Zach Neto fields a heat seeker that nearly took out Adam Cimber.
Who gets that final Angels bench spot? Jahmai Jones just got claimed off waivers by the Yankees. Fellow infielder Jordan Groshans got DFAd in the corresponding move. The spring training shuffle is in full swing. The Rockies just claimed Sam Hilliard from the Orioles who just signed Kolten Wong to a minor league deal. Tim Locastro got his minor league deal with the Padres.
Mason Thompson will undergo his second Tommy John surgery.
Now Tim Wakefield and his wife Stacy have both passed away from cancer in less than five months. They had two children.
Set Up Men Out Of Commission
The Guardians have to shut down their set up man, Trevor Stephan(ino), for a few weeks due to a deep bone bruise on his right elbow. The Mariners lost both of their set up men. Matt Brash and Gregory Santos both have arm trouble. Brash’s entire season may even be in jeopardy.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
We are DEVO. We are now a Rays Starting pitcher..
https://www.mlb.com/news/chris-devenski-to-be-stretched-out-by-rays
Heyman says we are still interested in Votto… maybe we’re watching Sano’s at-bats…
Adrianza hit another dinger today so unless the Angels want to Jettison one of Hicks, Ward, Moniak or Adell there’s no room in the Inn.
https://twitter.com/WINCINNATI_/status/1761116574646145223
Since the team isn’t really going for it this year I think Votto makes sense if we’re trying to reboot the culture and surround the young guys with helpful veterans. Votto seems like a vibes signing kind of like Brett Phillips was. Not ideal if you think you’re a wild card team…but maybe smart if you think youre a year or two away and want someone like Schanuel to learn from a guy who also played 1B and took lots of walks.
Heyman is not a reliable source.
He is for BorAss
I know it’s just spring training. But I like some of the “other guys” I have seen that are vying for roster spots. Angels might have some depth options.
I don’t like Stephenson having shoulder stuff. Not good.
Neto’s BOMB this afternoon
https://x.com/MLBONFOX/status/1763305912247222701?s=20
Looked 440+ dead center off the upper part of batters eye
Come on Zach, give me a 0.275+ BA this year
Tony Clark is well on his way to becoming the new Too Damn High Meme
Pic reference as well as MLB salary increased 7% to $4.5 million average per player:
https://www.thescore.com/s/26557586
Funny how MLB mimics the everyday persons world… those very few with a crazy amount of money and the vast majority that scratch & claw to make ends meat
Except the poor baseball players make 750k a year.
For sure, 50-60% is taken out for taxes, agents fees and such. Plus grown men playing a game for kids, 400k isn’t too bad
But your statement is accurate non the less.
Not sure if the ‘and such’ includes costs for personal maintenance, nutrition, etc. I do know some NFL players (yes different sport entirely) spend upwards of 300k a year on the aforementioned. Thought is only that the ones on the lower end don’t see nearly that amount in their account end of year.
I’d be shocked if Ehire Adrianza doesn’t make the team
He’s obviously got power. The Angels could use a little more of that.
21 HRs in 1,368 MLB ABs
i would be happy with singles, fundamental baseball, health and defense
This must be new found Power it would appear since hes only averaged 1 HR per 73 Plate Appearances over 616 game MLB career. I guess its never too late to start Roidin up.
Tommy LaStella Part Deux ???
A fun little comparison for Ohtani’s recent marriage announcement:
Trout before marriage:
Average of 147.5 games per year (6 years)
Trout after marriage:
Average of 102.2 games per year (5 years, ignoring shortened 2020 season)
He’s going to be the fat doyer
You’d think Trout would want to get out of the house more.
Women….am I right?!
I thought we agreed that the last bench spot was Eric in Portland’s to lose. 🙂
I think he’s claiming he’s too injured to break camp with the 26 man.
Angels manager Ron Washington said Thursday that he’s hoping to have O’Hoppe make 125-to-135 starts at catcher this season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
So pencil in Thiass for the other 37 or so
Based on last year, that would be 30+ HRs for our starting catcher, hopefully with improved BA and OBA.
I’d be cool with 20-25 homers if the AVG/OBP moved up by 20 points.
That is a heavy workload for a young guy, but doable.
March 28th to September 29th is pretty much 6 months on the dot. 125/6 = 21 games per month. So that’s 9 or 10 days per month of rest.
Sign me up for that
He absolutely destroyed AA and jumped straight to the majors. Assuming he’s not Brandon Wood 2.0, he’s going to be a very good hitter. The power will be there, it’s just a question of having a little plate discipline.
He seems extremely coachable and focused so I imagine his approach will evolve over the years as he gets to know pitchers
He’s definitely a +Athlete.
That’s refreshing to hear. He’s strong.
RBJW/R15WARW on what he’s taught the infield thusfar.
“Just hands. How you use them. How you sync the feet up with the hands. Cutting angles. Just attacking the baseball really. And when I say attack the baseball, that sounds violent, but it’s not. All it is is, when the ball is put in play, you go to the ball and not let the ball come to you. So the word attack sounds violent, but it’s not violent.”
— Angels manager Ron Washington
All good stuff that we teach our little leaguers but somehow doesn’t happen in the Angels minor league system? I should further qualify, we taught this to little league players in the 90s just like the local high school coaches.
I’m currently helping my 6 year old’s farm ball team and we are teaching the same things. Go get the ball.
Enjoy yourself, those years go by fast and everyone thinks their kid is going to be a major leaguer. The kids should just have fun and learn until they get into high school.
So I coach high school tennis and have for a long time and all I do is teach and teach technique everyday. I’m learning about how baseball is taught through my son who is the 7-8 year old level of pony and when I hear Wash talk about what they’re working on I am totally confused on why it’s a revelation. I mean i love that Wash is working on these areas but isn’t that a part of their drills on the usual???
Our highest priced FA by far, keeping trÅdition alive and well
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1763235569352785958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1763235569352785958%7Ctwgr%5Eb95d5b242cebf0b7c8a0d757f8619cc478a33fee%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhalohangout.com%2Fposts%2Fla-angels-fans-wont-like-prized-free-agent-robert-stephenson-injury-update-01hqtvrazj3b
Do we do medical evaluations before we sign these guys?
TrAdition
perfectly normal, perfectly natural.
Nothing to see here, just a typical start to the season for the Angels.
For Fs sake, sign Snell already lmaoooo. Also fwiw, I like Wantz as a starter more than a reliever.
“Andrew Wantz has moved to a starter role, at least for now, Ron Washington said. He said the reason is a need for depth in the rotation.”
https://twitter.com/SamBlum3/status/1763246700750409942?t=70KodqxWLc8L5z_LvXmKOw&s=19
What happens if there are no more signings and the team you see is what they go with for 2024?
TBH probably a similar record as last year’s team but without the Summer of Ohtani dread.
Loser CTPG guy prediction. I’ll take this and it a successful season.
75+ wins.
Finish ahead of A’ss and M’s.
See some of our young core show signs of real development, have the pitching become at least league average. Catch it and throw at least league average. And (not likely because trAdition) stay healthy for once, or at least, become league average.
We won 73 last year. So….we agree?
Lack of dread was meant to be a good thing.
I don’t see us finishing ahead of the Mariners, but anything is possible.
Yah. I’d love it if the Angels were good this year, but if they only win 75 because the roster’s kind of weak and young players screw up some that’s OK. As long as we get to eventually see development. If the season’s meh but we see guys like Neto, O’Hoppe, Schanuel, Adell, Bachman, Detmers, Silseth, etc solidify then it’s actually a good season. If Trout actually plays a whole year, also great. Rengifo MVP? Cool beans. I pay attention to the Reds and Pirates so I know. A season with a win total in the 70s can be two very different things.
I agree
Then it will be like many here wanted, a year of evaluation. There will be some pleasant surprises and probably some disappointments. I believe the team will be interesting and entertaining to watch, win or lose, and it will be fun to see what the young guys do, but they’ll be a few players short of being a potential post season team. In my personal opinion, the Angels are a good starting pitcher and two impact bats short, even if the kids breakout. You have 2B, LF, DH, and 3B, as potential positions going forward to fill with impact players although Rendon is likely to prevent anything from happening at 3B. On the whole though, they will be more fun to watch because there will be no expectations and some of the youth may surprise us. We may even get to watch Trout have another MVP season.
This. It is 162 games of Spring Training and we hopefully get to see the emergence of a core for a future run. The worse case scenario is the vast majority of the kids fail and we finally enter a rebuild.
True. I believe O’Hoppe and Schanuel are going to be good everyday players and Neto will play SS whether he hits or not. But if he hits well enough, in a few years they may consider moving him to 3B, and Rada plays short, or maybe Rada plays 2B. We’ll see what Mickey does this year. Worst case is he is an excellent 4th OF. But maybe, one or both of Neto and Mickey become a star. It will be fun to watch.
That would be quite a feat since Rada is projected as a CF and has yet to play an inning on the dirt professionally.
Sorry, for some reason I thought he was SS so just forget I said anything.
Today’s lineup. Another opportunity for Sano, penciled in as the DH with the starters.
Hicks starting and leading off over Mickey/Jo. My heart will break if Wash rolls Hicks as our 3rd OFer 💔🥺😭.
Ward has looked incredible thus far. He’s been a whipping boy at times by this fanbase (me included), but he’s solidly a full-time starter.
2023 WAR:
Moniak = 2.2 (85 games, 323 PAs)
Hicks = 0.4 (65 games, 236 ABs)
Adell = 0.3 (17 games, 62 PAs)
Do the right thing, Wash
Lets hope that Wash doesn’t have veteranitis like Scioscia.
I love me some Sosh but even I didn’t appreciate that part.
He made earlier public statements that during the season he was going to play the guys who were performing, but as others here have already said, we’ll have to wait and see if that is really true.
I think veteran’s have a very high grittiness factor. In the world according to Scioscia you could never have enough grittiness that and for catchers CERA and grittiness.
Wash values defense. I’d give Hicks an opportunity to see if he can flash some of what he was doing a few years back before we go all in on Jo….but the leash shouldn’t be too long.
Mickey graded out as an elite defender last season
Oh my bad I thought you were implying Adell over Hicks. I like Mickey
I like Moniak, going as far as typing a piece saying I’d hand him center field next season.
But the fact of the matter is an abnormally high BABIP combined with horrible walk and strikeout rates does not project well.
When it’s all said & done, Mickey is probably best suited as a 4th OF. Anything beyond that is a major boon.
If someone teaches him to control the strike zone. He could be a really good player.
I love that Cimber thought his near decapitation was funny.
He almost caught the damned thing.
I agree. He’s my new favorite player on the roster.
At this rate, our Grapefruit League championship hopes are fading fast.
But we’re undefeated in Grapefruit League action
You mean Cactus League…although we’re not winning either so it doesn’t really matter
LOL, yeah, I haven’t finished my caffeination yet this morning. ☕
I wonder if Trout and Sandoval attended Shohei’s wedding?
probably were going to. but 700 million things came up over the winter.
Mookie and Freddie attended instead.
The contract… $700 Million….
Your comment… Priceless
Sign Snell and move Anderson to the pen.
1. Snell
2. Detmers
3. Sandoval
4. Canning
5. Silseth
“Depth” – Anderson-Plesac-Suarez (assuming we can get Suarez thru waivers to AAA).
It’s such an easy decision.
This would be cooler but the way they’ve approached spending on infield depth makes me skeptical they’ll spend big on pitching depth. I see us signing Lorenzen.
Spending on depth is different than spending on a top starter. Lorenzen would be more like depth – but we have also spent money of Stephenson (for example).
We could use a starter to replace Ohtani. It might be cost, but as we get further into ST there should pressure on Snell and Montgomery to come down in terms (like Bellinger did).
For sure. But if you’re Snell and you’re coming down or doing a deal like Bellinger with opt-outs, you might as well take a one year deal with the Dodgers or sign with a very defensive/pitchers park situation like the Giants.
I’d be interested if we got him…I just think we only get him if he we are the highest bidder by a significant margin.
Yes, but the longer things play out, the less it costs to be that highest bidder (maybe even getting into a range Arte will bite on – knowing Trout and the ‘baseball guys’ want more pitching).
I’m hoping Suarez doesn’t clear waivers and is picked up by another team. That way they too can experience the magic that is Suarez giving up 5 runs after 2 quick outs.
If we signed Snell or Montgomery we could probably trade Suarez for a MiLB piece.
That probably isn’t how they would do it. Anderson would start and Silseth would either be in the bullpen or the minors.
You are most likely correct. Silseth would start in AAA and Anderson will be #5. That is until Anderson puts up a 5+ ERA in 10 starts and forces the org’s hand for a permanent demotion to the ‘pen.
I doubt even more now that we’ll sign Snell or Monty.
I was predicting
Snell NYY
Chapman SFG
Monty BOS
But now a Giants starter has gone down perhaps indefinitely. That will probably put them into the market for Snell or Monty also, and Boras knows it. I don’t expect any bargains.
I think the NYY and SFG will have a bidding war for Snell and the runner up will take Monty.
Same. I’ve always thought Clevinger or maybe Lorenzen due to price and the fact we already have a ton of lefties.
Detmers, Clevinger, Sandoval, Canning, Anderson with Silseth, Plesac, and Daniel in AAA would be better depth than we’re used to.
If the Ohtani’s get divorced and she gets half, will the Dodgers have to pay her half immediately?
Also if that happens, where do I send in my resume?
more importantly, can she pitch?
She doesn’t pitch, multiple TJ’s….
but like her husband, swings a mean bat.
https://youtu.be/ny85zo8f66I?si=Cg6ySddReQ0_2FQF
Good question since he can’t right now.
Alex, I’ll take “What are Japanese divorce laws for $600”
*$600Million
So, 600 m yen is like $4,017, 200.00 US approximately.
To him, or to her?
No, she’d just appear on “Baseball wives of Japan” on Bravo.
Heck-I lost my invite, oh darn it. 😃 Keep secret from the Press, television’ MLBTV and ESPN and the radio, tabloids, newspapers, and player’s wives. KOOL.
🎧 🎷 🎺 💌 💍 Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Shohei Ohtani ❤ 🎵 🔔 🎶