LA Angels Weekend News Crash: Memorial Day Edition

This weekend we remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. A day at the ballpark looking at the flag and singing the National Anthem is a perfect way to do just that.

We’re into that middle ground of the year. The teams that should have exciting summers are starting to show themselves. And the Angels are one of them.

The biggest news this week was off the diamond as the Angels Stadium sale was first revealed to be the subject of a corruption probe then taken off the table. This story is still developing so stay tuned.

With the deal scuttled, what is next for baseball in Anaheim? The LAT also took a stab at answering those questions.

On the field, Mike Trout is back to doing Mike Trout things. Even Joe Maddon is in awe of him.

Off the field, Mike Trout continues to put smiles on faces. The weather nut made his favorite weatherman a really cool retirement video.

Last year Ohtani’s bat was so prolific I think we started looking at him as primarily a hitter. This year the bat has taken a step back, but he’s throwing harder and pitching better than ever.

Just the thought of debating whether the reigning MVP is a better hitter or pitcher is mind boggling. Did you ever think such a debate would be humanly possible? I didn’t.

If you missed my interview with Angels bench coach Mike Gallego, give it a looksie. Mike is the type of guy you could talk to all day.

And don’t sleep on the Dan Good interview. I know Caminiti wasn’t an Angel, but this was a good chat about the Steroid Era in general and how it has some connection to the pain pill era we’re likely in now.

Seems like each week one of the minor league affiliates is posting about a player not even on my radar. A catcher with a good stick? Sign me up.

Friday’s are Apple TV+ games. If you’ve watched them you’ve noticed all their probability numbers for reaching base. Just how good are those numbers?

In case you missed it, the Giants and Mets played an incredible game on Tuesday. The game of the year, thus far. Recap of the insanity here.

Some great longform reading for you here. Brett Phillips is a joy. He loves the game, is great with fans, and really embodies what is so great about baseball.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol is only 35 years old but leading a team full of seasoned veterans. Yet he has their full trust.

I absolutely love Goodfellas. I’d say it is the greatest film made during my lifetime. Ray Liotta also played Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. RIP.

Hug your kids tight, enjoy your three day weekend. Please remember it is in remembrance of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. We should thank the living veterans whenever possible, but we celebrate them on Veterans Day.

Five baseball players gave their lives on the sands of Normandy on D-Day. The world owes them and all of their fellow soldiers a debt we can never repay.

87 Comments
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DowningDude
Legend
2 years ago

My Apple ID is locked for some unknown reason. Can’t remember the combination of where my mom & dad met and my first job. Sucks to be old.

2002heaven
Super Member
2 years ago

comment image?width=800
Oriole’s top SS prospect, meanwhile we chose Will Wilson so we could get rid of Zack Cozart.
 😢  😢  😡  😠 

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  2002heaven

Call Billy in Gotham to lodge your complaint dumb ass . Nobody cares here.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Tonight’s lineup is a mishmash. Rendon out, Wade to play 3rd. GG in RF. Renny at 2b and Walsh batting 3rd. Marsh batting down the lineup behind Renny. We’ve all said we would go as far as injuries allow, as Ward, Trout, Rendon, Stassi all made of fine China.

Halos to win tonight 6-4 as one half of our rookie sensations is on the mound.

steelgolf
Legend
2 years ago

Long lines at the gate to get bobble heads.

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Is this the Ohtani- Obi Wan Bobblehead ?

steelgolf
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Yep, and my brother in law is here with me as he is in town for the big Star Wars convention at Anaheim Convention Center.

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  steelgolf

No doubt this promotion was planned with that convention in mind…

Last edited 2 years ago by JackFrost
Angels2020Champs
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  JackFrost

Sold out and resale at $60+ to get in

steelgolf
Legend
2 years ago

Bought these seats before the season started and before anyone even knew if there was going to be a season.

MarineLayer
Super Member
2 years ago

Here we go with Anthony Rendon again, this time it’s a wrist. This is what Rotoworld says:

Anthony Rendon is not in the Angels starting lineup for Friday’s battle against the Blue Jays due to a sore right wrist.
Rendon felt something in his wrist during a swing on Thursday. He underwent an MRI exam on Friday, the results of which are not yet known. Expect Angels skipper Joe Maddon to have more info after Friday’s game. On the season, the 31-year-old is hitting .242/.335/.403 with five homers, 23 RBI and a pair of stolen bases through 41 games. Tyler Wade will start in his place at the hot corner and bat ninth against Alek Manoah and the Jays.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

Must be serious, straight to MRI. They usually do the MRI dance the day they proclaim “ready to return”.

2GA2Join
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

Ward, Ohtani, Redone all dealing with some sort of injury…. oh oh

And I saw somewhere that Adell hasn’t been in the lineup recently?

Hmmm… Adele’s sausage… BBQ time…. must have dinner….

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago

Ward is back !!!! DHing and leading off!

Bad news (or good, depending upon your perspective) is of course that Ohtani gets the night off…

Follow Blue Jays at Angels game FREE with MLB Gameday

Last edited 2 years ago by JackFrost
2002heaven
Super Member
2 years ago

comment image
11th Rd 2016 MLB Draft Texas Rangers
Pre Arb (so that means Thor and J-Up make more 😠  😠  😠 )
Bye!!!!!!

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  2002heaven

When did Ben Afleck’s brother grow a beard? Why is he wearing Angels gear?

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago

comment image

Last edited 2 years ago by Twebur
Angels2020Champs
Legend
2 years ago

Love the Friday links JJ!! Always more to come back to.

Quick question without trying to stir up who makes it or it just being a money grab, but has anyone seen the Angels city connect jerseys they are supposed to wear on 6/11 v Mets?

Thanks in advance an adjustment always, go angels!!

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

I’ve been looking for those too, haven’t seen em as of last night though. I hope thy are cool….

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Are more people using app’s to watch MLB games than viewing from TV at home or in a sports bar?

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

I don’t think so, not yet. But give it a few years and probably.

El_Duderino
Trusted Member
2 years ago

For me I’m about 50/50 for watching MLB on TV or my laptop. But TV and laptop/Apps are slowly merging into basically the same thing in terms of consuming video media.

Last edited 2 years ago by El_Duderino
GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Good News / Bad News, we only have tonight and again in 2 weeks to do this again. On the other hand, we are the only team to go down this road 3 times. My apologies to the Halos for thinking that their front office did this Apple stuff by themselves, we can thank our good friends in New York, at the offices of MLB, Rob Manfred, Jr. Officers, TV exe., and Apple for the opportunity to get ahold of my credit card number even though it’s free. Huh?

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago

Its 3:00 PM, do you know where your lineup is?

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I do not like
Duffy hitting 4

I do not like
Wade Ikeman on the outfield floor

I do not like
how some pitchers throw

I do not like
your line-ups soggy Joe

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

That was beautiful, Doctor,

nishiogawakun
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

I enjoyed this and concur

DowningDude
Legend
2002heaven
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  DowningDude

comment image

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
Reply to  2002heaven

35th round pick of the Mets?

Mikeal1st
Trusted Member
2 years ago

I talked to my therapist today who said I’m suffering from a fear of regression.
I think I’ve decided I’d prefer they stay in Anaheim unless they move closer to me. And… of course, no matter what, it needs to be in an incredible stadium that makes them lots of money so they can pay their minor league players more.  😉  I do love Long Beach, lived there for quite a while.
Who is responsible for my anecdotal view of a surge in our minor league players?
I’m sooo tired of people dying, “If you build it he will come”

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Mikeal1st

People dying does suck unless they get past 80. But dying because if you build it he will come, well that maybe a bit of a stretch.  😀 

To early for me to worry about where the new Big A will end up, but if I could chose a location, it would be between the Interstate 10 (San Bernardino Fwy) and the ^0 (San Gabriel Fwy) at the 57 Fwy. 3 Freeways that are all close to the “15 & “605” & “210”. Has Railroad tracks running along side the “10” and could house other venues for sports and theater to condos to apartments, affordable housing, shopping, office bldg, to possibilities that I can’t think of. It’s not in the O.C. but very close by ( 6 or 7 miles). Where the Dodgers play can be a traffic nightmare, Angels only have one Fwy running beside it and another 2 close by. Downtown LA for any kind of event is stressful and parking expensive too. That’s my 2 cents worth.

Mikeal1st
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Sounds like a great location and idea. LB would be tough to get to along the waterfront. I’m not sure if there is a train nearby.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

A little meh pitching. A bit of a hitting slump for just about everyone. Seems like every game four or five people have a “bad night” instead of it being just one guy sucking horribly. Starters have also all become “good here, bad there”. Loup looks like he can’t wait for another left hander to come pitch some innings. He has been used a lot.

We’ll see what happens. If every good hitter fails 70% of the time, and every pitcher gives up around 3 runs per 9 innings, there’s gonna be some chunks of innings over the 1458 in a season where the suckage combines to form a Voltron of meh. We have that now. We’ll feel better when the bell curve flips and Trout, Rendon, Ward, Walsh and Ohtani heat up at the same time. Just gotta keep that curve nice and fat in the middle, maybe get it to flop towards the positive for 90 innings…..

Or, now that we are 4-6 in our last ten, we should all set our own hair on fire, put that fire out with piss and ashes, doff some sweet burlap sacks and have a nice long 40 day cry as we mourn this dead season. Cause we been hurt before. Baseball PTSD. We feel our feelings better than anyone’s ever felt feelings before and when we get sad we get mad because we’re sad that we’re mad. Negative facts can NEVER be overstated and constantly repeating them is the only way to help the team AND help the fans enjoy themselves.

Either way I plan to sit on my ass and be a middling fan as I wait for the June gauntlet to pass by so I can see if this team has a shot or not.

steelgolf
Legend
2 years ago

By this time in the season last year, this team was already not going to make the playoffs, and probably not even finish the season at .500! This may be a rough patch but this team is still in it this season. I’m going to keep enjoying the better pitching, hitting, and defensive plays I’m seeing this season.

2GA2Join
Super Member
2 years ago

Will it be the Voltron made of the lions, or that other one made of the little space ships?

El_Duderino
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  2GA2Join

The Voltron is made up of Rengifo, Wade, Mayers, Suziku, and Duffy. As the parts go, so does the whole.

DowningDude
Legend
2 years ago

I was the only serious comment about it on the gamethread last night but did anyone else notice that the Blue Jays went into a 4-man outfield during one Trout at bat? He popped to first base on the play.

DowningDude
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Photo from way up high (cell camera – sorry for quality)

comment image

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Mike would just keep hitting the ball back up the middle until the league would readjust. That was a bit funny because I was in disbelief about it when we were told. I went to a game once when Suzuki for Seattle had 5 hits and had seats around where this pic was taken, the tickets came from a promo tied in with Stater Bros Markets and we had a blast as there were 5 of us. Kool pic when you zoom in.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  DowningDude

If teams keep doing this he will adapt…. and hit .400.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Your right on, he would become the new Ted Williams. Patrick and Gubi made us aware of 4 OF’ers and Mike seemed unfazed, but I think he was looking to hit it out. But he would definitely adapt. I hope it becomes more common.

Cowboy26
Legend
2 years ago

Tommy John Backdectomy scheduled for July 1st?

https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1530048197149700096

Last edited 2 years ago by Cowboy26
GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I need one too, do you think the Angels get a 2 for 1 type deal.

Twebur
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

He doesn’t think it’s anything serious but

……hearing these words makes think the opposite

JackFrost
Super Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Twebur

Soon he will be joining Ward in the OR.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
2 years ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

“he’s dead, Jim”

admkir
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Put down your butcher knives and let me save this man

MarineLayer
Super Member
2 years ago

Roster construction is important when injuries pile up, so here we are, right where I would expect. As GPB says, all hands on deck every day among the core players. I suspect more injuries will follow.

BruinsAngelsKings
Trusted Member
2 years ago

With the game on appletv tonight, I’ll be avoiding it like the plague. After the cringe-worthy first Angels broadcast on that platform, no thanks.

YOUknowulovetheIE
Super Member
2 years ago

The worst crew I’ve ever listened to in my life, across all sports.

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago

And don’t forget the technical issues. You’d think APPLE of all companies could have done better.

steelgolf
Legend
2 years ago

I can’t stand the AppleTv or the Facebook games.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

I do not subscribe to Apple TV, again I’m shit out of luck, what dumb fuck thought that this was a good idea? Only put games on an app that at best will have half the number of fans watching and most of those on a iPhone or tablet. Well smart asses, a lot of us may start doing other activities during the summer rather than spending time with Patrick and Gubi. Some fans cannot receive the radio signal, so how bright an idea to accept Apple’s money and risk losing fans. Oh, I see, you say it’s only one game or I can come down to the Big A. Right, I’ll just cruise down to Anaheim in a 3 day weekend traffic snarl just to watch a game and give you folks eleven dollars a beer times 2, 2 hot dogs, etc.

While I like Terry to a point, he has the ability to put me to sleep, sure he can get me to nod off when driving, all because some genius figured out how to bring more fans to the games.

Some guy in accounting says we will bring in more cash doing things with Apple, this character has a college degree in sandbox construction no doubt because Cheap Arte would paid for anyone from higher education more than $16.50 per hour, and this one is of course willing to alienate the Old Guys that will not be attending the game because,

  1. live to far away
  2. My truck gets 18 miles per gallon going downhill
  3. Don’t like Canadian Teams
  4. Blue Jays are annoying
  5. The manager may sit the best player’s down for a rest, where are the Angels monogrammed pillows?
  6. Sitting on the 91 in a parking lot in both directions while yelling like a Doomer about traffic not moving
  7. I’m old, piss more often than I like, and there is no where to go except my grandson’s Boy Scout canteen that he left in the trucks back seat
  8. GMP having to go and canteen’s are, well out of the question

I feel so much better……… 😀  😊  😆  😃 

BruinsAngelsKings
Trusted Member
2 years ago

My guess, this is an MLB thing, not an Angels thing. As such, the Angels probably have ZERO say in whether or not they appear on this what will undoubtedly be another dumpster fire broadcast.

As far as the why, again, I bet MLB is seeing the shrinking numbers of younger viewers and knowing that anyone under 30 seems to not to be able to function without their MFn cell phone in front of them, has decided to use this type of broadcast to lure younger viewers. Nevermind that so far, from the one broadcast I saw, it is nothing short of a hot, steaming pile of cow dung in a burning dumpster.  😂 

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Yah. It’s MLB.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

Bit harsh today aren’t you…..lots of laughing here.

Mikeal1st
Trusted Member
2 years ago

I thought the game was free to everyone and don’t need an apple device. I subscribe so I watched part of it and liked the stats but had the volume down because of company.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

The Apple TV thing is pure MLB Home Office. It’s in response to the “soon TV will be dead, the kids are all on their phones, we need to get some of this streaming real estate while we can” doom and gloom. It is a problem that needs to be addressed, but as usual, the MLB just doesn’t do it very well.

It’s a half assed response, but it’s to be expected. MLB is told all the time that they are losing inner city youth (thus they are racist), that kids today only watch blippity boop (they are old), that they are losing viewership (not really that much) and so on and so on. The same complaints over and over and over until small, slow moving issues look like ten foot tigers at the door. So you panic and half ass lame solutions instead of taking a deep breath and finding a good solution… maybe even opportunity.

If I were them I’d calm down. Get the owners and MLBPA together (chuckle) and get a three year plan going. Hire a bunch of UI/UX guys who love baseball and build a platform to replace MLBTV.com. Plan to phase out the blackout policy for home games. Set it up so games stream anytime. Get announcer teams that speak Spanish, Japanese and Korean and assign them to cover a couple games a day. Promote games with Japanese players in Japan, Venezuelans in Venezuela, etc. Do the same with domestic internet viewers. Lean into the social media info stream. Lean into the inherent localism of baseball. Push a team’s stars and personalities in their team’s town. Highlight rivalries and match ups. Even push ultra local details on InstaFaceTok…. “Springfield, Il local Bill Billson leads the charge as his Padres take on the Cubs tonight!” in central Il, while guys from Long Beach Poly get a story about how kid who got drafted from their alma mater is making his debut in Minnesota tonight.

If you just increased the non-English speaking views alone MLB’s “loss of viewers” pooty problem would disappear. Push the regionalism in baseball instead of trying to make us all give a shit about the Yankees stars (or Ohtani) and you’ll see more heated engagement online. Of course, people will still also get interested in the greats like Ohtani.

Point being, Apple TV is a weak ass solution to something they could turn into a strength if MLB really gets a plan together.

BruinsAngelsKings
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Don’t you know you’re not supposed to bring logical, reasoned comments to this page? The only thing allowed here is random pictures of guys in hats.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

This guy doesn’t play baseball. Why didn’t our FO sign him for $6,000 and then teach him baseball? PTP<Jer Jer . Someone explain what a sunk cost is to me!  💪  💪  💪  💪 

comment image

Last edited 2 years ago by gitchogritchoffmypettis
BruinsAngelsKings
Trusted Member
2 years ago

 😂 

halofansince1978
Super Member
2 years ago

I Dig That Hat!!!

El_Duderino
Trusted Member
2 years ago

We could be fairly sure that Apple is paying MLB to host these games. MLB I don’t believe has either the will or the propensity to think of anything like this on their own, without solicitation.

Likewise for your very good idea about expanding the brand– MLB has not really gotten past the point of seeing technology as a competitor so they’ll never risk doing something as “crazy” as this— until a significant amount of MLB personnel turnover, presumably.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  El_Duderino

They will think of it the way large corporations think of stuff…. about 5 years after it’s “cool” or the standard. They will be one of the last groups to build a platform, then they will realize that they need a snazzy new way to watch games on phones. Then they’ll overpay some clown group to design them a pooh interface and provide almost nothing anyone under 50 wants for too much money.

The real hope is that a couple smart teams will make a move after their TV contracts run out and find a way to build their own subscription platforms. This will probably be forced on them when they realize no one’s willing to give them half the value of their last contract come 2028 or what ever. They can sell much cheaper TV rights to someone with no local blackout provisions, then sell access world wide through their app. If it works well and makes money then old boners like the Angels can just adopt it later.

red floyd
Legend
2 years ago

Don’t worry, the AppleTV shit isn’t Gubi and Patrick.

2GA2Join
Super Member
2 years ago

I just subscribed to a free trial of AppleTV last night, just to not miss the deal. Now I read that the game is on tonight, I didn’t know before.
Too bad I can’t record it though… I often record the games and watch them later in the evening.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 years ago

So where has all the hitting gone? Where is that great line up gone? Injuries you say, and I ‘ll agree you are in part right. We have lost Fletcher going soon on two months, and Wade at the start of the season and again for almost a week. Pitchers Q and Bradley went down with Bradley back and Q on his way. So over all we have not been hit as hard as some other teams like Yankees, Mets, Braves, Dodgers and Padres.

Roster wise we have had the Angels hanging tough. With Renny playing at a level for him never seen before with the big club, it has lessened the Fletch blow somewhat at second. Squid has replaced Fletcher at Short very well with the leather, with a little bat thrown in. Tony Two Bags has been hitting like was expect he hit. Marsh is capable with the bat and he has the leather. Walsh needs to play, Trout needs to play, Rendon needs to play, the point is I’m trying to make is until Ward returns all the starters start. Our bench is doing well with Duffy, and then no one. Depth is not a strong point. Rojas, Renny, Wade, Mayfield, Adell, Marsh, The Aussie have all played out there, scary stuff. We need the best lineup every night out there and to win and we are not seeing that happen.

Fleckstein
Trusted Member
2 years ago

Duffman, oh, yeah!

El_Duderino
Trusted Member
2 years ago
Reply to  Fleckstein

That brown spot over there looks like it needs a little H-2-ooooooooooh, yeeeeeeahh!