LA Angels Tuesday News Crash: Crash – Crashing the Pearly Gates

Editor

Super Member

29 minutes ago

Basically, I look at September at this point as a way to investigate what went wrong in roster composition, and look at the players in the system who might improve things next season to any degree.

What were the worst features of the 2025 Angels?

Defense (Angels were 30th in team defense)
Bullpen (Angels were 28th in team bullpen ERA and FIP)
Getting on base (Angels were 28th in OBP, 29th in batting avg, and 30th in K% and strikeouts)

Playing players on expiring contracts over AA/AAA prospects who are good on defense (Rada, Guzman), good at getting on base (Rada), and good at relief in tough contexts (Bachman, Natera Jr, Southard, Choban) is just deferring the project of fixing what ails this club, and wastes cycles on late season game outcomes few are invested in.

2

Legend

FungoAle

1 hour ago

Man, the Angels sure kick-started the Rangers wild card chances. Now only 1.5 games out. At 50-1 to win the WS, worth putting a Franklin down on that to happen. Maybe the Angles will kick-start the Royals this 3-game set. At 150-1…another team to watch. Angels are proficient in helping other teams really play meaningful games.

0

Super Member

RexFregosi

1 hour ago

Reply to FungoAle

We can do the Royals a solid now and confound the Ms/rangers chances.

1

Legend

FungoAle

1 hour ago

Reply to RexFregosi

I made a bet back in November on the Royals. Got them at 40-1. Sometimes it pays off to wait. A quiet year for Witt per the Bobby Witt-O-Meter.

I do have the Red Sox at 35-1, currently setting at 15-1. In the AL, no clear standout so WC teams are a live bet and sneaky investment. Tigers are back to earth and Jays are falling.

Last edited 57 minutes ago by FungoAle

0

Super Member

RexFregosi

2 hours ago

The math quiz for Trout to hit .250 was a cool quiz
So here’s another.Be forewarned , it may appear to be a simple question and I thought so too but have not been able to answer in almost a month.
Q. When is Mike going to hit #400?

0

Trusted Member

Phil

2 hours ago

Reply to RexFregosi

A: in 2026

1

Super Member

RexFregosi

1 hour ago

Reply to Phil

a cold dreary April day in Chicago

0

Trusted Member

Born_in_59

54 seconds ago

Reply to RexFregosi

Unless this skin rash leads to missing the rest of the season, I’d say Trout gets #400 on the 12th in Seattle. My WAG is that he hits 4 HR and has 11 RBI for the month, again providing that rash isn’t worse than we thought.

0

Super Member

BannedInLA

2 hours ago

Nice 1-2-3 top of the order for KC.

0

Super Member

Angelz4ever

2 hours ago

I hope the halos plan on sending Silent C to Winter ball.

0

Super Member

Angelz4ever

2 hours ago

BTW, isn’t the Asstros’ field the one that had that D@mn flagpole in play in CF and that angled thing at the back wall?

I 100% agree with Adell, there should be no metal plate or unpadded fence posts anywhere near a MLB field.

Last edited 2 hours ago by Angelz4ever

0

Super Member

BannedInLA

7 hours ago

With Rada not being called up, the only remaining plot lines that are remotely interesting are:

1.) Neto and the chase for 30/30 (I’d say the odds are 60/40 at this point and I do believe he’s going for it)

2.) Can Trout stem the bleeding and work the batting average up to at least .250 and oh yeah, hit two more homers to reach 400.

Side note: Should we consider shutting down Jose Soriano a start or two early for precautionary reasons?

0

Super Member

PedroCerrano

6 hours ago

Reply to BannedInLA

I’m too lazy to do the math but Trout would have to put up crazy numbers to hit .250. Might require a time machine or the Fountain of Youth.

2

Legend

FungoAle

5 hours ago

Reply to PedroCerrano

Yeah, little chance Trout will go on a heater with his worn out body and degraded skill set. Frankly, that’s ok as I’ve accepted the fall from grace.

3

Trusted Member

Born_in_59

5 hours ago

Reply to PedroCerrano

Trout has 19 AB over the last 5 games. If he maintains that rate, it would be 95 AB over the last 25 games of the season. He would need 119 hits in 476 AB for a .250 BA, so 31 hits more than he has. 31/95 would be a .326 BA so not impossible, but unlikely with the way he’s been going recently.

6

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

5 hours ago

Reply to Born_in_59

Thanks, I was just about to do the math myself.

1

Legend

FungoAle

5 hours ago

Reply to Born_in_59

Over those 95 plate appearances, he’ll accumulate 30Ks with his current 31% strikeout rate. 30 strikeouts or 31 hits, which stat would you lay your money down on assuming you were a betting man?

1

Trusted Member

Born_in_59

5 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

If I was a betting man, it would be the strikeouts. The last time Mike hit .300 for a month was the beginning of 2023, and the last time for September was in 2022 when he hit .321. Still had 30 strikeouts that month too.

0

Trusted Member

Born_in_59

4 hours ago

Reply to Born_in_59

I thought that the season Jim Edmonds hit 27 HR but drove in only 66 runs was something I’d never see again, but Mike at 20 HR and 54 RBI just might do it.

0

Super Member

PedroCerrano

1 hour ago

Reply to Born_in_59

Nicely done.

0

Trusted Member

Phil

2 hours ago

Reply to PedroCerrano

I, too, am lazy.
But, there’s this thingy called AI. So, I asked AI your question. Here’s the response:
Assuming Trout plays the rest of the season, getting 96 at-bats. He would need 32 hits (0.333 BA) in order to raise his average to 0.250

Is that doable?
Sure, anything’s possible.
Like me getting a date with whoever’s the hottest supermodel at the moment.

0

Super Member

PedroCerrano

1 hour ago

Reply to Phil

I really need get better at utilizing AI. I recently asked it to paint me a picture of the Columbia River Gorge in the style Van Gogh and was amazed at what came out 30 seconds later.

What they’re doing with songwriting is downright criminal. Fake AI generated bands are now on Spotify with millions of streams.

Last edited 1 hour ago by PedroCerrano

0

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

6 hours ago

Reply to BannedInLA

You could go six man rotation and get rookies some starts but rest a guy like Soriano

1

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

5 hours ago

Reply to BannedInLA

I’d love to be in attendance when Trout hits 400. He’s due for a longball soon.

Hopefully it happens next week.

0

Legend

Pineapple12

4 hours ago

Reply to BannedInLA

1. Neto 30/30/30
2. Adell outside shot at 40 💣
3. Trout hitting #400
4. Every Sori start left
5. Ward 100+ RBIs

1

Legend

JackFrost

3 hours ago

Reply to BannedInLA

On Soriano that would be a resounding YES !

The only thing I’d add is to let him go into the off-season with a positive/good start… So if he has one with two weeks left I guess just pull the plug at that point.

0

Super Member

tanana40

3 hours ago

Reply to BannedInLA

I thought that it was interesting that Montgomery noted that Moore was sent down partially to give a good look at Peraza. I think that giving him a look is okay but I would rather have Moore play over Rengifo or Moncada. We basically know what both can do at this point.

0

Legend

MarineLayer

1 hour ago

Reply to tanana40

Rengifo never needs to play again since he shouldn’t be coming back.

0

Super Member

RexFregosi

2 hours ago

Reply to BannedInLA

Just let me know when DJ + TGA pitch

1

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

9 hours ago

So the games in September now become completely meaningless. Not even being used to get a look at real prospects. After making the “We’re Competing” statement at the beginning of the year, it will be very difficult to sell that again if they are bringing back the same players. It will be interesting to see what they do to try and convince people next year. I haven’t been to a game in years and if it wasn’t for you guys, I probably wouldn’t even pay attention to baseball anymore.

Last night, we went over to my son’s for Labor Day burgers and he reminded me when we went to a playoff game together against the Yankees in 2009. It was the one where the guy went into the fountain in the batters eye in CF and was splashing around for 5 minutes before they figured out how to get to him. The guy was a lawyer and he had researched all the laws and rules and was careful to break none in pulling off the stunt. A few days later he actually received a letter of apology from the Anaheim police for false arrest. The video is still on Facebook I believe. It was all in good fun and very entertaining and clever for someone to do it once. They updated the rules after that as a result of the incident.

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend.

2

Legend

Pineapple12

10 hours ago

Looks like we will have to settle for 89 wins

0

Legend

steelgolf

9 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

From what team?

3

Trusted Member

Born_in_59

9 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

The record for most consecutive wins is 26 by the 1916 Giants. Since the 2000 season, the Indians won 22 straight in 2017 on the way to a 102-60 record, the A’s won 20 in 2002 on their way to a 103-59 record and the Cardinals won 17 in 2021 on their way to a 90-72 record. I admire your optimism.

1

Legend

Pineapple12

8 hours ago

Reply to Born_in_59

It’s not optimism. I’m joking lol

1

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

7 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

YES WE PROBABLY WON’T!

0

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

9 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Math is hard. 😂

2

Trusted Member

Kevin

10 hours ago

I assume they have some reasoning for swapping Moore for Kingery but it’s hard to figure out what they might be. If they were a playoff team, calling up a Kingery might be understandable. Given where the Angels are, one would think Paris or some other young player might be the choice. Oh well.

3

Super Member

HalosFanForLife

10 hours ago

Reply to Kevin

Scott Kingery? The same Scott Kingery hitting .229 in the PCL (a launching pad) – that Scott Kingery? Why not bring up Kieboom and give him some reps? I seriously don’t get it. (Now they get paid to do this work, I don’t – but it’s seeming the bar isn’t very high) Maybe they see him as trade bait and don’t want him exposed.

Last edited 10 hours ago by HalosFanForLife

2

Trusted Member

Kevin

3 hours ago

Reply to HalosFanForLife

I don’t get the Kingery thing at all.

0

Legend

steelgolf

10 hours ago

Reply to Kevin

A “normal” team would call up some of the kids for a “cup of coffee” and have some of the regulars go on the IL, just so they can see what they really have and what the players need to work on.

3

Super Member

HalosFanForLife

10 hours ago

Reply to steelgolf

Normal teams make the playoffs on a normal basis.

3

Legend

steelgolf

9 hours ago

Reply to HalosFanForLife

True…….. but do they play meaningful games in September??? Because that is the true measurement!

2

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

7 hours ago

Reply to steelgolf

The problem is…. who are you talking about? We don’t have any prospects that have ANYTHING indicating they should get a look at the MLB level other than Rada and he has already jumped a bunch of levels this season. Not sure they should rush him more than they have.

I’d understand being annoyed if we had some guys with .750+ OPS in AA/AAA that we should be looking at instead of Quad A fodder. But we don’t. Even guys like Paris haven’t exactly demanded another look….

It’s almost as if it would have made good sense to target some advanced position prospects and trade Jansen and Ward for them. But what do I know? Who would we have watched the rest of this year and next year? Jansen is a dawg. You don’t cash out when you are so close to being a little bit close to squeezing into the play offs. Arte, Carpino and CtPG Guy were on the same page. Ticket sales were good through August. What is not to like?

0

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

7 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I don’t think it would hurt to have a look at Rada but otherwise I agree, we don’t have others waiting in the wings and Paris has been out injured for almost 2 months.

0

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

6 hours ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

See. I’d be really pissy about this normally. I knew we’d suck by now and I had hoped to have some rookies getting ABs a lot by now. But then we managed to have a farm system where everyone sucked and Rada managed to have a blip of solid production in a launch pad.

No one is really ready to even come up and fail in order to learn. They already suck at the level they are at. So I can’t really complain that we aren’t looking at prospects…. other than pitching prospects. And hell, even the vast majority of the arms I expected to see by this time sucked so hard they don’t really need a look.

The good news is that we don’t rebuild, we reload. So we’ll have this same load next year too. Rad.

2

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

4 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

It’s very bleak right now. It will be interesting to see if Perry does anything any different over the winter and next year. If no one is traded, 2B, 3B, and CF are the only openings maybe.

0

Trusted Member

Kevin

2 hours ago

Reply to steelgolf

Yes, noted. Halos don’t do that for some reason.

0

Trusted Member

Jimmuscomp

10 hours ago

Reply to Kevin

Dollars to donuts it’s service time related.

Keep the AB’s down to avoid using a year of his control up or making him a super-2.

I’d have to look and I’m too GA, but I’d bet it comes down to money.

2

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

7 hours ago

Reply to Jimmuscomp

Yeah. Why look? Conspiracies are all about not looking for information.

I’m not totally sure, but he’s not gonna be a super 2 player. Not unless he hit’s really well next year. Even if he stayed up the rest of the season he’d need to be on the active roster at least 100 games next year. I think…. He’s gotta be up an average of 86 days per season and be in the top 22% of his rookie class? A lot of guys get kinda close to this, but most fall short unless they are playing well enough to justify it.

We did preserve his rookie status by sending him down. He may have passed that if he’d stayed up.

The money savings in arb comes from keeping a rookie WHO WILL PLAY WELL off the roster for a little while. If he has -0.2 WAR his arb case isn’t a big worry for the FO.

Or…. Arte is a fascist in service of a dark cabal that is plotting to use the ultra popular death metal band Death Clock to control the world.

2

Legend

Pineapple12

3 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

We did not preserve Moore’s rookie eligibility.

Angels optioning Christian Moore is a good development move, poor baseball politics – he surpassed 45 days on active roster on Thurs. meaning he’s not prospect eligible for Pipeline or ESPN but will be eligible by Baseball America who uses AB meaning he won’t be 2026 PPI eligible

https://x.com/TaylorBlakeWard/status/1962565419203793213?t=2XcBeD9q5owT887Vj8uuUQ&s=19

Last edited 3 hours ago by Pineapple12

0

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 hours ago

Reply to Pineapple12

But when is he no longer eligible as a rookie according to MLB? I think it’s the 45 days…. that might have donz it….

I don’t really care, I wanted them to play him this year at some point, so there we go. It just would have been nice if he didn’t suck, but he does. Let Scott Kingery live in the swamp of season end sadness and send more somewhere where he can get work done. Fine with me. Moore didn’t have “I’m figuring it out” written all over him.

0

Legend

Senator_John_Blutarsky

8 hours ago

Reply to Kevin

My question is, why is Kingery on the 40-man roster? He can’t be part of the solution in 2026 (“hope” is dangerous), why not play players that could/should have a future here?

Perry continues to confirm his “Costanza” level of idiocy, and Montgomery (for playing Kingery) affirms the reality that he should not be making any meaningful baseball decisions.

3

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

7 hours ago

Reply to Senator_John_Blutarsky

So….. who do you bring up? Other than Rada who is too young probably. Who has captured your attention with their performance and needs a look? Because the MLB guys don’t need to take a look at a kid who can’t hit .240 at AA unless that .240 comes with a .550 SLG.

Those prospects will be in the minors next year.

0

Trusted Member

Born_in_59

5 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I wouldn’t have minded seeing Guzman, but since we have Peraza hitting homers at 3B, there doesn’t seem to be a position for him.

0

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

3 hours ago

Reply to Born_in_59

Yeah. I like Guzman but he is sort of in the same boat as Rada. Kind of like when you build a new engine that has been trouble. You finally get it working right…. do you keep driving it on short trips around town, or take it to Baja and let her rip?

We barely got those guys working well this season. Not sure feeding them to MLB starters is the best plan. Even if they are ready, what? They won’t be ready in March? But if they are still a mess in the mind? Barely surviving? I’d just keep working from the positive spot they are in now.

0

Editor

Super Member

Turk's Teeth

1 hour ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Personally, I’d take a look at Rada and Guzman – especially defensively, because that might provide more information for offseason decision-making.

I’d also look at Bachman, Natera Jr and Southard out of the bullpen. All are in near future plans, and Choban is another guy worth looking at.

I’d give Aldegheri another couple of starts out of the rotation, to see if recent stabilization we’ve seen at Rocket City is also visible against MLB pitching.

I just don’t see much upside in playing guys on expiring contracts like Taylor, Rengifo, Chafin and Garcia because they’re not part of next year’s crew, and the season is already over.

1

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

7 hours ago

Reply to Kevin

It could be as simple as he’s had over 100 ABs. He’s hade plenty of time in the cages going over the reasons he can’t hit .200. He’s not making the adjustments. If the coaches don’t think he’s gonna make the changes, and he’s just gonna get his ass pounded for an extra month if they keep him here, why not send him down?

He gave it a good try. Got a long look. Obviously he is talented, that’s good. But it would have been very surprising if he’d come up and had a .700 OPS. He didn’t do anything in the MiLB to make me think he would. That’s fine. He’s very new. But there’s no reason to prolong his failure if he’s not ready to learn at this level yet. Let him prospect for a little while longer.

And we get to watch The Taylor King. Because you need nine players on the field.

0

Super Member

PedroCerrano

6 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I agree that he looked overmatched and needs more seasoning. I really wish that our AAA club wasn’t playing in Salt Lake along with a few other PCL launching pads that skew the numbers. Glad that they didn’t bring up Rada.

0

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

6 hours ago

Reply to PedroCerrano

It’s just my totally unsupported gut feeling, but a 20 year old kid like Rada, I’d really rather he just end this year on a high high note and head into ST this March feeling good. Knowing the positive eye of Arte is upon him. Maybe work on some stuff, hit more line drives. Come into camp looking stronger with more doubles to hit.

The path for playing time is pretty clear for him. No need to bring him up and get him punched in the mouth. Plus, exposure to shitty Angels fan JuJu at a young age? Risky.

0

Super Member

PedroCerrano

6 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Same for me. Freshly called up hitters used to have a honeymoon period before word got around about the holes in your swing. That no longer exist and guys need to be pretty well sorted at the plate or at least mature enough to handle the ass beating. That’s a big ask for a 20 year old.

2

Super Member

2002heaven

5 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Nelson Rada is Brett Butler in Spanish might also be Reggie Willits who wasn’t all that.

0

Trusted Member

Born_in_59

5 hours ago

Reply to 2002heaven

I would be thrilled with Brett Butler, a hall of very good player that would have merited more hall of fame consideration if he could have fielded CF in his 30’s.

1

Legend

FungoAle

5 hours ago

Reply to Born_in_59

Hell yeah, Butler was a good table setter

2

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

3 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

Amen. Give us some Butler. Useful piece,

0

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

4 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

That is a valid position.

0

Legend

FungoAle

5 hours ago

Reply to Kevin

I have zero tolerance to watch Paris struggle and he will. I’d argue Moore was promoted too early but now that the Angels popped Moore’s rookie virginity, makes little sense to play Kingery over him.

0

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

3 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

I believe he still qualifies as a rookie. Needs 130 ABs right? 86 games? May be missing something….

0

Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

5 hours ago

Reply to Kevin

I think they want to tweak something in Moore’s swing. Easier to do that out of the limelight and where game results don’t really matter.

0

Legend

steelgolf

12 hours ago

Kingery, Farris, Taylor. Well, I guess they were going for uninspiring while playing their meaningless-ful games in September. I have one more game to go to, and only because my son’s band is going to play the national anthem before the game. Yeeesh 2026 looks like a rinse, repeat of every season since 2016.

4

Legend

GrandpaBaseball

12 hours ago

No more Moore but we added Kingery. Changes (David Bowie) are happening. Good to hear that Ward is ok, why would any team intentionally put anything that can injure a player anywhere on a baseball field? Courtesy and common sense should dictate that it is just a wrong idea. Well, smfh, it is the Asstros after all.

1