LA Angels Thursday News Crash: AZ Fall League

Legend

1 hour ago

Ohhhhhh daaayyymmmm! Turns out the Orioles are having a great season now. Mike Elias was promoted to POBO from GM this past off season but they kept it secret. Most likely because he was so busy speaking truth to power in his new and completely different roll that he didn’t have time for a presser.

If only our team was into title inflation. Then we’d be bad ass.

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 hour ago

I love Trout, but the sharks are coming up out big time:

Angels rumors: Organization ‘concerned’ about Mike Trout decline with $190 million left on contract

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Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 hour ago

Reply to Angelz4ever

No duh MSN.

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 hour ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

LOL

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Super Member

Brent

37 minutes ago

Reply to Angelz4ever

Just don’t view his wife’s IG story, depending on what side of the aisle you’re on.

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Super Member

YOUknowulovetheIE

8 minutes ago

Reply to Brent

What did she post?

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Trusted Member

Terry

30 minutes ago

Reply to Angelz4ever

The Angels can be concerned all they want, but they still owe him $190 million. The Mets will find out down the road the folly of handing mammoth long term contracts to one player.

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Legend

FungoAle

19 minutes ago

Reply to Terry

Cohen has no conscience. He will spend above the luxury tax to cover up the mistakes. Arte, not so much.

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Trusted Member

grichmanpoorman

1 hour ago

Klassen was awesome last night. 0 ER, 2BB, 8K in his longest start of the season (7 IP). You see lines like that, and it doesn’t seem possible he’s the same guy who gave up 5 hits and 7 ER in a one-third-inning start back in August. Hopefully he figures out a way to kill Mr. Hyde for good.

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Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 hour ago

Reply to grichmanpoorman

Their game was on Fan Dual last night and I caught a few innings. Kid looked pretty good.

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Legend

GrandpaBaseball

1 hour ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Ditto

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Super Member

RexFregosi

59 minutes ago

Reply to grichmanpoorman

playoff Day in the IE
Another Dodger sweep straight ahead
🧹 🧹

Last edited 51 minutes ago by RexFregosi

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Super Member

YOUknowulovetheIE

7 minutes ago

Reply to grichmanpoorman

Jekyl and hyde explains most of their pitching prospects.

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Legend

MarineLayer

1 hour ago

Anyone heard an update on Reid Detmers?

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Legend

FungoAle

1 hour ago

Reply to MarineLayer

Dead arm?? They should just shut him down. He’s a tradable asset.

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 hour ago

Reply to FungoAle

…or an even better keepable asset for meaningful games in April 2026.

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Legend

GrandpaBaseball

1 hour ago

Reply to FungoAle

Not now. When the Angels come out and say things such as dead arm, lower arm soreness the rest of MLB knows what that means in Angel Speak.

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Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 hour ago

This day still hurts. 24 years no longer feels like yesterday.

When I look at how much life I’ve enjoyed the last 24 years (my wedding, my son, nieces and nephews, etc) the true magnitude of what was taken from those innocent people hits hard.

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Legend

MarineLayer

1 hour ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

I agree.

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Legend

FungoAle

1 hour ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

I flew international out of LAX 4-days after this horror happened. Security was lock down tight and eye contact with the flight crew was meaningful and with a purpose.

Last edited 1 hour ago by FungoAle

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Trusted Member

Mikeal1st

1 hour ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

I was teaching. We didn’t have internet or television so we listened to AM radio all day in math class and talked about it. Bill Handel told me the buildings were falling. Piggy backed on yesterday’s news, (Kirk and school shooting) makes it hard to think about baseball, but I was hoping for a distraction. I can’t help but think his daughter is never going to run into his arms again. I didn’t agree with Charlie Kirk completely, but I think we could have enjoyed a game together, maybe the left and right should see a Banana game together.

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Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 hour ago

Reply to Mikeal1st

I’m really hoping to leave him out of the comments today. No good can come from it.

We do need to realize we have more in common than not. Perhaps this wasn’t the best place for my 9/11 musings but social media is worse than usual today and I want to avoid it.

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Legend

steelgolf

1 hour ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

I just toured the memorial in July when I was in NYC the day before I headed to Cooperstown. As someone in the steel industry, I saw things with a different eye, or added perspective. Needless to say I took a lot of photos. If you have not been, it is definitely worth the trip, they still have the foundations, grade beams, column bases, etc. preserved.

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Trusted Member

Mikeal1st

1 hour ago

Reply to steelgolf

I went in 2016, it was very surreal. I was on vacation and in a good mood walking towards the memorial. I suddenly realized everybody walking away from it were silent, as I was after I left.

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Legend

steelgolf

1 hour ago

Reply to Mikeal1st

Yes, we walked from there back to Times Square afterwards, just taking in the city.

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Super Member

RexFregosi

1 hour ago

Reply to steelgolf

I had my first trip there too in December so this is my first 9/11 also after seeing it. It hits hard.

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 hour ago

Reply to steelgolf

I had a pre-arranged business trip to stay on Orange County from 9/11-9/12 and at the hotel (Near John Wayne airport) it was eerily quiet, except for one jet fighter that seemed to be fly by at about 100 feet over the hotel.

I was looking forward to going down the road after conference and buying a Halos ticket at the gate on the 11th. But what happened put everything in perspective.

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Trusted Member

Terry

27 minutes ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Soooo True!

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Super Member

YOUknowulovetheIE

7 minutes ago

Reply to Jeff Joiner

Watching it live in hs was crazy. I had stayed home that day and was glued to the news channel.

Last edited 6 minutes ago by YOUknowulovetheIE

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Trusted Member

CAoldskoll

2 hours ago

Here is a random question, are any members of the CTPG actual season ticket owners? If so how long. I attended a lot of games but my tix r thru Stub Hub

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Editor

Legend

Jeff Joiner

2 hours ago

Reply to CAoldskoll

I had the flex plan for years. No longer. I’m also StubHub until Arte sells.

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Trusted Member

Mikeal1st

1 hour ago

Reply to CAoldskoll

A close family member is a season ticket holder of probably 16 seats. I used to buy ten games a year from him but have been going to only 2-3 a year through stub hub (When I wanted to see Ohtani pitch) or friends. They give away a lot of tickets.
Actually, it’s probably a good time to pick up season tickets.

Last edited 1 hour ago by Mikeal1st

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 hour ago

Reply to CAoldskoll

I have a perennially renewed Halos crying towel subscription.

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

3 hours ago

The Halos should send Silent C to Fall ball, to maybe reinvent him as a reliever.

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Trusted Member

cookmeister

2 hours ago

Reply to Angelz4ever

while he isn’t ineligible, sending a guy with experience in parts of 4 big league seasons would be unprecedented

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 hour ago

Reply to cookmeister

He fell off the turnip truck somehow, in Winter Ball or the Dominican Republic is where he needs to learn and grow in the offseason. Maybe computer data analyzing his throwing angles, follow through and pre-game meals.

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Legend

steelgolf

1 hour ago

Reply to Angelz4ever

Teach him a knuckleball.

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 hour ago

Reply to steelgolf

…or a spit ball.

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Trusted Member

grichmanpoorman

3 hours ago

Sheesh… quiet around here today. Guess I’ll amuse myself with one of my favorite talking points: Nelson Rada!

> Currently the youngest player in AAA, at 20 years/17 days… about 10 months younger than Giants 1B mega-prospect Bryce Eldridge.
> Has reached base safely in 31 of 32 games since his promotion from AA. Hasn’t gone hitless more than two game in a row.
> Currently fifth in OBP (.435) in the PCL among batters with at least 100 ABs… behind three 26-year-olds and a 23-year-old.
> Already has five assist put-outs in CF, which pro-rates to about 20 for a full season. For context: Steve Kwan currently leads MLB with 12.
> Has swiped 17 bags in his 32 AA games… tying him for 22nd among and behind players that generally have played three times as many games.

Nelson Rada!

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Member

Trout_is_my_Bestie

3 hours ago

Reply to grichmanpoorman

Genuine question. Is it safe to assume he can/will perform in the big leagues as a Steven Kwan type? What is his floor and ceiling?

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Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 hours ago

Reply to Trout_is_my_Bestie

No. It is not safe to assume that about 97% of prospects will perform like Steven Kwan. Or even Denard Span. He is playing in the PCL against tired pitching staffs. Doesn’t mean he won’t be good. But it also doesn’t remotely mean he’s sure to be anything more than Stephanic, who also kills it at SLC.

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Member

Trout_is_my_Bestie

2 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

97% failure rate… So you’re telling me there’s a chance!

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Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 hours ago

Reply to Trout_is_my_Bestie

Exactly. Steven Kwan will be a hobo compared to Rada. 100%

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Trusted Member

grichmanpoorman

2 hours ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

97 percent of prospects do not bat .320 in AAA over 120 ABs. But yes to your point… no guarantees in this life, sunshine.

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Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 hours ago

Reply to grichmanpoorman

I dig me some Rada. OBP. Speed, to an extent. Defense. Nice. I am still glad they didn’t bring him up and I hope they leave him in SLC a little longer. My issue is 32 games. Those are a great 32 games to be sure. But I’d really actually like to see him struggle. If he stays in AAA it will be a fresh lot of pitchers he faces, etc. If he logs say 70 games total at SLC and just never struggles, well I guess that’s that. But he WILL struggle in the MLB. There will be a book on him after about ten games just like there was for Paris, etc. I’d feel better about hanging our hat on him as a useful CF if I knew he was mentally ready to get punched in the face and then sort it out. He’s so young, and the team is so crap, I don’t see any reason to rush him other than CtPG Guy is bored.

It’s also not the end of the world if he starts the season with the club after a hot spring and then falls on his face, as long as he can go back to SLC with a solid plan to make it back to the Halos. But again, I’d feel better about that with a 24 year old than a 20 year old.

But hey, maybe we’ll luck out and he will just be a crazy good contact god from March 1st onward. Maybe we can complain about his lack of power while he gets a .360 OBP. That’d be fine too.

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Super Member

YOUknowulovetheIE

4 minutes ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Perfect lead off guy with neto batting 2nd.

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Trusted Member

Born_in_59

6 hours ago

I read a few comments yesterday about Moniak, and while I agree that he’s hitting better this year, he’s only a little better than average and his fielding is atrocious by both Total Zone and DRS. Not sure we should bemoan releasing him and not getting anything in return.

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Super Member

Angelz4ever

3 hours ago

Reply to Born_in_59

BI59, everyone knows that all players thrive once they leave the Halos, right…?

Bueller…..Bueller…..Bueller…..Bueller…..?

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Trusted Member

Born_in_59

3 hours ago

Reply to Angelz4ever

Chone Figgins would like to talk with you.

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Trusted Member

Mikeal1st

1 hour ago

Reply to Angelz4ever

You had me at Bueller.

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Editor

Super Member

Turk's Teeth

3 hours ago

Reply to Born_in_59

I don’t bemoan releasing Moniak at all (and don’t believe at 27 he’s a prospect), and Chone Figgins was post-30 when he left the Angels and began his decline.

I do stand by my comments that the Angels have had a weak track record of developing prep bats since the Trout draft, though, and the five drafts between ’15-19 particularly stand out, as guys like Marsh, Jones and Jackson have become impact players in other orgs, and Adell took 8 years (and 5 years in the MLB) to find his rhythm. All high draftees, and Kyren is the next of that group – obviously with lots of talent himself.

Some combination of pacing, coaching, swing modifications, park factors, resources etc is making it difficult for young bats to thrive in the Angels system, whereas many find their ceilings elsewhere.

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Legend

FungoAle

3 hours ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

You can’t develop a a prep bat when you won’t draft them.

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Editor

Super Member

Turk's Teeth

2 hours ago

Reply to FungoAle

But they drafted plenty of them last decade – and prominently in early rounds. Only under Minasian did they stop. From 2010-2019, they used many top three round picks on high school bats, and really struggled to get them across the finish line.

It’s notable, because in contrast to prep arms, prep bats have at least an average or better hit rate in the draft – they’re not an overly risky archetype. And a number of East Coast clubs have been pretty effective systemically in getting high picks to the show in the past decade.

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Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 hour ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Also notable. Who is still involved with developing high school bats in our system now that was around in say 2012? Or 2015? Or even 2019?

I think the Angels have managed to both be consistently shitty AND they have also managed to have consistently bad luck with the picks they make. This blind squirrel has totally failed to find a nut.

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Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 hour ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

We certainly HAVE NOT seen it yet, but maybe we will see some uptick in developing hitters. I don’t care if they are high school bats. I just want some bats.

I know they are moving A Ball to Rancho Cockroach. A+ Ball is supposedly getting improved facility blah blah. Tempe is getting used more by players at all levels. Madison is a new park, SLC is SLC. I have no idea if the scouting and coaching are also getting upgrades, but I assume if they are baby stepping up in one area they aren’t against doing the same in others.

It seems like the Angels are at least paying more attention to their farm. Especially compared to the Dipoto/Eppler era. Not the grandiose flood of investment I hope for, but far more than Jam Jones era prospects were getting. So maybe we’ll see some improvement in the future.

But it’s a little silly to work hard at decrying the emergence of Jam Jones or ex-prospects and their “ceiling” as some major issue with the Angels. I mean Jones…. which of these top farm systems fixed him? Was it the Brewers? The Mets? The Dodgers? The Yankees? The Orioles? Oh wait, he finally made it to the top system in baseball, the Tigers…. now he’s survived all those shitty systems and can finally blossom for 100ABs at age 28.

Clearly the Angels did not select high school players very well and develops them poorly. But Marsh was not developed by the Phillies at all and is still a platoon bat for them. With A TON of line up protection. He is the best out of the bunch, other than Adell, I guess. The other guys? Am I supposed to work that hard at frowning at this?

All I’m saying is that 28 year old highly athletic guys finally stringing together a few useful innings of play is something I don’t really care about. Just like a Brewers fan isn’t gonna cry about the loss of Lucas Erceg. These things happen, they are a fact of baseball life. If we had a “Jam Jones” right now we’d all be pooh poohing how he’s old and not a real prospect and has insane BABIP luck and we didn’t develop him anyway or what ever.

A separate fact is that the post 2010 Angels farm system friggin sucks in almost every way and needs fixing. Even if we’d lucked into a super prospect like Jackson Churio over that time period we’d still have a crap farm and crap drafts over all.

Unfortunately we probably won’t even be able to tell if things are getting better. We’d have to draft some position players or, GASP!, trade a player like Jansen for prospects for that to happen.

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Legend

FungoAle

22 minutes ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

I’m certainly not fawning over a Jam Jones, Jackson or any of the ex-Angels that made their way onto an active roster and feel like this was a missed opportunity. Next year, we wont hear anything about them. What does irk me is the Minaisan approach to drafting. In 2024, we had a chance to draft a high school talent by the name of Konnor Griffin, whose draft ranking was in the first tier but instead when with the ‘quick to promote’ college mate, Moore, who did not really have a defensive position. It’s been the same MO with our GM.

We talk about development but really helps the outcome when you’re able to draft the right prospect.

Last edited 21 minutes ago by FungoAle

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Editor

Super Member

Turk's Teeth

1 minute ago

Reply to FungoAle

The strength of the 2024 draft was college bats. Several other teams passed on Griffin, just like they did on Bryce Rainer – and those two were often mentioned in the same breath. 18 teams passed on Crow-Armstrong, 14 on Corbin Carroll.

I just don’t think it’s a given that any prep kid is just waiting to discovered and become a superstar – there needs to be a good organizational fit, and development can turn raw goods into plate knowledge and usable contact and power.

Tampa does that every year. Boston and Detroit are getting there. Cleveland does that with pitchers.

I had several players ahead of Christian Moore on my ’24 boards – Cam Smith, Braden Montgomery, Trey Yesavage – but not Griffin, because the value edge in that draft class was college, and the Angels have struggled to develop guys like Rainer and Griffin. Not an ideal org fit.

I do think, given the totality of Minasian’s draft classes, that he struggles to identify positional talent, he overvalues relievers, and he biases more toward floor than ceiling. All of those things in combination tend to result in low ROI on his drafts. We still have a few more years to go to know if there’s fire behind the smoke as he’d shifted his focus to teenage arms in the last three drafts.

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Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

2 hours ago

Reply to Born_in_59

But this is CtPG. If we all researched cancer as hard as we research things to bemoan around here we’d have saved millions of lives by now.

The JuJu is real. The daddy issues are strong. We are literally the “smart, informed and engaged” element of the Angels fan base and we are focusing on things like Moniak having a Wonder Bread level season in Colorado. Fanbases that aren’t a pile of sad sacks who focus as hard as they can on their sad feelz look at something like the The Moniak Situation and shrug their shoulders because this is something that happens in baseball sometimes.

These are the same people who hear the Jam Jones Deprivation speaking to them since he’s finally had a good 100 ABs…. for his 5th team….. four years after we cut him…. as a failed IF who is a DH/OF now.

It’s not anything that doesn’t happen to every team just about as often as it happens to us. We are just really good at hunting these things down and being sad about them. Which is why the baseball gods will likely keep giving us what we seem to enjoy.

The JuJu is real.

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Legend

FungoAle

36 minutes ago

Reply to Born_in_59

Was not a Moniak fan but glad they released him and signed Tim Anderson

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Trusted Member

Born_in_59

18 minutes ago

Reply to FungoAle