still a chance he would have ended up in their minor league system.

I feel for Terry Evans. He really doesn’t have anything else to prove at Salt Lake City and now has to sit and wait for an opportunity. Time is running out for him and waiting for a shot is probably the last thing he wants to do.

Evans is one of the good guys we’ve come to know a little bit through our visits to spring training. He’s not just a name and number in a program any more; he’s a real person and one that Cheryl and I have come to root for. What’s a fan to do?

In a league where people like Milton Bradley are given multiples chances, it’s a shame to see Evans’ dream start to fade. Granted, Bradley has more talent, but it still seems as though things are somewhat out of whack.

Speaking of Bradley, he’s at it again; don’t you know?

The Mariners and more specifically their manager Don Wakamatsu had a little talk with him after yet another incident with fans; this time during last week’s road trip. Apparently, the self proclaimed bad boy of baseball has been putting pressure on himself.

Really? Pressure? That’s what’s behind all this? I ain’t buying it. Now had he said his body was occupied by an alien I might have found that more believable. If Bradley can’t handle the pressure; perhaps he should find another occupation. I'm just saying.

You know, I received a little bit of flack back in March from one Mariner fan who took exception to my “Men behaving Bradley” post. Well, I stand by the statements I made back in March. If Bradley stopped playing baseball today; we’d forget all about him tomorrow. He wouldn’t be missed at all.

I’m betting I’ll be posting about him again and it won’t be because he’s won some sort of sportsmanship award.

On to other, more interesting things…

I love all the blogs that are surfacing around the web. It’s great to see so many different people talking and writing about Angels' baseball. Each is different and offers a unique perspective. I try to check them out regularly.

One of the newer blogs out there is from the folks at Fan Sided. Halo Hangout is written by Nate Proctor, who is a very knowledgeable baseball guy. He’s started a series of player previews on his site and recently did one on Joe Saunders.

Now, if you read this blog regularly, you know that my wife and I are huge Saunders fans and anything written about Joe is bound to get my attention.

Nate basically makes it a point to tell his audience that Joe Saunders is over-rated, and how he should basically be the poster boy as to why “wins are over-rated.”

Nate goes into a lot of detail about Saunders’ 2009 season, citing a number of sabermetric points along the way. Nate doesn’t project a very good season for Saunders and is basing his analysis on what he sees statistically from Saunders.

One problem. In the course of his analysis Nate totally ignored the fact that Saunders pitched hurt for most of 2009. He didn’t mention it once and when I commented on his blog about that omission; he disagrees that it had any role in his performance.

That doesn’t make any sense to me.

This is the problem I have sometimes with the sabermetric types. They often look at the numbers and only the numbers. They don’t necessarily factor anything else into their analysis. While I would agree that wins as a stand alone statistic is somewhat pointless; simply looking at the numbers doesn’t tell the whole story. That being said, a pitcher's job is to pitch well enough to give his team a chance to win and Saunders does that.

I’m sure my statement isn’t new to Nate or any other sabermetrically inclined baseball fans; however, time after time those "other" factors are ignored.

I’m betting that when all is said and done, Joe Saunders will have a season more like the one in 2008 than the one in 2009. We saw a glimpse of what Saunders is capable of when he came off the DL last year and pitched well down the stretch. How will he do this year? Time will tell.

Oh by the way, you don't need me to tell you the Angels beat the Yankees today. I'm sure you know that by now. Let's hope this is the start of something good.

Fraternizing with the enemy

I’m baaaack….

Call me crazy, but today I went looking for Milton Bradley. Yeah, that’s right; this baseball fan went looking for a fight. I traveled all the way to Peoria, Arizona looking to find Mr. Bradley so that I could ask him to turn in his uniform. I’ve had enough of his antics and decided it was time for someone to take a stand.

And if you believe all that, well… we need to complete a real-estate transaction involving some water front property.

Seriously – I was in Peoria today to check out the Mariners and a couple of “old” friends in ex-Angels Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera. It was strange seeing them in different uniforms; although, we’ve seen Cabrera dawning White Sox, Athletics, and Twins uniforms since leaving the Angels.

Oh and in case you’re wondering, Milton Bradley didn’t play today. Neither did ex-Angel Casey Kotchman.

As I watched the Mariners, I had to wonder where their power was going to come from. Ken Griffey, Jr. hit clean up today and although he did hit a walk-off grand slam to lead the M’s to a 6-5 victory, I’m not feeling it for the Northwesterners.

I’m also thinking that rotation is not that deep and all this talk about them being the possible favorites in the AL West just isn’t making much sense. Texas on the other hand, I get. They’re going to be tough, but I’m not too worried about Seattle.

Here are some photos from today’s action. First up are old friends Figgy and OC.



Followed by Ichiro and Kip Wells (warming up in the bull pen before surrendering the walk-off grand slam).



Now, you might be wondering what was an Angel fan doing in Peoria? Let’s just say I like to make my way around to some of the other Cactus League parks when I get a chance.

Just so you're aware, I did stop by Tempe prior to heading over to Peoria. You know I had to do that. I caught some of the Angels batting practice prior to their heading over to Scottsdale to play the Giants.

Torii Hunter and Juan Rivera were putting on quite the display of firepower today sending several baseballs out of sight beyond the trees in left field. They were hitting absolute bombs. I should probably note that the wind was blowing pretty good at times and that could have enhanced today’s performance.

Cheryl and I will be at Tempe Diablo Stadium tomorrow and I hope to post another report some time tomorrow evening.

It’s good to be back in Tempe. Man, I love spring training.

Here's some photos from batting practice.

First up Hunter going yard and Brandon Wood making it look easy.



We'll end with the 2010 potential MVP Kendry Morales (you like the sound of that MVP thing?) and a new face in the bull pen - Fernando Rodney (I'm diggin the red glove).



I also shot some video today and hope to have those up soon. More "hard hitting" questions were posed today. So check back soon.

Men behaving Bradley

I wish I could take all the credit for that headline; however, I can’t. I borrowed that headline from the name of a fantasy baseball team that someone else created (I don’t know who). I saw it recently listed in the Orange County Register’s Angels blog. It’s pretty funny, but then again – it’s kind of sad too.

You see, part of me wants to have some empathy for Milton Bradley. Part of me wants to believe he’s simply misunderstood and that he’s not really not a bad guy. I want to feel that way because every time I’ve had a chance to interact with him or see him in a player/fan situation, he’s been cordial. Granted, he doesn’t say much, but he does make time for fans and seems pretty normal in those situations.

Of course; that being said, we all know his history and it isn’t pretty.

In case you haven’t heard, Bradley is making headlines again; and surprise, surprise; it’s not for his play on the field. I don’t know about you, but I hate it when athletes become better known for the stuff that isn’t related to their on the field accomplishments.

In case you missed it, Bradley recently said, “If I was a musician, I'd be Kanye West. If I was in the NBA, I'd be Ron Artest. In baseball, they've got Milton Bradley. I'm that guy. You need people like me, so you can point your finger and go, 'There goes the bad guy."

Really? We need people like you? Actually, Milton the world could use a few less idiots running around. That’s right; we surpassed our quota quite a while ago. The ship of fools has set sail and quite frankly, we’re hoping it heads off to never-never land. So, trust me on this – we don’t need you. If you stopped playing baseball tomorrow, we’d hardly even notice. We know your type. You’re that guy that thinks that if you leave, people are going to miss you. You are so wrong. In fact you’re actually clueless.

The season hasn’t even started and Milton Bradley is up to his antics once again. He’s been thrown out of two spring training games for arguing balls and strikes. I don’t know for sure, but I’d bet that’s some sort of a record. I mean we’re talking about practice games. I’m thinking even Allen Iverson would find this kind of funny. Practice. We’re talking about practice.

Some people thought Bradley would finally see the light and turn over a new leaf in Seattle. Fat chance. He was recently quoted as saying, “I mean, I'm not changing, I've gotten this far being me, it's been 31 years, and nothing changes about me, ever."

Duh! And well, there you have it. Milton Bradley is insane. Someone once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” I think that says it all.

Some people thought that Ken Griffey, Jr. would take Bradley aside and set him on the path of the straight and narrow. I believe I even read somewhere that Junior said something to the effect of having the situation covered. Apparently that isn’t working. Junior is a certain Hall of Famer, but he’s not a miracle worker. Those people who thought Junior would handle Bradley are probably the same people who think the Mariners are going to win the west too. Fat chance.

Personally, I don’t think Milton Bradley deserves to wear a baseball uniform. It’s gotten to the point where he disrespects the game on a regular basis. I hate that. I love this game and baseball doesn’t need Milton Bradley at all. He’s a distraction; and he’s on the verge of becoming a freak show of the circus variety.

Step right up! Try and hit the target to dunk the baseball player and watch his head explode.

I can see him arguing with the patrons now. “That ball didn’t hit the target square! I am being unfairly dunked!”

Face it; Bradley’s had a lot of chances to get his act together. Way more than he probably deserves. Again, I want to like Milton Bradley, but he makes it virtually impossible to do that. It’s a shame too.

He doesn’t realize that playing baseball is a privilege. He’s got that disease that seems to be sweeping the nation these days; it’s that sense of “entitlement.” Well, I’ve got news for Bradley… it’s actually the other way around. The dude owes baseball. Bradley owes it big time. Baseball has given Bradley far more than he has given it.

Bradley sucks the joy out of baseball and it’s clear that he doesn’t have fun playing the game. Why bother? I mean, I really want to know. Then again; maybe not.

So here’s a news flash for Bradley…

I wish you would just go away. You see we really don’t need you. You’re just not that good and you’re wrong about us needing a “bad guy” to point at. That being said; we’ll point all right. We’ll point at you the way we point at a train wreck.

2010 Headlines

Even though 2009 is not quite over yet and there are bound to be a few headlines here and there, I thought it would be interesting to predict some headlines for the coming year.

Okay, some of these aren't likely, but use your imagination any way.

Milton Bradley is bound to dominate the headlines. Here are a couple you might be seeing next season:

Milton Bradley’s latest meltdown responsible for "global warming" in Pacific Northwest

Milton Bradley’s latest flare up makes Mt. St. Helen's eruption look like a burp

Milton Bradley traded to Japan where he won’t understand the reporters (or anyone else’s) questions or comments

The Dodgers will continue to make more news off the field than on it...

Dodgers announce peanut vendors being replaced by vending machines to save costs

Frank McCourt increases Dodger parking to $50 to pay for divorce

No team makes more headlines than the Yankees, right?

Mariano Rivera blows a save; hell freezes over

Yankees sign Lebron James; rent him to Knicks
(Because their payroll isn’t big enough)

Two of my favorite players to make fun of:

Johnny Damon quits baseball; signs on as new front man for the Rolling Stones (because after the Yankees rebuffed him, he couldn’t get any satisfaction and let's face it, there's no bigger rock star than Damon)

Jonathan Papelbon gets a tan; is dropped from lead role in "Casper the Friendly Ghost" movie.

A few others just because...

Mark Reynolds to fix national deficit, will donate $10 every time he strikes out to government in 2010

Royals double their payroll, trade entire team for Alex Rodriguez

Hundreds of cattle turn up missing after Prince Fielder gives up vegetarian diet

And since this is an Angels centric blog:

Angels continue to get older; sign Rickey Henderson to a three year deal
(Henderson is latest acquisition by Angels who are trying to replace Chone Figgins)

Last, but not least - this blog wouldn't be the same if I didn't poke fun at the Oakland A's:

New movie, “Moneyball” fails at the Box Office, Billy Beane claims high “butts in seats percentage” a victory; BISP is born

“Moneyball” fails at the Box Office; Billy Beane blames low budget marketing campaign

Don't blink

These are anxious times for Angel fans. The not-so-wild American League West landscape has changed. Seattle has improved (well up until they added Milton Bradley anyway). Texas continues to get better and Oakland… well, let’s just say they’ve still got a ways to go. Actually, let’s just say they're horrible. I mean why bother trying to sugar coat it?

So where was I (you have to forgive me, I can bash the A’s all day long)? Oh yeah, the dynamics of the AL West…

It all seemed to change in the blink of an eye. You know the saying about how some people watch things happen, others make things happen and some wonder out loud… hey, what just happened? Well, right now, I feel like the Angels are scratching their heads and wondering how in the heck, they ended up focusing on plan B, C or even D.

Gone off the Angles’ 2009 40-man roster are John Lackey, Chone Figgins, Vladimir Guerrero, Robb Quinlan, Matt Brown, Dustin Moseley, and Jose Arredondo.

Speaking of Arredondo, his year has gone from bad to crazy. First he learned he would have to have elbow surgery, then he was non-tendered by the Angels and then reports came out that he was stabbed. That’s on top of a bad season and the tragic loss of his mentor Preston Gomez. I mean the only guy who might have it worse right now is that golfer dude… what’s his name?

Anyway, back to the Angels’ status report.

The Angels are still up in the air about Darren Oliver who is a free agent (more on him in a bit).

They also have decisions to make regarding Terry Evans, Bobby Wilson, and Brandon Wood. All three will either make the 25 man roster come opening day or head off to other teams as free agents. Sending them to the minor leagues is no longer a viable option because they’re out of options. Hopefully this situation will sort itself out in the spring.

Inbound for the Angles is Hideki Matsui (more on him in a bit too).

To say the Angels have a lot of work to do is like saying that golfer dude is in a little bit of trouble. Duh. Right now the Angels are looking a little vulnerable.

There are serious question marks. Will this pitching staff perform to expectations? If each manages to pitch to their potential or some semblance of that, they should be fine; however, they still need a fifth starter, preferably a top of the rotation guy. That’s a tall task to tackle, especially with Roy Halladay off the market.

The other pieces in place at the moment don’t seem to fit together very well. Bobby Abreu would be better served if he could spend some time at DH; however, that role figures to be occupied by Hideki Matsui. The big question and it’s really key, is whether or not Matsui can spend some time in the outfield, allowing Mike Scioscia to rotate some guys through the DH spot. Abreu (who will be 36 next season), Torii Hunter (who is 35) and even 31 year old Juan Rivera could really benefit from a bit of a rest from time to time.

Right now there are simply too many outfielders. Hunter, Rivera, Abreu, Gary Matthews, Jr., Reggie Willits and Terry Evans are all in house. Throw Matsui into that mix and there are seven guys in the outfield. I mean is this a casting call for an “Angels in the Outfield” sequel? Ideally only five (six if Matsui can’t play the OF) will be on the 25 man roster.

The infield could be solid with Kendry Morales, Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Brandon Wood and Maicer Izturis, but it suddenly lacks depth. Who’s going to replace Quinlan and serve as a back up to Morales and/or Wood? As I said in an earlier posting, the answer could come in the form of Chad Tracy, who can play first, third and left field. He would essentially replace Quinlan and in my opinion be a slight upgrade. He does have some risk attached to him because of injuries, but the upside looks pretty good.

What’s going to happen with the Mathis/Napoli tandem? Mathis seemed to separate himself from Napoli with his post season performance, but is that something the Angels can bank on? Is it time to move Napoli in a trade in order to fill a hole and can Bobby Wilson perform as a serviceable back up? The arrival of Matsui may have a huge impact on Napoli, who many believe would be best served as a DH. Matsui hits lefties better than he does right handed pitchers, so a platoon with Napoli is highly unlikely. If Napoli’s bat isn’t going to be in the lineup, there really isn’t much use for him.

The bull pen needs some serious work, especially if Oliver is not re-signed. Brian Fuentes, Kevin Jepsen and Jason Bulger will be back and Scot Shields will attempt to return to form after sitting out the season following knee surgery. At least Shields’ arm should be fine and given all the innings he’s logged over the years, it might have been a benefit to have him rest it for a year. The Angels need to find at least two more pitchers for the bull pen. Will that come by the way of Sean O’Sullivan and/or Trevor Bell? Or perhaps it will be Matt Palmer, if he isn’t asked to fill a rotation spot.

Clearly, the Angels would be better off (or at least more comfortable) with a proven veteran or two rather than a couple of question marks. In my opinion, Oliver is a must sign and the Angels may regret not offering him arbitration. Losing him could have serious ramifications. I don’t understand the money issue here. It’s as if Oliver is being punished for the bad contract the Angels game Matthews.

Tony Reagins is playing it cool right now, claiming he’d be comfortable going into 2010 with the team as is. At the same time he admitted during the Matsui press conference that the team has “some work to do.” I am hoping he’s thinking the latter.

Other than Wood there aren’t any players in their system that are ready to step up and contribute on a regular basis. None. Zilch. That’s kind of scary. The list of candidates are too old (by prospect standards) and unproven. Freddy Sandoval (a 27 year old switch hitter) is the most likely candidate to get a shot, if anyone does at all.

Let’s face it the Angels have been living off the success of the Vlad Guerrero contract for some time now. They were fortunate to sign Vlad for what was considered a below the market price tag in 2004. They got a deal last year in Abreu, but they over spent on Matthews. The GMJ contract was so bad; Bob Barker would have laughed at that bid and probably would have even suggested the GM be neutered.

They are getting great value and production out of Torii Hunter, but Dustin Speier was a bust and so was Jeff Weaver before him. Let’s not forget the debacles that were Shea Hillenbrand or Steve Finley either. In a world where people ask “what have you done for me lately?” the Angels haven’t been the smartest shoppers of late. They continually seem to get out bid for key players and are even getting beat to the punch in trade opportunities.

The Angels, whose domain is supposedly all of Los Angeles, are acting like a small market team. They seem a little too relaxed right now and I don’t see a sense of urgency. There was a time when the Angels were willing to take some risks and when they had to eat a bad contract they just did it and chalked it up to a “bad investment.” Apparently, they’re not looking to get burned again (who can blame them?) and are a little more gun shy these days.

I’m usually very optimistic and I almost always give the front office the benefit of the doubt, but I have concerns. Some fans, radio talk show hosts, etc. keep saying it’s only December and to look at the Angels track record. Heck, I may have even said some things along those lines myself at one time or another, but this off season has a totally different feel to it. I’m getting a sense of complacency from the team and that’s not good.

For a team that came very close to getting back to the World Series, they feel miles away from attempting that again. Sure, they appear to be good enough to win the west, but that won’t be easy and going beyond the ALDS or ALCS looks to be harder than before at this point in time.

In the mean time, buckle up you never know what’s going to happen (good or bad) next. Don’t even blink because if you do, you may find that the world that is the AL West looking very different.

Gammons gave us the good stuff

Peter Gammons stiffed me.

It’s not as bad as it sounds. I mean it’s not every day that you can say you were stiffed by a Hall of Famer. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not dissing Gammons or Hall of Famers in general. I guess what I’m really saying is that it’s not every day that you even run into a “legend.”

They’re not moments you can necessarily anticipate. They just kind of happen and such was the case for me this past spring. Cheryl and I were in Tempe (just like always), when I saw a familiar sight moving from the practice fields to the stadium; Peter Gammons. He looked like a professor on his way to teach a class, clutching a notebook with papers sticking out (at least that’s how I remember it now).

I thought to myself, "that’s Peter Gammons; I should ask him for his autograph." So, I grabbed a baseball and caught up to him as he was walking through the parking lot that connects the practice fields to Tempe Diablo Stadium. I politely asked for his signature and he politely said he had to be some place and was running late.

Oh well… I wasn’t mad at him for not stopping. Disappointed; yes, but not upset. He had a job to do and I understood. Maybe he thought I was one of those guys who gets autographs and then sells the stuff on eBay (I’m not). It doesn’t really matter. At the time, I thought to myself that maybe I’d get another shot. Unfortunately I never did see him again and I may never get that chance back.

Peter Gammons said goodbye to ESPN today. He’ll be working for the mlb network and NESN in Boston.

I don’t know if he’ll be making any more trips out west and even if he does, the chances of seeing him in person again are slim. I wish I had taken a picture with him or shook his hand; something, anything that would have served as a nice memory. He always seemed like the kind of guy who would be fun to just sit and talk baseball with. He usually had good stuff to say about baseball players; things that revealed who these players really were. I admire that.

I remember when Milton Bradley had one of his “episodes” and Gammons came on ESPN and shed a different light on the volatile player. He told viewers that when he went through his health issues (he had a brain aneurysm), Bradley was the first ball player to call him and see how he was doing.

I appreciate stuff like that. I know Gammons is known for breaking stories about trades, signings, etc., but I liked him for his ability to share something about a player’s personality or character; something unique and sometimes even up lifting.

For many years, Gammons was our connection to the inside of baseball. He was the guy who knew the things we wanted to know more about. He was a pioneer and now there are dozens of reporters and media types who have followed in his footsteps.

Gammons has always conducted himself with a great deal of class. You can tell that he has a great deal of respect for the game and for the people involved in America's favorite passtime. He has never been the story; making sure baseball is always the focal point. Perhaps the coolest thing about him is you can tell he is truly a baseball fan.

I wish Gammons well in his new endeavors.

Going incognito

Now that the baseball season is over, the players (and others associated with the game) are out and about. You might not recognize them at first, but if you take a closer look you’ll find them.

You know that guy who comes to homecoming at your high school still wearing his letterman’s jacket, even though he graduated 20 years ago? Doesn’t he look ridiculous? Well, that’s Jason Giambi. Turns out you really can’t go home again.

You know that guy that wins a beer chugging contest, high fives everyone in the place and then walks into a corner to throw up just before passing out? That’s Ian Kinsler. Go ahead and say it… Hey Kinsler, get out of my bar!

You know that guy who is the life of the party until someone finds out he pee’d in the pool? Not cool, right? That’s Manny Ramirez. He’s still smiling, but everyone knows his dirty little secret now.

You know that lady who has the job she doesn’t deserve and only has it because she’s married to the boss? That was Jamie McCourt. Turns out there’s an opening for a CEO in Chavez Ravine. Go for it. The pay ain’t great, but you can eat all the Dodger dogs you want and the parking is almost free.

Ever get one of hose emails that tell you they need your help distributing the wealth of some leader from a foreign country you’ve never heard of and all you have to do is put up some of your own money to help with the transaction? Warning… that’s also Jamie McCourt. She’s trying to round up enough money to buy Frank out.

You know that guy who lives in your neighborhood, has a very nice house, multiple luxury cars, but never goes to work? That’s Jason Schmidt. I bet you saw him hosing down his drive way even though there’s a water shortage, right?

You know the jerk that races in out of traffic as he passes you by only to end up next to you when you get to a stop light? That’s Frankie Rodriguez. He was in such a hurry to leave Anaheim, he hasn’t slowed down yet. Problem is – that hurry up and wait thing has become his life. He spent a year being all revved up with no games to save. Be careful what you wish for.

You know that guy with the really bad sun burn, shorts and black socks? That’s Jonathan Papelbon. Turns out he took my advice and went to Australia to work on his tan. Problem is he fell asleep in the sun and now he looks like one giant, red tube sock.

You know that guy who is walking along and trips over his own feet and then looks at his shoes like they’re to blame? That’s Dustin Pedroia. Turns out he’s not getting a Christmas card from the Red Sox ground’s crew.

You know that guy sitting on the bus bench staring off into space with his mouth open? That’s Casey Kotchman. He’s wondering what happened to his career. One day he was the Angels prized prospect, the next day he was backing up a guy who sounds like he’s getting booed every time he steps up to bat.

You know that guy who’s sure that once he leaves the company the whole dang place will fall apart? Then low and behold, he gets fired and the business does better than ever? That’s Clint Hurdle. He might be joining Casey Kotchman on that bus bench soon.

How about that guy you saw trying to tie down the mattress in the back of his pick up truck along the freeway? That was Alex Rodriguez. Alex doesn’t over analyze things any more and that might be good when he’s in the batter’s box, but when he’s hauling stuff in a truck, he needs to exercise some common sense. That look you saw on his face was him trying to figure out how to tie a knot.

Did you see the woman on the talk show that is in a bad relationship, but is the only one on the show who doesn’t realize it? That’s going to be Kate Hudson, who is on the verge of going from movie star to reality-TV celebrity.

You know that guy who answers his cell phone in the grocery store and grimaces when he hears his wife screaming at him and his only response is “yes dear, yes dear?” That’s Mark Teixeira. Do I really need to say any more?

Do you remember that guy on TV doing the ads saying “Larry Parker got me $2.1 million?” Well, that’s Milton Bradley; only now he’s saying Jim Hendry gave me $30 million dollars! He is represented by the Levinson brothers. And you thought Scott Boras was good!

You know that annoying guy that talks through the whole movie? It’s obvious he really likes the sound of his own voice. You know that’s Tim McCarver, right? Watch out, he’s coming to a theater near you.

Ever see that gruff looking guy, who looks like he needs a shower; the one at the race track? He’s the guy who doesn’t look like he has a nickel to his name, but is betting like crazy. That’s Pete Rose. No, really that’s Pete Rose. I’m telling you that’s really Charlie Hustle.

Be on the look out folks. These guys are every where.

And you thought Parker Brothers invented the game “Risk”

How many times do you get to make a first impression? Stupid question, right? Well, apparently – Milton Bradley has had the opportunity to do this several times. Why else would anyone be interested in him? According to Ken Rosenthal, multiple teams are in contact the Cubs about outfielder Milton Bradley, with one source saying, "You would be shocked at the level of interest."

Let’s do the math. Milton Bradley has played for Montreal, Cleveland, the Dodgers, Oakland, San Diego, Texas, and the Cubs. That’s seven teams in ten seasons. I can understand the allure for the first couple teams, but what were the Cubs thinking when they signed him prior to the 2009 season?

Now, I don’t know Milton Bradley, but I have met Milton Bradley. He showed up at a bookstore in Long Beach last off season when his former teammate – Josh Hamilton was doing a book signing. Bradley was reserved, even cool. He signed autographs for fans surprised to see him, he smiled and didn’t say much and just hung out waiting for Hamilton. He seemed liked a nice guy. He seemed like a humble guy. Not what you would expect based on his persona.

I’ve also seen him after games at Angels Stadium, walking to the parking lot with his mom and stopping to sign autographs for fans; again – keeping it cool. My wife Cheryl and I have even commented to one another that he seems like a nice guy. It’s easy to see why some people might actually think he’s misunderstood and maybe, just maybe he’s not so bad.

Wrong. Remember the math class? Let’s ask the question why has he been so many places in such a brief period of time?

Which brings me to a discussion I’ve seen here and there on message board and heard on radio shows. There is some crazy trade proposals surfacing for the Hot Stove season. It has Milton Bradley coming to the Angels for Gary Matthews, Jr. Some people think the two teams could swap “bad” contracts and hope for the best.

Hello? Is anyone home? Tell you what - let me interview Milton before you go that route. I’ve got a plan.

On the night of the next full moon, I’ll invite him to dinner and we’ll go to a nice place away from the public spotlight and then I’ll put him to the test. First, I’ll have the server get his order wrong. Not just a little wrong – completely wrong and then have that person insist it’s exactly what Bradley ordered.

Next, I will have them spill some wine on Bradley and have them ask him if he’d like to pay for another glass. We’ll make sure there’s a well placed roach or two in his meal and when he complains, they’ll ask him to take his coat off so they can inspect it because this is the most likely source of the bug. As the restaurant staff go through his pockets, they’ll keep any cash or personal belongings they find.

During the meal, I’ll throw in a couple of “your mama” jokes, and have people continually interrupt him and ask him if he knows the Parker Brothers. I’ll ask him how it feels to be the fifth best baseball player to ever come out of Long Beach Poly (behind Tony Gwynn, Chris Gwynn, Randy Moffit, and Chase Utley).

When it’s time to leave, valet will bring him the wrong car and insist that this is the car he drove up in. They’ll eventually bring him his real car, but will let him know someone took it out for a joy ride and had a minor fender bender with it. On top of that, the accident was so upsetting the driver had to retch in the passenger seat. They’ll tell him they tried to clean it up, but the bleach seemed to do some damage to the leather seats.

As he leaves the restaurant, a motorcycle cop will pull him over. We’ll make sure he’s a Lou Piniella look-alike. He’ll tell him someone car jacked a vehicle just like his and that he fits the suspect’s description.

I’ll call him collect the next day to let him know that if he comes to the Angels, he won’t be able to bring his mom to the stadium to watch him play. I’ll then set him up to be interviewed by one of the regulars who call in every stinking day on the local Angels talk show because he thinks the show is his own personal forum. That would be sure to break him. Heck some of those people would make me snap.

I wonder what would happen? If by chance he keeps his cool through all of that, then and only then… no wait. I still can’t see it. Not even then would I want him in an Angels uniform. You can fool some of the GM’s some of the time, but you can’t fool this fan.

Let’s face it… somewhere along the line; Milton Bradley is going to make you regret he’s on your team. Unless of course the Yankees’ obnoxious announcer John Sterling says something derogatory about Bradley. In that case, the gloves are off and Bradley can do his thing. But seriously, I don’t think Dr. Phil can even help this guy (or Sterling for that matter).

Then again… there is one thing I would want Milton Bradley for and that’s the post season. Bradley is the kind of guy who isn’t afraid of the spotlight. Guys like Bradley play with a chip on their shoulder. He’s always got something to prove. He doesn’t care who’s on the mound. When he steps into the box, he’s not afraid. He wants to punish you. Guys like Bradley were made for the post season. We got a glimpse of that in 2006 when he hit a homerun from both sides of the plate against the Tigers. He was 9 for 18 in that ALCS.

Bradley isn't the kind of guy who gets that "deer in headlights" look. He's the thing you fear lurking in the dark. When your lights meet his eyes, you're liable to lose your lunch.

There's no questioning the talent. That’s why GM’s will call the Cubs. That’s why he’ll end up on someone’s roster. Watching Bradley in the post season could be a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, it’s getting to the post season with Bradley that would be the nightmare. For someone, it's going to be worth the gamble.

Parker Brothers may have invented the board game called "Risk" - but Milton Bradley took it to a whole new level.