Eric Hosmer retired. Another one bites the dust. He says he wants to start a company called Moonball Media. Uh oh! Kodai Senga will undergo testing after experiencing “arm fatigue.” Speaking of arms, Gary Sanchez has an arm issue discovered in his physical that resulted in a restructuring of his deal with the Brewers.
This article is in defense of Anthony Rendon concerning the MLB schedule.
Whit Merrifield goes to the Phillies on a one year deal for $8 Million. Outfielder Yonathan Daza went to the Tecos de los Laredos of the Mexican League. Hasta la vista. Right-hander Derek Law got himself a minor league deal with the Nationals. The Brewers just designated Jahmai Jones for assignment.
Being injured might just be a regular thing for Aaron Judge. He thinks the Yankees are not done signing big names this off season. As you know, Mike Trout thinks the Angels pretty much have to do the same.
See through baseball pants. Yikes!
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
Isn’t he little too old to manage?
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/albert-pujols-interested-in-future-managerial-role.html
I’m just worried about his time to first when he has to go argue a call. Will cause a delay of game, surely.
Pujols being old jokes never get old.
Hard to get old when you’re already old.
Ouch. I feel far too seen.
I wonder how he’ll be able to impress upon his players the art of grounding into a double play
🤣
boy, I tell you. We don’t get any respect. No respect at all!
Headline:
Logan Schanuel Moved Out of Angels’ Leadoff Spot by Ron Washington
Logan Schanuel Neto….the Hanson Brothers
Man you wont want to be late to the start of the games this year or you could miss all the action.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x80uzr0
Now these are the type of Hanson Brothers I could watch.
Mmmm-bop!
stuns me when I remember Schanuel was just starting his senior college season a year ago, he seems like a 2-3 yr pro.
The jump from college to the pro level is not as big anymore, it’s a younger man’s game now
Saw him in person last year, he’s much bigger than you’d think.
Hopefully it translates to health and power!
I was today’s day old when i first saw his full name is Nolan Ryan Schanuel
Amen!
He is…The Chosen One.
With the name like that, Can he Pitch?
My full name is Marine Layer Trout.
Can you Pitch?
Yep. 6’4 220 lbs, he’s a big dude and should be able to hit for a lot of power.
One would think that the he should he able to hit a minimum of 15 with that frame and contact ability alone.
I think he will. He had power in college
Perhaps I’m setting the bar too low, but if we get a full-time player that hits .280+ / 350+ OBP with 15-20 homers, I’ll he ecstatic.
All the MLB wives on Twitter not complaining about the new see-through pants is hilarious.
😀 😄 😂
the horror
I’m sure the red tops will look great with these 🤣
There’s been a few players with the whole outline of their scrotum showing through the pants. Paper thin.
Make Baseball Pants Thick Again!
Here’s a few pictures from today. Sounds like they will work out in main stadium tomorrow. I saw a few DSL guys there today.
We are either carrying 5 OFs or Jo is gone.
(Well, that’s how it looks with a week to go in February lol before any ST games)
This team is spending a lot of time doing baserunning drills. We will terrorize MLB on the base paths – too bad we are slow. And Ronnie Ball with this team means a LOT of low scoring close games where execution is a must in the small things.
I would be flabbergasted and bamboozled if we let Adell go for *checks notes* Aaron Hicks.
Def carrying 5 OFers
i can say right now (Feb 22) on the depth chart, Jo looks like a clear #5
Well in the past he’s looked like a #2 so this is might be a big upgrade
✌ or 🖐 = 💩
Hoping for a little reverse psychology kinda thing, eh?
a strong Spring Training changes that. We’ll see
Theres no reason why they cant carry 5 Ofers provided the last bench spot can adequately back up Shortstop. Unless Wash can somehow work his magic with Rengifo but based upon his previous metrics at SS and 2B thats ALOT of magic.
The other thing that can generate more playing time for Adell is Hicks crushes LHPs. I think it’s asking young Schaunel for too much to also face the tougher lefties so why not platoon Hicks at first base?. And Its not that hard to learn first base . Just ask Wash.
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/e268f78b-7414-4440-b4e0-1768c12e928a
Does Arte feed PTP and the few people in the front office?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140319829@N02/53546154459/in/album-72177720314988800/
The only downside to Wash going Rengifo/Mickey – Schanuel – Trout at the top of the order is that Schanuel’s slow-ass will cost Trouty a few triples lol.
Rengifo-Schanuel-Trout is the correct 1-2-3.
Rengifo batting #1 in 2023 (114 PA)
.356 BA
.412 OBP
.644 SLG
Absolute no-brainer to put King Luis at lead-off.
Do you think Rengifo wins a 90 ft footrace against Shauny Singles??
We can give the Schan Man a 20 foot lead and it would not matter lol.
Rengifo has little itty-bitty footsteps, Shauny Singles gets him
Rengifo 2023 OBP vs RHP .319 while stealing only 6 of 10
Schanuel 2023 OBP vs RHP .408
Maybe slow ass at the top of the lineup against RHPs aint so bad
I hope that continues, it’s the first time in his life he’s ever done that. His lifetime OBA is only .306 and last year for the whole year it was .339 because of that stretch. He’s a perfect #6 hitter IMHO. Doesn’t normally get on base or hit for as much power as the top or middle of the order but is better all around than the 3 behind him. Moniak also had 100 ABs where he was insane and then he has the rest of his ABs. David Fletcher had 100 AB windows like that where he hit .400. I’m just a little disappointed that after the time he spent with the A’s wash doesn’t appear to have really learned anything. That’s not to take away from his many other positives.
Are you implying that we need to re-brand him as “14 WAR Ron” ???
Trout 1 last season, 2 the season before. Not exactly a triple machine or anything.
No but that’s a very shrewd observation. Ron just hasn’t bought into OBA even after the time he spent with the As. At the very least, the one thing Rendon has done in his limited play is gotten on base. He would best be used in the 2 hole even if he started hitting doubles. It would be ideal to have a leadoff hitter who was fast and got on base, but in the absence of that, getting on base matters more in my opinion. Especially when the difference is substantial. Rengifo has a career .306 OBA compared to Rendon’s .367. Even if Rendon found himself, he would still be a great #2 hitter in front of Trout. I agree with Cowboys comment. above.
This is why I like Schanuel in the 2-hole.
TWSS?
Soto or Paris as backup SS. Carrying 5 OFers is going to cost a spot of an infielder at some point. The Plummer has no glove to speak of and he needs to show he is a hitter this Spring to even think of being on the team. Why trade Fletcher or not sign Gio or Anderson is a mystery, like where do Elephants go to die. I’m thinking Neto plays in 150+ games if injury free. We have no real depth, do we?
But remember, the 1966 Red Sox finished in 9th place in a 10-team league and with almost the same group went to the WS in ’67. The ’69 and ’86 Mets both did more than just play in a World Series following with losing records the prior year. Again in ’97 in Miami. So, anything is possible if you have the Pitching and timely hitting.
Fletch sucks and Gio is coming off a shattered pelvis.
One pulls down 5 mil and the other 1.5 mil, the cost would have hurt the bank account-so you may be on to something. Plus we have a lot of infield depth to want to take a flyer on either of them.
David Fletcher is not MLB-caliber depth in 2024, GP. All 30 teams agree.
I wanted Gio back, but there’s a reason he only got $1.5 million.
Fletcher “screwed” again!
Paris wasn’t DFA’d
Re-read- I did not imply he was not in camp, as atter of fact we may have to choose one or the other as back up inf., but not both as we will carry 5 OF.
Remember G-Pa, Ward (And probably Moniak) can play 1st base if needed.
I’m aware of that part, my concern is after Rengifo the other back up will be a SS. It really would have worked out in having Gio, Fletcher, or Anderson as addition inf back up and PH/DH. Gio plays a lot of positions, Fletcher has the leather and Anderson experience and would be the fastest.
I’m thinking our chances are thin. There hasn’t been much of this in the analytical era that I can think of.
We don’t have George Scott, Rico Petrocelli, Carl Yastrzemski, Reggie Smith, Tony Conigliaro before he was hurt, and Jim Londborg who won 22 plus 2 WS games including a one hitter. But other than that, it’s pretty close. They were very young and very talented. I think we have better starting pitching but right now, I don’t see the position player talent. If Trout was 27 and Rendon was 25 and the Nationals version, we would look a lot more like them. We do have some young players who may very well be very good.
The oldest starter on that Red Sox team was 27 year old Yaz and the catcher was 25. everyone else was 22-24, mostly 22 and 23. A bunch of good players just coming on the scene.
Nor a 38 year old Dick Williams as our manager.
I was a kid in Boston, living in the apartment directly below Dick when he got fired.
Red, i don’t know if you ever saw my previous comment but I know your HS teacher that you and your friends celebrated with Aloha shirt day. He moved down to the OC and had Will Ferrell as a math student. I told him about your comment and he was very amused.
Dan Wroblicky? Wow!
Yes!
If you see him, tell him I say hi. (Scott Neugroschl from 1979-80 AP Physics)
Who, not so much later proved that players make a manager, as he couldn’t get the beloved Cowboy’s team anywhere even near .500
Well it seems to me it’s more likely that shitty manager can screw up a good team more than a good manager turn a bunch of stiffs into All stars.
That is an analytically true statement. However, It turns out that the single most important attribute of a manager is whether the players respect him. More so than apparently line up construction, who plays, and bullpen and game management. This seems to bode well for wash as it did for Dusty who was not a great technical manager but was highly respected by his players.
And the 2001 Angels won 75 games, the 2002 Angels won the World Series, and the 2003 Angels won 77.
Halos 2003 77-85, 2004 92-70.
Halos 2001 75-87
Halos 2002 99-63
The Urshella & Anderson dominoes both fell today.
Plummer has to be feeling pretty solid today.
Miguel Sano probably got a little thrill too.
Unless he is horrible he makes the team.
Yup.
Vive LeBlanc!
Dont forget about those French Canadian NRIs for the last bench spot.
There’s still KiKi
I like Kiki. My teenage nephew had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Kiki showed up at a City of Hope event where my nephew was receiving treatment, and couldn’t have been nicer. He is a quality human being, and could be a Swiss Army knife as a final man or so on our roster.
How many Swiss Army knives do we need? We have Rengifo. We need guns not more knives.
Considering that we get cheap knock-off Swiss Army knives, I’m guessing at least two.
So we need to draft Victor Inox?
Yes.
Apparently Kiki is some sort of legendary hero in SoCal and I missed the memo.
Anyone who the Halos do not sign are awesome and team turnaround messiahs.
Haven’t you drank this sites Kool-Aid yet?
And any player we like who doesn’t sign here is obviously someone who would have LOVED and wanted to be here because OMGTROUT! and of course because we have a lame-ass “magic” monkey.
Stupid Perry and Evil Arte passed just to mess with us. Dummies.
Somehow OMGTROUT! made me laugh.
That was the narrative when Cole flirted with us before signing with the NEW YORK YANKEES. And then everyone acted like they got felt up in the limo on the way to the Prom.
I didn’t even have a limo for my prom. And my GF at the time was in Sweden. 🙁
No, but I occasionally lace the batches with illicit substances….
Probably his legendary porn mustache.
Considering the cost for Anderson and Gio in particular, I’m not sure it’s a smart non-move to ignore these bargain basement options.
Maybe Perry needs to save every dime now to sign Belli & Monty?
I’m fine with that, although it’s hard to believe there isn’t 1.5 extra available.
I completely agree.
I agree. I was stumping for Anderson for the past few weeks.
A-Dee-Doo
Thrilled Anderson is gone and Gio was pretty affordable. Looks like Perry has his squad with a few more minor league contracts to be issued.
I just read that we (and SF) were in on Anderson. ha!
W’ve been “in” on every free agent since Honus Wagner.
$1.5 million for Urshela????? Really???? Do the Halos know just how bad his injury was last year that they feel he can’t get back into the form that he once was?
Unreal. Even if Rendon avoids the injury bug he’s old enough to need some days off. And we aren’t exactly deep around the infield.
$1.5 million for the level of insurance Urshela provides is peanuts.
At this point Arte is trolling us.
It would appear that the league views Urshella as damaged goods. Hence the 1.5 million.
His defensive metrics are weak. On the up swing he can hit and is versatile enough to play 4 positions. Why did he not return? Maybe he just said no to the Angels or Minasian couldn’t fit him in the budget-we will maybe never know the truth.
Actually his defensive metrics at 3B are very strong of course no one how he was affected by the injury
He didn’t have the range, but then again Rendon sucks fielding too. Figgins was the last serious 3rd we had. And his defense at 3rd was not very strong or he would have still remained a Yankee. He is nor was a Gold Glove guy. He was not even close to an everyday player in Minnesota. Still, he fit in well here and would have once again.
Hard to believe we couldn’t pony up… let’s say 2 million to offset CA taxes & cost of living. I don’t think the Angels wanted Gio.
Anyway, onward & upward…
And it’s 100% certain he wanted to be here?
Can MLB revoke the Nike contract for failure to deliver a quality product?
I don’t know why they can’t Just Do it
Or for using child and slave labor?
I asked Lebron and he emphatically said that is simply not true.
#FAKEJUSTICEWARRIOR
Let the teeth gnashing begin!
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1760711757843321277
Here’s the STEAMERS/ZIPS projections optimal lineup:
https://twitter.com/BeyondTheHalo/status/1760549123965821346
The Rendon placement is interesting, to say the least.
Neto and O’Hoppe in the 3-4? I would be ok as I consider this year to be dedicated to maturing our youth, people here just need to be patient.
Speed only matters if it gets on base, and Moniak’s 2% walk rate is not exactly that.
Rendon’s recent production does not justify cleanup.
I actually started laughing when I saw Rendon in the 4 spot.
No kidding
Teeth gnashing *continue* I think you meant
Not what I would do but it turns out that statistically, line up construction is relatively irrelevant. The difference in the number of runs a given lineup scores regardless of the order is negligible, even though it goes against what most of us would assume. The Adell/Hicks part is confusing if you assume that Ward and Trout will be in the OF everyday. It implies that one of Adell and Hicks will be playing everyday. There are too many OFs, unless, although the line stays consistent, the defense will be musical chairs. I would just move Shanny up and have Rendon hit behind him, Move Ward and Drury up and hit Rengifo right behind them, then put Moniak in the 8 hole and put Adell and Hicks on the Bench. I’m very interested in seeing how you actually deploy this lineup on the field.
Or, it implies Adell or Hicks will be the DH?
I think DH will be handled by TBD throughout the season.
Adell, please
I see a lot of flexibility with this lineup.
Trout DH with Hicks/Adell, Moniak, Ward outfield
Adell/Hicks at DH with Trout in the field
Rendon at DH with Schanuel, Drury, Neto, Rengifo infield
Drury DH with Rendon replacing him in the infield
I think you will definitely see days with Adell and Hicks both on the bench and Rengifo and Moniak both playing
But you have Drury as an everyday player and if someone else DHs, he has to play 2B which puts Rengifo on the bench or in the OF unless Rendon DHs, which means others can’t. There are too many players unless Hicks and Adell replace one of the others in the line up. As I said, it becomes musical chairs on defense. I don’t see Hicks and Adell as everyday players. There aren’t enough positions.
Yeah I see your point. Adell and Hicks definitely both odd men out vs RHP. With LHP you know Moniak will sit which opens things up a little.
Drury can play some first and Rengifo can play some third to open up some options as well. But yeah musical chairs.
Likely to change as Wash takes his daily bong tokes.
I’ve said this before, but I would like to see the team sign Montgomery and Bellinger for acceptable terms. Bellinger could replace Drury as the DH since the team doesn’t seem to have long term plans for him, and they could then trade him for young pitching or a young 2B, 3B, or OF. I still am unsure of their plan for Adell. I feel like they are waiting for another team to lose and OF to injury so they can trade him.
I’m so with you. I think we could contend this year if we did that. I think the price may be dropping a bit now that ST is starting.
Actually, we sign Bellinger for 4-5 years and then we can trade Moniak or Ward for something reasonably significant.
if we signed Bellinger it would be because other teams wouldn’t want to pay him that much. It wouldn’t be easy to trade him. Those teams still wouldn’t want to take on the salary. If we did trade him we’d likely have to kick in millions
And which Bellinger do you get? One decent return to form season with staying healthy or a guy who was lost out there for 4 years.
You mean 2 years. His bat was well above league average through the 2020 season.
He was hurt after the 2020 season and put up a miserable 44 OPS+ in 2021. As he got further from the injury he got better and put up an 81 OPS+ in 2022.
The 133 OPS+ he put up in 2023 is the third highest of his career, not a new peak, and not a ton above his lifetime OPS+ of 120 which includes those two bad years.
Take out the two post injury years and last year was really just an average year for him. For a guy who is only 28 years old it is reasonable to expect several more years of 120-140 OPS+ production.
Nothing like his MVP season.
We’re the Angels of Arte Moreno lore, you know what version of any free agent we will get…..
Just read this article on O’Hoppe, and is it crazy to think he gives me Joe Mauer vibes?
https://www.ocregister.com/2024/02/21/angels-logan-ohoppe-has-a-better-idea-of-whats-going-on/
I still think Buster Posey is the superior catcher of the two, but man, what if we did end up with Joe Mauer-lite?!
A little good karma after years of Jeff Mathis.
Mauer was a high BA guy, O’Hoppe hits with way more power. Whether or not O’Hoppe can hit for average and get on base like Mauer remains to be seen. But I am very optimistic he is going to be a very good player.
I think the similarity is a high end, team leader-type catcher. I think he will end of being the best transaction of the Minasian era. Sorry if I’m jinxing it by saying so.
No, I agree with your thought.
Here here and dare say I also concur!
This team feels different.
“I don’t think I’ve reached my full potential of being a leader of this team,” Sandoval said. “I’ve been around a little bit now and we have guys coming up. We’ve got a good young core. I definitely could have done a better job last year being a leader, a little bit more vocal. This year, I’m gonna do my best to change that.”
https://www.mlb.com/angels/news/patrick-sandoval-hoping-to-step-up-for-angels-rotation
“The vibes here are really good,” Sandoval said. “The guys are ready to work. I think just the overall vibe around the guys of getting our work in is a little bit different this year. Everyone is very involved in everyone’s development here and it’s a good culture to have. It’s been really fun.”
This is nice and all, but what do you really expect any of these guys to say? Other than Rendon, is someone going to be quoted saying “camp sucks” or the “vibe around here is gnarly”?
All these quotes mean nothing. Actions during the games will definitively show whether the team can and will perform.
I would have to dig into the Spring Training articles from last season(s) to compare. From a anecdotal standpoint, when’s the last time there’s been this much of talk of leadership, work ethic, accountability, etc?
Wash’s message is not the same as these guys have been listening to the last several years. Of course, like you’ve pointed out, I can’t prove any of this will matter until we see it on the field.
It feels different to me, Senator.
Yes, I would rather hear this than nothing, and as you say, we’ll see what happens on the field. I feel like no matter how many games the team wins, they may be more fun to watch if that’s possible.
You are so correct on both counts. It is striking how Rendon can put a black cloud around anything.
The age old saying that applies is.
“Money talks and Bullshxt walks!!”
Agree Senator…they must show us.
No shit, every quote these guys fart out. “This camp is different,” We finally are focusing on excellence” LOL. F-me, win frigging games.
Ah, the joys of spring training when you have yet to give up your first 3-run bomb
Sandy needs to work on that BBL baaaaaad body language.
This is probably a massive amount of cope, but I think getting out from under the ohtani shadow will do a lot of good for these guys.
BBL=Big Bear Lake too 😄
Tim Anderson signed with the Marlins. Wish the Angels picked him up. Oh wells.
Yes – I had him in my IIWPM. He’s the one I think is the best candidate for comeback player of the year.
I had Rendone for CPoty
No, Rendon is what goes in the potty.
My vote is for Trout.
I’m cool with Trout / Rendon finishing 1-2 in comeback player of the year 2024…
If Trout is eligible for CPOTY, he’ll win it.
I guess Perry told him to “Go Fish” so he did.
That leaves us with Kiki Gio or Adee don’t for the last roster spot
And Neto being healthy enough to play 160+ games.
When we’ve already got Soto? [sarcasm font].
Marlins paying $5M-Wow, that is breaking the bank by Marlin standards.
ANGELS BASEBALL IS BACK IN 53 HOURS
🕤 Counting down the hours until Angels Baseball ⚾ Yahoo!
counting down the hours till i’m through with Angels baseball lol – i’m tired!
one more day —- then the rest of the year from my couch
I’m sure the already see-through white pants will do well in the sweaty August heat
Killer Bees!!