MLB owners have locked out MLB players. That means no MLB signings, no trades, pretty much no nothing.
Coaching hires can still be made and it looks like the Angels are in the market for a new pitching coach.
And a former Angels coach, Brian Butterfield, could also join Showalter with the Mets if that is the direction they go.
There was one notable player signing a contract this week. Yasiel Puig is headed to the Giants. Not those ones, the ones in Korea.
Newest Angel Michael Lorenzen sat down for a nice interview with The Athletic. I’m rooting for this guy. Hope he shines, starts a family, and signs a team friendly extension that keeps him here and that baby in diapers.
Speaking of interviews, scouting legend Bob Fontaine joined me and TBW in a zoom chat this week. Definitely fire it up and listen to Bob’s stories with your morning coffee.
David Fletcher is a guy who can’t just sit still. He has to compete all the time. His latest venture is poker.
This was linked yesterday but is well worth a read. Jeremiah Jackson has wicked power for a shortstop. Let’s just hope he makes contact more often.
If there is a season, the Angels are hiring in a lot of capacities. I think I’d love to be an usher when I retire.
And while I could sit and lambast the lack of action, I think this pause gives us time to celebrate some of the players who at long last made it into the Hall of Fame. As I expect this lockout to continue a while, I’ll roll them out one or two at a time.
Buck O’neill was simply an amazing person. I can’t recommend Joe Posnanski’s book on him, The Soul of Baseball, enough.
Buck’s time in baseball spanned from Babe Ruth to the modern age. He scouted and drafted Joe Carter and Lee Smith, both of whom were emotional upon hearing the news.
In addition to being a Negro Leagues player, likely the first black scout for an MLB team, then the first coach of an MLB team, Buck’s personality managed to outshine his on field accolades.
He absolutely stole the show in Ken Burns’ Baseball. Check out his appearance on David Letterman.
Buck’s induction into the Hall of Fame is long past due. He wasn’t a HOF’er on the field, but nobody did more for to grow the game and keep the legacy of the Negro Leagues alive more than Buck. Sadly he won’t be alive to accept the honor, but check out his incredible speech at the Hall when 16 key figures of the Negro Leagues were inducted.
Enjoy your weekend and link anything I missed.
Why doesn’t Perry do something about this lock out? I’m bored and I don’t care what excuses people make for him. He needs to get it done.
[insert unlabelled picture of Marvin Miller]
💪💪💪
According to rotoworld, the Angels did this:
Angels signed OF Ryan Aguilar to a minor-league contract.Aguilar spent the last six seasons in the Brewers’ minor-league system after being selected in the 31st round back in 2016. The 27-year-old outfielder hit .146/.286/.249 with six homers and nine stolen bases across 258 plate appearances at Double-A Biloxi last season.
My question is in the whole universe of unsigned organization depth players, is this really the best they could do?
Coming from the Braves, Perry must have owed him a favor. There are better OF options that have been and are still out there to sign on minor league deals.
Maybe he’s getting groomed for another Angel front office or coaching position?
I suspect he was very, very inexpensive to sign….maybe a “Happy Meal” and a large juice?
This is definitely the best they could do. We should probably shit ourselves over the Angels signing Ryan Aguilar to an MiLB contract instead of not Ryan Aguilar. I mean, this is a make or break season coming up, and while I can’t actually think of anything specific that will be decided by the results of our 2022 record, I am certain that the distribution of at bats amongst the outfielders at AA Madison will be a major factor in how things work out. I’m not sure how I’ll ever get to sleep tonight.
I don’t think I saw this anywhere else. It seems like it might just be of interest as it affects the sale of the stadium.
https://news.yahoo.com/angel-stadium-sale-deemed-illegal-193725926.html
It was discussed in comments a few days ago but I should’ve linked it.
Thank you
PItcher Ben Rowen retires and joins the Halo front office as a coach/scout.
Good ol’ Ben. Finished his stellar career with an 6.25 ERA average. Welcome aboard, I think. Was wondering how this even made news on MLBTR.
He’s being groomed to start once Thor’s arm falls off.
R.I.P. Jim Fregosi Jr. Only 57 yrs old.
And on a non-baseball note, RIP Michael Nesmith of the Monkees at age 78.
Too bad. We’re down to one living Monkee.
Whatcha talkin bout Willis?
Sad, very talented individual.
Interesting.Normally the Drummer’s the first one to go, not the last one to survive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW6W9iOjTKM
Wasn’t Peter the drummer?
Not according to my lylin’ eyes 👁👁
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcXpKiY2MXE
I stand corrected.
He choked on vomit. It wasn’t his.
Puig in Korea? LFG…
I’m still pretty sure he’ll be better than Trout any year now.
may have got fatter….
https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/rb98pr/drawing_mike_trout_every_day_until_the_lockout_is/
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/12/twins-hire-hank-conger-first-base-catching-coach.html
Loved him and glad to see he’s back in the show!
Great for Hank.
One of HB’s finest.
[Cue Conger bunt dirt somersault video here:]
That made me laugh thinking of that video 😀
I’m hoping someone will post it.
Good old Rollie!
And here is the one with the fire
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/hcv0eP2DS9wQmQDpIuMOhDoS_2rI0LALwNLVSnktRo0bnyKSKzXiPKcmWPaB8hHghdIyphAn7k8YQ-P4feDdM99YK8nipHOFm9Md9Whq0TtcoCx2q5eNAEQGt_0M90XxitOaNQ8
Classico!
nice, a fellow HBHS alumnus
And Ocean View Little League. Hank and his team were a trailblazer for the eventual Little League World Series Champs.
15 more days until…….
Good morning my friends, hope you have a great day and fun weekend as lots of rain and snow is coming starting Monday night. Well, no shoveling after this snow falling yesterday as there was only a dusting. Anywhere from 1 to 3 feet arriving Tuesday and that may make it a White Christmas up here in Big Bear, kool, lots of fun. Between now and President’s Day we will be Jam Packed up here with locals cursing the Flatlanders not so much that they don’t want to share the winter wonderland, but the traffic and empty grocery shelves and trash left behind sometimes is overwhelming along with the fact that the noise and nighttime traffic and light pollution exist. But without the economy infused with the money brought up the hill we would not be here because winter skiing and summer lake use are what keeps us going up here. Got the Christmas spirit yet? I believe……
Merry xmas from your local flat lander near 40th and harrison
Cue the 2002 Scrooge picture
I wish that I had known Buck O’Neil, a Hall of Famer for sure.
Same. I grew up outside of Bakersfield with a family straight out of Grapes of Wrath. My grandpa still had his Texas twang until the day he died and a warmth and storytelling style like Buck’s.
I loved sitting out on the patio listening to a ballgame and PawPaw’s stories. And it’s easy to see I’d have loved the same with Buck.
Nice story about younger you. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for enjoying it.
I miss PawPaw dearly but it feels good to reminisce sometimes.
My father an “Okie” and part Cherokee, told me stories of when he rode the freight trains from Tulsa to LA during the dust bowl (late 30’s). He had a good life lesson that he passed on to me of once when he was sitting around a camp fire at night by the railroad tracks on one of those journeys, and had his wallet stolen. But it was given back by the thief because they felt sorry for him that such a young kid was riding the freight trains. He also told me about wanting to go into a diner (I think it was here in LA) and the sign outside said “No Okies or Indians”.
Growing up my father took me to many Dodger and Angels games and I eventually stuck with the Angels. I loved going to those baseball games with him. He encouraged my love of baseball and acted as manager, equipment manager etc on all my teams from minor league thorough Colt league baseball just so he could participate with me.
My father had his Okie roots all his life too. He passed away almost 15 year ago now.
P.S. The thief was a “Lady of the night” as my dad called her. 🙂
Your father was an Okie Just like the Cowboy, Gene Autry.
I guess You were destined to be an Angel fan.
That’s awesome. I got Okie on my mom’s side. Moved to the Central Valley from Oklahoma during the Depression.
There are definitely life lessons in struggle. I learned a ton from my grandparents.
It’s crazy to think I will likely be the last of my line to work in the fields.
I didn’t know him, but I met him once at a museum function in KC, and he was grand!
That’s awesome.