Concerning Angels Hernandez “No amount of ‘How’s the family?’ can overcome his laundry list of blown calls.” This is kind of a funny article. The telling quote for me was “I wanted to be behind the plate, be in control.” With some of those calls, you have to wonder if what he actually said was “conTROLL.”
The Yankees interfering with fielders? That would never happen.
Taylor Ward did get a mention here as a potential trade target for the Braves in the wake of the Ronald Acuna jr. injury. Ramon Laureano would only cost cash, though. We won’t get a great haul of prospects for Ward if the Braves could make do with Laureano for the prorated league minimum. Maybe Laureano sucks, but so did Kevin Pillar before the Angels got him. Ahhh! Speak of the devil. The Braves hired Ramon Laureano on a minor league deal. The Braves say they won’t trade and that the solution will be internal.
David Fletcher started a game as a pitcher last night for the Gwinnett Stripers. If I hear anything about how it went I will let you know.
The Mets’ troubles continue. Edwin Diaz is on the IL with shoulder impingement. OK. So this article didn’t age well.
Keynan Middleton suffered a setback in rehab and will get an MRI on his elbow and forearm. Uh oh! The Tigers sent Kerry Carpenter to the injured list with back issues.
The Reds designated DH/first baseman Mike Ford for assignment.
Bench Clearing Incident Of The Day
The Phillies and Giants benches cleared after an up and in pitch to Bryce Harper. The article says there was a little shoving but that was it. They show the Harper fly-by but not the brawl. Instead they show another brawl involving Harper and San Fransisco back in 2017. I don’t know… Maybe Jomboy will have something. Never mind. Here it is. Speaking of Jomboy, this is interesting. (The text contains an F-bomb.) Now that’s how to interfere with a fielder!
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
https://x.com/MLB/status/1796244246514557039
This is an excellent summary from ESPN MLB Power Rankings.
“This is a bad team with no obvious path to near-term contention, one that needs to start calculating when and how thoroughly it wants to lean into a rebuild. Assuming the Angels’ brass comes to the same conclusion, the Cy Young-level season starter Tyler Anderson has enjoyed should give L.A. a chance to leverage one of the trade deadline’s most alluring upgrades, especially since he has a team-friendly season left on his pact after 2024. If anyone thought the Angels might remain relevant after Shohei Ohtani‘s departure, those notions have to be dead by now. This team needs a fresh start.”
Yes, this is the real question. Do the Angels have a plan? They did not sign a big name free agent pitcher during the off-season (e.g., Snell, Montgomery) which you can see a sign that they are rebuilding. They have some potentially good young players who are playing which is a good sign. But we don’t have any evidence that they are investing in scouting, player development, and making key organizational changes in front office personnel, etc. The fresh start only happens if Arte sells the team.
Not a bad start for Ace Fletcher last night in Norfolk. 5 Innings 2 ER’s 3 Hits 1 BB 6 K’s
Not sure Reid Detmers right now is capable of that .
Even in the 4th quadrant, Angels are anchored in ‘meh. Sounds right.
No matter what trade the Angels make, I have zero confidence they will do anything to improve the team. It’s been a steady decline for a while now.
Fresh draft opinions.
NEW: Top 200 Draft Prospects list features new No. 1May 29th, 2024
https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-s-top-200-draft-prospects-for-2024
it’s interesting look at this list vs. Baseball America. A lot of similar rankings and what not, but there’s some guys in MLB’s list that just to the 100s on BA, and vice versa
https://www.mlb.com/news/faq-negro-leagues-stats-major-league-record
“I thought my career was over. Then the Angels called”. 😂
Does that mean that the Halos were sent to the cornfield?
White Sox’s, Marlins, Angels? All live on remote lands, far away from the normals. No electricity, no water…..eating squirrel meat, shitting in a hole.
A left-hitting generational talent would be great for the roster right now.
1000% concur. Rec.
Who can also pitch?
Do face lhp on the road from here on out
So we always want to play against lefties?
I had was constantly questioning the balls and strikes last night. This article confirms that the ump was horrible.
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2024/05/umpire-yankees-angels-brian-walsh-angel-hernandez
He was terrible. I really don’t understand. If I was an umpire and that was my paid job, I would be motivated to miss as few calls as possible for my own personal satisfaction and would be disappointed and embarrassed by a poor performance, but apparently that is not true for those on the job. I would want to be known as one of the best and work to perfect my craft so to speak.
[White smoke appears from the Umpires’ Locker Room Chimney]
I have a bad feeling about Sandy’s chances tonight. Canning and Anderson successfully walked a tightrope of potential hazards. Doubt Sandoval escapes the barrage that’s coming his way. Smell that? I smell it, you? Suarez 3+ innings tonight.
It’s Sandarez day.
We should look on the bright side, at least we go back on the road where we play decent baseball.
(clicks red ruby cleat heels) There’s no place like the road, there’s no place like the road……
We’ve pitched really well the last two games. With a little bit of hitting, we could have won both games.
I purposefully avoid going to negative town when discussing this team, mostly because there are 30 other dudes locking that job down around here buuuuut, I agree. This has all the fine ingredients of being a 10-3 laugher that’s over by the 2nd inning.
Offense will need to hit often & hit well to give us a punchers chance.
Manager: “Hey Fletch, can you pitch?”
Fletcher: “You bet!”
Fletch was so underappreciated amongst most Halo fans. He had a drive that made him a solid defender and he never quit on a play. Yeah. His batting took a nosedive, but I enjoyed watching his hustle.
This current pitching situation shows that he will do anything for his team.
How do you underrate a guy who can’t hit .200 or the ball 200 ft? “Yeah, but I bet he’s the shit if you’re trying to lay some dry wall.”?
Hang drywall
He has GRIT! He plays with FIRE!!! And, most of all he’s white like “fan favorite” overachiever little gritty fiery David Eckstein.
when you have a great season, there are a lot of games that will stand out along the way – the most memorable wins in a six month fun fest.
you don’t really do the opposite in a bad season, i.e., remember the worsiest losses in a in a 98 loss season in a death march.
But if you did: losing a game to Ausmus on a little league homer is one of the lowest of the lows this season.
What about pinch hitting Paris for Calhoun to bunt the runners over?
Taylor Ward is one of my favorite players. Taylor Ward has 1.5 years of control remaining. The Angels won’t be good for 1.5 years.
He should be traded.
I think it’s 2.5, but I get your point.
He’s a great guy and deserves to be in a place like the Braves and I’d be very happy for him but I would hate to see him go as there is so little here.
he’s my brother – we share the same birthday, went to high schools in the Coachella Valley, and suffered a bad injury in 2023. I’d be happy for him, but dont want to see him traded for a few AA extras from another org.
He becomes a free agent when Rendon goes off the books.He’s a very good player and we have no replacement so is the plan to get worse before we get better? You’re for the full tank and writing off 25 and 26? Not being critical just clarifying. That is one path to take. I would support it if that’s what they chose but I don’t think they are willing to do that or willing to go the other way and spend while Rendon is still under contract.
Yes. Full tank. Half a tank doesn’t do shit unless everyone’s 24 years old.
I respectfully disagree. The Halos still need a few actual ballplayers on their team.
Besides, there is no guarantee that Perry will get anything worthwhile in the trade. I still want to watch a team that has a remote chance to win once in a while.
Keep Ward and give back MVPillar?
https://fansided.com/posts/braves-kicking-themselves-kevin-pillar-ronald-acuna-jr
How does that impact my signed Taylor Ward photo that my wife picked up at some OC auction, that’s all I care about.
Anyway, I’m waffling on trading solid players away under this assumption that we won’t be good in “…..” time. Ditto for Rengifo.
Ward would be a terror as a 5-6 hitter on a better team, that’s for sure.
I have been against trading them because they are our two best hitters but here are some things to consider:
1) Ward has 2 years of control after this year and Rengifo has 1.
2) Even though I don’t believe the club will embrace a full rebuild, I also don’t believe it will be competitive next year.
3) Both of them are performing at a high level now and probably have the highest value they’ll ever have.
4) Ward is already 30.
5) Ward, Rengifo, and Anderson are our best trade chips and would each be a potential asset to a team making a run for the ring.
6) They are all relatively inexpensive high performing assets through the end of next year should we keep them and their current replacements would be Moniak, Paris, and ?
The choice either way is not great but, at the end of next year 2 of them are gone anyway, we get nothing in return, and Ward will be 31. I think you have to trade all 3 while their value is the highest. Because of his age, Rengifo could be considered for an extension but I realize that would make some of you throw up in your mouth.
Honestly, the only reason you keep them is if you think you have a chance to win next year and plan to spend significant money on the team next year as well. Otherwise, all you’re doing is delaying the inevitable and repeating the Shohei mistake, making it even longer before the club is able to be competitive.
If we wound up with six prospects from the top 10 of some teams… plus some flyers… for Ward/Rengifo/Anderson I’d be happy. We’re not getting any top 100 guys, most likely, but we can still improve the farm.
Teams gonna suck no matter what, and not just this year. Keep the kids. Sell the rest.
Agreed, you’re not going to get equal value but if you can convert all those players into a couple of players you can add to the current base, that’s a lot more than nothing.
Sell, Mortimer, sell!!
Rengifo is (or should be) an extension candidate but, if the 3 you mentioned are traded, I think we can land a few 6-10 level prospects.
I know. Sad.
Jorge Lopez DFA’D after calling the Mets the worst organization.
Perry: Hold my Beer!
His numbers aren’t that bad.
Scoop him up Perry.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4…he calls us the worst organization!!
Parallel universe.
Bizarro World
Correction – Mets are the worst National League Org.
Fletcher’s line: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 Ks and only on 72 pitches
How many were knuckleballs?
At least 1
All told, Fletcher threw 51 knuckleballs out of 72 pitches total, averaging 64.1 mph on the pitch and generating 10 misses on 27 swings.
https://www.si.com/mlb/angels/angels-news/former-angel-david-fletcher-s-pitching-career-just-took-a-big-leap-forward-01hz36pht5wy
Thanks Tweb.
Better than Suarez!
I’m too GA to add to the list of Angels pitchers he’s better than😀
…….Detmers? 😀
Low hanging fruit there my friend.
If we’re going to trade Anderson do it now…he’ll never have more value.
Plus somebody called it a couple days ago…a big down turn is coming!!
Wow. Someone on CtPG called for a big down turn. Shocked.