Morning Angels fans. Sigh. Have some links.
Angels News
There is no Angels news, there was never going to be any Angels news.
Around Baseball
Cleveland is keeping things intact despite losing massively to NYY. I mean, they won the Central so…
Japan loves Baseball. Middle and High school boys have it as their favorite sport, while it placed 3rd for middle school girls and 2nd for high school girls.
A’s will play on grass in Sacramento. So that’s nice. That won’t help with the humidity but it is something.
Caribbean Baseball Cup will be in the Bahamas this year. Pretty nice place. No idea it had a stadium.
Shinnosuke Ogasawara is coming to America. His NPB team, the Chunichi Dragons will post him. Lefty pitcher, 27 years old.
No other news besides Yankees vs Dodgers. Yeah, this is not good for any of us.
Anything I missed? Post below for upvotes.
Question for everyone, how old were you when you feel like you became an Angels fan?
My first MLB baseball game ever was an Angel game with my Dad at the latrine in 1963. In 1978 I was 24 years old and it was all about the free tickets. Corporate seats that always went unused where my best baseball buddy worked. First base side field level second row behind the rain tarp. Fregosi brought them in tied for second that year and when they won the division in 79 I was an Angel fan for life.
Good times bad times no mater what.
HALO POWER BABY!!!
Minutes, maybe hours old. Didn’t get a choice in my family lol.
But more seriously, probably when I attended Game 6 of the World Series as a kid in 2002. I was 8.
Never left me.
Probably 12 during Nolan Ryan’s first season with the Angels. I had attended some games before then, but didn’t have anyone who grabbed my attention like Ryan did. Might be like some lad or lass hearing about this phenomenal talent named Mike Trout and becoming and fan.
I was 26. I’d given up on the Mets for two reasons. I was mad about how they treated Seaver and in those days it was hard to follow a team from the other coast. When I lived in southern Oregon I’d get the paper and instead of a score it’d say “(n)” meaning a night game, too late to make that edition. It was a little better when I moved to Hollywood but not like today at all.
Given the choice of following either the Angels or the Dodgers I made the sensible one.
While my first game was in 1971 my first true memory of being a diehard Angel fan was being out of control excited seeing Nolan’s 1974 no-no live and in person.
My first game, I have no memory of. It was the Angels first home game at Wrigley, I was all of 100 days old, but I do have the stubs, a tiny Angel cap, and a scorecard my pop kept – Angels lost to the Twins 4-2. I would say when I was 7 in 1968 and spending a lot of time at our restaurant which was adjacent to a sportfishing landing where some of the Angel players and Bill Rigney would come in after fishing the 3/4day boat. Aurelio Rodriguez was particularly nice to a snotty kid, and he would wave at us sitting behind the plate at home games all that season. That got me for life. I remember being heartbroken when he was traded, and it was calamitous to see him in pinstripes in the `81 World Series, even though he hit something like .465 in the Series.
Now, get off my lawn!
Great Stuff Everybody!!! Repost this today nisiogawakun…so we get more.
Fernando changed the Dodgers and baseball landscape in LA. An absolute legend. RIP.
Anybody want some baseball.
Dogs versus Sox live broadcast.
https://www.mlb.com/arizona-fall-league
Our guys won and Kavadas homered.
Next game manana versus Scorpions.
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/scorpions-vs-solar-sox/2024/10/24/787620/preview
RIP Fernando. Amazing dude. Tips cap.
(Oops, I posted this to the Tuesday post instead of here). This is a good article about Fernando Valenzuela’s time with the Angels (prob. Orig, from the LA Times): https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/aug/08/angels-gave-fernando-a-2nd-chance/
Also, from the Wayback Machine, Valenzuela announced as an Angel in this game on 5/21/91: https://youtu.be/ArOpR48PGHU
I loved those old broadcasts. There wasn’t a ton of baseball on TV in the Central Valley, but the Angels made ESPN a few times per year.
Also, those seats on left field behind Berman are where I sat for my first Angels game. They aren’t there any more, the bullpens are there now.
I grew up watching all the angels games on kcal 9.
were they on KCAL 9 (formerly KHJ)? I thought they were always on KTLA 5 – at least that’s where i watched them rarely when I was a kid (1970s/80s). KHJ was the Kings & Lakers both in Purple & Gold. Maybe they were on KCAL 9 when I was out of the area in 1989 to 1995 timeframe?
Most of the time – I seem to recall – it was KMPC 710 AM radio as it was nearly impossible to see a game on TV.
Definitely from mid 90’s into maybe the late 90’s if I remember correctly. I was a kid so my memory isn’t the best. Physioc and Rex hudler were the announcers for a few of the years
Mid 1990s is when the farm began to crank out legit major leaguers like Salmon, Anderson and Erstadt.
That 1991 team had some promise, but it all just petered out as the season went on. Dave Parker was on his last legs. BUT, there are a bunch of 1991 games on YouTube. Langston, Finley and Abbott had a very good year, as well as our former closer Brian Harvey. Great to see the uni’s, too.
It smelled of typical Autry ownership type of team. Get a bunch of has-beens and try to put it all together. His in-house bank teller, Jackie, surely reeling in the spending in the background.
this is cooool! I don’t see anyone on a cellphone. heheheheheh
And the Angels and White Sox only struck out 3 times per team in that game.
Every baseball fan I know that was alive to see him pitch is mourning Fernando today. That should tell us younger fans just what he meant to not just the Dodgers, but the baseball community as a whole.
My dad is 63, he can still work circles around me, to think Fernando’s time was cut so short…
Sad day.
RIP Fernando
Fernando Valenzuela’s passing is a tough one for those of us who remember his incredible presence in the ’80s. Like Ohtani today, Fernando was a phenomenon, maybe even bigger news at the time. While he wasn’t the first Mexican-born player, the Dodgers, who also gave us Jackie Robinson and Hideo Nomo, really embraced Fernando’s Mexican heritage. Growing up, I remember how he helped the Dodgers get their revenge for the ’77 and ’78 World Series losses to the MFY. It’s a baseball story that transcends the game, he had the kind of magic you couldn’t help but love, even when he was called in for relief on Vin Scully’s first pitch I smiled. Fernando was not only a great pitcher but a part of my childhood dreams, and I believe he was a truly good man.
Alright, enough nostalgia. Let’s talk about our Halos…
Arte Moreno’s reluctance to trade key pieces to “compete” has been a constant frustration. Imagine if he’d made some moves earlier, maybe dealing players when they had more value. I saw some articles suggesting the Dodgers might’ve offered Gavin Stone and Bobby Miller. Miller, in particular, has had some decent outings, while Stone has struggled with injuries this year. How much better would we be if these moves had been made? Let me know.
Of course, all this could be solved with a strong farm system, but that’s a whole other conversation.
Also, let’s settle this: I’d much prefer “Anaheim,” “OC,” “SoCal” or even “LA Angels” to “California Angels.” OC is their home, and it doesn’t make sense when there are four other California teams, two of which are six hours away to call them the California Angels. I know some of you grew up with the CA but I just don’t see them that way.
This week, I’m supporting the Doyers at work (just for now), and yes, I’ll be back to hating them soon enough. At least I get to pick on Yankee fans along the way.
Aurelio Rodriguez played 3B for the Angels in the 60s. And he was from Mexico. Not too far from the border as I recall. I remember attending a game as a kid where a bunch of guys from his hometown town attended a game and chanted in Spanish for him similar to women softball players later on. You meant the first Mexican Dodger?
I didn’t mean to imply he was the first Mexican MLB player, but I could see how you’d read it that way. I meant that the Dodgers celebrated his heritage in much the same way I remember them celebrating Nomo. I’m too young to have experienced Robinson.
They did indeed. At the time, Fernandomania was huge and also a big draw for the Mexican community in LA.
I would prefer California to LA. The Angels are at least located in California. They are completely and absolutely not located in LA, so this makes no sense to me.
This makes me think of how the Buffalo Bills are the only team that is actually in New York. Both ‘New York’ NFL teams play in New Jersey.
And yet nobody in the media mocks the New York Jets/Giants of New Jersey.
I believe the Atlanta Braves no longer play in the same county as Atlanta, either.
The Dallas Cowboys play in Irving.
Good call on the Cobb County Braves.
It’s not as simple as it seems. If I think about it, and it’s just an opinion, They were originally called LA Angels because that’s where they played, and their name comes from the city name itself and the PCL connection. Unlike the Dodgers, who came from somewhere else and brought their Brooklyn name with them. At the same time, the Dodgers are much more strongly associated with LA than the Angels, even though the Halos name is locally derived. The Angels have never been associated with the city of LA since they moved to Anaheim. California was an appropriate name that was only changed when Disney bought them, and it made sense when they were Disney owned because Disney has a very strong association with Anaheim. Finally, Arte changed the name again to suit his purposes. The Texas Rangers are the only American League team not associated with a city and Colorado and Arizona are the only NL teams. In the NFL there is only New England, who used to be Boston, Arizona, and Carolina. Although Orange County is a fairly well known and unique location, LA or California seem more appropriate to me except that the Angels just don’t have much of an association with the City of Los Angeles. For me, California or Orange County would be my choices. California is the name of the franchise that had the longest run so there is historical precedent, and it doesn’t exclude anyone geographically. Someone smarter than me can tell me how and if that impacts the clubs marketing earnings. Being successful would help establish an identity regardless of the name. Why the city of Anaheim cares about being part of the name is very shortsighted.
When the Angels moved and took the ‘California” moniker, they were the only AL team, and the 3rd MLB team in the state. It’s quite unlikely MLB would ever let them use that again, regardless of “trAdition”.
Good observation.
The Santa Clara 49ers as well.
The difference for me in those situations is that there are no teams at all in New York City or Atlanta.
In the Angels case, there is an actual LA team. It’s weird to be located in what is widely considered to be a separate metropolitan area, but still associate yourself with a neighboring area that already has a team claiming that location.
A better example to support your argument would be the Clippers, who are now in Inglewood as opposed to Los Angeles. But at least they are in LA county.
Noticed last night that Bally Sports West is now Fanduel Sports Network…
Have no idea if that means any changes to the broadcast.
Could there BE any more gambling commercials?
I suppose you could replace the suicide prevention ones to make it 100% gambling all the time.
On second thought, we might want to leave the suicide prevention ones…
Gawd…. the speech impediment+bad manga “no self delete call this number” ad makes me feel worse.
I love that commercial and voice so much that I had to screen cap it and upload to Imgur
What’s Imgur?
Opposite of Ugur
An oppressed minority community in northwest China?
Imagine losing your life savings, and then you hear that commercial start…
I absolutely LOVE the tiny “Gambling Problem” stickers next to the ATM’s with huge flashing signs at casinos.
Hornet nest stirring time:
The Halos should take a flier on Ha-Seong Kim, to play 3B-He can pick it and he hits around .233, which is Hella better than what we’ve been getting. He won’t be offered the $21M QO by the Padres and he will start the early part of 2025 on the IL. I say the Halos should sign him for 3Y/40M, that amount would be partially covered by the Dreary money dropping off and it won’t murder Arte’s post Rendon spending rampage.
I like it. That will allow Arte the ability to trade Rengifo for some decent draft picks if he arrives at spring training healthy.
I’m not convinced it’s a smart move for the Angels. Kim has struggled to find consistent offensive production since joining MLB. In 2023, he posted a batting average of just .251 with a .302 on-base percentage and a .400 slugging percentage. Additionally, he had an OPS of .702, which is below the league average for a starting shortstop.
I’d rather they spend the money on the farm.
.251 with plus plus defense is better than the rotisserie 3B production/defense we had in 2024.
You are correct, anyone would be an improvement over Rendon. The big question for me is whether or not Perry will try to put a competitive team on the field in 2026 since it’s his last year or try to convince Arte to give him more time with Rendon coming off of the books after that.
Better but my thought is not to spend money until they can actually be competitive, then go all drunken sailor like usual. Ok… maybe not drunken sailor this time.
I think Kim will want to be the primary SS somewhere where his value is greatest.
Meh. Why not just play Rengifo there?
Solar Sox dropped another one…now at .500
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/solar-sox-vs-saguaros/2024/10/22/787558/final/box
Next game today 1:30 pm PST vs Desert Dogs
What about the fan that says, “We bent over backwards to accommodate this guy and made it all about him for five years. What did we get in return…the middle finger!!”
That fan would be me and I don’t give two F’s what anybody thinks of my $0.02 cents.
https://www.si.com/mlb/angels/angels-news/angels-fans-react-to-shohei-ohtani-clinching-world-series-berth-in-first-year-with-dodgers-01jatn47ex9a
Who? Never heard of him.
Sorry for the crying baby award but Ohtani gave a lot to the Halos for relatively little money. He made the minimum for several seasons – then $5 million and finally $30 million. Meanwhile Arte made a fortune on him but did basically nothing to improve the Org or its infrastructure.
Ohtani gave way more than he got. Or, at a minimum it was even. The narrative that the Angels gave him so much more is, well, poppycock.
The Angels used Ohtani. Arte pocketed huge sums of money from his choosing the Angels and basically giving 5 seasons for free. Your anger feels like sour grapes I just don’t see how anyone using rational eyes can fault Ohtani for moving on from this ridiculously bad Org that is and was going nowhere.
You basically want Ohtani to be Mike Trout which is a very unrealistic expectation.
100% agree. The OG comment above is pure nonsense.
Who
I understand both sides. As a fan of the Angels, I hate to see my team rejected. As a fan of Ohtani, I’m glad me moved from one of the worst teams in baseball to one of the best. That’s what I would have done.
I don’t think he technically rejected the Angels. If you go on job interviews and one company offers you $100k and another $150k for the same work in the same basic location- what would you do? You would not be “rejecting” the lower offer, you would be taking the higher one. It would be another thing entirely if the Angels had made the same offer to Ohtani as the Dodgers. But they did not. Arte recently indicated in an interview that the Angels maxed at around $450 million so it was not really close.
I could see how Angel fans could see it as a rejection regardless of pay.
You can’t really be unhappy with Ohtani because his employer is stupid and unsuccessful from a baseball perspective. Arte could have made the same deal because Ohtani is a very unique player who actually generates earnings by his presence on the team. The problem for Arte is that Ohtani would have never returned because the Dodgers are in the postseason every year and the angels are not. Arte had 6 years to build a competitive team around him and he didn’t do it. The killer is that knowing he wasn’t going to be able to resign him, he didn’t trade him when he had the opportunity.
Well then they are being emotional rather than rational.
This is true. There isn’t any reason to be angry with anyone over this. The Doyers were the team with the resources to vastly overpay Ohtani. He took the money, which is what happens.
There’s also absolutely no reason I need to slobber all over the guy now. He’s not on my team and it’s not like he’s out there saving a bus full of orphan babies from a shark attack every day. He’s like Mahomes. Nothing wrong with him. Very good player. Media wetness is a little annoying. But nothing for me to love or hate. He’s a non-factor for me now…. accept when he plays us, then fk him.
He made the minimum for several years?
2018 – $545,000
2019 – $650,000
2020 – $700,000
2021 – $3 million
2022 – $5.5 million
2023 – $30 million
So first 3 seasons as an Angel he earned major league minimum. Arte paid him approximately a total of $40million for 6 years of cash cowing.
You must be a fun dinner guest.
Just the funnest one in the bunch!!
Always when I take out my fake eye.
True. Sure, it was great when he was here, but I’m not sure why I’m supposed to save a big warm shit inside me for the guy now. I care about his 50/50 about as much as I care when Judge hits 62 HR. And yes, he was high maintenance and I got sick of always having to hear about him every time he ate a cracker or tied his own shoes.
Shohei don’t eat crackers. He eats Nori for his crunch fix.
My 5 year old grandson loves his Nori.
You seem like a miserable person to be around. I mean…it’s a fucking sport, right?
Jesus.
He shares your deep love of Darin Erstad. You have more in common than you can imagine. 😛