Good morning Angels fans, how are you today? I am feeling much better. Have some links.
Angels News
The Angels won yesterday, with great hitting and a good Heaney? Is that even real? Oh and Heaney got heated when Maddon pulled him with an 8 run lead.
In that same game, Churches pulled something and left the game. Cramp they say right.
Here, have some good Ohtani stuff. If you have ESPN insider that is. And here is one from last night you do not have to have ESPN for.
H.T. has looked at bullpen arms that could save the season. Well, save the season is a stretch but still.
Oh yeah and a reminder that Bobby Grinch should be in the HOF. Tell the Veterans committee to do something right for a change.
Around Baseball
The Athletic may be sold to the NY Times. So if you haven’t cancelled already, you may need to soon anyway. Vox is also interested…
Harper is on the IL. Again. Him and Trout are linked or something.
Kyle Gibson is out with a groin issue. This seems like a more common injury this year.
Zach Plesac is out as well. Thumb issue ow.
Phelps is out for the year. Tough one for the Blue Jays.
6 Man rotations are getting more and more popular now.
The stats are out and yes, the new ball has changed flight patters when hit. Shocking I know.
CPBL has forfeited their chance at the Olympics this year due to COVID. If there will be an Olympics this year at all. The Japanese public doesn’t want it, and there are no international fans, it has been a disaster.
MLB will score the 2 millionth run this week. That is a lot of scoring.
Anything I missed? Post below for upvotes.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/05/mickey-callaway-placed-on-ineligible-list-through-at-least-2022.html
Callaway …… he gone, and within 30 minutes of the report and MLB placement on the ineligible list. that paperwork for his firing was already complete, just needed the date filled in.
Bobby
?
It might be behind a paywall, but Cam Bedrosian is working on a new pitch as part of the A’s bullpen. Knowing how things work, he’ll probably develop his splitter there and become the consistent, dominate force we were always waiting for him to become!
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/25/the-new-pitch-that-could-help-new-as-reliever-cam-bedrosian-flourish-in-oakland/
In a similar vein, I have this notion that Heaney will become the second coming of Tom Glavine or some such as soon as he signs somewhere else. :/
He will. He will become more consistent and reliable. Be someone’s #4 and pitch like #3. He’s been our wannabe #1 or #2. All with an ERA almost 5 and about 18 starts a year.
Hope he goes to the NL. He won’t, it will be the Rays, Rangers, A’ss, Seattle, Doyers and he will improve. Oh well, trAdition.
20 days ago the line up got better and brighter.
Two things today:
1) Regarding The Athletic: SPACs seem to have infested every aspect of business these days. I barely see the logic behind the craze in aerospace, where I work. Makes basically no sense to me for journalism/media. Can’t wait for this bubble to burst.
2) I think we should acquire one or two of those pitchers HT pointed out. Miami and Pittsburgh seem like good trade partners as do the Tigers. After doing a cursory check this morning, we’re about middle of the pack in runs scored for the AL and second in the division behind the Astros. We’re actually ahead of the first-place A’s in this department. However, we’re dead last in the AL in runs against. That says what’s been obvious this whole season: our pitching and defense sucks. Improve the former at least, especially if you can do it beyond this season, and who knows what will happen. Our offense is already decent, and should get better with Trout’s return, some prospect help, etc.
SPACs are what happens when living with the pyramid scheme known as our banking system. The only tools that MMT theory have to use right now are to print more and that is creating massive misallocations of capital.
If you could get a legit closer and shuffle everyone down one role…Mayers doesn’t need to pitch back-to-back or more than one inning, Iglesias gets slightly lower leverage, Watson keeps doing his thing…along with a legit closer, I think we wouldn’t blow games. (If we can’t get ahead, that is another problem…)
It is, frankly, weird that Raisel goes from 2.74 to 5.19 and Strickland from 1.69 to 5.79 when they get here. Is that because they weren’t that good? Because the defense is terrible? I’d love to add a legit closer but would the new guy fall apart when he arrives?
It’s obviously harder to pitch on a bad team surrounded by bad pitchers. Trickle down theory, feel free to assign a %…In no particular order, rookie pitching coach, bad defensively, catchers?, pitch selection, shitty luck (all part of being bad), someone’s bad pitching philosophy (not sure who’s), dumpster diving desperation, lack of scouting, bad drafting, usage (over, under, unfamiliar), no special sauce pitching guru, bad GM, and most importantly, trAdition.
What did I miss?
Salty nuts guy?
You called?
Some lines from his routine:
“WHO WANTS A BAG OF SALTY NUTS? DO YOU WANT TWO OR TEN? DON’T FORGET THE LAUNDRY MONEY (coins/change)! WHAT’S THE MATTER HONEY, HE DOESN’T WANT TO SPEND ANY MONEY ON YOU? WHAT’S SO FUNNY, MISTER GIGGLES???”
The problem: R. Iglesias has been terrible in low leverage situations. He has been generally very good in high leverage ones. He’ll be terrible in general if he pitches in less critical situations. And to be honest, I don’t think we can get any more “legit” closer than he b/c, at that point, I would not know what such a closer would look like (not based on what he has done for us, per se, but in terms of overall body of work).
Hey, I’m trustworthy now! Yay?
Man, this site is messed up, then!!! 😎
Yeah, well you’re super! 😀
Like I said, this site is messed up!!!!
I don’t believe leverage plays that big a role, quite honestly. The problem with Iglesias is he’s volatile. He can look dominant on one day and terrible the next. I don’t want that guy pitching the 9th inning.
I still want that guy pitching innings, however.
That TV broadcast was whacky last night. Love me some Grich (one of my favorites) but man can that guy talk! It was non-stop. I kept going between loving it and annoyance. His love of the game and the intensity with which he played baseball is something the team could use right now. I’d suggest he become a bench coach but players might miss ABs listening to his stories!! 🤣
I have run into him at Roger Dunn Golf Shop in the past. Everyone knows him there and he really is a “people person” and likes talk and meet people.
I’ve run into him at a little cafe by my office. Super nice guy.
Get your brakes checked.
Or my eyes, always running into something or someone, walls, people, posts, sides of barns, etc.
I don’t remember the last time I had so much fun listening and watching an Angels game as I did last night. All of what was going on in the booth and trying to figure out what was really going on down on the field. Angels winning and 3 HRs and Grich and his sharing the memories and the fun times. I even liked that Mota was there and Gubbi adding stories in where he could get a word in edge wise. Every night, nope, but 3-4 times a year, yep.
Last nights format was a unique and intriguing alternative to this seasons Daron Sutton’s random eruptions shtick or the drive-by from the home office format Matty V has employed ( Its seems like the Angels need to get him a bigger monitor) But I could see Gritchy’s story telling getting old real fast on multiple broadcasts. His insights in hitting and plate approach was refreshing maybe because Gubi is typically only giving us a pitchers prospective?
Maybe the Angels can to this same format for a handful of future games this season with other Angel greats ( Maybe Skeeter? Kingfish? The Express? Jim Abbott? G.A.? or Rod Carew? )
Especially the older guys. They’re not going to be around forever.
Same page as you.
Remember my inside info from Daron: there will be occasional nights when neither regular is available. The Angels have a few former players who will step in.
Salmon is a name we discussed, Finley and GA are always around.
I think it will be a nice break from time to time.
Inside info or not Daron and wife and daughter attended the game last night. But as mentioned I would like the booth to include some guests in the future to include, Carew, Reggie, Downing, some of the ’80’s guys along with the ’90’s guys and even Sosh and Stoneman down the road. We have some very interesting former players with stories to tell.
Finley would be awesome. I’m sure he’s got some homespun yarns to tell.
Great player. The Angels would not have been in the playoffs in the 1980’s without him.
I do get what you’re saying because it got awkward at times, but I really enjoyed it.
I haven’t watched the Angels pitching half-of-the-inning in some time.
The Athletic still hasn’t replaced their Angel beat writer, Fabian Ardaya who left with Pujols to cover the Doyers 2 weeks ago.
Even though much of their overall sports coverage has been outstanding, I just don’t see a Gray Lady acquisition or Vox acquisition (KOD) benefitting and saving the publication.
R.I.P. The Athletic
Some behind the scenes reports from Ippei the interpreter.
Don’t mind my premium translation.
“Had a miserable time after the second vaccine and I heard Fletch was like that too.”
“The departure of Pujols on May6th was so sudden that not many players managed to say goodbye.
The last communication with Shohei was when AP said nice pitching after the start on May5th(the Yarbrough game).
Hopefully we can send our greetings when we play LAD in August.”
“Shohei was deeply impressed of the ballpark and surroundings of Fenway during the Boston series like he was two years ago there too.”
“During the Houston and Boston road trip, some players gathered in Trout’s room. Namely, Fletch, Upton, Iggy… Trout ordered a lot of pizza and chicken wings and everyone was chatting while watching the ESPN highlights.”
“Trout’s injury was definitely a downer and everyone is hoping he will be back as soon as possible.”
Original source
https://www.sponichi.co.jp/baseball/news/2021/05/26/kiji/20210526s00001007122000c.html
Arrigatou gozaimasu
Do itashimashite.(you’re welcome)
BTW if Mota is going to continue to call games, I would very much appreciate if someone can tell him that “sayonara” in baseball only means “walk off”.
Lil’spy brought that up too.
Wouldn’t think he could independently answer questions like that.
Yeah, he might get called and scolded by the PR team.
PR Dept. not doing there job, but it is in Japan so there is that, right?
Some PR Spillage to clean up from Sho..Trout’s diet, Albert’s hastily removed by stadium security (my translation).
“Lost in Translation” great movie.
91 freeway shooting suspect who was caught today was wearing a CA 1990s logo Angels cap. 😠
Is this the pellet gun suspect?
Yep.
Glad they caught this idiot. now to catch the slime ball from the 55 fwy shooting, who killed the kid on his way to school.
Big time.
It looks like the suspect they caught was for a random freeway non-injury/non-damage shooting in Riverside. the 55 freeway shooter is still at large as well as the original 91 Freeway BB Gun/Pellet Gun shooter which looks like now has morphed into a bunch of copy cat shootings.
https://www.ocregister.com/2021/05/23/man-accused-of-firing-handgun-on-91-freeway-in-riverside-is-arrested/
Uggghhh, of course it morphed into copycat crap.
Didn’t hear about that idiot. Crazy times.
With 6 starts (and 1 PH appearance) in 9 days, Pujols is remarkably getting the playing time he wants. But it remains more than he deserves:
LAA 2021: 92 PAs, 5 HR, 4 GDP, .198 AVG, .269 wOBA
LAD 2021: 24 PAs, 1 HR, 3 GDP, .217 AVG, .263 wOBA
On the other hand, the Dodgers haven’t lost a game since he joined the team. Just goes to show that one bad player doesn’t make that much of a difference when you only pay him the MLB minimum.
Good note on them winning all the games. I think some of us fell into a trap of thinking once he was gone, a league average player would be some transformative upgrade. Hell, we replaced him with Walsh being a legit stud and we still are a dumpster fire.
Hopefully the real change comes next year when that $30M can pay for a starter or higher quality relievers
Or a high priced shortstop.
The Dodgers are so loaded and deep they can afford to receive the ‘good vibes’ of playing a future HOFer in full decline. Angels don’t have that luxury. Dodgers apparently are stoked to have him around. It’s the honeymoon stage.
I’m sure Pujols is loving being part of a winning Organization. However, there is zero chance that Organization will re-sign him after this PR stunt comes to an end.
Ultimately he will hit a few HR, the Dodger fans will gloat, and then he will return to being an albatross. But the Dodgers are good enough that they can afford having an albatross on their team.
Right now I highly doubt Pujols will be with that team when the Angels play the Dodgers in August. Once the injured players come back to the Dodgers there will no room for Pujols. Especially with his .200 batting average.
Dodgers have (or at least used to have–not sure how their roster depth looks now) position flexibility. We don’t. Heck, we are so shorthanded that we are playing Ward in CF. We can’t afford to have a roster spot occupied by a man with no position and capable of just one thing, i.e. hitting occasional HR’s.
Dodgers fans thought they got a steal after his first could games, but it’s been downhill since. Last night he returned to his Angels form with an 0-4, 2K, and 4 LOB night. I’m still more than happy that they moved on from him.
but no record setting GIDP ( Stuck at 406) So I take that as a disappointment. Doyer fans want to see history being made every night.
Would have been nice if we did.
AngelsFan – I would revise your statement by saying “Just goes to show that one bad player doesn’t make that much of a difference…..when you have a stud/elite pitching staff”.
I don’t know what possessed Maddon to play J-Up at lead off, but hey, hot pockets are probably a better appetizer than main course in real life, so why not in the MLB, too?
Maybe leading off is forcing Upton to be a little more picky at the plate which is resulting in better swings on better pitches to hit.
He’s also seeing better pitches with Ohtani protecting him in the lineup.
I don’t really see it. Sunday he got lucky with a hard single and a ground ball that snuck through.
Yesterday he blasted a ball off a lesser pitcher.
I have a theory that he simply cannot handle velocity and resorts to guessing. We’ll see what happens. Hopefully we see more of those soft-tossers soon.
Rendon is in the same boat, soft stuff mistake pitches he can handle, hard stuff he is to slow. You are right on that maybe we will see some soft stuff pitchers. BTW were did you find the Lefty/righty break down of Angel hitters.
A couple places, but I rely on Baseball Reference.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAA/2021.shtml
Click on or search an individual player. Then by the red “Overview” button, there are “Splits”
You can choose a player’s career splits or an individual year (like 2021). Among the many splits that they track include stats vs. lefties and stats vs. righties.
I think you may be right on Rendon! He’s a great contact guy when there are pitches to contact. But with the league suddenly becoming nastier, he simply can’t handle some of the harder stuff! Will play with this theory.
That sounds brutal, but just like Angel baseball unfortunately. I’ve always been amazed at Rendon’s stance and how he holds his hands so low while he’s waiting for the pitch, but yet still gets to the ball so quickly. Hopefully it’s just rust or lingering effects from the knee injury but this isn’t what many of us expected 2 years into this deal. Sigh.