Not so fast

What does it say about the St. Louis Cardinals that despite losing Albert Pujols to free agency that they are in the NLCS?  I mean, we’re talking about the player many have described as the best hitter of our generation, right?

More importantly, what does it say about Albert Pujols?

I know this is a hot topic among Angel fans and baseball fans in general.  When you look at the surface of this discussion – you can come to some easy conclusions, right?  At the very least – you can ask some pointed questions…

Is Albert Pujols over-rated?

Some of you; heck, a lot of you are standing and yelling at the top of young lungs – YES, he’s over-rated!

Not so fast.

Look, before we even get into this discussion – I would like to point out that this isn’t the first time a genuine super-star has left a team only to find that his former team had tremendous success the following season without him.

Alex Rodriguez left Seattle following the 2000 season when the Mariners won 91 games.  The following season the Mariners won an incredible 116 games without ARod while the Rangers only won 73.  Same thing happened again when ARod left Texas following the 2003 season when the Ranges won 71 games and improved to 89 wins the following season without him.

Does that make ARod any less of a player? 

Ha! Don't think I didn't hear that snide comment of yours!

Personal opinions about his character aside; from a purely statistical point of view, ARod has been one of the best offensive players in the game.  The fact that the teams he left ended up winning more games without him is probably more coincidence than anything and as fun as it is to level the blame at his feet (and that is big time fun) – that idea is suspect in my opinion.

Same goes for Albert.  The Cardinals are simply a great organization.  Not only are they winning without Albert, but also without Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa and one of the most respected pitching coaches ever in Dave Duncan.

I think it says more about the Cardinals than it does about Albert.  Rather than point any fingers at Albert, I think we should simply praise the Cardinals.

Think about it.  Isn’t it more appropriate to say that the Cardinals won in spite of losing Albert rather than because of losing him?

I think it is.  Give credit where credit is due... the Cardinals are great.

So, let's stop with the Albert Pujols bashing and get back to enjoying the fact that the Texas Rangers and Oakland A's (like the Angels) are also watching the post season from home.  Just saying.

2012 Concession Speech

My latest post is on Yahoo's Big League Stew.  Thanks to Kevin Kaduk for asking me to do this again.  It's always fun, but it's something I'd rather not do!  Why?  A blogger from each team is only asked to do this when their team is eliminated from the championship picture.  Got it?

In any case - there's always next year!

Mark my words

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You have to love post-season baseball.

More than anything

Okay so the 2012 season didn’t turn out the way all of us Angel fans hoped.  More on that soon, but today I want to focus on something that is dear to my heart (and my wife’s Cheryl’s as well) and that’s Torii Hunter.

Whenever I think of Torii Hunter it’s easy for me to become emotional.  He makes me laugh because quite frankly – he’s just very funny.  He makes me smile because he has a joyful spirit and you can’t help but smile whenever you are around him, hear him speak or see him interacting with people in general.

Torii Hunter represents everything that is good about baseball and his life is a model for how we should all approach life.  Torii Hunter has sincere appreciation for his life and all the things he’s been able to do with it.  He is philanthropic, humble at the core of who he is, and he is always uplifting others.

My admiration for the man is well documented on this blog; in fact, some might say that I go a little over-board with my praise.

So why blog about Hunter again?

I don’t know what the future holds; although there seems to be some good indications that he will be back with the Angels next year. 

And while I am extremely disappointed with the Angels’ season, I’m even more disappointed for Torii.  I sincerely hope he gets the opportunity to play in a World Series.  If ever there was an athlete who deserves that opportunity, it’s Torii Hunter.

I’m not alone in that thought and Hunter has become very much beloved among the Angels’ faithful.

So here’s the deal…. This can’t be Hunter’s last season because more than anything – I want to have an opportunity to be at his last home game; knowing it’s his last home game and give him the proper respect he deserves.  I want to stand and applaud and say “thank you” – even if he can’t hear me and even though he’ll never know how I feel.  I want that, my wife Cheryl wants that and the many Torii Hunter fans out there want that too.

When Tim Salmon retired – we were fortunate to have that opportunity.  When David Eckstein was non-tendered or even when Joe Saunders was traded – we didn’t have the chance to say “good bye.”  I know that’s just the way it works sometime, but in Torii’s case – I hope more than anything that we have that moment to stand and celebrate his time in Anaheim.

 The days to come in the off season will be long; too long.  It will be painful to look back on all the lost opportunities and struggles of 2012. 

My only hope is that we receive news that Torii will be back (and we hear it soon) and that will give me and Cheryl something to look forward to.

It's a matter of trust

This just in - Mike Scioscia doesn’t see the game of baseball the way you and I see it.

Thank God for that.

I find it absolutely ridiculous that a great many fans think they know more about how to manage a baseball game; let alone an entire team or organization better than the people already doing it. 

The way I see it, Fantasy Baseball has made fools of us all.  Yeah, that’s right – I think that just because some people play fantasy baseball and a few have success at it – they think they know everything there is to know about managing a lineup, putting together a roster, etc., etc.

Poppy-cock!

Worse yet is the fan who played a little organized baseball or coached a little league team or touched the game in some way.  They too feel like given the opportunity, they could do a better job.

Right.  Sure thing.  Too bad you can’t see my eyes rolling into the back of my head right about now.

There are nuances and subtleties about baseball that you and I can’t possibly even fathom and every time we think we know more about the game than people like Mike Scioscia – someone should slap us upside the head.

That doesn’t mean that Mike Scioscia is perfect.  There is no such thing as a “perfect manager” in my opinion.  Face it – every fan base spends a certain amount of their time second-guessing the every move of the manager of their favorite team.  It’s what we do – it’s a part of the baseball fan culture.

So… when Arte Moreno came out over the weekend to let the world know that Mike Scioscia and for that matter – Jerry Dipoto would be back for next season, I let out a huge sigh of relief and I actually smiled. 

I can’t think of another person in this big ol’ world that I would rather see managing the Angels than Mike Scioscia.  I know that’s not the popular sentiment right now, but I’m not necessarily one to follow the crowd.

Does Scioscia make me crazy every now and then?  You bet.  Do I scratch my head and wonder why he does certain things?  All the time.

Here’s the thing – when I look at his entire body of work – how he carries himself as a human being (and not just as a manager), I feel good about Mike Scioscia, the man.  That’s where it all starts for me.  We can sit here and argue about the on-the-field decisions Mike makes from now until the cows come home and that’s all well and good; but for me it comes down to the fact that I trust Mike Scioscia to make what he believes is the best decision for the team.

Let me emphasize this – he’s making the best decision based on his body of knowledge of the game.  Not Arte Moreno’s, not Jerry Dipoto’s, not Joe Fan in the stands – not anyone else’s but his own.  When Scioscia goes to make a decision – he’s factored in everything he’s ever learned about the game and he definitely has a philosophy that he’s developed over the years.  I trust that process.

And guess what?  He’s accountable to those decisions.  He doesn’t point fingers or blame anyone else.  He owns his decisions.  I respect that.

Winning isn’t easy.  It shouldn’t be either.  If it was – it wouldn’t be so special.

I’m okay with Mike Scioscia failing every now and then because I believe he learns from his mistakes like all successful people do.  Again – winning isn’t easy; although, some fans look at a roster like the Angels’ and think that it should be.

Am I frustrated with the Angels 2012 campaign?  You better believe it.  But here’s the thing – my frustration is with the individual performances of some of the players and not Mike Scioscia.  I respect Scioscia’s ability to make decisions and I understand that he can’t control the outcome once he makes a decision – it's up to the player to execute.

When Scioscia took Zack Greinke out of the game in his last two starts and inserted Ernesto Frieri – the results were horrific.  Most fans saw that as the last straw and were ready to run Scioscia out of town. 

Not me.

Would I have taken Greinke out?  Probably not; but again, Scioscia doesn’t see the game the way you and I do.  There's a point there folks...

Zack Greinke can’t throw a complete game every time he goes to the mound.  Heck, one can even argue that he might not be able to do that even once a year.  He’s only had 12 complete games in 229 career starts and none since 2010.

Easy for us to sit back and say – Greinke should have pitched a complete game in his last two outings.  Perhaps he should have, but given what Scioscia knows about Greinke, he didn’t let him and I’m good with that. You might think you know better - but you don't.  Sorry, but you don't.

Did I like the outcome?  No.  Absolutely not.  I hated it.  

That being said, I can accept it and even understand it.  Every decision comes with risk.  I believe Scioscia weighed the risks and made his decision based on his knowledge of the game. The decision and the results are two separate things in my mind.

Is this starting to sink in yet?  You see - I'm comfortable with Mike Scioscia, the man and therefore; I'm comfortable with the decisions he makes. The results are almost irrelevant.  It's really that simple.

I’m betting that given the same set of circumstances in Greinke’s next game – Scioscia will bring in Frieri or someone else to close the game.  Not because he’s stubborn; not because he wants to prove a point, but because he wants to give his team the best chance to win the game.  I trust his motives and I trust them more than I do the popular opinion of the fans who think they know better.  It’s that simple for me.

When and if that time comes I know - fans will boo.  They will break furniture and cuss like sailors.  They will have a hissy fit like no other.  

Me on the other hand; I’ll be laughing (on the inside) and hoping the player executes the way he should.  If not – I’ll blame the player and not Scioscia because again, I trust his ability to make the right call.  Mike Scioscia didn’t ask to earn my trust, but he has it just the same.

You on the other hand... not so much. Just saying.

I still hate the A's, but I do love blogging

When it comes to the Angels I almost always have something to say; however, when it comes to blogging about it, I don’t always make the time.  That doesn’t mean I don’t want to write about them – it’s just that sometimes life has a way of getting in the way of all the things you want to do every day.

I have to admit that writing a blog and keeping it up is hard work.  I was reminded of that when I read a piece recently by one of my favorite writers – Joe Posnanski who wroteabout the passing of a long-time Atlanta Braves Blogger named MacThomason.

In his piece, Posnanski wrote about the difference between all the blogs that are out there “…the real difference between them is the commitment. Few last. The idea of writing every day about your favorite baseball team fits right into the ‘sounded good when I started’ category.”

How true.

I knew that going in.  My goal when I started was to have some staying power in this game and not fade into oblivion.  It hasn’t been easy.  When I go a few days or even a few weeks without posting, I feel guilty.  I feel like I’m letting a few loyal readers down.  I even get nudges every now and then when I don’t post.

So – today’s post is for those that nudge and in a small way for Mac Thomason who had a great deal of staying power – even in the midst of fighting for his life. 

When I started this blog, I started out by telling the world how much I hated theOakland A’s.  That first post took place nearly three years ago and as I write this today – it’s the A’s and my disdain for them that inspired me to blog now.

There are lots of disappointing things about this season and there are plenty of things that make me want to rant and scream, but the one thing that bothers me more than anything else is the fact that the Oakland A’s are in a pennant race.

Are you kidding me?

I would be perfectly happy if they faded into the darkness of never-never land and became absolutely irrelevant till the end of time.  No such luck.

Lucky for me – my Angels just swept the A's (to ease some of my pain) and if everything goes the way I hope – they’ll do the same thing in four games next week.  Now – that; would make me smile.

I’m not going to go back over all the reasons I don’t like the A’s – you can find that in my original post from 2009. 

Here’s what I have to say today about the A’s.  They’ve had a good run, but quite frankly – it’s time for it to end.  Billy Beane is not a genius and there isn’t going to be a miracle in Oakland this year.  I know the hordes of Beane admirers are hoping for something more, but it’s going to end soon.  It has to.

Look – believing in Billy Beane is only going to give you false hope.  Save yourself the agony and realize that although he’s made brought a lot of attention to sabermetrics – he hasn’t found all the answers and I’m guessing he isn’t going to. 

Don’t look at me like that.  I’m telling you the truth.  That team isn’t going to win a championship in the near future, period.  Their story might make for a good movie, but it makes for a lousy season.  Just saying.

By the way – if there are so many stinkin’ Billy Beane fans, why don’t they show up at home games?  They might as well rename the ball park Tombstone – because it’s as a dead as it gets.

Enough about the A’s.  I really want to talk about my Angels; our Angels.

I know they’re not out of the woods yet – but they’re showing signs of life.  I like it.  In fact, I love it.  Now, I know some of  you would much rather ignore the recent play and focus on all the bad stuff that has taken place all season long and to that I say…Meh... 

Even when I’m at my lowest point in a season – the last thing I want to do is sit around and complain about my team with other fans.  Sure, I’ll write about it – but to actually engage in that kind of a discussion with other people is about as appealing as being stung by a hundred hornets.

There are few things I dislike more than complaining about my favorite baseball team with other fans.  Even when I’m totally dissatisfied, I can’t stomach hearing complaints from other fans for some reason.  Angels talk with Terry Smith after an Angels’ loss is nauseating.  That old saying about "misery loving company" is lost on me.

So here’s the deal; I know it sounds cliché, but let’s just take things one game at a time.  Next up is the Detroit Tigers who in many ways mirror the Angels.  Here’s a team with a big payroll and huge expectations… they signed Prince Fielder to a monster contract, have some really solid pitching with guys like Justin Verlander and yet – by most people’s standards – they’ve under-achieved. 

The Angels post-season hopes have a lot riding on every game they play from here on out and with the Tigers and the A’s coming to town, I’ll be disappointed if the stadium isn’t rocking.  Our team is playing meaningful games in September and that’s what it’s all about.  Who’s with me?

Finding joy in a season of struggles

I know, I know, trust me; I know exactly how you feel.  

You’re frustrated.  You’re disappointed.  You’re confused and you’re even angry.  You keep asking yourself or anyone that will listen - how can a team with this much talent be this inconsistent?  You want to assign blame.  You’re ready to fire any combination of Mike Scioscia, Mike Butcher, the Rally Monkey and Vernon Wells.

I get it.  It wasn’t supposed to be like this.  Like I said, I know.

I don’t have any answers for why the Angels are in the predicament they’re in.  Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t.  That being said, I do have some thoughts and even some questions for you; yes – questions for you.

Let me ask you – can you enjoy a baseball season where your team doesn’t make the post season?  I know the quick answer might be – “No way” – but stop for just a second and think about the question in a deeper way.

Have you enjoyed watching Mike Trout burst onto the scene like a hurricane?  Have you enjoyed Mark Trumbo’s sophomore season as a middle-of-the-lineup-force-to-be-reckoned-with?  How about the season Jered Weaver has put together?

Look – I know nothing compares to a team that is winning and winning often, but the cold hard fact is that only one of the thirty teams in Major League Baseball will be a champion.  Don’t take this the wrong way; because I am in no way throwing in the towel.  I’m just asking some questions and sharing some thoughts.

Here’s what I know.  On many levels this season has been incredibly fun for me.  There was the Jered Weaver no-hitter and the fine individual performances of Mike Trout and Jered Weaver.  I have savored every moment of Torii Hunter’s season; knowing this could be his last in Anaheim. 

And yet… there’s an empty feeling that goes along with all the good times and it’s the feeling we have all come to know when the team struggles, under-achieves and just plain sucks.  It’s a horrible contrast in realities.

Still… this season isn’t over and if the Angels can make it to a wild card play-in game, they have a shot.  At this point in time, I’ll take that.  Just give them a shot; that’s all I ask.

If last season taught us anything about baseball; it’s that the season really is a marathon and that until your team is mathematically eliminated, anything can happen.  It’s a beautiful thing.  It can also be agonizing.  Watching a team this good – struggle, isn’t easy to do and judging by the attendance, many of you have definitely checked out.

And then there’s last night.

I know there are lots of other games I could talk about – such as the 14-13 triumph in Boston, but I’m going to bring up last night for the simple reason that we (Cheryl and me) were there.

When the Angels fell behind 5-2 in the sixth things looked grim, but if you’ve been following this team, you know that they seem to be hitting Clay Buchholz pretty good this season.  That gave me a little hope; albeit, just a bit. 

When the Angels closed the gap to 5-4, the spark of hope got a little brighter.  And then it happened...

Cheryl turned to me and said “We’re going to win this game; I’ve already played it out in my mind.”  You know what?  I believed her.  I didn’t say it at the time – but deep down, I knew I’d be reminding her of that statement after the game.

And then it happened… the Angels came from behind in the bottom of the 9^th for a walk-off win.  With one out- Erick Aybar was hit by a pitch.  Alberto Callaspo (who is under-appreciated in my opinion) walked.  Mike Trout singled and Aybar scored.  With runners on first and third; up steps Torii Hunter who delivered a sacrifice fly to score Callaspo to win the game.

Walk-off wins are about as much fun as you can have at a baseball game and last night was all that!

Sometimes I think Cheryl takes the losses harder than I do; so when she sees something or feels something about a game, I take notice.  It’s fun to watch.  She starts out by giving the players tough love – telling them how bad they are (not to their face, but just out-loud of course), but as soon as they do something positive, she’s cheering and high fiving everyone around her.

On a night when the weather was horrible (it was hot, muggy and the heat coated us like a heavy blanket), something cool happened – a walk-off win - over the Boston Red Sox no less.  More than that – a memory was created and a little bit of joy took place.  As we walked out, Cheryl realized she had called it… she called the come-from-behind win.  It was perfect.

That’s what baseball is all about. 

Even in the midst of a season of struggles, we can still manage to have a little fun and a heck of a good time anytime we’re at a game.  How about you? 

See you at the ball park.

Checking in long enough to bash Keith Law

Ever notice that the baseball season just rolls along with or without you?  I’ve been more than busy lately and haven’t had time to put any thoughts on paper for a while.  Never-the-less, the baseball season is moving along.  Shocking, right?

So, call this my better-late-than-never, just-past-the-half-way-point-of-the-season – check-in post.

Okay, so are you pinching yourself every time you watch Mike Trout play a baseball game (my arm is black and blue)?  Can you believe that this amazing young man is on our favorite team?  I mean – there aren’t enough superlatives to describe how great he is, let alone how much fun he is to watch.  And let’s really put the emphasis on “fun.”

If you haven’t been to a game yet to watch Trout – you owe it to yourself to make it to the stadium.  In fact, load up the car with kids, parents, grand-parents, whoever because Mike Trout is a once-in-a-generation type of player.  Be sure to warn them all that when Trout does something spectacular –you might give them a shove… like a - did –you-see-that? – kind of a shove.  It could get dangerous.

Believe the hype – better yet, go see what all the hoopla is all about for yourself.

I’m not kidding folks.  Every time he steps on the field he’s liable to do something absolutely spectacular, be it in the batter’s box, on the base paths or in the outfield.  Trout is so good he could leave Chris Berman speechless. 

If there’s a player in baseball who is more fun to watch than Mike Trout, I sure would like to see him.

And then there’s Mark Trumbo… and before I get to singing his praises, I have a bone to pick with ESPN’s Keith Law.

Keith Law hates Mark Trumbo.  I don’t know how else to say it, but he just does.  At least that’s the impression I get every time I read something Law has to say about Trumbo. 

Take this bit from his July 2, 2012 post on ESPN about how Trumbo didn’t deserve to be on the All-Star team.  “If you're obsessed with current-season performance, Austin Jackson certainly belongs on the team over Mark Trumbo, a disaster with the glove whose early-season walk-rate spike has disappeared.”

Come on Law – lighten up.  I really think you take yourself a little too seriously.  Mark Trumbo is an absolute blast to watch.  He hits absolutely mammoth homeruns, plays the game hard (ever watch him run down the line?) and is the kind of player who absolutely should be in an All-Star game.  Besides Law – the game is for us fans – not people like you who don’t know how to have a good time or appreciate the game for its true beauty.  Just saying.

Law loves to accentuate the negatives.   Granted, he knows more about baseball and how to break down players better than I ever will – but sometimes he goes a little too far with his “campaign to be right.”

I know I should care less about what Keith Law has to say – but there’s something about his pompous attitude that rubs me the wrong way.  I generally respect him as a talent evaluator and usually enjoy reading his work (especially when he focuses on a player’s mechanics), but sometimes he’s just a little twerpy to me.  Sorry.

As right as he’s been about Mike Trout – and he’s been dead on; he’s been just as wrong about Mark Trumbo – but he’ll never admit it.

Trumbo is one of the bright spots in the game and one of the young stars of the game who deserves more praise and less bashing by the likes of Keith Law in my opinion.  Mark Trumbo makes me smile so much my face hurts.  He’s given me a lot of moments of unbridled joy this season than Austin Jackson will give anyone in his whole career.

Anyway… enough with Keith Law.

Okay – so how about Mark Trumbo Angels fans?  We all knew he was going to be good – but hasn’t he exceeded all of our expectations?  Come on – when he’s up to bat – do you leave your seat at the stadium?  Do you get off the couch at home?  Of course you don’t.

By the way – when Austin Jackson comes up to bat… well, you know.  I mean - let’s say nature comes calling and Jackson is up to bat…. given my options – I’m heading to the john.  When Trumbo is up, I’m holding it for as long as it takes. 

Trumbo has that Reggie Jackson (no relation to Austin by the way) quality about him.  You know that if he gets a hold of one – it quite possibly is going to be of the jaw-dropping variety.  The show he put on at the Homerun Derby was must-see TV.  He’s simply impressive.

So… here we are 89 games into the season and the Angels are trailing the Texas Rangers by 5 games.  Most of the experts talk about the Angels in Wild-card terms, but I’m not giving up hope on a Western Division title.

The fact that so many analysts and the like are penciling the Rangers in as division champs actually makes me feel pretty good.  Face it – more often than not, these folks are just wrong.

I’m not discounting how good Texas is.  I mean I do consider them to be the second best team in the American League.  I just like the Angels’ pitching and the offense has shown signs of being really good when it has to be.  I never feel like the team is out of a ball game and I haven’t had that feeling in a while.

Look these two teams are going to square off 13 more times between now and the end of the season.  A lot can happen just in those 13 games alone.  I can’t wait to watch every one of those games.

Let’s just say I like the Angels chances.  I didn’t like them much last year or the year before, but this year has a different feel to it.  Maybe it’s the vibe I’m getting from my rose-colored glasses.  Maybe it’s the euphoria of watching a little more than half a season of Trumbo and Trout.  Whatever it is – doesn’t really matter.

The last two post-seasons have been a miserable experience for Angel fans forced to watch other teams or not watch at all. 

I believe this year can be special (how that’s for deep analysis?).  Deep down – you do too, don’t you?  The journey continues folks and every game is a new adventure.  It’s time to get to the ball park and let yourself love baseball like never before.

Vote Halos

Angel fans, I have a bone to pick with you.  For whatever reason when it comes to all-star voting – you (okay – we) are an apathetic bunch.  By in large our fan base lacks passion and that really shows when it comes time to putting Angels on the all-star team. 

It’s a darn shame that Tim Salmon never made an all-star team.  As one of the teams with the best attendance, there really isn’t an excuse for that gigantic mistake.  We felt content to leave it up to the players and coaches to see to it that Salmon made a team instead of voting him in as a starter.  That didn’t work out so well now did it?  Look, I was as guilty as anyone in that case.  I admit it and I regret it.

As a fan base – we suck sometimes.  I don’t know how else to say it.  Sure, we can fill up a stadium when it’s play-off time, but we don’t do the other things that make a fan base great.  Look, I know some of you are great fans, but by in large – we just don’t support our team in all the ways we should and one of those is by voting for deserving Angels when all-star ballots are available.

You know where I’m going with this don’t you?

Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout deserve to be all-stars; more than that – they deserve to start, but in order to make that happen they have to be voted in. 

Now, if you call yourself a die-hard Angels fan and you haven’t voted for Trumbo and Trout – shame on you.  Seriously, it’s not that hard and no one (at least not me) is asking you to vote 1,000 times.  I’m not even asking you to vote a 100 times (although that would be nice).  All I’m asking is that you vote the 25 times Major League Baseball will allow you to vote (on-line) per email address.

Doesn’t Trumbo and Trout deserve as much?

The only Angel who is in the top five of votes for any position thus far is Albert Pujols and he’s fifth among American League First Basemen. 

I’m not asking you to vote for Albert (Paul Konerko is much more deserving in my opinion) and I’m not asking you to stuff the ballot with all the Angels.  All I’m asking is that you vote for the two guys who have given you the most joy this season and that’s Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout.

When you look at the league leaders in statistics, you’re going to see Trumbo and Trout well represented.  Trumbo is 10^th in batting average (.326), 9^th in RBI’s (47), 6^th in OPS (1.009), and tied for 11^th in homeruns (16).  Trout is 6^th in batting average (.337 – just qualified last night with enough plate appearances), his .929 OPS is 14^th best, he’s 4^th in stolen bases (19) and is playing gold-glove caliber defense.

Did I really need to cite those stats to you? 

Look at this way – both players are having phenomenal seasons – if everything goes the way they should they will both have fantastic careers.  Trout has already been compared to several Hall of Famers and although it’s early in both their baseball lives – they are laying the foundation for careers of significance.  When all is said and done – part of their legacy should be as all-star game starters.  Not just participants, but as starters.

Do you hear me?  Does that resonate with you at all?

Let’s not leave it up to the players and coaches.  Let’s not forget the mistakes we made in not making sure Tim Salmon made a team.

Think about the players we never voted on to the squad as starters and then left for another team where they voted them on.  Players like Jim Edmonds (2000, 2003, and 2005) and David Eckstein (2005).

The list of players who we voted on to the starting squad is small.  It includes Vladimir Guerrero (2004, 2005, 2007), who undoubtedly benefited on his popularity long before he became an Angel; Troy Glaus received enough votes in 2003 (one of his worst seasons), but failed to get voted into the starting lineup in 2000 and 2001 when he had monster seasons hitting 47 and 41 homeruns respectively.

Wally Joyner made one all star start in his career and that was in 1986; his rookie year.  Don Baylor only made it once; his 1979 MVP season.

Heck, Bobby Grich was only voted on as a starter once (1982) as an Angel (he was also voted on in 1976 as a member of Orioles). 

Angel fans loved Darin Erstad.  Did he ever get voted on as a starter?  Nope. Bengie Molina?  Nope.  Jim Fregosi?  Nope.  Garret Anderson?  Heck no.  Sure some of them made all-star teams, but it wasn’t because of Angel fans.

How about players who have been all-star starters prior to coming to Anaheim – only to not get voted on the starting squad again?  Well, there’s Torii Hunter for one.  Vernon Wells is another (okay, not the best example). 

There are players who continued to have success in the voting prior to and during their Angel careers – but they’re Hall of Famers – Rod Carew (4 times) and Reggie Jackson (2 times).  Even Fred Lynn had one all-star start as an Angel (1983), but had five prior starts as a member of the Red Sox.

Over time, Trumbo and Trout will get more and more of the national vote.  Their talents are too good to be ignored and it’s only a matter of time before the whole nation begins to appreciate them and recognize them as bona fide stars.  In the mean time – it’s up to us to push them into the spot light.

Look at the current vote leaders in the American League.  Do you really want a team full of Texas Rangers?  Just saying.

One last thing – some of you will whine and belly ache when the national media ignores the Angels or doesn’t give enough love to Angels having great seasons or even a great game and yet – when given the opportunity to push those players into the view of a national audience yourself (via all-star voting) – you sit on your hands.

Let’s do this folks.  #VoteHalos  Vote online now.

The Saturday night dilemma...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good luck Joe – but Go Angels!

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

Remembering Roger Jongewaard

This has been a tough week. Monday night I learned that Roger Jongewaard (long time baseball executive) passed away from a heart attack. This news came on the eve of the two year anniversary of my wife’s dad’s passing – Charles. Charles never met Roger Jongewaard, but he was a big fan of Jongewaard’s Bake ‘N Broil’s boysenberry pie.

The news and anniversary both took place while the Angels were playing the Dodgers – which is oddly coincidental because when Charles passed away two years ago – the same two teams were facing off. What makes it even stranger is that five years ago, when my own dad passed away – the Dodgers and Angels were playing then too.

Needless to say, whenever the Angels and the Dodgers hook up – our minds tend to go back to the death of our dads. And now to have the death of Roger Jongewaard to boot; well, it’s beyond words.

I had the privilege of interviewing Roger Jongewaard in 2010 and let me tell you it was as close as I’ve ever come to baseball royalty. This is a man who was a giant in the baseball scouting world – but even more importantly – he was a man who was beloved by so many people.

Larry Stone of the Seattle Times called Jongewaard “a seminal figure” and went on to write that “everyone in the game knew and revered him.”

Scott Miller of CBS Sports wrote “Jongewaard was an old-school gentleman, both well-respected and well-liked by colleagues. With him goes an era.”

Rick Rizz a Mariners’ broadcaster said "The thing that stands out is that for his first 12 years every one of his first-round picks made it to the major leagues..."  "He was a dedicated baseball man. Baseball was his life. He knew talent, and to have a guy like this in the organization for that long of time was absolutely wonderful for this organization at that point."

Rizz went on to say "It is a sad loss, not only for the Mariners but for baseball. He knew everybody," Rizz said. "A sad, sad day." Indeed.

Mariners’ President Chuck Armstrong had this to say… "You look at our success during that period of time in the drafts and players we brought in. He was really a scout's scout. I used to laugh with him that he could tell you who each prospect's mom went to senior prom with. His mind was a mental computer and talent evaluation was the best I've ever run across in this game. We were lucky to have him for those years."

USA Today's Bob Nightengale published this obituary.

Per Nightengale: "You go back and look at his track record, it was amazing," said Minnesota Twins veteran scout Ken Compton, who was hired by Jongewaard and spent 18 years together with the Mariners. "His baseball exploits are deep and long, but he really cared about his employees."

And this…"He was everything you'd want to be in a man," says Boston Red Sox special assistant Gary Hughes, a longtime associate of Jongewaard's. "He was quiet, humble and unbelievably efficient. The best at what he did for a long, long time."

Ryan Divish wrote this in the News Tribune “In the often cutthroat and back-biting world of Major League Baseball, Jongewaard was a gentlemen first, baseball scout second. He was beloved and, more important, respected by his co-workers, colleagues and adversaries.”

Tuesday night, I received a call from Roger’s son-in-law Andy who called me to make sure I had heard the news (which I had). Andy knew I really cherished my interview with Roger and wanted to make sure I had heard. Andy didn’t have to do that, but that’s the kind of man Andy is and that’s the kind of family Roger was a part of - always thinking of others.

Roger had a great many accomplishments and if you read the articles I’ve linked to above, you’ll get a sense of what a great baseball man Roger was. Clearly, you will also get the sense that he was even a greater person.

Roger is survived by his wife, Carol, and four children -- Terry, Janice, Kristin (Andy’s wife) and Don - and 12 grandchildren. Sadly, his daughter Dyan preceded him in death in February after battling cancer.

More about Roger Jongewaard: HERE

Head shakes and face palms

Baseball is a funny game. The very moment you think you have some it figured out; it baffles you again and again. The only thing we know for sure is that on any given day, anything can happen. The routine can become an adventure, the spectacular can look routine and when all is said and done you wind up shaking your head in amazement or with your face planted in the palm of your hands in total frustration.

As baseball fans all we can do is enjoy the ride, but sometimes that’s easier said than done.

Take the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. For the life of me, I can’t figure this team out. Doubt anyone else can either.

This is a team that continues to find ways to beat themselves; be it with poor defense, poor base running, poor plate discipline, poor situational hitting… you name it. It’s just hard to watch. But "watch" is exactly what we do and after a while - one starts to form some opinions...

I’m writing this blog on the fly. In other words, I’m basically writing whatever comes into my head. This seems like the best route to go today because quite frankly, I haven’t found the inspiration to write about anything specific lately and thus the absence of posts in recent days.

So what’s on my mind?

Let me start with Mark Trumbo. Are you kidding me? Most Angel fans thought he was good, but I doubt any of us really knew he was going to be this good. He’s clearly the most valuable player on the team to date and he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.

Mark Trumbo makes me smile. In fact, he might even make me a little giddy from time to time. When I think back to the comments that were made by a great many baseball analysts as to why he wasn’t as good as Eric Hosmer of the Royals and how his plate discipline was going to limit his production, etc., etc. I just smile. You might even catch me laughing out loud once in a while.

Like I said earlier – baseball is a funny game and despite the best efforts of those who like to do projections and such – sometimes, stuff just happens that defies expectations. Thank God for that.

And then there’s Mike Trout. Once again… are you kidding me? Everyone who pays any attention what-so-ever to baseball knew he was going to be good. I mean the whole baseball world kept telling us as much – but even still, here’s a 20 year old doing things that just aren’t supposed to be possible when you’re that young.

But you know what I like best about Trout? His smile. He flashes it a lot. He’s having the time of his life (as he should be) and winning over fans by the boat load. It’s refreshing to watch a young player play the game hard, without fear and have fun doing it. His production is tremendous and I have to pinch myself every time I think about being able to watch him for the next several years because if this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.

Now, let me tell you something that I really, really love about both Trout and Trumbo. I absolutely love the fact that they play the game at full speed all the time. When they hit a ball on the ground, they bust their rear ends down to first base – every time. They never take a play off and if there’s anything that a fan appreciates more than anything – its maximum effort all the time.

You know who doesn’t do that?

I know you know who doesn’t, but I’ll say his name just the same – Albert Pujols.

I hate that. I hated the fact that I had to even write that. He’s not alone in that category, but he certainly stands out in my mind.

I know he’s older than Trout and Trumbo. If I wanted to, I could probably come up with all kinds of excuses why it’s okay that he doesn’t hustle down the line every time he hits the ball, but I won’t. It bugs me and it bugs my wife Cheryl too who is quick to point it out every time it happens.

It bugs me because I see guys like Josh Hamilton play every moment like it might be his last. It bugs me because no one is willing to call him on it. It bugs me just because this is the kind of thing that annoys me to no end.

There, I said it.

Like I said earlier – I’m just writing about whatever comes to my head and that includes stuff that I’ve been holding on to all season.

In fact, I picked up something early on that bugged me about Albert. It was the third game of the season against the Royals. It was the bottom of the first and Howie Kendrick was on second base. Albert was up to bat and Jonathan Sanchez uncorked a wild pitch. As the catcher was scrambling for the ball and Kendrick was making his way to third base – Albert had his head down, scratching the dirt with his feet to prepare for the next pitch.

In other words – he was NOT giving any direction to the base runner; instead he was focused on his at bat and nothing else. It seemed odd to me; even out of character.

It was the first moment when I found something that bugged me about Albert. Am I nitpicking? Probably. Hey, it’s what a fan does when he sits down to try and find something to write about for his blog.

Maybe I’m making a bigger deal out of this than I should. Heck, I probably won’t bring it up again – but today is one of those days to just let some stuff fly.

Now with all that being said – let me tell you something else that I noticed about Albert and it happened last night.

Like I said earlier – when you think you have something or someone figured out – something happens that makes you rethink everything.

In any case – in the bottom of the 9th after Albert had doubled and tagged up and run to third on a fly ball (showing good hustle) he stood at the base and looked to be cheering Kendrys Morales on who was up to bat.

It was a small thing – but I loved it. It was the first time that I noticed Albert looking like he really wanted to win a game.

I’m not saying he doesn’t want to win every game – I’m just saying it was the first time I personally noticed Albert acting like he really cared.

Please don’t take any of this the wrong way. I’m absolutely thrilled to have Albert on the Angels and I am looking forward to watching him play for the next ten years. I really and truly am excited about it.

Let’s just say that I’m still trying to understand him as best as any fan can. Maybe I never will understand him completely, but it won’t be for a lack of trying.

If you have spent any time on this blog at all – you know that this is what I’m all about. I’m not about statistical analysis (although I will dabble in that once in a while) and I’m not about any kind of in-depth player evaluation or analysis, etc. I’m about the fan experience and that’s what makes True Grich the blog that it is – for better or worse.

I absolutely love Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout. I am still trying to love Albert Pujols. I believe in time I will feel the same way adoring Cardinal fans felt about him for all of the years he was in St. Louis. I’m still looking for reasons to embrace him. Time will tell.

Please note that I haven’t been totally honest here. I didn’t write down everything that came to my mind. That would have involved a long Erick Aybar rant. I’ll spare you from that for now. Just saying.

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!

Still we watch

It’s been very tough being an Angels fan this year.  If you’re one – you know.

Watching the Angels try to score runs these days has been one of the most frustrating experiences of our baseball watching lives  We think; we believe and more than anything – hope that every at bat that takes place with runners in scoring position is going be the one that is going to be the start of something great. 

We say to ourselves, “This is it… the offense is going to come alive and go on a tear without ever looking back.”

Forty-two games in and we’re still hoping. 

Roughly one fourth of the season is done and here we are.  The Angels rank 25^th out of 30 teams in runs scored.  They are next to last in the American League, ahead of only the Oakland A’s – but it’s close; 153-150 and guess who the Angels play over the next three days?

This can’t go on.  Things have to change.  We are about to lose our minds.

We go from thinking that things are going to change any moment to hoping they will any day.  From believing this is the inning to – hoping for it to change next inning.  It doesn’t end.  It’s a nightmare that we can’t wake up from.

We walk around in a funk.  We want to punch a wall. 

And yet… we still watch. 

We wait.  We hope.  We might want to stop watching, but some of us just can’t turn away.  We really want to be rewarded for our faithfulness.  It has to be coming, right?  We want to taste the fruits of victory because losing and losing some more has been a bitter pill to swallow.

If you’re an Angels fan and you’ve come to the point of not being able to watch, I understand.  Still, I bet you check your phone even when you’re not watching live.  You’re looking for any little reason to be drawn back in.  Thinking about the struggle is too painful, but you’re keeping hope alive in your own little way.

If you’re an Angel fan who continues to hang in there despite it all, I applaud you.  I’m right there with you.  You’ve tried everything from lucky charms to strange rituals.  You think… “Maybe if I eat this or wear that“ and it’s to the point where you’re running out of ideas.

I know.  You’re tired of saying “Maybe tomorrow.”  You’re really tired of your Dodger fan friends and the fans of any team that’s doing better than yours.  You avoid the subject of Albert Pujols all-together.  You wince when people try to blame Mike Scioscia.  It seems like every time you experience a little bit of joy – it’s followed up with more frustration and pain.

This isn’t fun.  It wasn’t supposed to be like this.  How can this be happening?  Reading this blog post probably isn’t helping either.

What do you do? What do WE do?

We focus on Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout.  We wait for Torii Hunter to come back.  We embrace every moment that Jered Weaver is on the mound.  And… we wait; like a dog waiting by the door for his master to come home; we wait.  We stare off into the distance and we wait for the next game, the next at-bat and the next pitch.

This is either going to be the most frustrating season of our baseball watching lives or one of the greatest ever.  This team doesn’t have mediocrity written all over it.  It has greatness written on it and if they should fail – the failure will be catastrophic; even monumental.  It will be beyond our comprehension and understanding and it may even drive us mad.

I’m betting that doesn’t happen.  I’m trying to think ahead to a happier time; a time when we can look back at these first 42 games and know that we didn’t give up and that we watched our team overcome adversity. 

The next two weeks are huge.  When they are over one-third of the season will have been played and we will no longer be able to say “It’s early.”  Seven games this week against the A’s and Mariners and then three with the Yankees and those stinking’ Rangers.

Its go time folks.  The Angels have to trim some games off the eight game deficit they’re facing between now and the time they face Texas.  This is what we are clinging to right now.  We want a chance because deep down inside, we believe that if this team gives itself a chance – good things are going to happen.

I believe.  Yes, I do.  It ain't easy, but baseball isn't supposed to be easy.

Who’s with me?

You don't have Mickey Hatcher to kick around any more

Say what you will about Mickey Hatcher; but know this, a good man lost his job yesterday.  His detractors were many and they were loud and they were harsh. Whether or not Hatcher was deserving of such criticism is up for debate –but the consensus among Angel nation is pretty clear – he almost certainly had to go.

While a great many Angel fans are dancing in the street today; I have a different view.  I want to remember the man for the way he carried himself.  Despite the constant criticism, Mickey Hatcher never appeared angry, frustrated or even defensive.  He always seemed to be smiling and positive.  He certainly showed more class than many of his detractors.

Hatcher’s dismissal raises a boat load of questions and there is certainly no shortage of speculation in around baseball right now.  How will this move impact Mike Scioscia’s authority?  Why now?  Did this come down from Arte Moreno himself or is this Jerry Dipoto sending a message to the players and coaches that there is indeed a new man in charge and he’s not messing around?

I am in no position to judge whether or not Mickey Hatcher was a good hitting coach.  Is there even such a thing?  I know about as much about hitting as I do piloting a space ship.  I do know that the Angels have had an approach and philosophy that was all about being aggressive and making the effort to put the ball in play. 

It’s a style that I have loved to watch; and yet – it has appeared to me that so many things; maybe too many things had to always go right for the Angels offense to be successful.  I also know that Mickey Hatcher got his marching orders from Mike Scioscia and the Angels’ approach wasn’t necessarily Hatcher’s – it was most definitely Scioscia’s.

It’s a new day and it will be interesting to see how things unfold from here.  All eyes will be on Scioscia to see how he responds to all of this.  This can’t be easy.  Clearly he and Hatcher are close and have been through a great many things together.  I won’t blame him if he’s a little on edge, all things considered.

A lot of people are going to make this all about him and I believe that will make him uncomfortable.  People are going to talk about his contract that runs through 2018 (although he can opt out after 2015).  The focus and the scrutiny are going to be more intense.  Scioscia doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy, who likes having the focus on him,

Think about this – whenever the Angels are part of a national broadcast and there is an interview of a manager in the dugout – you don’t see Scioscia on camera.  He has always put his coaches in the position to answer the questions that are being asked.

Scioscia never makes it about himself.  When Nick Adenhart died and reporters asked over and over again about how the team was handling things – Scioscia always said “it’s not about us – it’s about Nick’s family and doing what we can to help them.”

When you know that about Scioscia it makes this situation all the more interesting.

On XM radio’s Power Alley this morning – Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquette spent the first half hour of their show talking about the whole thing and Duquette said it’s clear to him that for the first time ever – Mike Scioscia is on the clock. 

Wow. 

I say “wow” because Duquette is probably right.  How did it come to this?  All the good will that was developed from 2002 through 2009 is gone.  Again, it’s a new day.

Baseball may be America’s favorite pastime; but the blame game is probably a close second.  Lots of fingers are being pointed these days in Anaheim and there is unrest and frustration the likes of which I have never seen.

Angel fans have gone from the highest of highs with the announcement of Albert Pujols coming to  Anaheim to the lowest of lows with each and every time the Angels get shut out (8 times now).  Something had to give and unfortunately for Mickey Hatcher – it was his job.

I am curious as I’m sure most of you are about how Scioscia is taking this, but I also know that we aren’t likely to ever know.  I imagine the world is a little bit of a lonelier place for him right now and that he is searching within himself for answers. 

And then t here’s Jerry Dipoto.  Since his arrival the team has shipped off long time Scioscia favorite Jeff Mathis to Toronto, acquired a high on base percentage type of hitter in Mathis’ replacement – Chris Iannetta; demoted Jordan Walden; shipped Kevin Jepsen to AAA; released Bobby Abreu, promoted Mike Trout and put him at the top of the order, and fired Mickey Hatcher.  Dipoto also signed Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, LaTroy Hawkins and acquired Ernesto Frieri.

And let’s not forget that Dipoto totally cleaned house in the front office.  There is no question what-so-ever as to who is in charge and whose will is being exerted in Anaheim.

Mike Scioscia’s fingerprints are all over the organization.  His philosophy and style of play has been infused at every level.  He has been the face of the organization for many years now.  When you think about the Oakland A’s – Billy Beane immediately comes to mind.  When you think about Red Sox recent run – you associate it with Theo Epstein.  For the Rangers – the face is Nolan Ryan.  In most cases – the face of an organization isn’t the manager, unlike in Anaheim.

Jerry Dipoto clearly has a plan and he’s definitely on a mission.  He too has a philosophy and it appears that it is direct conflict with the way Scioscia approaches the game.

Can the two co-exist?  I’m not sure.

The public perception of Scioscia is that he is stubborn and unwavering.  Whether or not that’s true to who he really is remains to be seen.  If true – his tenure in Anaheim may be in peril.  Something has to give and if it comes to that it will be a sad day because I believe Scioscia is the best thing that has ever happened to the Angels, period.

At the end of the day we all want the same thing – we want the Angels to be back on top – not only in the west, but in all of baseball.  The expectations are high and they should be. 

The most disappointing thing about all of this is that instead of talking about how well the Angels are playing; we are focused on all the things that have made this season a disaster so far.  That’s incredibly sad.  It was supposed to be like this.

The organization is experiencing growing pains and we should emphasize the word “pain” for sure.

In closing, I wish Mickey Hatcher well.  I will always appreciate his enthusiasm and happy-go-lucky nature.  I admired the way he handled adversity.  We should all be so classy.

Mad as heck and confused as ever

Angel fans are mad.  More than anything we are frustrated.  Nothing is more deflating to a sports fan than to see their favorite team thumped in a big game against a bitter rival.  Watching the two losses to the Texas Rangers over the weekend was torture.  Worse yet – it was a slow torture.

This is ugly.  The worst case scenario is here staring us all in the face.  Enthusiasm has turned to rage.  Hope has turned to fear.  Angel fans are fighting mad. They are pointing fingers and they want some heads to roll.  They’re lighting up the phone lines for radio call-in shows, and burning up message boards on the internet like a wild fire.

And… I love it.

Even though it’s hard to listen to the ranting of Angel fans and just as hard to read what they have to say – I’m glad it’s happening.  It’s good to see that Angel fans care because the alternative is apathy and that’s a death sentence to a franchise.

More than ever, Angel fans are emotionally invested in their team and it wasn’t that long ago that we couldn’t say such things. 

That being said – this can’t go on.  It has to stop.   If the Angels don’t start showing signs of life soon; especially Albert Pujols – the fall out will be severe.  Attendance is already down; that despite the reported uptick in pre-season sales. 

Face it – So. Cal fans are fickle.  They have way too many options for their entertainment dollar and if the Angels continue to struggle – all the good will created from 2002 through 2009 will be a distant memory. 

Okay – so here we are.  You want answers, right?  Well, so do I.  We can devote this post to placing blame and suggesting solutions – but if I did that, I’d be like a lot of other blogs and I’m not going to do that.

I will give you some of my thoughts on Albert Pujols and you can file these comments under “Everything you hear isn’t true…”

People keep saying that the Angels should be winning games regardless of Albert’s struggles.  Really?  Well consider this – in his career he has hit .370 with a 1.184 OPS when his team wins.  When his team loses?  He has hit .269 with a .822 OPS.  The difference is significant.  Teams go as Albert goes or at least that how it appears to me.

New league; new pitchers – does it make a difference?  I couldn’t find any statistics to analyze for this scenario, but I did find something interesting.  The more Albert sees a pitcher in a game, the better he hits.  When he faces a starter for the first time his BA is .312 and with each AB, that statistic goes up.  Second time:  .321; third time: .360; fourth time (or more): .362.

I’d say there is a correlation; wouldn’t you?  If he hits a pitcher better the more time she sees him in a single game, I would think the same would be true over the course of a season.

People (and I believe Albert himself) say he’s not a pull hitter.  Really?  For his career, he has hit .468 when his hits have been pulled to left field; .321 when they’ve gone up the middle and .304 to the opposite field.  Consider this – 213 of his 446 career homeruns have been to left field.  He has hit 93 to left center, 71 to center, 40 to right field and 29 to right center.

What does it all mean? Heck, if I know.  I guess my point is that everyone has an answer, but some of those observations are based on who they think Albert is and not necessarily who he really is.  

Confused?  Yeah, me too.  That's baseball for you.  Just consider it all food for thought as you sit there licking your wounds from the weekend.  That’s what I’m doing.

It’s a new week and there are new opportunities.  Keep the faith folks – this has to turn around soon. 

Jered on Letterman

Jered Weaver is still riding the wave of that no hitter the threw. He made an appearance last night on David Letterman's show to deliver the top ten signs that you'll never throw a no-hitter. I know Jered is a pitcher, but in this case - he knocked it out of the park.

No-no? Yes!

The “thought” entered my mind in the third inning. I know it was early, but when I looked up and saw the zeros, I thought about the possibility that Jered Weaver could throw a no-hitter.

When the fifth inning rolled around, the game didn’t feel like a typical game and I began to hope.

After six innings, people in my section began to talk in code, not wanting to say the words “no hitter” – but it was clear what was on their minds. I began to contact friends via my cell phone to make sure they were watching Jered throwing a “gem.”  I don't really believe in jinxes and such, but when it comes to baseball, I play along just for the fun and tradition of it.

I began to think about how blessed Cheryl and I were to be in the stadium.

Bo, who is a die-hard Angels fan who goes way back and sits to my left one row in front of me – turned and looked at me. We didn’t say a word to one another, but we were sharing the same thought. I thought about fellow 514 Fanatics John and Linda, who sit to Bo’s left, who don’t miss a lot of games – but took last night off to celebrate their anniversary. I thought about Ann and John, who usually accommodate them to every game.

I thought about my dad and how I wished he was still alive because I wanted to call him.

I thought about a post I had written last year about Jered Weaver that I titled “You should have been there.” It was something I had written after Jered had recorded his sixth win of the season to put him at 6-0. I had written it because a mere 37,115 fans showed up that night.

Whenever Jered takes the mound – it should be must-see theatre. He’s that special and I’ve been thinking and saying that ever since he began his career with the Angels. The 27,288 fans who were lucky enough to be at Angels Stadium last night know what I’m talking about.

I still don’t understand why the stadium isn’t packed every single time Jered takes the mound. I’m not begrudging people who can’t go for whatever reason; but for those who could and choose not to, I don’t get it.

The game rolled on and Weaver continued to make magic.

I watched. I listened to Terry Smith and Mark Langston call the game beautifully on the radio. I focused. I prayed. I kept an eye on his pitch count and I shot glances at the bullpen even though I knew I wouldn’t see anyone warming up.

I was soaking it all in. Sometimes when I’m at a game, it’s all a blur. There are conversations and distractions and things that happen around me that make me miss a play or two and when the night is over, I sometimes feel like I wasn’t even there.

That wasn’t the case last night. Jered was in the zone and so was this fan.

Cheryl was wearing her “We BeWeave” shirt. I had on my 2011 Weaver all-star shirt and a Dirtbag hat. We always wear something with Weaver’s name on it when he takes the mound. It’s our tradition.

When the 8th inning rolled around I was as nervous. Could it be? Is this really happening? I had to make sure some of my buddies were watching and sent them messages again to make sure.

With every inning, the crowd got a little louder and a buzz was definitely in the air.

By the time the 9th inning came along, the crowd was ready to celebrate. Everyone wanted to see it happen. Fans stood on their feet. Fists were clinched and the air was thick with anticipation. Yes, this was really happening. It could happen. Oh yes… please, let it happen.

The crowd reacted to every pitch; cheering loudly when Jered threw a strike and booing when the umpire Mark Carlson called ball on any pitch fans were certain was a strike.

Then it happened. Jered threw his 121st pitch of the night to Alexi Casilla, who hit a line drive to right field. Torii Hunter began to run back towards the wall. I held my breath. A moment of doubt entered, but it didn’t last. After all, that was Torii Hunter running that ball down. When Hunter reached up and hauled the ball in, the stadium went nuts. I went nuts. Cheryl was snapping photos left and right – we both let out a scream. It was madness. It was pandemonium. It was awesome.

That’s what pure unbridled joy feels like. It was fun. It was magical. It was baseball.

Angel Nation’s favorite son had cemented himself in the history books and enhanced his legacy and legend as a player.

The overwhelming consensus among fans everywhere was that it couldn't happen to a more deserving guy. It was cool on so many levels. It was heart-warming to see him embrace his wife and his mom and dad. His dad never misses a home game and the whole family was treated to something that most can only dream about.

How fitting was it that Torii Hunter hauled in the last out? How wonderful that it happened in Anaheim before fans who adore Jered?

Oh boy that was fun.

Cheryl and I go to a lot of games. Yes, we’re fanatical about the Angels. We know that every time we go to the stadium the impossible is possible. Magic can happen on any given night and that’s exactly what happened last night.

A family affair

I have a theory about the possible cause of Albert’s struggles at the plate thus far. I don’t know much about hitting mechanics or how to break down a player’s swing, but that didn’t stop me from coming to my own conclusion about Albert’s poor offensive start.

 I don’t know Albert personally, but I get the impression that he’s quite the family man. What does this have to do with anything? I learned today that his family isn’t moving to California and that they’re staying in St. Louis. Dee Dee Pujols (Albert’s wife) was interviewed by a television station in St. Louis about their foundation (Pujols Family Foundation).

Dee Dee was talking about the foundation’s plans to remain in St. Louis and also expand to Kansas City, Nashville and Southern California. In the course of the interview it was revealed that Dee Dee plans to stay in St. Louis and raise the couple's children while continuing to focus on growing the foundation.

There it is.

Albert is in a new city with a new team and his family is still back in St. Louis. That has to have an impact on a man like Albert. To top it off, Dee Dee is four months pregnant with the couple’s fifth child.

Despite his nickname (The Machine), Albert is anything but that. I’m betting that being apart from his family is taking its toll. Think about it. This is a man who met the love of his life at an early age, married young and lived and worked in St. Louis with his wife and family by his side for many years. He slept in a home where his children were close by and his wife by his side. He had home cooked meals. He had someone to talk to, confide in, etc. after every game.

Not only has Albert had to adapt to new surroundings, new teammates, new pitchers in a different league; he’s had to adjust to life without his family by his side. That can’t be easy, I don’t care who you are.

Some people like Jon Heyman of CBS Sports might even think he’s a little crankier. Heyman called out Albert for calling out Mickey Hatcher.

Apparently, Hatcher told some Angel beat writers what Albert said in a team meeting and Albert took exception to it. Personally, I think Heyman is making a bigger deal out of Albert’s reaction than necessary. Given the circumstances - I'd cut Albert a little slack and I'm guessing Mickey Hatcher isn't all that upset with Albert's comments anyway.  It's not like Albert was blaming Hatcher for his struggles.

Look, Albert doesn’t have his support system around him and again, that has to be tough. Just saying – maybe, just maybe – that’s the root of his struggles thus far.

Albert has said many times that the Angels are his "new family."  I guess that's more true than even he realized.  There has to be an extra added strain to being away from his real family; especially with a daughter who has special needs and a wife who is four months pregnant.  There's the distance, the time difference and so much more.

And consider this - Albert is a man who thrives on routine and process and his whole routine is different now.

Maybe I'm off base, but I'm guessing I'm not and this more than anything else can explain his struggles.


Late addition: Mike Ferrin of SiriusXM's MLB Network radio gave me a link to a piece by Jon Morosi who interviewed Albert about his struggles and touched on the subject of being away from his family. Good stuff (relevant material near the end of the article).