LA Angels Weekend News Crash: AL West Warriors

Last week I called the Angels gatekeepers. They responded to my slight by taking 2 of 3 from the Mariners and the first two of a four game set against the Rangers. Not enough to put them into contender status but handling business within the division is a big step.

Then Ohtani carried the team to 3 wins in 4 games against division leading Texas. 5 and 2 against the West this week. Oh yeah!

Speaking of Ohtani, he’s been killing the ball lately. He went 7 for 13 against Seattle before spraying bombs all over the Rangers new ballpark.

Quickly climbing my unofficial rankings of guys I most enjoy to watch is Zack Neto. Like Ohtani, it is hard to pick a single highlight each week. So I’ll do two here.

One with the glove:

And one with the bat.

I was at that game Sunday. I’d just explained to my Seattle transplant and Mariners fan friend that Neto plays a good shortstop and makes nice contact but doesn’t have a lot of power. Zack apparently heard me and hit two home runs to prove me wrong.

Unfortunately, we can’t have nice things.

Last year Julio Rodriguez took the AL West by storm and won the AL Rookie of the Year Award. This year, Neto and the Rangers Josh Jung are going head to head in the ROY battle. Some very interesting stats and comparisons in there.

In less favorable news, Mike Trout is getting blown away by fastballs this year. Since that K against Ohtani in the WBC it has looked to me like pitchers are putting Trout away with heat. Mike is seeing more fastballs than any other player in baseball and is doing no damage. Very good piece there.

One last kind of downer, FanGraphs took a look at the Angels top prospects. It isn’t that bad, but it definitely isn’t good.

From around baseball:

The Oakland A’s did a reverse boycott and made the Coliseum feel like the early 2000s again. Over 27,000 fans showed up on a weeknight to try to prove to the baseball world they exist and they care.

Here’s a nice snippet showing the activities and the fans.

Meanwhile the most tone deaf leader in the history of MLB had this to say:

Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner made a controversial but correct statement at the owners meetings. Yes, income disparity is a problem in baseball but when owners pocket money intended to level the playing field, that exacerbates the problem.

The College World Series is in full effect. The bracket to this point has been stellar and I see no reason for that to change now. The LSU vs. Tennesse game on Saturday should be incredible.

What makes the CWS so fun is that beyond the great action on the field it offers the chance for fans to put on their GM hats and get a look at future pros. This tourney is chock full of talent.

The end of the college season means the 2023 MLB Draft is right around the corner. Take a look at some prospects lists. Here’s a top 30 from CBS. And if you are really into it, a top 200 from MLB.

Our Halos have the 11th spot in the draft. Rhett Lowder is a name circling around 11 that I really like. Then again, I’m a sucker for polished college pitchers. But the Angels could go in a lot of directions. It has been awhile since they’ve invested an early pick in an outfielder.

Have a great weekend. Happy Father’s Day to all you Dads out there. And link what I missed.

189 Comments
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Jimmuscomp
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Man – a great article on Spiezio turning it around! Makes my heart happy!

Spiezio article

Last edited 1 year ago by Jimmuscomp
Marcotor
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Geez, from the hype comments, it seems all we need to do is recall Fletcher, and WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GUARANTEED!

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago

These Royals are tanking….terrible looking team

Dinkycreek
Member
1 year ago

We won’t be seeing Urshela for awhile. Fractured pelvis.

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Dinkycreek

Holy shit! How did he manage to even limp off the field?

JackFrost
Super Member
1 year ago

Can Sandy give us a decent start here ?

We’ll find out !

55yearsangelsfan
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Last I heard, Fletcher had family business. Any update on when he might be available? He’s been on a tear lately, and should be brought up asap!

Dinkycreek
Member
1 year ago

Funeral. He is not on the SLC roster as of yesterday.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago

If this season was like last season with injuries, oh wait! I think it is….. 😒 It’s crazy I know, but Renny is the best current option at 3rd. Lamb and Cabbage and Fletcher have had time at 3rd, so has Drury.

My point all season of the amount of “REST” given to everyone does not seemed to have worked out just yet, at least for injuries.

Let’s see, Neto, injured. Rendon, injured. Urshela, injured. Trout (Nobody is talking) injured. O’Hoppe, injured. 😅 Resting the stars once a week prevents nothing, not even
loses. Play your best player’s everyday while the weather is good, rest in July/ August.

Renfroe, Drury, Wallach & Thaiss, Renny, Ward, Walsh, all good to go.

If Walsh fails to return to par, then put Trout at first and Moniak in CF and bring Adell back.

Where is Wade when you need him 😂

For having such a poor minor league system, as I posted this AM, We sure do have a lot of the yuts up here, and we are very thankful that they are very, very good additions.

Last edited 1 year ago by GrandpaBaseball
angelslogic
Super Member
1 year ago

Fire anyone and everyone who is responsible for keeping the team members in shape, healthy, and agile.

The number and types of injuries cannot be just a matter of chance or bad luck.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  angelslogic

Oblique Tommy John is trending this year. And shoulders, hips, now the pelvis, sleeping disorders, missing players, backs and cracks.

Left-hander Matt Moore (right oblique strain) has continued to ramp up his throwing program and will throw a bullpen session this weekend in Kansas City or early next week. The Angels still have to decide whether he’ll need a rehab assignment, but Moore has made steady progress with his Grade 2 strain. He was their best setup reliever before the injury, posting a 1.44 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 25 innings. 

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  angelslogic

Urshela, Rendon, Trout, all have histories of injuries. Ohtani, Anderson, Sandoval, Detmers, have stayed healthy. Canning came in at the moment that he was needed and Barria has worked out great. O’Hoppe will be a good addition, Neto is really missed right now. Trout bouncing back is going to happen, the sooner the better. Playing the Royals is a bit of a break, don’t you think?

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago
Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Or Renfroe

Rallymanatee
Trusted Member
1 year ago

#36 Top Prospect Cole Schoenwetter was just running a baseball camp this week that my son attended. We might sign up for some private pitching clinics with him too.

The A’s reverse boycott thing was so stupid. The definition of too little too late.

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago

The 2023 MLB Draft is a hitters draft, let’s hope a nice OF, 3B or 1B falls to our lap

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

It’s that time of year where Perry finds us more MLB talent.

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago

Ouch for Urshela. At least 6-8 weeks before he starts baseball activity. A huge loss.
https://twitter.com/LAAngelsPR/status/1669812784513826816

Last edited 1 year ago by Kiyotchan
tanana40
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Huge loss. He was so versatile on defense and a good hitter.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  tanana40

I’ll buy some stock in Walsh picking up the slack at first.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

we knew we’d have injuries at some point but we didn’t think they’d all be shortstops

Last edited 1 year ago by Eric_in_Portland
FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Holy crap! Running down the 1st baseline and reaching for the bag with stiff leg can/is/was harmful. That is really too bad.

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

😭😭😭

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

The Pelvis has left the building. 😀 

JackFrost
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Bummer.

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago

This answers partly who is going to play tonight.
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1669810240307568641

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Free the Plumber!
Free Nelson Mandela!
Free October Baseball!

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Startling Lineup:

Moniak LF
Ohtani DH
Trout CF
Drury 2B
Thaiss C
Renfroe RF
Walsh 1B
Rengifo 3B
Velazquez SS

Can’t Plumber play 3B?

PedroCerrano
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Ugly bottom third of the order. Hope they surprise us, also need Trout, Renfroe and Walsh to sacrifice a chicken to Jobu prior to the game.

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  PedroCerrano

I hope that Ippei brings the awesome Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce for the occasion. Yum!

PedroCerrano
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Nice, they could use those guys bats for the fire wood. After all, they’re not using them.

Last edited 1 year ago by PedroCerrano
FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

It’s funny, when I lived in Tokyo, never saw teriyaki served, thought it was a gaijin thing.

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

You are absolutely right on that. I had never heard of it until I was in Hawaii, where awesome lunch plate thinly sliced beef and pork with two scoops of steamed rice and side of macaroni salad was my favorite. I later found out that the word teriyaki in Japan is mainly referred to seasoning used in cooking some fish.

I would not be surprised that the word teriyaki became popular in US when someone decided to glaze beef, pork and chicken with teriyaki sauce. That someone could very well be non Japanese.

Fleckstein
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

I always figured yakitori with tare was what Americans were shooting for with teriyaki chicken

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  PedroCerrano

Actually 3-9 has been pretty ugly lately.

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  PedroCerrano

Definitely fugly. Most teams have producing 1B and 3B and are well ahead of those two.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Can’t Drury?

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I have never seen him play 3B, doesn’t mean he can’t. I played 2B, but was OK 3B on adult baseball.

AnAngelsFan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Drury has played 3B, but I think it is in the same way that Rengifo plays SS/3B – as a fill in when necessary.

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

That is a good call. Drury to 3rd, Rengifo (wincing) to SS and Plumber at 2nd. I’m interested to see Plumber. Thus far in 2023, Perry’s callups overall have performed well. Who knows, this time around Plumber knows what to expect on a daily basis.
.

Last edited 1 year ago by FungoAle
angelslogic
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Walsh, Rengifo, Velazquez? One inning’s worth of outs right there every time.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

The Plumber is not know for his glove at any position, unfortunately.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago

But I thought he looked really good defensively at 2B in his short time here. His offensive looked anemic though

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Unfortunately that this isn’t any certainty Rendon doesn’t end up on the IL. We know the injury drill around here. trAdition

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur

Rendon is not starting.

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Probably the largest supporter of Rendon on this site but man, I wanna see him ripping at the ball instead of flailing. F-me. Looking feeble.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Any news on Rendon? Negative x-ray? Day to day?

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur

No report on Rendon yet. I am pretty certain that Rendon underwent x-ray immediately after the game. Rendon not being on IL probably means that x-ray was negative for fracture, and it was contusion. Lots of ice and rest until swelling goes down and pain is manageable is my estimation.

PedroCerrano
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

So six months is best case?

2GA2Join
Super Member
1 year ago

Good grief, reading through that prospects report isn’t really postive.

Hopefully Ohtani hasn’t read that report, for those of you wanting him to stay….

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago

Put Ward on 1st
Put Walsh on 3rd
Play Moniak full time

There. I fixed it.

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Other than being a complete defensive disaster, I actually don’t completely hate this idea.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Well that and we’d have the first the left handed third basemen since Don Mattingly played there for 18 innings in 1986.

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I honestly didn’t know that was a thing. I knew it was preferable to have a lefty as a first baseman, but had never heard that about a third baseman.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Leftism.

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Go to any adult league softball game and you’ll find out quickly that baseball was created by right-handers.

It’s why any “coach-dad” who dreams of his little Billy becoming a big leaguer attempts to make him bat left and throw right. See: Shohei – Crafted perfectly by the Gods

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

I’m left handed and my favorite position now is third base. My arm, ever since the shoulder thing, isn’t strong enough to make throws from the outfield. Softball, though, is different enough from baseball. I wouldn’t be able to make that throw with 90 ft between bases.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago

All I saw was you can play third base and assume your heart is beating. With all of our injuries, keep your phone with you at all times. Do you think you’d need time in SL before your call up?

Thanks,
Perry

Last edited 1 year ago by Twebur
TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

And Thaiss 😂

Rallymanatee
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Speaking from experience as a lefty, after about age 9 I NEVER played 3B, SS, 2B, or C.

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Rallymanatee

My older son, lefty, played SS on 12 yo team when he was not pitching. It was awesome to see him catch grounder, turn about 90 degree left and throw dart to 1st base in one motion.

Rallymanatee
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Kiyotchan

Translation: your son was the best player on the team. The kid that pitches then goes to short is always the best.

Kiyotchan
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Rallymanatee

That’s what his 12 year old team coach said. Once he got to high school, with more competition and him being about 5′ 7″, he never got to even sniff infield. Although he made varsity as sophomore, he was never in regular line up until the last month of his senior year, when his bat got hot. Got to watch him play in the first round of state playoff, and he had two hits with 4RBIs, and his team won. Such exhilarating experience to see your kids play and succeed, although heart braking at times when they struggle.

Last edited 1 year ago by Kiyotchan
Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Rallymanatee

But the Sporting Goods industrial complex still makes left handed catching gear only to let the left handed little leaguers hopes and dreams get crushed shortly thereafter.

PedroCerrano
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Unless you’ve actually ever watched a left hander try to make that throw from the left side. It’s so ugly to see that there is no justification.

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  PedroCerrano

I don’t understand what would be different looking about it other than just being left handed.

This whole argument confuses the hell out of me.

Last edited 1 year ago by TrojanBoiler
DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

A lefty playing third. Welp that’s sure “outside the box thinking!” A promotion for you!

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

I am smarter than Phillip!

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

😆 you thought I was serious? 🤣

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Lol no, but I stand by my statement

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Does that make you Soggy Joe Maddon?

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Oh man, Angels can’t do that, please.

Next year, move Trout to LF, Moniak to CF and Ward back to RF. Renfroe is a goner (maybe trade deadline deal).

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

I wouldn’t rule out Renfroe in 2024 just yet . We might consider re-signing him if we jettison Adell and don’t re-sign Super Babe Ruth

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

It’s possible Mike’s struggles are tied to having to answer that he has a doppelganger on the team

LanaBanana
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  FungoAle

That actually makes as much sense as anything else.

JackFrost
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Walsh at 3rd ?????

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

And Just Added by popular demand

Webb
Bachman
Moniak

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

wish we could add O’Hoppe and Joyce to that list

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago

Canning probably still qualifies with the young up and comers.

Last edited 1 year ago by Twebur
Twebur
Legend
1 year ago

A nice portion of the 26 man roster… yes, our farm systems sucks😀

angelslogic
Super Member
1 year ago

You can

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago

I say why not?

I’ve seen enough of them to think they are going to be bad ass for us int he future.

BTW here was O’Hoppe’s quote regarding Neto’s injury:

“As weird as it sounds, I think we both benefit from being on the IL at the same time,” O’Hoppe said. “I’ll be right there with him the whole way through it. Hopefully, we’ll be feeding off each other.”

Here’s hoping those 2 will be able to play together in an Angel uniform for many years to come.

Last edited 1 year ago by Cowboy26
FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur

Just keep Soriano to 1-inning each appearance and not overuse, it is working now so don’t f$%k with it Phil. After a couple of serious arm injuries, be more prudent that Maddon’s flame out with C-Rod.

Guest
1 year ago

The Angel offense scored a solid 24 runs against the division leading Rangers, ESPN’s number two ranked team in all of baseball. Here’s the list of how many runs each individual Angel produced:

6.75 Ohtani
3.25 Wallach
2.50 Neto
2.00 Rendon
2.00 Trout
2.00 Ward
1.50 Moniak
1.50 Renfroe
0.75 Drury
0.50 Ghost Runner
0.50 Walsh
0.25 Thaiss

This is Ohtani’s eighth time this year leading the Angels in Actual Runs Produced. He has done it now in four of the past five series. Alright Mike Trout, with Neto, Rendon, and Urshela out, the Angels really need you to be at least decent against the Royals, like you were against the Rangers.

Here is the year-to-date list of the Angel pitchers’ Actual Runs Allowed per Batters Faced:

0.00 Soriano (25)
0.03 Bachman (40)
0.05 Moore (94)
0.06 Estevez (126)
0.08 Devenski (86)
0.09 Webb (54)
0.10 Ohtani (331)
0.10 Barria (176)
0.10 Joyce (21)
0.11 Sandoval (284)
0.11 Detmers (274)
0.11 Canning (226)
0.11 Weiss (9)
0.12 Wantz (85)
0.13 Silseth (84)
0.14 Anderson (290)
0.16 Davidson (122)
0.17 Loup (83)
0.17 Herget (69)
0.17 Reyes (6)
0.19 Suarez (123)

The biggest riser on this update is Devenski. The biggest faller on this update is Herget. Loving the performances from Soriano and Bachman.

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to 

Ohtani! Wow!

tanana40
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to 

Thanks for this again. Very helpful. With the pitchers, how would you design a scale of
highly effective (for example 0 to 0.10), moderately effective (0.11 to 0.14??), and ineffective (0.15 and above?).

Last edited 1 year ago by tanana40
Guest
1 year ago
Reply to  tanana40

We’re just matching up our eye-test/gut feelings with the ARA/BF numbers, but I fully agree with your cutoff points. I would add one more category, though, called elite (0.00 to 0.05).

I would love to figure ARA/BF for all of the pitchers in the American League and have an ARA/BF+ stat, but I don’t have the time to do that.

tanana40
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to 

So, using your addition to the scale

Elite: Soriano, Bachman, Moore
Highly Effective: Estevez, Devenski, Webb, Ohtani, Barria, Joyce 
Moderately Effective: Sandoval, Detmers, Canning, Weiss, Wantz. Silseth, Anderson.
Ineffective:Davidson, Loup, Herget, Reyes, Suarez

This passes the eye ball test.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  tanana40

As far as the ineffective list….Loup and Davidson are garage hunter-gathers and Herget Reyes are in SL. Suarez? I’m assuming is in Suarez, Mexico vacationing.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  tanana40

since GG started this it’s felt, to me, like 0.12 is the cutoff. Good to see Detmers, Sandy, and Canning on the good side. This measure puts Anderson where he belongs. I wouldn’t call him moderately effective, more like barely effective.

tanana40
Super Member
1 year ago

Each category itself is scaled. So Anderson is at the very lowest end of moderately effective which is barely effective as you suggest.

Guest
1 year ago
Reply to 

Brady Singer is scheduled to start tonight for the Royals. I looked up all of his games this year, and his 2023 ARA/BF so far is 0.16 (295).

So the Angel hitters tonight will be going up against Tucker Davidson.

Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to 

But a career ERA of 1.80 against the Angels

FungoAle
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to 

Whatever all this means, happy if it equates to playoffs

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago

From the “Things I never thought I’d Say” department:

Steinbrenner is right.

We need a salary floor, and/or penalties for not spending the competitive balance money.

PedroCerrano
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  red floyd

I wonder if Oakland’s move happens if this had been in place?

It’s still the Bay Area of California were they take joy in making development of property exceptionally difficult.

Even from Oregon, I can hear them squeal like little girls at the prospect of how many insanely bureaucratic roadblocks they can institute when some evil capitalist organization wants to build close to the water.

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  PedroCerrano

If no salary floor, then, any competitive balance money NOT spent on salaries MUST be returned to MLB.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago

Marcheco 6-3 – era 2.61- whip 0.87 – 58 Ks – 58.2 innings – and he’s 20.
https://www.milb.com/player/jorge-marcheco-703420

https://twitter.com/steve_wendt/status/1669558396205555714?s=20

Last edited 1 year ago by Twebur
DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago

Six “The Athletic” beat writers got pink slips. Seems their biz model isn’t working either.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Not Sam the Hat! Evil Arte is behind all this.

IMG_1895.jpeg
Cowboy26
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur
halofansince1978
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

When you force people to subcribe it’s not going to work.

There are way to many other places to get the same info.

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago

Makes me much more thankful for what the CtPG masthead provides for us

John Henry Weitzel
Editor
Super Member
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Aw, thanks.

PedroCerrano
Super Member
1 year ago

I got year subscription for $12 over Christmas and have really enjoyed it.