MLB will be testing out an automated ball strike challenge system this spring. The teams start out with two challenges apiece. Only the pitcher, the batter, or the catcher can make a challenge and they must do so immediately after the umpire’s call. The Manager has no right to challenge a call. Stay in your lane if you don’t want to be ejected.
Luis Rengifo is getting reps out in center field this spring. So is Tim Anderson.
The Rockies signed lefty reliever Scott Alexander and designated infielder Aaron Schunk. The Nationals signed right-hander Lucas Sims and placed Mason Thompson on the 60 day IL in the corresponding move. Connor Overton got a minor league deal with the Mets. Ross Stripling has a minor league deal with the Royals.
Alex Bregman says he will play wherever in response to the insistence by Rafael Devers that he play third. Bregman says they are getting along fine.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
I wonder how long it will take for the challenge system to be branded as some conspiracy to Only Screw the Angels.
I’m calling it now. It’s a hoax. They stole the strike zone. It’s unbelievable. Never been anything like it.
But you say it like it’s not going to be true
Some teams have all the luck
Some teams have all the pain
Some teams get all the breaks
Some CTPG Guys do nothing but complain…
-Rodney Stewart
over/under first bad call of the season against the Angels – Game 1 5th inning
It’s all part of being bad.
Good Lord, if it was possible to be more gold than gold itself then this is that more gold.
By Saturday evening?
You mean it isn’t?
can someone help clarify:
I saw there’s a FanDuel through Amazon to watch games
Angels will still be shown on Bally’s though, correct?
Bally’s is no more, now FanDuel. Looks like $19.99/month. I’m ready for a Gubi replacement but I don’t think that is part of the monthly subscription.
so they don’t have a cable channel? or is not the fanduel channel
Angel games are on the FanDuel Sports Network which is different than the FanDuel TV. I think the Sports Network is an add on to Prime.
I thought FanDuel Sports Network is what replaced Ballys? That’s where I have been watching Kings games with my Spectrum subscription.
Yep, it did. There are other ways, such as Spectrum or Direct TV but those are more expensive than just connecting to FanDuel Sports Network.
I saw this comment from @nolanhorne115 on You Tube
Not good.
Then this from kimgarrod6659
Directv streaming app has it if you can borrow someone’s account to latch on to.
Best option!
That’s $20 per month ill keep in my pocket thank you very much.
Bregman not being a dick? What have they done with the REAL Bregman?
Devers said hold my beer.
No, Devers dropped his beer……
at $40 per year, he’s likely to be willing to sniff Alex Cora’s jockstrap
He’s still a dick. Give him time. This guy belongs on the Red Sux with all the other dicks. He fits in perfectly in that city.
Pics from today. They continue to use Field 1 and 2 early in the morning for infield stuff.
I think it did make me skip a breath the first time I saw the OF practice with Mike is in RF, not center. 😕
With the beanies and sweatshirts you’d think the team was in Flagstaff not Tempe.
Kikuchi named opening day starter…fine, I guess? He had a good year last year and we aren’t exactly flushed with pitching depth.
My issue is the comments made by Wash as to reasons why that another member posted. “Big contract, brought in to be the #1.”…am I missing something or underrating Kikuchi? The guy has a career 4.57ERA in 6 years. Last year, in his “good year,” he was 9-10 with a 4.06ERA.
Who are you trying to fool? This isn’t an ace, and I don’t even think it’s a #3 on a good rotation. Which we obviously don’t have so #1 it is.
I’m surprised too. Soriano and TA are both better candidates and who knows who might emerge in March.
this is from the front office 🙄
Based off Wash’s wording, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is from the top 😐
Considering how many young hitters or vets that are trying to refund their stroke is this a potential big concern?
https://x.com/SamBlum3/status/1891941298031972750
no
That means, he’s out for Spring Training in Angel Speak.
Had some stomach issues “colitis” back in his playing days and dabbled with steroids too.
Good old fashioned grudge match tonight, rematch should be fun!
Canada vs USA
https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1891159630904226103
This thing has crossed over beyond hockey. I’m in no way a hockey fan but I do watch a little bit of the playoffs.
Even I am stoked for tonight.
Move over Slap Shot, this is old time hockey.
https://youtu.be/f0LZMmN4tp0?si=F2noRvf91upagAmR
Mike Trout’s first game of the spring will come on Monday against the Giants. But several regulars will be in there on Saturday such as Jorge Soler, Taylor Ward, Mickey Moniak, Jo Adell, Kevin Newman, Nolan Schanuel and Tim Anderson.
https://x.com/RhettBollinger/status/1892616522062803126?t=RzKil835nz6BxICHbUp8zw&s=19
Interesting that Tim Anderson is considered a regular. Maybe I’m reading too much into it.
Just DO NOT call him Jackie!!
You can call him Ray
Or you can call him Jay
Or you can call him RJ!
But you doesn’t have to call him Johnson!
MLB has rules requiring a certain number of expected MLB regulars for road games during spring training. I think they are aimed mostly at making sure split squads have a few noticeable faces on the road.
I’m sure the Angels have listed Anderson and Kingery as likely regulars.
The regulars will be in there for a little work.
On a team where Arturo has salary capped himself and we still needs two more years to get Rendon’s $78 million off the books, let’s do this if Moore shows himself even close to ready during Spring Training:
“MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo thinks that Christian Moore has “got a really, really good chance to make this team.”
Mayo noted that the Angels are an organization that is generally aggressive in promoting their young prospects, and they were allegedly on the verge of calling Moore up last year before he got hurt. The eighth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Moore slashed .347/.400/.584 with 20 RBIs in 25 minor league games and finished the season with Double-A Rocket City. Considering the Angels are moving Luis Rengifo all over the field in the spring, there’s a chance Moore can lock down the starting second base role with Rengifo playing full-time across various positions.”
Would be floored to see CMo break camp as the starting 2B. Rengifo is the starting 2B.
I’d like to see Rengifo as every day Utility and trade him for a big haul at the deadline.
The deadline would make sense as far as “let CMo develop” then trade Rengifo to a hungry team for prospects and promote the kid but still have Newman around, maybe Anderson too, in case Moore falters.
Sounds like what a rebuilding club does with position prospects to me and that’s fine.
Hey, we agree again.
Me too. Anderson Newman, and Kingery would seem to be ahead of him as well.
What’s the hurry? This team isn’t going to contend this year, what is so wrong about him taking some lumps in the minors and not burning a year of eligibiity
What was the hurry with Neto, Schnauel, or O’Hoppe. I’d like to see our future now.
Shohei? Et tu?
I dunno. There’s so much work to be done on everything that I am sure they’ll do some things that turn out stupid and some things that work out well and I just have to watch it all and hope the percentage flops positive.
But I’ll buy the “Moore Soon” thing as soon as I see him in the Heim. He’s got obvious issues. If dopes like me can see them on video, so can JP Sears and his pitching coaches and catchers. Plus his defense. I’m not saying this means Moore sucks at all, it means I’d rather see Moore after a bunch of time at AA.
I also don’t buy the aggressive promotion argument. Sure, we are drafting fairly polished college guys to get them up fast. So he’s not meant to sit in the system for three years. But our ULTRA aggressive promotion of two draft picks (and Rada I guess) was a bi-product of trying to please the unicorn before he was done with his starter marriage in Anaheim and moved on to his true north. That’s over now. Who did we aggressively promote last year?
So I’m pretty sure they would prefer to keep him down unless he shows up in Tempe and isn’t chasing high heat while fielding slickly. That’s why we have like four other options at 2nd.
I’m cool with that.
Neto and Schanuel have proven Perry correct with their success this early in their careers. Perry’s not this huge moron that so many here fancy him as.
If Perry deems CMo ready, cool – he’s earned the benefit of the doubt with these early promotions of 1st rounders. With that said, I agree with you in that CMo isn’t ready yet.
I heard somewhere that Moore was in Camp early, before pitchers and catchers reported and was working with Wash on his defense. If nothing else, getting an early start with Defensive Bhagwan will give him a nice base for AA.
I’ve been there every day and have no idea how this will shake out. Only two things would surprise me
Zach has been doing everything in camp, and I see Newman, TA, Kingery, Paris, Davis, Merschon in the MIF also.
Wash must read CtPG because he answered my question lol
“Yusei Kikuchi will be the Opening Day starter for the Angels, Ron Washington said.
Washington said the choice was “obvious” given that he signed a “big contract” and was brought here to be a No. 1”
https://x.com/SamBlum3/status/1892613964502286517?t=fZfLJn4Ay9WL2vu303SpgA&s=19
Never would have thought Kikuchi would be their only big acquisition, kind of a waste of capital in retrospect
I agree. Seems like they still need to decide what they’re doing. If Arte is talking about losing all this money than whats the point of spending on Kikuchi alone?
Do A Lot
or
Do Nothing.
Those both make sense. Doing one expensive acquisition that won’t move the needle feels like there’s no plan.
Not really a fair assessment of the offseason. Soler, D’Arnaud, Jansen were all added. Kikuchi just happens to be the biggest deal.
$20 mill/year for a mid-tier SP is the going rate. There’s a real possibility he outperforms the contract.
If we’re rebuilding,wouldn’t so starts be better used by Detmers, Jack, etc. Teuly see what we’ve got. Travis can teach Logan catcher things so that makes sense. Kenley is a cheap one year contract who can teach teach Joyce a few things and getting traded for pieces so also cool with that. Soler makes no sense to me, Trout needs the DH spot, meantime we’ve got a logjam in the outfield where Adell’s everyday reps, which will be impeded because they want to give Moniak plenty of playing time too.
Rebuilds don’t have to consist of repetitive 90+ loss seasons. None of the moves we’ve made block any young player.
Teams run thru 8-10+ starting pitchers every season. Detmers, Silent C, Dana, Silseth, Aldegheri will all get opportunities.
I see your point on Soler. If he mashes, the move is easily justifiable.
Agreed here and will add a little something:
We want the kids to show up to the park and feel like they can win. To buy in to the team concept not just work on their individual stats. By having guys like Jansen to close out the games they do lead or Soler to put the ball over the fence 25-30 times the kids don’t feel like they are getting their teeth kicked in every night.
Kikuchi is rotation insurance that can be traded. Hendricks is Travis for young starters and can be put on an ice flow if he sucks. You’re spot on with Jansen and Travis. Soler is there to rest guys and not have to lean heavy on Kavadas if a bopper gets hurt and add power to a team that had no punch last year. He is also trade bait if he’s good. Trout is a shit DH and doesn’t want to do it. Adell or Moniak will win the CF spot in Tempe and the other will be OF4 since we have no OF prospects ready to go in AA/AAA as we sit now.
There’s just not much downside or long term entanglement to any of this and it’s how most rebuilds look now. The way things are set up now provides for development without a ton of risk with a lot of flexibility.
For example. Not sure how many options he has left but if Kavadas develops his hit tool a bit, just one starter prospects learns something useful from Hendricks and Soler provides a .700+ OPS when/if a hitter or two are out and we’d be down to just Neto and Adell for power otherwise, all of this is good. Even better if any of these guys being around leads to trades for more prospects on top of developed current MLB young men and roster depth.
The Greek God of Strikeouts has got a whole lotta options left (all 3 actually)
We’re not rebuilding, just not spending to bring in top talent. Relying on prospects does not constitute rebuilding.
Soooo… exactly how many innocent people have to die before a rebuild is a rebuild in your book cause not signing FAs and relying on prospects sounds pretty rebuildy to me.
I’ll be convinced when they trade away players of values and stop being clingy hoping to compete. Clutching Anderson and Ward have given false pretense to a rebuild plan.
They may not want to trade everybody
They may not be able to find takers for everybody
They may trade people later
Or maybe everyone will suck ass or be hurt before they can be traded like last deadline.
Hell, maybe they extend Tay Tay and Rengifo….
It’s still a rebuild
I think we both know that, if they traded guys when they’re less valued, you’d be brimming with piss over how we didn’t get enough for them.
I can see it for you I guess….
In a situation where you have no firm expectations for about six starting pitcher kids there’s a point to just paying a guy who will likely be OK for more than one year to just be in your rotation. It’s just not that big a deal and isn’t an indication that they don’t have a plan.
They are gonna see how guys like Soriano, Detmers and Silent C suss out while Anderson (till he’s traded?) and Kikuchi are there throwing innings at an ERA that dances around 4.00-3.50.
Kikuchi let’s them ease out of this approach for three years at 21M a year. And if the sweet baby Jesus touches four youngsters with amazing pitching ability this year and we don’t need him all three seasons Kikuchi is even pretty easy to trade if he doesn’t suck.
Again, I’m fine with Kikuchi, just not excited. I’m assume there will be reps for all of them. And happy to move him for a good price at a strategic moment.
Plus this signing allows Arte to finally tap into the Japanese market. I know hes been interested in getting the Angels some name recognition there for years
This team is rudderless and he is this year’s prime example.
It makes sense when you realize his contract opens back up the Japanese ad market.
Yup. Not even close to the level of Ohtani, but we are likely getting him at 15-17M a year based on add revenue he brings in.
Always good to see the manager base his decisions on contract size and not performance! ……… oh wait a second.
Man, I know you aren’t a fan of Wash, and that’s okay! But can we find better arguments to support your POV?
Opening the season with our newly acquired, highest-paid SP isn’t some sacre bleu sacrilegious decision that only Dum Dum Wash would make.
Wouldn’t Soriano be a better choice? I think he has earned it.
Or we could even wait to see who earns it in spring training
Seeing OF practice for first time.
It’s stunning to see how the depth chart in RF and CF has changed 😮
RF Trout, Soler, Gustavo
CF Joniak, Bryce, Nelson
Any lineup that does not include Trout, Ward and Adell in it is suboptimal, regardless of defensive positioning. If that requires Trout to DH, Soler to play in the field and Moniak in CF, so be it.
https://flic.kr/p/2qMRtYa
He’s in “Energy Saving Mode”. Two settings above “Sloth Mode”
Could be lots of fun if he can stay healthy. No matter what, it’s great to get the season going. May the Baseball Gods be kind to us this year!
I went to a AAA game in Sacramento last year and saw the challenge system in action. Over the course of the game there were 5 challenges and the umpire was correct on the first 4, overturned on the last.
None of the challenges took more than a few seconds and a couple were in key spots. One guy challenged a pitch that would’ve changed an 0-2 count with a runner on second to a 1-1 count. That was pretty late in the game.
I wonder if the goal is a little beyond correcting a few calls per game. It is a good way to let the CB Bucknor types know they could be called out at any point in time, so they need to call a good game.
Implementing a full-time automated strike zone will be the best thing that ever happens to the sport.
No doubt! Look at the NFL to see the coming attractions. The gamblers are/will be insisting on this. Fireworks to come.
I saw it in two AFL games, it will be fine and a non-story before March starts.
I’m sure Mike Truk was placed on the IL with a calf strain.
https://x.com/historyinmemes/status/1892314473395859480
Good morning- view is great, coffee is just ok
https://flic.kr/p/2qMQuFQ
Royals signing Stripling to a minor league deal, not a bad move. Royals have a good team this year.
That was a good move maybe 3 years ago. Unfortunately in his last 2 years (44 games) he’s amassed a 5.68 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP
But you are right . I like the India trade , re-signing Lorenzen and signing Charlie Sheen. to go with the Lugo & Wacha signings from last year. If the rest of the team takes a step forward and Perez is heathy, the AL central is going to be a huge 4 team battle again this year.
Agree, winning that division is within their grasp. I have the Royals at 45-1 to win the WS. I just need them to make the playoffs. It’s going to be one of the better races. Always hard to discount Cleveland.
AL Central is where the action is baby.
I’m sure it will all work out but the Rengifo article does not make the organization sound like they have a very good plan or really know what they’re doing. Things will settle down a lot when Neto returns. Defense all across the diamond could be a real adventure this year.
Rengifo is essentially on display until he gets traded. This may very well be Jo and Mickey’s last chance at a starting position.
If they really wanted to keep Trout healthy, they would make him the DH and Play Soler in right even though Soler is a bad outfielder.
I don’t know how to read defense metrics enough to know how to compare Soler’s defense vs. say Jo in RF last year. How ‘bad’ is Soler really. Maybe Soler would be good enough for six innings and then you put Mickey in CF and Jo in RF. I don’t get the Trout in RF for health reasons either. Would love to see data on that but probably isn’t any, just one of those “baseball wisdom” things.
I’m fine with experimenting on moving Rengifo around but I wonder how many reps in each position he can get to come to any conclusions. My guess would be they settle him in at 2B with stints at 3B, i.e., the norm. To me, Rengifo is the can FO keeps kicking down the road. Contracts beyond 2028 are not yet being signed by FO so why wasn’t Rengifo traded last year. If he dips offensively before the trade deadline it will be harder to get at least one top 100 prospect. This makes the Angels seem like they don’t know what they are doing.
I cannot figure out how RF is supposed to make him healthy either. If you asked me, I would assume corner OF has a higher likelihood of injury.
-More plays up against the wall
-Plays in the corner where you are aggressively running down the ball, stopping on a dime, trying to play the bounce, then turning and throwing the ball as hard as you can.
-Also seems like you would move less often. RF in particular probably gets the least activity of all three spots, so more standing around between moments of sprinting.
It’s just a little less running around. That’s all.
Soler is a pretty dang bad OF. Thing is, teams do indeed play a guy like him and then replace him with defense in late innings, so your idea’s not a bad one if we want Trout and Soler in the same line up. Atlanta did it with him. The Phillies do it with Schwarber and Castellanos. Other teams do it too.
Rengifo was hurt at the deadline last year… still technically is “coming back”. So no trade yet.
The plan for Rengifo is most likely trading him. Not having any dialogue on an extension at this point doesn’t bode necessarily well towards an extension.
Whats interesting is no-one in the organization is talking about who will be the starting second baseman. There are now 5 potential candidates in CF but mums the word on the keystone.
Does this mean it’s C Moore’s position to lose out of camp? Thats a tall order for someone with only 98 plate appearances in AA. Moncada has already been handed third base. If TA is the opening Day shortstop because Neto starts the season on the IL that should make Rengifo the leader in the clubhouse with the most experience there. But I wonder if Wash has seen enough of him to not try to make him a regular there but to move him around the diamond
We all know Netos the starting shortstop when hes healthy and if TA has a great spring hes back in the Bigglies. I could see Anderson getting the lion share of reps at second (he agreed to start there for Team USA in the last WBC) so Rengifo would definitely be a trade deadline asset if his bat still plays this year.
And yet with the competition and uncertainty today, it will always end in September with whoever is this years “Jack López” finishing out the month holding down the position. trAdition
That’s a fact Jack!
I miss Captain Jack!
Squid
Mayfield or Lopez? We should just avoid players with the first name, Jack.
I think second is Rengifo’s job they are just seeing how versatile he can be.
Banking on Moncada to stay healthy at third is about as logical as thinking Rendon will be there. Over the last three years Moncada has averaged about 17 games per year more than Rendon.
Neto and Schanuel are the only two really entrenched starters on the infield.
Ideally Rengifo slides around the diamond giving guys days off. Most likely he’s at second base until Moncada goes down and he moves to third.
How about this scenario: TA plays well and so does Rengifo. CMo starts the year in the minors where he belongs. Then we trade BOTH Anderson and Rengifo at the deadline and call up Moore.
Then we still have an infield of Schanuel, Moore, Neto, Moncada, Kingery, Kavadas, and Newman
Did you Forget Paris?
No, just don’t think he’s better right now than the other SSs we have in camp.
No, and I’ll never get over Macho Grande!
Too bad we lost Howie.
https://youtu.be/JswFF2dKiLM?si=NkGExX9v0AscJKiz
I’ll never be over Macho Grande.
Lots of guys do lots of things in the Spring. I highly doubt we see Rengifo in CF during the regular season.
From the all star break on, Jo hit .239/.325/.408 with 5 homers, 7 doubles, and a triple. That was once he ditched his leg kick.
Not great, but if he can play a decent CF and put up that slash line, he’ll be quite valuable, particularly if this keeps Trout healthy.
I want Adell starting every day until he proves he can’t handle the job. We need his good bat and speed of those tools are real.
It’s just odd to me. You take a guy like Adell who finally gained some strides with the glove after years of torture and you jam him in a different position the next year. Angels should have saw this coming.
Trade Ward, Trout in left, Adell in right and you acquire a CF.
Adell’s primary position was CF, until we moved him off it in the minors. I understand your point btw .
Adell showed so much progress in right I would’ve just left him alone and let him develop into the stud he could be.
100% Yes! I just don’t get it either.
OF or 1B. Schnauel could easily be platooned there.
Schanuel can play OF? Source?
I saw him take grounders at 3b today.
Schanuel in the outfield? Yikes!!!😱
Not just harping on you here. But site wide….
HAS ANYONE LOOKED AT TROUT’S NUMBERS WHEN HE DHs?
We may want to do that before we all just declare Trout needs to DH a lot and we’re angry at Jorge “Mr Sunshine” Soler existing. On top of that, Trout’s intimated in the past he doesn’t like DHing, and it was a Marilyn Streep level drama getting him to just move to RF.
Is this TROW GAHTA DEE HECH! thing really something we want NOW?
I understand what you’re saying and don’t disagree but I don’t believe the possibility of him being injured is any greater in CF than RF and having him trade places with Adell possibly makes our OF defense even worse. My position is if the intent is to limit his injuries, then DH him and if he doesn’t hit well there then leave him in CF. Even though Joe can play CF, having him and Trout trade places makes no sense and it also then introduces the platoon situation with Mickey. I say leave the OF alone and if Trout gets hurt put Mickey in CF.
OK, so I follow about six teams fairly close. Two of them are constantly shuffling their outfield. Not one time has “could things be way worse or even….. dangerous!…. if this these two guys switch positions?” It’s not like they’re transplanting one guys liver with another guys car keys here.
This is the special power of Halo’s fans…. and yes, ALL of the other teams but one has “had it worse” than Angels fans generally.
We will see.
Good morning Halo faithful!
Baseball game on MLB TV today!
Who is your leader in the clubhouse to start opening day?
Soriano, Anderson, or Kikuchi?
It’s Dana. No question. And yes, maybe he is in SLC, but he is the Alpha. It’s nice to have the vets around including Hendricks, but all those other 15 pitchers in their early twenties? It’s Dana.
and besides Mike, everyone else camp wishes they were Dana. I wish I were Caden Dana. So does Kikuchi. Don’t you want to be Caden Dana?
I would think TA starts Opening Day. Soriano will be the best pitcher on the staff this year.
Yet the opening day starter will be the $60 million dollar man Yusei Kikuchi
Joe Blanton!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😲
😂😂😂. Matt Harvey can pick it up in the 2nd inning
Lincecum will take the 3rd inning.
Kikuchi. He is the big money guy this year.
Kikuchi. Wash confirmed