Good morning Angels fans! How are you today? Have some final Spring Training links!
Angels News
The Angels crushed the Dodgers last night. And by crushed I mean crushed, winning 13-5. Renfroe and Rengifo went back to back in a blowout win in a game that doesn’t matter.
Angels had an amazing spring, winning the Cactus League by winning percentage at .621! That is a 101 wins over a full season! Surely this means when games matter on Thursday, things will carry over, right? Right?
Speaking of, the Opening Day Roster is pretty much now set. Logan O’Hoppe will be the Opening Day catcher, something that was actually planned before the Stassi injury. And Tucker Davidson seems to be getting the 6th man spot in the rotation, but will be more of a bullpen guy.
And O’Hoppe isn’t the only hope of the future, as Neto looks amazing and is our SS of the future.
So how will the Angels do this year anyway? While our own staff predictions will come out later today, MLB Network has the Angels in the mid 80’s for wins.
10th best rotation in baseball? That is what MLB.com thinks anyway for the Halos. Ditto for Fangraphs. RP? Second last. Ow.
Around Baseball
Wow, the Guardians might actually keep their players now as they negotiate with a bunch of them and signed one already. Good for the game, bad for us.
Cubs going to do the same with their young players. That is less surprising.
Pirates seem to be trying to do the same. I am much more doubtful about this.
As things are changing on the field with new rules and whatnot, MLB is also changing things off the field, with new replay tech and more better-er marketing maybe.
Opening Day is tomorrow, so time to be bold. Like CBS is. Angels in the playoffs?! That IS bold.
Anything I missed? Post below for upvotes!
Site News
We are looking for writers, (as stated here).
As the season is upon us, I once again thank you for continuing to stick with us at Crashing the Pearly Gates even though the Angels haven’t been that good the last few years. We really appreciate this community and that you have chosen to continue being here day after day, year after year. If it weren’t for you and your support, we would not have bothered to continue with this. May we, as a community, continue for many years to come, hopefully, with a winning team to watch.
Go Angels!
BTW – I How can I change the avatar? I keep getting bounced out of My Account for some reason.
I think this lineup is longer than, I don’t know, really long things. Rengifo, Drury, Walsh & Fletcher are some pretty solid bottom 3rd of the order options. Hopefully Nevin is a ‘stick with the hot hand’ kind of manager, we’ll soon find out.
Strangely, I’m more concerned about Trout’s alarming strike out rate – for about 2+ years now I would add. Losing bat speed? Probably.
>Angels had an amazing spring, winning the Cactus League by winning percentage at .621! That is a 101 wins over a full season! Surely this means when games matter on Thursday, things will carry over, right? Right?<
No one’s gonna make a monkey outta me. Year after year: ya got me, Angels. To quote Daffy Duck: “Oh no ya don’t. Not again.”
I think I predicted 92 wins last year before the season started. Not sure if we had a prediction thread this year, but Imma say 68-94 for this year. Trout gets injured early, misses 100 games, Ohtani tears a…something. Somehow Rendon will manage to miss 160 games due to injuries. Someone hitting .378 in April will get out of bed one day and tear their achilles. No one can pitch. If they can pitch, the “blowpen” will descend to new lows of utter dismality, and the usual suspects here will be at each others’ throats.
C’mon! This is the Angels, people. Arte Moreno’s Angels. Stuff blows up real good.
By which I mean bad.
(This has been an attempt at “reverse juju.” See if it works. Finger crossed so hard one of ’em feels like it’ll fracture…aaaand there it goes.)
One last sleep. We made it, boys.
Good night.
Tentative minor league player’s deal: Twitter link
Looking at those salaries — ouch. Better than before, but good luck paying for groceries…
OK Fangraphs. I’ll bight. So the Reds, Tigers, Pirates, Rockies, Nationals, Royals… they are all gonna have better pens that we will this year? Ok guys. Ok.
As for the starting rotation rankings, OK, maybe. But what happens when that rest home the Mets have for a rotation runs out of Superbeets? The Rangers? Really? But here’s how I really see it. Here’s the #3 and #4 starters for us and then the teams they list ahead of us, raked by who I think is better than ours…
First, the Braves and Brewers are just clearly better….
Angels: Tyler Anderson/Reid Detmers
Astros: Urquidy/Garcia
Blue Jays: Berrios/Bassit
Phillies: Suarez/Walker
Yankees: Cortes/Severino
Mets: Senga/Carrasco
Rangers: Eovaldi/Gray
Padres: Musgrove/Wacha
Seriously. Why is Senga supposed to be so much better than Detmers? Jon friggin Gray? Wacha? Severino is already hurt. I’d honestly put us ahead of the Yankees on this list and I think Ohtani/Sandoval will hold up and be in the top 5 1 & 2 combos in the MLB.
… honestly I think the Mariners got screwed even harder than we did. These experts really want the Rangers and Yankees rotations over the M’s?
They say this Heaney dude will be awesome
Oh, and one more thing. Cleveland Fangraphs. The Guardindians are sub-Rangers? Is there a stat for “Oooohhh, wow, name so big!” that you’re using to tilt DeGrom being a stRanger ahead of all the pretty horses Cleveland has?
The FanGraphs article on our bullpen made me sad.
I felt a little slighted on their analysis of the starting rotation, but when you factor in our complete lack of depth behind the starters it starts to make sense.
is this where I predict we’ll win 79? That’s better than 73, at least.
That article is tomorrow morning at 9.
Vegas who is valid as any prognosticator says 81.5 wins
Yay! We are over 500!
I’ll take the over.
I’m on the over too
Piss. My Lylin Eyes and water buffalo sized heart say the Angels break 90 wins!!! What the hell do professional odds makers know? It’s not like they research stuff or anything.
Marte,Stassi, Walsh, C-Rod, and Canning to the IL. Makes room for Lamb to make the roster.
The only news here is Canning. Hopefully this isn’t a big deal.
Whats the deal w/ Rodriguez?
He’s just been re-listed to IL for continued recovery from last year. They pretty much said they were gonna do this all spring…. just no one wanted to hear it. 15 Day means he’ll start throwing in MiLB soon though.
Canning to the IL comes as no surprise at all as his career has been about injuries. To bad as he showed us something this Spring. Walsh comes as a huge surprise if not only because he had a great ST but also why he is down, no pun intended.
Spring Training was very successful, more so than for a lot of other clubs in that we lost our big guns so to speak.
Our minor league invites produced in showing what they are capable of and one Free Agent invitee made the team.
It has been a long time since we saw this kind of winning ST.
I figured Marte would be moved to the 60 day IL.
So why not just option CRod & Canning to the minors (and put them on the minor League IL) unless they are worried about using up options?
This makes no sense.
Both players maybe running low on options as you point out, so I’m not sure really. I see Joyce making it back to the team prior to ever seeing CRod though, but Perry sees it different than us.
Yeah. I think it is options.
But unless the Angels plan on putting both players on the ML roster after their IL stint they will need to send them down to AAA ( with the exception of a short rehab assignment)
I would suggest that is their intention — to put both players on the MLB roster.
I think they are just getting as much flexibility as they can right now. They’ll decide and option someone when they have too… or they’ll realize all they need is Tucky D…. or they’ll need Canning in 3 weeks. CRod’s getting sent down and probably optioned off.
I don’t think they are nearly as in love with either of them as we are, especially Rodriguez. He had what, 40 IP once, and about 28 innings of that was solid? Other than that he’s been hurt or bad. Same, to a much larger size, with Canning.
I’m sure they don’t want to just throw these guys away, and they don’t have to, but they aren’t guarding their options like they are George Kirby or something. Both are exactly the types of prospects with potential that sometimes fizzle out for various reasons and the new hot flavor is…. Olthorf or someone.
We should trade them (when everyone gets healthy, if we like our injured players more). So much pearl clutching over their lack of options… trade’em. Doesn’t seem to happen much at this time of year, not sure why. Another team must have some curiosity in old Tucky D, ST performance was good, high draft choice not long ago..and Thaiss must have some value….We give them those two and get back a 2 Lottery tickets in return….better than hoping they go unclaimed.
Happened today
https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/phillies/phillies-trade-cristian-pache-former-braves-top-prospect
Actually, it would be some brilliant swashbuckling GM work if Tucky D and Matt “Cryin Eyes” Thaiss got off to a hot start for say six weeks while Canning and CRod get solid and we trade em.
We’d only get meh prospects for them, but that’s cool.
Seems Philly is intent of making Marsh a platoon project.
How about neither guy wants to pitch in the minors? Both have shown they have MLB stuff. They just need to make sure they are healthy.
Both also kinda got their asses beat. AAA is where you figure out if CRod was just lucky for a dozen innings that we’ve all fixated on, or is he good but injury tweeked him. Canning had ST and proved out. They’ll use him at some point.
What they want has nothing to do with it.
Didn’t someone emphatically state that there will be an Ohtani extension during spring training?
Well, there are 24 hours left…
Dude, we’re all still waiting for Tootie’s IIWPM. That has probably held up the Ohtani thing.
Lots of laughs 😂
Say it ain’t so Shohei
Now hoping he Judges is in 2023.
Angels, Texas, Cubs and Reds were top 4 teams in Grapefruit League last season.
Collectively they ended the season 47 games under .500
So Spring Training records mean just about nothing.
That said, there were a lot of things I liked about what I saw this spring. Number 1 has to be how Rendon played and how healthy he seemed. Hopefully that translates.*
* I wrote optimistically last March that Rendon would have a 5 WAR season with in ‘22. One more reason I am waiting and seeing on this season.
….so you’re saying we got a chance…..
If we were top 4 in Grapefruit, I’d hate to see Cactus results
I’ll I know is Vodka is better with Grapefruit than it is with Cactus.
Coming out of ST on a winning note has positive influence in the first few games starting the season. It shows that good results are possible as a team rather than the feeling of an up hill climb. I would rather always be a winner in Baseball at any time and at any level.
BTW, the Angels are in the Catus League, not the sour puss league.
Pepiot’s performance almost set Dodger fans into a violent frenzy, or deep depression, I imagine. Small sample (One game) but this kid is supposed to be the next golden arm from the Doyers system.
Go Halos!!
Hasn’t received the full Doyer Magic Juice dosage yet…he’ll be fine. Cheaters.
Neto was pretty impressive the last two nights. Two games is clearly not a large enough sample size, especially ST games, but if he can continue to improve the SS issue might be solved. Would be great to see him rake early in the season at RC and then get promoted to SLC. Even better as a an add-on in September for the playoffs.
yes, as ST ended, i wasn’t anticipating him looking so solid right now.
He’s easily the most improved guy in camp – just a month ago he was looking like a sophomore, way out of his league.
Soto to SLC, and i assume Velasquez too. I was thinking they’d cut Squid loose and put Neto in SLC. Nevertheless, Neto will be here in no time and hopefully long time.
Neto looked solid, hopefully he solves SS for the Halos for a few years once he’s ready.
Minasian has been doing a pretty good job considering who his boss is, but his RP free agent signings have been awful. I hope it doesn’t become our Achilles heel yet again. The locked ranking of that group seems to bear this out
This maybe the season you become a believer in PTP, as injuries to starters now have real backups and starting staff is one year improved. Coaching in the system should be improving. Mistakes should be expected as not all signings pan out, but I see huge improvement in the 40 man roster. I like Nevin, he may be the guy to turn this clunker around.
FanGraphs is very critical of the Raisel Iglesias’ trade and its impact on the bullpen. They state the Angels’ bullpen would have been ranked around 17 rather than 29 with Raisel.
My personal feeling is that the Angels bullpen is probably closer to 17th as it is now. With Raisel it probably would be top-10.
He has some shoulder issues.
https://www.si.com/mlb/braves/transactions/breaking-closer-raisel-iglesias-to-start-season-on-injured-list
…there is that…..
Maybe Fangraphs approves now
and hosetly, if bullpen is the only thing we need to add at the deadline, there are two routes. One, call ups from the farm, which the Halos look like they have 2-3 options there.
Two, the deadline is easier to see what pen arms in the MLB are having a good year. Trading for an arm is easier than a starting bat. We do have a few players that have trade value and that could be a pretty easy fix. Plus it seems like Arte is a but more flexible with the budget this year.
Remember in OC, its all about if you win, they will come. I can see the Halo’s getting hot early and more butts in the seats through out the season.
Sandoval, Bachmann, and Quiero
Bachman needs to justify Perry’s reckless 2021 MLB Draft strategy of acquiring a stash of reliever type bodies. Bachman was a 22 yr college guy and not a Latin American toddler or American HS prep star so he needs to step up. Word around MLB is the Angels have no high level prospects again………wonder how Gritcho will spin this. Blame it on me LOL, bold or cap fonts, images with no names, emojis, flagrant misspelling, no research, bad luck since 2009.
💪 💪
Word around MLB is that you’re complete Dumb Ass
Word around CTPG is things at home aren’t good. His mom disrespects him and he feels powerless in his own basement. And takes it out on us. 👉 🖕 👎 👇
That really really hurt 😂 😂
To respond reasonably to this, it seems the Angels have a lot more young talent now than they have had in years. Sandoval. Detmers. Joyce. Neto. O’Hoppe. Maybe Moniak. Adell isn’t dead yet. Adams. Josh Jackson, etc. Maybe Bachman does something, maybe not. But the triple A rotation is coming around. Depth in the organization is starting to show. And even Arte admitted he wanted to go the big free agent signing direction again this year and Perry said no. All of this helps.
So far Chase Silseth is the only guy Perry has from the farm……during his time here. We need for his high picks to step up and produce. The Orioles lost 110 games in 2021 and finished with a better record than we did in 2022.
Wonder what gritcho’s spin is?
Yes Tootie. Most baseball players, especially pitchers, take more than a year to develop. This is a thing that can be typed out that is true. Like “Did you know the human head weighs eight pounds!?!”
Hell, even Joc Pederson, the greatest player ever to have a 220 point difference in OPS between his platoon splits, took about 5 years to settle into the MLB and 4 to get a call up.
Good Tootie. Good.
Eh. These are actual thoughts based on real things, so good on Tootie.
We don’t have any crazy marvelous prospects like Cherios or Volpe. O’Hoppe could be a big deal, we’ll see. Bachman’s getting stretched out this year. I’ll worry about that failing if it fails. If our harvest from the farm from 2021-25 is Detmers, Ward, Walsh, a couple other starters, almost an entire bullpen, Neto at SS, O’Hoppe at C and Soto as a utility guy but never a “mega prospects” that’s fine with me, though a better, even more hyped farm would be nice too.
I am excited for this year with high hopes of being playoff bound with wining the World Series potentially. Does anyone have the story why the first series of the year has a day off on Friday before finishing up on the weekend? I found that odd.
My guess is that MLB wanted an Ohtani pitched game to be part of its opening skate of vanes tomorrow. But, with every team playing every team this season, there was no need for a 4 game series.
Without the Ohtani opening day draw, the series probably starts on Friday.
That makes sense. Go Angels! Let’s start the year off with a W.
Opening slate of games. Autocorrect got me again!
A one-day break between the first and second games, MLB gives teams a chance to postpone the opener without upsetting ticket-holders. That’s important when you’re starting the season in early April, when it’s still winter in northern parts of the country.
I remember when the Reds would open up the season with an afternoon game before big business came into the picture.
Opening Day rain day explaintion makes sense.
manfrauds ego?
Definitely. My ego pretty much demands that we look out for the egos of the people above me.
You said not me!!
If staying healthy was not a questioned reserved for so many of the Angels, it would be relatively easy to say that a 90-win season is in the cards, As you peruse the roster it really is difficult not to see the good things that could happen, right? But you and I need no reminding, traDition and injuries for the Angels go hand in hand.
2023 Angels roster is built around dealing with the bad luck injury bug. We have plenty of First basemen, ditto with Second base and Third. Believe it or not we are covered at Short too. The Outfield is a little iffy and at catcher we are rather weak also.
Pitching, at least starting pitching is our strong suit as I believe we will have enough offense to show we have the best starting staff in the American League, in terms that can be looked at without being a stats junkie. Our starting staff will have the most starts, most innings pitched, most K’s and least number of walks issued in the league. All the other stats will fall into line. Ohtani-Sandoval-Anderson-Detmers-Suarez will be a force to be reckoned with. This year the sixth starter will not be as important as in the past as Ohtani is open to a five-man staff. By June all 5 will be looking to get to seven innings a lot more than in the past six seasons. With more Innings Pitched the starters will be sharper and stronger rather than run down. The sixth starter will almost be by committee. We will see Canning, Davidson, Silseth, Barria, all taking a few turns during the course of the season.
The Bullpen- Unlike most I am not just hopeful, but as always optimistic about how this group will shakeout. by June a standout will emerge to become a closer-setup, and seventh inning guy and the rest will work itself out. By July Joyce will be brought up and FRod II will be arrive.
So, what’s to like about this years team? A lot. We have improved in RF, LF, 3rd in depth, 2b in depth, and SP in experience. The line-up is going to be shown respect by opposing pitchers and we will be aggressive on the bases once again. The team’s attitude will definitely be more upbeat and fun as not everything will fall on Ohtani and Trout-but will be about the team.
90 wins? Sure-maybe, more than 90 wins? Sure-maybe. 82 wins? yes- most likely, according to the 8-Ball. 😊 The 1966 Red Sox finished in last place. The 1967 Red Sox were in the World Series. They changed mangers, we have done same. They brought in experienced major leaguer’s; we have done the same. Their best pitcher became a CY Award winner in ’67 (Jim Lonborg), we have Ohtani and Sandoval, their best hitter became a MVP, we have Trout and Shohei. So how many wins-I don’t know, but I will guess at 90 also for those that need a number. I did ask the 8-Ball if we would get to the World Series and it replied “Get back to you later.” That’s fine 8-Ball, talk to you then.
Wait and See Grandpa. Wait and see.
Scot Shields and Brendan Donnelly were both key bullpen contributors in 2002 that joined the team mid-season (Donelly technically played a handful in April). Who knows, if Trout and Rendon are healthy and the team is looking good, then some rookie bullpen magic might be in the cards as well.
Good morning to all, are you ready? Clean and spot free Angels beer glasses ready? Check. Angels morning coffee cups ready to go? Check. A different angels baseball cap for each week’s games clean and ready? Check. Angels shirts ready? Check. Anticipation for Opening Day ready? Check. Optimism for Opening Day ready? Check. Stocked up on Hot Dogs – Pop Corn – Peanuts- and plenty of Coors Light? Check. Cable Bill paid up? Check. Then let the fun begin. 😀 😃 😆 !!!!
Was there ever an explanation on the Dodgers run in the second that “scored” on the Ward double-play? I was in and out of the telecast.
They said Taylor scored before the last out was recorded. But I don’t see how that is correct because it was a force out.
I think it’s not a forceout. Ward caught the ball. Runners advance after tagging
Maybe not Maddux/Glavine “chicks dig the long ball” level, but this ad is competent. You will probably be surprised at the end to see what this commercial is trying to sell😂
https://twitter.com/BizballMaury/status/1640849229328551936?t=Ag6RRtwpAN87zFrssaP_4A&s=19
That is what I call “Ton of Fun”.
Baseball commerial that just happens to have a Prius in it.
And women in high heels that can swing a bat better than Phillips.
OUCH!!
Every time they dove on the asphalt it hurt.
That is an great ad.
And fills an entire inning break.
I just saw racism.
First thought: This is awesome, but what the hell is this?
Second thought: That was a car commercial?!?! Oh well, still awesome.