Who looked at this group in Tempe and thought they’d get out to the best 10 game start in franchise history? Yeah, me neither.
But the kids are doing just fine. They won each of the first three series they played and split the first two games in Tampa Bay before laying down an absolute beatdown yesterday.
Jo Adell cracked two home runs in one inning to punctuate the 11-1 win. Taylor Ward added two bombs, Mike Trout got in on the homer barrage, and the offense was a thing of beauty.
No kid is hotter than Kyren Paris. His two home run game on Tuesday was a new high point in a preseason and season full of high points.
He’s also getting the job done on the base paths and blazing a bit of a new trail.
Paris hot start is getting the attention of the baseball world and giving us some reason for hopium. His revamped swing is really working and even MLB.TV did a breakdown of his new mechanics.
I’m a big fan of KP and hope he keeps it going. I think we’ll know how legitimate this streak is in a couple of weeks. Pitchers and pitching coaches at this level will adjust how they pitch him. If he can adjust back a little, be ready to smile.
But Paris is far from the only youngster off to a torrid start. Logan O’Hoppe is also a man possessed. He homered in four straight games this past week before getting Tuesday night off. Logan already has 5 bombs on the season and his command of the game behind the plate is equally as impressive.
I really think the Angels have found their team captain/anchor of the future. While we look to the future, Logan is leaning on veterans for advice on how to be his best.
But as an old guy (that happened quickly) I have to give this week’s Highlight of the Week to a fellow old guy. Kenley Jansen was put in a hole on Tuesday night thanks to some shaky defense behind him. Not only did he strand the tying run at third, he called a huddle to the mound to align the defense. True leadership on the way to a milestone: save #450.
Trying not to jinx anything, but the Angels have been relatively unscathed on the injury front until this week. Yoan Moncada is now on the IL due to a thumb sprain. Oddly, he left Friday’s home opener after two balls missed his glove and he allowed two out rallies to continue. In his place, the Angels called up JD Davis, giving me an excuse to post the picture below. JD was a good dude to fans in Spring Training and I really respect that.
Up next is a three game set in Houston. The Astros represent the toughest competition the team has played to date. Silent C, Tyler Anderson, and a surprisingly resurgent Hendricks are slated as the starters for our Halos.
From around baseball:
Who cares? The Angels are killing it, ha ha. But seriously…
Vlad Jr. signed a massive extension to stay in Toronto. On top of the half a billion dollars guaranteed, it comes with a $325 million tax saving signing bonus. The fact it is a signing bonus means it will get paid even in the (likely) event of a work stoppage in a couple of years.
In devastating news, the Octavio Dotel was among the 221 and counting confirmed dead in a roof collapse in Santo Domingo. Life is short. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Hug your loved ones while you can.
Something I’ll be keeping an eye on is next Tuesday. April 15th is Jackie Robinson Day throughout Major League Baseball. Jackie is obviously a huge hero of mine and a man I thank for paving the way for most of my personal relationships. MLB has always done a great job promoting this Day and in recent months we’ve seen Jackie in the news quite a bit. Jackie’s biography was removed from the Naval library and his military service stories taken down but later restored.
But he is an integral part of baseball history and I anticipate MLB and the fans doing their usual great job celebrating this national hero. He deserves it.
My son recently read a biography on Jackie (his own choosing, which warmed my heart) and I pulled up highlights of him on YouTube. I honestly think we overlook just how great of a ballplayer he was. So I’m going to leave you with some of the clips we’ve been watching of him.
Enjoy your weekend and link what I missed. My farm Angels played the best game of their season on Wednesday night and I couldn’t be prouder of them or to be their coach. We play the Cubs tomorrow and will follow that up with a well deserved pizza party. Seeing these kids become friends while getting better at baseball is truly a rewarding experience I treasure.
Side note: there’s a decent chance I catch the Dirtbags game on Sunday. You should know how to reach me by now. If not, drop me a line below.
