Holy crap what a week! Last Friday I compared the team to the Mark Grace slumpbuster. This week, I’m pretty much emotionally drained.
First Mike Trout absolutely tore through Seattle, nearly single handedly carrying the team to 4 wins in 4 days.
Then Shohei Ohtani did things only Shohei Ohtani can do.
All in all, since last Thursday the Angels have gone 5-3 and start a new series with Seattle. Would’ve been nice to win that series with KC, but that’s life. That loss on Tuesday was insane, a roller coaster, a gut punch. I felt drained that night but boy was I lifted right back up on Wednesday.
The magical 2002 team got together for a celebration. 20 years? Really? Yes. That World Series is at the stage where sometimes it feels like just a couple years ago and sometimes it seems like a lifetime ago.
Troy Percival on the mound once again, throwing to my favorite player of that era GA. Not sure how my TV started cutting onions during that segment. New technology is great.
And Shohei Ohtani absolutely dominated on the mound. A career high 13ks doesn’t even fully define the outing. KC simply had no chance against him.
But, is Trout or Ohtani the AL’s most irreplaceable player? And who is the most irreplaceable player in the NL?
I’ve posted about them hosting kids camps. I’ve posted about their Negro Leagues tribute. How about also being first half champions? Folks, we have a great affiliate in Huntsville, Alabama.
Also wildly entertaining this week has been the College World Series. How about Arkansas escaping a bases loaded bottom of the 9th to force a win or go home game with a berth in the Finals on the line? That finish was as nerve wracking as a game can get.
The first round of fan balloting results for the MLB All Star game is in and fans are mostly getting it right. Here are some key takeaways from what we know right now.
You have to have a little fun with a guy named Jeter being on the Red Sox, right? His debut this week warranted a tweet from that other Jeter guy who played in pinstripes.
After Wednesday’s festivities I think these links can only end one way.
Fly ball, center field. Erstad says he has it. Erstad make the catch. The Anaheim Angels are the champions of baseball!!!!
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1541112704349249537
And Fletch will be back in 2 weeks. Probably too little. too late?
and Harrison instead of Marsh. It’s questionable how we can ever win a game. Wantz to start? MLB.com says Suarez but there’s the lineup card. I guess Suarez will come in for the 2nd or 3rd.
I looked at Harrison’s splits this year at AAA. Granted overall his numbers for the PCL launching pads they’re awful, but his LHP vs RHP are night and day. Vs LHP in 63 PA’s he’s .250/.429/.479 and, if he does get on base hes 20 out of 23 on stolen bases so maybe he can be more than an auto out like Squid.
What I found most ironic is how it would now appear that Perry has come full circle. In the beginning of the season he talked about how crucial defense is even possibly at the expense of offense. Now after watching the bottom half of our lineup becoming auto outs for the last 40 games he’s willing to try a guy who’s only played one game at 3B since high school as an attempt to get his bat in the lineup.
Not to F*c# around the margins of a poorly run baseball team that’s circling the drain…
But, why wait so long to get Mac reps at 3rd? Not that it will likely amount to much.
All the injury issues with Rendon this year, why not have a young, good glove 1st baseman immediately get reps at 3rd with his 1st trip to the DL (should have started last years). With nobody in the minors or on the MLB roster with any real 3rd base experience, seems dumb…..trAdition
Predicting he will be tested immediately and frequently defensively today. The ball always finds you
I blame the plumbers’s rusty drain pipes
Well, at least we don’t suck as bad as the Yanks, getting no-hit again headed into the 5th.
Am I not entertained?
By this team? No, I am not entertained.
How about now?
Since we are talking about the 2002 team and celebrating them, it is a good time to share this story.
Nevin will almost surely be relieved of his duties after the season. The guy in the link below could be our next manager. He would be great not because he’s a “red-ass” or has grit, but because he has leadership qualities. Other people have noticed, including Andrew Friedman:
If the Angels hire a new manager, here’s their guy (msn.com)
I’d like to see this happen, no doubt. I’ve had enough of Nevin. Did he interview with Arte after Scioscia left or decline?
I suspect the timing was not right back then. Maybe now it is.
I sense he would take the job now.
I think if the old regime was in place he would seriously look at it but he knows what is really going on with the front office and the stink it has
I wonder if he and Ohtani’s mom hang out and discuss the evil.
Wish him all the best in fixing the 5-9 nightly whiffing black hole in our batting order, health issues and pitching inconsistencies. My guess, he wouldn’t be interested, but at this point, why not ask.
He has had a few years off (rested) and spent time with his family. I believe his kids are either high school or college aged. So that would not likely be holding him back… I always had this sneaking suspicion that Ersty would have interest in the Angels job.
We know how he feels about the fans here (loves us) so, there may be a sense of gratitude that comes into play.
Yes good call – Erstad mentioned that he is soon to be an “empty nester” …
I wonder how his integrity and leadership qualities will fix having TWO generational talents, and a bunch of scrubs for a supporting cast. But, gosh HE LOVES US FANS so let’s start planning the parade!
That is a good question. How well does he mix with todays entitlement. I think Trout would gravitate towards Ertsy for sure. The scrubs need to be iron brushed.
Just remember. The CoachDads don’t want Ersty because 2002 and red assed grit. Nooooo. It’s because Andrew Freidman hired him as a highly analytical manager who would partner with the front office…. I mean, he would have hired him if two other guys hadn’t gotten in the way and been ahead of him as better candidates….. also, if Ersty hadn’t met with Brainiac, seen how things were gonna run, and then pulled his name from the list…. because he loves analytics and modern baseball.
So obviously Andrew was on the cusp of the lip of the tip of hiring Ersty to be manager.
Also, nothing says “hire this cutthroat winner” like celebrating his third place finish…. oh wait, actually he quit.
Nevin pretty much failed as a college coach. Not sure how he’d do managing the egos at an MLB level. Or managing the nerds telling him what to do, which is totally going to happen. But who knows, surely some grit pumps somewhere have learned to enjoy the laptop.
I’m curious, and don’t know the answer, how many of the teams we want to be like have “leadershipy” grit pumps for managers….
Giants: Nope.
Dodgers: Nope.
Cardinals: Nope.
The Blue Jays: Nope.
The Astros: Yes?
The Rays: Nope.
The Twins: Nope.
The White Sox: Yes.
The Guardians: Yes.
The Padres: Nope.
The Braves: Nope.
The Brewers: Nope.
The Mets: Yes?
The Phils: Who is their manager?
My guess is that, unless Ersty has gotten super into binders, laptops and tons of outside input he’s gonna be doing more coaching or scouting than managing.
Oh, I just realized Bill Shainkin wrote that article…..
This is THE OC…..
Since when has this community ever been about RUGGED INDIVUALISM? This community is for people who’ve already made it and want to sit down and enjoy their wealth (low taxation, low wages, deregulation). I apologize if this sounds like Panem in the Hunger Games with Donald Sutherland/THE OLIGARCH
💪 💪 💪
No more GG?
https://twitter.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1540453717371002880?s=20&t=UZSDWbqkO3E7LdMOAVCGDA
About the best lineup we can hope for!
Hasta La Vista Laggard Ass
Is this Paving the way for a DT return?
Angels have to wait their turn to reclaim him
Do you think DT can perform above AAA? 2-DFAs in a month.
Can Monte? hes been a +65 OPS at AAA. That aint good.
He sucks too, comment below
Damn, 35% K-rare for Harrision? The absolute crap Perry signs is infuriating. Dumping Larages should be a net gain but not in this case.
I’m offended that our championship is “forgotten”. But I remember how, in early 2003, I went to the bookstore hoping to find a good read about the 2002 season and instead found shelves full of Red Sox and Skank lore (Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game streak!) or even the Brooklyn Dodgers and nothing about the Angels because publisher decided no one wanted to read about the Angels.
That’s because THE OLIGARCH wants to appease the finicky bandwagon casual experience fanbase. They all pile into their expensive European SUV’s and head over to Cost Plus World Market or Williams Sonoma after the Sunday afternoon games. OC is for people who made their $1M or more and wanna just surf the waves and go to Mutt Lynch’s and don’t give a crap about if the Angels win or not. Meanwhile the trade off, is you’re a lot safer at The Big A and don’t have to worry about ending up in the ER and the 6PM news like at THE OTHER PLACE!!! where they win and we don’t
BYE!!!! 💪 💪 💪 💪 👈
Well, the good news for Hean Dawg is the Doyers have turned him into an ace. The Bad news for him is throwing MOAR SLIDERZ is destroying his shoulder. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/06/dodgers-andrew-heaney-injured-list-shoulder-inflammation.html
How do I blame Arte for this?
Easy! Arte didn’t feed him in the minors, its why he’s so thin, he had Rickets. On top of that sleeping in his car for most of his time coming up through the EVIL system caused his elbow and shoulder issues.
I saw an interview with Shohei’s mom preaching the virtues eating well. She went on to mention Art’s pre and post game spreads don’t even follow the basic food pyramid. She said if this doesn’t improve Sho will need to go….elsewhere.
The only problem with this theory is he never really played in the Angels minors leagues since He came up in the marlins system . But maybe Arte owns a condo in Boca Raton so I guess that would still make him responsible .
shhhhhh…..you’re messing with narrative…..plus he had rehabs assignments with the Angels. .
Didn’t we get him from the Doyers? I remember the epic tweet.
Yes his Doyer career lasted 45 minutes.
I hear the Dogers didn’t feed him for that 45min.
Amazing! The inkish stain of Arte’s evil even spreads into the Marlins and Dodgers farm systems where Andrew developed. I KNEW IT! And obviously so does Shohei’s mom. She knows all about the evil. And how it lurks. She will tell Shohei where to sign and, after he fulls up his short slacks, gigling as he flick the propeller on his beany cap, and tucks in his Mom Knows Best t-shirt he’s sure to put pen to paper.
I was there with my Dad for game 6 in my season tickets surrounded by folks who had become my Angel family as we had been attending games with each other for more than 10 years. I can say that by the end of that game, we were totally exausted, had lost our voices and were just hugging and jumping up and down and high-fiving until our hands hurt. It was one of the great sporting events of my lifetime – probably THE greatest – and it was at that game that I got to thank my dad for all the games he took me to as a kid. If you were not there, it is almost impossible to describe what it was like. Those thunder sticks were BOOMING all night – they never let up – it was surreal.
And then I got up the next day, drove to the Park and got to watch Game 7 and my Angels win the World Series. I am not sure we will ever have a moment like that in time as a fanbase again. It will be something I always remember and I am really glad I got to share it with my father.
I was not able to watch it in person. But I’d say that the only sporting event I’ve seen that could possibly beat game 6 is the Miracle On Ice.
https://twitter.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1540400397772152833?s=20&t=XXktgUAtm_8u6puxTjN7uA
This farm is trash. This is fake news.
Micheal Stefanic……….
he’s a Angel fan’s urban legend (Chupacabra, La Llarona, Bigfoot)
MiLB stud! Future MVP! Hurry, someone give him a cool nickname, so we can clamor to bring him up NOW!!!!! Then he can hit .196 and we can trash him for being a “bust”.
I like to skip strait to calling him a bust. Quero is just more low A ball filler, not worth an MLB roster spot on a great team like the Mariners.
Edgar Quero nickname……the Plumbers Apprentice.
Get him out of the Inland Empire before he gets shot.
https://twitter.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1540399509229801473?s=20&t=XXktgUAtm_8u6puxTjN7uA
He will fail sometime someway in the end and swell my sack with salty salty sadness. Remember, I predicted it first, and when it happens I win genius points!
You know none of this is real without a mugshot.
I make things very real
Asstros DFA’d Thomas, maybe we can DFA Legares and get Thomas back
Is lick snarfling duh deck chairs on the deck ah the Titian
One deckchair we know is broken and the other one at least has legs
I just figured I’d bust out the ragged cliché before anyone else could.
Well Adm phase 1 of your plan is now complete.
He was DFAd for a reason, 2-times
Whats your alternative plan since Laggard Ass and his tarnished Gold Glove have left the building?
Hopefully it’s not Monte (he ain’t the deal) Harrison.
The replacement is nowhere to be found in the organization do to Perry’s oversight in leaving the team bare with adequate replacements in case of injuries.
Too bad Arte is so cheap, we could got us one of these.
So goes the offense, so go the Angels…….
https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-teams-are-quietly-snapping-up-smart-pitching-machines-that-can-imitate-any-aces-arsenal-041849718.html
You would think he would buy one and use it as a tax write off, but I doubt such a thing exists
The cost of lunch meat has gone way up…….getting expensive to feed the kids down on the farm…..when he feeds them. Maybe next year…..Evil Art.
Arte is also very secretive so how do you know he doesn’t have one already? In fact He probably got the Chinese knock off version.
You are correct…..Art got this at a Chinese yard sale.
https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1540195160310665217?s=20&t=OitixALhY4ZTORg6xPrOVQ
They could use one just set up to throw high fastballs and pitches off the plate to Squid, Marsh and Wade. Then tell them they can’t play in a real game until they learn to lay off those pitches
Why don’t they just equip them with an electric dog collar that the coaches can activate from the dugout every time these idiots try to swing at those pitches.
That’ll teach ’em.
MLB has banned electronic devises in the dugout
Judge gets 19 mm in final year of arb, so what does Ohtani get next year
19 millimeters?
Yeah I know, darn sticky keys
MFY got a bargain…Judge is a $25M+ per year player.
Arbitration is designed to be a bargain for teams.
And the players have allowed this process because the salary structure has always favored the veterans while the younger players had to wait and pay their dues before getting the big pay day. I believe the players desire to change this model, after decades of acquiescing, led to this years work stoppage
THE DRAFT! It’s less than a month away! Huzzah! What am I looking at here?….
Well, actually, I’m not all that excited about the draft class. It can be summed up in two statements, “Player has (name tool) but is missing a lot of (name skill)” and “This pitcher looked good until has arm snapped in half. It’s better now, we swear.”
Some teams out there are gonna have some serious first round busts this year.
But here’s my best guess at what I hope for….
Round 1: Pick 13.
Guy folks have at our spot: Carl Crawford’s son Justin. HS outfielder. Meh.
Guy I wish falls to us: Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech. Hits well AND everyone can complain about his defense.
Other guys I like:
Danial Susac, AZ catcher. I’d really like this guy. looks like he’ll stick at catcher and hit for power.
Dylan Lesko, HS pitcher. Why? He just had TJS in April so he may fall to us. I like him because he could be an ACE. He throws 97MPH but my big love with him is he already throws a very good change up…. you know, the pitch everyone’s always saying a young flame thrower would make the MLB if he could just master. This means, though he’s young, he could rise fast.
I’d also be OK with Gonzaga starter Gabriel Hughes and college OF Dylan Beavers and Jordan Beck as well.
Round 2: Sad sacks celebrate via the bitch as we have no pick (Thor) and their heart’s darkest desire the Dodgers pick first this round.
Round 3: Pick 89
I like lefty Hunter Barco out of Florida. He’s a lefty Jared Weaver and has already had his TJS.
Luke Gold, 2B out of Boston College. He has an arm and looks like he could train up to work at 2B, 3B and OF for an MLB team.
MLB.com has Jake Bennett at our #89 pick and I’d be happy with the Oklahoma LHP. He’s a big guy who has a solid fastball and good change up… #3-4 starter written all over him.
Past this point, the top 100 or so, I am pretty low on knowledge for most of these players, but some guys I know I kind of like for the 3rd round or other rounds….
Robert Moore: 2B, Arkansas. Basically a more gifted David Fletcher.
Jacob Reimer: 3B, Yucaipa HS. He just looks really solid for a HS hitter. Not complicated. Let him develop through Rendon’s contract. Should stick at 3B.
Tanner Schobel: SS Va Tech. Has “super utility” written all over him.
Pete Hansen: LHP Texas. He’s all about off speed pitches. Has great command. Could make the MLB quickly. Totally reminds me of a guy who could be a pen lefty soon and then move to the rotation over an off season.
And, sadsacks rejoice! We are currently set to pick 13th again next draft!
YEEEAAAAHHH DRAFT!
Really don’t care for yours or Turks opinions. Just want to see what 2002heaven chooses.
Tootsies picks for this years draft may start revealing themselves in 2025. But by 2027 we should know Tootsies 2022 picks.
Turned into a solid utility INF….projected 3rd round pick….we can never have enough tiny utility INF’ers
In TootyWorld, his favorite pick in the 2022 draft is….. Ricky Henderson.
Ricky says you meant to say Rickey.
Yeah, really looking forward to Turk’s cranking out some content.
Completely agree on Jung and Susac. I’d be stoked with either of those picks.
The Graham kid from Oklahoma, their shortstop, looks amazing right now. Not sure if it is a super hot few weeks or something more sustainable but as of now I’d run to the podium for him.
There are plenty of college OF and pitchers that are getting grouped together. The more I see and read about the Hjerpe kid from Oregon State, the more I like him.
Yeah, a case of Hjerpe would be fun to catch, but I’m not sure he’ll be around when we draft and I’d like a MI/C… but you know me, I’ll pretty much never cry over a draft pick spent on a pitcher.
MOAR PIDJING!!!!
I followed Hjerpe all season long. 11-2, 2.53, 103 IP, 0.87 whip, 161 Ks, 23 BBs. He was like Randy Johnson in the sense that when Oregon State needed him to make that one relief appearance, to nail down the regional, he came in for 2 shutout innings, whiffing five.
But you never know with pitchers. He’s 21 years old and some GMs don’t like guys *that* old!
Despite your doctors wishes? Good thing they got cutting edge treatments for this now.
Wboever gets him will have to deal with that…
Did you watch Hjerpe pitch in the Super Regionals?
BTW the Trash Panda caps and T-shirts are seriously cool.
Miss UCSD got me one a couple of years back.
Crazy, hud and phys have been with the royals this whole time and the angels are playing musical chairs with their broadcast team.
Probably Fizz still full of Yankee love, and “Hud” and his same six tired stories… and of course every game “It’s a PLAYOFF ATMOSPHERE HERE!!!!!”… I realize Rory was a tough act to have to follow, but they were probably the worst team ever. And yes, GB I include Don Welles as a BETTER broadcaster than Steve “I love them Yankees” Physioc.
They didn’t follow Rory. They were in parallel. They traded off TV and Radio with Rory and Terry. Victor followed Rory.
But in truth, the Angels have had to shuffle the announcing chairs simply because Victor wanted to move on. Had Victor been fine staying it would still be he and Gubbi.
Great links today JJ!!! Watched the whole 10 minute forgotten game gem! Got me excited to go to the game tonight and tmw.
Thanks. Fun week to write the weekend links.
Yup. It’s been twenty years. Maybe it’s time to let it go a little huh?
No Way…NEVER EVER!!!
Don’t get me wrong, I love me some 2002, but the only thing sadder than a guy who can’t let high school sports go is guy who can’t let a team he wasn’t even on twenty years ago slip aside a little.
Hey man. Why don’t you shut the fuck up? This isn’t Reddit.
One man’s forgotten World Series classic is my greatest game of all time. I guess it’s “forgotten” because it didn’t take place in New York or Boston.
Hey Minasian, while you were sleeping some other team acquired Willie Calhoun for a bucket of used balls. I know it’s important to use spare parts like Lagares instead of finding guys who might actually hit a ball hard once in a while. I guess you really need your beauty sleep.
Willie Calhoun is a bucket of used balls.
Texas probably wouldn’t do anything that might help the Angels right now.
No. If Arte really cared about winning he’d just pay more money and get it done.
To late….. 😮
….but OLIGARCHS are supposed to have lots of money to spend. I’m so confused.
No. Oligarchs are famous for NOT spending money and having no influence over national politics. They are also tangentially NOT known for having private enforcers and snuffing their enemies under the table. Thus, ohviously, Arte is an Oligarch.
Also, apparently, so am I.
Man. Missing out on Willie Calhoun. Sure, maybe he’ll suddenly get good, it is baseball after all, but at this point bitching about not getting Willie Calhoun is just plain starving for something to bitch about.
That would be like asking for the return of JB Shuck.
Worst organization evah, letting Shuck go…..
We do need an executive somewhere…