What do you guys want to read about in spring training?

[Jeff Fletcher]

And I don't mean "what do you want to happen?"  I have no control over what happens. I mean what stories do you want to read?

6 weeks is a long time. Help me out!

[Chuck]

What coaches, scouts & evaluators are saying about the kids on the back fields. 

Who's making impressions.

Health updates.

Clubhouse banter.

25-man Roster & Position battles.

How the new acquisitions are clicking with our core regulars & coaching staff.

A regular check in on Garrett Richards, Tyler Skaggs & Albert Pujols health.

Hope that helps, @Jeff Fletcher

[Glen]

This is actually a tough question because many of us who post here are well beyond casual fans. I don't even know what I want to read from ST. I guess for me it's the more personal stuff from the players, stories we might not have heard. We're gonna know the stats, and the position battles. I'd like to know more about the players as regular dudes.

I know that's sorta the opposite of what Chuck said. Good luck figuring it out. I imagine this thread will go something like this: 

https://youtu.be/yGsHq-mZI8U

[JustATroutFan]

Anything about Trout or the Dodgers, I am usually going to be reading about a lot.

[Chuck]

57 minutes ago, Glen said:

This is actually a tough question because many of us who post here are well beyond casual fans. I don't even know what I want to read from ST. I guess for me it's the more personal stuff from the players, stories we might not have heard. We're gonna know the stats, and the position battles. I'd like to know more about the players as regular dudes.

I know that's sorta the opposite of what Chuck said. Good luck figuring it out. I imagine this thread will go something like this: 

https://youtu.be/yGsHq-mZI8U

Yeah I agree. I think a good mixture of what I wrote and the personal side of things. 

Like when we had Hank Conger blog for us years ago during spring training. 

Here's a trip down memory lane....

 

WEEK FIVE -- 

March 22nd, 2010

 

My last journal entry of spring training and as it winds down, there is still lots of time to get at-bats and work in behind the plate. This week, several players got sent down to minor league camp, including myself, as we continue to get our work in. We also had the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes booster club come out and cook a fantastic barbecue for us on Saturday.

Some people don't know what the host family and booster club actually do throughout the year for the players to help accommodate them. When i was at Rancho Cucamonga in 2008, we would have road trips early in the morning and they would be out there just as early, providing us with breakfast and snacks and drinks for the trip. They also helped make my family and friends who attended games feel comfortable watching the games. Playing in Cedar Rapids and Rancho, I really do appreciate all the host families that welcomed us players into their homes as treated us as one of theirs for the year.

During spring training, players start to ponder with what team they might end up with. From my past experiences, the best way to handle spring training's conclusion is to just keep playing and practicing hard and try not to worry about where you might end up. Right now, my goals are to keep improving everyday, stay healthy and to be ready for the upcoming season.

With this being my last journal, I would like to thank Chuck and the AngelsWin.com family for allowing me to write a blog throughout spring training. I would also like to thank everyone who took the time to read the blog, as well. Good luck to everyone and here's hoping for a healthy and great season!

Hank Conger

Five Questions for Hank Conger from AngelsWin.com members

Q: AngelsWin.com — Thank you for the journals, Hank. Do you and the two Korean pitchers communicate in English, Korean or a combination of both? What is your recipe for Kalbi?

A: Hank Conger — We communicate both in English and Korean. I usually like to talk to them in Korean, so that i can brush up on my Korean. And as far as the recipe for Kalbi, you'll have to ask my mom for that. LOL.

Q: AngelsWin.com — Hank, thanks a bunch for your journals; we've really enjoyed them. What is the downright funniest line, comment or joke told in camp by Mike Scioscia or any of the other players that you feel comfortable sharing? Names can be changed to protect the guilty, if necessary.

A: Hank Conger — My first camp, I got called out on my YouTube video, "Hank 4 Prez." It was a high school government project. One of the my buddies put it out and someone somehow found it.

Q: AngelsWin.com — From a fellow Huntington Beach High School alumnus (Sean Dodds). How important to you was the coaching at HBHS? How did it help prepare you for a pro career?

A: Hank Conger — The coaching at Huntington was huge for me. My coach, Benji Medure, taught me so much, both on and off the field. He always brought great energy to the field and helped me in every aspect of my game. For me, not only was he a great coach, he's a great friend and he knew how to separate them both.  

Q: AngelsWin.com — Do you ever look at the guys ahead of you (Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli) and wonder if or when you will displace one of them? Taking the personalities and your relationship with both aside, when do you see yourself graduating to the (or a) Major League team; and do you ever think of the possibility of being traded? 

A: Hank Conger — I never look at it that way. I try to always go into it worrying about improving myself and trying to find out what I need to do in order to make myself better. I feel that you should focus on things to make yourself better, instead of things that you cannot control, i.e. moving up, trades, etc.

Q: AngelsWin.com — What do you like to do for fun while you're in Tempe or on the road during the minor league season or at home?

A: Hank Conger — During spring training, the schedule is pretty rough, so whenever I have a chance I like to rest as much as possible. LOL. I like to catch up on movies, preferably comedies, and sitcoms. Some of the favorite ones are "Modern Family," "How I Met Your Mother" and "The Office." I also like to try and grab dinner with some of the teammates and talk about whatever.

 

Read Hank's WEEK ONE Journal here

Read Hank's WEEK TWO Journal here

Read Hank's WEEK THREE Journal here 

Read Hank's WEEK FOUR Journal here

 

This concludes Hank Conger's spring training journals

[Jeff Fletcher]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

What coaches, scouts & evaluators are saying about the kids on the back fields. 

Who's making impressions.

Health updates.

Clubhouse banter.

25-man Roster & Position battles.

How the new acquisitions are clicking with our core regulars & coaching staff.

A regular check in on Garrett Richards, Tyler Skaggs & Albert Pujols health.

Hope that helps, @Jeff Fletcher

Haha well that actually doesn't help at all Chuck. That's just news. I have no choice but to write that. 

Let me give you an idea: What's the deal with Danny Espinosa? I know he grew up in OC but I don't know much about him. And how does he feel about playing 2B after all this time at SS? Is he really that good defensively? Do the Angels think he can do better in terms of average and OBP? Or is he just a HR/SO guy?

[Stradling]

I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say the single most important updates you can possibly give us centers around players showing up to camp "in the best shape of their lives".  

[OregonLAA]

Position battles. Pitchers mostly. We have tons of options. 

[ettin]

Hi @Jeff Fletcher,

Chuck sorta encapsulated it (and yes it is probably stuff you would report anyway). I'd add the following points of interest from my point of view:

1) Talk to Cameron Maybin about the hitting adjustments he made in 2015 that drove his very successful 2016 campaign.

2) Talk to John Lamb about his pitch repertoire and mechanics and how he is doing returning from his back injury.

3) Talk to Blake Parker about his success in the Minors, his repertoire, and what he needs to do at the Major League level to succeed.

4) Talk to Kole Calhoun about what he does in particular against LHP that gives him so much success at the plate against them over his career in professional baseball.

5) If you magically find yourself in the Nationals camp please ask Bryce Harper if he supports Kevin Plank of Under Armour's decision to support Trump. Essentially you would be asking a douche if he supports a douche that supports a douche.

6) Ask Andrelton Simmons if he feels, as he enters his "prime", if he is developing more at the plate in terms of strength conditioning (exit velocity). I'm curious primarily because he makes such a high degree of contact and additional strength training might make an impact on his offensive game.

7) I'd love to see you ask each pitcher to show their pitching grips for different pitches (photos).

8) Do any of the Angels players play League of Legends and if so what are their in-game handles?

9) Ask Keynan Middleton about his conversion to a reliever and how he feels about it, what are his goals in taking the mound late in a game, and how he holds runners.

10) Ask Martin Maldonado what he does that makes him an above average pitch framer (still body, still glove, positioning?)

11) Ask Luis Valbuena if he feels, as a full time player, he can hit LHP more successfully like he started to do in 2016?

12) Ask Shoe how he is doing recovering from his serious surgery and what he thinks contributed to his success once he was called up from the Minors last year.

13) Ask Tyler Skaggs and Garrett Richards why their curveballs are so biting and deep as they cross the plate.

14) Ask members of the team how they feel about Jered Weaver not being on the team anymore.

15) Ask Eppler why he believes team defense is so important. What are the ancillary factors other than the obvious value of getting more outs.

16) Ask Eppler about his offseason strategy and executions to that strategy. Where does he think he succeeded and where does he think he still has work to do

17) Ask Scioscia if they have any special plans to get the team out of the gate and succeeding earlier this year

That's all for now I think I've done my part.

[Second Base]

Updates on the health of Vicente Campos, Manny Banuelos, Nate Smith, etc....

Prospects, prospects, prospects. .

[Jobu]

I would like continual updates on whether CJ Wilson has replied to any of your tweets.

[NachoPop]

Shoe or Espinosa: whose beard is more powerful?

[ettin]

2 minutes ago, NachoPop said:

Shoe or Espinosa: whose beard is more powerful?

I can answer that for you.

Espinosa's has more volume and is manly but Shoe's is more powerful and strong.

[WeatherWonk]

How about an interview with Arte about the plan for the club in 2017 and beyond? Arte has become a ghost, with respect to any kind of media exposure. 

Unless, of course, he's on Twitter or FB. I really dont go there. The info is too random and unorganized.

[m0nkey]

Writing about their political views is sure to get some clicks. I suggest that

[ettin]

3 minutes ago, WeatherWonk said:

How about an interview with Arte about the plan for the club in 2017 and beyond? Arte has become a ghost, with respect to any kind of media exposure. 

Unless, of course, he's on Twitter or FB. I really dont go there. The info is too random and unorganized.

Piggybacking on this ask him about the stadium situation.

[Ohtaniland]

Please be the first to report the annual removal of Albert's walking boot. Because that's some important news.

[NachoPop]

How any of the pending of free agents (maybin/espinosa/maldonado etc.) feel about their desire or likelihood to be an Angel post 2017, and in tern the front offices view on each.

There's still a fair bit of turn around due for next offseason.

[Jeff Fletcher]

5 hours ago, NachoPop said:

How any of the pending of free agents (maybin/espinosa/maldonado etc.) feel about their desire or likelihood to be an Angel post 2017, and in tern the front offices view on each.

There's still a fair bit of turn around due for next offseason.

Well I can tell you right now no one ever says he doesn't want to return to his current team. And they certainly don't say it before they've even played their first game for that team. 

[Jeff Fletcher]

9 hours ago, ettin said:

Piggybacking on this ask him about the stadium situation.

Arte is usually there in the first week and talks to the media. 

Unless he's mad at us, like last year. 

I spoke to him last in October and he seemed to be ok with the media, and I don't think we've annoyed him since then. 

[Troll Daddy]

I would like a little extra coverage on these players, please.

 

[halomatt]

53 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

Arte is usually there in the first week and talks to the media. 

Unless he's mad at us, like last year. 

I spoke to him last in October and he seemed to be ok with the media, and I don't think we've annoyed him since then. 

Sounds like he's a little hypersensitive to critiques of him and his organization. 

Maybe write about how Arte's search for land and a sweetheart deal has all but dried up because municipalities are wise to the con game.  Well...most are.

[Adam]

A profile series of all those on the 40 man roster who have come into Spring in the best shape of their lives. 

[Docwaukee]

I would love to see some inside info on how they plan to handle the pitching staff this year.  Is it business as usual ie try to get your starters to go deep and then use your usual players out of the pen.  Or are they going to have a plan to minimize the innings of guys like Richards, Skaggs, Shoe, Meyer etc because they are either coming off injury or just don't have a ton of innings in their history?  How does our depth play into that?  We have swing guys with starter capability up the wazoo.  Will those guys be starter in the minors if they don't make the club?  Will there be some thought of using those guys in a bullpen role?  Was the focus to obtain as many high velocity arms as possible and sort them out or is there a more formal plan in terms of expected innings allocation?  What does the depth chart look like?  Is the 5 spot Meyer's to lose?  What is the depth chart order?  

Also, I feel like Nagy had a positive effect on Chacin, Shoe, Ramirez, and Meyer from the standpoint of creating a consistent release point for their primary and secondary pitches.  Is that something they focus on and is that part of the thought process when trying to obtain all these high octane arms.  

[Hubs]

Once the games start, I feel like the usual stuff is what we'll get. Besides all the usual stuff, I would like to know more about Maybin, Espinosa, Revere, and Valbuena. Espinosa 

I'd also like to know specifically where they are working Valbuena out, is he with the first basemen only or is he getting time at 2nd and 3rd.

Is the left field job Maybin's to lose or is he going to be in a platoon with Revere? How much time is Revere expecting to get?

Also, most of these guys usually have camp in Florida, so what's the difference between training there and training in Arizona?