Not your everyday post about Mike Trout

You already know this, but Mike Trout is arguably the best all-around baseball player on the planet.  Ok, make that- universe.  That being said, he’s not Superman. 

Vladimir Guerrero frequently wore a Superman t-shirt under his jersey and in 2004 when he carried the Angels to the post-season he was indeed Superman.  He was a one-man wrecking crew that destroyed opposing pitching and came up with clutch hit after clutch hit in the final month of the season.  It is something Angels fans still talk about today.

Tuesday night – Mike Trout came up in the bottom of the 8^th inning with two men on and two outs with an opportunity to put the Angels on top in a key game that had the potential of putting the Angels a half game back of the Minnesota Twins who currently hold the second spot in the wild-card play-off chase. 

He hit the ball hard (110 mph, hard) and for a brief moment, we all thought he delivered.  He hit the ball hard all right - right to the second baseman who threw him out at first.

The stage was set for heroics.  He was the one player you most wanted to see in that situation.  It was disappointing.  Thus are the expectations we have on Trout.  What made it worse?  The following inning Justin Upton led off with a monster homerun.  If only…

Sept. 21 Update: Last night, with the Angels trailing by a run - Trout came to bat in the bottom of the 9th, with no one on base and two outs. He struck out to end the game and the Angels failed again to gain ground on Minnesota who had lost earlier in the day.

Mike Trout has deserved every single accolade he has received to date.  In fact, he probably deserves more than he’s received.  In some ways, he vastly under-rated and under-appreciated.  He is truly an amazing; dare I say, once-in-a-lifetime player. What he has done statistically, especially from a sabermetric view is astounding.  The world, err – universe, has never seen someone as truly remarkable as Mike Trout. Ever. 

Years from now – people will talk about Mike Trout’s statistics.  They’ll talk about his remarkable career from a sabermetric point of view.

The question is – will they remember his heroics?  Will there actually be heroics to remember?  Will there be moments; unforgettable moments, when he delivered the big hit, when the stage was the biggest and lights were the brightest?  Will there be memories of him lifting the team up in the hunt for a play-off berth or delivering a monumental moment in the post-season?

I hope so. 

Here’s the thing – the world is full of athletes who have amazing statistics, but aren’t necessarily memorable.  Think Dan Marino.  Think Charles Barkley. 

Fair?

I know, I know… we’ve put expectations on Mike Trout that no mere mortal could possibly live up to.  Then again, he has done super-human things at times.  His physical tools are Marvel-comic like.  He brings baseballs back from places that baseball never come back from.  He beats out grounders that defy physics.  He crushes baseballs the way a robot would crush them.

And yet…

He’s not Superman.  There are some players who you know in your heart and feel in your bones are going to deliver when everything is on the line.  Mike Trout hasn’t become that guy that opposing fans fear when he comes to the plate in a key situation.  He’s not David Ortiz or Reggie Jackson.  He’s not even Vlad Guerrero.

The potential for him to be that guy is there, but it hasn’t shown up on the field just yet. He doesn't have that reputation yet.

Now is the time.  There aren’t many games left in the season and the Angels are on the brink.  The train is teetering on the edge of the cliff.  Will he save us?

Don’t misunderstand me.  There isn’t another player in the universe I would rather have on my favorite team.  There isn’t another player in the galaxy I cheer harder for either.  I expect great things. I want great things.  I want to see Trout’s smile when he lifts a World Series trophy above his head.  I want the world to see how amazing he is and that’s not going to happen when games on the west coast aren’t even being watched on the east coast because of the lateness in the hour.

Baseball is a hard game.  Mike Trout makes it look easy most of the time.  No one is probably better prepared or works harder.  We just need to see all of that pay off now.  Today.  And in the next two weeks and hopefully beyond.

I want to look back and talk about Mike Trout’s heroics and not just his statistical prowess.  Sabermetric greatness doesn't do it for me.  I want memories.  Real life baseball memories.  Post-season memories.  I want Superman-like stuff from Mike Trout when it matters most. 

I know Trout can’t do it alone, but I also know the Angels can’t do it without him. 

He's human. We all understand that. Even still - we expect great things.  He's a once-in-a-generation player.  This is the time he has to shine, step up and do what needs to be done.  We are right to expect this - everything he's done to this point, allows us to have those expectations.  I won't apologize for it. 

The cameras are rolling and our eyes are on you, Mike.  I don’t want to blink and find it’s over.  I want to close my eyes and savor the moment.  

Oh my Josh!

When the news broke about the possibility that the Angels were going to sign Josh Hamilton, I felt excited and nervous at the same time.  Excited that one of the best hitters in baseball might be coming to Anaheim and concerned about the cost that might come with such a signing.  I know most fans don’t consider the cost, but I’m not most fans….

It didn’t take long for us to learn that the Angels would be signing Hamilton for five years and $125 million.  Two more years than any other team would reportedly go for.

It was at this point that it was time to take a deep breath.

If I’m eight years old, I’m jumping for joy and saying “We got JOSH HAMILTON!!”  In fact, that’s what most Angel fans are probably doing and rightfully so.  On the other hand, some of us are realizing that Arte Moreno just walked into the big stakes poker room and pushed all his chips in on the table and when that happens – there are only two possible outcomes.  Either, you win big or you lose big.

This is the price of doing business as a big time franchise, with huge expectations and an owner who wants to win at all costs and a fan base that can become disengaged and uninterested if their team isn’t winning.  Having great players like Mike Trout isn’t enough to fill the stands to capacity – for better or worse, it’s all about winning.

Win and the fans keep coming.  Don’t win and you’ll find tickets on StubHub for a $1. 

Like it or not, the Angels are playing “big boy baseball.”  Players like Arte Moreno operate in a different stratosphere.  Teams with revenue streams like the Angels, Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers view the world in a different way.  They’re not interested in waiting for tomorrow if the chance to win today is right in front of them.  They’re willing to gamble on today and if you’re faint of heart that scares the crap out of you.

If you are focused on what might happen four, five, six-plus years from now – you’re going to hate the idea of contracts like those given to Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols.  If you’re focused on the possibility of what might transpire this coming season and the next 2-3 years, you’re smiling like a Cheshire cat.

You see for some fans – there’s no down side to a signing like Josh Hamilton or even Albert Pujols for that matter.  If the Angels become champions, fans will show up to be a part of the party.  If they fail – most of those fans will find other things or even other teams to occupy their time.  The die-hard fans, the ones that live and die with their team will be left to suffer through seasons where aging stars play out the twilight of their careers.

Like I said earlier – it’s all about wining and I’m grateful that my favorite team has a chance to win it all right now.  Winning isn’t easy and even though some teams try to take a short-cut by signing incredible players to unbelievable contracts – nothing is guaranteed.  I know that, you know that and the Angels certainly know that.

So you’re probably thinking - why all the angst, right?  Live for the moment; ride the wave, right?

 I wish it was that easy.  When the Angels signed Vlad Guerrero  in 2004, I was all in; in fact that’s when Cheryl and I bought season tickets.  When they signed Albert Pujols, we had visions of championships like you wouldn’t believe.  In both cases, our expectations weren’t met and we were incredibly disappointed.

When baseball season rolls around – and I’m talking as early as when pitchers and catchers report – Cheryl and I will invest a lot of time and energy to being fans.  We simply hope that investment pays off and that the journey to get there is a lot of fun, filled with incredible memories.  That’s asking a lot, but that’s what it’s all about.

I will admit, when the Dodgers signed Zack Greinke I felt a slight twinge of jealousy.  I knew that feeling of having hope and excitement the Dodgers were feeling.  I had resigned myself to believing the Angels would not be making that kind of splash and that what we had was going to have to be good enough.

The Angels have missed out on some big free agents during the Arte Moreno years.  Names like Paul Konerko, C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Carl Crawford, Carlos Beltran and others slipped away because the price was too high.  Despite that, the Angels managed to stay competitive.  Arte Moreno even started to get the reputation of being somewhat “cheap” and even though that sounds absurd (all things considered) that was the buzz on the message boards and call-in shows. 

It’s amazing how all of that has changed. 

Now, if Arte wants a player – Arte is going to get that player.  Funny, but as a fan – that takes some getting used to.

Well, here we go.  Welcome to Anaheim Josh Hamilton.  Now, get to work and bring us that championship we all want so badly.  Please.  Pretty, please.

The ten greatest Angels of all time

The ten greatest Angels were revealed today as part of the Orange County Register’s (OCR) 50 greatest Angels survey of various panelists including writers from the OCR, administrators from Angel fan sites like AngelsWin and Halos Heaven, Jeff Biggs (radio personality), Tim Mead (Vice President of Communications) and yours truly.

The top ten include: Troy Percival and Rod Carew (tied for 9th), Brian Downing (8), Bobby Grich (7), Chuck Finley (6), Garret Anderson (5), Vladimir Guerrero (4), Jim Fregosi (3), Tim Salmon (2), and the greatest Angel of all – Nolan Ryan.

I can’t say that I’m surprised that Ryan won out and I can certainly see how anyone would have that opinion, but in the case of this poll, Tim Salmon was robbed. Despite receiving more first place votes than any other Angel (5), Tim Salmon came up short due in large part to the voting of the OCR’s Mark Whicker and Bill Plunkett. Whicker’s votes have been all over the place and today’s top ten reveals a lot about his mind set. He voted Salmon 12th. Not only that, he left Brian Downing completely off his list. Hello? Whicker left five of the top ten off his own top ten.

I could go on and on about Whicker, but I’ll save that for another day.

Overall, I really can’t find fault with the top ten and even the top five. My own voting went like this for the top ten: Tim Salmon (1), Nolan Ryan (2), Garret Anderson (3), Chuck Finley (4), Bobby Grich (5), Jim Fregosi (6), Brian Downing (7), Troy Percival (8), Vladimir Guerrero (9) and Frank Tanana (10).

Why Tim Salmon? Ask most Angel fans who they consider “Mr. Angel” and they’ll say Tim Salmon without hesitation. During his time in Anaheim he emerged as the face of the franchise. He was drafted and developed by the Angels and spent his entire career in one uniform. He is among the all-time leaders in most offensive categories and his relationship with the fans was second to none.

In my opinion any of my top three could have been number one. Yes, even Garret Anderson because it is he who owns most of the Angels all-time offensive records. Had he finished his career as an Angel, I would have had to give him even more consideration for that top spot. The one drawback with Anderson is the relationship he had with the fans which was never what it could have been.

For whatever reason and whether you believe it to be true or just perceived, Anderson was never fully embraced. I can tell you from my own personal experience that he never seemed approachable or friendly whenever he was around fans. At spring training he would walk past fans hoping for a signature or photograph without as much as a wave. On photo days at the stadium, he would stand as far away as possible. He just never took the time to interact with fans.

Salmon was the polar opposite. He almost always made time for the fans and the media. He took less money to play for the organization that gave him his shot. He was highly involved in the community and was just an excellent all-around role model.

I feel really proud of my top ten. Two of us – myself and Jenelyn Russo, who is a contributor to the OCR’s Angel blog, had nine of the top ten on our ballots.

Some other interesting things about the list show that I voted higher for Troy Percival than anyone else (8) and my bias as a Grich fan was also evident. Russo and myself voted him 5th, higher than the rest of the panelists.

I also placed Finley higher than all but Halos Heaven’s Mat Gleason by ranking him 4th. Finley has won more games than any pitcher in Angels' history (165), is second in strike outs (2,151), has pitched more innings than any other Angel (2,675), and ranks 4th in complete games (57).

All in all, it was a fun exercise and one that I was honored to be a part of. I’d like to thank Keith Sharon of the OCR for inviting me to participate.

The 2010 Angels Off Season (not suitable for the faint of heart)

Defeat is a bitter pill to swallow. I still have a bad taste in my mouth from the 2005 ALCS loss the Angels suffered to the Chicago White Sox and the 2009 ALCS loss to the New York Yankees. In each case the Angels were so close and yet so far. Sometimes there is a fine line between victory and defeat.

One play can change the momentum and ultimately the outcome of an entire series.

Losing those two series’ hurt more than usual because in each case, the Angels were knocking on the door of another World Series appearance. On top of that the Angels failed to make the play-offs in each of the following seasons.

In 2006 they won a very respectable 89 games, but finished second and not quite good enough for a wild card spot.

They followed up 2009 with a disappointing 80-82 record and a third place finish.

I usually deal with disappointing seasons by looking forward to the next one. My enthusiasm is usually fueled by what takes place in the off season. That didn’t happen in the winter prior to 2010 and it certainly isn’t happening this off season either.

I keep coming back to the statement Arte Moreno made to Bill Plaschke of the LA Times: "We know where our weaknesses are, we know where we are thin, we know where we have to go to market," Moreno said. "It's going to cost money, but our fans need to know what we're committed to winning."

I’m still waiting Arte.

He followed that up (via the LA Times) later on with this: "The fans want a competitive team, a winning team, and I'm committed to doing that, but I have two choices, either take a huge [financial] loss or start raising ticket prices. You look at the economic risk and the franchise risk. The reality is, can I write a check for the player? Yes. But is it smart business in the long term? I don't think so."

Funny, you haven’t raised ticket prices and you haven’t taken a huge financial loss either. You’ve basically done a lot of talking. Well, I’d rather watch a winner than listen to one.

What’s next? Are you going to lower beer prices again? That might buy you some good PR in some circles, but since I don’t drink it doesn’t hold a lot of water with me.

It wouldn’t be so bad if this was the first time things didn’t go our way, but there’s a pattern.

Take 2005 (off season prior to 2006) when Paul Konerko used the Angels to set his price for resigning with the Chicago White Sox. We heard stories that he was shopping for homes in So. Cal and how he liked the idea of being reunited with Mike Scioscia who knew Konerko from his days as a minor league manager in the Dodger organization. When all was said and done, Konerko returned to Chicago and a pattern of falling short had begun.

In 2006 (off season prior to 2007) the Alfonso Soriano sweepstakes even got out of hand. Moreno later admitted "We got so fond of one player, and then the market moved away from us."

While it was a good thing that they didn’t sign Soriano who hasn’t been worth the 8-year, $136 million he signed with Chicago; it also showed how badly an off season can go when you don’t have a viable backup plan. The Angels ended up signing Gary Matthews, Jr., Shea Hillenbrand, and Justin Speier. Good times.

In 2007 the Angels fell short in the Miguel Cabrera trade talks. Remember that? Remember this… "I've felt we had a deal with them twice," Moreno said of the Marlins, who apparently cut bait and decided they needed more in exchange for the 24-year-old slugger.

The Angels front office appeared confused... which has become a common perception. Just saying.

That being said; that was almost a happier time...

During the Cabrera negotiations in 2007 (off season prior to 2008) Moreno was also quoted as saying “"If you're looking at straight budget, we're over budget," Moreno said. "Yeah, I would [lose money] if I need to. It would be short-term. "We did that in '04. We were losing $20 million and people thought I was the stupidest guy on Earth when I signed all those guys (Bartolo Colon, Orlando Cabrera, extending Vladimir Guerrero). You have to believe long-term it's going to be a good investment. We felt we needed to step to the next level."

That was then, this is now.

Arte has been living off lowering beer prices and the signings he made in 2004 for quite a while now. He made a little splash with the Torii Hunter signing in 2008, but there have been plenty of times when Moreno and his GM’s (Tony Reagins and Bill Stoneman before him) were left at the negotiating table wondering what just happened.

It happened again in the off season prior to 2009 when Mark Teixeira and his agent Scott Boras left the Angels high and dry. Moreno went to $160 million, but came up $20 million short. Stories leaked out about how frustrated and angry Moreno was with Boras and the process. Once again, the perception that the front office operated in a state of frustration/confusion surfaced again.

Time after time, Moreno and whoever the GM at the time happened to be were left behind and seemingly stunned by what happened. You’d think they’d learn from past experiences. After all, they have plenty of experience in this arena….

Let’s recap how the Angels did in achieving the #1 goal in each off season (years are listed for the season in which they played on the teams they signed with).

2004: Angels sign Vladimir Guerrero. Some claim this deal fell in the Angels lap after the Dodgers failed to get the deal done.

2005: Carlos Beltran signed with the Mets (Angels sign Steve Finley and Orlando Cabrera). Finley was a great back up plan wans't he? *cough*

2006: Paul Konerko resigns with the White Sox. (Angels fail to sign any significant free agents).

2007: Alfonso Soriano signs with the Cubs (Thankfully). (Then again, Angels ended up with GMJ)...

2008: Miguel Cabrera traded to the Tigers (from Florida Marlins). (Angels sign Torii Hunter - a move made necessary by the poor 2007 signing of GMJ).

2009: Mark Teixeira signs with the Yankees (Angels sign Bobby Abreu and Brian Fuentes).

2010: John Lackey signs with the Red Sox (Angels sign Hideki Matsui, Joel Pineiro and Fernando Rodney. Angels also lost Chone Figgins and Vladimir Guerrero to free agency, but they weren't part of the team's plans).

2011: Carl Crawford signs with the Red Sox and Adrian Beltre signs with the Rangers. (Angels? Well, we're still waiting)...

So… basically, the Angels signed/acquired their top priority in only two out of the last seven off seasons; which means they're hitting .285. Woo-hoo.

Let’s not forget the Angels also signed Steve Finley for 2005, Jeff Weaver for 2006, and just because I can’t mention it enough – GMJ for 2007. Oh the memories.

To be fair, the Angels have made some good trades over the past few years acquiring Dan Haren and Mark Teixeira. They also Acquired Maicer Izturis and Juan Rivera for Jose Guillen prior to 2005 and that proved to be a good move as well. Then there’s the deal for Scott Kazmir, which may work out… right? Anyone? Anyone? I would even say that signing Matt Palmer in 2009 was a nice little move.

Now, I know that no front office is perfect. Every team makes good and bad moves. I just happen to be of the opinion that the Angels front office isn’t performing at the level we expect. I also know they’ll ultimately be judged by the product on the field. I really and truly appreciate all that happened between 2002 and 2009.

I freely admit that until last season, Angel fans didn’t have much to complain about (even 2003 was acceptable because we were all still giddy about 2002), but that’s all changed in a big way. Our confidence in the front office has been shaken; in fact, it's been rocked like an earthquake.

There's a perception that has developed over time that Reagins and Moreno are stubborn, inflexible, ego-driven and hard to deal with. Wait, there's more... at times they appear to be baseball's versioin of the Keystone Cops (chasing free agents they can't catch) and to make matters worse, they make statements that are incredibly funny - even if they're not meant to be.

Once the darlings of baseball; the media and the blogosphere is now pounding Arte Moreno and Tony Reagins and rightfully so.

What are they saying? Let's take a look...

Danny Knobler (CBS Sports): “So Adrian Beltre is headed for Texas. Anyone want to hear what Arte Moreno has to say now?”

“I don't.”

“It doesn't matter, because now not only have the Angels shown they're not prepared to compete financially with the big boys, but they've shown they can't even compete financially with the big boys in their own division.”

“There's still more than a month to go to spring training, which means that theoretically there's still time for the Angels to salvage their winter. But while there's still time, the shelves are now bare.”

Tom Krasovic (Fanhouse): “Even if they were shopping in a sellers' market, this seemed like the offseason for the Angels to gulp and commit the biggest contract in Angels history. Their farm system isn't as good as the Texas farm system and may not be as good as the Oakland farm system. On the trade market, the Angels are known for being overly rigid. All the more reason to go after Carl Crawford hard and fast.”

Also from his column: "If they're being scared off from premium players in the market, they're in big trouble," said the AL executive. "They don't have a lot of talent coming up. They are known for being difficult to trade with. They are going to have to spend wisely in free agent to make up that difference, but that's getting harder and harder to do with what's out there."

Jon Morosi (Fox Sports): “The Angels can be excused for not lavishing $142 million on Crawford. This is different. The price for Beltre was nearly $50 million less. The fit was even better. I’m beginning to wonder if O.C. stands for Oddly Comatose.”

"The Angels must put together a more potent lineup than they did last year, when they barely produced more runs than the Kansas City Royals. Morales will help, but he can’t do it alone. And I doubt general manager Tony Reagins is enamored with the external options at third base. The remaining free agents are unexciting, and the trade market features . . . well . . . Michael Young."
Jon Heyman (Sports Illustrated): “There's still plenty of shopping for several teams to do, and not just for the Angels, who have taken the collar so far this winter and are up to plan D. Or is it plan G or even plan M?”

“Whatever it is, it doesn't look like they've had their heads in the game this entire winter.”

“They claim not to have made any offer at all to top target Carl Crawford, disputing reports they offered an absurdly low $108 million for six years and other reports they were prepared to go to $140 million or more, if only they'd gotten their act together in time. They did offer Adrian Beltre $70 million over five years, and apparently they set a short three-day deadline that wasn't taken very seriously. "I don't understand their ultimatum strategy,'' one competing executive said.”

David Saltzer (AngelsWin): “As a fan, I cannot recall ever being this frustrated and disappointed in the team as I have been this year. While losing Nolan Ryan may have been the worst offseason decision ever, and losing Wally Joyner hurt more, both of those off seasons pale in comparison to 2011.”

blithescribe (MLB blogs): "So Adrian Beltre is a Ranger and the Angels missed the boat again. I understand that the free agent market got outrageously expensive again this year. Under normal circumstances, I think sticking to one's principals is laudable but, right now, claiming to stick to their principals just looks like the Angels front office is making a piss poor excuse for terrible performance. We didn't strike out this off season, we barely even bothered to step up to the plate."

I'd say the natives are restless. I wonder how Arte is sleeping these days? I've said it before and I'll say it agin... time to get to work.

Happy Deja-vu Year!

The Angels went into this off season with huge needs on offense. I’m talking about holes big enough to drive a truck through. They had to find an impact bat and a leadoff hitter. They also needed to upgrade the defense (to put it mildly) in the outfield; hopefully with players that would address those offensive needs at the same time.

Arte Moreno knew it. Mike Scioscia said it. Tony Reagins just hasn’t done it.

As we enter 2011 it sure feels like 2010 all over again. I really had hoped to start the New Year with something other than a rant, but when I read that the Texas Rangers are on the verge of signing Adrian Beltre to a contract, I don’t feel like doing much else; unless you count screaming.

That being said, the Angels are in a no-win situation. If they don’t sign Beltre, they’re going to be hammered by the media and their fans... If they sign him to the ridiculous contract the Rangers are rumored to be proposing (6 years and $96 million), they’ll get hammered.

Let’s not forget how many experts, analysts and pundits predicted the Angels would be the favorites for Crawford, Beltre and even Rafael Soriano. Let’s not forget how often those experts are wrong in their predictions and how often I like to remind readers of that.

Reagins is in a tough spot, but that’s the kind of thing that comes with the job of a GM. After the 2009 season ended, the Angels lost a middle of the lineup hitter in Vladimir Guerrero (even though he struggled in 2009) and a lead-off hitter in Chone Figgins. How did they respond? They found a stop gap in Hideki Matsui and misjudged Erick Aybar’s abilities.

2010 has come and gone and the Angels find them back in the same position. This is unacceptable. Okay, Crawford wanted to go to Boston and Beltre apparently wants to simply go to the highest bidder. I get t hat. I understand that.

That doesn’t excuse the fact that Reagins has yet to do anything to improve the offense. At this point in time – it’s looking like the Angels will have to find some stop gaps for yet another season. It’s looking like Scott Podsedik and fill-in-the-blank might be the best option. There’s even talk of the Angels bringing Vlad Guerrero back.

While the idea of Vlad back in Anaheim might have some PR appeal, it makes absolutely no practical sense. The Angels have three DH’s in Bobby Abreu, Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera who are cleverly disguised as position players when in reality they’re little more than DH’s. Even staying at a Holiday Inn Express isn’t going to improve their defense any time soon.

What happens after this season? Well, let’s just say that unless you think the Angels can sign either Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder, things don’t look great. The free agent class of 2012 is not impressive.

Mean while, the window is closing for the Angels. Torii Hunter is not getting any younger and Jered Weaver and Kendry Morales are not too far removed from free agency. The time to improve the offense is now. Why now? Because a solid offense matched with the current pitching staff could be a dynamic combo.

If we have to sit through another season where the offense is dependent on “frenzy” hitting and not the long ball or at least doubles into the gap, it’s going to be a long one. A lack of offense puts pressure on the pitchers. That didn’t work out so well last season.

Again, the Angels are in a tough spot; more specifically, Tony Reagins is in a tough spot. He has a farm system that needs to provide depth and right now that system only has a hand full of top level prospects. Trading any of them would be detrimental to the long-term health of the organization. The free agent pool is dwindling and time is running out.

It’s time for some big boy moves. It’s time for some real strategic thinking and creativity. Is Reagins up to the challenge? I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

Note to TR and Arte: Things look bad. Fix it. And while you’re at it, please don’t show us any fancy dance moves… where you dance around the issues with some cockamamie speech about how getting Kendry Morales back and a full season of Dan Haren is all the team needs. You can’t really sell that with a straight face, so don’t’ even try.

And just so I can feel a little better about my post today – I have a few things to say about Adrian Beltre.

Adrian – you’d be a great fit in Anaheim, but if you really want to come back to So. Cal then the ball’s in your court. If you don’t want to come and play in Anaheim for five years and $70 million – which is a very fair offer, you’re a fool. Yeah, I said it; a fool. You can sweat your brains out playing next to Ian Kinsler in that Texas heat for all I care. If you don’t want to be here, we don’t want you. Have fun playing in front a half empty stadium in the sweltering heat.

Evidence that the Loch Ness Monster is real?

I never thought I’d see this day. I mean seriously; there are a lot of things I thought I’d see before I ever saw the Texas Rangers in the World Series. Things like men landing on Mars or real life video of the Loch Ness Monster seemed much more likely.

I have to tell you. As great a story at this Rangers team might be, I am having a hard time with it. If you’re one of those Angel fans who are happy for Vladimir Guerrero, well then – you’re just a better person than I am. The idea that Vlad could get a World Series ring in Texas after six years without one in Anaheim just isn’t sitting well with me. Call me selfish; call me a jerk; whatever. The idea that it’s even possible for him to win in another uniform is just downright depressing.

Suffice it to say, I’ll be cheering for the Giants.

I admit, it will be hard to root against Bengie Molina, but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. Let’s face it, I have had to endure way too many Yankee and Red Sox titles lately and even though those are tough to swallow, it’s something I’m familiar with. This whole Rangers in the World Series thing is another matter. It just leaves a sour feeling in my stomach.

I will say this about the Rangers. There’s a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing that Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira had to watch the Rangers celebrate their ALCS win. I mean, I’m sure both guys never thought they’d see the day when the Rangers would do something like that. Every time I think about that, I have to smile. Come on, it has to make you smile too doesn’t it? Here are two guys who left Texas for what they thought was a sure thing (getting to the World Series multiple times) in the Yankees only to lose to them when most people thought that just couldn’t happen. It’s just beautiful and I thank the Rangers for giving me that.

Now, I’m sure if I let myself, I’d find a lot of reasons to root for the Rangers; however, I just can’t go there. You see there are a lot of other things that really bug me about the Rangers.

First of all, what’s the deal with having red uniforms? It’s bad enough that you have a lot of ex-Angels are on your team, but stealing the team colors too? Then there’s the whole disliking Ian Kinsler thing and well, let’s just stop with that. I’d rather not focus too much on the negative today. Let’s just say it’s just easier and a lot less painful to cheer for the Giants.

Speaking of the Giants; one thing I really appreciate about them is that they’re not hung up on contracts. Barry Zito has a $126 million contract and he was left off the post-season roster. Aaron Rowand is in the third year of a five year, $60 million contract and he’s spending quite a bit of time on the bench.

The Giants are clearly about putting the best players on the field and that’s not necessarily something team’s do. I applaud them for that. I’m thinking about Scott Kazmir. Catch my drift Angel fans?

I’m also enjoying the fact that Jose Guillen hasn’t been on the post season roster either. If he was, I’d have a hard time watching the World Series all-together.

Also - I’m really liking the “cast off” image of the team. Guys like Pat Burrell and Cody Ross are good stories. One minute they’re out of baseball and the next they’re on the game’s biggest stage making huge contributions.

Other observations, thoughts and ramblings…

I’m happy that Bengie Molina will get a ring and a nice bonus regardless of which team wins it all. Steve Henson of Yahoo Sports points out that his time with both the Giants and Rangers is going to pay off big time. The Giants voted Molina a full share before the play-offs rolled around.

I loved the way the ALCS ended with Alex Rodriguez looking at strike 3 for the final out of the game. I don’t know what it is about A-Rod but most of my memories of him in the post season over his career are of him leaving his bat on his shoulder for better or worse. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d much rather see a guy try to put the ball in play than just stand there looking for a walk.

On the other hand, I didn’t like the way the NLCS ended because a guy like Ryan Howard should be trying to make something happen instead of watching it happen.

I wonder how much Cliff Lee is going to be offered this off season. I’m guessing the Yankees will offer him all of Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and all the Coney Island hot dogs he can eat. I’m hoping he ends up some place other than New York and/or Texas.

This post season has really provided us with some stud pitching. Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Tim Lincecum, Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia are as good as there are in baseball. They might be the five best pitchers in baseball not named Felix Hernandez. Remember when Josh Beckett was in their class?

I’ve been trying to look up the pre-season predictions from all the experts to see how many of them had the Giants and Rangers in the World Series.

I started looking last week.

I’m still searching.

ESPN? Nope. Fox Sports? Nada. Sports Illustrated? Negative. This could take a while.

It has to be out there; somewhere, right? Then again...

Isn't baseball great?

Last, but not least – check out Bengie Molina’s blog “Behind the Mask” as he details his emotions of winning the American League and going against his former team.

The view from down low

Last night was indicative of the Angels’ season. It’s not just that they lost, it’s about how they lost. They lost because their defense failed to execute and the result of that poor effort was two unearned runs and 2-1 Rangers victory.

The last two nights Cheryl and I decided to get some tickets down on the field level and we sat 20 rows behind the Angels dugout on Tuesday and 12 rows behind it on Wednesday.

What did we see?

Let’s start with Tuesday night. Ervin Santana was magnificent. He held the Rangers in check all night long on his way to a complete game shut out. I don’t know about you, but anytime the Angels shut out the Rangers, it makes me smile and Santana’s win was reminiscent of his division clinching performance last year against this same team.

Thank you Ervin and congratulations on your career high 17th win. You guaranteed us not having to see the Rangers eliminate the Angels from the pennant race on our home field. I know it’s a small victory, but I’ll take it. I would not have been able to stomach Ian Kinsler popping champagne in our house.

As great as Ervin was, the highlight of the evening was watching Hank Conger. I can’t wait for the day when he’s the every day catcher and Jeff Mathis is a distant memory. Granted, I’ll probably have nightmares about Mathis for the rest of my life, but as long as I’m able to wake up in a world where Conger is the catcher, I’ll deal with it.

Watching Conger motor around the bases on his triple was just fun to watch. The kid is a beast and I mean that in the best way. He’s going to hit a ton once he gets comfortable and he gives all Angel fans something to look forward to.

I have to tell you it’s still strange seeing Vladimir Guerrero, Darren Oliver and Bengie Molina in opposing team colors. Of the three, I miss Molina the most. He’s easily one of my all-time favorites. When he was an Angel I had tremendous confidence in him every time he came to bat in key situations. He was the anti-Mathis in that he was extremely clutch.

In any case, it was a quick night. The game only lasted two hours and twelve minutes. Wouldn’t you know it, given our great seats. Oh well, we were grateful never-the-less given our late night adventure in Rancho Cucamonga the night before.

Wednesday night was down right frustrating. Cheryl and I got a bird’s eye view of Frandsen’s throw that went sailing into right field. It wasn’t even close. Let’s just be clear about Frandsen. He is not now; not has he ever been; nor will he ever be a quality third baseman. Let’s stop trying to make him into something he doesn’t have the capacity to accomplish.

In his brief stint at the major league level this year, I’m sure he has cost the Angels 3 or 4 games with his poor defense.

And then there’s Jeff Mathis. Maybe I should stop here before I say something I may regret. Nah, that wouldn’t be my style. I guess I'll try to temper my thoughts as much as possible.

The passed ball that cost the Angels the win was his sixth of the year. Now, you might think six passed balls is a lot, but think about this; there are 18 catchers with at least six passed balls. Of that group only four have caught fewer innings than he has, but none of them are being touted by their manager as being some sort of defensive genius.

His fielding percentage of .985 ranks as the 98th worst in major league baseball among all catchers. His seven errors ranks as 8th most even though he’s caught 100 less innings than the closest player above him with more errors. Imagine what kind of stats he’d have if he actually played more.

I’m as done with Jeff Mathis as anyone can possibly be. He has caused me more angst than Steve Finley, Shea Hillenbrand and Jeff Weaver combined and that’s saying something.

Speaking of angst, watching Juan Rivera up close the way we did made me appreciate how truly slow he really is. Watching him mosey in from right field after every inning was almost comical. I’m positive Bengie Molina could dust him in a foot race.

I will say this about good ol’ Tub of Goo though – he did get on base four times. He had two singles and two walks. The funny thing about the eight hits the Angels did get last night is that they all came at the hands of just four players, each of whom had two hits (Mike Napoli, Howie Kendrick, Rivera and Reggie Willits).

Did I mention Mathis was 0-4? Did I mention that he’s now hitting .189? Yes, I know Brandon Wood is just as bad this year, if not worse, but Mathis is in his sixth season. But, I digress…

Dan Haren Struggled. He threw 114 pitches over seven innings, but to his credit he battled and gave his team a chance to win.

Torii Hunter looks worn out. He left three men on base and even hit into an inning ending double play just when it looked like the Angels might make a game of it.

Jordan Walden hit 100 mph last night in route to a 1-2-3 8th and the rest of the bull pen did a fine job with the possible exception of Matt Palmer who took the loss with help from Mathis.

Before I stop writing about Jeff Mathis, I have to tell you that I had a revelation today. I think I might have figured out why Scioscia continues to play him despite all the evidence against that idea.

Scioscia is the pitch man for Howard’s Appliances. Howard’s sells TV’s. When people watch Jeff Mathis on television, they’re apt to get so disgusted that they’ll throw things at their sets. Think about it. They break their TV’s and have to replace them. Where do they go? They go to Howard’s. It’s a brilliant idea, don’t you think? That has to be the explanation.

Speaking of things I’m trying to figure out…

Kevin Jepsen(much to my surprise) looked good last night (1 inning, no hits, 2 K’s). That being said, I’m not sure how he was anointed as the set up man. He scares the crap out of me. I’m so used to him putting two or thee men on base every time he comes into the game that when he doesn’t I’m stunned. Scioscia’s loyalty towards him is almost Mathis-esque. That 1.43 WHIIP is alarming His walk rate per nine innings is up from 3.13 in 2009 to 4.70 in 2010. On the positive side, he is striking more people out, but the big concern is his control.

One last thing, we noticed that Scot Shields wasn’t in the bull pen at all during the game and he was hanging out in the dugout instead. Is he done? I mean, many of us have assumed that’s he’s done “stuff” wise, but is he physically done? In some ways this is kind of sad, if true because he’s the last remaining player linked to the 2002 World Series team.

And on that note, I’ll just say that all in all it was an enjoyable two nights down on the field level. This weekend we’ll be back in our regular seats.

Below are a few more photos from the game on Tuesday; including Mike Napoli going yard, Bobby Abreu having some fun, Jordan Walden throwing some heat and Hank Conger warming up.

Well, how did we get here?

There’s a song by the musical rock group Talking Heads that starts out like this…

You may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
You may find yourself in another part of the world
You may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
You may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
You may ask yourself: well... how did I get here?

Well, I imagine there’s been many a morning this season when the Angels woke up wondering to themselves; well - how did we get here?

Fear not, I have the answers.

When the 2009 season ended, the Angels were two games away from going to the World Series. A couple of breaks here or there and the Angels might have found their way to their second world championship. Today they find themselves on the verge of being mathematically eliminated (the elimination number is 4) from the Western Division title discussion.

It seemed logical that this team would be back to make another run at a title even with the pending free agency of five key players.

We knew that Vladimir Guerrero, John Lackey, Chone Figgins, Bobby Abreu and Darren Oliver would be free agents and we knew the likelihood of the Angels retaining all five would be highly unlikely. Most assumed they would keep some of them and everyone from radio talk show hosts to the fans themselves talked about how important last year’s off season would be.

Funny that a year later, the upcoming Hot Stove season is viewed (once again) as possibly THE most important off season for the Angels in recent history. Again, how did we get here?

As four of the players( who were all corner stones of the team) found their way out the door, it became apparent that the Angels would have to adjust and regroup. As we look back at that time – I think we can say the Angels made a reasonable attempt to do the right thing in some cases and totally missed the boat on others.

One of the first mistakes the organization made in my opinion was handing Bobby Abreu and two year contract at $9 million per with an option for a third year. Abreu signed that deal on November 5, 2009 which was quite early in the Hot Stove Season.

Abreu had a fabulous 2009 season, but let’s keep in mind that he had something to prove last year. Players often play above and beyond expectations when they’re auditioning for a new contract. Besides, he’s older than Yoda and regression is a way of life even for a Jedi Warrior.

That contract might not have been so bad had Abreu been penciled in as the every day DH to take over the role that belonged to Vlad Guerrero. However, that didn’t’ end up being the case – instead, he would continue in his role as the every day right fielder. That should have been the first clue that this team was in trouble.

Abreu is a player of diminishing defensive skills (to put it kindly). Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe he ever had any defensive skills what-so-ever. Sometimes it’s as if he’s running on ice and to make matters worse, he extends his glove like he’s hailing a cab. Not the best technique when trying to snare line drives and fly balls. He runs bad routes and looks like a guy who couldn’t pass a sobriety test.

To make matters worse, this year he became a player of diminishing offensive skills as well. Anyone who believed Abreu would continue to hit the way he did in 2009 for another year, let alone two or three had to be somewhat delusional. Abreu is currently hitting 38 points below his 2009 average of .293 and 32 points lower than his 2009 OPS of .825.

To be fair Abreu’s decline was somewhat predictable; however, no one anticipated him falling as much as he did. FanGraphs projected him at .289 with a .816 OPS.

With one of the five signed, Angel fans waited to see what would happen next.

The first domino from the 2009 roster to fall was Chone Figgins who signed a 4 year $36 million deal with Seattle Marines on December 8, 2009. Figgy cashed in on a pretty good 2009 campaign. It appears the Marines are fond of third basemen coming off career years and then signing them to large contracts (see Adrian Beltre).

The Angels unwillingness to match Figgy’s salary demands seem to pave the way for Brandon Wood to take over at third base. Besides, Angel fans had grown weary over Figgy’s post season numbers (which were horrible) and most were willing to see him walk away; especially for the price the Mariners paid.

In stepped Brandon Wood. Now, mention Brandon Wood to most Angel fans and you’re likely to get an ear full. You’ll get the full range of emotions on that topic. Everything from anger to frustration to hysterical laughter is the norm when talking about Wood.

All that being said, the idea of putting Wood in as the every day third baseman made all the sense in the world. He had nothing left to prove at the minor league level. He was also joining a lineup where he would hit last and the expectations weren’t exactly sky high. FanGraphs seemed to project reasonable numbers. CHONE and ZIPS both predicted 20 homeruns and a batting average around .245.

Well, we all know what happened there. Wood’s failure was monumental. Matthew Pouliot of HardballTalk talked about how Wood’s 2010 performance could end up ranking as the lowest of any player in the expansion era.

I don’t think anyone saw that coming. Sure, some Angel fans will tell you they did, but the reality of it all is no one saw Wood failing to catastrophic levels. No one.

On December 14, 2009 the Angels signed Hideki Matsui for $6.5 million. It was a very significant day in the history of Angels baseball in that it spelled the end of Vlad Guerrero’s six years in Anaheim.

Guerrero signed a one year deal with the Texas Rangers for $9 million plus a one year mutual option on January 11, 2010.

Message boards and sports talk shows have had their hands full with this one. Matsui was coming off an MVP performance in the 2009 World Series. Vlad was coming off his worst season since becoming a full time player in 1998. There was talk that his bat speed was slowing down and that his knees and body was giving out.

It made perfect sense to let him walk. Only those with an emotional attachment to Vlad questioned the move. The logic to say so long was overwhelming.

Well, logic doesn’t always factor into the real world (a topic for another day).

The late Rory Markas once tabbed Vlady a “Proud Warrior.” And apparently, Markas’ insight into Vlad’s character was dead on. Vlad is having what will likely earn him “Come back player of the year” honors this season.

He’s slowed a bit in the second half; however, even though his OPS dipped to .622 in July after being as high as 1.049 in June) he is finding his groove once again down the stretch with a .897 OPS in September (through 16 games).

Did the Angels let Vlad walk too soon? That does appear to be the case; never-the-less, the move made sense at the time and I can’t fault the Angels for going down this road. Despite his strong year, I don’t think Guerrero would have made enough of a difference for the Angels this year. Heck, Albert Pujols may not have even made a difference.

Matsui has been an acceptable DH for the most part, but his addition to a lineup that included players as un-athletic as Abreu and Juan Rivera was problematic. I made my concerns known back in December (twice) about both the possibility of adding Matsui and again when it became a reality.

I didn’t like the idea of adding any old, slow moving players. That being said, if you look at the Vlad/Matsui situation objectively I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe the Angels did “ok” here even though Vlad gets an edge offensively.

In fact, when Matsui is set loose this off season – it will be hard to replace his offensive production. The 20 homeruns and 79 RBI he has so far will be missed and the Angels will need to make up that offensive production some how.

Moving on…

December 16, 2009 will forever be remembered as the day John Lackey became dead to me. It’s the day Lackey signed a 5 year, $82.5 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.

John Lackey was on his way to becoming one of my all-time favorites, but all that went out the window the day he signed with the one team that has been the most responsible for Angel fans’ post-season misery.

As bad as this loss seemed at that time, I have to say it is another situation where I don’t blame the Angels one bit for letting Lackey walk. $82.5 million? Really? I think it’s important to note that Lackey has a 4.63 ERA with the Red Sox; that’s his highest ERA since 2004. He doesn’t have any complete games this year, and his strikes outs per nine innings is the lowest it has been since 2002. On top of all that, Lackey has given up 219 hits this season; tied for the second most in baseball.

The list of career lows (I only scratched the surface above) for Lackey is significant. Lackey will be 32 in October and it appears that he’s on the downside of his career. He is not going be worth any where near $82.5 million over the lifetime of his contract.

So… if you’re one of those Angel fans who love to criticize the Angels for letting Lackey walk – I have three words for you: get over it. Be glad Lackey has moved on. End of story.

If you want to be upset about an Angel pitcher getting away – be upset about Darren Oliver. Oliver signed with the Texas Rangers on December 22, 2009 for $3.5 million plus a one year option. He signed for less money than he made in 2009 ($3.66 million). The fact that the Angels didn’t offer him arbitration and let him get away is inexcusable to me.

Think about the woes the Angels bull pen has had this year. Take two aspirin (okay maybe 3) and then think about the impact Oliver could have had if he remained an Angel. It’s a head scratcher. I believe the Angels didn’t offer Oliver arbitration because they knew he’d get a substantial raise and they were overconfident in their abilities to resign him for less.

I’m amazed more fans aren’t upset about this move (I was livid). Perhaps the reason Angel fans didn’t complain about the loss of Oliver is because two days after the Rangers signed Oliver, the Angels signed Fernando Rodney to a 2 year, $11 million contract.

Many saw this as move that would strengthen the bull pen. On the surface of things it looked like it might be a good deal. Here was a guy with a power arm (something Scioscia covets) and he was coming off a season where he had saved 37 of 38 games. He looked like an insurance policy for Brian Fuentes and at the very least a solid set up man.

However, a deeper look reveals some interesting statistics about the man who likes to wear his hat a little cockeyed. Rodney’s strike our rate per nine innings was 7.26 in 2009 after being as high as 13.5 in 2007 and 10.93 in 2008. His K rate this year? An even lower 6.97. It appears he’s fooling fewer and fewer batter these days.

I actually voiced my concerns prior to his signing back in December.

Rodney hasn’t done much to alleviate those concerns the thought of Rodney as the closer next season is enough to make Angel fans fall on their knees and beg for the return of Brian Fuentes. Given my opinions about closers, I’m not quite as concerned – but will admit those thoughts are changing every time he steps on the mound.

When the new year finally rolled around (and fans like myself were counting the days until spring training), the Angels had yet to replace Lackey, replaced Oliver with Rodney and Vlad with Matsui.

There were still holes to fill and questions to be answered. Some of that became clearer on January 5, 2010…

The idea that Wood would be taking over at third base became more apparent when the Red Sox signed Adrian Beltre that day. January 5th also saw the Mets sign Jason Bay to a 4 year, $66 million contract. And then on January 10, 2010 Matt Holliday signed a whopper of a deal with St. Louis (7 years, $120 million). Just like that, all the “big bats” were off the board. And let's not forget Vlad signed with Texas on January 11.

Whatever plans the Angels might have had to add more offense (a need that seems to come up year after year) all but evaporated. You might have asked yourself… Should the Angels have gone after Beltre, Bay or Holliday?

Holliday has had a pretty solid season, but not one that’s necessarily worth the $17 million he’s earning this year. Then again, the same might be said of Torii Hunter’s season and his $18 million contract. No doubt Holliday’s bat would have been a nice addition, but the cost would have been too high and the commitment too long.

I’d say the Angels did the right thing in not topping the Cardinals offer to Holliday and Jason Bay hasn’t exactly panned out for the Mets. Even before his concussion, he wasn’t hitting anywhere near what he had done over the course of his career.

As for Beltre, he has had a solid season; but the question with Beltre is always about his consistency. It appears that he shines brightest in contract years and guess what? That’s right – Beltre is auditioning for a big pay day. That being said, Beltre may be an interesting discussion yet again in 2011.

Here’s what we know… Beltre is a plus defender (something Scioscia also covets) and he did manage to hit at least 25 homeruns a season for three of his last four years in Seattle. At 31 years of age, he has the ability to be among the top five third basemen in the game, but he also has the potential to be a huge disappointment and grossly over paid. Also - his agent is Scott Boras, who probably isn’t on Arte Moreno’s Christmas card list.

The popular thought on Beltre seems to be to take a pass, but when I look at the landscape of who’s available to play third base I might be inclined to roll the dice on Beltre. Add the ongoing dilemma with Brandon Wood and the prospect of a mediocre Alberto Callaspo at third and Beltre doesn’t look so bad.

I don’t necessarily expect Beltre to repeat what he’s doing this season for Boston, but he is worthy of a discussion at the very least. In any case – I can’t fault the Angels for passing on Beltre last year. However, this next year, I may feel differently if they do that again.

On January 22, 2010, Christmas came late for the Angels. First, they managed to trade Gary Matthews, Jr. to the New York Mets. It didn’t matter much as to whom or what they got in return as most people viewed moving GMJ as addition by subtraction.

Turns out the Angels actually able to get something when they acquired Brian Stokes. Stokes had a solid 2009 season and was yet another power arm for the Angels pen. The move looked brilliant. Yes, I said “brilliant” – remember we’re talking GMJ.

Stokes didn’t pan out and ultimately was released, but even still not having Matthews on the roster was a plus all the way around.

January 22 was also the day the Angels inked Joel Pineiro to a two year, $16 million contract. It was a move that some applauded as being one of the best of the Hot Stove season. I was a little skeptical, when it happened but gradually came around to thinking it would be a solid move.

Pineiro has actually been one of the bright spots of the season even despite his time on the disabled list. While Pineiro’s ERA climbed a tad in 2010 (something we all expected), his strike outs per nine innings actually went up from 4.42 in 2009 to 5.70 this season. A nice trend.

Last, but not least on January 25 the Angels signed Maicer Izturis to a three year, $10 million deal. It was a deal they didn’t have to do, but wanted to because of how much Izturis has meant to the local doctors and how much money they can make off him. I’m kidding of course. Fact is Izturis is a nice piece, but whenever he’s counted on to make a regular contribution, he breaks down like a Ford (which is an acronym for Found On Road Dead or Fix Or Repair Daily).

I mean isn’t Izturis the kind of guy you sell to someone else? Or does baseball have some sort of lemon law? Whatever. The moves basically ended with his signing an extension.

And there you have it; the off season in a nut shell. The bottom line is that when I look at the moves that were made and those that weren’t, I am not certain there was anything the Angels front office could have done differently; at least not from a free agency stand point.

Now, that doesn’t mean they get a free pass either. They could have been more creative about the off season and explored possible trade partners, but that didn’t happen. They could have reacted quicker when Kendry Morales went down and when Brandon Wood didn’t pan out.

It’s easy to second guess at this point and I’m not really here to do that (you believe me don’t you?). I thought that putting the whole picture in perspective was warranted at this time. Many of the things I’ve written about here have been discussed; however, only in pieces. When you look at the big picture; it seems this season was somewhat predictable.

Now I know there are some fans out there who simply say the Angels lost too much and let too many good players walk away (an annoying and somewhat ignorant analysis). A closer look (like what we just did here) really shines a different light on the whole situation.

Now – this coming off season is definitely critical. I’m hoping the Angels get back to their winning ways and then we’ll sing that Talking Heads song with more emphasis on the lines “same as it ever was… same as it ever was.”

Hopefully, we won’t be singing…

You may ask yourself
What is that beautiful house?
You may ask yourself
Where does that highway lead to?
You may ask yourself
Am I right? Am I wrong?
You may say to yourself
My God!... what have I done?

I know this is a bit strange.. but I can imagine Tony Reagins peforming this song:

Things that make you go hmmm

I’ll be honest with you. I really thought Vladimir Guerrero was done. Nothing I had seen in the last two years made me believe he would ever be the kind of player he once was. You know the kind of guy who could single handedly demolish an opposing team. The kind of guy who makes you go “wow” when he connects squarely with a pitch.

Boy was I wrong. In fact, I couldn’t have been more wrong. More importantly – the Angels front office guessed wrong too. Branch Rickey, the late legendary baseball executive once said, “It’s better to trade a guy a year too early than a year too late.” Mind you he said that before there was this thing called free-agency, but I’m guessing he’d have applied that theory to free agents as well.

Rickey was widely considered to be an innovator in his day. He was the man who signed Jackie Robinson and drafted Roberto Clemente. He’s credited as being the man who developed the frame work for the minor league system and is considered one of the greatest baseball executives in the history of baseball. One should take what he has to say pretty seriously.

That being said, the Angels clearly let Vlad walk at least a year too early and even if Rickey’s advice is correct, it doesn't make me feel any better the morning after Vlady basically demolished the Angels by himself.

Imagine how Tony Reagins feels. I wonder if he got any sleep last night.

You know what's worse? Vlad’s performance is magnified by the struggles of Hideki Matsui. While one guy is struggling to make contact the other is taking batting practice. It’s only natural for fans to compare the two and grimace. Some might even feel a little sick today. I’m serious. Ever had something you really valued stolen or lost? Remember that sick feeling you had? It’s like that for a lot of Angel fans today.

You know it was easy to smile and wish Vlad well when he was creating havoc against other teams, but when he started doing it to the Angels it wasn’t fun any more. It hurt. I guess we now know a little bit about how Ranger fans felt for all those years Vlad was launching rockets against their pitching staff. No wonder they wanted to sign him.

Last night's game was the kind of night nightmares are made of. Vlad hit a grand slam and a solo homerun. He had four hits and drove in five of the Rangers’ six runs. He owned the Angels last night and that trade mark smile of his was flashing all night long.

It was so bad, I swear I could see the pitchers in the Angels bull putting on helmets and starting to dig fox holes. No one beyond the outfield fence was safe.

Imagine being a 12 year old kid, who grew up watching Vlad do this for the Angels and then being at the game last night to witness a former Angel coming back to haunt his old team. It’s the kind of thing that can make a grown man cry, let alone a 12 year old.

I had intended to write about Tuesday night’s game before this post, but what’s the point? I’m too shell shocked to even remember much about Tuesday night (but I’ll try in a bit).

I doubt anyone saw this coming. There’s no way the “experts” saw it – especially the ones who picked Seattle to win the AL West. Even the folks who do projections didn’t see it coming either.

Bill James gave the most optimistic projection of 24 homeruns and an .877 OPS. Vlad is likely to blow that out of the water by season's end. He already has 18 bombs and an OPS of .962. I can't even believe that I'm typing those numbers. Are you kidding me? Vlad's comeback is like Rocky Balboa getting up off the canvas to beat the daylights out of his opponent. It's as unreal as Robert Redford in "The Natural." Did anyone check Vlad's bat? Was "Wonder Boy" etched into the wood?

On one hand I’m happy for Vlad. I’m glad he found the motivation within himself to come back with such vengeance. On the other hand, I have to wonder – where was this the last two years and where in the world was this kind of offense in the post-season? And did he have to do this against the Angels? Good grief.

Well it’s time to quote another great baseball man by saying it’s “time to turn the page.” I’m sure that’s what Mike Scioscia is telling himself and his team today. Time to move on.

A few quick notes about Tuesday night (a happier time).

Cheryl’s cousin Larry and his wife Cathy were out for a visit from back east and we invited them to an Angel game. Now, they happen to be huge Red Sox fans. I know, I know… I was horrified when I learned this. Okay, maybe not so much horrified as I was I was shocked and mystified. How did I not know this after years of being married to Cheryl? I'm kidding of course… Larry and Cathy are great baseball fans and I can forgive them for their baseball team preference; especially since the Angels finally got the Red Sox post-season monkey off their backs last year.

On our way into the stadium Cheryl and I introduced ourselves (along with Larry and Cathy) to Jeff Biggs and Jason Brennan. I have to tell you Biggsy looks much younger in person (I had only seen a picture of him on the AM 830 web site) and both gentlemen were kind to say they read this blog. We had been meaning to say hello previously but we hadn’t gotten to the stadium early enough until Tuesday night.

These two do a great job of giving Angel fans an outlet to talk about Angels baseball. Keep up the great work guys!

In any case – we had a great time showing Larry and Cathy around the park and the game itself proved to be outstanding. We even enjoyed the video tribute to Vlad – although Larry didn’t really appreciate the highlight of Vlad driving in the winning run against the Red Sox in the deciding game of the 2009 ALDS as much as Cheryl and me.

One funny (then again maybe not so funny) note – we were listening to Terry Smith on the radio during the game like always when Smith noted how Kinsler had only hit two homeruns this year after knocking 31 last year. You know what’s coming next don’t you? Bam! As soon as Smith uttered those words Kinsler went yard. I’m telling you it’s uncanny how often this kind of thing happens. I cringe every time I hear this kind of statement on the radio and I’m not even superstitious.

Okay, so the rubber game of the three game series is tonight and Jered Weaver takes the mound. I hope Weaver sends Vlady a friendly little message in the way of an inside heater the first time he faces him. Vlady is looking a little too comfortable up at the plate.

This is a big game (I don’t care what Scioscia might say) and I want the Angels to remind Texas whose the boss (And I’m not talking about Tony Danza either) tonight.

Now, let’s do this!

I know it's only the Rockies, but I like it

The current home stand has been solid thus far. Winning two out of three games in back to back series’ is getting the job done. Of course it would be even better if the Texas Rangers would slow down a bit and lose a few more games; but that’s okay, they’re about to get theirs.

As we approach the mid-way point of the season it’s interesting to see how things have played out thus far in the AL West. Most of the so-called experts who picked the Seattle Mariners have to be a little red faced right about now (I might even suggest Angels red). Seattle is 15 games out and quite frankly it’s a beautiful thing.

I really got tired of hearing about the supposed great moves the Mariners had made in the off season and how they were going to win the west. Did I mention that they’re 15 games out?

The Mariners are 29th in runs scored this year. It’s amazing to me that anyone picked this team to win the west. Anyone with any common sense could see this team wasn’t going to score runs. By the way they’re 15 games out of first place. Just saying.

Then there are the Rangers… Good grief. They’re playing amazing baseball. Yes, I know they’re schedule of late has been softer than the mid section of the Pillsbury Dough Boy, but they’re doing exactly what they’re supposed to be doing and beating up on the crappy teams and make not mistake about it – the Pirates and Astros (the Rangers last two opponents) are two of the worst.

A lot of people who do projections are feeling pretty good right about now because this is the group (as opposed to columnists and TV analysts) who predicted the Rangers to have this kind of year.

Will it last? I don’t know. What I do know is that there is a lot of talk about how the dog days of summer will take its toll on the Rangers pitchers and they’ll start to fade. To be honest with you, this kind of assumption makes me nervous. I hate it when people assume something just because that’s what happens every year.

It’s like last year during the play-offs everyone assumed the Angels would lose to the Red Sox because it had become tradition and then when they put the beat down on the Sox, the same group assumed the Angels would beat the Yankees because again, that’s become the tradition.

Well, so much for that kind of tradition…

So here we are at the end of June, the Angels are 4.5 games out of first and looking up at the Rangers and guess who’s coming to town this week? I’m sure you don’t need to guess. If you’re any kind of an Angels fan, you know.

This is a big series for the Angels. I know Mike Scioscia would disagree and say every series is important, but let’s be real. Any time you face a team within your division, especially one that’s ahead of you, it’s huge. Not make or break huge, but big enough to get the competitive juices going.

The Angels better jump on them this week because when it’s over – the Rangers will get to continue to cruise towards the all-star break with some more cream puffs (with the exception of the White Sox who are surging) by playing at home against Cleveland and Baltimore.

How nice. The Rangers will have played THE four worst teams in baseball in a matter of a few weeks. Whatever. Looks like the Angels will have to do this (win the west) the hard way.

Here’s some things to think about as the two teams square off this week. Even though much is made of the Rangers’ fire power – the Angels have actually hit more homeruns this year (80-75). Then again, it is somewhat telling that although the Angels have out homered the Rangers, their team OPS isn’t where it should be. The Rangers have a .779 OPS (4th best) compared to the Angels’ .732 (17th best).

The Rangers also have a better team ERA (3.90 – 10th best) to the Angels 4.44 (23rd best). Both teams have pitched better over the last month. The Angels have a 3.87 ERA and the Rangers a 3.56 ERA over that time period. Basically both teams are playing well right now.

Okay, enough with the statistics, right? Who am I and what am I doing looking at all these numbers? It must be an off day today. It’s time to play ball.

It will be strange seeing Vlad Guerrero in a Rangers uniform. Same goes for Darren Oliver. I hope Vlad gets a nice ovation and Ian Kinsler is booed like he’s Public Enemy #1. Kinsler’s mouth has given me a good reason to really start to despise the Rangers. Besides, they’re after something that’s ours. That’s right – the AL West Pennant.

I’m hoping for a better showing from the 514 Fanatics this week. I didn’t see many of them last week. I’m not being critical because we all have things in our lives that impact whether or not we can go to baseball games. I’m just stating my wishes. I like being at the ball park with my fellow fanatics. I just miss them and hope they show up in big numbers. It makes the games that much more fun.

Before I sign off on this post, I would like to give a little applause (clap, clap) to Brandon Wood. I know, I know – one grand slam does not dismiss an otherwise miserable season, but I’m hopeful. I’m hopeful because if Mike Scioscia believes in the kid, I’m going to believe in the kid.

I know I’m in the minority (along with my wife Cheryl) when it comes to Brandon Wood, but I still believe he can turn this season around. I like going against the flow anyway and piling on Brandon Wood just isn’t any fun; in fact it sucks.

Now – let’s get after it. Time to kick some Rangers’ butt. Time to remind them who the boss is. Who’s with me?

My All-Star ballot is full of Dirt Bags

I probably don’t mention this nearly enough, but I’m part of a great organization called the Baseball Bloggers Alliance. A number of us (ideally all of us) are posting our picks for the 2010 All-Star game which will be held in Anaheim this year.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about this event (the game - not voting); having gone to my first All-Star game back in 2008 at Yankee Stadium with Cheryl. It was one of the best sports experiences of our lives and we’re hoping this year’s mid-summer classic is just as special.

So, without further ado, here are my picks for the 2010 All-Star game.

1B Miguel Cabrera (Tigers)
2B Robinson Cano (Yankees)
3B Evan Longoria (Rays)
SS Alex Gonzalez (Blue Jays)
C Joe Mauer (Twins)
OF Josh Hamilton (Rangers)
OF Torii Hunter (Angels)
OF Alex Rios (White Sox)
DH Vladimir Guerrero (Rangers)
SP Jered Weaver (Angels)

If you’re looking for a long detailed explanation for all of my picks, I’m sorry to disappoint you; that isn’t going to happen. I will touch on a couple things though…

The popular sentiment for first base seems to be Justin Morneau and he’s a fine pick for that position; however, I decided to go with Miguel Cabrera simply because he has hit more homeruns (and there OPS' are close). I also have this vivid memory of a moon shot he hit against Joe Saunders in Anaheim this year that left a huge imprint on my memory. I also happen to think Cabrera is one of the five best hitters in all of baseball.

I won’t complain if Morneau ends up being the starter and to be honest with you - had Kendry Morales been healthy, I would have gladly put on my "homer hat" and given him the nod. Yeah, that’s right – I would have really bent some people totally out of shape. More over, I would have enjoyed doing it too!

I’m not one of those people who get up in arms when the fans vote someone in who the “experts” don’t think is deserving. It’s our game and we should get to decide. Is the voting system flawed? You bet, but I like just the same. Letting the fans decide is perfectly okay with me.

I also took Alex Gonzalez over Derek Jeter because quite frankly having one less Yankee on the team is a good thing. I mean I gave Robinson Cano his due, but that’s as far as I’m going to go. Besides, Gonzalez has actually has a higher OPS and hits more homeruns. Yes, I like OPS as a stat for determining this kind of thing.

I also voted for Alex Rios who has been much maligned in recent years. To his credit he’s had a great come back season and has the 7th highest OPS in the American League (as of today).

And you know I’m going to vote for Torii Hunter not just because he’s an Angel (although it doesn’t hurt that he’s my favorite player), but he does have the 13th highest OPS and is simply deserving of his 4th all-star nod. I can’t believe he’s only been on the team three previous times. I just wish Angel fans would rally to the cause and vote for Mr. “Big Game Hunter.” It’s kind of sad how apathetic Angel fans can be….

As for Jered Weaver – yes, that’s totally a homer pick and besides the game is being played in our house. Who better to start the game the guy who leads the American League in strike outs?

Did I really vote for two Texas Rangers? Well, Josh Hamilton and Big Daddy Vlady are deserving and you didn't really think I'd pick David Ortiz over Vlady did you?

Now, here are my National League picks:

1B Albert Pujols (Cardinals)
2B Chase Utley (Phillies)
3B Scott Rolen (Reds)
SS Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies)
C Brian McCann (Braves)
OF Andre Ethier (Dodgers)
OF Corey Hart (Brewers)
OF Andrew McCutchen (Pirates)
SP Ubaldo Jimenez (Rockies)

I voted for Scott Rolen for much of the same reasons I voted for Alex Rios. He has had an amazing come back season and deserves the honor. He also has the 7th best OPS in the NL.

I also picked Mr. “I wear my sunglasses at night” – Corey Hart because of his come back season. I could write about what a disappointment he has been to previous fantasy baseball teams of mine – but writing about one’s fantasy team is about as boring as it gets… So – let’s just say that it’s a surprise to see him leading the NL in homeruns. Even though his teammate – Ryan Braun is the better all-around player – Hart gets my vote.

I should add that I loved voting for “Tulo” and even though he’s hurt right now – he should get the honor of being voted on to the team. I know he won’t be able to play, but he should still receive the distinction of being an all-star just the same. He led all short stops in OPS and he’s a Dirt Bag (Long Beach State alum). Love those Dirt Bags (3 made my list - Longoria, Weaver and Tulo)!

I also thought it was time for a Pittsburgh Pirate to make the starting lineup for an All-Star team. Andrew McCutchen is second only to the Astros' Michael Bourn in steals, but ranks 18th in OPS in the NL.

One last thought – in a season where Roy Halladay has thrown a perfect game and Stephen Strasburg is making headlines, I think the best pitcher in the NL game in and game out has been Ubaldo Jimenez. He’s 13-1 and with an incredible 1.15 ERA. I’m just saying those are some “sick” stats. He’s having the best season no one is talking about. Besides, don't you love saying his name?

There you have it, the 2010 True Grich All-Stars. By the way, it's not too late for you to cast your vote! Vote Angels and vote often (you can vote on-line 25 times)!

Well, so much for that

I wanted to beat John Lackey in the worst way. The problem with that desire is that I had no control over whether or not the Angels would go out and do that for me. All I could do was listen on the radio and hope (be thankful for that).

By the time I got home to watch on television, Lackey had already exited the game and I got to watch Jason Bulger add to my anxiety by giving up a double and walk before getting out of the bottom of the 7th inning. Brian Fuentes would add to my angst by giving up one of those “no-doubt-about-it” homeruns to Adrian Beltre. It was the kind of homerun where you know from the moment its hit that it’s long gone and all you can say is “he got all of that one.”

As the Angels came up in the top of the 9th, I wasn’t holding out much hope. I had already begun to get that sick feeling in my stomach. Granted, it wasn’t as bad as when the Angels were eliminated in last year’s ALCS by the Yankees, but it was bad enough. I felt numb. I had gone beyond frustration and was entering into a mild form of depression.

You see this season has been a disaster so far. My favorite pitcher – Joe Saunders has had all of one good outing and his ERA is among the worst for starting pitchers.

It also doesn’t help that Johnny Damon (who I despise) hit a walk-off homerun and basically had his way with Angels’ pitching. To add to my misery Brandon Wood has struggled out of the gate and even worse, the hated A’s took a series from my Angels in the first week.

Now I believe better days are ahead and I know every season has its ups and downs, but the start of this season has been a drain.

Here we are on the 6th of May looking up in the standings at Texas and Oakland; and as bad as all of that is, today all I can really focus on is stinkin’ John Lackey. He won round one and I don’t like it much.

In some ways, yesterday’s game was about righting a wrong. It was about shutting up a guy who doesn’t have the common sense to leave an organization gracefully. Then again one could never really associate the word “grace” with Lackey.

And don’t think I’m not keenly aware that some of the traits I loved about Lackey as an Angel thoroughly irritate me now. I’m fully aware of the hypocrisy in that, but I’m not going to apologize for it. It is what it is.

You know, it’s funny - when I see highlights of Vladimir Guerrero hitting one of his own “no-doubt-about-it” homeruns, I can smile and say “good for him.” I can’t do that with Lackey. I just can’t. He ticked me off. He annoys me and even though I know I should let it go, I would rather see the Angels exact a toll on his butt and give us fans some revenge.

Well so much for that.

I need to get over this and I will. There are too many other things in life that are more important for me not to. And fortunately, there's a lot of baseball yet to be played.

My hope is that when all is said and done the Angels will find their way to the World Series and John Lackey will be spending some of his $80+ million on a nice vacation during that time.

I guess we’ll see about that, won’t we?

I’m not used to six game losing streaks; at least not since Mike Scioscia put his thumb print on the organization. I’m starting to recall what it was like to be an Angel fan for all those lean years and I really, really don’t want to go back to that place.

So what has to happen for this team to turn it around? I’m not sure. I guess I haven’t really given it much thought because I never thought it would come to this. I keep telling myself it’s early and there’s time and thankfully that’s all still true.

On the bright side (if there is such a thing); all of this gives me more to blog about.

Like all the wanna-be GM’s that are coming out of the wood work. These are the folks who think that just because they’ve played in a fantasy league or two they now have all the answers. You know the type.

Well, fantasy baseball has made fools of these people.

In the fantasy world, people trade and drop players on a daily basis. A guy goes 0-4 for and they get waived. A guy hits two homeruns in a game and it's time to pick them up. Fantasy Baseball is the play ground for those who are prone to knee jerk reactions.

It wouldn’t be so bad if they stayed in that world, but nooooo – they have to make their way to internet message boards and sports talk radio.

I actually heard a guy the other day suggest the Angels trade for Ryan Braun. Really? I admired Terry Smith for not laughing out loud. You see, in the fantasy world players like Braun are always available, but in the real world of major league baseball they’re not. Why would the Brewers want to trade Braun? Never mind. Let’s just say fantasy baseball is appropriately named.

We also have people believing that the Angels as an organization just don’t want to win bad enough and aren’t willing to do what it takes go all the way. That’s pure dog poop and I just have to wonder if these people actually believe the words coming out of their pie holes.

These are also the folks who will eventually stop watching/going to games and only come back when times are good again. Whatever. They have a right to spend their free time anyway they want. I can’t say that I’d want to be in the same stadium with them anyway. I suppose I should thank them now for not subjecting me to their nonsense.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand being frustrated. I also understand the need to vent, but let’s be somewhat rational (said the crazy blogger).

Winning a World Series isn’t easy. It’s not supposed to be. Every time the Angels fall short some fans go off the deep end. Heck, every time the Angels lose a single game some of them go ballistic.

All we can really ask is that the Angels put together a team that has a realistic chance of going all the way. I still believe they have.

Now, if they’d only play like it, I’d have a little more peace.