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LA Angels Monday News Crash: Crunch Time

March 6, 2023

Shohei Ohtani hit a couple of home runs against the Hanshin Tigers while he was jet lagged. Mike Trout, for his part, will soon join Team USA in Phoenix. The World Baseball is upon us.

Ben Joyce is generating a little buzz. Today we get to see what Griffin Canning has left.

Jose Quintana has left side tightness and will no longer be part of the World Baseball Classic. The Twins shut down Austin Martin with a UCL sprain. Twins utility player Nick Gordon has a mild to moderate high ankle sprain.

Trevor Rosenthal has a minor league deal with the Tigers. This is interesting. MLB completed the investigation into Mike Clevinger and he will not be disciplined. Mike Moustakas has a minor league deal with the Rockies.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Trusted Member

Biggiswrth

17 days ago

Squid in CF today. Interesting as I wonder if the Angels might also try some of the “shifting” with an IF acting like an OF in this game. Also wonder if this is a late addition as the Halos don’t really know about the 4th OF spot. Thoughts on this?

Legend

Cowboy26

17 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

The 4th outfield spot is going to Phillips out of camp. They gave him a Major League Contract ( albeit for only $1.2 million) Squid has options left but ultimately if he can hit as good or better than Phillips with his new found non switch hitting approach (big if) and can adapt to more of a utility role (which I think he can do) I could see the Angels bringing him up for a bench role later in the season.

Legend

Eric_in_Portland

17 days ago

Reply to Cowboy26

I don’t understand that. Phillips is a career .188 hitter, .620 OPS, 72 OPS+. He’s 1 for 16 in the spring. Adell is seen as a bust right now with his career .215, .616, 70 and 2 for 17 this spring. How can one be seen as the clear choice for 4th OF and the other, almost identical, as a bust?

Mostly this is a comment on Phillips, who has never shown anything. Counting on him for a lot of at-bats is just more magic thinking

Legend

Cowboy26

17 days ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Phillips is an elite defender and baserunner. He would be the only true backup centerfielder behind the GOAT who NEVER gets injured or needs a day off.Think of him as another Gold Glove ( without the gold glove or the beer belly)

Adell is still a young project who is a…well… Have you ever seen him play defense?

Moniak is probably the better option than Adell as a backup outfielder but he still needs the reps to find himself and his ML swing. The defensive metrics today have not been kind to Mickey.

Don’t forget Rengifo, Walsh ( who actually looks good in the outfield) and possibly Gio can all play in the outfield so its not like we will have to rely on Phillips bat in the lineup if the GOAT needs a blow. But it could be beneficial to put him out there for defense in a late and close game.

Last edited 17 days ago by Cowboy26

Member

grichmanpoorman

17 days ago

Reply to Cowboy26

If the GOAT gets hurt/misses time and Niven is forced to play Phillips with any regularity, I’d say we’re pretty much f*cked. Seems like a no-hit, OF-only defensive specialist is a weird luxury to have for this team.

Super Member

matthiasstephan

17 days ago

Reply to grichmanpoorman

I don’t think Phillips is seen as a long-term solution, but the kind of player that is useful to have on the bench (pinch running, defensive substitute). Anything long-term is Adell/Moniak or a trade.

Legend

Cowboy26

16 days ago

Reply to matthiasstephan

I really liked David Peralta. A left handed outfield bat whose offensive numbers are consistently better than Phillips. But the Doyers are paying him $6.5 million to platoon him in left field (With Trace Thompson)

And in 9 seasons hes only played 23 games in Center Field . Phillips is the only true centerfielder we have on the roster beyond the GOAT . I’m still holding out hope that Taylor ( Not Blake) Ward’s personal batting coach that Perry just hired can fix this guys swing enough to make him serviceable.

Super Member

FungoAle

17 days ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

Perry has a penchant for guys who fail to put the bat on the ball. Phillips fits.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

17 days ago

Reply to Eric_in_Portland

But Phillips is so cool.

Super Member

Twebur

17 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

I’d let Squid get reps at every position…why not. Increases his value as a defensive replacement, pinch runner late in games.

Jo Adell’s swing is affecting the weather on the west coast….his swing and misses are creating low pressure systems that bring in more rain and snow…we don’t need anymore. Send him to SL to start the season.

Trusted Member

Biggiswrth

17 days ago

Reply to Twebur

I don’t think Adell get’s called up at all this year and hopfully he can add some value in AAA. He going to be trade bait at the deadline

Super Member

Twebur

17 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

If not traded, he’ll be called up at some point. Maybe he will finally figure out some things.

Legend

Fansince1971

17 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

Who would want him?

He currently has a 1.9 value on the trade simulator. You might get a low A player at best.

Legend

red floyd

17 days ago

Reply to Twebur

This. Remember, part of Figgie’s value was his ability to play every position.

Trusted Member

ScoopleDoople

17 days ago

Reply to red floyd

And fast on the base paths too.

Legend

Cowboy26

17 days ago

Reply to ScoopleDoople

And the fact he could hit way more than his weight.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

17 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

I’m confused what you mean by shifting.. can you explain

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Super Member

Charles Sutton

17 days ago

Reply to cookmeister

Some teams have been doing something like having the left fielder come over and play a really shallow right field as a way to simulate the shift without actually violating the anti-shift rule.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

17 days ago

Reply to Charles Sutton

that’s what I thought but, idk I can’t envision squid playing outfield only for shift purposes a couple times a game.

Member

Angelstan

17 days ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

Moniak has looked the best of the group this spring. But as noted by others, it appears Phillips is set to be the fourth OF. Squid has his work cut out for him. He’d be better depth on the Dodgers.

Super Member

FungoAle

17 days ago

Reply to Angelstan

Fletcher would be a good fit with the Dodgers. Time to move him is now before another subpar season at the plate.

Member

SchofieldsWalkoff

17 days ago

Reply to FungoAle

They’ve already got a version of Fletcher in Rojas. Although Fletcher has provided almost as much value as Rojas in nearly 1/2 the number of games.

Legend

Cowboy26

17 days ago

Reply to FungoAle

So would squid.

Super Member

GrandpaBaseball

17 days ago

I found Patty O enjoyable calling yesterday’s televised game. True story. Patrick did not have Gubi controlling the telecast as Denny Hocking was doing the Color Announcing as is very monotone and not overbearing so that O’Neill could actually be himself and Gubi overwhelmed and was very good. Better than Randazzo, I don’t think so though.

Legend

Cowboy26

17 days ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

Grandpa, I don’t think that was Patty O yesterday. It was Trent Rush.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

17 days ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

I only had the volume on for a couple innings, but pretty sure that was Trent Rush. Also not sure who the other guy was, but he stunk big time

Super Member

GrandpaBaseball

17 days ago

Leave it to the Red Sox and their cheating manger to figure out how to cheat the system and the intent of the new rules. Joey Gallo is a strictly pull hitter, so while the Red Sux kept their infield legal they moved their LFer around to short Rightfield. Cheating? Not really, but now Manfraud will have to make up another rule to avoid this new shenanigan. I hate analytics.

Like the new clock rules, not high on t\the limit of throws to check the runner on first or the Ghost Runner.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

17 days ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

calling this cheating is laughable. It’s spring training, experiment when and where you can. There’s no rule against it. If Gallo hits a ball to left it’s a homer

Super Member

GrandpaBaseball

17 days ago

Reply to cookmeister

It certainly is not in the spirit of eliminating the shift.

Super Member

GrandpaBaseball

17 days ago

Good morning my friends, how wonderful was yesterday with not one but two games. 😀
In case you are wondering-the San Bernadino Mountains are closed to everyone except food and pharmacy trucks along with most residents. Second homeowners sometime this week will be allowed back up. Soon we will be totally dug out as the snow has melted down about a foot with the nice weather. On a personal note, I still had a lot more cleaning up of snow to go, but it is not essential.

Watching the Angels yesterday was a lot of fun for us, we were reminded that Spring and the time change will arrive very soon. Ward and Trout look ready right now and Sandy is looking the same.

I realize many of you are looking forward to World Baseball Classic I do wish I could share in the excitement with you, but the thoughts of injury to Trout and Sandy and Fletcher and Renny occupy my mind. But I will still root for the USA none the less.

College B-Ball Conference finals will be followed by March Madness is welcomed also this time of year. Opening Day is not faraway and either is Augusta and the Green Jacket. 😆

Have yourselves a fun day, I know you will. 😃

Trusted Member

Mikeal1st

17 days ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

My GF’s mom was brought down from Crestline yesterday because her grand daughter works in the pharmacy and will be allowed back up. There were a lot of stories. When we have the chance, we will definitely go help out Jenson’s Groceries who are handing out food to the community even though their roof has collapsed.
Apparently people are grouping together to help each other. They’re even getting together in groups to clear roads with just shovels, as well as checking home to home, sharing food and meds. They’re really coming together.

Trusted Member

halofansince1978

17 days ago

You’re Late!!! I was getting shaky!!! `;~}}