Dear Mr. Shoemaker

[nate]

Standing O for Shoe!  What a performance last night!

[Revad]

Hey Guys.  This is David, Matt's Dad.  Thank you for the kind words and the laughs.  I have been on the board for quite some time, but do not write too many comments. Just to clear a couple of things up.  My wife, Karen, Matt's Mom does not have a beard.  HaHa  I do not have a full beard now but did a few years ago. Just a mustache and goatee now.  Thanks for supporting Matt.  He is a great young man who has worked his butt off to get to where he is at.  I am so glad he was finally given the chance to help this team.  We are so blessed that he has performed the way he has.  He will give you every thing he has each time he pitches.  I hope it continues. GO ANGELS!

As a father of a son I like to think the leaves don't fall too far from the tree. Focus and desire we've seen from Matt is no accident.

Also, I grew up in a time and place when while they didn't have beards women were a bit on the bushie side. But they didn't have a problem saying how things needed to get done, even to the point of carefully demonstrating. Those were the good old days.

[tdawg87]

Matt's beard needs its own uni

[wopphil]

I think if we were to play the game of "who is team MVP after the two obvious candidates (Trout and Richards)," it has to be Shoe or Calhoun. He truly has been that valuable and irreplaceable to this team.

[nate]

Matt's beard needs its own uni

 

It needs its own nickname too.  Something along the lines of the Iron Curtain.

[katrinab]

awesome game and an awesome performance

so glad we have guys like Matt stepping up to the plate and getting things done for us this season

[Mauch Won]

I am grateful for Matt's efforts this year but all I can think of during this thread is Monty Python's Life of Brian...

 

 

[T.G.]

When all is said and done and the Angels get to the post season... Baseball fans everywhere will come to know the name Matt Shoemaker!

[Adam]

I am almost convinced that this isn't smoke and mirrors. Dude's got really good stuff and changes speeds really well. One of the cooler stories in MLB this year. Matt has been a legit SP.

[tdawg87]

The beard is Matt's version of the rockpile. Except he gets to carry it with him on the road too.

[mtangelsfan]

and that it is actually cool as opposed to the rock pile.

[tdawg87]

I bet it gets him laid more than the rockpile gets Weaver laid. Just saying.

[Troll Daddy]

Matt has been terrific ... looking forward to watching him pitch in the playoffs.

[Dave Saltzer]

One of my favorite moments of Fanfest was when Mr. Moreno came to the event and we had all the players, including Matt Shoemaker there. They were just standing there behind the team owner for the longest time. They didn't know what to do, but they did a great job. And then they all spoke with the audience, signed autographs, taking pictures, etc. After the Fanfest, I drove Matt to a dinner where he met up with Mike Trout amongst others at a Japanese restaurant and got to talk to him quite a bit about things. I very much enjoyed getting to know him on a personal level. 

 

Having seen Matt pitch several times in the Minor Leagues, I knew he had the stuff. His numbers didn't always reflect his abilities (some poor team defense at times inflated his ERA). Adding the cutter a couple of years ago made Matt a better pitcher. I am very happy to see him having the success that he is having this year--it's always more fun rooting for someone who is a good person as well as a talented player.

 

David--I would love it if Matt will come again to our Spring Training Fanfest next year. The fans would love to hear about his experiences from this year and would love to give him the cheers and honors that he richly deserves. I will reach out to him directly after the season, but, if you and he would like to come as our guests, I'm sure it will be a great experience.

[nate]

Stories like Matt's are always one of my favorite things about professional sports.

[Chris]

Opposing batter:  "I'm not afraid of the beard."

 

Chris:  "You will be.  You will be."

[AngelStew43]

Can we please put all of our pitchers on the Matt Shoemaker workout for next season?  Whatever he's doing, it works!

[Angel_Fan_4_Life]

Mr. Shoemaker,

 

As a parent of a young lady about to head off to college next year on a softball scholarship, I know the time, dedicatation, and struggles of young athletes to realize their dreams.  Although my daughter's "big league dream" is to get that college scholarshp, and is not quite at the level a baseball player trying to make it into the "bigs," I really commend you and your wife for your sacrafices that had to be made in order for your son to fulfill his dream.

 

You deserve to reap the benefits as much as he does....you have to be so proud; I'm thrilled for you, your entire family, and for the "Bearded One" for his near perfect outing last night.  

 

Go Halos!!!

[Chuck]

One of my favorite moments of Fanfest was when Mr. Moreno came to the event and we had all the players, including Matt Shoemaker there. They were just standing there behind the team owner for the longest time. They didn't know what to do, but they did a great job. And then they all spoke with the audience, signed autographs, taking pictures, etc. After the Fanfest, I drove Matt to a dinner where he met up with Mike Trout amongst others at a Japanese restaurant and got to talk to him quite a bit about things. I very much enjoyed getting to know him on a personal level. 

 

Having seen Matt pitch several times in the Minor Leagues, I knew he had the stuff. His numbers didn't always reflect his abilities (some poor team defense at times inflated his ERA). Adding the cutter a couple of years ago made Matt a better pitcher. I am very happy to see him having the success that he is having this year--it's always more fun rooting for someone who is a good person as well as a talented player.

 

David--I would love it if Matt will come again to our Spring Training Fanfest next year. The fans would love to hear about his experiences from this year and would love to give him the cheers and honors that he richly deserves. I will reach out to him directly after the season, but, if you and he would like to come as our guests, I'm sure it will be a great experience.

 

...

[LAAMike]

If Matt and his dad come to Angelswin  Fanfest next year, they must bring his mother Karen so this whole beard thing can be put to rest. 

[LAAMike]

If Matt is able to lead us to the promised land, I for one will wear a fake beard to the AW Fanfest to show my support. 

[Sully151]

Hell, my 7 year old and i will wear fake beards to the play-off games he pitches in.

[tdawg87]

One of my favorite moments of Fanfest was when Mr. Moreno came to the event and we had all the players, including Matt Shoemaker there. They were just standing there behind the team owner for the longest time. They didn't know what to do, but they did a great job. And then they all spoke with the audience, signed autographs, taking pictures, etc. After the Fanfest, I drove Matt to a dinner where he met up with Mike Trout amongst others at a Japanese restaurant and got to talk to him quite a bit about things. I very much enjoyed getting to know him on a personal level.

Having seen Matt pitch several times in the Minor Leagues, I knew he had the stuff. His numbers didn't always reflect his abilities (some poor team defense at times inflated his ERA). Adding the cutter a couple of years ago made Matt a better pitcher. I am very happy to see him having the success that he is having this year--it's always more fun rooting for someone who is a good person as well as a talented player.

David--I would love it if Matt will come again to our Spring Training Fanfest next year. The fans would love to hear about his experiences from this year and would love to give him the cheers and honors that he richly deserves. I will reach out to him directly after the season, but, if you and he would like to come as our guests, I'm sure it will be a great experience.

And this is why we all need to chill and watch what we say here. These kinds of experiences >>>>>>> getting to call someone a POS for giving up a run.

[Chuck]

And this is why we all need to chill and watch what we say here. These kinds of experiences >>>>>>> getting to call someone a POS for giving up a run.

 

Yes, thank you! 

[Jay]

Mr. Shoemaker: