Griffin Canning opted for no surgery but he has had a setback. There is no telling when he will return. Tonight Toronto rolls into town with Hyun-Jin Ryu facing Shohei Ohtani. Long Beach is once again courting the Angels now that the Anaheim deal appears to have fallen through. The Rangers once again beat the Angels last night.
Vlad Guerrero Jr. has been figured out. Giancarlo Stanton is on the injured list with ankle inflammation. Jonathan Loaisiga is also on the IL with shoulder discomfort.
Joey Votto did a bat flip on a walk and then jawed back and forth with reliever Rowan Wick.
Fangraphs is hiring a Junior Front End Developer.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
The Angels were going really well, then hit a rough patch, then literally hit a wall…and we wonder.
Losing the 2nd of 2 games at the Big A to Texas was my least favorite way to lose (okay: top 5): I can take a loss as long as Trout or Ohtani rake. Trout: golden sombrero. Ohtani: 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored in a 7-2 loss. Sooo not-fun.
Just put Ward on the DL. And let’s pray to the FSM that it really is day-to-day.
#snakebit
PS: DEPT of Anything Can Happen in Baseball: the Reds beat the Cubs today 20-5.
Now preparing the O.R.
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1529974250131427329
RIP
Either that or Blake becomes the new Don Baylor.
Pain
day-to-day, like April 3rd or 4th or maybe 5th
🤬
“Options”. Are the Angels saying what those are? Is Ward?
Ok in their next 4 games the Rocket City Trash Pandas are starting 4 pitchers all from last years draft:
Tonite: Brett Kerry (5th Round)
Tomorrow Gm 1 Braden Olthoff (9th Round)
Tomorrow Gm 2 Sam Bachman (1st Round)
Saturday Ky Bush (2nd Round)
I think they have 8 from last years draft on their staff.
Lame, Obvious gimmick draft. These guys are all only up in AA for those Madison, AL per caps.
What’s up with Bachman? Is he just playing with different pitches? Strikeout rates low.
Kerry’s stats are crazy good since turning pro. Tempering expectations.
It will be good to see how well Oceanside Olthoff pitches at AA. Looked studly at A+. Guy is 6’4″ 240. I think he has filled out?
Bush is showing better control thus far. I still see him in the pen.
I think “Oceanside” is a great nickname. Oceanside Olthoff. Has a ring to it!
Do they want to build us a stadium?
Weird about Bachman huh? But batters are only hitting .139/.244/.139 against this year. With a BABIP of .167 so no ones making good contact. About 2/3’s of his pitches are strikes but only about 19% of those are swings and misses and 20% of the total strikes are being taken for strikes. Is that bad? I’m not sure that explains the lack of strike outs now in 3 starts this year.
No doubt his peripherals are very good, my guess he’s just playing with some pitches and working his way into the season
While not giving up squat, good news to come.
Maybe he’s relying predominantly on his plus fastball. Hitters are sitting on it so are able to at least put it in play (albeit with poor/weak contact). This could explain the lack of K’s. Usually the strikeout is achieved (at least swinging) with the secondary pitches like slider, change, etc.
This is just speculation here but if Bachman is relying heavily on the fastball that could be it…
That makes sense. Especially if he is being coached to establish that FB and then start mixing in other pitches. This would, of course, mean he’s on a plan that doesn’t involve bringing him along super fast. He’d probably not be using a full three pitch mix the way they want to till a few starts in.
Kind of a “think of one thing at a time and master it” plan.
RIP Andy Fletcher.
The OC Register has a Fletcher, and the Angels have a Fletcher, but neither are Andy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3EAzf5fDpY
Got it. Thanx.
No Ward again. Just DL him and get him right.
this is getting curiouser and curiouser
He started out just feeling a little banged up. They took a look, ran some tests. Turns out it’s a brain cloud. But his eminent death can serve a purpose.
Might as well throw him into the volcano right now. Get it over with.
GG put up a slash line of .236/.266/.372 last season while making quite a few catches in the outfield.
Wade is currently sporting a .237/.278/.275 line while looking pretty lost on the grass.
Bottom line is we need Ward back ASAP.
Exactly!
No its not a great position to be in, but Wade is absolutely PUTRID out there. Almost anything is an upgrade and raises win probability.
To win, we need Trout to put the ball over the wall. Anything we can get from the RF mix is a bonus. With the Ward injury, hoping the shine does not come off him.
Loved Grant Green
My wife doesn’t pay a lot of attention at games, but we went to a Bees game when they played locally and something funny happened.
After a few innings we did a walk around of the whole park and on the walkway behind LF, my wife looks down at GG and says “Man that guy is hot.”
Christy’s favorite
GG has always been much better against Lefthanders. than Righties ( .739 vs .582 OPS last year) With the next 2 out 3 starters LHP ( Ryu tonight and Kikuchi Saturday) The Angels wanted a viable option in RF who can catch the ball.
I suspect that this will also allow Blake to PH once a game as well if needed.
Mayers gone and GG has arrived
Is Michael Myers FINALLY Dead?
MLB Trade Rumors says Juan Lagares has been selected (weird term, that) by the big club. Nothing about GG.
Gold Glove.Don’t leave home with out it.
https://twitter.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1529913533235724288?s=20&t=9Pw1KDTQctV6N6bkY32bhA
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1529907570088869889?s=20&t=JSEbS99zGtgxfUqTDd4BkQ
I predict Ward goes on the IL either today or tomorrow. And yes I’d rather see Jo in RF than Wade.
Fingers crossed that our new medical staff is an improvement. Seems like they are, pinched nerves are tricky. My vote is Adell again, several here think it will be GG and I’ll take him over Ikemen too.
It will be both if Ward goes on the IL.
It’s a Perry problem as I believe Wade is out of options
I’m sorry…GG is trash, pure simple, waiver-wire trash. Does not mean I’m a Wade promoter. I’m as frustrated as everyone else about Wade in the OF and on the MLB roster.
Yeah, I completely fail to understand Joe’s fascination with no-hit middle infielders. It was bad before Ward’s injury…now it’s just ridiculous. We are currently playing with only 2 major league outfielders! Come on Perry. You are better than this!
Agree. I think Jo’s offense will in the end counteract and outweigh his defense.
yes, that’s my thinking, too
Not so fast Nostradamus . According to Joe ( But maybe he hasn’t cleared it with Perry?) The Angels are going to wait until at least next Tuesday before they waste everyones time and finally put Blake on the IL.
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1529962201456357376
“Could be Saturday, but maybe Tuesday, possibly never or maybe before that.”
Exactly.
The Canning situation is another example of why the farm’s development is great. Because we are CtPG and our collective mind is that of a cranky child, we forget that there was a fairly long period of time when Canning was filthy… not successful, but Fangraphs etc had him pegged as a guy with very good potential and he was able to apply it semi-regularly at the MLB level. Plus he won a GG.
That seemed to indicate a guy who could, after a couple years of MLB exposure, develop into a darn good pitcher.
Then, health problems. Of course, even before we knew about the health issues his performance fell off and CtPG was at the ready as always to shit on the guy. Uncle CoachDad jumps in to celebrate his genius declaring that he always knew that a 6ft 2inch 190lb athlete is too small and weak to be a “real MLB pitcher” yar dee durr dee blah. As though people that size hardly ever become good pitchers (Shane Beiber. 6’3″ 200lbs, Scherzer. 6’3″ around 210lbs, Walker Buehler 6’2″ 185).
In the past we’d all be roundly declaring that Canning is finished trash and NEEDS to be gone (why? WoTF ever knows). But now, basically, we can forget about ol’Griff. They can figure out his injury. Fail to fix it. Then actually fix it. Then let him pitch in the system for a while. If they want, they can grow another ten lbs of muscle on him. Hell, give it two years. If he comes back good and strong, fantastic. If he really is done, bummer but OK. We aren’t hyper focused on him as one of our ONLY pitching prospects because there are others.
That’s good living.
Too much hype for me. Canning’s nickname is “60-day.” Between the Angels history of dealing with injuries and a guy with a habitual timeshare on the DL list throughout his college and MLB career, it’s a been a predictable disaster. He still looks like a freshman, high school that is.
He had hype? His back bone injury was predictable? He’s looked like a high school freshman? I award you no points sir.
He’s a GG! Fangraph poster boy. He is simply…frail.
I know Canning is listed as 6′ – 2″, but I have to question that height.
Agreed. He’s not a very big guy. I’m just over 6-3 and only weigh about 205 and I’m much taller and stouter than Canning.
If he’s 6′ 2″ then he had 4″ lifts in and I’m Mickey Mouse.
I have a ? for those who may be in the know regarding the Anaheim situation,
With the current lease running until 2029 does that mean that Arte cannot relocate til 2030, actually giving him 7 years to negotiate and build a new stadium elsewhere
Also in reference to the stadium if Arte has to wait 7 years to relocate he would be 83 at that time, wouldn’t it be better for him to sell and let a new ownership group to negotiate with Anaheim or new location
Sell the team to a new buyer who can then move it to Nashville?
All I know is a team that has been playing baseball in the same stadium, in the same city for 60 years shouldn’t have to fight this hard to get a stadium deal done, regardless who the owner is, when it’s in the same footprint. You would think a city at that point would bend over backwards to help. Hundreds of millions of people have gone to that same place to watch games and other events. Hasn’t the valve to the community be established? Seems like these sports stadium/entertainment hubs are a nice addition to a city. Sadly it’s probably only a few holding this thing up. F’ing stupid city politics. Don’t plan on anything happening anytime soon. Just more court dates scheduled years down the road.
Shocking that the City has let this happen Especially with the Golden
GooseMouse down the street. But I Guess Anaheim is starting to resemble Oakland more and more each day.Roger Lodge made a comment on the radio to one of his callers yesterday about how much he likes Las Vegas as a MLB destination for the A’s or another team all they would need is a retractable roof stadium. It sounded like Arte talking points.
I Guess Angels playing in Sin City would be the ultimate irony but Vegas?really?
Angels in Sin City, I think this would be a great marriage. I frequent the city quite often and would be perfect venue to keep me off the tables and casino lounges.
That’s the really bad part. This is a PERFECT piece of land and location to have another jewel in the city. A sparkling ballpark, entertainment, some condos and office space. All kicking off property tax and sales tax revenue for the City.
I sincerely hope the City gets a fair deal for its citizens but people need to look at long term revenue not just the sale price.
Long Beach agrees. You want to talk about an area that could “Brooklynize” very quickly if they just had a little more drawing power? That whole San Pedro/Long Beach/South Torrance/ Carson/Wilmington area could become the place for people priced out of West LA, Los Feliz, Eagle Rock etc really fast.
He probably agrees with you.
From the South Bay.
Who is “he” numbnuts? Is that guy funneling gun money to the Punisher making sure the South Bay’s rampant mob army gets its just dezurts?
you’re mad because we didn’t draft Petros??? lol
I’d wholly forgotten about Petros for what feels like a decade until I saw this picture and immediately needed to get under my weighted blanket and recite the litany against fear until I calmed down enough to re-emerge into a world where it will take me another 10 years to purge this waste from my mind.
Hey 2002 , since its Vladdy Jr. weekend at the big A, how come you aren’t posting mug shots of your secret man crush Jerry DiPoto to remind us all how he single-handedly destroyed our international market and farm system for years for signing baldoquin???
Ot how about a photo of 12 year old Vladdy Jr taking batting practice with his Daddy at the Big A?
That’s where the IE comes in.
We’re considered a bunch of Riff Raff once you get past Yorba Linda on the 91FWY (Kinda like the modern version of Hadrian’s Wall that separated the Picts from the rest of Roman controlled Britannia).
To my understanding, the Angels are guaranteed a home through 2029 through their current lease. I’m not aware of any opt out in the lease, but I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on it. I believe the Angels are committed to stay that long.
So, yes, 7 years to get the next home ready. That could be a fair market purchase of the existing lot, they could circle back to Tustin or Irvine. The Long Beach thing is a pipe dream at best. The Coastal Commission will take at least 7 years just to turn it down anyway.
Plus, there could be a scenario where another developer buys the lot but works out a deal with the Angels to stay there as the anchor tenant. Or one in which the new owner of the lot lets the Angels out of the lease early if it benefits them. I’d imagine it would be easier to develop that lot without a huge stadium and 81 games worth of parking.
I don’t think Irvine would want that kind of footprint and Dodger fans in their community.
I have no clue if there are suitable lots, but would the Coastal Commission be involved if they built a stadium that is in close proximity to LB Blvd? Some place to the west of the Blvd between the 6th n Ocean?
I mean, it would take some huge doing in that area, you’d need to widen roads and build huge parking structures, etc…. may be just as much trouble as the shoreline.
If Arte stays involved I think the issue may involve finding a site large enough to not only support a stadium with parking but have enough area for development as the Anaheim site does
Why did Joe toss in the towel so early last night? I think Halloween has returned to what he always was, a 5 ERA pitcher. Time to cut bait?
Halloween is what he is “scary.”
I’ve seen Warren in the dugout the last couple nights. Hope he’s almost ready to come back soon and be reliable’ish +.
Rosters get reduced soon. We’ll need to drop a pitcher. Halloween is the most likely to make it through waivers if he’s DFA’d.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the one gone.
He has a broken bone in his back – and you question his ‘heart and drive’. Sure, he may not play again – but I find it callous to suggest it is his weak will that caused it. WOW!
Iwas not aware that the issue was his back and a broken bone. Wow is right. I believed it was his arm. I feel a bit foolish.
Some guys aren’t built sturdy enough for the game.
Who, me?
Yah, I wasn’t sure who is questioning whose heart and drive. Unless who ever we’re talking about is Dutch, then yeah, their heartdrive is weak as fk.
I blame all of my life’s failures on having too much Dutch in me…that and 2% more Neanderthal than 60% of people.
Well, it has been explained to me that if you’re white you are genetically defective. You are also an abomination. So…. sorry.
Very old friend of mine has a PhD in genetic anthropology. Funny she never mentioned that.
Well, obviously she isn’t on par with a 20 year old working on their BA in Black Studies from UCSB or she’d be in the know regarding all this secret info the Man (Arte) is hiding from us.
no wonder why the dutch are so stubborn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHXTG-FZiR0
The Kiss of Death.
Let’s hope we have the same book on Vlad for the next four days.
..and not lost in translation.
Was this book assigned to our pitching staff as required reading?
Like Kole Calhoun, I’m pretty sure the Angels can make Vlady Jr look good again.
There being a ‘book’ on Guerrero continues the argument of why Trout is the GOAT. Every year the media wants to put up a rival to Trout – someone that will supplant him. And yet, every time, he makes an adjustment and keeps hitting better than anyone.
Other ‘elite’ hitters have come and gone – and Trout keeps getting better.
Indeed!
Over the years, look who has won MVP over Trout:
Miguel Cabrera – legit HOF
Josh Donaldson – one year wonder asshat
Jose Altuve – cheater
Mookie Betts – still TBD (IMO)
Betts huge 2018 just happens to coincide with the Red Sox sign stealing/Apple Watch season. He’s never been close to that WAR before or since.
Really, Trout was screwed by the writers vs. Miggy then literally cheated out of it with Altuve and Betts.
Ha ha. There was really never any debate between Vlad Jr and Trout. Vlad has had one great season and Mike is a 3 time AL MVP. Nuff said. It is not even worth talking about. We don’t even need to get into his record setting WAR over first 7 seasons or the elite defense and base running vs no defense or base running etc.. Just say 3 time MVP and the conversation ends.
Plus he was robbed of at least two more, by voters for the aforementioned Donaldson and Cabrera.
Agree. The Cabrera Triple Crown thing was a joke. Yeah, Miggy had a great offensive year that year, but as most here realize Trout was great offensively and defensively that season, plus he also gave elite baserunning which Miggy did not do.
Both votes took place before voters were shamed into considering advanced metrics, which would have given Mike landslide wins. Those are the two that stick out in my mind, there may have been others.
Yeah, the old school voters saw “Triple Crown” and it was a slam-dunk for them. But those same guys really had no appreciation for the nature of WAR.
I remember at the time, that didn’t Hamilton just have to hit a couple more HR, and he would have taken away Miggy’s Triple Crown?
That really illustrated the absurdity of it all for me. The fact that Hamilton (who isn’t even involved in the MVP race), could perform slightly better and make Trout the MVP, made it clear how messed up it was to give Miggy the MVP instantly just on the basis of Triple Crown status. Because we know that if Miggy didn’t have Triple Crown next to his name, Trout wins that MVP.
Yep. Cokehead just needed 2HR.
Trout was also only 3-4 hits away from beating Miggy in average.
Hamilton had a nice lead in HR but got hurt tagging up from third trying to score a run. Collision at the plate, hurt shoulder, missed a few weeks at the end of the year.
Well the Rangers sure figured out the GOAT last night.
True. But even Ted Willaims had a career .344 average so even he failed 66% of the time.
Bottom line, sometimes even the best have a night when they do not get a hit. Which is why I do not foresee Dimaggios 56 game hitting streak ever being broken.
Rangers did not figure out squat. After these types of games, Mike just turns the screws even harder and ropes baseballs.
Vlad Guerrero Jr – the ball figured him out.