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LA Angels Thursday News Crash: Photo Day

February 19, 2026

This is a behind the scenes look at Angels Photo Day.

Bruce Meyer was elected to be the Executive Director of the MLBPA.

Mlb projects the opening day lineups and rotations for all the teams here.

Here is the off season transactions tracker.

The Astros signed CJ Alexander to a minor league deal. The Blue Jays claimed infielder Ben Cowles off waivers from the Chicago Cubs. Mitch Garver got a minor league deal with the Mariners.

The Braves just lost two right-handers to elbow surgery. Janson Junk turned his ankle at Tuesday’s workout with the Marlins. He describes himself as “day to day.”

Photo credit: Rex Fregosi

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Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Is it a bad sign that I’m already bored with the 2026 Angels baseball season?

Member

EHC

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Dodger fans might say the same thing – knowing your team is guaranteed a playoff spot no matter what – is boring too. Maybe you would prefer a team in the middle that might be bad or might be good. Pick the most .500 team and root for them?

Super Member

BannedInLA

1 month ago

Reply to EHC

I would happily “suffer” with a team that is virtually guaranteed to make the playoffs.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to EHC

Nah. I’m around Doyer fans all the time. For one thing, they think THEY are somehow doing something when they buy a title. They also think the whole world is against them because the Yankees get more respect.

People can get a hard on about anything.

Super Member

BannedInLA

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Bored or not looking forward to the 6 month complaint session of entirely repetitive opinions around here when this below average team performs like a below average team?

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to BannedInLA

I’ll probably be on some other teams site a lot more by then.

Super Member

BannedInLA

1 month ago

Reply to gitchogritchoffmypettis

Combat sports, cinema & podcasts. Therein lies salvation my brother.

Legend

Pineapple12

1 month ago

Our very own Martin Maldonado clone —

Catcher Juan Flores, who just turned 20, continues to make an impression in camp. This is his third big-league spring training. “I’ve seen him since he was 17 years old,” Suzuki said. “Watching him develop on both sides of the ball has been really fun. This kid has a chance to be really special.” Suzuki said Flores is good enough for the majors right now in terms of the physical skills of catching, like blocking, receiving and throwing, but he needs more work in other areas, like hitting.

https://www.ocregister.com/2026/02/19/alek-manoah-feeling-good-about-comeback-with-angels/

Super Member

HalosFanForLife

1 month ago

This is going to invite some great heckling every time he k’s. 50/50 club?

https://www.mlb.com/news/jazz-chisholm-jr-on-hopes-for-a-50-50-season-in-2026

Super Member

BannedInLA

1 month ago

Reply to HalosFanForLife

What does 50/50 represent, 50 homers and 50 pounds of gold around his neck?

Member

EHC

1 month ago

There is no question Trout has been the greatest Angel. But has he ever been the leader of any Angels team? The captain? I have never ever ever seen him show any emotion. Has he ever been ejected for anything? Arguing balls and strikes? Charging the mound? Yelling at the other team from the dugout when they constantly pitch him up and in? Hit him in the wrist over and over? Anything heard from Trout?

If I have any critique of Trout it is this – he plays like a robot. Sometimes a player has to show passion and emotion just to let the other team, his team, even the paying fans know that he cares and hates losing.

Perhaps a little emotion will help turn him into more of a leader? I have always wondered about this.

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to EHC

Trout is passionate about his wife and family. He seems to be a deeply involved and loving father. My presumption is that is what he is passionate about and baseball is a distant second.

Legend

Pineapple12

1 month ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Trout doesn’t become an all-time great player without an unhealthy passion for the game. He doesn’t keep returning from injury after injury and pushing his body past it’s limits in a quest to recapture his greatness without being intensely passionate.

The dude is a baseball sicko.

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to Pineapple12

Well there is a $400m+ contract that plays into it too….

Last edited 1 month ago by Fansince1971

Trusted Member

toad2065

1 month ago

Reply to Fansince1971

So he’s basically Rendon with better PR?

Super Member

TrojanBoiler

1 month ago

Reply to toad2065

He’s Rendon + significantly better play + never tried to hit a fan.

Playing like shit and getting in fights with fans (even if they deserve it) won’t be helpful when you publicly talk about how you don’t care about baseball.

With Rendon I think it’s the combination of all those things and his poor attitude toward interviews. He probably wouldn’t be so hated if he was just transparent and said “look I am disappointed in how things have gone, but I am trying to work my way back from numerous injuries blah blah blah.” Not saying he owes anyone that explanation, but it surely would have helped his public image with the fans.

Legend

gitchogritchoffmypettis

1 month ago

Reply to TrojanBoiler

Rendon’s punk as fk

Super Member

Angelz4ever

1 month ago

Reply to toad2065

Rendone wishes he was likened to anywhere near Trout.

Super Member

HalosFanForLife

1 month ago

Reply to toad2065

Talk about a bad comparison. If Trout starts dogging it, fine. I find it outrageous to compare Trout and Rendon. That’s like comparing John Rocker and Jim Abbott because they were both lefty pitchers. Is his contract bad? Absolutely. But Trout still wants to post numbers. Rendon simply wanted his check.

Legend

FungoAle

1 month ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Agree with the family. Married his high school sweetheart and 100% Mike has never stepped out on her despite all the hotel lobby ladies. Trout has great qualities as a human and is less prone to slide with cleats up while playing a hated rival. I would say Mike is a quiet unassuming leader who does not display an intensity like a former Angel leader, Darin Erstad. One does not need to say a word when displaying an intensity.

You left out that Mike was passionate as about being the USA WBC Captain and also displayed leadership skills as the former commissioner of the legendary fantasy football league back in 2021.

Super Member

BannedInLA

1 month ago

Reply to FungoAle

And YOU omitted the fact that he’s a semi-accomplished weatherman.

Trusted Member

Jimmuscomp

1 month ago

Reply to EHC

The moments I remember are the home run robberies and the time he and Albert got to Rodney in a save situation and did his closer celebration back at him – the bow and arrow thing.

That is the only time I remember him really showing emotion that sticks. But he certainly did other times.

But showing emotion isn’t being a leader. What he does in the clubhouse could be far more important an we don’t have that info.

Trusted Member

MH252525

1 month ago

Reply to Jimmuscomp

But what we do know isn’t the best. Hey I’ll pay you to eat my pimples. The guy literally walked past Rendon when he was in an altercation with a fan. Worst thing you can do is just walk past. Taking Rendon away from the situation is ideal, but joining in is probably better in my opinion than just walking away.

Super Member

BannedInLA

1 month ago

Reply to EHC

Different personality types manifest emotion in different ways. I don’t think Trout’s emotional theatrics or lack-thereof are relevant.

The real “problems” plaguing Trout and his legacy are the fact that the organization completely failed to build a good team around him AND that his body has failed him over the past 5 years.

No amount of hysterics, bat throwing or temper tantrums would have had any impact in a positive sense.

Last edited 1 month ago by BannedInLA

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Legend

Jeff Joiner

1 month ago

Reply to EHC

I don’t respond well to emotional leaders. I look at people who have achieved what I want to achieve and try to model my actions after theirs if they are ethical.

In Trout’s case, he’s at camp early, he takes extra BP, he talks to young players away from the cameras, he signs for kids, he gives time and money to charity.

If his teammates don’t want to emulate that, I blame the teammates.