LA Angels Thursday News Crash: Manfreud

Rob Manfred doesn’t think the MLBPA leadership “is anxious to lead the way to change” so he is trying to win over the hearts and minds of the players themselves.

Fangraphs has Kyle Hendricks and Silent C underachieving so far compared to their peripherals. Similarly, they have Jo Adell as an OPS underachiever as of June 12, 2025. He falls off the list when it is extended out to June 29. They have Mike Trout underachieving according to BABIP. Also in the hitters article, they have Jo Adell, Logan O’Hoppe, and Taylor Ward all as overachievers in the home run statistics. O’Hoppe and Ward are both BB underachievers.

Jurickson Profar will return from his 80 game PED suspension any day now. Specifically, he was activated in time to play last night against the Angels. Alex Verdugo was designated for assignment to make room on the Braves roster. In other Braves news, Spencer Schwellenbach is on the injured list with a fractured elbow.

The Pirates tore through the Cardinals like a buzzsaw. They held the Cards scoreless for three games in a row to sweep the series.

The Diamondbacks will sign right-hander Jake Woodford to a major league deal. The Mariners selected the contract of Joe Jacques, the pitcher they got from the Dodgers in the Will Klein deal. The Mets just traded infielder Donovan Walton to the Phillies for cash considerations.

Dave Parker recently passed away due to complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was only about a month shy of his Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Phil
Member
6 hours ago

For today’s game:

Bryce Elder faces Angels for the first time. For 2025, Elder is 2-5, 5.82 ERA

Soriano has faced the Braves 2 times, with 3.86 ERA and 6 strikeouts. One of those games was as a starter, pitching 3-1/3 innings, giving up 2 ER and 3 walks.

26-/yo Chad Stevens makes his MLB debut, at 2nd base, and is slotted to bat 9th.

Angels put Moore on 10-day DL for a sprained thumb.
I bet that Moore will likely not come back until after All Star break.

Com’ on Angels, we can win this game!!

BannedInLA
Super Member
6 hours ago
Reply to  Phil

Soriano is rolling & Trout is due.

Take this series tonight. LFG.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
5 hours ago
Reply to  Phil

I’m thinking since Stevens came out of the game last night in such a quick way that the angels knew Moore’s injury was serious, implying, to me, CMo will be back in August at the earliest

Cowboy26
Legend
5 hours ago

I’d bet on the opposite them youngins have incredible recuperative powers so probably 2 weeks max. Remember CMo injured his knee diving for a ball last year in AA. It looked mega serious but was able to play 2 weeks later with no lasting effects

Twebur
Legend
4 hours ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

I like New trAditions, why the hell not!
CMo strong like bull.

2002heaven
Super Member
3 hours ago
Reply to  Twebur

Bullpens are 🐂💩

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
4 hours ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

Ok, I like that better

2002heaven
Super Member
4 hours ago

Lee Stevens?

Cowboy26
Legend
5 hours ago
Reply to  Phil

So you’re saying we are in trouble with Cy the Elder tonight ?

Cowboy26
Legend
6 hours ago
BannedInLA
Super Member
6 hours ago
Reply to  Cowboy26

The King is Dead. Long Live the King.

Cowboy26
Legend
5 hours ago
Reply to  BannedInLA

Long line The Chad. I’m hoping he ends up replacing Rengifo as a productive utility player

Twebur
Legend
7 hours ago

Angels trAdition — Next level Medical Srategery… “We know nothing”

Meanwhile Angels injury updates are essentially: “Well he’s not playing tonight, that’s all I got for ya.”

https://x.com/SamBlum3/status/1940847125358956983

Twebur
Legend
7 hours ago
Reply to  Twebur

Not sure if it was noted yesterday…. Secret medical news leak, Angels claim Dana and Silseth both are dealing with fatigue, no details. Why would we get details?

Kenley Jansen prefers that the Angels save him for … saves.

Also, I asked Perry Minasian about Logan O’Hoppe’s future as a catcher and Reid Detmers’ future as a reliever.

Plus, updates on Caden Dana and Chase Silseth.

https://x.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1940545623029334162

Last edited 7 hours ago by Twebur
Phil
Member
6 hours ago
Reply to  Twebur

O’Hoppe’s future as a catcher?
For nearly any other team, he has no future at that position, unless he can consistently hit 0.280, with 20-25 homers and 80 RBIs.
Fortunately for O’Hoppe, he’s an Angel, so he’ll be given the next 4-5 years to develop while playing in the majors.

It’s extremely tough to learn how to be a catcher while you are in the majors. All the nuances you lack results in the opposing team getting extra runs.

For hitters (or fielders) with issues – such as Kyren swinging for the fences with every swing, or O’Hoppe and his defense – that’s what the minor leagues. Go there to fix your issues.

SchofieldsWalkoff
Trusted Member
7 hours ago
Reply to  Twebur

Another garbage tweet by glum where he compares apple to oranges.

That statement came nearly 2 months after the initial injury.

Do we blame “tradition” for the Astros med staff 1st diagnosing it as strained ligaments in his hand, then it saying he has fractures in a finger 2 weeks later?

Last edited 7 hours ago by SchofieldsWalkoff
Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
5 hours ago

As even the naysayers in that X thread note, the Angels are notoriously tight-lipped and opaque about injury statuses relative to other teams. This seems like pretty common knowledge among the fanbase and commentariat both.

If Blum’s specific comparison is apples to oranges, the principle holds –  even among the 4-5 regular regular Anaheim beat reporters, clear and timely injury status updates are rare.

SchofieldsWalkoff
Trusted Member
4 hours ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

I get that and they’re not the only org in professional sports to do so which I have no issue with.

I find Blums intentional misleading of what actually happened lazy as it would have taken 2 minutes to see his gotcha example was garbage.

Cowboy26
Legend
GrandpaBaseball
Legend
10 hours ago

With out a doubt Manfraud has tried to make a new game out of an old game so he will always be remembered. Sure, we can call somethings that helped such as the pitch clock. The Pitch Clock has decreased the length of games, but more importantly it has moved the game along at a much better even pace.

Enlarging the bases has not changed anything close to promised. Limiting the pitcher with throws to first base, resulted in a new strategy of throwing down to second base automatically. Changed nothing really, teams still run on weak throwing catchers.

Eliminating the shift was good, resulting in some more hits per game, but good pitching still prevails.

Extra innings “Ghost Runner” pretty much takes playing real baseball out of the game along with the suspense as it is too easy to score from second base, all in my opinion naturally. 🙂  In does send the patrons home earlier and that was what they hoped to achieve, but it does ruin the game.

IBB was boring but every now and again a Pitcher or Catcher would surprisingly screw it up. Un-needed change.

The part of the game I would like to see is umpiring. “Change How?” Hanging a “Blue” is too harsh, so let’s be proactive. At the All-Star break send the “Bad” or Blind Umpires back to the minors. Change the stance back of the catcher so they can see the low and away pitch. I have long ago stopped watching Umpires play out of position on infield plays or plays from the outfield. I do understand the bad calls at 1b, as Umpires are taught to watch the feet and listen to the ball hit the mitt.

There is no reason why the Majors don’t see the best of the Best when it comes down to the Umpires. Still, too many Umpires exist that see things so cockeyed.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Most of this is pretty much true. I hate to admit it, but a lot of Manfraud’s ideas have been pretty good. I loaf the pitch clock like it’s a new puppy. The larger bases, pitchers rules, etc have created more stolen bases, which is what we wanted. I hate the ghost runner when we lose, but I also hated long as FK extra inning games, especially when we lost. ESPECIALLY when the pace of play would slow down to a crawl in inning 11 or what ever. It also makes the extra innings more exciting. I’m not sure why old man baseball needs shitty fifteen inning games between two teams under .500 in order to feel “real”. Pitchers love the IBB. The extra wild card has made even losers like Angels Fans feel “in it” through the All-Star break. Robo umps are coming, head pats will become a meme.

I’m not sure why I still hate Manfraud so much….. none of this stuff has made me enjoy games less, and a lot of it has made me enjoy games more. It’s just his face maybe?

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
9 hours ago

I too think most of what he has accomplished is good for the game. Except the Ghost Runner. bring in the runner to the 12th inning. The 2 things I really like, no shift and the clock.

milehigh
Member
7 hours ago

To each their own. I like the clock but would like to see it extended 5 or 10 seconds. Give pitchers a chance to breath. I also like the shift. Weird to me that we pour over stats but stop at the shift. Doesn’t make sense to me. We shift the outfield why the heartache over the infield?

red floyd
Legend
4 hours ago
Reply to  milehigh

Because batters no longer learn how to go the other way.

Bring back the shift, and they will learn (I hope).

red floyd
Legend
4 hours ago

Perhaps change it so the Ghost Runner doesn’t start till the 12th.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
8 hours ago

I actually love the ghost runner as it brings immediate drama to the game. The game is in the balance on every single pitch and we no longer get the 18 inning marathon game that wipes two teams out for a week.

I think today’s game looks more like the game I fell in love with in the late 80s/early 90s than at any time post steroid era.

My old man gripes are about strikeouts, the lack of hit and run/situation hitting.

Twebur
Legend
10 hours ago

Luis, you need to get yourself a fall guy,
-Shohei

Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz placed on paid leave due to MLB investigation reportedly related to gambling

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/breaking-news/article/guardians-pitcher-luis-ortiz-placed-on-paid-leave-due-to-mlb-investigation-reportedly-related-to-gambling-141211550.html?

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
10 hours ago
Reply to  Twebur

Ippei’s cousin?

Phil
Member
6 hours ago
Reply to  Twebur

lolol.
Ain’t that the truth!
I don’t care how many millions you are worth. No one willingly allows someone else (except, perhaps, for a spouse, or family member) unfettered access to one’s bank account.

steelgolf
Legend
10 hours ago

For those here who have had the opportunity to visit Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame, do you have any tips or “don’t miss” items to share? I’m heading there in a few weeks.

RexFregosi
Super Member
9 hours ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Spend as much time as you can there and in the village itself.

steelgolf
Legend
9 hours ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

I will. I staying at a place that is a 4 minute walk from the Hall of Fame.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  steelgolf

As far as “side spots” go, if it’s your thing, go to a store called Mikey’s Place. They are a hat store and they stock pretty much EVERY hat that each team has had. Crazy old White Sox logos from 1912, every version of the Orioles bird, St Louis Browns hats etc etc.

If there was ever a shop where an older baseball fan will find that hat they thought was cool when they were a kid it’s there….

steelgolf
Legend
9 hours ago

Ooooohhhhhh , thanks. I have a feeling my son and I will be racking up a bill there!

CAoldskoll
Trusted Member
8 hours ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Hopefully there is a an old timer game at Double Day field you can watch and relax on the bleachers. Great New York style pizza place across street if you like that. As mentioned many memorabilia shops. Plus HOF exclusive merchandise for 2025 class. The classic player t-shirts, the Ichiro will be available! I got Vlad and Jones back in 2018. A must souvenir from HOF gift shop.

MarineLayer
Legend
11 hours ago

Another in a series of worst and most unnecessary losses ever that took place last night. Tip of the hat to Minasian dugout spy Montgomery for authoring that insane pitching change last night.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  MarineLayer

This crap sack of a team is still one game under .500 and “in the hunt” if you’re silly enough. The teams 6-4 over their last 10 games. Clearly Montgomery is an atrocity that must be investigated, convicted and publicly shamed.

Born_in_59
Trusted Member
9 hours ago

Just like every other manager, coach, player, executive or owner.

Pineapple12
Legend
9 hours ago

I usually agree with you in regards to the unnecessary pearl clutching of CTPG guy, but Montgomery’s decision making was pretty brutal last night.

Great thing about baseball? We get to forget all about it and win today

PedroCerrano
Super Member
8 hours ago
Reply to  MarineLayer

I’m not losing sleep over it. Still not enamored with the way he manages pitching changes.

TrojanBoiler
Super Member
11 hours ago

Several guys throughout the Zips article on over- and under-performing stats this year:

Underperforming BABIP:
Trout, Rengifo, Wade

Overperforming HR (each at least 5 more than expected):
Adell, Ward, O’Hoppe

Nolan gets a call out for overachieving walks while Ward, Neto, and O’Hoppe are underachieving expected walks. Ward and Neto nearly lead the list.

Sadly, no Angels listed for overachieving strikeouts. Looks like they are earning those at the expected rate, all on their own.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
11 hours ago

Congratulations to Claton Kershaw for ringing up strikeout #3000. May never happen again as five innings of work is in vogue nowadays.  👍 

CAoldskoll
Trusted Member
11 hours ago

Right about that. All the strikeout pitchers nowadays that throw heat and crazy off speeds can’t stay heathy anymore. Kershaw may be the last of that club.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Back in my day we pitched five innings everyday before breakfast in the snow.

Born_in_59
Trusted Member
9 hours ago

You forgot “and hit both ways” before in the snow.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
9 hours ago

You thought no one was looking to see you run the bases though, they called you Go Cat, Go! 😊 

milehigh
Member
7 hours ago

In my neighborhood we caught our own pitches bare handed.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
4 hours ago
Reply to  milehigh

 😂 

TrojanBoiler
Super Member
11 hours ago

Fangraphs has Kyle Hendricks and Silent C underachieving so far compared to their peripherals. Similarly, they have Jo Adell as an OPS underachiever as of June 12, 2025. He falls off the list when it is extended out to June 29.

Clarification on this – Jo Adell was an underachiever in their 2024 version of this article, published on June 12 of last year. He is not on this year’s list.

RexFregosi
Super Member
13 hours ago

From an ESPN article this morning on the Subway Series. I know how fond everyone is of Arte, but geez, maybe he is the problem and we just need a new owner? Surely you will read this, and Grimace 😬

THOSE FIVE YEARS have been a crash course in MLB ownership for Cohen, who has reformed his public image from ruthless billionaire whose hedge fund agreed to pay a record $1.8 billion in fines for insider trading to beloved ballclub proprietor.
It started in 2021, when, in his first season as owner, he wondered aloud if he should be an owner like the famously passionate and hands-on George Steinbrenner, according to a source who heard Cohen pose the question.
He learned he was more emotional than he expected and tweeted aggressively, occasionally calling out the team, which peeved front office members, according to sources. He eventually took a step back, though he still periodically shares his thoughts on social media. On Monday, after the Pittsburgh Pirates dominated the Mets in a three-game sweep that featured a mid-series players-only meeting and concluded a league-worst 3-13 stretch, Cohen tweeted he was “as frustrated as everybody else.”
The Cohens became a consistent presence at Citi Field, occasionally working out of the stadium and regularly on hand for batting practice before watching games in their suite. Cohen peppered front office executives with questions about player performance and potential acquisitions. He was relentlessly curious and competitive, but not overbearing as he learned the game and found his style.
“He was, I wouldn’t say hands-on, but he was interested and he was involved as much as he thought he needed to be,” Showalter said. “He kind of let you do your job and asked good questions.”
Early in that first season, Cohen invited players, their significant others and their agents to his home for private dinners, soliciting suggestions for the post-Wilpon era.

Nimmo recalled having dinner with his wife Chelsea and the Cohens after a Sunday day game at Citi Field. They ate for two hours before Cohen hopped on a work call for Point72, his hedge fund, while Alex showed them around the house. Nimmo emphasized three areas needing improvement: sports science, analytics and accommodations for families. Players found the owners genuinely receptive.
“They listen,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “They don’t make decisions based on the moment. They make decisions based on educating themselves. They talk to a lot of people and they make a decision. That’s important.”
Cohen was swift with changes. He quickly doubled the full-time analytics staff from 13 to 26. He tapped into his Point72 resources in data analytics, including bringing over the company’s head of data solutions, Sameer Gupta, to assume the same role with the Mets, and incorporating a team of data engineers and analysts based in the United States and Poland. Gupta left Point72 and the Mets last year.
“Bob Dylan, ‘The Times They Are A-Changin”,” a source said, “you go through the lyrics in that song and that’s how it felt.”
Among its tasks, the group of engineers and analysts migrated the organization from a standard server on premises to a cloud-based, scalable solution to store files from new data sources. At one point in 2021, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, Cohen asked employees if he should just buy Driveline Baseball, the data-driven company at the forefront of pitching development over the past decade.
“The way I look at it is the Mets are playing catch-up big time, and they’ve already covered a lot of ground,” Ottavino said. “You could really feel this sense that nothing was going to stop the Cohens from making the Mets one of the top franchises in the game. They were improving every department.”
Cohen implemented pay raises across the board after sensing a toxic environment in which employees constantly pushed for promotions because they felt it was the only way to receive more compensation under the previous ownership. In 2022, after employees raised security concerns following a fight on the 7-train subway platform outside Citi Field, the team began offering money for rideshares to employees who stayed at the ballpark late into the night. This year, the team, at the behest of Alex Cohen, who has championed hospitality for player families, opened an expanded family room and day care center, which players have gushed over.
“He’s the type of owner everybody wants his team to have,” a source said. “He puts his money where his mouth is.”
Cohen also renovated Citi Field from the outside in, and emphasized better incorporating the team’s history into its present. Five players have had their numbers retired since Cohen bought the team, including Dwight Gooden’s No. 16 and Darryl Strawberry’s No. 18 last season. David Wright will join the list later this month. In September, the organization will host its inaugural alumni game.
Game production underwent an overhaul, with an emphasis on presenting Mets games as a party in direct response to the “corporate, buttoned-up” Yankees, according to sources. The Mets unveiled a 17,400-square-foot video board in 2023. They’ve added a dance troupe and a hype man to the in-game entertainment.

Last season, the team embraced an organic identity — from finding a new good luck charm in Grimace to rallying around infielder José Iglesias’ pop-reggaeton track “OMG” — during an unexpected run to the National League Championship Series. This year, the Mets introduced a mascot race for every home game with each of New York City’s five boroughs represented. The Bronx Giraffe, dressed in a dirty white T-shirt, has yet to win.
“There’s no way the Wilpons would’ve done any of the Grimace-type stuff,” a source said. “They were much more like, classic, put a baseball game in front of everybody instead of, like, turn this place into a nightclub.”

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
Reply to  RexFregosi

Sounds like the Dodgers ownership group. Both franchises are fortunate to have “enlightened” ownership.

milehigh
Member
7 hours ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

So he has a lot of money and can leverage tech people in his other businesses. Are we supposed to give him a medal?

This just says there is a big disparity in money both in society and in baseball. Nothing new here, imho.

Twebur
Legend
3 hours ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

Does Arte even go to home games anymore? Really only remember seeing him at Spring Training as usual. Doesn’t seem to be around much. I guess we can assume he’s active behind closed doors. We know he’s increasing the development budget, but it’s been so late and far behind, probably will never catch up.

RexFregosi
Super Member
13 hours ago

Matt Olson was a Pick #47

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
12 hours ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

If we could only be as wise with our pick…..

DowningDude
Legend
12 hours ago

Insert Tootie comment about Billy Beane here.

Senator_John_Blutarsky
Legend
10 hours ago
Reply to  DowningDude

It means nothing without his collage of images

DowningDude
Legend
12 hours ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

Even more amazing is that he has not missed a single game since playing for the Braves. That’s some crazy stuff in this era of everyone getting off days.

CAoldskoll
Trusted Member
11 hours ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

He went from MVP level to hack’n’miss Trout guy last year. Seems to be rebounding. Still don’t get why Braves let their leader/MVP Freeman walk after WS. Thought he was old and washed?? He still on top and of course it works out for our hated neighbors.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  RexFregosi

I Gotchu. And bullpens don’t matter!  💪 

comment image

Born_in_59
Trusted Member
6 hours ago

Gee, I have no idea who this guy is. Did he play for the Angels at one point? Seems like all Atlanta players must have with all the deals Perry made with his old club.

red floyd
Legend
4 hours ago

Channeling our inner toots, are we?

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