LA Angels Tuesday News Crash:

Zach Neto does not have elite bat speed but he hits homers anyway. Fangraphs takes a deeper look into what is going on. Mike Trout is back and so far he’s starting to see some things drop in for hits. Apparently that phantom pitch clock strike on Yoan Moncada Sunday was because he couldn’t find his batting helmet. Matthew Lugo and Sam Aldegheri are back.

Oh No! The Dodgers claimed Chuckie Robinson off waivers. Tim Anderson is officially released. We really need to try to get this guy on the Angels for the fun of it. I read about him in a Rule 5 recap article. (Garrett McDaniels, by the way, is rehabbing in the ACL). On top of his name Angel Bastardo, he is also from Moron, Venezuela. That’s one of the funniest city names since Batman, Turkey. I guess I am easily amused.

Corbin Burnes will undergo an MRI due to elbow discomfort. The Mariners are acquiring Joe Jacques from the Dodgers in exchange for right-hander Will Klein. The Orioles designated infielder/outfielder Cooper Hummel for assignment. The Dodgers DFAd right-hander Chris Stratton as part of the fallout for the Joe Jacques trade. The Yankees just placed Carlos Carrasco on outright waivers.

Miguel Andujar is probably going on the IL for an oblique related injury and Mookie Betts is missing a lot of games with his broken toe.

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Twebur
Legend
3 days ago

Fletch on Sam and Wash?

This is Ron Washington today. IMO, this is absolutely NOT how the Angels should be handling their top prospects.

Why do this in a season where they have a 1 percent chance to make the playoffs? Makes no sense to me.

https://x.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1929975352467829056

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Twebur

I’m not sure, other than needing something to get huffy about, this is an issue. Lot’s of guys who teams want in the rotation do time in the pen. I mean, even when I was a kid they did this.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago

Hard to believe but Trouty could have a 30 or better Homerun season, now that’s what I call hitting. Maybe a .287 32 80 season would be awesome with no more IL. Oh, what a day for a daydream, custom made for a daydreaming boy.

BannedInLA
Super Member
3 days ago

I think it’s quite possible. This has vibes of the season he missed a month or so over the back issue and returned to absolutely MASH over the final 2 months. He was amongst the league leaders in HR, Slugging & OPS though he may have been a few at bats short of qualifying.

Phil
Newbie
3 days ago

It would help if Washington moves Trout up to 2nd/3rd to get 1 more extra at-bat each game.
I don’t agree with Trout batting 6th (or even 5th).

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  Phil

IMHO Trout is best @ 3rd. Especially now that there is a power threat at lead-off. Now, we need to have a real hitter at 2nd & 4th.

milehigh
Member
2 days ago
Reply to  Angelz4ever

I’m curious about batting Moncada 2nd ahead of Trout.

Brent
Super Member
3 days ago
Bonjour de France

That was a nice surprise to wake up to. Not sure how much I can watch/folllow live this week here for the D-Day festivities, but always happy to see a win again.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 days ago
Reply to  Brent

The D-Day memorial must be incredible to attend.

grichmanpoorman
Trusted Member
3 days ago

This baby-faced 17-year-old had a nice professional debut in the DR today… 3Ks and zero runs in 2 innings.

https://x.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1879633782078365831

Twebur
Legend
3 days ago

Playing on a better field, but not a better view. The conditions where some of these DR kids come from compared to the US…

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  Twebur

The DR is quite beautiful. The food is unreal good.

grichmanpoorman
Trusted Member
2 days ago
Reply to  Twebur

Yeah, it’s something… tossing fastballs into a crumbling bunker with the Pacific crashing in the background.

bobblanton
Trusted Member
3 days ago

Trout batting third

Twebur
Legend
3 days ago
Reply to  bobblanton

Wash changes his mind fast… not always a bad thing.

Eric_in_Portland
Legend
3 days ago

About this college thing. If I counted right there are 3 SEC teams left. Didn’t they have 13 in the tournament? The old Pac12 has 3 teams, Oregon State, UCLA, and Arizona

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago

The aluminum bats still don’t sound right to my ears anymore; wish they used wood in college. UCLA is still alive.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Yeah. I’ve never understood why they don’t use wood other than it costs more over time…. but these teams aren’t running on 2K a year budgets anymore.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 days ago

SEC took a beating last weekend. Vandy going down was a shock, same for Texas.

Arkansas looks like the team to beat right now. But UNC’s offense is hot and there’s lots of talent all over the board.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago

Ohtani hits one outta Dodger Stadium, very impressive indeed. Nights are cool and usually with heavy costal moist air, so blasting one out of that stadium is difficult. I was lucky to see both of Stargell bombs that left the stadium, and they were the first two to leave the park. First one in 1968 but did hit the RF pavilion roof before the parking lot. Second in ’73 cleared all before hitting asphalt. Once again in the minority, I miss Showtime, but still in all enjoy what he is doing for the team in blue while remembering how good he looked in red. Fate takes many turns, wish he and Mike would have been Babe and Lou though.

toad2065
Trusted Member
3 days ago

Charles, don’t ever apologize for being easily amused! It’s the best way to survive in this crazy world.

TrojanBoiler
Super Member
3 days ago

I love Fangraphs because I am a huge nerd. That article on Neto is just awesome.

AnAngelsFan
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

My take-away is that what Neto lacks in power he makes up for with techniques that require great reaction time, hand-eye coordination, and plate vision.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Welp. Almost 1/3 of the season gone. Teams five games under 500. If adell gets a hit or two tonight we’ll have seven players with OPS+ in the positive in our line up. We have three starters with positive ERA+. That’s actually a big improvement over last year.

It also focuses what we need to look for the next 120 games. Silent C needs to get better, then we’ll know he’s a real piece. Detmers. Start some games and gett his act together over more innings. Make him a keeper. Jo Adell. Just keep hitting and getting solid in RF/CF. If he just becomes a guy that can play the whole OF and hit .220 with 30HR that’s a win. Nolan too, to a lesser extent. Just hit for some more power the rest of the year and he’s a piece.

The bullpen…. woof. Gonna need to look at a lot of kids in the coming months…..

But the team’s looking better than last year. Different poop.

Twebur
Legend
3 days ago

Offseason running/ballet/yoga/balance-improvement classes for Schan the Man is mandatory if he’s going to continue hitting 2nd in the order. And continue to add to his man weight and become strong-like-bull. Gut feeling Detmers is back to being a starter after the deadline if he can be stretched out, if not then 2026.
Silent C needs to improve his grit factor, work on his command and confidence, and if he ends up a solid 4 or 5 starter, F yes I’ll take that.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 days ago

Agreed.

And while all of this is going on some actual player development is taking place on the farm. Nelson Rada and Walbert Urena, Chris Cortez…it is far from a stacked system but these are all guys who likely would have been called up in the Ohtani years.

I think Detmers is in the rotation soon. His value is in the rotation. See if he has any or not.

Soriano taking a step back this year is my biggest disappointment.

Twebur
Legend
3 days ago

If this ends up being the guy, the intense energy will be fun (if he doesn’t end up sucking, and obviously it will toned down for MLB)

Liam Doyle is a mad man, came in and struck out five of seven faced today in perfect relief with some triple digits in the bag (he did throw 6.2 IP on Friday as well)

https://x.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1929729227462791525

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Twebur

The draft, and pitchers, are such a crapshoot. For all I know Doyle is Max Scherzer. I still just don’t want him ahead of a lot of other guys. I think my logic is, as Turks said, he’s got Bachman’s fastball…. and does not have Bachman’s slider. And the argument for him is that he’s “intense, violent, and has a big fastball” to which I wonder, has facing a pitcher who is intense with rough mechanics and a good fastball been something your average major league hitter seriously worries about? Cause last I checked, fastballs are not what give hitters fits.

I just don’t want to bet heavy on the guy.

grichmanpoorman
Trusted Member
3 days ago

Word.

Twebur
Legend
3 days ago

I’m leaning on the “experts” here at CTPG…where many seem to know the MLB draft, dare I say better than the Angels Organization. I’m hearing that this might be PTP’s guy, right or wrong.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago
Reply to  Twebur

Perry knows nuttin’ about drafting. He is on a tight budget, so his first draft choice is about signing on the cheap and crossing fingers. This year he has a real chance at picking second, to get it right he has a better than average chance and he wants to screw it up because he thinks he is smart. How many of his pitcher draft picks has he got right? This guy is a dope, a loser in picking draft players and free agents and scrap heap players. What other than Neto has he got right?

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

I see your bullshit and raise you one kangaroo.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago

So, it’s bullshit I post? Then maybe you can straighten me out and I can be more productive in my bullshit posting. On a yearly basis since taking over just how much WAR has PTP added to the team by Drafting, trades, Free Agents. Then we can compare to other teams, all 29 to be fair. I’ll raise you one Platypus.

Twebur
Legend
3 days ago

Not all bad GPB.
NetOhopSchan are his guys. Anderson 3 years relatively cheap, not bad. Return from last year’s trade deadline looks promising. Kuchi has been OK. Maybe Moore becomes a piece. Sounds like we have some good/possible arms in the minors, most of which probably end up in the BP. He could have given up on Detmers and Adel, they could be worth the wait. I see more promise today than anytime I can remember. IMHO, its taking too long, at this pace, 2035 looks promising….. If his guys pan out. But a lot of that is on “evil art” if he doesn’t open his purse and bring the right FA’s.

Last edited 3 days ago by Twebur
TrojanBoiler
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  Twebur

I am with you. I really don’t think Perry is all that bad. Probably not elite, but we could do and certainly have done worse.

Some other moves with periods of sustained value – Alex Cobb, R Iglesias, Matt Moore, Drury for one season, Estevez, Strickland, Moncada

You know what Perry hasn’t done yet? Signed an expensive free agent that ended up blowing up in our faces and tanking the future payroll. The trade for Soler is probably the worst financial move he has made so far?

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 days ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Signing Stephenson is clearly his worst move so far. $33 million guaranteed and the dude has pitched a single inning for the club.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago
Reply to  Twebur

As a GM, you need to hit on something good once in a while. Maybe Kuchi will work out as a bargain to say off set some others that didn’t work out like say a Stephson or Soler. But can’t always look back and say what if. Example what if on Ohtani or what if on Rendon. At some point (For myself it took place last Dec.) you have to examine the whole body of work. PTP made a choice to work with Arturo, so he thought he was smart enough to get around the obstacles and make it work. To accomplish this, it would have meant making better decisions than have come about. I did not mean to infer all choices were bad, but his body of work is imho sub par.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

What am I thinking right now Nostrildomus?

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 days ago

My glass orb is not functioning lately, but I trust your all-knowing wisdom when I get cranky, good.

grichmanpoorman
Trusted Member
3 days ago

“On a tight budget.” You have no idea how the draft works, do you?

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago

Why don’t you explain to all of us how it works as you are so knowledgeable about wow draft monies work, there just might be lessons to be learned if you could take the time to teach.

grichmanpoorman
Trusted Member
3 days ago

Like every other MLB team, they have a limited pool of money they can use to sign draft picks, based on how many picks they have and draft position. They routinely use all of it.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago

If a lesser value player is negotiated with in the first rd then there is more money to sign players within the later rds. The statement that I made was in reference to taking a real 2 pk in the 1st rd and negotiating with his agent and ending up signing said player to more money than budgeted for a 1st rounder and having less money for subsequent players later on. The Angels like to think they have outsmarted the system by thinking that this will always work out the best. But having one of the 1-3, 4, or 5 players to choose from depending on the draft more often than not works out better taking a player than is higher rated. The higher the pick the more $ is allocated but usually will cost more. To avoid this a lesser rated player will be chosen to save pool monies for later picks.

This year because of having that number 2 pick that will not come around again in the near future, I would like to see the team get a Hernandez or if available Holiday and not play money games trying to budget for later rounds as in prior seasons where it has not been successful.

TrojanBoiler
Super Member
3 days ago

Isn’t that exactly how we landed Dana though? Saving budget for the later rounds and paying over slot?

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

One player? Hmm, but even if more does that mean you really want to do that savings idea on the number 2 pick. It would seem that the rumor is that Minasian is ready and willing to do so and for that I disagree that is the right move.

TrojanBoiler
Super Member
3 days ago

Nah I’m with you on that. We need to use our position and land one of the best players in the draft.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

Yeah. I understand saving some pool cash for a HS kid down the line when you are drafting in that pile of sameishness below say pick 5 or 7. But at pick2? I can’t really tell who BPA is, but they should pick him and just pay him.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

I’ve heard rumors about lots of stuff. I get so angry. Then I type my tirade out. Then I get all defensive about my tirade getting pecked at. Especially stuff with totally volatile outcomes, like IPO stocks, turtle races, and the MLB draft. I’m totally with you. You are stuffed with wisdom. Hell, you even know what PTP is thinking. You have the powers of an ex-girlfriend and the body of a grizzled mountain man. I wish I had those. Good?

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
2 days ago

 😀 Good 😄 

Last edited 2 days ago by GrandpaBaseball
Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 days ago

The Angels draft allotment is set by MLB. Perry has a predetermined amount of money to spend.

His typical strategy is to sign his first pick for under the slot value then take those savings and overpay a guy who drops a little. This is a strategy, not something forced on him.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

It’s also a strategy that other teams employ. I’m actually curious if they bother with this picking at #2 as apposed to #9 etc

Last edited 3 days ago by gitchogritchoffmypettis
gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Twebur

I dunno. It’s so much “I saw a goose fly past the moon last night so we will win the war against Carthage” type stuff. I’m not sure I buy us picking a guy at #2 because he went to a school in Tennessee or Kentucky, etc. Like we just CAN’T have a scout or two drive to some place in California or fly to Oklahoma. But we have NO WAY of knowing who has blown a succession of scouts away, who coaches like, which coaches we like (this may be Tennessee) who scouts enjoyed talking to and came away impressed, etc on top of all the evaluations. The fun is basically figuring out who I like and then shrugging my shoulders.

I’m not gonna get all pissed off about who ever the Angels draft. There is no Paul Skenes available to us this year. So I guess I just have to hope they do their best.

I like pitchers who don’t seem to work too hard. I like guys with power, but i don’t want to count on them not striking out 35% of the time to get to the MLB. I like guys who may work out at 3B and can be OF if they don’t. I like fairly fast OFs. That’s about as picky as I want to get, and even then the best guy out of this draft is just as likely to be some guy like Doyle.

grichmanpoorman
Trusted Member
3 days ago

If there’s a Skenes, it’s Hernandez.

Twebur
Legend
3 days ago

Hernandez would be bold for Perry. That would be a cool pick. Why not take him!

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago
Reply to  Twebur

Budget. Perry has always played the budget game with thinking that he will do better with more money in later rds.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

We have the 2nd (I think) biggest pool in the draft, so that’s less of a concern now. We also pick pretty early in most rounds, so we don’t have to jump on guys and over pay them as much. Also, you have to find a guy who agrees to an underslot deal before you pick him at #2 in order to stash money for later rounds. There’s less to be gained by tinkering this year.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 days ago

Agreed. But does he turn into Skenes here?

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

The point is Skenes was Skenes at LSU. There was no “he could be Skenes”. He was clearly the #1 overall guy. We don’t have that guy in this draft at all. I’ve heard a scout on podcasts actually say Arquette’s their #1! Same with Willits. Along with voices calling for Hernandez, Holliday, Arnold, Doyle… hell, I heard one guy chime in with Billy Carlson.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

MLBTR… turns out the Padres wouldn’t mind having Jaren Duran on their team. What are there, like six MLB teams that couldn’t use him? Are they also willing to give Steven Kwan a good look? Silly.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago

Mike Trout’s road to .250. Catch todays episode @ 4:10 PM PST.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Angelz4ever

I’m a Trout skeptic at this point, but hey, he looks good now. Hitting mammoth HRs when the pitcher provides them, but also hitting line drives that are hard outs or solid hits. Not hacking away like a twelve year old. Haven’t seen one swing yet where he takes an overmatched whiff at a pitch and then stares out at the batters eye like it has the answers written on it while he finishes his follow through. Looks good. I like it.

Man. If he becomes a stronger Paul Molitor or something I’m gonna be stoked.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago

He looked really good last night.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 days ago

UCLA is hosting a super regional this weekend.

I’ve never been to a college playoff game. Might change that.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

I saw a USC/UCLA baseball game in 1982. USC had some tall redhead guy playing first, who knows WTH became of that guy.

TrojanBoiler
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  Angelz4ever

I went to USC for grad school and just now learned because of this post that McGwire played for the Trojans

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  TrojanBoiler

I saw Rodney Peete playing 2B (I believe) too, but didn’t see Randy Johnson pitch though. At that time I didn’t know who Johnson was.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago

Soler gets the dullard award for yesterday. Two outs and he spectates on that wall banger?

tanana40
Super Member
3 days ago

I know that we don’t like the Red Sox but watching games in Fenway can be really fun. The blasts by Trout and Adell were majestic shots that I am still thinking about.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 days ago
Reply to  tanana40

You were there last night?

tanana40
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Watching on MLB TV. 🙂

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  tanana40

I’ve never been, bit I’d like to.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  Angelz4ever

My brother and his wife went to Fenway. they liked it. Said the fans were fine. I really liked the Sawks when I was a little kid. Great history, great fans, great park. Jim Rice, Wade Boggs, Dwight Evans. They just became insufferable during the “buy like the Yankees and win with steroids while guys in Bristol swoon and moan about them” era. They also kept beating the team I like with their roided out poop shoot of a line up. I hate that.

It’s been a while since they’ve been “Yankees lite”, and I don’t have to deal with their bandwagon, so I hate the Sawks less than I did a few years ago. Still, go Rays, go Orioles. I’ll just visit Fenway sometime like it’s a museum with a baseball game in it.

Jeff Joiner
Editor
Legend
3 days ago

Mostly the same. Boston was fun when I was a kid and Sam Malone had a bar and Wade Boggs went to it. I kind of wanted them to win, until they did.

I went to Fenway and did a stadium tour. Highly, highly recommend. That ballpark would be a nightmare to walk around during a game. The tour got me into all kinds of cool places plus I didn’t have to deal with 35k drunk chowds.

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
3 days ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Outside of the 3 stadiums the Halos played in and the two the Dodgers played in, my next was Fenway in 1966 & 1967. Tony C. became my favorite, and he started out good through the 1967 until Jack Hamilton beaned Tony and changed the course of history. revisited again many times and is one of my favorite MLB Ballparks. That wall is something and that is why so many R/S players lead in doubles.

Mikeal1st
Trusted Member
2 days ago
Reply to  Jeff Joiner

Hands down best fans in baseball. Boston was clearly out of contention when I went to a game, crowd was still in the game singing songs, not just Sweet Caroline, yelling Yankees Suck, not playing the Yankees and just a great night though the weather sucked.also did the tour, went on top of the Green Monster with batting practice and ball being hit to us. Great childhood memory even though I was in my 50’s.

2pints
Trusted Member
3 days ago

Saw the Halos play the Sox there almost 20 years ago. Weaver vs. Schilling. Figgins with a leadoff HR, and Papi with a roid-fueled go-ahead GS late in the game. Aside from the outcome, it was one of my most fun games I’ve been to.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago

Evans & Rice both had +++ cannons in that OF my friend.

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  tanana40

I took a good friend of mine who is a lifelong Sox fan to Fenway and we sat out on the green monster on a night John Lackey was pitching for the Angels, and the Halos simply clobbered Boston. He forgave me, as the setting was just so awesome.

BannedInLA
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

Fenway is probably #1 on my baseball parks I’ve yet to experience, short list.

Turk's Teeth
Editor
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  BannedInLA

Only ever had good experiences there. The stadium is seriously aging, and a bit of a relic, but the whole neighborhood experience around the park is fun and dynamic. Wrigley too.

BannedInLA
Super Member
2 days ago
Reply to  Turk's Teeth

I’ve been to Wrigley, once, and yes it was fun.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago

Who’s pitching tonight for the Halos?

tanana40
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  Angelz4ever

Kikuchi.

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago
Reply to  tanana40

Thankee much good sir!

Angelz4ever
Super Member
3 days ago

I predict that today the BoSux return with a vengeance.

MarineLayer
Legend
3 days ago

Angel Bastardo truly belongs in this bullpen, especially since he is from Minasian’s hometown of Moron.

RexFregosi
Super Member
3 days ago

Squid, it’s what’s for breakfast.

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