Here is Rhett Bollinger’s post mortem on the Angels’ recent skid. Now they are starting to talk about the return of Yoan Moncada, although he is not eligible until at least July 20. The Angels released Joey Lucchesi. There’s no word yet on when they will release Arte Moreno.
This rather dangerous article is about how all 30 teams can improve at the deadline. At least Rhett said the Angels are expected to be sellers.
Mike Trout will be a starter at the All Star Game, if he can manage to play.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
I haven’t kept track. What’s our record the last two seasons with Trout out? This current losing streak isn’t helping
Trout still is the best player on the Halos.
USA USA USA USA
USA !!! USA !!! USA !!!
We’re at a bar in Dana Point.
🍺 📺 ⚽ 🍺 👍
lol we suck at soccer 😂
Reversing the Balogun red card just sent a wave of bad karma at the US squad. That was very shady business. Belgium wanted blood and took it to them.
Many of my friends pointed that out as well. I’m not gonna get political so all I’ll say is everything “he” touches goes to shit. Despite rooting for the US I’m happy that corruption didn’t win out tonight
The red card wasn’t even worthy of that, what corruption? Sounds like you wanted them to lose.
The red card was bullshit. Retroactively reversing it allowing Balogun to play was also bullshit. I can root for my country and call out it out lol
The u.s. isn’t the only country to have a red card reversed. If the u.s. wins you would still find a way to whine about the move?
This reversal was not without precedent for THIS tournament.
So the ‘bad orange man’ made a phone call, people can either look at it thru the lens of “I dislike everything he does because everything he touches turns to sh!t” or you can look at it as the leader of the country standing up for what he thought was an ‘injustice’ against one of the players on the national team, or maybe look at it somewhere in between those two.
Hate him or not, at least he stood up for the team (country) on the world sporting stage.
Yeah, no clue how you can flip this scenario. He got to play, why even complain about your best offensive weapon returning? Crazy lol
Did he touch you?
The call was bad when it happened. The reversal was really lame. We still would’ve lost anyway.
I disagree. The reversal was appropriate, there is no way that was red card material. Other countries have had it reversed before so this wasn’t a one off. I also thought they could win with or without him.
Agree, the task was already a tall one, why pile on top this red card shit-storm and overturn a call that the USA Team did not even appeal. Welp, the home town back office cooking was not enough. I’d be more motivated to put the Yanks back in their corner if I was the opposition. Play by the f’en rules.
What a strange thing to complain about.
Pulisic played bad, the defense was out of place, and the goalie had a bad game, but lets complain about the best offensive weapon returning. 😅😅
Who’s complaining? Belgium had enough of hype and nailed em.
You said having the red card removed was shady business when in fact the red card should’ve never been a red card. Don’t let politics ruin sports for you.
Do the Yankees have players we want for Neto?
Yes, they have several top 100 prospects. I don’t think he’s moving though. If Arte doesn’t want to move non jersey sellers in Soriano and Detmers, he probably won’t want to move the guy that is #2 in merchandise sales.
Nothing has changed and we’re going no where.
At this point I’d take a Jack Lazorko autographed jersey and a case of baseballs.
Read every day. Don’t post much if at all.
Got a phone call from the Angels ticket department a couple of days ago. Probably because last year some of our family had recently moved back to CA from Chicago, so treated them to a Cub game. Bought some expensive tics.
Anyhow, the Angels ticket rep wanted to know if I was interested in tickets for some games the second half of this season. I said, no, not given the owner’s spring training comments and the fact that apparently the last twelve years of futility have been based not only on incompetence and the failure to invest in scouting and player development, but because, if you believe him at face value, he does not believe the fans care about having a competitive team to cheer on.
The ticket rep responded by saying she is hopeful that good things are coming because of the change in the GM position. So, those of you who have pointed out that the PM firing changes nothing and is simply ownership throwing a bone to the true fanbase to distract it from the finally accelerating sell the team sentiment momentum, in my opinion, you are right.
If you want to see mostly minor leaguers play baseball, I recommend going to Rancho Cucamonga or Lake Elsinore games, and that we not support the current Angel’s ownership. It clearly thinks we are clowns.
Spot on. Gotta be a tough gig trying to sell such a tainted product. Each call I’m sure they get an Artie earful for 10 mins and no sale. As it should be of course
Smart. Nothing is changing til Arte’s gone. I was a season ticket holder for 25 years so they have attempted to call me many times. I have had essentially the same conversation with them. And they have attempted to convince me at multiple times over the last seven years since I’ve given up my Tickets based on reasons that never came to fruition. Bottom line don’t give Artie any of your money.
Join the conversation and add your vast knowledge.
Am I mistaken yet again? Isn’t Rancho now an Angels A level now?
You should consider posting more often.
Great post.
I’m guilty of hitting 2 games this year – both W’s for the record.
I’ve done StubHub for a few games. Pretty sure all W’s.
I assume Arturo got no $$ for that. If so, well done!
I went to two games thus far … both were freebies from a work colleague. I’m 0-fer so far with two pretty bad stinkers. The tarps off movement is inspiring and I’m a guy who used to be really noisy. Age and stuff caught up to me so I’m not as vociferous in the ballpark anymore; plus the team is just MEH … So some obnoxiousness on my behalf is very welcomed!
I responded to the email from a ticket representative with essentially the same sentiment. I made it clear that I understood it wasn’t his fault and that he was simply doing his job. However, until Arte sells the team, I won’t be purchasing any tickets, certainly not directly from the Angels.
For comparison year, last year the Angels had 5 regulars finish the season with an OPS+ between 110 and 116 and Nolan Schanuel at 108. This year, there are only 2 regulars above 100, Neto at 115 and Trout at 145. Everyone else has been a less than average major league hitter to this point for the season. They also have only 4 regulars with more than .1 WAR. I’m still struggling with JMs comment about the fact that they have adequate resources, they just need to correctly deploy them. I know it’s just Front office BS, but I would love to say to him, “Who do you think you are kidding?”
There are 3 SLC players who are at or above 115 for around 100 plate appearances. Irregular playing time definitely affects many players, and the “everyone plays” philosophy employed by Suzuki has definitely had a negative impact on the team both offensively and defensively in my opinion.
Whatever they’re doing isn’t working and they have nothing to play for, and 3 months to try something different. What can it possibly hurt to try something different. Even if it fails, at least you learn what doesn’t work. You often need to fail to learn but at least learn from your failures.
Probably my biggest frustration with this year is that what they are doing isn’t leading to success and they refuse to try something different. It isn’t going to cost any more to rid yourself of Soler and Moncada, and possibly others who are not going to be part of your future and are keeping you from moving forward.
Coming from this organization, everyone will have to believe he might be serious about not being sellers at the deadline. The fact that this team is so poorly run actually gives credibility to these types of statements.
As far as Soler is concerned, let’s see if he keeps earning ABs after the trade deadline. They could be playing him and praying really hard he gets hot enough to trade. If the deadline comes and goes and he’s still playing every day, then we get the pitchforks out.
Agreed on Suzuki. He has had such a negative impact on player morale and development. He should be canned ASAP.
Spoke with Trout and a few others yesterday for this piece.
Nice. And nice piece on Walbert, too.
Thanks. Appreciate that.
Was kind of surreal talking to Trout yesterday. I kind of randomly decided to get to the ballpark early thinking I might get quotes from a couple of guys about Trout’s ASG selection and right as I walked out of the dugout there was Trout. So I took my shot and he could not have been cooler about it.
I’m starting to learn the ropes a bit. Just kind of how the day goes and how to interact with guys. You want to get your quotes but also don’t want to be in the way.
We continue to live vicariously through you!
You overcoming cancer is a billion times more impressive than anything I’ve done.
Great comment Jeff. And congratulations to the senator for his literal lifetime achievement award.
Cool to get some Trout time Jeff- congrats and keep going for more!
By far the greatest highlight of my 23,900+ days on the planet (after the births of my girls) was 2/29/16 when I got to spend an hour plus in a batting cage with him analyzing and discussing his swing metrics for a new smart bat sensor for an HH article. Josh set it up. OMG – still can’t believe it.
It resulted also it a big regret. I had the opportunity to do the same thing the next day with Anthony Rizzo and a golf club at a range and I passed. Of course 6 months later the Cubs won the World Series and Rizzo blew up as a star.
I also got an HH gig with Ryan Blaney and Trout a following year when Blaney signed with Body Armour and they had a NASCAR in the Tempe Diablo parking lot. Trout changed a tire and took the NASCAR for a spin. Blaney went on to later when a drivers championship a few years ago. But that can’t compare to being in the cage with Trout talking about his swing.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/140319829@N02/Ei0881yX0x
That is so awesome.
The old HH days were so great.
That’s a cool story, vintage Trout years too
Trout is such a great guy. It’s one of the saddest things in baseball how his body has betrayed him.
If you ever need someone to carry your notebook, pen, or recorder for you while you’re walking around the field, I’ll happily volunteer! 😂
Trout should not play in the All Star game. He has a known hamstring issue. Have him show up, wave to everyone on from the field when he is announced, then take his spot in the dugout cheering on the other AL players.
He’s going to play in Texas and Houston before heading to Philly.
Disagree. This may be the last AS game he can play in. Send him out there and if he re-injures himself, its not like it will hurt the team’s chances at making a playoff run.
Agree with 2pints Him getting AS game time is more important than anything the Angels do in 2026 H2.
Let’s go get a third MVP!
He’s not risking his team’s shot at the playoffs. Unless he’s going to get traded 😆
Let the KIIIIIIIID play. We have nothing else to root for, except for Moreno selling.
According to Kurt Suzuki they just have to keep doing the same things they’ve been doing, and things will change. I just don’t know what to say anymore.
There are 3 months left. It would be nice if they actually used the time for evaluation. They need to see if Guzman, Peraza, and even Rada, are everyday players. But I’m afraid what’s going to happen is that they are going to stick Trout back in CF and Moncada will return to take away playing time from Guzman, andI believe as Suzuki says, they will just keep doing the same things. What was the purpose of firing Perry?
Whenever I get a glimmer of hope for the future, they quickly convince me there is no hope because they are all complete incompetent and no one seems to recognize why they’re in the situation they’re in. It is absolutely insane.
There current plan is to do nothing, and that will bring about change. They have the worst record in all of baseball. They’re where they are because they’re idiots. Happy Monday!
No one over 30 should play another minute for the rest of the year. We really do need to see what we have.
36-55 worst record in the league!
21 games left before the deadline
We need Detmers, Soriano and Adell to really lock in and boost their value 🙏🏼
30-51 since GA passed. That’s .370. Yikes.
Time unpon the GA article
Should have left Soler and Co on the DL. I liked the scrub team better.
I would certainly rather watch them.
Kikuchi went from 15 day IL to the 90 day or what? Another fool milking this team with injuries
His shoulder is toast and he threw a bullpen this past weekend.
Milking the angels just like most FA that sign here for their retirement checks
I don’t care about him or Stephenson. They should take their money and go away.
All Star Game news out Philadelphia just after the game. The Mighty Trout wins third All Star MVP. Two hours later, Marsh and Realmuto traded to LA for O’Hoppe and 100 million dollars with Mike Trout going home to win Championship the Phillies.
Can dream can’t we.
Wow. You said it first! 😀
Two signs posted out front of the Big A. First “TEAM FOR SALE“, interested purchasers, bidding starts at 4 Billion. Line starts under the red hats out front. “HELP WANTED”, experienced only, POBO/GM, Scouts, Front Office Personnel, Vice Prez of Minor Leagues, see Molly.
🎼 🎸 We won’t be fooled again 🎶 🎵 Catch if you can and we are into the tanking business now as we own the MLB’s worst record for the second time in ’26 ⬇ 📉
It’s on, trade ’em all and start over. Say Goodbye to Kurt as he joins Perry, say goodbye to Trouty and one hundred mil, say goodbye to Soriano and Yates, say goodbye to Adell and O’Hoppe. Bring on the rebuild and save money and invest in the minor league’s development in facilities and training with the best coaches and teachers.
Keepers can be our holdovers such as Guzman, Neto, Schanuel unless we get a better SS or 3B or !B in the dealings. Build for a better tomorrow today. Sense we need every position to be filled keep in mind Defense. Shop early and shop often, contact all 29 teams, leave no stone unturned. Have a nice day too.
GP. I’m done with all of them if the package is good enough.