The Angels spent the week visiting the NL Central and going 4 and 2 on the road trip. A solid, winning road trip and some nice momentum heading into a big homestand against division foes.
A sweep of the Cardinals is great. The Cardinals being this bad is baffling. Why are they having the worst start in they’ve had in decades?
There were some brilliant plays to recap this week, staring with Ohtani’s absolute bomb in Milwaukee.
That round tripper garnered Ohtani the celebratory samurai helmet. Home run celebrations have become a team event, and we’re all just here to watch it.
I remember trying to mimic batting stances and pitching deliveries as a kid. So I always love a good video side by side. Like this one from our friend Taylor Blake Ward.
Overall, the bullpen looked quite solid in the three game sweep of the Cardinals. Outside of Aaron Loup, that is. The angst over the Angels bullpen won’t get any better. Jose Quijada is set for Tommy John surgery and Austin Warren is shut down for at least four weeks.
However, local boy Chris Devenski has looked sharp in his three outings. Chris says he’s finally healthy and enjoying his second chance at baseball.
Quickly become a fan, and Rookie of the Year, favorite is shortstop Zach Neto who continues to amaze with the leather and hit.
Here’s another angle of that sweet play by Zach Neto and Brandon Drury on Tuesday night.
I’ve linked those great plays, but the game on Wednesday was incredible. Easily my favorite of the year.
In the game on Wednesday, Ohtani joined Babe Ruth as the only MLB players to reach 500 K’s as a pitcher and 100 HR as a hitter. The difference being most of the guys Ohtani struck out and hit bombs against wouldn’t have been allowed to play against Ruth.
From around baseball:
The Alabama Crimson Tide fired their baseball coach for going full Pete Rose. There’s a lot of madness going around the Alabama sports program right now.
Don’t look now, but Cody Bellinger is again lighting it up. He’s in a much better place in a lot of regards and the early results are promising.
Speaking of early results, the Pittsburgh Pirates are off to a great start. Should we believe in the Bucco’s?
One thing I’m noticing while watching games from around the league is a lot more stolen bases. Speed is back. Will we see records set again due to the new rules and bigger bases?
I’ll give it a resounding NO. Guys I grew up watching in the 80s had permanent green lights and managers sent them far more often. That said, we should see numbers we haven’t seen in a long time.
On the topic of speed. The A’s Esteury Ruiz has it in spades. Does his speed (he’s the league leader in stolen bases) give him enough value to make the A’s win the trade for him?
Justin Verlander gave up back to back bombs to start his comeback with the Mets.
Sunday is Little League day at the Big A. At least for the Fountain Valley Little League. I’ll be walking my son and his team around the track pregame. Another moment as a father I know I’ll enjoy and treasure.
One place I can’t wait to take my son (but I’m waiting until he’ll understand it a bit) is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. By the time we’re ready this now state of the art wing should be open. So much history.
Enjoy your weekend and link what I missed.
9:35pm Friday night, tied bottom 10th, Do You Believe?, we walked it off with Neato Neto scoring winning run on a Redon hit, sorry no way-wild pitch and we won. Oh and we were down 4-0 going into the 8th.
Regarding LL day at the Big A. We did it many times with La Habra. One year they picked my son to throw out the first pitch. He got to sit in the dugout pregame with Vladdy and others and got an autographed ball from those players (he lost it, lol) and then threw out the first pitch (strike). Imagine having that memory in your back pocket to tell yer children/grandchildren.
Hey CtPG guy. remember how failing to land newly reliable ace Carlos Rodon was one of many last straws for you and this joke of a team? I still do. And he still has no idea when he will throw again.
Hey, I wanted Rodon, DeGrom AND Trea Turner!
1 out of 3 isn’t too bad.
So, the alleged Doyer pitching magic doesn’t affect Thor?
Another Bummer from the Blummer
https://twitter.com/SamBlum3/status/1654614539093307392
What a bummer. This surgery is so common these days. It’s crazy! Hopefully a fast recovery like Harper.
business is booming
https://twitter.com/Chandler_Rome/status/1654648001485496320?s=20
Need so many ligaments…..
Loup, Loup that hoop, Loup that hoop…
Sorry Salt-n-Peppa
Tonights Lineup
Neto
Trout
Ohtani
Rendon
Renfroe
Ward
Drury
Thiass
Rengifo
Loup to DL as well
Boom.
https://twitter.com/RhettBollinger/status/1654598423985950723
This was the only to get Wantz back. He probably never left the team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPgoWxT1PMc
There it is…the old mystery ailment trick!!
My arm…..it’s broken.
“My arm isn’t working”
Dances with wolves
I hope Loup gets better soon. While he is out maybe he finds a new passion in life and hangs it up. It could happen…
rodeo clown?
Whatever works!
Sometimes I wonder if guys like Loup read sports boards and think things like “Man, I hope the diabetes kills this fat fk slow. I may suck ass right now, but at least I’ve done something with my life. Oh. And I’m rich.”
You calling me fat??? Lol
Nah. I just mean in general. For all I know you’re actually Chris Hemsworth.
I’m just big boned
I always wondered if “eclu” was secretly CJ Wilson rather than just his friend.
At least one commenter also seemed to get awful hot under the collar when people would bag on Marisnik for trucking Lucroy, although that may just have been a Houston fan who came to make trouble.
Loup will need Tommy John surgery for his “pulled hamstring”…experimental procedure. Yeah, that’s it….
Dr
NickNeil concursAnd it will forever be known as the: “Aaron Loup Surgery”
Loup. He’s been horrible. But at least he’s not full of shit. He’s said he’s been crap from the start and that he’s gonna try to fix it. Now he’s saying he needs a mulligan and hope the injury/rehab/restart helps instead of saying some wacky poop about being “almost there” and “feeling great about small things” or what ever.
Take this mystery ailment and heal they self Aaron. I hope he comes back on fire.
Our minor league pitching coaches fixed Detmers last year. Maybe they can work magic with Loup too.
I’d go check out this years Salt Lake and RC ERAs before bottling that remedy
😥 😥
Rengifo and Drury do this all the time…just not on purpose.
https://twitter.com/nut_history/status/1653939182144765952?s=20
Guys used to sit down and read a book before throwing to 1st to get Pujols out.
It makes you Wander who the runner was.
Yeah, that’s a hard NO! in my book.
Snatching gloves on can of corns back in the day also wasn’t cool to me either.
First 2023 mock draft: Expert predicts Round 1 picks…..almost that time.
11. Angels: Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest (No. 9)
Lowder appeals to teams who covet reliability, as he has posted eight quality starts in 11 outings while repeatedly working with a 92-95 mph fastball, plus changeup and plenty of strikes.
https://www.mlb.com/news/first-mlb-mock-draft-2023
who were we projected to take last year?
I remember hearing Brandon Barriera in a couple mocks, don’t remember Neto mentioned.
https://www.mlb.com/news/final-mlb-mock-draft-2022
Which kind of proves the point that these mock draft pundits are really just talking out of their ass.
Yes, and quite muffled at that
With all of this winning we’re going to need something to talk/bitch about.
Free PTP
Neto was actually in a couple I saw. A lot of them had some high school OF.
BP usage last 3 days
Oh, I love a sexy graph.
So we’ve kind of crossed the point where there’s a more legitimate argument for DFAing Loup than just “I NO LIKE POOP! WHHHHHYYYYYYuh!?! FAN IS SHORT FOR FANATIC!”
It’s finally a great time for Loup to get DFAd or have a mystery ailment.
I’m fine with getting him off the active roster. If it can a be an IL stint with a chance for a rehab assignment, great.
Just FYI, if he clears waivers (which he will since nobody wants to pick up the $9 million or so he’s still owed), he will become a free agent. Because of Loup’s service time, the Angels can’t outright him to the minors. If he signs with another team, the Angels will pay his salary less the league minimum.
if he stays on the roster, he should only be put in games in which the Angels are being blown out at least until he can show some consistency.
And this upsets us how?
Exactly.
Worst case scenario is he goes somewhere else and becomes decent. Even then, he’d suck here so who cares?
It doesn’t upset me either. I inferred from Gitch’s comment that there was a way to send Loup to the minors if he cleared waivers similar to the mechanism used to send Fletcher to AAA. I was just pointing out that the mechanism to send Fletch to AAA doesn’t work for Loup because Loup has enough service time to decline an outright assignment to the minors.
I’m with you on treating Loup as a sunk cost and cutting him.
But if no one claims him would they then sign him as a free agent? Or would we then still have to pay him? In other words, if he declares free agency what effect does it have on his current contract?
if Loupy isn’t claimed he can sign with any team . That team would only have to pay the league minimum which would be prorated for the rest of the season) with Arte picking up the remaining tab including next years $2.0 million option buy out.
Yah. There is no way to escape paying Loup unless he kills someone or retires.
If he kills someone I’m sure the most recent CBA would make sure he still got paid his money. All he has to do is medically retire and he’d get paid also.
Oh no. I just meant that he has proven useless enough that other teams will likely not move on him so there’s a good chance he’ll accept assignment. Especially if PTP has a “plan” to try and fix him.
Release him with 2IP the way some of wanted and it was 100% sure we pay him to play somewhere else.
Fake injury. Even better.
I think he’s down to the last round in the mag here.
If doesn’t “find it” during this AAA stint, he’ll be DFA’d.
It would be so us if we release him and he goes to Texas/Houston and gets right – whilst we pay for the privilege.
Give the Donkies what they want.
baby pandas are wet behind the ears and don’t have enough vetr’n grit
need to show the kids had to snarl after giving up go-ahead 3-run HRs
You need a second on your motion?
Cuz I’m down for that.
The only problem is who do we replace him with?
Would Perry bring Yovan up all the way from AA? Everyone else down there is either losing their grip of the ball or is not getting any regular work in because the Trash Pandas are getting Smoked ( pun intended) in just every game they’ve played recently. Wantz cant be brought back up for another 1-1/2 ( without a newly discovered ouchie) and the fires seemed to be burning out of control on the Great Salt Lake with any of other Bee firemen.
Yeah. No one looks great. But we are finally at the point where giving a guy a shot will make sense to everyone. Not just donkey.
FYI you cant DFA an injured player. You have to wait until they’re healthy then dump their ass.
So this move basically says they think he can still be fixed.
Guess a season plus of bad isn’t enough just yet.
I think this proves that Loup is a team player. He is probably holding out hope that some how they can fix him. Since they have to pay him any ways and Wantz could not have returned without an injury this is the best case scenario.
Obviously Loup is an asshole. We should all hate him from our moral core. It’s exactly what all the men I admire would do.
Is the Wantz thing because of available options or something?
I commented that before the injury news. Yah. Can’t DFA a hurt fella.
annnndddd…. so let it be written, so let it be done.
Etc. Etc. Etc.
a D1 baseball manager throwing a game is one of the stenchiest things i’ve seen in my >50 years following the game
It’s an especially big deal in states like Bama and Miss because those are their teams. They have nothing else. They attend them like pro teams. They pay their staffs a ton. And it’s tax money…. and all their fans are very aware of all this.
are you calling my Trash Pandas NOTHING?!?
Dude. Huntsville’s awesome. So is MiLB. Though I am firmly in the “that is a stupid name” camp. Honestly, I ‘d also like to just let pandas go extinct. No animal has EVER wanted to just die out as badly as pandas. True dumb.
After Toyota Stadium with the Trash Pandas, go a few miles down the highway and hit the US Space and Rocket Center. You can’t miss it, it’s got the ginormous Saturn V mockup.
Now is the time for the Halos to step up to the microphone, so to speak, and beat the team in front of them.
Go Halos!!
Which means we’ll probably get swept .
Estevez, Moore, Barria, Wantz, and Devenski look like a formidable bullpen. Davidson and Silseth too, but I consider them to be next in line for a rotation spot if some of our current starters flounder.
Posting this at the top for JackFrost and anyone that wants to dig deeper on this.
Tensions Reportedly Growing in Angels’ Front Office, Arte Moreno Stepped In (msn.com)
Sounds like Minasian tried to hire a front man, and Nevin pushed back.Not sure I completely trust Nevin, but I’d rather he make the calls over Minasian, as long as it’s not Loup//Tepera.
Actually Nevin’s decisions lately have been pretty solid ( recognizing that theres still some chicken shit down in the bullpen that he needs to avoid.)
Whats interesting is the construction of this roster versus previous teams. Of the current 26 man 13 came from outside the organization over the last 2 years. 3 of the 13 were Friends of Perry (Loup & Tepera from Perry’s Toronto days & Tucky D from Perry’s Atlanta days) while 4 of the 13 actually have affiliations with Phil (Gio from Phil’s Yankee’s Coaching days , Moore form Phil’s Giant coaching Days, Drury & Lamb from Phils AAA D Back manager days)
So this roster has just as much of Phils influence as Perry’s. Not sure that if Perry is such a control freak that he would want that.
I’m skeptical as to how much “tension” is tension. After all, PTP hired Nevin, had the final call on his initial hire and retention. PTP likely worked with Nevin on roster construction this winter. It’s likely that they are meeting all the time. Given that Quijada and Warren both biffed it and Loup is being used still, while the over all pen innings are mounting, it’s likely the two might have annoyed each other a couple meetings and Arte said to cool it. I doubt we’re gonna see the Derpo/Soth type thing happen.
i’m curious how much access “SUPER HALO BROS” mike and john frisch” have to the team.
If I was a fan podcast, i might be tempted to drop some anonymous sources just to get the sweet rush of my story being picked up by MSN.
I’ve known some folks who have had “sources” in other fields. I’ve even had some “sources”. Thing is, a source is almost always someone getting and giving third or fourth hand info. A company is 200 people. Four to six of them are in a meeting where things can actually get “heated”. The meetings where they are deciding what to say in the meetings that more people will be in who will then mention some stuff that will be mentioned to “sources”.
We all talk shit and add interest to things in conversation. The human being who is “source” is no different. Sure, “source” turns out to be vaguely right sometimes…. but “source” is almost never accurate unless “source” was actually in a meeting or has info directly from a guy in the meeting. The over all end result can sometimes suss out to be kind of what “source” indicates, but the details? Not so accurate.
So I don’t discount “source” or “journalist”. But I also give both about as much weight as gossip my bar tender shares with me about people she serves regularly.
Exactly.
I hear a lot of stuff I don’t post here, heard even more a few years ago. While I trust the personal conversations I had with Vic, Tim Fletcher, and my contacts at some agencies to tell me what they heard, I also realize they usually weren’t in the room.
I also know what is on and off the record and act accordingly.
Usually where there’s smoke there’s fire and this is the second reporting of Minasian and a manager butting heads. But I’d expect some head butting in all organizations.
It’s kind of a report of smoke… coming from a fireplace…. a fireplace we all wanted more stuff burning in….
But I need hot fuss all over other guys cause it helps me ignore the unflavored jello pile my life has become.
If true it kind of pisses me off that Arte would protect Nevin but not Maddon. Why not offer the same treatment to Joe ? Kind of makes me wonder ….If he had Joe would probably still be here, OR things might have turned out alot different last season… or both.
Maybe Joe Maddon’s an overpaid asshole and Nevin isn’t? Maybe Joe was wrong about what ever he was complaining about, or blowing it out of proportion and Nevin isn’t? Maybe Joe had lost an incredible number of games while feeling huffy about his boss, the GM, while Nevin hasn’t? Maybe Joe had several years of failure behind him leading up to his firing and was writing books and playing golf and Nevin isn’t? Maybe Nevin and PTP’s issues are not nearly as bad as with Joe? Mohawk? Could be lots of things. Maybe Arte just hates opinionated old men with glasses?
Lol.
Arte hired him.
BTW; what year was it when Maddon stole your girlfriend in HS ??
Yes. Arte hired him. That’s not what I said. I said the GM was his boss, because, generally, that’s the case. For example, PTP called to let Joe know he has no job anymore.
And no, you can’t borrow the girlfriend thing, you suck at it.
Joe looks more like a confused old man I’d make pleasurable use of in prison… you know the type… than the guy who stole my girlfriend once. That’s Rendon. Rendon would totally steal my girlfriends. Maybe Thaiss, cause he has crying eyes and it was the goth chick era….
You don’t get to decide what I can or cannot use/borrow as regards insult memes.
Yes. I can. I did. I will. If you’re gonna look through the pockets of the same guy you’re sparring with for an “insult meme” at least don’t be so awkward when you do it.
Solid lately because Arte told Perry to stop micro-managing maybe?
I think they have been solid because PLAYER has done his job as apposed to when PLAYER fails at their job.
I think REPORTER and CtPG Guy are hungry for stink at a good safe distance as always.
Some of that for sure. We would be pissed about Lamb’s pinch hit opportunity the other night if it was an out instead of a game tying home run.
I do feel that lately, in general, he has made better decisions though. Loup is only being used like once a week instead of every other game. Ward has been moved out of lead off while he gets out of his funk. Logical decisions instead of just pure unadulterated stupidity like earlier this season.
Giving Neto a shot at leadoff took some balls. Kid was in college this time last year. Definitely kudos for that.
Silseth and Devinski pitching well makes a manager look good.
Little bit of both player and manager credit is warranted.
And front office for pushing these guys through the system.
Its so interesting how the Angels Gm and the Manager always seem to be at odds over data and gutfeelyness and yet we’ve gone through a continuing succession of GM’s and field managers over the last handful of years…
I can’t seem to put my finger on a common denominator here.
Billy the Eppler and BBB seemed to get along swimmingly.
Not sure that was a good thing though.
The exception that proves the perceived rule I suppose
Interesting article.
Thanks for posting.
Hopefully, the playbook gets buried somewhere in Perry’s backyard never to see the light of day again….
This is unpossible. Angels Coast to Coast has told me that Nvein is basically a hand puppet with PTP’s fist living inside it.
Real talk, this is actually the way I want things. I want a GM and analytics department generating a whole bunch of useful info and advocating for it. I want a manager who will take that info and use it if it’s useful but also NOT be chained to it (note, I am still waiting for the MSN article about all the phone calls to the dugout every game). I want an owner who moderates between the two when needed. I’m glad the FO looked at some of the things that caused disaster last year and is putting up warning lights early. I’m also glad we have a field management system in place that is allowed to say “Got it. Now leave us alone, we’re working.”. The next test, as arms break down (which I think will happen no matter who is “right”) will PTP and friends be able to replace them and will Team Nevin be able to coax performance out of non-A grade replacements? We shall see.
I just saw news that Quackenbush signed with the Long Island Ducks.
Too easy.
Sometimes the jokes write themselves ha ha.
Major Major Major Major.
Sometimes? Every day here is a gift that keeps on giving.
Source?
Just playing
Imgur?
Screw the altitude and player development, the views are #1. Go Bee’s.
Minor League Baseball’s best ballpark views
https://www.mlb.com/news/best-ballpark-views-in-minor-league-baseball
concur – seeing alot more SLC on the big screen and am just amazed at the view.
article calls out El Paso too and i do remember noting that one as well. its very cool to see more minor league parks on the big screen this year.
Always thought the “Quake” view was pretty damn impressive.
Kenny with the bow tie did a nice write-up on Neto at The Athletic
and Matt Harvey retired
And here I thought the Dark Knight retired 4 years ago.
ROAD-Retired on active duty four years ago….
The Angels scored 22 runs in their three games with the Cardinals. Here is how many of those runs each individual Angel created:
3.50 Ward
3.25 Rengifo
2.25 Lamb
2.25 Thaiss
2.25 Rendon
1.75 Neto
1.50 Ohtani
1.50 Trout
1.50 Renfroe
1.00 Drury
0.75 Phillips
0.50 Wallach
This is Ward’s second time this season leading the Angels in Actual Runs Created. It’s nice to see the rookie Neto is constantly in the mix helping the offense score runs. Also nice to see the Wallach/Thaiss combo contributing as well. After O’Hoppe went down, I thought the catcher position was going to be an offensive liability.
Here are the year-to-date Actual Runs Allowed per Batters Faced for our Halo Hurlers:
0.00 Silseth (17)
0.00 Devenski (12)
0.03 Estevez (72)
0.04 Moore (65)
0.07 Ohtani (153)
0.08 Davidson (58)
0.09 Sandoval (134)
0.09 Wantz (45)
0.12 Canning (86)
0.13 Barria (65)
0.14 Anderson (120)
0.14 Detmers (115)
0.16 Suarez (105)
0.18 Herget (35)
0.20 Tepera (25)
0.22 Loup (50)
0.29 Warren (6)
I took Quijada off the list since he isn’t going to be pitching for the Angels anymore this year. It looks like 0.10 ARA/BF and under is where the good pitchers are, 0.11-0.15 is where the mediocre pitchers are, and 0.16 and above is where the bad pitchers are.
Thanks for sharing this info. I think it adds to the site and appreciate it.
All hail the productive out!
Also, baseball is a team sport where the team’s floor determines if you are playoff bound or not.
So glad Neto’s injury is hopefully minor.
Loup/Tepera still need to go, as long as Minasian is still tempted to force them into game action to justify those bad moves despite podcasts to the contrary. That still hasn’t changed even as the rest of the bullpen seems to be hitting its stride.
Source?
Reality.
How do you know its Minasian that is tempted to force them in?
Does “I’m so full of shit that it must be true or I stop existing” count?
It counts
Cool. everything I say is true then.
You yourself have said it.
It is also true that I have said this. Never challenge it.
I would LOVE to see any proof that Minasian is forcing Loup/Tep into games. Please, produce the proof.