LA Angels Thursday News Crash: Gloomy

OK. Now for the race to the Wild Card. I jest. I reckon the links will be rather gloomy for the rest of the season. Somehow the Angels did not get ranked in the top seven trade deadline winners. I demand a recount. Bleacher Report says the Angels are among the seven teams that blew it. George Klassen is ranked pretty high among the prospects that were moved, though. Of course, Perry Minasian says he is happy with the two trades he made. That article refers to Taylor Ward as a “20 year old” but I am sure Brent Maguire knows better than that. It must be a typo.

The Angels are still not being particularly specific about the nature and timeline of Mike Trout’s setback.

The Orioles acquired Livan Soto from the Reds in a trade just before the deadline. Another ex Angel, Brett Phillips, just got a minor league deal with the Yankees as a pitcher. He has a 95 MPH fastball which can reach 97, a curveball, and a split change.

Team USA is cruising in Women’s Baseball World Cup.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is working out so far for the Yankees at both offense and defense.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
6 months ago

2017, Thumb Ligament, missed 39 games

2018, Wrist Inflammation, missed 19 games

2019, Foot Surgery, missed 19 games

2021, Calf Strain, missed 122 games

2022, Rib Inflammation, missed 30 games

2023, Hamate Fracture, missed 74 games

2024, Meniscus Tear, will miss 133 games

FungoAle
Legend
6 months ago

Trouts all-around game has waned since 2019. It’s been 5 long seasons since he was relevant. Next…

max
Trusted Member
max
6 months ago

It would have been the most Angels’ thing ever if we had signed Trout away from his initial team in 2019/20 to a record 10 year 400 million dollar contract.

Last edited 6 months ago by max
WallyChuckChili
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  max

Good thing we got out of the Ohtani contact

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago

I really don’t think his arm will hold up long term. Agreed.

MikeSalmon
Super Member
6 months ago

Remember when a lot of us thought MNT was pretty much a sure thing for 600 HRs before he was done? Now it looks like 500 might be the best we can hope for. And that might be too optimistic. He has 378 right now.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  MikeSalmon

maybe 380

MikeSalmon
Super Member
6 months ago

I feel like a fast-talkin’ auctioneer now: do I hear 385? 385 home runs for Trout.
In the back.

Do I hear 390? Humdittyhumdittyhum. In the serge suit.

Do I hear 395?, etc

Going once, going twice…

max
Trusted Member
max
6 months ago
Reply to  MikeSalmon

420!!!

MikeSalmon
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  max

SOLD! To the man in the Bob Marley T-shirt and…vest, is it?

max
Trusted Member
max
6 months ago
Reply to  MikeSalmon

Ya mon

Angelz4ever
Super Member
6 months ago

2025 taglines:

“______ expects to be 100% to start spring training”

A. Mike Trout
B. Anthony Rendon
C. Robert Stephenson
D. Jose Cisnero
E. Andrew Wantz
F. Player(s) to be determined
G. All of the above

Angelstan
Trusted Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Angelz4ever

A and B

Angelstan
Trusted Member
6 months ago

You all remember Ken Griffey Jr.? That’s where we are. Trout will get healthy for each year and then hope to stay healthy for most afterward. What wonder if Arte has an insurance policy that pays when Mike doesn’t play. Same with Rendon. Anyone know???

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Angelstan

Mike = Tracy McGrady

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago

If Mike wants to salvage whatever good baseball he has left he has to accept that he’s going to DH the majority of the time. And he should consider a position switch if he is determined to still play the field some of the time.

No more stolen bases, no more stretching a double into a triple, no more putting his body on the line for catches.

And that probably still won’t be enough.

TapatioMan
Trusted Member
6 months ago

Black cloud over this franchise.

DowningDude
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  TapatioMan

I frequently pinch myself thinking that the 2002 season was some daydream fantasy I had.

DowningDude
Legend
6 months ago

Not surprised at all by the Trout news. I saw he had a “setback” and already assumed the worsyest …

trÅdition

Twebur
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Can’t miss what we don’t have.

Twebur
Legend
6 months ago

Maybe Art has Munchhausen by proxy?
And the whole organization is in on it? It would answer some questions.

halofansince1978
Super Member
6 months ago

Even if Trout does come back next year “100%” I cant imagine he wont be gun shy and will have lost a step in the outfield for fear of hurting himself. I suggested retirement a couple days ago…full time DH for sure!!

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago

I think at this point you have to plan like you won’t have him and go from there. Imagine where we’d be as a team if you’d have traded Trout and Ohtani.

I’m getting to the point where I won’t support big contracts for anyone over 30. Period.

Last edited 6 months ago by Mia
BannedInLA
Super Member
6 months ago

Full time DH is the only logical option moving forward and even that is fraught considering his recent track history of getting injured in every conceivable manner. Sigh.

Brent
Super Member
6 months ago

Holy shit – someone messed up big time here. Angels medical staff, the doctor(s) who did the surgery (surgeries?), coaches, himself… jesus.

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Brent

The surgeon I’m almost certain was not some in-house doctor. Trout and his agent would have picked someone with the best track record and reputation for that kind of procedure.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

Mission and Hoag locally both have outstanding orthopedists.

RexFregosi
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Brent

The prophesy that he was the next Mantle matches too closely so I’m blaming the sprinkler in CF. Prove me wrong.

tanana40
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Brent

I love Mike Trout. I am so glad that I saw him play in person numerous times. He was an exciting player like Rickey Henderson in 2012 and then a big slugger with amazing OPS numbers. But I no longer think of him in the future of the Angels. I hope that I am wrong.

DaveChalk
Trusted Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Brent

I’d like to think my dad was the one who messed up by taking me to see the Angels when I was a little kid.

RexFregosi
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  DaveChalk

Yeaoyep and it’s because he hated the Dodger stadium parking lot.

fucking parking lot. August.

Twebur
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

My parents let me go with my neighbors to my first MLB game in SoCal.
It could have been just as easily a Doyer game.
But nooooooo, stupid ass neighbor had free tickets to the Angles.
Stupid parents, stupid neighbors. Stupid Angels. Stupid Art.

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

I feel the same way about how my grandfather could have bought a house in LA after he got out of the Navy, but nooooo he had to choose Orange County.

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
6 months ago

Genuinely curious if Trout has some undisclosed condition or is on a medication that may result in weaker tissue/cartiledge/bones etc. Not joking, I really am curious if there is something to explain the parade of breakdowns.

Cowboy26
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

Yeah I think its called HGH

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Shhh

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Yeah its one that came to mind when I wrote that. We know he had some thyroid thing he had a medical exception to use rx drugs for.

Hormone issues are sometimes tied to ligament breakdowns

Last edited 6 months ago by ihearhowie3.0
Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Getting hit in the hand is one thing, but these other injuries seem to happen when he’s not even exerting himself.

DMAGZ13
Trusted Member
6 months ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

Those things do exist one of my friends does. Certain other meds cause things like bone density loss. Trout needs a holistic trainer and stop preparing for the NFL. I know it’s a meme here I was part of back in the day but I still think he’s too husky. Look I come from the tennis world but as much as I hate Djokovic the dude takes care of his body through incredible diet.

steelgolf
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

Hopium.

clover_black
Super Member
6 months ago

id like to imagine everyone is quiet quitting until arte sells.

BannedInLA
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  clover_black

Millennial am I right?

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago
Reply to  clover_black

My decision not to give Arte a cent this year continues to be a good one.

PedroCerrano
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Mia

Agreed. I’m in year two.

DaveChalk
Trusted Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Mia

Year one. Diverted money from Angels mini-plan to more Ducks games. At least I know they are focused on a true rebuild.

DowningDude
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  clover_black

I unintentionally quit this year due to medical crap. Haven’t been to one game but I’ve watched quite a few on TV.

If I was healthy, this would be a higher attendance year than normal. Go when it’s cheap cheap.

I’m pretty sure you can get premium seats for under $5 nowadays. Good times.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Well, get better so we have someone else to disagree with.

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Hope you’re doing ok, DD.

tanana40
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Get better, Downing.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Get your health in order, then you can handle the food at the Big A, 😂 

DowningDude
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Thanks everyone. The worst days are well behind me hence my being absent here for some time. Doing good.

MikeSalmon
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Wow. I hope you continue to get better and better. You’ve always been one of the funniest, most knowledgeable guys, both at this site and the previous one.

Glad to hear you’re doing good.

RexFregosi
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Staying out of here and not following the Angels is good for your health. Take care but be healthy 😂

steelgolf
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

It was pretty cheap for me the other night, I just picked up a last minute ticket.

steelgolf
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

Rest up, get better.

BannedInLA
Super Member
6 months ago

Trout news. Depressing to see him fade away this way.

Any chance he reaches a buyout settlement and retired?

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  BannedInLA

This is the first time I’ve felt hes probably not finishing his contract. Definitely was done being his old self but now I’m not even sure he can play 50 games a year.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  ihearhowie3.0

I bet if he gets a new injury in 2025 he *will* retire

Brent
Super Member
6 months ago

when* he gets a new injury

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Brent

I can’t disagree with you

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago

I feel like he’s young enough that he wants to try and play and maybe go out on his now terms. I don’t think it’s about the money. He’s already made more money than he can spend.

DowningDude
Legend
6 months ago

There’s no way he’d leave all that cashish on the table. He’s going to “make every effort” to get back on the field to justify the checks all the way to year 10

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  DowningDude

It’s pretty bad, I’m not even sure he can stay healthy anymore.

PedroCerrano
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  BannedInLA

I’ve been critical of Trout and how he always seems to take longer than normal to come back but I do feel for him here. Multiple tears in the same knee is going to be tough road.

My wife had the same surgery and things are still compromised for her five years post surgery.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  PedroCerrano

It will be hard, he likes haging with the guys.

TrojanBoiler
Trusted Member
6 months ago

How does this joke of a franchise have such a joke of a medical staff? How many times have we seen the initial tests/scans come back negative and then suddenly it’s like “Oops actually we are idiot doctors and we f’ed this one up”

This piece of shit team is so infuriating. I don’t know if my fanhood will survive until Arte sells or dies.

ihearhowie3.0
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Yeah the “oh it was just some scar tissue and inflammation” psych out had to have been particularly cruel for Trout to deal with.

Jeez

RexFregosi
Super Member
6 months ago

If we give Yelich’s rate of 86.3% games played since 2017 to Trout, and assume Trout has his same rate of per-game production, his career numbers start moving him in the direction of best-ever status. If we consider Trout’s 2024 as over for the sake of this exercise, that would work out to an extra 324 games on his tally — exactly two full big league seasons.

These extra games would net him 96 more homers than his current total of 378, bringing him to 474. The record for most homers through age 32 is 553 by Alex Rodriguez, followed by Jimmie Foxx (500) and Albert Pujols (475). Trout would be fourth, rather than tied for 20th as he is now.

Trout would also have 335 more hits, putting him at 1,983. Among players in the 3,000-hit club who didn’t have that many by age 32 are George Brett, Eddie Collins and Carl Yastrzemski.

Trout’s bWAR total would be higher by an estimated 17.7 wins, putting him at 104 for his career. That would already rank 29th in history, rather than 50th. Only 32 players have ever reached 100.

That total of 104 bWAR would give Trout the fifth-most wins above replacement through his age-32 season. Ruth (123.5), Cobb and Rogers Hornsby (tied at 109.7) would be the only players ahead of him.

Would Trout already be considered as the consensus best ever? Maybe. Either way, the race would be on.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

And that was where he was sitting until the injuries hit. He is still the 2nd greatest RH Hitter in History base on OPS+.

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago

The Trout news…

If it wasn’t so fucking sad i’d be laughing hysterically.

RexFregosi
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Mia
Last edited 6 months ago by RexFregosi
BannedInLA
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

Slow fade? More like plane crash into the mountain side.

BannedInLA
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  BannedInLA

I surrender. The Halo curse thing is real.

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

Yeah, it’s goddamn heartbreaking.

Fansince1971
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Mia

It is very sad. Is it time for Mike to retire?

BannedInLA
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

See what I said above. I think it might be. The club simply can’t count on him
at all to stay healthy.

In the famous words of Jeff Lebowski, “that’s a bummer, man”.

Thank Allah for MMA.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

The least he could do is invite us all over to watch the games at his house together.

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Not with that kind of money on the table.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Mia

Do we know for sure this did not happen stepping on Beckham’s Lego?

Mia
Legend
Mia
6 months ago
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

It must be investigated.

MarineLayer
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Wow, so Trout. So Angels.

Twebur
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Double-meniscus double-play……..never heard of another athlete having that happen right after a partial rehab.
I’m sure it has?

trAdition

Last edited 6 months ago by Twebur
Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

Double tear – both by doing nothing more strenuous than jogging in the field.

Definitely not normal

Last edited 6 months ago by Senator_John_Blutarsky
Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Zero surprise. Just sayin’

Wonder what will break next year.

Twebur
Legend
6 months ago

spontaneous combustioning calf, wrist, knee.

Twebur
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

What I like best about this debacles, is that the most recent MRI from a day or two ago, was clean, just scar tissue….. in all fairness to any player in this organization, getting injured or dealing with the rehab. Good luck!!!😀😀😀😀

DaveChalk
Trusted Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

Not directed to you personally but to the entire site – do we really think this is all the medical staff and misdiagnosis or its how the team handles or mishandles communicating information?
Maybe we are the real fools and with insurance its actually better that he doesn’t play when opportunities like these arise from a team wallet perspective

Last edited 6 months ago by DaveChalk
Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  DaveChalk

You have a point Chalky.

Twebur
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  DaveChalk

Yes……they a horrible at many, many things.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Can he even play any more? He had meniscus surgery that people have all the time and have already returned to normal activities as well as lots of pro athletes in all sports. Joan Benoit had similar surgery 3 weeks before she won the olympic marathon. He went though more and better rehab than most people and has this. I’d look for a new Knee Doc.

steelgolf
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Is his meniscus made of rice paper?

Twebur
Legend
6 months ago

remember me?

Mathew Bowyer, 49, agreed to plead guilty to operating an unlawful gambling business, money laundering, and subscribing to a false tax return. The formal plea hearing is scheduled for Aug. 9.

https://nbclosangeles.app.link/Q6Cqs9ktILb

Cowboy26
Legend
6 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

David Fletchers BFF?

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 months ago
Reply to  Twebur

And you thought we were done talking about the gambling.