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.

One door closes and another opens

Opening day is tomorrow and it’s time to look forward; however, before we step into a new season, I thought it would be appropriate to kick the door shut on the spring.

The big questions of the spring have basically been answered. Brandon Wood is going to be the starting third basemen (filling the big shoes of Chone Figgins) and Bobby Wilson and Terry Evans; two players who are out of options (they can’t be sent to the minors without clearing waivers) have made the 25 man roster along with veteran Robb Quinlan.

Scott Kazmir will start the year on the Disabled List (DL); however, he’s scheduled to just miss one start. Matt Palmer will start in his place on Friday, April 9 against the hated A’s, with Kazmir rejoining the rotation for the series in New York against the Yankees the following week.

The Angels’ bull pen may be the best in baseball with Brian Fuentes, Scot Shields, Kevin Jepsen, Fernando Rodney, Jason Bulger, and Brian Stokes. That’s a group that should be able to step on the neck of opponents and crush any attempts at overcoming any leads the team has during the year.

I really don’t see any Cinderella stories emerging in the AL West this year. The glass slipper isn’t going to be there for Texas and certainly not for Seattle or Oakland in my opinion. The Angels look like champions of the west again and if the shoe fits… well, you get the picture.

They’ll be lacing them up tomorrow night with Jered Weaver making his first ever opening day start. The rest of the rotation will have Joe Saunders going on Tuesday with Ervin Santana on Wednesday, Joel Pineiro on Thursday and Palmer on Friday.

We are going to see an entirely home grown infield with Kendry Morales, Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar and Wood. Add Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli to that group and again, you have a core that was drafted or signed by the Angels and then developed through the Angels’ minor league system. In fact 13 of players on the 25 man roster came up through the Angels organization. These foot soldiers are ready for the challenge ahead.

Rounding out the 25 man roster are Maicer Izturis, Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu, Juan Rivera and Hideki Matsui. Reggie Willits will start the year on the DL.

Last, but not least Mike Scioscia the 2009 AL Manager of the year will be back to make sure everyone toes the line.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to kick it up a notch. It’s time to step on some toes (if necessary), make tracks in the sand and get this shoe err, show on the road. I’m ready for some Angels baseball; either that or a shoe commercial. Quick start the season before I use the line "There’s no business like shoe…" oops… too late.

Swing Away

I got nothing.

I guess that’s what happens a week after returning from spring training. My mind is still in Tempe, even though I’m back in So. Cal. The blog has been pretty quiet this week and for that, I’m sorry.

All I have right now are some random thoughts.

First of all the Angels lost to the A’s today. I hate the A’s (that’s an FYI, in case you’re not a regular reader of this blog) and I hate it when the Angels lose to the A’s even if it’s just in the Cactus League.
.
I really hope Terry Evans makes the 25 man roster. I’d really like to see this young man carve out a major league career and I’m very curious about seeing what he could do at the next level. He’s always been very nice to us at spring training and he’s a fan of one of my favorite pastors; John MacArthur. I recently learned that Evans frequently refers to MacArthur as Johnny Mac… just like I have over the years.

It was odd hearing Dallas McPherson’s name on the radio today. I’ve been keeping tabs on him since leaving the Angels. He’s bounced around the league quite a bit and continues to have back troubles. Injuries have robbed him of a career to date, but it’s nice to see he’s still chasing the dream. I really wish him well – even if it’s in Oakland (so you know I really like this kid). I would like to see what he could do with good health and plenty of at-bats (although I’d feel better if he was not in the ALW).

I still believe the Angels did the right thing when they let Troy Glaus walk to give this guy a shot. Sure, hindsight shows it was the wrong thing to do; however, it made a lot of sense at the time. I really wanted to see McPherson succeed and still do.

McPherson reminds me of the character Merrill Hess played by Joaquin Phoenix in the movie “Signs” with Mel Gibson. Hess was a prolific homerun hitter in the minor leagues, but was also notorious for striking out. Swing away McPherson, swing away.

What’s really sad is that people try to compare Brandon Wood to McPherson and some believe Wood will not live up to expectations simply because McPherson didn’t. I don’t know how these people come to these kinds of crazy conclusions, but they’re definitely out there. I mean seriously; they’re two different people and the comparisons are ridiculous.

Brandon Wood deserves better.

The Angels haven’t won a game in the Cactus League as of yet; granted, they’ve only played three games, but it seems odd given how well they played last spring. They play Oakland again tomorrow. Is it too early to start guaranteeing wins?

Part of me thinks the world has gone mad because Garret Anderson is trying to make the Dodgers’ 25 man roster. He’s trying to make the team as a bench player. That’s just strange and wrong on so many levels, isn’t it?

There is a certain sentiment out there among some Angel fans who would love to see either Anderson or Erstad end their careers as an Angels’ bench player. Personally, I’d hate to see either one take the roster spot away from a guy like Terry Evans or Freddy Sandoval. Don’t get me wrong, both had wonderful careers in Anaheim, but their time has passed. In any case, the Angels haven’t shown any interest in bringing either back; so that conversation is moot.

Thirty days until opening day.

Postcard from Tempe

This never gets old. No matter how many times you come out to spring training, every trip is fun and exciting. You never know what kinds of stories you’re going to take away with you and the anticipation of seeing the team after a long winter is huge.

You know how people frequently say they love the smell of freshly cut grass when they walk into a stadium? You hear it so much it almost becomes a cliché. Well, it’s true, that smell greets you like an old friend. When the players were done with their workouts, the grass was cut and that sweet aroma filled the stadium.

Every spring is kind of like a mini family reunion. The players probably don’t see it that way, but we fans sure do. We arrived late in the morning today and didn’t get to see all the guys, but it was good to see Robb Quinlan, Joe Saunders, Brian Fuentes, Brandon Wood, Jered Weaver, Maicer Izturis; newcomers Hideki Matsui and Brian Stokes among others.

So what stood out in my mind today? I learned a little bit about Terry Evans’ E Fellowship blog. It was something he started with some teammates from his days in the St. Louis Cardinals system. It’s one of the ways they stay connected.

Cheryl welcomed Hideki Matsui to the team and told him that we really need him for the World Series. That got Matsui to look up and smile. I don’t know how much English Matsui speaks, but he definitely knows “world series.”

The stories about the Japanese media following him every where are true. When he came out of the clubhouse to sign autographs, they were on him like… well, like white on rice. Here is a guy who’s every move is photographed and recorded and he seems to handle it all with great calm and amazing grace.

I thought Johnny Damon was a rock star (at least in his own mind), but Matsui appears to be is baseball’s version of the Beatles in Japan.

One of our favorites (we have so many) to see every spring is Brandon Wood. We kind of feel like we’ve watched him grow up. He’s been in the system so long that some of early pictures we have of him look like he walked straight out high school… which he basically did.

Cheryl and I both told him, “This is your year.” Cheryl went on to say that we’ve been waiting for this (his shot) for a long time and that her husband (me) shouts out “Free Brandon Wood” every year. Wood smiled and told Cheryl “I like that.”

It was also great to see Jered Weaver who has to be one of the most fan friendly players in all of baseball. He’s always cordial and accommodating. He chuckled when I had him sign a picture from his recent outing at the Dirt Bags intra squad game.

We also arrived just in time to see Joe Saunders walking back to the clubhouse after his work out. It looked like he had quite a work out. He gave us a quick hello, asked us how long we’d be in town and then said he’d see us tomorrow.

Saunders doesn’t know it yet, but we have a surprise to deliver to him tomorrow. We put together a photo album and CD from his opening day start last year. We did something similar for him when he made his major league debut.

Speaking of pitchers who made their debut, we also have an album and CD ready to give Sean O’Sullivan. Hopefully, we’ll see him tomorrow as well.

I tried to do a few impromptu interviews with my Flip video and it looks like I need to practice on that. I did get Brian Stokes and Howie Kendrick to tell me who their favorite teams and players were growing up.

Yes, True Grich asks the tough, hard hitting questions. You might say this is the blog that asks the questions the media types avoid.

What can I say? I’m always going to be a fan first.

I also tried to get Reggie Willits and Mike Napoli on video as well, but I messed that up some how. I guess it’s spring training for some fans too. Give me an “E-10” on those two plays today.

I did learn that Napoli’s favorite team was the Florida Marlins, but his favorite player was Darryl Strawberry. Strawberry wore #44 when he was with the Dodgers. I wonder if that’s why Napoli wears the same number. Perhaps I’ll have to ask him that tomorrow.

I have to tell you that when I hear someone’s favorite team is the Marlins, it reminds me how young some of these guys are. I mean the Marlins haven’t been in baseball all that long (formed in 1993); so it’s not the team I would expect to hear an adult say is their favorite. I must be getting old.

Please check out the videos below to learn about Kendrick’s and Stokes’ favorites.

One of the best parts of spring training is meeting other fans. Today Cheryl and I met a nice couple from Salt Lake City (Kirk and Lorri) who are Angel fans that follow the Salt Lake City Bees. They were making their first ever trip to spring training and their smiles said it all. They were loving every moment; getting autographs, having their picture taken with players and simply soaking it all in. They’ll be back.

It’s great being here again. It’s the eighth year in a row that Cheryl and I have come together. My spring training experience goes back to the days when the Angels played in Palm Springs, but it’s bigger and better than it ever was back then.

This is a great place to create memories. The smallest things making lasting impressions. I can’t wait for tomorrow.

Two Questions for Brian Stokes:



I have to tell you, I had to chuckle when Stokes told me who his favorite team was growing up. If only he knew....

Two Questions for Howie Kendrick:

Enough is enough...

I don’t know about you, but there are a few things I’m really tired of this off season. First and foremost, I’ve had enough of Johnny Damon watch 2010. Where will Damon go? Will he go back to the Yankees? Will he grow his beard out? Will he eat a ham sandwich today? Good grief. Damon is like an aging rock star that’s forced to tour on the County Fair circuit as far as I’m concerned. Then again, I’ve just added to all the Damon talk with this post. Forgive me.

I’m also very tired of reading how one by one; the pundits and so-called baseball experts are picking the Seattle Mariners to win the American League West. Really? It’s not even February and some of you can’t even wait until Spring Training? What’s the hurry? It’s like they’re falling over one another to make sure they can pick Seattle before someone else does.

Rob Neyer of ESPN has the Angels winning just 81 games, six less than the Mariners. (CORRECTION - Neyer is commenting on CAIRO projections here - and not making them himself at this point).

Neyer give us some brilliant analysis. He did some in-depth research to tell us that “Torii Hunter and Bobby Abreu are a year older.” Apparently, the rest of the league didn’t age. Go figure. Thanks Rob. By the way, you’re a year older too and your game seems to be slipping some as well. I’m just saying.

He also went on to say “Kendry Morales was probably over his head some last year.” When projections you don’t pan out (and Morales blew away all his projections last year), you get statements like that one. After all, something must be wrong if the projections are off, right? Year after year the Angels win more games than they’re projected to. It’s enough to make some people throw a hissy fit. I’m sure some will always under-project the Angels record because sooner or later they’re bound to be right – even if it’s just once.

To Neyer’s credit he does say that there isn’t much difference between the A’s projected 87 wins and the Angels’ projected 81 wins. He says “there are at least six games in play.” Whatever.

Dayn Perry of Fox Sports has also picked the Mariners to win the west. I really don’t know why I bother reading Perry or even following him on Twitter; because he seems to know as much about baseball as my cat does. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read something and thought to myself, does Perry do any kind of research what-so-ever?

I guess the Mariners are the new favorite flavor so far. So be it. I really shouldn’t get so worked up about projections. I mean we’re talking about projections. Projections? Where’s Allen Iverson when you need him. He’d be the perfect guy to tell us how ridiculous this all is. I mean we’re talking projections.

I’m also done with reading all the Mark McGwire bashing. I don’t think he should get into the Hall of Fame, but I can’t believe some people want to deprive him of continuing on with a life in baseball. Some of the demands being thrown out by people in glass houses are really nauseating.

Critiquing apologies has become a new art form. It’s as of he just finished an ice skating routine (imagine that) and some writer turned judge wants to knock him down a peg or two because of the way he blinks his eyes. The comments are almost as crazy as picturing McGwire on ice.

By the way, it’s almost time for another Johnny Damon update. What do you have for me? I’m just kidding. Well, sort of any way.

One thing I’m not tired of, but I’m still wondering about is whether or not anyone has noticed that the “Billy Beane is a genius” talk doesn’t seem to be as prevalent these days. Whatever happened to that movie with Brad Pitt playing the role of Beane? I’m betting it was beat out by the sequel to Snakes on a Plane or something like that.

I have to ask is anyone else waiting with baited breath for the updated PECOTA projections? Earlier in the week they had projected the Angels to finish last and the A’s to finish first. Hey, are you thinking what I’m thinking? This must have been some sort of ploy to get the movie “Money Ball” back on the front burner.

Anyway, Baseball Prospectus (BP) is still working on getting a clue. Oops, did I just write that? I meant to say, BP is ironing out some problems they had with their initial projections. I guess the laughter kind of got to them or something. I guess you can gather that I’m waiting for the PECOTA projections for the comic relief it can provide.

Breaking news… you’re probably not going to believe me, but Allen Iverson just called me to say he couldn’t believe I was still talking about practice… I mean projections…

One last thing about PECOTA. Word on the street was that Mike Wallace and 60 Minutes were going to investigate the projections and ask the folks at Baseball Prospectus if they actually charged people for the work they do? Then again, can there be any penalties for catering to the fantasy baseball world? I mean think about – they call it FANTASY baseball for a reason, right?

Enough about what I’m sick and tired of.

A couple things I’m looking forward to include hearing Rich Thompson say “cheers” as he signs autographs for fans at Spring Training. Something about Australian accents and baseball players is kind of cool.

I’m also looking forward to Reggie Willits, Terry Evans, Chris Pettit and Peter Bourjos getting after it as they compete to make the 25 man roster. Something about healthy competition gets me going.

I can’t wait to see Torii Hunter interacting with fans. No one is better at engaging fans than Hunter in my opinion. ESPN the Magazine voted Joe Mauer as the fan friendliest player in baseball. That’s high praise, but I can only stand by what I’ve seen first hand and Hunter loves baseball fans.

Tomorrow is February 1 and that means spring training is just around the corner. How sweet it is that pitchers and catchers report in less than three weeks!

Different Stokes

I don’t know what kind of Christmas Brian Stokes had, but his new year is off to a great start. Stokes leaves an organization (the Mets) that appears to have no plan and no clue for how to make their team better and ends up at one of the best run baseball teams in the major leagues.

To top it off, Stokes is from Southern California (he attended Jurupa Valley High School in Mira Loma) and will have an opportunity to play in front of friends and family on a regular basis.

In case you didn’t know - earlier today it was announced that Gary Matthews, Jr. (GMJ) was traded to the New York Mets for a relief pitcher named Brian Stokes. As part of the deal, the Angels will pay GMJ all but $2 million of the remaining $23.5 million (GMJ gets a $500K signing bonus as part of the trade) on his contract.

Ouch. That’s a lot of cash for what ends up being a really bad investment.

Never-the-less, it was deal that had to be done and the fact that the Angels got anything at all in return is somewhat of a miracle.

So what does this trade mean for someone like Matt Palmer? Given the addition of Joel Pineiro and now Stokes, Bill Plunkett of the O.C.Register speculates that it could be a bad week to be Palmer. Palmer could potentially find himself back in Salt Lake City pitching for the Angels AAA affiliate Bee’s.

If Palmer ends up back in Salt Lake City, it will be a shame. I’m not saying that’s not where he belongs. As a fan, I just have empathy for his situation.

If you listened to Jeff Biggs’ interview last night on AM 830’s The Drive, you got a look into the personality and character of Palmer. Palmer nearly walked away from the game prior to last season, but instead became one of the feel-good stories of 2009.

Palmer joined the rotation under the toughest of circumstances; having to replace Nick Adenhart, who died tragically. He handled himself incredibly well, all things considered.

Palmer is the kind of guy you want to root for as a fan. Judging from the interview last night, he sounds like a devoted husband and loving father of three. He’s also a humble man and someone who loves to share his faith with others. He pithced beyond anyone's expectations in 2009 and quite frankly hasn’t done anything to warrant a trip back to the minors; however, his future suddenly looks very different.

What ends up being good news for Stokes could end up being bad news for Palmer. Such is life.

One has to wonder if Palmer will hang in there if he has to head back to the minor leagues. Palmer will be 31 next month and time is running out for him to have a meaningful career.

Personally, I hope he sticks it out. It’s unlikely that the Angel starters will make all of their scheduled starts and Palmer provides depth. He’ll just have to wait for his opportunity yet again. When you think about it, it would probably best for the Angels to have Palmer in the minor leagues as a starting pitcher. It would be easier for him to be called on to step into the rotation, rather than having to do a spot start as a reliever.

That being said, I’m not so sure Stokes should be the clear cut guy to get that spot in the bull pen.

When you take a look at their numbers, I’d say Palmer had the better year. Palmer had a lower ERA (3.93 to 3.97). Even though those ERA’s aren’t all that different, Palmer has to get higher marks for pitching in the American League. Palmer also had a lower WHIP (1.319 to 1.564), and one could argue that Palmer is much more versatile. Palmer can start, pitch in long relief and even has experience as a closer (at lower levels).

On the other hand, those who use sabermetrics would probably make the case for Stokes over Palmer. Stokes had a lower FIP than Palmer (4.63 to 4.70), but the numbers are close. Stokes also projects better than Palmer (according to Bill James, CHONE, and Marcel - which you can look up on FanGraphs).

Side note: If you’re wondering what in the heck FIP is, I would encourage you to read The Daily Something's explanation of FIP. As a sabermetric novice (at best) myself, I found the post from one of my favorite blogs to be most helpful.

I have to believe both players will have an opportunity to compete for a spot in the bull pen in the spring. There's also a chance Scioscia will have a twelve man pitching staff, which would give both players a chance (but that's unlikely).

As a fan, I have the luxury of showing bias here and I will personally be rooting for Matt Palmer. He's won me over.

By the way, let me be the first to call the new Angel reliever, Brian "Different" Stokes and let's imagine him looking at Reggie and saying, "what you talkin' bout Willits?"

Forgive me, I couldn't resist.

Today's trade also has an impact on the outfield situation. The battle for the fourth outfielder position will be waged between Reggie Willits, Terry Evans and possibly Chris Pettit or Peter Bourjous.

I know Willits is a fan favorite, but I'd really like to see Evans get a shot. He seems to have more upside than Willits. There's also a possibility that both could make the team or the Angels could look to the free agent market to find that piece.

Much of this depends on how many pitchers Scioscia decides to have on his roster.

Hot Stove news on Angels; past, present and future

Present:

The buzz this week is mostly about arbitration and who’s avoiding it and signing deals with their respective teams. For the Angels, two of the eight eligible players have signed; Jered Weaver for $4.265 million and Howie Kendrick for $1.75 million. That’s a $3.8 million raise for Weaver and a $1.285 million raise for Kendrick.

Especially nice raise for Kendrick, who has NBC Sports' Craig Calcaterra points out is “a lot of money for a guy they won't let hit against righties.” Stay tuned in 2010 Craig; the Angels are going to get their money’s worth. I’ve got a good feeling. Besides, if Izturis steals AB's away from anyone, it will most likely be Brandon Wood.

I’d really like to see the Angels lock up a few of their guys and buy out some of their arbitration and free agent years. They did this with Ervin Santana last year.

In other Angel arbitration news, Sam Miller posts in the OC Register blog (with credit to Ed Price of AOL) that Erick Abyar is asking for $2.75 million and the Angels are offering $1.8 million. Maicer Izturis asked for $3 million; $2.3 was offered.

And then there’s Jeff Mathis, who asked for $1.3 million and is being offered $700K. Funny thing about Mathis is that most players ask for raises after a great season, but he’s doing that after a great post-season. You have to wonder if he’s turned the corner, in which case he’d be deserving of $1.3 million, but if he reverts back to his regular season batting numbers, even $700K seems like a bit of a stretch (okay, maybe not).

I still don’t get the whole argument that he’s so good defensively. I know all about the pitching ERA thing being lower than Mike Napoli’s, but how many times did he air mail balls into center field when runners stole second base? I mean if the Giants were in the AL West, even Bengie Molina might have stolen a base or two on Mathis.

More arbitration numbers: Joe Saunders asked for $3.85 million and was offered $3.6 million (made $475,000 in 2009). They're so close, a deal is likely to get done soon.

Still waiting on numbers for Mike Napoli and Reggie Willits. Hmm. Now, this is just my opinion, but I find it interesting that their numbers aren’t surfacing. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up being replaced by Bobby Wilson and Terry Evans. I’m just speculating, of course.

Past:

Speaking of ex-Angel Bengie Molina has turned down the latest contract offer from the Mets (Per Buster Olney on Twitter) and has resigned with the San Francisco Giants for $4.5 million (which is reportedly less than what the Mets offered).

Other ex-Angels still looking for work include: Bengie’s brother Jose, Adam Kennedy, Orlando Cabrera, Robb Quinlan, Garret Anderson, Darin Erstad, Paul Byrd, Jon Garland, Dustin Moseley, Kevin Gregg, Jose Arredondo, Justin Speier, Shane Loux, Jeff Weaver, Bartolo Colon, and Jarrod Washburn.

Future:

Baseball America has released their list of the Angels' top prospects. Topping the list is catching prospect Hank Conger. Conger received high marks in their “tools” category ranking him as the Angels’ best hitter for average and plate discipline. Rounding out the top five are outfielder Peter Bourjos (who was a topic of the Roy Halladay trade rumors), outfielder Mike Trout (featured on a previous post here), Trevor Reckling (stud left handed pitcher), and right handed pitcher, Garrett Richards (who BA considers to have the best fastball and curveball in the Angels’ system).

AngelsWin also put out their top 50 list of Angels’ prospects and Trevor Reckling tops their list. The folks at AW project Reckling to start the year in Salt Lake City where he will be of the youngest players in the Pacific Coast League (PCL).

Rounding out their top five are Hank Conger, Peter Bourjos, Mike Trout, and second baseman, Jean Segura (who interestingly enough didn’t make BA’s top 10). Segura is very young, but does show great promise (from what I've read).

The highly respected John Sickels has a list as well.

Mike Trout tops his list, followed by Hank Conger, Trevor Reckling, Garrett Richards and Peter Bourjos. Trout get’s the top grade of the group with a B+ (as does Conger). Sickels really likes the upside of Trout and likes Conger’s bat.

Having never seen any of these guys in person, other than a few of them for just a little bit at Spring Training, I can't offer up any opinions of my own. However, I will say the guy who excites me the most is Trout. It's been a while since the Angels developed an outfielder with his kind of potential. Reckling is also fascinating, given his young age and early success.

Stay tuned...

UPDATE:

Angels sign Mike Napoli for $3.6 million and Reggie Willits for $625,000. Well, so much for my speculation...

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.

Talking Turkey - Post Thanksgiving

Okay, so this is probably the longest I have gone without posting something to this blog. I guess I needed a break and Thanksgiving was the right time to do it. Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone and the Hot Stove season hasn’t really been cooking up anything special thus far. Never-the-less the big question is always what’s going on?

Things should start to develop this week. Tomorrow is a big day; it’s the last day teams can offer their free agents arbitration.

In the Angels case, they have to decide whether or not to offer arbitration to John Lackey, Chone Figgins, Darren Oliver and Vladimir Guerrero. The Angels are likely to offer arbitration to Lackey, Figgins and Oliver. All three have Type A status and if they choose not to accept arbitration, the Angels will receive a compensation pick(s) (in most, but not all cases from the team’s that sign them) should any of them sign elsewhere.

Should any of the three accept arbitration they would be foregoing the free agent market and accepting the salary they will be offered via the arbitration process. Lackey and Figgins are highly unlikely to accept; however, there’s a chance Oliver will (as he did last year).

If the Angels don’t offer arbitration, teams are free to sign Type A players without losing any draft picks. In Guerrero’s case, it’s not likely the Angels will offer him arbitration; however, since he’s a Type B free agent any team that signs him will not lose a pick. The reason the Angels aren’t likely to offer him arbitration is because they would either like to move on without him or make him part of a back up plan and bring him back at a reduced salary.

It’s always a telling sign when a team offers or doesn’t offer a player arbitration. It’s usually an indication as to whether or not the team wants the player back. Last year Jon Garland and Francisco Rodriguez were both offered arbitration and both refused; a move that ended up costing Garland some money as he signed for less than what he most likely would have received had he accepted.

Again, tomorrow is the deadline and Type A players not offered arbitration become a little more appealing to teams since they won’t lose any draft picks. This happened with Troy Glaus after the 2004 season. The Angels were ready to move on without Glaus and didn’t offer him arbitration (he might have accepted had they offered it). Glaus went on to sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Players who refuse arbitration and have Type A status can be less appealing to some clubs. This happened to Orlando Cabrera last year – who found signing with a team harder because of his Type A status. This year Cabrera made sure his contract included a clause prohibiting a team from offering him arbitration in hopes it would make him more appealing to teams looking for a shortstop.

Hopefully, that all makes sense. Okay, so now what, right?

Well according to Mike DiGiovanna and Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times it looks like the Angels only have about $12 million to spend. That’s if you believe the Angels will stick to roughly the same budget as they had in 2009. According to the LA Times article – Reagins claims the Angels have money to spend in free agency, but may have to be creative to really fill out their roster.

Translation – the Angels will spend above their budget if the situation is one they deem beneficial to the team.

At this point in time all we can do is wait and see. Obviously, Lackey and Figgins are key to what the Angels do next. Signing or not signing one or both is going to dictate what the Angels do next. That may not play out until December 7-10, 2009 when the winter meetings take place in Indianapolis, Indiana. Historically, this is when activity (signings and trades) really heat up for all teams.

If you’re like me, it’s hard to figure out what’s going to happen. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily stop us from trying. Depending on who you read and when you read them, you could believe just about any number of scenarios taking place. Even still, if history repeats itself, the Angels will do something unpredictable.

If John Lackey resigns, the rotation will be set with Saunders, Kazmir, Weaver and Santana filling out the rest of the rotation. If Lackey departs, the Angels will either look internally to one of Dustin Moseley, Sean O’Sullivan or Trevor Bell. Trevor Reckling is a remote possibility as well – but he’s only pitched as high as AA ball. The other option would be for the Angels to either sign a free agent (possibly Randy Wolf) or make a trade (the Roy Halladay rumors are still out there). If I’m the Angels I have to believe the best route to take is to simply resign Lackey (even though that may not be all that simple).

If Chone Figgins returns, it will mean that Brandon Wood will either be traded (which could be a more distinct possibility if Lackey doesn’t return and the Angels need chips to trade), relegated to the a utility role of some sort or we could possibly see Figgins moved to the outfield, Abreu moved to a DH role and Wood given a shot at third base.

There is also the curious predicament of Gary Matthews, Jr. and the $23 million owed him over the next two years. He will be difficult to trade. Perhaps the Angels should make him the every day left fielder, move Rivera to right and have Abreu DH. Stranger things have happened and this scenario could play out should the Angels not resign Figgins.

If neither Lackey nor Figgins return – any number of things could happen. The Angels could make a serious play for Jason Bay, but are more likely to focus on pitching. In my mind they have to maintain a rotation that is solid 1-5 and they also need to replace what Vlad Guerrero used to provide them. Kendry Morales had a great year in 2009 and Hunter was on his way to doing the same, but they are not enough.

And…. what about the bull pen? Brian Fuentes, Jason Bulger and Kevin Jepsen appear to be locks. Matt Palmer most likely has a role as well. Scot Shields will be back. The rest will depend on whether or not Jose Arredondo can rebound from a sub par 2009 and whether or not Darren Oliver will be back. That’s seven names in the mix as of now. If the Angels add some bull pen help – someone would have to be moved or demoted to the minors.

Changes aren’t likely at center field (Torii Hunter), first base (Kendry Morales), second base (Howie Kendrick), shortstop (Erick Aybar), catcher (Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis) and Maicer Izturis is sure to serve in his super utility role again. Also - Juan Rivera is a pretty solid bet to be in one of the corner outfield spots.

The 2010 Angels have the potential to look very much like the 2009 version on one hand and on the other, look like a very different team. Other than Brandon Wood there isn’t anyone looming to make an impact from within.

Terry Evans is the only other possibility and he’s likely to become the 4th or 5th outfielder. The Angels are out of option on Evans and he will either occupy a 25 man roster spot or take his talent elsewhere. Evans is an interesting prospect. He has tons of speed and the ability to hit the long ball, but for whatever reason doesn’t appear to be high on anyone’s list. A former 47th round draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals, he came to the Angels for Jeff Weaver in 2006. When Spring Training camps open in 2010 he will 28, which is considered "old" for players still trying to find their way on to big league rosters.

In 2009, Evans put up monster numbers in Salt Lake City; hitting .291 while belting 26 homers and driving in 90 runs. He also had 33 doubles and stole 28 bases. He had a .860 OPS, but struck out a whopping 146 times and that last stat may be the one thing that has the experts limiting his potential.

Hot Stove Update... Elsewhere:

You know it’s a slow day when the biggest Hot Stove news includes the Mets interest in Henry Blanco per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Mets signing Alex Cora, the Pirates signing Will Ledesma and the Cardinals resigning Jason LaRue.

More...

Andruw Jones signed with the Chicago White Sox last week. I had predicted the Cubs.... so I had the right city, but the wrong team. Jones signed for $500,000 despite hitting just .214 last year. Just for the sake of fun, let's say Jones has now set the market for outfielders.

If you believe Jason Bay is 50 times better than Jones (Of course you do), it would mean that Bay will receive a contract for $25 million a year. Shazam!

Elsewhere, Alex Gonzalez signed with the Toronto Blue Jays (I had predicted the Houston Astros); possibly signaling the end of any speculation that Marco Scutaro stays in Toronto. The rumors of him going to Boston still seem to be "hot;" although, it appears the Dodgers are also a possibility.

And so it begins

The Angels played their last regular season home game last night. Eighty one home games are in the books. Cheryl and I attended a combined 75 of them (we each missed some along the way). You can add to that, two road games at AT&T Park in San Francisco, two spring training games and one pre-season game at Angels Stadium (vs. the Padres). Additionally, we went to three non-Angel spring training games in Arizona and one game at Fenway Park (against the hated A's). All told, we saw 84 games,.

Did we really just do that? It's been a long journey and yet... it's only the beginning. The playoffs are finally here. This is what we've been waiting for all year long.

Here are a few pictures from last night's game...

Rich Thompson and Terry Evans got a little playing time in.

And then the post-season rally began...



No rally would be complete without the one and only... Bob-Bay!!

Yes We Can!

Eleven more wins and the Angels will be World Champions. And so it begins! Game on!