LA Angels Tuesday News Crash

On Saturday Reid Detmers became the 12th Angel pitcher to record 200 strikeouts in a season. Nolan Schanuel and Kyren Paris are both done for the season.

The Twins designated catcher Alex Jackson for assignment. The Nationals requested unconditional release waivers on right-hander Cole Henry. The Blue Jays designated right-hander Joe Mantiply for assignment. Michael Lorenzen cleared outright waivers and elected free agency.

Alex Bregman is awaiting test results after being hit in the face by a foul ball. He was in the on deck circle at the time. As it turns out, he has multiple facial fractures.

The Giants injury woes continue. This time Blade Tidwell left a game with elbow discomfort. Dylan Cease has shoulder inflammation.

Fangraphs tested the adage that you should not make the first or third out at third base.

Comerica Park shall henceforth be known as Fifth Third Park.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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WallyChuckChili
Legend
14 minutes ago

No Ryan Ward for the Angels

jco
Trusted Member
jco
2 hours ago

Fangraphs had an analysis of how the. Gels might become competitive again. There’s some methodological questions I have, but it’s interesting.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/when-will-the-angels-be-competitive-again/

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
1 hour ago
Reply to  jco

The projections were very conservative but even so, I hope this helps convince some here of what I and some others have been saying, which is it’s a long dark road ahead with no easy way out. Which is why they need to trade Neto, Detmers, and Schanuel to at least fortify the farm system. Right now they have almost nothing to work with. I don’t see a path during the rest of Trout’s contract. Maybe they spend a little money just to be respectable but not for when they will be good. They could get there on the pitching side, but they are years away on the position player side.

Fansince1971
Legend
1 hour ago
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

Yes. Agreed completely. This reasoning is not doom and gloom. It is searching for a path to restore the franchise from the devastation of a terribly run Org for more than a decade. These things are not quickly cured and suddenly all is rosy. It takes time, commitment and the right people in the right positions.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
18 minutes ago
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

I will be pleasantly surprised if Trout sniffs the play offs. Gotta factor in, the team may get better, but there are plenty of kids who will take three years to be any good. Plenty of kids who won’t be good. Plenty of veteran grit that can underperform. Injuries to players who clearly don’t care about baseball enough….

We need a lot of KIDZ and we will also need years, not months.

Pineapple12
Legend
2 hours ago

Does Rocket City clinch the championship today? Bremner on da bump

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Legend
2 hours ago
Reply to  Pineapple12

Planning to watch. I’ll try to post a game thread like Sunday.

Will be the first Pandas championship in the Southern League if it transpires.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
1 hour ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

I’ll schedule the game thread right now.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
1 hour ago
Reply to  Pineapple12

the game tomorrow is listed as “if necessary”

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Legend
1 hour ago

Yeah, this is a quick 2-of-3 series, the final two (potential) games at home for the Trash Pandas.

If they sweep, given the offense they’re facing, that’s sumthin’. Would be a testament to how much Moz’s reinforcements changed the game for the Angels’ AA club.

cookmeister
Trusted Member
3 hours ago

Good luck to Lorenzen whatever he ends up doing. Maybe going back to a 7th/8th inning role is in his future?

Rooting for him. One of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Quick story:

I played against him in HS (he’s a couple years younger). One of my best friends ended up playing with him at CSUF. Years later (I think 3 years ago now), my buddy invites me to Dinner with the Titans, a before season dinner/fundraiser, where Lorenzen attends as a guest speaker. Lorenzen’s HS coach is now the head coach of the baseball program that I’ve worked for for nearly 20 years.
After the dinner, my buddy brings me up to meet Lorenzen, and we chat for a couple minutes about us playing against each other, me working for his former coach, etc, and he immediately insist we take a picture together to send to coach. He says next time he’s in Anaheim for a game to get in contact and see if he can get us to batting practice and whatnot.

I never hit him up on that deal, but him taking the time to talk as if I were just an old friend was really awesome.

RexFregosi
Legend
2 hours ago
Reply to  cookmeister

Agreed. Cool story

Out of hundreds of ball players I’ve encountered in Tempe over the years, without a doubt Lorenzen is one of the bestest- Top 5.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
1 hour ago
Reply to  cookmeister

That is awesome.

YOUknowulovetheIE
Super Member
4 hours ago

Time for lorenzen to hang them up.

Fansince1971
Legend
4 hours ago

`i’m curious as to what you all think is the bigger issue driving the lockout.

1. Financial difficulties by the owners in running the teams under the current collective bargaining agreement.

2. Super teams, spending way more money than other teams and creating a disparity in the league?

If it’s #1 and can be honestly proved, that is a legitimate reason for a salary cap. . Financial difficulty and pending bankruptcies were really the motivation behind many of the professional sport league caps like the NBA.

If it’s number two, the narrative becomes harder for the owners to justify. This is particularly true because as many times as the owners can point to the Dodgers, The players can point the teams like the Guardians or the Rays to argue the counter-point.

Ultimately, it would not surprise me if this thing ultimately resolved without a salary cap. Most likely it will involve a much more serious penalty for spending over a particular amount and much more significant revenue sharing, which would go along with a mininimum “floor” spending amount that the owners are required to spend if they receive compensation from the rest of the league. I also think the loophole that is deferred salaries will be closed and the full amount of any salary will be charged against the luxury tax.

In many ways, this lockout is more about owner v owner than owners v players. If smaller market clubs receive compensation and choose not to spend it on payroll, that is not the players fault. If the deferred compensation loophole allows a team like the Dodgers to spend as much as they have while not being severely penalized for it, that is not the players fault.

Ultimately, given the fact that these are a bunch of billionaires with egos, I think it’s going to take a while for the owners to realize that the players are just never going to accept a salary cap – mostly because there is no real poverty evidence to justify it. The owners will eventually figure out that they need to deal with issues within their own ranks in order to get a deal done

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Fansince1971

Owners would have to open their books to get a salary cap. It’s never gonna happen.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
3 hours ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

It’s not #1

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
1 hour ago
Reply to  Fansince1971

Pretty much the same as in our lives, the greatest problem in the game is the financial gap between the top and the bottom. The Dodgers TV contract is 500% larger than many clubs.

And, as in real life, thanks to a legal loophole the top dogs do not contribute an equal percentage of their wealth to the revenue sharing system. That Dodgers $250 million TV carve out simply has to go. The Yankees had a carve out after building their new ballpark.

Further, luxury tax money is not properly spent. Owners like Nutting routinely pocket funds that are supposed to go to players.

All of the better functioning leagues have transparency, caps, and floors to address these issues. MLB has none of those things.

HalosFanForLife
Super Member
8 hours ago

Seward just ran a laser timed 6.07 60 which is absolute freak material (I’m guessing wind aided, but still). But I watched him, have talked to a few guys, and I don’t want him to be our pick – and do expect him to slide based on the take from a few scouts and what I saw. Of course, I have no vote, so he just might be. 80 grades seldom come out – Vlad Jr was an 80 grade hit – but I can’t remember others. Seward is almost unanimously an 80 grade run.

But here’s a nice story on him –

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/scouting-dylan-seward-a-quick-twitch-switch-hitting-shortstop-who-might-be-the-1-1/

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Yup. I think Grindlinger is our “gamble on talent” high draft pick. There’s no clear beast in this draft. I prefer going after a possible superstar if we get a really high pick, but it may be wise to look closer at the Lawson/Kelly/Hairston pile of players or even go MORE in a direction I’m less excited about and draft a pitcher. If Dax Whitney is the BPA at our pick we could probably do much worse.

grichmanpoorman
Trusted Member
7 hours ago

Oof… taking a UCL convalescent at No. 1 (presuming we get it)? That would definitely set a precedent.

Anyway, it’s fun to talk about. So much baseball between now and then. Hopefully a stud will rise and make it an easy decision for Moz and co. Agree that it would be awesome to draft a consensus top-of-the-rotation pitching prospect for once. A Skenes if one exists. A Seth Hernandez.

FungoAle
Legend
4 hours ago

Hoping Dax is able to get back on the mound before the amateur draft to show he’s able to dial it up. His FB and secondaries are oh so appealing.

Long ways to go yet. Angels could use some legitimate pop in the system. Grahovac will help that but more is needed.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  FungoAle

I’m not really worried about the UCL thing with Dax. It’s not 1992. Better to just get it overwith before he’s drafted. He’ll be behind glass until the 28 season for who ever drafts him either way. What matters is he’s good.

But still, I’d really rather have a really good position player taken by us if possible. My early sweetness goes, obviously, to Lawson and Hairston but I really like Tokheim out of Stanford and Adrian Gonzalez from Texas too.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
2 hours ago
Reply to  FungoAle

I wish I could find his game logs. In hindsight it should have been obvious something was off as the season went on. He stopped the 5 or 6 innings of shutout ball with 1 hit and 10 Ks and started giving up 3 runs until his arm went haywire.

HalosFanForLife
Super Member
6 hours ago

I did a little sleuthing and I want to put a 6.07 into perspective for people. When Usain Bolt ran his world record 9.58 100 meters – he was estimated at 5.85 for 60 yards. But he had blocks. A baseball 60 starts sideways like you are leading off. No blocks. They say the sideways start takes off .15 to .25. I saw the video – and he didn’t rock – which is how some guys cheat the time. 6.07 is a jaw dropping baseball 60 time when it is laser timed and from a group where the numbers are considered legit. + runner is considered 6.5 to 6.6. ++ is 6.3 to 6.4.

Last edited 5 hours ago by HalosFanForLife
HalosFanForLife
Super Member
4 hours ago

By the way – it’s at about 60 to 70 yards where Bolt was reaching top speed of 27+ mph – which is unfathomable to me. In perspective, Seward might be 34 feet per second. Bolt was doing over 40.

cookmeister
Trusted Member
5 hours ago

not wind aided. The Showcase was in Miami (indoors)

HalosFanForLife
Super Member
4 hours ago
Reply to  cookmeister

That’s crazy. Wow.

Texan44
Trusted Member
9 hours ago

My opinion, Angels don’t need Alex Jackson, if he is the same one that played in Baltimore. Also, I had to read the “Don’t make the out on 3rd…” a couple times. So interesting because the Angels need more ballplayers that know what is happening with each pitch and each time the situation changes.

Last edited 8 hours ago by Texan44
steelgolf
Legend
9 hours ago

Fifth Third Ballpark? You see those white flags over there? That is the English language surrendering. I don’t care that it is the name of a bank that Comerica merged with. It doesn’t make the name any less stupid. I would treat that bank like I treat emails from people who use pronouns in their email signature, I ignore and delete them,

RexFregosi
Legend
4 hours ago
Reply to  steelgolf

Based on Stan’s SoFi, I guess his new baseball stadium will get a new moniker eventually too.

I hope it isn’t lame but pretty much all of sponsors are lame (except Chico’s Bail Bonds of course)

And me thinks this whole pronoun thing will be a relic in a decade- it never took off outside of California in the first place.

steelgolf
Legend
2 hours ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

Chico’s Bail Bonds is a classic! Fifth Third is nonsense.

BruinsAngelsKings
Super Member
2 hours ago
Reply to  RexFregosi

And me thinks this whole pronoun thing will be a relic in a decade- it never took off outside of California in the first place.

My employer is nationwide, all of my immediate co-workers are on the East Coast and I think I might be the only one that does not have pronouns in my signature line.

Mikeal1st
Trusted Member
3 hours ago
Reply to  steelgolf

I’m calling stadiums by their appropriate name… Angel Stadium, Rams Stadium, Lakers Arena… Doyer Stadium.

cookmeister
Trusted Member
3 hours ago
Reply to  Mikeal1st

more like Niners/Raiders Stadium

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
1 hour ago
Reply to  Mikeal1st

As a kid I did not realize Great Western was the name of a company. I’d listen to Chick Hearn call games on the radio and I though he was simply describing the The Forum as being great and in the west.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
59 minutes ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I may have learned that today.

HalosFanForLife
Super Member
10 hours ago

We have to face reality. The Rockies are the gold standard in tanking. 2nd or 3rd is a good effort, but pretty hard to beat the champs. There are no moral victories, but we didn’t do so bad. Now I want to save the 100 streak.

Pineapple12
Legend
9 hours ago

1 more SF win and an Angels loss will secure top lottery odds.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Pineapple12

We WILL get you that loss my friend. We will find a way.

Texan44
Trusted Member
9 hours ago

Obviously getting first pick is better than 3rd pick, but if tanking was the answer, the Rockies would be in the World Series. They are sitting at 99 losses for 2026. Going back for 6 years, 119, 101, 103, 94, 87. Covid. So if you win by losing, apparently they failed to get the message.

Pineapple12
Legend
8 hours ago
Reply to  Texan44

Tanking isn’t the turnkey solution it once was before the MLB instituted a draft lottery. It’s about having a 19% chance of getting the #1 pick instead of 11%. Best odds =/ guarantee, but I still want the best odds

Fansince1971
Legend
6 hours ago
Reply to  Pineapple12

You still have to draft well and then develop the players. I would say the development is at least 50% of the puzzle. So having high draft ranking is just part of the picture.

The Dodgers are an example. Their farm continues to be among the best in baseball. They are firing on all cylinders at the Major and Minor League levels. That is because they have a very smart baseball Org and spend to have the best minds and best player development.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
6 hours ago
Reply to  Texan44

At some point they should be penalized.

Texan44
Trusted Member
6 hours ago
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

Just a question. Is they the Rockies or Dodgers? Not sure because of where the comment fell.

Mikeal1st
Trusted Member
3 hours ago
Reply to  Texan44

In my opinion… Yes.

Roy Hobbs
Super Member
3 hours ago
Reply to  Texan44

I was referring to the teams who lose 100 games 3 years in a row and 90 plus 4 years in a row. (The Rockies). Doesn’t mean I’m happy about the Dodgers either. You can accidentally win more than 62 games. We lost 99 2 years ago and will be very close this year. There’s just no excuse over a 5 year period never getting any better. I guess I read it backwards but it’s still inexcusable to be that bad that long. Losing in the low to mid 90s is a lot less worse than losing over 100 3 years in a row. We’re currently on a pretty bad 3 year run and we changed owners which should reset the clock. I guess the Rockies did too. That should matter.

Last edited 3 hours ago by Roy Hobbs
FungoAle
Legend
3 hours ago
Reply to  Roy Hobbs

It’s extra tough sustaining a winner in Colorado. Pitchers just don’t seem to do well there as we all know and FAs don’t want to sign here unless it’s the only option. Gone are the days when big bats appeared; Helton, Tulo and Blackmon. Before that, Bichette, Walker and Gallaraga. Their recent high picks have not materialized. They should trade off what value players they have.

They have never seemed to get moving forward after the unexpected passing of team president, Keli McGregor in 2010. Leadership has failed and for some odd reason, they felt compelled to sign Kris Bryant to a wild contract even though they were going to finish last in the division

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
1 hour ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Chatted with Suzuki about this on Sunday (it was more of an informal hang out than usual media time) and he said sinkerballers were the only guys who worked well at Coors and brought up Ubaldo Jimenez as an example.

I asked about mixing speeds better, getting guys with killer change ups to at least keep guys off balance. He said it could work but you need some movement.

Then talked about facing Jimenez in the minors and getting dominated.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
8 minutes ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Knuckleballs? Spin reduction in the thin air isn’t a problem with no spin?

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
10 minutes ago
Reply to  FungoAle

Crazy thing is, ballpark is nice and fans actually go to games….generally. This is actually another team where, literally, I would take Bryant’s salary and pay scientists and coaches to find SOME way to make it so my pitching staff works there.

It would totally be worth 30M to make it so my arms are mostly effective at all home games and the VISITOR has to deal with adjusting to Coors.

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