Now the Angels are about to enter a tough little roller coaster ride for a couple of months. Starting April 14 they will play 49 games in 52 days against most of the better teams in the American League. Chase Silseth made this list of big hype prospects. Anthony Rendon is suspended for five games. While Sam Blum is kicked off of the AM 830 Beat Reporter Roundtable, he will be having an unbiased Angels podcast on the Athletic. Let’s see if Carpino can kick him off the Athletic.
The collective bargaining agreement for minor league players passed with a unanimous vote of the owners and an almost unanimous vote from the players.
The Mets released infielder/outfielder Darin Ruf. The Padres outrighted right hander Michel Baez after he cleared waivers. The Braves will retire Andruw Jones’ number 25. The Braves also designated outfielder Jordan Luplow for assignment and selected left hander Dylan Dodd.
Francisco Lindor faked out Christian Yelich pretty good here. The Brewers scheduled a flyover for their home opener but the roof was closed. CJ Cron is National League Player of the Week. The Dodger fan who ran out into the field of play to make a marriage proposal was banned from Dodger Stadium for a year.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
A lot of “upsets” today… hopefully we won’t be in one.
This is a tough game… regulars missing, and Suarez vs Castillo? Yikes.
If we win tonight, it will show we can stand up to a tough challenge. I think we can do it.
Astros losing again too. Happy day.
This line up could probably use some Rendon, some Stassi & some Walsh.
Are we allowed to ask if Trout should hit 3rd and Shohei in the 2 spot?
Too soon?
Free Rendon!
For a “down a couple/rest a couple” line up I will take that.
Crazy, I didn’t think any content was posted. The site wouldn’t update the new content unless I was logged in.
If I’m not logged in I find I have to hit refresh periodically or else navigate somewhere and come back to see the new comments. Did you mean you couldn’t see the entire article?
Last night’s post game or tue links. I refreshed multiple times, cleared my history, came back to the site and nada. I log in and everything popped up again.
Some things are a little weird as we come back from the big site crash. At least one person got his account deleted for no apparent reason.
Everybody please be patient as we exorcise all the ghosts out of the machine. (While I said “we” it is Jessica who does all the work on site maintenance. Credit where credit due.)
I had the same issue today
My iPad and IPhone had same issue but things were normal on my windows laptop
There’s a button to optimize format for those using mobile. Maybe that thing is thrashed somehow. I’ll stop using it. Sorry for the sidebar ads folks.
FWIW, same thing happening to me since Tuesday AM. All I could see was Monday’s content on Tuesday. Posting now on Wednesday and the site just brought back Tuesday’s posts.
CTPG got me on a tape delay
Here’s a question. Who do we think will have better hitting numbers by the end of the season between Shohei and Taylor Ward?
I have seen enough to confidently put my money on Ward.
Not sure. Shohei has a tendency to hit for more power but gets on base a little less while Ward has a higher tendency to run into outfield walls than Shoehei does.
But you can’t discredit Ward’s ability to avoid having Tommy John surgeries.
Thats true. Shohei definitely has a better fastball.
Ward doesn’t walk any batters.
OBP: Ward
SLG: Ohtani
wRC+ Ohtani
OPS+ is closer but I’ll take Ohtani
GP is Ohtani, that means more AB’s which in turn more productive.
I think Trout’s OBP is above .600!
.632, with an OPS+ of 293!!!
But, but…he struck out against Shohei in the final game…..
😂
What a Loser!
This is awesome. Is it me or is it even possible that Mike Trouts 👁 is actually getting better?
https://twitter.com/CodifyBaseball/status/1643314062611320833
This is actually a good sign for the season. Last night he had 3 walks. That means he’s not pressing. And when he’s not pressing, he’s not prone to Ks, like he’s been the last 3 years.
I’ve never that of Trout as a guy who pressed. Maybe in the WBC, last at bat. But you’re right, strikeout rates are climbing. Could this be related to wanting to increase his power numbers?
I think there have been times he’s felt he had to put the team on his shoulders and started swinging more aggressively than usual.
It must be difficult to carry a team in the sport of baseball since we know that in order to be the best hitter you have to have a keen eye and lay off A LOT of pitches. Naturally a player in Mike’s situation the last few years would want to swing more, but that can be counterproductive.
And to add to the team’s struggles as a pressure, you also have a new player every year trying to take his crown as the best in the game. Now imagine the latest challenger to your throne is a teammate. Now he is hearing people say that not only is he not the best in the sport anymore, but he’s not even the best in his team! Any man with a semblance of an ego would be affected by that.
I am very happy to see that he is not pressing so far this season, because I know I just might be if I was in his position.
Could be, this can be a boon to his average
Based on my eye test last season it seemed he sold out for power. Gone were the cheap singles and line drives. His HR numbers have come up, but so was his K rate, and why he hasn’t been a .300 hitter for awhile now.
I hope Trout goes back to taking the hits as they come, not selling out for HRs, especially as he has legitimate protection in the lineup now.
Yah. I would gladly take a 200 hit season from Trout if it “only” had 28 home runs or something.
I don’t think he was pressing that AB. It is just that Shohei’s stuff was so incredible that ANY batter would have been overmatched at that moment.
As the saying goes, good pitching beats good hitting.
The most locked in player to my memory was Barry Bonds at the end of his career. He had an elite of the elite 11.3 O-Swing% in 2002.
Mike Trout has an excellent eye and has a 23.1 career O-Swing%.
His O-Swing% last year was 26.3.
This year so far he has an incredible 16.7 O-Swing%.
Nice.
If I was Rob Manfred, for next year I would get rid of the American and National Leagues. Now that they play by the same rules, the distinction is moot.
I would add two new teams into the mix and then divvy up the teams into four MLB divisions: the SouthWest, the NorthWest, the NorthEast, and the SouthEast. Each division would have eight teams.
The eight teams in the SouthWest (Angels, Dodgers, Padres, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Rangers, Astros, ExpansionTeam) would only be able to employ players who were born in the southwestern quadrant of the USA, and so on.
The SouthWest division would have exclusive rights to players born in Venezuela, Columbia, Panama, Mexico.
The NorthWest would have exclusive rights to players born in Hawaii, Korea, Japan.
The NorthEast would get players born in Canada, England, the Netherlands and their Caribbean islands, Australia.
The SouthEast would get players born in Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
Thirty-two teams would make the playoffs nice and neat.
You could have an East-West All-Star Game, a North-West ASG, or you could even have a four team mini All-Star Tournament.
Planet saved.
I like the idea of the Yankees and Red Sox’s rosters loaded with talent from the Netherlands, Italy, Czech Republic, Canada, England and Israel.
🤣💪💪💪🦵🦵🦵🦵
Hey, I resemble that remark.
But You’re a Ghost. You don’t resemble anything anymore.
Yeah man. I’m listening. And then what?
Play ball? I don’t know. Dave’s not here.
The Angels scored 7 runs last night with no Rendon, no Walsh, and Urshela going 0 for 4 with 4 K’s.
Baseball is a long season and guys go hot and cold. At some point Rengifo and O’Hoppe will cool off. Hopefully that’s about the time the guys above heat up.
Depth is a great thing.
the depth is deep.
That’s deep.
deepness is the essence of depth, and depth is the essence of offense
In a 162 game season, depth may be the most important thing.
Thats Mariana Trench deep.
John Carpino is he really needed? What are his accomplishments that he is really all that important. Sometimes the Angels are really an embarrassment such as keeping the radio crew home and reporting the play by play from a television screen while buried somewhere beneath the stands at home in the stadium. Now going to war with Sam Blum and losing Jeff Fletcher’s presence on the radio show in the process.
Major League Baseball teams deal in hundreds of million dollars, but the Angels are constantly doing stupid things, yes stupid things when concerning money, now really a round table discussion group on their own radio station that may have 290 total
listeners on their best night, and one reporter says something deemed as negative by an employee that is useless really, said employee kicks this reporter out of KLAA studio.
Every instance when and where this team seems to make a decision, the decision backfires. Always spending a dollar to save a nickel really. This team is in the best Baseball Market in the country, and it is what should be the fourth or fifth most valuable team in MLB. But sadly, it will always be rated much lower because of the owner and his minions.
This poorly run team just can’t catch a break this past week. Better times are coming soon I as always believe. I don’t give a damn about Blum, Fletcher or any one on KLAA, but pissing on the press that represents you in the media just makes no sense.
BTW, does this mean Blum and maybe Fletcher are not welcome in the Big A now? Funny stuff. This team can’t get any dumber, can it?
Carpino. I can not figure out what he does. Everything he does do is lame. He is the extra weird stubby sixth toe on one foot of the Angels org. He just makes shoes fit wrong. That’s his super power.
On the other hand, how hard are we all gonna work at this “Angels don’t send radio guys to road games! I am embarrassed and angerer!” stuff? I mean sure, if you work really hard to find the difference you may be able to find 20 seconds of broadcast that’s different because of this. There will also be 20 seconds of crap broadcasting from the same guys if they are at the game. I listen to Reds games. I’ve listened to a few other teams. I listen to the Angels games at work. I can’t really tell the difference. Even when I can, it’s just not that big a deal. It’s like your dads always said, if you want your ass to stop hurting stop finding things to ram up there.
Carpino and Kuhl are yes men. They are to Arte what Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence were to Sinatra. “You’re the greatest Frank” “you’re so funny Frank!” Sychophants without any baseball talent or knowledge.
It’s just weird to me cause I know some pretty rich dudes. They all have yes men of a sort…. their ego is also fed by looking good and having guys they can order to “go get meh done for meh!”
He can have Carpino be a special consultant for golf drinks and butt fun. Then hire Baseball Bob to do all the lifting on the team front and make arte look smart…. but he doesn’t.
Just for the record my dad never told me that if I wanted my ass not to hurt, stop finding things to ram up there. 😂
Sam Blum. Whether or not your ex-boyfriend is a twat or not, you’re an idiot if you’re massively shocked that he doesn’t want to hand you the mic at his wedding reception and is even wondering why you showed up there.
So you’re gonna go buy a karaoke machine and have yourself your own party where you can talk into a mic all you want. Solid move. Do your thing.
But don’t treat me like I’m an idiot. Unbiased? You’re whole “thing” is being the voice of the critical prick. You need the drama. You are the chick who’s 40 lbs heavier and down a few friends with a big box of room temperature pink wine in front of her telling everyone the way things really are when it comes to anything Angels.
Is that the worst thing ever? No. Every bar has that person in it. Trust me, I know. And they are actually right sometimes, and a little bit right a lot of the time. There’s a bell curve of anti vs pro franchise coverage of a team and Blum is on the opposite tip from Roger Lodge. But don’t get it twisted, he is Dark Roger Lodge. That’s his job. Fletcher’s more the Howard Cossell half/half guy, etc etc.
It’s when Pink Whine Lady starts getting pissed at me because I absorb her takes on “MEN” with a grain of salt and a lot of filtering and demands that I feel her feelz and tell her she’s not only right but unbiased that I start getting annoyed. Carpino’s a twat. Arte likes that twat. Blum’s also kind of making his bones out of being a different twat. Everyone’s still allowed to talk and say what ever they want. No one is “the empire” and “the rebellion” here. So shut the fk up…. or don’t…. and stop demanding I make your cares my cares.
On the flip side. Arte. Man, WTF? You got the payroll over 200M and it wasn’t via signing one 31 year old FA. Good. It looks like you are listening to PTP and letting him do his job. Building scouting and coaching. The MiLB system is noticeably better and it sounds like no one has starved to death this year. Good. You hired training staff from successful teams. Good. You talked to the press. It was awkward, but you did it. Good. And theeeennnn…. Carpino’s gotta Carpino. The asshole cousin you keep having to back. Why Arte? You would accomplish SO MUCH by just burying this guy in stadium operations or schmoozing political dicks and hiring almost ANYONE else. This drama is an EXACT example of why CarpKuhl sucks. Look at it. Do something about it. Being “New Arte” who has realized he still loves owning a team is the perfect time to make some changes.
Fletcher maybe like a Howard Cosell but more like a non provocative comatose Howard Cosell. Plus Fletch has got better and real hair.
And BTW Carpino might be a Twat, but hes an Italian American Sports Hall of Fame Twat (or is it Coglione?) mind you.
Myles Straw of the Guardians is currently the best player in baseball.
Coming into the season it was Ohtani, but Kyle Muller was better than him and struck him out. Urshela then hit Muller around, but Urshela was bettered later in the game by Domingo Acevedo.
Acevedo didn’t pitch again until last night. The first batter he faced was Straw who hit a single. Acevedo stayed in the game and had a chance to take the title back from Straw, but he walked him and let him steal a base.
That was Straw’s final PA last night, so he woke up this morning as the best player in baseball.
😮 😮 😮 💪 💪 💪 👈
You can circular Loup this shit to death all season long if you want.
Hopefully you find it enjoyable.
BUT, at least it’s based on something. Ghost actually looks shit up to do this. Rather than just finding some guy he thinks people here will hate and hype beasting him so that he can out Blum Sam Blum. Or latching onto the poster child for platoon splits that won’t help us as “the one who got away” because he’s the name you can remember from a failed trade forever ago. Or seeing a hot player, realizing the Angels did NOT draft said player, and riding that to death.
This is the difference between Ghost Guest and Guest Rec.
I bet GhostGuest can also put out an IIWPM when the time comes.
I’ll take some of that action.
2002 probably has a split personality…GhostGuest could be the “inside his head voice”or it’s his ChatGPT from Macedonia messing with us. But I’d take 1/2 2002 and 1/2 GhostGuest. He likes Bono…..we are all still waiting for Boner to save the planet..its like waiting for 2002’s IIWPM.
https://youtu.be/UGTwhnSHHv4?t=18
Of course. We get Tooty Toot the morning after a loss but are now Haunted by Ghost Guest after each win.
So this proves that even the troll behind the curtain thinks the Angels will do alot more winning than losing this year.
“Up with people 2023,” and the seats are just getting warm. Going to be fun watching a playoff team FINALLY!! ( I said it ). Fun following along with 2002’s newly revealed Multiple Personalitiesand Gritcho cementing his “Jack Kerouac” status as CTPG’s voice of reason. Can’t wait for the daily GPB hot positive vibes melting all that mountain snow, flowing down the Santa Ana River right past the Big A where Arte will wash all of his Evilness away.
Going to be a great summer.
I ignore them. They don’t get any space in my head.
I think we’ve found tooty-too’s alter ego
So sayeth the mushroom:
I am Tooty-Too. He is Tooty-Too. She is Tooty-Too. You are Tooty-Too. We are all Tooty-Too.
Goo-goob a-too.
We will win some games.
Sadly we will lose some games.
Could Rendon be suspended for the year without pay please?
Gio at 3rd works great.
Arte saving that money and investing it in Ohtani.
Dreams are fun.
Best case scenario would be voluntary retirement, thus getting his salary off the payroll. He could spend full time healing his body and his soul, while spending more time with his children away from “Hollywood.”
Gio was so great last nite with his boneheaded throwing error leading to one of the Mermen runs and his Golden Sombrero at the plate . How could Rendon possibly improve on that performance?
Same bad performance, much smaller chunk of the payroll.
Let’s see who performs better against superior pitching.
By the time this season is over you’ll be happy we have both.
I am still waiting for Rendon to prove me wrong. So far, a very long wait.
I think all of Angel nation is. But if he is truly healthy I really believe you wont have to wait much longer.
Exactly! I have been a huge Rendon supporter. But I’m done with the guy until he proves otherwise.
Oh please. You’ve been on Rendon like he’s your wife’s ex-boyfriend since day one. I seriously doubt a 4 WAR season from the guy is gonna change that.
yeah, thats a no for me dog.
Wasn’t trying to convince you. Was just sharing my dream.
Hopefully Rendon will prove me wrong.
Well, that would solve the problem of paying Ohtani till he’s 30-31 years old.
hazah?
Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeep rollin’ Halos!!
The key for the Angels tonight against the Mariners is “Stand By Your Man” by Lyle Lovett and His Large Band.
Lyle Lovett is a great artist. I love his version of “Stand By Your Man” and his record “Joshua Judges Ruth” was maybe the best album to come out in the 90’s.
There was some mention in the GT about the guy who caught Shohei’s HR, but it seems that guy gave the ball to a Japanese boy who was homestaying at his house to learn some basketball.
Let’s see if this kid will be shooting baseballs a few years later😂
https://twitter.com/Dorapeinet/status/1643139490045894657?t=OH2031TcNPXw8ANVIX2yxA&s=19
Translation of the tweet
Super cool gesture. Great thing to do for the kid. The Angels should give the man a signed Ohtani something or other.
Urshella with the Golden Umbrella…need Anthony, quickly
O’Hoppe with the Hat trick… need…
Never mind.
I researched this and five is a Platinum Sombrero and Six is a Horn, named after Sam Horn who accomplished the feat.
5 is also known as Olympic Rings.
7 is Horn of Plenty.
Golden Sombrero is 4 and I believe it was Reggie Jackson who called 5 a Platinum Hat.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_sombrero
He just called it “Platinum” with no hat.
It was on a Channel 5 telecast years ago when he did the color with Joe Torre.
Holy smokes that is going back.
It an answer to a direct question when Torre asked him what 5 strike outs in a game was since Reggie was the only player Torre knew who did it.
Torre was awesome . He used to ask Reggie on the air if he had read any interesting baseball related stat books knowing full well what the answer would be.
Torre was great to listen to when he was doing Angels games.
Reggie’s best ever quote…”Hitting is better than sex.“
https://www.azquotes.com/author/7277-Reggie_Jackson
Liking the depth of the offense so far. Nevin can mix and match any day of the week and it still won’t feel like such a huge letdown compared to last year when they were working with Wade, Rojas, Mayfield, Velasquez, etc.
I hope Luis Rengifo keeps up his approach to the plate. 5 walks in 4 games has been what’s most impressive to me so far among everyone else, especially for someone who’s not been known for plate discipline.
At least Rendon can rest up his knee nicely during the 4 game suspension.
I know Frostie is real cold on today’s match up, but Suarez is my dark horse breakout candidate this year with the Angels. He may benefit the most from the new pitch clock since he wont have time to think and can just throw strikes like he did coming out of the bullpen a couple of seasons ago.
Or we will all remember where we were watching when Suarez’s head explodes like Scanners because the pitch clock won’t allow him to exercise all his mental ticks before each pitch.
Either way, something will happen and we will win some games. If Suarez can’t hack it the Tucky D is there for us and Canning’s around too.
After three in a row……..wha-wha-what are we supposed to post?
How about, “Oh yeah, what about four in a row!?”
That’s all I got, anyone else…..?
But ………. Is being banned from that urine stench gully really punishment????
Pretty surprised its only a 1 year ban
If he wanted to challenge that legally I bet he’d have a good chance of winning.
I’ll take that bet.
He has no defense for trespassing. He knew it was unlawful.
But man, the security guards enjoyed it immensely
Reminds me of football games where players take down trespass on the field guys with great relish.
Trespasser should get helmeted football players to take care of business
Thought you were talking about the Rendon dude ; guess not.
I think everyone enjoyed watching the security guard WRECK that guy. 😂
Oh, sorry, I thought you were talking about the Rendon dude… It appears now that you are talking about the guy at the Dodgers game ??
Biologically, Doyer stadium is America’s urethra….or as you hilariously and perfectly phrased it, urine gully 😂 😁
Oakland is right up there.
America’s colon? Or anus.
All I know is that Florida is America’s wang.
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/c5c08f6b-683f-4bda-9e47-0e0785d01714