LA Angels Tuesday News Crash: Weird Baseball

Weird Baseball Links

Talk about foreign substances on your equipment!  But for some really weird baseball, those wacky Sun Devils figured out a new type of scoring play.  I guess it’s a variation on the hidden ball trick.    

Not So Weird Baseball Links

This list of pitchers due for a no-hitter includes an honorable mention to Shohei Ohtani.  Come on Shohei!  We’re pulling for you.  Don’t worry, errors are not hits.  Here is a gratuitous image of Derek Jeter missing a ground ball for an error, as long as we are on the topic. 

Trevor Story is straight up not planning to re-sign with the Rockies.  Despite their respective WAR, I’m pretty sure I would rather have him than Carlos “Bang Bang” Correa.  In general, I’d much rather see the Angels splurge on starting pitching.  I doubt if that is a controversial position around here. 

It was a rough first cup of coffee for Jarred Kelenic

Evan Longoria is out four to six weeks with a left shoulder sprain suffered in a collision with shortstop Brandon Crawford.  With teammates like that, who needs enemies.

So you want to be a big league catcher!  In today’s episode of catcher injuries, Yadier Molina takes a foul tip to the kneecap.  He’ll probably be back a damn sight sooner than Mitch Garver. 

The Royals called up Cy Rookie to face the Angels on Monday.  At this point, I think people are just trolling the Angels with this strategy. 

Bob Brenly took the week off.  Meanwhile, Marcus Stroman’s apparel store had sold out of durags, but now they’re back in stock!

Yet another old timer is setting records.  Tony La Russa passed John McGraw to be second all-time on the manager wins list

Strike three caught the outside corner, not!

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi 

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Designerguy
Super Member
2 years ago

In case anyone was curious, this is what 10,000 hits looks like.

comment image

Mia
Legend
Mia
2 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

Say all 3 were FA in 2022 entering their age 28 season, what would you give them?

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Trout is underpaid so you figure these guys would start at $40mil per season.

Marcotor
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Mays $48MM
Clemente and Aaron $45MM

I got to see them all play, Mays had a presence that was electric. Clemente was pure joy. Aaron was all business, but gosh could he hit!

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy

Meh……….Upton, Lagares, Ward might be as good….almost as good.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Rojas – Lagares – Ward

WallyChuckChili
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Designerguy
Last edited 2 years ago by WallyChuckChili
TheOrangeCurtain
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Not feeling sorry for DiPoto and the M’s over Kelenic’s performance. Not wishing ill on a kid at all, but his sad debut was even worse than Adell last year. Seems a bit of overhype and expectations can really weigh on these prospects. When you hear idiots claiming “This guy’s the next Mike Trout”– it isn’t fair to the kid. He may still end up being awesome… or he may just be an average player. One thing to remember when everyone brings up Trout’s underwhelming 2011 debut, even that performance wasn’t nearly as absymal as Kelenic’s. Poor dude just looked lost at the plate.

There’s just so much unknowns, even for these guys in the ranked “Top 10” MLB lists from all the pundits, etc… you “think” they’ll be amazing, but not always. Who would’ve thought a year ago that 39th round Jared Walsh would already be getting All-Star consideration and his mere emergence was easily good enough to dispatch Pujols?

That said as well– Adell might be raking with power in AAA, but the book’s still out whether that translates to him being a star in MLB. Let alone just being an above-average player.

FungoAle
Super Member
2 years ago

I really liked Kelenic’s approach at the plate, really locked and dug in. Looked bothered when he did not do well. Contrast that to Adell last year who seemed aloof. Yeah, Kelenic did struggle pretty bad but he’ll come back strong. His defense may push him to 1st or a corner OF spot. Lewis will be back in CF next year.

Last edited 2 years ago by FungoAle
MarineLayer
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

I don’t think demeanor should count. If so, then there would be no GA in the Angels pantheon. Of course, I’m too GA to look it up or back my argument.

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

Even Jimmy Edmonds looked aloof and apathetic at times during his Angel days. Every player looks and acts different during stressful times or adversity on the diamond.

MarineLayer
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

RenDone has bad demeanor, if we are forgetting about on-field performance.

FungoAle
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

I’m a Rendon fan so I guess I am an outsider. While I wish Anthony would get angry from time to time but it is just not his, Fletchers or Trout’s nature to act that way. Anthony has been hitting since his second year in the league and plays great defense, first year was decent. He is squaring up the ball much better now.

Now that guy Upton…have at it.

Last edited 2 years ago by FungoAle
JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Edmonds was a lot worse than just poor body language.

He was a total prima dona. And his teammates hated him. And for good reason. He would intentionally get bad/late jumps on liners to the outfield just so he could then make a diving, sprawling catch, and in the process draw cheers and make himself look better.

They called him “Pretty Boy.”

The Tony Phillips pregame incident with Edmonds was hilarious.

Last edited 2 years ago by JackFrost
Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

Kelenic was actually above average when he attempted contact. His issue was the opposite of Adell’s – he didn’t attempt contact enough.

FungoAle
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

From the recent Mariner series, I liked how we looked in the batters box along with his swing, that’s all that I am saying. Sometimes results are not always so easy. After a failure, did not seem to be “okay” with it. He’s going to make it.

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
2 years ago

Probably hard to say that Kelenic was worse than Adell. His glove wasn’t as atrocious as Adell’s (who was losing value in the OF at roughly twice the rate of Kelenic), and Kelenic actually had a league average walk rate. Adell struck out 42% of the time to Kelenic’s 28%.

They both struggled at the young age of 21, but like Fungo, I really didn’t think Kelenic looked lost at the plate – by the metrics, he had above-average in-zone contact when he attempted it, an above-average swinging strike rate, and a solid walk rate. If anything, he was overthinking his ABs, was too passive and not swinging at strikes enough.

steelgolf
Super Member
2 years ago

I think Kelenic will be fine.

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  steelgolf

He seemed a little too up tight. So Kelenic may need a colonic.

steelgolf
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

 😀 

bradllee424
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Just like the Royals pitcher last night. Everyone thought he was going to be light out but he got lit up in the 1st and couldn’t even pitch two innings.

TheOrangeCurtain
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Love watching me some Ohtani the pitcher. One problem with him being due for a no-hitter, though… would require him to throw at least 120-130 pitches. At the rate he goes with so many strikeouts, walks and long at-bats, that might be asking a bit much. Never know, though!

Of course, they could be just cautiously ramping up his workload as the season progresses. Given that he hasn’t thrown very many innings in the past 36 months since he went down with the UCL tear in 2018…

AnAngelsFan
Super Member
2 years ago

I would say that was a bad call, but that was a particularly smelly player at-bat who deserves everything he gets.

Here’s the scorecard. Interestingly, the umpire made a few really bad calls but overall called an above-average, highly consistent game. Nothing like getting the close ones but missing some glaringly obvious ones.

TheOrangeCurtain
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  AnAngelsFan

Well, if your game is ruined by a single bad pitch call, you probably don’t deserve to win anyway. The MFY are scuffling, so of course they need to vent when an egregious call doesn’t go their way. Any good team/manager knows to remind their players to work hard to not put themselves in situations where the refs/umpires botched call can ruin your game. It’s gonna happen, they are human.

AnAngelsFan
Super Member
2 years ago

An egregiously bad call on what should be ball 4 with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th in a tie game and with a runner on 1st and 3rd is about as bad as it gets. The Yankees have a really good chance of winning the game if that pitch is called correctly, because a walk, wild pitch, passed ball, error, balk, catcher’s interference or hit all win the game.

You are ultimately right, it was just one bad call in a non-playoff game, but I’d be pretty pissed if the same thing happened to the Angels.

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago

You obviously don’t understand the impact of bad calls. The impact in many/most cases goes well beyond merely changing the count in that specific AB.

MarineLayer
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  AnAngelsFan

Another great argument for robot balls/strikes.

eyespy
Super Member
2 years ago

Seen that strike three call in the Skanks-SUX game.

Then the Umpire just started pointing and tossing, so many, that someone had to go on the field to clarify who got the ol’heave-ho.

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

Yeah, that was Odor who was the victim of the phantom strike three, right?

What you said the other day truly applies : “The rules are the rules. Except when it comes to Umpires who have no rules at all.”

eyespy
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Thanks Jack

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  eyespy

I mean, when you look at the scorecard AAF posted above, that was quite a good game the ump called overall. 98% accuracy, 99% consistency, and 100% of true strikes in the zone called correctly.

It’s great that we get scorecard transparency like this as fans now, and I think fans should cut slack on 2-3 edge calls when an umpire is near-perfect like Gabe Morales was in this case.

eyespy
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

Only if the Union and League would get the reports, and read them

Fansince1971
Legend
2 years ago

Another young lefty tonight…..

BushLeague
Member
2 years ago

Glad to see other teams have their own versions of Jo Adell.

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  BushLeague

Most prospects, even great ones, don’t rake at 21 years old. Trout and Tatis Jr are more unicorns than thoroughbreds.

It would be more reasonable if fans expected 20-22 year old players to struggle before they succeed. The struggles of Adell and Kelenic are more usual than exceptional.

FungoAle
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

Agree, one example sticks out in my mind as I remember it well, Michael Jack Schmidt. Took 2-3 years to get him rolling before he started punishing baseballs.

Recently, Ronald Acuna Jr. made an impressive jump from the minors to make an immediate impact. Tatis Jr. as well, as pointed out.

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  FungoAle

I know Jack Schmidt!

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

The youth movement, familiarity with prospects, and the Trout and Tatis breakouts have combined to create unrealistic expectations for prospects, I think.

Baseball is a game of failure. Most guys fail for the first few months at each level. A kid who didn’t play in AAA should struggle here.

Fansince1971
Legend
2 years ago

There is no doubt that Cy-Rookie is a strategy against the Angels. Why wouldn’t it be? If a team has shown time and again that you can beat it by calling up an unknown from the Farm, then why not do it?

eyespy
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

If anything, we are a good team to shake the newness of being in the big leagues off.

AnAngelsFan
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

I wonder if it is because the Angels are known for having under-developed scouting that can’t provide good information about Cy Rookies. Whereas a team like Oakland probably has video of upcoming AAA pitchers.

Fansince1971
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  AnAngelsFan

That’s an interesting thought for sure!

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  AnAngelsFan

As good an explanation of the Cy Rookie phenomenon as anything else.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Look for another Win tonight. I’ve picked right in the last 3 out of 4 so I must know something. Well I do, I know that the Sun comes up every morning.

MarineLayer
Super Member
2 years ago

Are you sure about that?

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Trevor Story or Carlos Correa? Tough call as Story plays in Colorado and that is not a great indicator for what happens at sea level. And Carlos is a cheatin’ Asstro. Trevor is a better fielder though but has two poor seasons in a row. But Carlos did not perform well last season, but has been very good this year and Oh BTW is the younger of the two. Flip a coin I guess.

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
2 years ago

Yeah it’s definitely a tough call. Remember that there is also the reverse Coors effect as well, so that’s hurting Story’s stats.

Correa is clearly better imo, but I wouldn’t break the bank for anyone but Seager.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

Seager is a good choice and the only issue there is his injury history.

MarineLayer
Super Member
2 years ago

Elite starting pitcher or the best two who are available with that money.

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

Totally agree. You are absolutely right Marine!

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

Unless we “break the bank” for a stud starting pitcher first it would make little to no sense to pay a boatload of money for Seager.

If you think of a Fantasy Baseball analogy, it would be like you are dominating a category in a Rotisserie League (say saves) and then you go out and trade for the top Closer to further improve an area you don’t need help in…

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Once again, value is value. It’s not like we have two bonafide MI at the moment. Iglesias will cost probably ~$10 mil, so it’s not like we’re getting some sort of steal if we don’t go after a SS

So no, I don’t agree with the fantasy baseball analogy at all

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

It does not matter whether you win a game 11-3 or 7-3. Having an offense that is a little bit better is less likely to add wins. On the other hand, improving our starting pitching drastically will greatly improve our outlook going forward.

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Would love to see where you’re pulling this data from

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  H.T. Ennis

It is common sense.

If you want to build an invincible military and you already have a strong army/ground force do you want to keep investing all your budget into buying more and more tanks? If you already have numerous armored battalions but a ridiculously small Air Force doesn’t it make sense to invest in strengthening your air defense??

This is not complicated. Marine had it right. You can’t build a winning team just by adding WAR (which is what you seem to think) irrespective of needs. You have to have some balance.

H.T. Ennis
Admin
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

My common sense says that runs are runs. So I guess we both have common sense on our side.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
2 years ago

Correa’s back issues scare me.

With all the pitching we need, I’d be fine with a short term deal for Crawford, maybe a short extension for Iglesias, and grab arms.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Tony LaRussa passed John McGraw, the two are so different in so many ways, but one did not drink and was very tough on players. Well we know which was which. LaRussa is in the HoF and still winning games and having the White Sox doing well is to his credit as they could be headed to the World Series this year.

WallyChuckChili
Legend
2 years ago

Bundy got a Win?
.comment image

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago

That’s what happens when you score four touchdowns in one game.

steelgolf
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  red floyd

#33 Polk High legend.