Results tagged ' Trade '
Calling All the Angels
I have supported the Angels as a fan for over 30 years. I had the privilege to grow up in the shadow of Angel Stadium. In that time, I have seen the organization go through its ups and downs both on and off the field. Unfortunately, this has also included tragic events for the organization, including the passing of Nick Adenhart and now, Tyler Skaggs.
His passing yesterday of course was sudden and unexpected. At first, I thought it was a cruel joke. I was poring over statistics on the Angels' Facebook page and verifying the Angels' lineup for Sunday in preparation for an unrelated entry when the Angels statement on his passing was posted. Since I thought it was a hack at first, I went to cross-reference the news through other sources. There was nothing on the Angels' official page, nothing on ESPN, and no other references posted the news. Deep inside, I was holding out hope that it was a hacker. Unfortunately, that possible alternative was dispelled from my mind about 10 minutes later when the news started spreading. I am heartbroken. It's only a few months later after the 10th anniversary of Nick Adenhart's passing.
Tyler Skaggs was on his way to being the ace of the rotation. The Angels have not had a solid ace since Jered Weaver was in his prime. Skaggs was drafted by the Angels in 2009, the same year of Adenhart's passing. He worked his way through the minor leagues, and he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks before Skaggs could make is major league debut with the Angels for Dan Haren. He was traded back to the Angels a few years later as a result of the multiple contract debacles of Josh Hamilton, C. J. Wilson, and Vernon Wells. Skaggs rejoined the Angels when he was exchanged for Mark Trumbo.
My brother and I have tickets for the first game when the Halos come back home to Angel Stadium after this current road trip. As part of the Angels pregame rituals, they show a video of Angels' history with the song "Calling All the Angels" and introduce their starting lineup with the song "Spirit in the Sky." For the rest of the season and beyond both songs will have a different meaning for the organization, the players, and the Angels' fans just like they did 10 years ago.
Tyler Skaggs was a phenomenal athlete, however, sometimes we forget that they are people first. Baseball players are just people playing a children's game. Today, I want to honor Tyler Skaggs the person rather the athlete. Tyler, rest in paradise.
Tags: Ace of the Pitching Rotation, Angel Stadium, Angels, C. J. Wilson, Dan Haren, Diamondbacks, ESPN, Halos, Jered Weaver, Josh Hamilton, Mark Trumbo, Minor Leagues, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Nick Adenhart, Starting Rotation, The Angels' Ace, Trade, Tyler Skaggs, Vernon Wells
Are the Angels Preparing a Winter Wonderland or Preparing for the Brunt of Bitter Old Man Winter?
The holiday season invokes different emotional reactions from different people, some people think about spending time with loved ones, others think about the family gatherings, the food, the games; while still others think of the lights the holiday decorations and the overall spirit of the season.
Baseball fans however, have an added bonus during the holiday season, the Major League Baseball winter meetings. The winter meetings can only be described one way, opening a holiday gift early. This is the time a year select front office personnel from all 30 teams get together in one place and discuss anything pertaining to the upcoming season; primarily free-agent signings and trades. Some teams going to these meanings with the intent of making a splash, while others stay relatively quiet.
This is the case of the Angels this year, unlike years past, they haven't made an eye-opening transaction during this year's winter meetings, on the contrary, I believe this year has much more uncertainty than years past. The Halos lost Garrett Richards to free agency. Richards signed a contract with the San Diego Padres, Shohei Ohtani is recovering from off-season Tommy John surgery and is unable to pitch this upcoming year, although he will be in the batters' box this upcoming season. Parker Bridwell, a once promising Angels' pitcher is no longer available because he was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees. Injuries combined with these transactions make the Angels' starting rotation questionable at best.
The Halos number one priority should be starting pitching, and/or pitching in general. This position is there Achilles' heel as of late. They've had more of their fair share of pitching woes and it doesn't seem that this year will get any better.
If that wasn't enough, the Angels need help in the infield, they had Ian Kinsler's veteran presence in the infield. I believe they gave up on Kinsler too early, alternatively, keeping Kinsler would have helped the Angels at the very least determine whether he deserved a longer-term contract to shore up the infield. His absence now not only leaves question marks in the infield for next season but it also creates a huge hole that the Angels need to fill; combined with the team's pitching needs, I don't see how they can possibly fill all these holes and expect to not only compete, but contend. Something they must do if they want to keep Mike Trout happy and in an Angels' uniform in the long-term, especially for a team that does not want to go over Major League Baseball's luxury tax.
It seems that the Halos are trying to do too much at the same time, this is a combination of bad contracts over the years with several players that have put them in this bind. How does one find the pieces they need to contend well still have enough money to sign the greatest player of this generation in Trout, long-term? This is a conundrum that the Angels face, a conundrum that won't be easy to solve. I believe that in order to keep Trout and be contenders at the same time they must go over the luxury tax. The Halos are already asking a lot of the Angels' fan base when it comes to paying to spend time at the ballpark, the least they can do is begin to show us that our investment of time and money is bearing fruit. The organization has two choices, create a winter wonderland or prepare for the brunt of bitter old man winter.
Tags: Angels, Free Agent, Garrett Richards, Halos, Ian Kinsler, Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball Winter Meetings, Mike Trout, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Padres, Parker Bridwell, Shohei Ohtani, Starting Rotation, The Angels' Ace, Tommy John Surgery, Trade, Yankees
Does the Deck of Playoff Cards Have a Wildcard with a Halo?
A deck of playing cards comes with two jokers, often people do not use these jokers and they put them aside separating them from the deck. Traditionally the jokers are a pair of cards; they are considered the two traditional wild cards in the deck. Today, I will not discard them.
This metaphor is applicable to the game the baseball; just like in a deck of playing cards there are two wild cards. These wildcards are currently blank, including today's game that is yet to be played; there are only a dozen games left for the Angels in this baseball season, and the race for the American League wild card is tight.
As of today, the face of each wild card read "the New York Yankees" and "the Minnesota Twins". However, the Angels are only one game behind, due to the loss that the Twins suffered against the Yankees today, which means by the end of today if the Angels win, they will only be one half game out of the second wild-card with 11 games to go.
In order to determine if there is a Halo in the playoff deck, one must examine the four suits that the deck contains in order for their wild-card to be of any help towards the creation of a championship hand in this metaphorical game of cards. 12 cards (games) are yet to be dealt; with such a high number of cards left the creation of a winning hand is likely. However, equally as likely is that a losing hand which can be produced at the end of the season.
The heart is in my opinion the most important suit, the Halos produced more than 40 comeback wins so far this season, leading Major League Baseball they also led the majors in stolen bases prior to the Cameron Maybin trade. There is no question that this team has the talent and the heart to make sure that one of those blank wildcards reads "Angels".
The Spade
Although there's no question about this team's heart, the spade has not been kind to the Angels. The Halos have survived virtually all year without a pitching staff. Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, Matt Shoemaker, and Tyler Skaggs have been injured in some combination or another for the entire year. This is virtually our entire starting pitching staff. With the exception of Matt Shoemaker, the rest of the starting staff is back. However, due to length of time they were gone, they have been unable to be the starters that they really are. Although the Angels have been hit hard by the spade there are still enough cards in the deck to turn their fortunes around.
When the team is hit this hard by the spade, you need a little luck brought forth by the Clover. The Angels' patchwork and strategic positioning have allowed them to somehow stay in contention even with all the injuries to key positions. With 12 cards left, the Angels must make their own luck and take advantage of golden opportunities when they present themselves, something that they did not do yesterday when the Twins lost to the Yankees. The Angels did not close the gap, they lost yesterday's game six with three due to bad game management by Mike Scioscia, in certain situations he left players in two along and took others out too early. This can not continue if the Angels are going to let the Clover do its magic.
The clover's magic must work; the diamond suit in the deck must assure that. The diamond has been kind to the Angels. A diamond represents the value which the Angels have obtained the acquisitions of Justin Upton and Brandon Phillips, by acquiring these solid players, they Halos have strengthened their weak spots which will allow them to increase their chances of obtaining a winning hand, although I must admit I was very disappointed when Cameron Maybin was traded in order to make room for Justin Upton on the roster. I believe the Angels had a better option by letting go of Ben Revere instead of Cameron Maybin, slim as he is affectionately called; gave the Angels speed at the top of the lineup, it is the team's ability to run the bases that renders opposing starting pitchers less effective; something that needs to happen to be successful in the playoffs.
It is the right combination of the four suits that will determine whether one of the wildcards will have a Halo on its face. It is an undeniable fact that wildcards always make card games or in this case the Major League Baseball playoffs more interesting. Baseball wildcards cannot be simply discarded like the jokers in the deck of cards. However, all the other card suits must combine for a wildcard to be effective. In the Angels case, there are 12 cards remaining in order to create a winning hand.
Tags: American League Wild Card, Andrew Heaney, Angels, Ben Revere, Brandon Phillips, Cameron Maybin, Garrett Richards, Halos, Justin Upton, Major League Baseball, Matt Shoemaker, Mike Scioscia, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Pitching Staff, Playoffs, Post-Season, Starting Rotation, Stolen Bases, The Angels' Ace, Trade, Twins, Tyler Skaggs, Yankees
The Essence of Halo Nature
Human nature is unpredictable; it is basic yet complex, logical yet chaotic, fascinating yet at times disappointing. It is this essence and the interplay between these opposing forces that spark various thoughts, ideas, and philosophies for many millennia. Human nature allows one to think about probabilities and possibilities; it gives one a choice; to think logically, or to think creatively.
Baseball is a thinking man's game; there is not a more perfect narrator for human nature than baseball. It doesn't matter if it's a dual between the pitcher and batter, the managers, or the front office; human nature is the ever present variable. It determines the difference between indecisiveness and insecurity.
There is not a better example of the various aspects and complexities of human nature than the current off-season that the Angels are experiencing. The Angels clearly had roster needs, and the market was full of players that could have satisfied those needs, especially in Left Field, yet despite those clear needs the Angels decided to do nothing of impact. They are opting instead to platoon Craig Gentry and Daniel Nava.
The Halos had their choice of opting for Yoenis Céspedes, Jason Heyward, or Justin Upton; all of which, are premier Left Fielders; all they had to do was surpass the 189,000,000 dollar luxury tax, something that Angels' owner Arturo Moreno, was not willing to do. Now the Angels find themselves in a situation where they are at the mercy of other teams in baseball, with a depleted farm system they do not have any real options in the minor leagues, and now must rely on trades to address any additional shortcomings.
However, in order to do so now they must give up a piece of the team in order to get something back, rather than just parting with contract money. Granted, free agents can be expensive and an organization can at times put themselves in the situation where they overpay a player for underperformance. On the other hand, in the Angels situation one would expect that they would learn from both the Vernon Wells and Josh Hamilton contractual catastrophes. In comparison, all three players mentioned above are relatively young, and are in their prime, and all three of them produced impressive offensive numbers this past season and show no signs of decline.
Are the Angels satisfied with another average or subpar season? How does the organization justify raising prices on season ticket holders and the average fan this coming season? The fan base was told in previous years that the organization wants to wait for a strong free agent market, how much stronger can the market get? Yes, this team can compete as is, but can they legitimately contend? It is my current belief that this team cannot contend as it's currently constructed. If an organization doesn't have a strong farm system, which the Angels do not, then the next logical course of action is to go after a free agent that fits a glaring need; something that the Angels did not do.
It seems that the organization is going in the opposite direction; the Halos traded Efren Navarro to the Baltimore Orioles for cash consideration. Navarro was a spark plug in the Halos locker room. He was a backup first baseman but he also played some left field which would have helped the Angels' situation should Nava and/or Gentry not work out in left field.
Indecisiveness is when one is presented with various feasible options and one cannot decide which option to go with. insecurity is when one is presented with the only clear option and one does not take action up on it. It is my strong belief that the Angels are very insecure as an organization.
In the past few seasons they have failed to balance short-term success with long-term sustainability. A shortcoming that they must address in the immediate future, the Angels' fan base is getting restless, impatient, and annoyed. We have every right to be, the face of the franchise, Mike Trout has been through three General Managers since he was called to the major leagues. This shows tremendous instability as an organization.
Human nature is a fascinating a variable, it is a mental chess game within oneself; for Angels' fans when our love for baseball is brought into the equation, human nature transitions to a fascinating metamorphosis, it becomes Halo nature. It is this Halo nature that drives our passion, love, and that times critique of this team. Halo nature allows for indecisiveness, but not insecurity. This organization needs to find out what the essence of Halo nature means to them.
Posted on January 30, 2016 at 3:29 PM
Tags: Angels, Angels' General Manager, Arturo Moreno, Craig Gentry, Daniel Nava, Efren Navarro, Free Agent, General Manager, Halos, Jason Heyward, Josh Hamilton, Justin Upton, Luxury Tax, Mike Trout, Minor Leagues, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Off-Season, Orioles, The Angels' Ace, Trade, Vernon Wells, Yoenis Céspedes
Who Needs a Yule Log, When One Has a Hot Stove
I am back wearing my Christmas halo, my microphone broke since my last post, and it's taken me a while to find a compatible microphone for my voice recognition software. It's good to put the metaphorical pen to paper again; or in this case microphone to word processor.
Regrettably it's been a few months so there's a lot to cover, it's the holiday season, and because time is limited; for this entry I'm just going to cover the highlights of the off-season that stood out to me. I will expand on the rest of the activity that I don't cover in this entry at a later date.
On November 12, 2015, the Angels acquired shortstop Andrelton Simmons and catcher Jose Briceno in a trade for fan favorite, Erick Aybar, promising young pitcher Sean Newcomb along with another pitcher Christopher Ellis. Yes, Simmons can be considered a young phenom, the way he flashes the baseball glove is eye-catching, definitely highlight reel material. However, I worry that his handling of the baseball bat isn't up to par. Simmons may have a longer contract then Erick Aybar, but Erick is a solid defender in his own right, he is more patient than Simmons, he is a clutch switch hitter, and is less likely to pop the ball up in a crucial situation; something that Simmons is prone to do.
The price paid for the acquisition of Simmons is a little steep for my taste, not only did we lose Erick Aybar but the Angels also lost Sean Newcomb. Newcomb is a promising young pitcher, so much in fact that Angels' fans were wondering whether he was ready to join the pitching staff at the major-league level late last season, although he was not ready, he was very close; and with the Angels' farm system being as thin as it is in my opinion the trade hurts the Angels more than it helps. While I agree that minor-league prospects don't always pan out, the Angels need Newcomb, not only because as the old saying goes "you can never have enough pitching", but also because the Angels pitching staff is on shaky ground as it is, and to count on Weaver or Wilson to carry the pitching staff is simply not realistic anymore, thus, magnifying the need for Newcomb.
The Angels are not only in trouble for what they have done, but they are also in murky waters for what they haven't done. Earlier this week, Angels' owner Arturo Moreno was quoted in the local paper stating that it was unlikely that the Angels would pursue a big name free agent outfielder. I have a few issues with that, first the big question is what is this team going to do in left field? The Angels haven't had a solid left field presence since Garret Anderson. Shall I go down the list? First, on the list is Hideki Matsui, who joined the team when he was well past his prime. Vernon Wells, big contract, little to no results. Josh Hamilton, more of the same the only difference is that the Halos are still paying for him to play for the division rival Texas Rangers. Yes I know I neglected to mention Bobby Abreu; this is due to the simple reason that I feel that unlike the players previously mentioned Bobby did contribute substantially to the Angels and shouldn't be lumped with the aforementioned group of players.
Second, the Angels need to come up with a long-term strategic plan, cross the luxury tax threshold and responsibly sign a big-name free agent like Yoenis Céspedes to plug the gaping hole in left field, or hold on to promising prospects like Newcomb and forgo players like Simmons. It's impossible to have it both ways.
The Angels complicated matters further by trading away another promising pitcher to the Washington Nationals. Trevor Gott for Yunel Escobar, who is not a very impressive third baseman defensively, he is a natural shortstop. Here again the Angels are giving up a young hard throwing right-hander, for a questionable third baseman. The Halos in my opinion would be better off re-signing David Freese to a contract in order to resolve the issue at third base.
I would stop short of saying that the Halos' hot stove is burning hot, it's more like lukewarm. However it can definitely get considerably hotter. All that needs to be done is for ownership and the front office have to decide which direction they want to go, and commit to going in that direction. For a team that has drawn 3,000,000 fans for more than a decade, the very least Angels' fans deserve is a clear commitment from ownership and the front office whenever direction they decide to go.
Merry Christmas, and happy holidays and a happy new year!
Tags: Andrelton Simmons, Angels, Arturo Moreno, Bobby Abreu, Braves, C. J. Wilson, Christmas, Christopher Ellis, David Freese, Erick Aybar, Garret Anderson, Halos, Hideki Matsui, Jered Weaver, Jose Briceno, Josh Hamilton, Minor Leagues, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Nationals, Pitching Staff, Post-Season, Rangers, Sean Newcomb, The Angels' Ace, Trade, Trevor Gott, Vernon Wells, Yoenis Céspedes, Yunel Escobar
DiPoto Turns in His Halo
Originally I was going to write about the seafaring Grinch from Seattle who stole Christmas, referring to the Angels' "Christmas in June" promotion. I thought it would be fun to discuss my impressions. I was almost done writing the entry and I was deciding what pictures to include in the post, when the surprising but not unexpected news broke, "Jerry Dipoto resigns as Angels' General Manager." There it was, the news that changed the entire destination of this entry. I guess it wasn't meant to be, the sudden course correction within the Angels' organization is more relevant.
Rather than talk about my personal opinions on the inter-office dynamics of the organization and the reported tension, real or imaginary; between Jerry Dipoto and Mike Scioscia, I would like to concentrate on Jerry Dipoto's legacy and impact on the Halos. ESPN, MLB.com, MLB network, and Fox sports have talked at length about the tumultuous relationship between the Manager and General Manager, if one wants to know more about the inter office dynamics of the situation, I strongly suggest you go to one or more of the sources that I cited above.
Jerry Dipoto was brought aboard in 2011, upon his arrival, he made an immediate title wave of a splash, he signed then free agent Albert Pujols to a 10 year contract. He also ensured the future of the organization by coming to terms with Mike Trout on a six-year contract extension. He also brought aboard C. J. Wilson to bolster the Halos' pitching staff, then he traded for Zack Greinke who was eventually lost to free agency. Jerry Dipoto also traded for Andrew Heaney, who is now on the major league roster and is starting to pay dividends for the Angels.
For all of Jerry DiPoto's wheeling and dealing, the Angels never won a playoff game under his tenure. He was an aggressive general manager, who believed in the modern baseball concept of saber metrics, the volatile and conflicting mixture between saber metrics and old-school fundamental baseball philosophies, did not allow Jerry DiPoto to execute his vision for this team.
Upon the General Manager's resignation, the Angels brought back a name from the past, former General Manager Bill Stoneman, he was at the helm when the Angels won the World Series in 2002. He also was the general manager who hired Mike Scioscia; so there is familiarity there, however, he is not known as an aggressive general manager, so I don't expect the Angels to do much at the trade deadline. They could use aggressiveness out of the General Manager's office, particularly with this team, and this time of year. I'm not a proponent of proceeding into the future by reaching into the past, unless one is trying to correct a mistake, this is definitely not the case with Bill Stoneman.
Perhaps Jerry DiPoto was very strategic in his actions; he picked the proximity to the trading deadline in order to make a point. This is purely speculation on my part; however, if I am right he definitely got his point across. One thing is for sure, the Angels' organization is in disarray. It will be interesting to see how this set of circumstances affects the Halos' playoff possibilities for this season. One thing is abundantly clear however, uncertainty has descended over Anaheim.
Tags: 2002 World Series, Albert Pujols, Anaheim, Andrew Heaney, Angels, Angels' General Manager, Bill Stoneman, C. J. Wilson, ESPN, Free Agent, General Manager, Halos, Jerry Dipoto, Mike Scioscia, Mike Trout, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Pitching Staff, Playoffs, Seattle, The Angels' Ace, Trade, Trade Deadline, World Series, Zack Greinke
Josh Hamilton Trades in His Halo for a Cowboy Hat
Well, things have come full circle for Josh Hamilton. Hamilton was traded back to the Texas Rangers for cash considerations. While I realize this entry regarding the issue is a little late, I wanted to wait until the storm passed before I made my comments.
For those who read my entry when Hamilton was acquired, I questioned the Angels' organization's ability to handle Hamilton's off field issues. I inquired as to how they would react should Hamilton have a relapse of is well documented substance abuse problem. I guess I got my answer. The Angels were unable to handle that which was a well-known possibility. Trading him back to a division rival, while being responsible for all but $15,000,000 of Hamilton's $125,000,000 contract.
Why would the Angels' organization take the risk of basically giving Hamilton back to a team where he has had success? The Angels are essentially taking the risk of a player beating them and paying him to do so. It doesn't make sense. When the trade was being negotiated, the Angels pulled all of Hamilton's merchandise from the team store even before the trade was completed. A head scratcher indeed.
Before one starts feeling sorry for Hamilton, I believe that he should be held responsible for this fiasco as well. Hamilton stated during the Rangers press conference that his support system was not as good with Angels as it was with the Rangers. According to Los Angeles times, Mike Scioscia responded to Hamilton's remarks. The Angels' longtime manager stated that it was Hamilton himself who decided to downsize his support system while in Anaheim, relying almost exclusively on his soon-to-be ex-wife Katie Hamilton, family, and close friends.
Neither side is completely responsible for the circus, both parties have responsibilities as to how the situation turned out. The Angels have been punched in the gut, but they can't say, that they were blindsided and didn't see it coming. My hope of this entire situation is that it doesn't come back and bite them in the end.
For the Rangers' fan perspective on the situation please visit "One Strike Away Twice" on the MLBlogs network. http://40yearrangerfan.mlblogs.com/2015/04/27/its-josh-its-gonna-be-something-weird/
related articles:http://angels.mlblogs.com/2012/12/13/josh-hamilton-trades-in-his-cowboy-hat-for-a-halo
http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-angels-manager-mike-scioscia-comments-on-josh-hamilton-press-conference-20150428-story.html
Tags: Anaheim, Angels, Free Agent, Josh Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, Mike Scioscia, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Rangers, The Angels' Ace, Trade
Happy "Halo"days!
After a long involuntary absence, The Angels' Ace is back on the pitching mound ready to throw more fireballs. The motherboard of my laptop went out. So I have been unable to write for a couple of months now, months of agony, it's very difficult to program another computer to recognize voice recognition now that my motherboard is repaired and I am back in business!
Given that the flash player produces snow on the MLBblogs website this time of year. I decided to write a holiday themed post, I will be discussing Halo gifts received (awards) and the Halo gifts exchanged (trades) then I will discuss my letter to Santa Claus hopefully there will be gifts waiting for me under the Angels tree this year.
"This is so exciting, which gift shall I open First?"
Let me start with the obvious one, congratulations to Mike Trout for winning the 2014 American League Most Valuable Player award. After two years straight of being a runner-up for this award he finally gets it. I guess the third time is the charm.
Speaking of runner-ups congratulations to Matt Shumaker for being the American League Rookie of the Year runner-up, the committee did well in considering him. If it wasn't for his performance, I don't know what the result of this past season would have been. He saved the Angels' season, and his contribution was definitely a critical one which allowed the Halos' to claim the best record in Major League Baseball this past year.
If Garrett Richards' season had not ended early, I believe he was a strong contender for the American League Cy Young Award.
Gifts Exchanged
The Winter Meetings for the Angels was largely uneventful in comparison to years past. Although none of their transactions were headline grabbers, I do want to concentrate on one transaction in particular, more specifically the Howie Kendrick trade to the Dodgers. The truth is I've never been in love with Kendrick's bat, in fact my friend Shaun jokingly teases me saying that Kendrick is my favorite player. I've told him on numerous occasions that I simply want an upgrade at second base, especially during the postseason when Kendrick seems to leave his bat at home. However, I've always respected Kendrick's defense, the Angels now have a gaping hole at second base defensively. I honestly think that Grant Green is definitely not the long-term answer.
Another transaction that I find intriguing is the acquisition of Matt Joyce from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Kevin Jepsen the long-time reliever that was drafted by the Angels. I think Joyce can contribute immediately to the Angels' organization and make the Halos better. What does this mean for C. J. Cron? Only time will tell.
Dear Santa,
Now for the wish list, of course Max Scherzer and James Shields are at the top of the list, but it's unlikely that the Angels can make a run at either one. This team has been plagued with a history of bad contracts in recent years, another long-term contract is not what this team needs.
Part of the Christmas spirit is to be selfless, so Santa please give Josh Hamilton a hitting instructor for Christmas since he is far removed from his MVP season with the Texas Rangers.
Santa, I would like Jason Grilli, and Gordon Beckham back in an Angels' uniform. They were the motor of this team this past season, and these two players would be good for the overall competitive spirit of the club.
The ultimate wish would be a World Series trophy this year, this is the one gift that all Angels' fans can enjoy. This also would be the best way to spread holiday cheer that would last a lifetime. Happy "Halo"days!
Tags: American League Cy Young Award, American League Most Valuable Player, American League Rookie of the Year, Angels, Best Record in Major League Baseball, C. J. Cron, Dodgers, Garrett Richards, Gordon Beckham, Grant Green, Halos, Howie Kendrick, James Shields, Jason Grilli, Josh Hamilton, Kevin Jepsen, Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball Winter Meetings, Matt Joyce, Matt Shoemaker, Max Scherzer, Mike Trout, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Post-Season, Rangers, Rays, Santa Claus, The Angels' Ace, Trade, World Series
The Angels Give the A's an Elephant Sized Sweep
The best record in baseball, 30 games over .500, a six and one home stand, and an elephant sized sweep of the Oakland Athletics; the best case scenario happened, a five-game lead in the American League West; which yesterday, turned to a 4 1/2 game lead in the American League West with the Angels being idle and Oakland winning last night.
An 18-8 record from this point on would break the franchise record for most wins in the season with 101. An 101-61 record would be nice, but does something like that really matter? Of course not, however it would be a nice feather in our collective cap. What really matters is going deep in the playoffs and possibly winning the World Series.
With 26 games left, the season is far from over and the Angels still play Oakland the last week of the season for three games at the Oakland Coliseum. The Angels need as much breathing room as they can get. A specially with the acquisition of Adam Dunn, who looks who to replace Yoenis Céspedes. The Oakland A's are not the same team without him. For the A's this trade looms big for them for all the wrong reasons, but perhaps, all the right reasons for the Angels.
It is September 2, the September call ups are over, the Halos called up 11 players which will hopefully solidify this roster. The dog days of summer are here, the division races are amazing. Hopefully when the smoke clears, the Angels will still remain on top.
Tags: Adam Dunn, American League West, Angels, Athletics, Best Record in Major League Baseball, Halos, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Oakland Coliseum, Playoffs, September Call-Ups, Sweep, The Angels' Ace, Trade, World Series, Yoenis Céspedes
There Is a Halo Around the Peak of the Baseball Mountain
Baseball is a mountain with only eight ledges, one for each division winner and two wildcards. In reality there are only seven ledges and one peak, the halo shines brightly around that peak. The Angels staked their claim August 16th to the best record in all of baseball they have been in possession of this record for the last two days, their current record is 72-50 statistically one percentage point ahead of the Oakland Athletics.
The American League West
W L PCT GB
72 50 .590 –
67 56 .545 5.5
52 73 .416 21.5
Coming into this season the goal of every Angels' fan was to win the division after a long four-year absence from the postseason. The biggest question mark was the pitching staff, and whether it was strong enough to sustain the grind of the season. The bullpen issues were addressed with trades, and the emergence of Garrett Richards was certainly a pleasant surprise on the other hand, the pleasant surprises have been met with disappointment with the loss of Tyler Skaggs who will miss the rest of the season and the entire 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery, this could possibly leave the Angels with a shorthanded rotation next season.
The Angels have had struggles, but every baseball fan knows that the baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint; like every team the Angels have, and will go through peaks and valleys and at this point the Angels are in front of the marathon pack.
Most Angels' fans would be ecstatic with a postseason berth, given the drought of the last four years, but to achieve the best record in baseball is more than anyone could have imagined. It's not enough to have the best overall regular-season record, because in the end that doesn't really matter, although I must say it feels extremely good to be able to say that. In the five years of this blog has been in existence, in its various incarnations, my statistical/analytical mind hasn't stopped to enjoy the view, I must say that the view from up here is spectacular. The view from atop of the American League West is awesome, however the view from the peak of the mountain is simply breathtaking. This unexpected surprise is great!
Tags: American League West, Angels, Athletics, Best Record in Major League Baseball, Garrett Richards, Major League Baseball Wild Card, MLB.com/Blogs, MLBlogs, Pitching Staff, Playoffs, Post-Season, Starting Pitching, Starting Rotation, The Angels' Ace, Trade, Tyler Skaggs