Good-bye Vernon Wells... Hello 2013 Season

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Catch phrases for 2013… courtesy of True Grich…

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

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

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

Things Cheryl and I are looking forward to…

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

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

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

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

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

Now we're talking

Recently and when I say “recently” – I mean in the last 2+ seasons, I’d get a sinking feeling every time the Angels fell behind early in a game. Monday night was different. Perhaps it was because of the way the team had been playing lately or the fact that Phil Hughes was on the mound; take your pick, I had a sense of calm and confidence that the Angels would come back.

When the Angels rallied for four runs in the bottom of the first inning after giving up 3 in the top of the first, I wasn’t surprised. When all was said and done – the Angels outlasted the Yankees for a 9-8 victory and new day was born.

The team had finally reached a .500 record at 25-25 and the abysmal start of the 2012 season was starting to fade into the past Everything seemed right with the world again.

Tuesday night the United States Air Force declared the Angels outfield a “No Fly Zone” as well hit balls met their demise at the hands of Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos. Apparently, the baseballs had enough sense to not test Torii Hunter. Watching the two young guys run down fly balls in the outfield was a thing of absolute beauty.

The Angels won their eighth consecutive game last night (5-1) and moved to within 5.5 games of the Texas Rangers. Suddenly, the big bad Rangers don't seem so invincible. Just saying.

It’s been a long road – but baseball and more specifically Angels baseball is fun again.

How did the Angels turn things around? Perhaps it was all because of fellow Angel blogger Josh and his wife, who found that by not watching Angel games – the team has gone on their current winning streak. Josh chronicles his superstition on his blog “Angels Nation.”

Perhaps the Angels turn around coincides with Albert Pujols’ family arrival in Southern California to be with Albert during the summer – as it was chronicled in the USA Today. This is something I speculated about earlier as well.

Maybe it has something to do with the departure of Mickey Hatcher or Vernon Wells going on the DL or the recent solar eclipse. Who knows?

Whatever the reason, it all came just in time. I’m feeling less anxious and I’m starting to see a bit of a swagger in the way the Angels are going about their business now. Albert is back. Mike Trout is doing remarkable things at just 20 years of age and Mark Trumbo is just a beast.

And yet… there is still work to be done. The Angels have one more game against the Yankees and then three big games against the Rangers. Things could get very interested, very fast.

I know a lot of fans have hung in there through the struggles of the early season and I also know that some of you are just finding your way back.

Regardless of it all, now is the time for us to rally around this team, fill the stadium, be loud and show the rest of the baseball word how great this fan base can be.

If you’re like me, you’ve been taking names and notes of all the people who had a field day with the Angels struggles early on. If you wanted Mike Scioscia fired – be warned, I’ve got your name on my list. If you ceremoniously handed the Western Division title to the Rangers in April – I know who you are. If you thought Albert Pujols was a bust – I’ve got my eye on you too. After all, that's part of being a fan.

The fun of every baseball season is in the journey and the stories that unfold along the way. This season hasn't had any shortage of stories to be sure. Like the night Jered Weaver threw his no-hitter or even Monday night when the Angels overcame Weaver leaving early because of a back injury.

There is so much baseball still be played and so many more stories to be told.

My hope is that you have a chance to experience as many of them as possible. Join us in the journey because folks, this is going to be fun. It's time people; so break our your red and get your Angel game face on. Let's do this together!

One door closes; another opens

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to do?

The day was looking like a total disappointment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Day 2 in Tempe

Tonight's post is going to be brief... it's late and I need some sleep!

We started the day with breakfast from Matt's Big Breakfast, one of our favorites that we visit every time we're in the area. Then we were off to the stadium to watch Albert Pujols, Vernon Wells, Kendrys Morales, Maicer Izturis, Mark Trumbo, Erick Aybar, Alberto Callaspo and others taking batting practice.

The day in pictures...







Above... Vernon Wells, Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo, Hisanori Takahasi, Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Albert with Alberto Callaspo.

We ended the evening at Rustler's Rooste - another restaurant Mike Butcher's family is associated with. We had a good time... and that's no bull... just ask "Horney" (see the bull below) who greets visitors to the restaurant...

The feel good story of the year is going to be...

I have wanted to get something off my chest for a while now and that “something” is that I feel good about the kind of season Vernon Wells is going to have this year. Yeah, I said it and I’m feeling good about it too. I know; some of you; heck, a lot of you have your doubts. I have eyes and ears and I’ve read and heard what you’ve had to say.

Angel fans, writers, bloggers, “experts” and the like have had a field day with Vernon Wells since last season. I know a lot of it was justified. Wells did not have the kind of season any of us- including Wells himself, wanted. Some of you even predicted as much and you’re at it again.

If you’re a die-hard Angels fan and you follow the off season news like a tiger tracks its prey, then you’ve read or heard about all the effort Wells has put into the off season. You know that renowned hitting coach Rudy Jaramiillo worked with him all off season. You’ve no doubt heard about Wells’ work-out routine and all the effort he’s putting into making 2011 a distant memory.

And yet… some of you still don’t believe or even worse – don’t want to believe. You'd rather cling to your projections or what the experts are saying.

Well, count me among the believers.

So while some of you are buried away in your rooms working on player projections, I have to ask you – how do you factor in a new swing and approach at the plate in your projections? Can you even do that? Let’s just say that I have my doubts and I’m betting there are things you just can’t project despite your best efforts.

Right or wrong – I’m saying – it’s okay to give Wells a fresh start. He was pretty horrible last year and the most telling stat line for me what the fact that he only hit 15 doubles. He can’t possibly be any worse and I’m willing to bet he’ll be more than solid in 2012.

How can I say that? I have a gut feeling about this and I know that some of you hate “gut feelings.” If you can’t quantify it, you don’t want to think about it, right? Well, life doesn’t always work out the way we think it will or even the way it’s supposed to. I’m counting on that human element in Wells - his desire to be better. He’s clearly on a mission and quite frankly, I want to go along for the ride.

So here’s the bottom line. Vernon Wells has been mocked, ridiculed and put down by everyone from ESPN’s Keith Law to Tim Dierkes of mlbtraderumors.com. He’s an under-dog and I love a good old fashioned under-dog – especially when he works his tail off to get better.

Well is known for his phrase “too blessed to be stressed” and some of you have even taken to mocking that. Shame on you.

I am going on record right now and put myself in Vernon’s corner. When he first signed, I told you I was “all in.” It felt good then and it feels good now. That’s right. There’s no telling how 2012 is going to play out, but this fan wants Wells to succeed in a big way. This is who I am and this is what I do.

Deep down inside, you want to be on Wells’ wagon too, don’t you? You see the same guy I do - a guy who stays positive no matter what; a guy who is putting in the maximum amount of effort to make us all forget 2011.

Albert Pujols is going to grab a lot of headlines this spring and I’m sure he’ll do the same throughout the season. There are a lot of interesting story lines to follow – everything from Kendrys Morales comeback to whether or not Mike Trout will have a chance to make an impact. It’s all interesting and worth noting, but I’m focused on “the feel-good story of the year” – and that’s going to be Vernon Wells.

It’s spring baby. Optimism reigns supreme and I’m giving a huge dosage of my own kind of rose-colored optimism directly to Vernon Wells.

Who’s with me? This is going to be fun.

The day after

It’s over. I’d love to be wrong, but I’m afraid I’m not. Yes, the Angels could win the next three games and the Red Sox could lose their last three and the two teams could end up in a tie for the Wild Card, but let’s be realistic; that’s not going to happen. Add in the fact that Tampa Bay is also in the hunt and it really looks impossible.

Yesterday’s loss wasn’t the kind of “epic” finish I was hoping for. It was a colossal disappointment to say the least. I think the best word I saw to describe what happened was simply “stunning.” I’m sure that most fans felt like I did as they left the stadium yesterday –numb. I’m sure some probably felt angry or frustrated as well, but I have to believe the overwhelming majority of fans simply felt like the wind had been knocked out of them.

Like most fans, a million or more thoughts have gone through my mind in the last day. A lot of “what if’s” and would, could, should a’s as well. We all know what the issues are and assigning blame and ranting about it probably isn’t going to do a lot of good. Sure, it might be therapeutic to some degree, but I’m not up for such a task right now.

My thoughts are more about guys like Torii Hunter, who is running out of time to get that World Series Championship he wants so badly. I’m thinking about what Jordan Walden must be going through. He started the year hoping to just have a role and found himself in the closer role and then being somewhat of a scapegoat for the team’s failure in the biggest loss of the season. I know players are conditioned to “turn the page” – but yesterday’s game has to stick with him a bit.

I keep thinking about the long road ahead for guys like Vernon Wells, who probably wish Spring Training was next week; so that he could get to the business of becoming his old self again. I wonder where Mike Trout will start the 2012 season and if Bobby Abreu is too old and simply not good enough to be an everyday player any more. I wonder if we will ever see Kendrys Morales in a game again and wish I would get some news about his rehab.

I can’t stop wondering what Mike Napoli is thinking and how a smile must come over his face when he think about the season he’s had with his new team. I grimace at the thought of Ian Kinsler gloating.

I question the abilities of Tony Reagins and whether or not he’s the right man to get this team back on track. I continue to believe that Mike Scioscia is the best manager in baseball and I actually marvel at the job he did this season, given the lack of offense his team produced.

I’m not angry in the least. Monumentally disappointed? You bet. I know that some folks will talk about how this team exceeded most expectations, but that doesn’t mean much to me.

Somehow, we all have to move forward; fans, players, coaches, front office folks, etc. I have no idea what direction the team will take this off season and even though I’m capable of making some of my own suggestions and/or predictions, I just can’t muster enough energy to tackle that right now.

At the end of the day this team just didn’t get the job done. I have mixed emotions about it all – but most of all I’m simply disappointed and just plain sad. Every year since 2002 has shown us all just how hard it is to get to the top. Most of us assumed 2002 was only the beginning and that the Angels would become some sort of a dynasty. Luck hasn’t been kind to the Angels since 2002 and unfortunately, I think luck is an important element in any championship run.

I really believed the Angels had a great shot at winning it all in 2005, 2008 and 2009. Each ended in total disappointment. Even though this team didn’t look particularly great on paper – it had its chances; it really did. It just didn’t happen.

All I know right now is that I don’t ever want to get used to this.

What if?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yes, I feel that swagger again.

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

What if? Seriously… what IF?

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

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

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

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

Think about the possibilities.

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

All I want is that chance. How about you?

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

Random thoughts from the last four games

Friday:

Why isn’t Mike Trout in the lineup?

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

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

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

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

11-0? Really? Good grief.

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

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

Why didn’t Mike Trout start this game?

I hate the Rangers.

Saturday:

Come on Ervin.

Trout is starting… I like it.

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

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

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

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

Really? David Murphy? Good grief.

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

Thank you Hisanori Takahashi.

Two back!

Sunday:

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

Why isn’t Mike Trout in the lineup?

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

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

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

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

I hate the Rangers.

Monday:

Why isn’t Mike Trout in the lineup?

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

Peter Bourjos hitting 8th? Really?

I really like the uniforms the Mariners are wearing tonight.

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

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

I thought Dustin Ackley was struggling?

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

I think we can still win this thing.

Maybe not.

Thank you Mark Trumbo for keeping hope alive.

Vernon Wells can do it.

I guess not.

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

The hard way

There’s an old saying that if you want something done right, do it yourself. This is probably true in most cases with some possible exceptions being any plumbing work that needs to be done at your home or things like surgery.

In any case – the Angels had the perfect opportunity to take care of the team they were chasing themselves. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. In seven games with the division leading Texas Rangers, the Angels only managed to win two games; and yet, they find themselves a mere three games behind.

As you probably know by now (because just about every person with any interest what-so-ever in baseball keeps pointing to it), the Angels schedule sets up pretty nicely down the stretch as compared to the Texas Rangers. Without going into a whole lot of detail; let’s just say the schedule definitely favors the Angels and most fans are clinging to the idea that the Angels have an easier road.

And then there’s that three game series at the end of the year when Texas comes to Anaheim to conclude the regular season. The west may very well be determined in the final three days of the regular season.

This is not the time for the faint of heart.

The Angels could have made things a lot easier on their fans if they had just taken care of the Rangers in the last two weeks; but no, this team likes to do things the hard way. They’re virtually impossible to understand and figure out. Jonah Keri went so far as to ask the question “How the hell do the Angels keep winning?”

If you’re an Angels fan, you know full well that the Angels are the anti-sabermetrics team and they find ways to win in spite of statistical anomalies and they have long baffled stats heads everywhere. It’s no wonder they’re somewhat hated in certain circles.

Keri’s piece isn’t news to us; in fact, it’s something many of us celebrate. I love the fact that this team usually does better than the sabermetric community predicts; in fact, it’s a beautiful thing.

That being said, I’m not enamored with the idea that the Angels can make up those three games by playing a weaker schedule. Quite frankly, I'd rather not focus on it. Why?

If baseball and even more specifically being an Angels fan has taught me anything; it’s that all too often, you cannot predict outcomes by how things look on paper. The optimist in me is clinging to the idea of the Angels having a “weaker” schedule, but the competitor in me, really wishes the Angels would have just taken whipped the collective rear ends of the Rangers.

For me, it’s much more appealing to go through something to obtain a goal rather than going around it. That being said, when all is said and done it really won’t matter much to me how the Angels win the west; so long as they actually do win it. I’m just saying doing it the hard way is going to cost me some sleep and provide me with a ton of anxious moments. I’m not a fan of anxiety; then again, who is?

So… what do we do?

Angel fans need to forget whatever the team has done to this point. Forget the fact that Vernon Wells and Jeff Mathis have struggled mightily this season. Resist the temptation to scream for Mike Scioscia to start Mike Trout every game (granted, I don't know if I can do this myself).

Forget about the struggles the pitching staff has had from time to time. Forget about the mental lapses of one Erick Aybar and don't even roll your eyes when Fernando Rodney comes into a game.

Don't worry about the fact that the Angels are 19th in runs scored and 22nd in on-base percentage.

Put it all out of your mind because at the end of the day, it just doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t. All that matters is what happens from here on out.

Take Keri’s piece to heart and know that this team finds ways to win in spite of everything and I do mean EVERYTHING. In spite of numbers, in spite of opinion, in spite of logic or anything else. I keep talking about “letting the story unfold” and that’s exactly what we should do. So pass the TUMS and simply enjoy the ride; even if it gives you an ulcer along the way.

I know, I know... we have this need to try and figure things out before they happen and to try and predict how things will turn out. I get it. It's human nature.

At the same time, I can tell you that it’s an exercise that will absolutely make you crazy when applied to the Angels. Just don't even go there. Be in the moment and just let yourself experience this season one pitch at a time.

The way things are going, it will all come down to the last game of the season where we find the Rangers and Angels tied and Jeff Mathis will hit a walk off homerun to give the Angels the American League West pennant.

That scenario would send the sabermetrics nation off the deep end. Think about it; calculators would explode and computers would melt into a pool of red goo. Think of the number of speechless analysts sitting there with blank looks on their faces.

If that doesn't make you smile, nothing will. Go Angels!!

Are the Angels in financial trouble?

Somebody call hazmat; there’s a heinous odor coming from Anaheim and more specifically Angels Stadium. It smells like a season just died. Speaking of heinous, might as well cue the song " Buttercup" because once again, this team has let me and every Angel fan I know down.

I tried. I really tried to stay as positive as humanly possible and even though I’m not completely throwing in the towel, I need to blow off some steam.

Good grief.

Now there’s a lot of directions I can go right now. I can talk about what I believe to be a lack of effort and focus (Hello Erick Aybar). I could rant about Jeff Mathis, Vernon Wells and an offense that’s utterly pathetic or I could talk about empty promises from an owner (Hello Arte Moreno).

There are so many things to rant about, it’s not even funny, but there’s one thing that has been haunting me all season and I need to get it off my chest.

Something doesn’t add up.

It all started in the off season when the Angels balked at the dollars and years given to free agents like Carl Crawford and Adrian Beltre.

When the trading deadline approached this year, Tony Reagins publicly stated that he wasn’t under any budget restrictions what-so-ever. And yet the Angels failed to add a player and any additional payroll.

Below the radar other things began to surface. The Angels asked their season ticket holders to pay for their 2012 season tickets by October 6, 2011; approximately three months earlier than normal. That's right - 3 months earlier! Do the Angels need the interest they'll bank from that money or what?

Wait, there's more...

In late July it was reported that the Angels and the stadium workers were at a standstill in contract negotiations. The Angels were low balling their workers proposing a wage freeze to workers who already were the lowest paid of any baseball stadium in the state. Mind boggling, isn't it?

More subtle signs…

A shortage of promotional items on give-away nights and the new policy of no longer handing out rain checks/vouchers to those who missed out; coupled with the new tag line “while supplies last” when advertising give-aways for future games. This is a dramatic change from previous practices by the Angels.

And... Have you noticed the numerous 40% off sales in the team store? It's kind of curious, isn't it?

And let me ask, why did it take them more than four months to bring in Peter Bourjos, Jordan Walden and Mark Trumbo shirts into their team store? Was someone asleep at the wheel?

I have to ask; are the Angels having financial trouble? Are the bad contracts coming back to bite the team in the rear end?

If that's the case, 2012 doesn't look very promising either.

Think about this… If the middle of this lineup in 2012 consists of Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells – the Angels 51st season is going to look a lot like the 2010 and 2011 seasons; abysmal. If the Angels are counting on this trio to turn things around – it’s really going to get ugly. That’s $48 million dollars of ugly. That’s right the three players will have a combined salary next year of nearly $50 million.

They’re still paying Gary Matthews, Jr. and Scott Kazmir millions of dollars this year.

When you consider all of these things; something doesn’t add up. There's a history here.

Something has to give and it appears those made to suffer are going to be Angel fans. Just saying.

Some Angel fans have responded to this question at AngelsWin and at Halos Heaven.

When your team can't buy a win, buy a shirt

Sometimes being a baseball fan is just painful. You get your hopes up in anticipation of a big game or a big series. The day of the first game of that series, you can’t help but think about it all day long. You can’t wait to get to the stadium to be with other fans that are ready for something special to take place.

As the game unfolds, everything that could go wrong does exactly that. It’s sort of like a nightmare and at a certain point you can’t wait for it to be over, so that you can focus on tomorrow. Watching your favorite team go down in defeat is never a pleasant experience; watching them lose do a division rival is worse and watching them self-destruct is beyond words.

So here we are; it’s the day after an 8-4 loss to the Texas Rangers. The sun actually came up this morning and I was able to open my eyes and face another day and tonight, I’ll be able to watch yet another ball game. I hope it will be a much better experience than last night’s debacle, but I have no idea how it will turn out.

And I guess there’s a beauty in that. Baseball is unpredictable and just when you think you have it figured out, it surprises you in ways you never thought possible. It’s what brings us back to the stadium time after time; game after game.

We ran late to the game; which is something that happens regularly for us because of work and commutes and a general lack of time. We arrived after Garret Richards had to leave with a groin injury and the Angels trailing 1-0. It’s always a little disappointing to arrive at the stadium with your team trailing early. It doesn’t exactly set the mood in the right direction if you know what I mean.

As the game progressed, I sat in my seat quietly; just watching and thinking and wondering how the Angels would get out of this hole. Some of the 514 Fanatics began to comment. Dave said, “Hey – why are you so quiet – you seem so introspective.” Bo looked around and said, “Come on – why the sad faces, we’re at a baseball game!”

They were both right and that’s the great thing about being at a game with people who make watching it a much richer experience.

Even still, I never really came out of my funk and Cheryl and I headed off to the team store before the 7th inning stretch – something we rarely do (leave early). By the way; the Angels with just 23 regular season home games left in the 2011 season, finally got in a shipment of Peter Bourjos, Jordan Walden and Mark Trumbo shirts and yes, we bought a few shirts because we just don’t have enough Angels gear (sarcasm).

We left the store and the stadium before the game was over… we lingered for a bit on the concourse when Russell Branyan homered; however, we left when Torii Hunter struck out and Vernon Wells popped out.

We got home before Angel talk started and that was probably a good thing because nothing makes a loss worse than the people who call in after the Angels suffer a defeat. Joe Fan in Irvine has all the answers. Pete Know-it-all thinks Scioscia should be fired, etc., etc. It’s enough to make sane fans crazy.

I didn’t hear any post game interviews, but I could imagine Mike Scioscia saying something about “turning the page” yet again and about the need to do more offensively. Blah, blah, blah. It’s a familiar routine.

Today I’m sure people are going over how bad the Angels are statistically and how poorly they’ve hit in the last month or so. To tell you the truth I’m kind of bored with all the stat talk about how bad this team is. I just want them to win anyway.

Is that too much to ask?

I just want to go to the game and be in the moment. I don’t want to hear how so and so hits with runners in scoring position. I just want to watch them hit and drive somebody in. I don’t want to know what the Angels record is when Jeff Mathis drives in a run – I just want to see him drive someone in while I’m watching.

I just want to be 8 years old again and go to the game and be excited because I’m at a ball game, period.

I don’t care where Bobby Abreu ranks statistically from a historical perspective. I don’t care about how much money Vernon Wells is making. I don’t even care how many games the Angels trail the Rangers by in the AL West.

I just want to watch a game; enjoy the game and see my team come out on top and then do it again tomorrow and then again on the next day and the day after… You get the picture, right?

Sometimes it's fun to just be a fan who is excited to just be at a baseball game. Thanks for the reminder Bo and Dave...

I’m also looking forward to Saturday when one of our favorite bands; MercyMe, comes to town for a concert after the game with the Baltimore Orioles. Who is Mercy Me? Watch…

Looking back at Mike Trout's major league debut

Back on Friday – July 8, 2011 Cheryl and I came to the stadium not to get a glimpse of Mike Trout, but to hopefully get the full “Mike Trout experience.” After all, it’s not every day that baseball top prospect makes his major league debut in your home stadium.

The stadium had a bit of a buzz to it and the anticipation of what was to come was hanging in the air. It was clear that a great many Angel fans knew exactly what was taking place and many were on hand for the specific reason of getting their first look at Trout.

Cheryl and I had seen him last year when the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes were in the play-offs and again at spring training. Never-the-less, it was clear by the loud ovation Trout received when introduced, that the fans knew exactly what was up. We’ve been in the stadium when other players made their major league debut and fans around the stadium would wonder out loud “Who is that?” Not on this night; not on the night that Mike Trout started his first game.

It was kind of fitting that a kid named Trout would make his debut across the way from an arena that was once called “The Pond.” This was no fish out of water; he looked like he was totally comfortable in his new environment and ready to soak it all in.

We got our first look at Trout in his 1990’s throw-back uniform when he came out to warm up a little less than a half hour before the game. As he stretched and warmed up, I saw him shoot glances into the crowd. Perhaps he was searching for familiar faces or perhaps he was just soaking it all in or some combination of both.

As we watched and snapped photos, we heard someone behind us yell “Millville Representing!” Turns out Trout’s cousin – Justin Trout was standing behind us. Justin lives in the Los Angeles area and had driven down to see Mike make his major league debut. Cheryl struck up a conversation with Justin, telling him how excited we were that he was called up when she learned that Justin was his cousin.

Justin went on to tell her about how much better Mike was at “everything” in sports – be it basketball, baseball or whatever. He told Cheryl how he always stood out and was always just so much better than everyone else.

Justin also told Cheryl that Mike’s parents were still mid-flight and hoped to get to the game by the later innings.

I don’t know when or if his parents made it to the game in time to see him play. One thing was clear, his “new family” was there to support him regardless of whether his real family could.

As I watched Trout warm up and then run to center field to assume his position I tried to gauge if he was nervous or not. I couldn’t tell. His motor was definitely running like that of a 19 year old though, that was for sure. He couldn’t stand still… he bounced, stretched, and moved around like any antsy teenager would.

In the top of the second – Justin Smoak of the Mariners hit a ball into left center field; it looked like Trout would get his first chance at a put-out only to see Vernon Wells take the ball instead. The crowd moaned… Torii Hunter smiled and threw his hands up in the air as if to say, c’mon Vernon – let the kid have that one. Hunter and Trout exchanged some smiles and I imagine Hunter was jokingly telling the kid to call Wells off.

It was a light moment and it was fun to watch.

The whole game was fun to watch (to add to the fun I also ran into
RevHalofan of Halos Heaven) and even though Trout didn’t get a base hit, he didn’t strike out or look over matched in any way.

The following night Trout did manage to get his first hit. With Mark Trumbo on second base and Hank Conger occupying first base, Trout laid down a bunt that he managed to beat out. Trumbo would score on a throwing error and although Trout wouldn’t get an RBI, he definitely showed that his speed made him extra dangerous; defenses can’t take it easy when he’s running down the line.

Trout would end up scoring on a Torii Hunter fly ball, walk and score again in the 5th and with all of that Trout had officially arrived for sure. Perhaps it was fitting in some way that Trout would get his first hit on the same day that Derek Jeter would achieve the mile stone of getting his 3,000th hit. One thing for sure, the day - July 8 will be memorable for a variety of reasons.

Trout has continued get some playing time since that first series and has even managed to stay on when Peter Bourjos returned from the disabled list. He even managed to hit his first major league homerun in front of friends and family on July 24. How long he stays up with the “big club” isn’t’ clear, although it’s likely to be a stint that does not last. In any case, one thing is for sure; Trout will be back and I can’t wait for that day.

I can't wait because Mike Trout is a legitimate talent and represents the hope that every fan has that one day their team will produce a talent that's special and among the best in the game. Time will tell if Trout is that guy; regardless, it is something I look forward to watching develop one pitch and one play at a time.

The good, the bad and the costly

I’m not sure how to handle the Angels’ recent success of late (although I could find a way should it continue). After going an impressive 8-4 on the road; they come home to sweep the Washington Nationals and go 11-4 over their last 15 games. Boo-ya, right? On one hand, a win is a win and I’m jazzed that they’re playing so well. On the other hand, of the five teams they just won series’ from only the Mets are above .500 at the moment. Hmm.

So I guess you could say that I’m delighted that they’re winning, but I’m not going to get too excited because they really haven’t beaten any teams of significance. Again, I’m excited that they’re taking care of business; I’m just not going to get overly pumped up (just yet).

I guess you could say; that’s what the 2011 season has done to me thus far.

Every time I get a little excited, I find myself disappointed a short time later. Maybe there’s something to the way Scioscia goes about his business with that “one-game-at-a-time” attitude. Then again, I’m a fan I’m allowed to let my emotions run the gamut.

So… here we are just past the half way point of the season and the Angels are 1.5 games behind Texas with the trading deadline is getting closer. What are the Angels to do? Will they acquire a “big bat?” Will they add more pitching? What? What in the world will they do, if anything?

The good news is that the Angels are in the hunt and we can actually bring up the trading deadline for all the right reasons (buyers as opposed to sellers).

Okay, so this is the point where you’re probably expecting me to tell you what I think they should do, right?

Well, I’m not going to do that. Nah, it just seems like an exercise I’m just not prepared for and do you really want to hear the rambling of a mad man?

Instead, I’m going to focus a little bit on what the Angels have done over the past several years. I must warn you; this isn’t necessarily going to be pretty. I know, I know – why bring this up now when the team is playing well, right?

Well, I’ve been meaning to do this since Scott Kazmir was released and haven’t had the time to get to it; so now is as good a time as any.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to explore some of the downright horrendous moves this team has made. I hate to do it now, but again – I wanted to do this at some point. Perhaps you know all of this; however, I’m betting there’s a chance you haven’t seen it all laid out just the way I’m about to.

Let’s start with 2002. Yes, it was a magical year; a year that will forever represent one of if not the greatest time ever to be an Angels fan. It also happens to be the year the Angels signed Aaron Sele to a 3-year, $24 million contract. In those three seasons, Sele posted ERA’s of 4.89, 5.77 and 5.05. His signing represents one of the many bad decisions by the Angels front office since that time.

The last decade (through 2009) has been tremendous; however, as we continue down this road – you might wonder how this team ever managed to do as well as it has and also wonder what they might have done or will do if they had made better decisions. I mean we’re talking about a great many decisions that has involved spending a ton of good money on bad players.

Let’s get to it…

The 2003 team didn’t change much from the prior year personnel wise, as they seemed to have a hang-over from their wildly successful 2002 season. It was also the year that Arte Moreno took over as the owner of the Angels. As great as Moreno has been for the Angels; one can’t help but wonder how much greater the team would have been had they made better decisions under his watch.

In 2004 the Angels struck gold with the Vladimir Guerrero signing; however, it’s important to note that Bartolo Colon was also signed prior to that season and while Colon did win a CY Young – he only had two productive years out of four. In his last two years he managed to start just 29 games and had a 5.11 ERA in 2006 and a 6.34 ERA in 2007. In my opinion, the Angels didn’t get anywhere near the return on their investment of 4-years and $51 million (which was a lot of money for a pitcher at the time).

In 2005 the crap that hit the fan came in the form of Steve Finley. Finley made $6 million and for that investment, the Angels received a .222 batting average. Finley was then traded to the San Francisco Giants for Edgardo Alfonzo (prior to the 2006 season), who made $8 million in 2006 and was released on May 21 after playing in just 18 games. I should note that Finley made $7 million while playing for the Giants that same year. A total of $14 million was wasted over those two years.

In 2005 the Angels also acquired J.C. Romero from the Minnesota Twins (for the 2006 season) for Alexi Casilla, who is currently the starting shortstop for the Twins. Romero earned $2.25 million in 2006 while posting a 6.70 ERA. Casilla has basically been on the Twins major league roster for the past five years. Romero became a free agent prior to the 2007 season. Who got the better of that deal? You really don’t answer that…

2006 brought us Jeff Weaver at the cost of an $8,325,000 contract. Weaver was traded to the Cardinals on July 5 of that year after compiling a horrible 6.29 ERA in 16 starts. Weaver would go on to help the Cardinals win a World Series and the Angels went on paying his salary.

2007 was especially bad. It was the year that one Gary Matthews, Jr. signed a 5-year, and nearly $50 million contract that still haunts the Angels today. Matthews ended up being traded to the Mets after three miserable seasons with the Angels (with the Angels picking up most of his salary), where he floundered and ended up out of baseball. Matthews played his last game on June 2, 2010 while costing the Angels $22.3 million the last two years (including this one).

2007 also brought us Shea Hillenbrand. Remember that one? Did you just grimace? If you did, it’s because you probably remember that he signed for $6 million and ended up being released on July 9 after hitting .254 with 3 homeruns. More good money after bad.

Wait 2007 gets even better. That year also brought us Justin Speier and a 3-year, $12.75 million contract. Speier had one good year (his first) out of three. His final two years? Well it included a 5.03 ERA in 2008 and a 5.18 ERA in 2009 and ultimately his release on August 11, 2009.

I’m not done with 2007 yet. That year marked the season the extension of Kelvim Escobar kicked in. Escobar’s extension was for 3-years and $28.5 million. Shields also signed an extension for 3-years and $14.6 million.

Escobar had a fantastic 2007; however, he only managed to pitch in one game in the following two years while earning $19.5 million during those final two years. Shields’ extension didn’t kick in until 2008, where he had a stellar season; however, he proved to be utterly useless during the final two years of his contract with a 6.62 and 5.28 ERA in those years. Ugh.

I’m not making this stuff up folks. The numbers are fairly staggering, aren’t they?

In 2008 the Angels traded Orlando Cabrera (and his $10 million contract) to the Chicago White Sox for Jon Garland and his $12 million contract. Garland did win 14 games that year; however, he boasted a hefty 4.90 ERA that season as well. The move did pave the way for Erick Aybar to take over at shortstop; however, it is yet another example of the high cost of mediocre talent in Garland.

2009 brought us somewhat of a mixed bag in Brian Fuentes. Fuentes signed a 2-year $17.5 million deal and ended up leading the major league baseball with 48 saves, but he also blew 7 other opportunities and gave up a key homerun in the ALCS to Alex Rodriguez and the rest is as they say… “History.” Even though he led the league in saves, he was arguably the worst reliever to ever do that. In 2010 he was traded to the Minnesota Twins.

2009 also brought us the trade that sent Alex Torres, Matt Sweeney and Sean Rodriguez to the Tampa Bay Rays for Scott Kazmir (whose recent release prompted this whole post) and his mega contract that included salaries of $6 million in 2009, $8 million in 2010 and $12 million this year. His departure, while costly would have been even more costly had he stayed another year. Rather than paying him $13.5 million in 2012, the Angels will have to shell out $2.5 million in a buy-out. He will end up costing the Angels $22.5 million for the kind of production one would expect to get out of a mannequin.

The string of bad decisions continued in 2010 when the Angels signed the guy with the crooked hat. Yes, I’m talking about Fernando Rodney and his two-year, $11 million deal. Has he been worth it? I think we both know the answer to that, although I would entertain an argument either way.

Add to all of this the string of low cost, low risk signings like Andres Galarraga, Raul Mondesi, and Shane Halter (none of which panned out) and you have reason for skepticism (for what they might do next) regarding their entire decision process.

I didn’t do any calculations regarding the net loss of all the moves mentioned above, but I’m sure we can all agree that the number is substantial. I have to ask myself, what could the Angels have done with the money they spent on Kazmir and Matthews?

Think about it. Just don’t focus on it too much because your head might explode.

All of that being said, I know that the Angels have also made some very good moves via trade and free agency and that no front office is perfect. I just think that all of the decision mentioned above had to have had a negative impact on the product currently on the field and in the Angels' ability (or lack of) to continue to be major players in the free agency market. It also has hindered their ability to make any and all moves necessary to get them back to having a 2002-like season.

Did the combination of events make them gun shy on Carl Crawford? Will it hinder their ability to make a move at the deadline this year? Could the Angels have made a different move or two over the years that would have put them back in the World Series?

These are legitimate questions, don’t you think?

Look, I think Moreno is a great owner and I think Mike Scioscia is the best manager in the game. Do the math. What’s the problem? Is it Tony Reagins or even Bill Stoneman (from prior years)? I’m not going to point any fingers, but it’s a question that begs an answer in my opinion.

I know that some of the problems the Angels have had are related to injuries and are totally unpredictable, but some of them – such as the Gary Matthews, Jr. signing raised eyebrows around the country at the time.

I just think it’s foolish to ignore the history here. I have to question the analysis process that goes into some of the moves the front office has made. The Angels have the luxury of an owner with fairly deep pockets, but let’s face it – there has to be a limit to the kind of wasted money this team can lose. It might be time to pay the piper. It had to come to this eventually.

So… what’s next?

Well, for now – there are games to be played. More specifically, the Dodgers are coming to town and I’m looking forward to seeing the freeway series yet again. This never get’s old for me. The other stuff… well, it definitely does.

So let’s get after it. Anyone notice how well Vernon Wells is playing? Is he going to be a good investment after all? I sure hope so.

Go Angels!

Morales is gone, but it's Jeff Mathis that must go

I was sitting in the stands last night watching the Angels and the White Sox when I heard something on the radio that didn’t sound too good. It was all kind of fuzzy because I wasn’t really focused on what was being said. When I finally got wind of the news that Kendry Morales was going to miss the 2011 season, my heart just sunk. I felt like someone just punched me in the stomach.

When I caught my breath, a million things raced through my mind… Will he ever play again? Wow, I’m glad we have Mark Trumbo. And then, I began to think of players who might be available via a trade for one reason or another. Albert Pujols? Prince Fielder? Crazy talk, right? Both long shots at best. 514 Fanatic - Terry (who was sitting behind me) threw out David Wright as a possibility. Hmmm.

My mind was all over the place and my mind wandered all game long. Who would the Angels have to give up to acquire someone? Better not be Mike Trout, I thought.

And then it hit me.

Once again the Angels were in need of a “big bat.” It seems like every year it comes down to this “big bat” thing, doesn’t it? I thought back to the off season and how Tony Reagins claimed getting Morales back was like signing a big time free agent. So much for that… I thought.

Something else hit me when the Angels entered the tenth after giving up a two-run lead in the 9th and I began to think of who could come off the bench to hit. Reggie Willits was already in the game and the other options didn’t offer much hope. I began to focus on the depth or should I say lack of depth the team had. The bench last night consisted of Alexi Amarista, Willits, Bobby Wilson and gulp… Jeff Mathis.

It was at that moment that I wanted to scream.

There’s no way the Angels can afford to carry three catchers for the rest of the year. Jeff Mathis has to go. He’s a human sink hole and he’s going to suck the life out of the offense and the joy out of Angel fans. He’s just painful to watch.

Tuesday night Mark Trumbo came up to bat on two occasions where a runner was on second base and first base was open. Mathis was in the on-deck circle. In each case, the White Sox intentionally walked Trumbo to face Mathis. You know what happened next…. Mathis’ ineptness has never been as obvious as it was Tuesday night. He is a glaring weakness and the Angels can’t afford such things any longer.

Last night, I had to wonder if things could get any worse. We had the devastating news about Morales, the Angels blew a lead and Jeff Mathis was still on this team.

Now, about that blown lead; I don’t expect Jordan Walden to save every game he enters, but I will be honest with you when I say that if I never see Kevin Jespen again, I won’t be disappointed. I have never understood the fascination with this guy. He hasn’t shown me much and I really hate the idea of him wearing Troy Percival’s #40. I just don’t think Jespen is a major league level relief pitcher at this point; at least not in key situations.

Look, the Oakland A’s and Texas Rangers aren’t going away. These two teams are going to be in the hunt all season long and it’s going to be an out and out dog fight. The margin for error is small and after the Morales news, it got even smaller. When your bench consists of two smurfs (Amarista and Willits), a guy who hardly ever plays (Wilson) and the human sink hole (you know who) you’re in trouble.

Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells aren’t getting any younger. They’re going to need a break every now and then and this bench isn’t going to give the Angels a whole lot of wiggle room. Wells is already on the DL and if Abreu and/or Hunter get hurt, it’s really going to get ugly.

Something has to happen and it has to happen soon. Like yesterday. I don't want to wait and see what this team can do without Morales (not that I have any control over it); instead, I'd rather see them do something proactively to get better.

The team has a solid pitching staff and a bull pen that’s capable of getting the job done. I’d even venture to say that this rotation is a championship quality rotation. The Angels need to capitalize on the pitching they have and put an offense together that will allow them to compete into October.

The post-season is along ways off; however, I don't want to lose sight of October in May.

Ten games in and a ton to go

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

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

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

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

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

Enough of that topic.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This brings me to Tyler Chatwood.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Well, what do I know?

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

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

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

Opening Night in Anaheim

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And so it begins…

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

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