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LA Angels Tuesday News Crash:

February 25, 2025

Mike Trout’s debut yesterday was nothing special, but at least he felt good. Christian Moore, as we already suspected, is a dark horse candidate to make the Angels opening day roster. Other people who might crack an opening day roster are okd friends Kevin Pillar and Max Stassi. Working in Stassi’s favor is the fact that Tom Murphy will miss multiple weeks with a herniated disk. It looks like Nick Madrigal went for the full Cozart effect when he injured his shoulder over the weekend. It’s fractured and he will be out for “a long time.” In the same article, Sean Manaea has an oblique strain and will miss a couple of weeks.

Giancarlo Stanton flew back to New York to have medical tests. It looks increasingly likely he will miss some time to start the season.

Harold Ramirez signed with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League. The Tigers signed lefty Andrew Chafin to a minor league deal. The Rays signed Jamie Westbrook to a minor league deal.

Cleveland Guardians owner Larry Dolan passed away at the age of 94.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Super Member

Roy Hobbs

22 days ago

Moniak and Adell not exactly off to a hot start. I think there is a good chance one or both are gone after this year unless they hang around because they’re cheap.

Super Member

Pineapple12

22 days ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

4 ST games in. Not saying you’re wrong btw

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Fully understand and I know its way early. Just seems like this is the time they would be crushing it hitting against non major leaguers. I don’t think moving Jo was a great idea but they needed to do something with Trout.

Super Member

halofansince1978

22 days ago

Heaney to Pirates for one year 5 Million.

Member

Kevin

22 days ago

Reply to halofansince1978

I saw that. It sounds like a deal the Angels should have done, doesn’t it?

Trusted Member

SchofieldsWalkoff

22 days ago

Reply to Kevin

no It doesn’t. Detmers is the current version Heaney.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

22 days ago

Reply to Kevin

could they? Sure.
Should they? no

Super Member

Pineapple12

22 days ago

Ep. 139: Los Angeles Angels Scouting Director Tim McIlvaine joins the show —

40 minutes w/Los Angeles Angels Scouting Director Tim McIlvaine.

💎High school w/the No. 2 pick in Draft?
💎What happened w/Ryan Prager?
💎Christian Moore on Opening Day roster?
💎Are top prospects wasting away in minor leagues?
💎Big sleepers in Angels system

https://www.patreon.com/posts/ep-139-los-tim-122934779

Last edited 22 days ago by Pineapple12

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Alas, I am not a patron….

Super Member

Pineapple12

22 days ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

to listen, click the link and press the play button. No sub required 😇

Member

Kevin

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

It stops playing after the intro if you aren’t signed up. Maybe someone can post what was said? 😀

Last edited 22 days ago by Kevin

Super Member

Pineapple12

22 days ago

Reply to Kevin

ah, fudge didn’t realize… I’ll need the transcript too

Super Member

Pineapple12

22 days ago

LINEUP

mucho excited to see Rio Foster today!

Super Member

RexFregosi

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Looks like we see Klassen today.

and it’s Vera!

Super Member

Pineapple12

22 days ago

Reply to RexFregosi

Soriano + Zeferjahn + Klassen is sexxyyyyy

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Oh man…. I feel my hopium levels rise when I look at that progression….

I am actually really curious to see what Zeferjahn and Crouse do this year.

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FungoAle

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Let’s see what this Mershon guy is all about, dirt dog

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

22 days ago

Reply to FungoAle

I thought, for an 18th rounder, he was a good pick up in the “solid utility” prospect mold. Likely won’t ever slug much, but could advance fast because he is fundamentally a solid defender. If he suddenly starts making a lot of hard contact he could be Newman 2.0. If he learns OF too…. even better.

I assume, because they sent him to the AFL, they like his potential.

Super Member

RexFregosi

22 days ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I liked him a lot when I saw him, very business-like, but Randy Newman said short people got no reason to live.

Editor

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Jeff Joiner

22 days ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I linked a great play of Mershon’s in links during the AFL. His size will always be a knock on him, but he’s putting up numbers everywhere he goes.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

22 days ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

I think he’ll hit the Stephanic Barrier and then we’ll see if he can play defense and hit for at least a .680 OPS in the MLB.

Super Member

RexFregosi

22 days ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

All SEC BASEBALL 2024 first team fun fact:
2b: Cmo
SS: Mershon

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

22 days ago

Reply to RexFregosi

Yep. Like I said, I liked him in college. We’ll see if his size prevents him from having an impact in the MLB or if his skills and hustle add up to a solid enough hitter who plays. His arm’s a little weak for the left side of the IF but no reason he can’t fill in there sometimes if his bat and glove make it worth it.

Super Member

Angelz4ever

22 days ago

BTW- I wasn’t too familiar with Kingery, that guy is a chonky….solid built guy.

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

22 days ago

Would’ve liked Chafin on a minors deal. He might like the Detroit organization.

It is good to have actual baseball again.

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Cowboy26

22 days ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Unfortunately we have enough left-handers.

It’s the one thing we got alot of.

Super Member

HalosFanForLife

22 days ago

Bummer on Madrigal. I love his style of play. Was hoping he regained the form he had when he first came up.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

22 days ago

Reply to HalosFanForLife

Yeah, but he, like Cozart, is a worthless POS apparently. Real Mets fans must hate that guy.

Super Member

Pineapple12

22 days ago

CMo making the opening day roster? Me thinks so 🔮

Super Member

halofansince1978

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Agree!!

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Cowboy26

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

OCR reporter Jeff Fletcher, who tends to be fairly accurate, Put the probability Vampire making the ODR at 15% in a tweet yesterday . While he put the probability that he gets called up sometime this year at 85%

I think the biggest concern is his defense so that will be up to Washington. Kingery is probably a safer bet

Super Member

Pineapple12

22 days ago

Reply to Cowboy26

Yea, Kingery looks good (it is sooo early). Assuming Neto starts the season on the IL, how many IF spots are there?

C – O’Hoppe / D’Arnaud
1B – Schanuel / Noda (?)
2B – Rengifo
SS – Newman
3B – Moncada

Kingery vs CMo? When Neto comes back is there room for one of those guys to stick?

Super Member

RexFregosi

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

We kept 6 Infielders last year because we had that 5th OF too, so I’m saying we will keep 7:

Schanuel, Rengifo, Neto, Moncada
Newman, Kingery, Davis

on the bubble- TA, CMo, Paris, Noda

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

22 days ago

Reply to RexFregosi

It’s early, but I’ve been slightly impressed with Noda’s approach at the plate.

Super Member

RexFregosi

22 days ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Problem with a spot for Noda is that, like Schanuel, he only plays one position, 1B.

Super Member

RexFregosi

22 days ago

Reply to RexFregosi

correction – I need to give a spot to Soler so I think we will keep six (6) IFs

and my (late February) guess the extra two spots go to Kingery and Newman

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

I think if Kingary performs he gets to be the back up IF for a little while. And depth at SLC if someone gets hurt. CMo is almost certainly in AA unless he just crushes guys like Corbin Burnes towards the end of March.

This is actually good. It’s really cool to see Moore getting some good run early (along with a bunch of the other kids) against a bunch of the other team’s kids, Quad A players, and roster players who just got their cleats on. It shows that they are in a pretty good place developmentally and in their heads too.

I’m no expert, but THIS is where, in a week maybe, I start sending these boys back to MiLB camp, but if I had say Albert Pujols and a couple other established ex-MLB names around to meet with kids as they get sent down and encourage them to keep the positive ball rolling I’d do it. Maybe in tandem with MLB coaches, tell em the good and then tell em what they want to see get better on the farm… get the kids excited, give em a sense that the big clubs watching and expects to see them in the bigs at some point.

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gitchogritchoffmypettis

22 days ago

Reply to Cowboy26

I think it’s way too early to think of CMO as making the roster. Not saying he can’t do it. But we’d have to see him perform like this once pitchers have figured out how to make all their limbs work and are throwing as hard as they can and dropping angry off speed pitches at him. If he’s hitting real MLB roster pitchers on start #3 of the Spring and his defense looks smoother then sure. If not, he’s gone cause why rush him? 15% chance sounds about right.

Super Member

RexFregosi

22 days ago

Reply to Pineapple12

There a lot of guys ahead of him so I say it isn’t likely. One thing I believe though is he can certainly play aka hit his way on to the roster.

im not sure you’d take Moore above Kingery and Davis for example.

Editor

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Jeff Joiner

22 days ago

Reply to RexFregosi

I’m not sure I’d want to take him, even if he looks like a slightly better option.

2025 isn’t our year. Fully develop these kids at the AA level so they are primed for 2027 and beyond. Let Moore start there and earn a way to the bigs this season.