Photo credit: Rex Fregosi Weekend News Crash follows.
News About Pitchers
Stephen Strasburg argued balls and strikes on his off day from up in the stands and he was ejected. Zack Greinke called his pitches out loud against the Giants with men on first and second base, no outs, and he still got the batter out. He ended up giving up only one run in the game. Joe Kelly remains angry at the Astros players and about his suspension. He calls them “snitches” and “rats.” Apparently Zach Plesac did have a driver from the car service when he was sent home. Both he and the driver were given instant coronavirus tests to make sure neither was already infected. Then Plesac posted this.
News About Non-Pitchers
Zachary D. Rymer projects the Angels to end up with a record of 30-30. About 20 teams have signed on to a data sharing arrangement concerning the players training at the alternative sites. The lack of in person scouting of this group will be overcome by data sharing and video which is expected to come in handy as the trade deadline nears. Speaking of driving, the St. Louis Cardinals may all drive individually to Chicago to play the White Sox this weekend. The Cardinals coach who recently tested positive was in isolation and not in contact with the team. Mookie Betts hit three home runs Thursday night, so he’s hot going into the weekend series against the Angels. Not ideal.
Anyone think it’s possible with Simmons returning soon they could trade Ls Stella for some pitching and make Fletch the everyday 2nd baseman? Am I nuts for even thinking that?
Maybe. Depends on how much other teams value defense, because La Stella doesn’t bring a decent glove.
Unlikely considering LaStella’s defensive liabilities. I’m wondering if the team will extend Simba given his injury issues this year and last year. Fletcher is no Simmons, but he’s pretty good.
I need to take a look at the second base market because thus far Rengifo’s bat isn’t up to par nor is La Stella’s glove. If the plan is to move Fletcher to shortstop we need to shore up second, at least for a year. Maybe the team jumps into the loaded free agent shortstop class the following year, maybe not.
I like Fletcher at 2nd more than at SS. I do agree that getting much from La Stella would be difficult. Maybe Regnifo and La Stella for a decent arm? Honestly I’m just spitballing.
I like Fletcher
2/3 from the Doyers and 3/4 from the Giants, then 12-14 and maybe in 2nd place. Let’s goooo!
l do believe that making an expanded amount of playoff teams that qualify will certainly help us make those playoffs. We still do not have enough pitching or consistent hitting that will allow us to go deep into the playoffs. After Bundy it gets weak fast, Tehran, Heaney, and Canning are weak at best. While of late the bullpen is improving it still is not all that good. Maybe it is time to abandon the spin rate. Control is more important than any numeric. still the numbers show we walk to many batters and they score a lot.. The line up with Fletch, Noodles, Trouty, Rendon, Ohtani, Albert seems to be able to score and successful getting on base.Our fielding is believe it or not seems to be better with Albert playing first. If we can take 2 out of three against the best in MLB would be a good start to show that we are “worthy”. Can’t wait to watch us beat the Doyers.
A chance for Sandoval to step up and show he can keep the Angels in the game against Kershaw. Cross your fingers.
Plesac is a fucking idiot. And to emphasize how strongly I believe that, I’ll mention that is the first time I have ever used my once-per-month bomb on this or any other Angels fan site.
“You can’t just sit in a room all by yourself.” Actually, yes you can. People have been doing that for months. Also, you don’t have to. You get to leave your room every day, go exercise at the stadium, socialize with teammates, and play baseball. You are absolutely not stuck in a room.
Even if you had come back before curfew, going out to dinner with friends outside of the team and then to a room where 8 non-related people gather was idiotic. If you want to hang out with up to 10 friends during COVID, then opt-out of the season. If you want to play and make money, you have a responsibility to follow the MLB safety protocols, even if they are more stringent than the CDC. The CDC is making minimum rules for the general public. Areas with outbreaks or organizations where people are at higher risk (like the MLB) need additional protocols to stay safe.
He has no remorse and is too stupid to understand why what he did was wrong. After the Marlins outbreak I had at least some hope that players might take this seriously. Unfortunately, Plesac has now proven he is a morally and intellectually deficient person who should not be allowed to play right now.
Holy !!!. His little brother has type 1 diabetes and his mother is a nurse! So not only does he have higher risk from involvement in the MLB, he has at-risk family and increased exposure from a family member that works in the health industry. Two more reasons he should be the person taking extra precautions, not flaunting safety rules.
It was probably peer pressure at its worst. A bunch of his high school friends live only 45 miles from Chicago. It does not justify what he did. It just probably played out like a stupid post-high school young adult party movie, right down to the Bozo outsider who got invited along (Clevinger).
Did you watch the instagram video? That’s what made me so upset. He broke rules, and then after the fact, asked somebody what the general safety rules are, and then decided what he did was safe even though he didn’t know the actual safety rules before hand and even though his situation requires more precaution than the general rules.
In sum he says: “The media is evil and blowing this out of proportion. I went out to dinner and then went back to a friends place and hung out, but the MLB instituted new rules and a blew my curfew and got busted. I asked my doctor what safe is and it turns out the rules are always changing, but the CDC says up to 10 people are safe. We never had more than 8 people, so who cares about the MLB rules because I was safe according to the CDC. I take this seriously, because not only do I worry about my teammates, I have family reasons to worry, too.”
Or even shorter. <Gets busted for breaking rules.><media announces he broke the rules> “The media is evil for saying I broke the rules. Yes, I broke the rules, but the rules are stupid. I promise I’m taking the rules seriously.”
Yes, very infuriating. In short, MLBers consented to following MLB safety protocols by playing the season, which are more stringent than CDC guidelines for obvious reasons. And that’s not even mentioning the willingness to put an immunocompromised teammate at risk. Just everything, yikes.
Exactly, Rahul. These players signed up for these protocols in an effort to have a season and protect the higher risk players and coaches on the team. A deal was made and Plesac decided not to live up to his word.
Don’t like the deal, don’t play. But the second you agree to something, honor it.
No sorry. I don’t do Instagram. During sign up they asked questions that are none of their forking business so I aborted and never looked back.
I actually don’t have an instagram account, either. But I could still watch the video he posted by following the above link. It’s also not normally the type of thing I watch – which is probably a good idea considering how infuriated I get listening to such stupidity.
One of the editors added that. I’m kind of glad I didn’t watch it. That crap about up to ten people being safe would have driven me crazy. It does even now. In enclosed spaces, if one is sick they all will end up sick. That is the basics.
Nice to see Indians option both Plesac and Clevinger to alternate site as a result of their stupidness
You can’t have everyone leaning one way. That would be bad reporting, and very interesting.
The rest of Studio 42 just convinced the idiot that it’s cool to think that way. Plesac is a tool, but is too dense to form a personal opinion.
I was watching the Dodgers game. I seen the first two while paying attention to the at bats. I thought “man, that ball is leaving nice off the bat.”, but the ball, for that speed, was barely getting out it seemed.
Then, doing other things I seen the third dinger out of the corner of my eye. Swing, normal looking speed, ball, high velocity rocket(get on this red), and I had to turn and look quick.
After, while watching the days highlights,they were talking about having a .400 hitter maybe. Blackmon and Solano were featured.
Blackmon has some mad bat speed, ball flies off fast as expected. Little low on the angle, might kill if fan were in the bleachers.
Solano, wrist swinging slowly,mashed the ball like a roofed out monster (?), skyrocket up up and away, the ball is just clearing the fences.
Games at Anaheim? How.e runs are reaching beyond the fences greatly. The yellow line seems to have been made absolete.
THE BALL IS VERY JUICED PEOPLE!!!
*this is all just a visual observation done with my eye(s). The only source I have is, check it out.
If we can just get past the Dodgers without too much embarrassment, the Giants are playing down at our level despite Solano’s batting average. Then we have another series with Seattle at the end of the month. The Angels could actually creep up toward .500. Woo Hoo!
The Astros are in the middle there. Let’s hope they continue to suck.
I think you’re right
Ramon Laureano suspension reduced to 4 games. https://sports.yahoo.com/astros-as-brawl-ramon-laureano-suspension-reduced-four-games-162514165.html
Mookie 😨
Super balls painted white with red stripes
Have we discussed who might be available at the deadline this year? Curious to hear your thoughts, but looking at the list of SP’s who are FA’s next year (and thus wouldn’t cost someone like Marsh…) seems thin and most of the top guys are on teams who are competing anyway and won’t be available. Any options that you find appealing/attainable?
I haven’t taken a look but I’d be more inclined to shore up the relief pitching as that’s where the Angels are struggling badly. Might be an article!
Need guys that induce grounders. LaStella getting replaced by lil’G in the late innings.
Looking forward to it 😉
I was thinking Kela, if he comes back healthy. Could also be an idea to trade Goodwin to Milwaukee (who need a bat) for some of their pitching prospects.
Right kind of idea, for sure! Any capable reliever with control beyond the season is worth looking into.
it’s highly volatile. We need both kinds of pitchers. Over on Facebook someone was asking about trading Trout for frontline pitchers (multiple). But it’s rare that a team has two or more pitchers who last for several years and if they do they’re not going to trade them. But this led to me look at pitchers from way back when (as I tried to concoct a 1958 Mays trade). I kept seeing big time 1958 pitchers being done within 2 or 3 years. And if big time pitchers fade then you know the next level sees that, too. We’re all happy about Bundy but 2021? 2022? Who knows!?
No way Trout gets traded. But I can see La Stella and/or Rengifo getting a solid reliever with years of control. After all the Dodgers wanted Rengifo this off season and Kinsler got us Buttrey.
We have a writers rountable discussion and bringing back Richards has been a popular take (started by Turk’s Teeth). Without overly breaking the bank, next year could have a Stroman, Richards, Bundy, Canning, Detmers rotation with Sandoval and Heaney fighting for the swing spot. I have no idea if Ohtani is a pitcher at the moment.
No matter how hard you try. No matter what steps you take. You’ll never make a game thread pants mandatory.
That’s unenforceable
Greinke, trying to make up for the Asstros trash can debacle.