The Official 2024 Los Angeles Angels Spring Training News & Notes thread

[Inside Pitch]

21 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

“I’m not going to get into it,” he said. “We’re still discussing ways to make the team better. We think that’s something we will always do. So we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

F'ing Arte

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

2 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

He's trying to drive traffic to the Athletic, it's his job.  But the more you compare his tweets to the actual interviews the clearer it becomes he's willing to blur the lines to push his narratives.

I don't believe he's a poor writer, nor do I question the veracity of things he's written, but it's getting harder to argue the dude doesn't have an agenda or an axe to grind at times.

Kind of like that dude from Hangout. Writing an article saying Gubi working with the pitchers could put him in a bad light.... BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA...

GTFOHWT.... You've got a ways to go kid.

[T.G.]

22 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

@Taylor, Serious question.  I'm sure you've seen the video of the actual exchange and the tweet itself. 

Do you believe the tweet is an honest depiction of the tone in that conversation?  How about the Trout interview, that video is available as well.  Pretty much everyone reported it the same way, Blum's report emphasizes that Trout adds the possibility that he'd be OPEN to a trade. That wasn't at all what he was saying but that's how Blum ends his tweet.

Not sure how anyone watches either interview and doesn't walk away thinking Blum isn't trying to paint a picture to suit a narrative.

*Crickets* from @Taylor

[Taylor]

20 minutes ago, T.G. said:

*Crickets* from @Taylor

I never argue with my pal IP.

[jsnpritchett]

 

 

[T.G.]

46 minutes ago, Taylor said:

I never argue with my pal IP.

He wasn't arguing with you.. he asked you an honest question.

[Taylor]

2 hours ago, T.G. said:

He wasn't arguing with you.. he asked you an honest question.

Thanks for looking out.

[Inside Pitch]

3 hours ago, Taylor said:

I never argue with my pal IP.

He's a POS!

[Angelsfan1984]

5 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

He's a POS!

Product of Science

Hecho in Mexico!

[Inside Pitch]

9 minutes ago, Angelsfan1984 said:

Product of Science

Hecho in Mexico!

Actually Cuba, so Probably hates America too.

[Slegnaac]

On 2/18/2024 at 10:46 AM, Redondo said:

Might be a little difficult to walk across from the Dominican Republic 

No one ever walked off of the island.

[tdawg87]

4 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

 

 

Same.

[jsnpritchett]

"Buss has been called “the director of fun” or the “VP of stuff.” Formally, he’s listed as “staff assistant,” but there’s nothing formal about what he does. One minute, he could be hitting fungoes or catching balls at first for infield drills. Then the next minute, he could be consoling a player who is struggling. He senses when that’s needed and has developed the credibility with players to be the guy who’s there for them."

...

"I truly, deep down, love the dudes,” Buss said. “You can’t really hide that, and it works out great. How can I not be smiling every day? It’s kind of how I am. I walk in here, I’m happy. If someone’s down, I pick them up. I try to bring a positive influence.”

He accepted recognition humbly. But those around the team were more willing to foist it upon him. As he stood outside the Angels spring training clubhouse on a cool Friday morning, players and staff walked by and shouted encouragement to the man who’s had their backs at every turn.

“Bussy,” one player shouted. “Good to see you!”

“Hell yeah, Bussy,” said another.

“Bussy getting interviewed,” yet another yelled in excitement."

...

“He gets everybody involved and feel like they’re a part of one team.”

Buss spent 19 years in Chicago as the Cubs’ strength and conditioning coordinator. He worked for eight managers during that time. When former manager Joe Maddon left Chicago and came to Anaheim, Buss came with him. He wanted to change his role to be less focused on the conditioning and medical side. He wanted to shift more to baseball.

Maddon was fired after about two and a half years, but Buss stayed. Then Phil Nevin spent a year and a half as manager. When he wasn’t brought back, Buss remained. Even amid significant levels of turnover in the organizations he’s worked, those teams have worked to keep him. He’s ubiquitous. He’s invaluable.

“He makes you feel good about yourself,” said former Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki, who is also a part of the front office that retained Buss. “This game — it’s not always about ‘Fix my swing.’ Or ‘Fix my mechanics.’ It’s about making someone feel good about themselves so they think they’re better than how they’re doing at the time. Once you get that confidence, things go up.

“That guy is willing to do whatever it takes to help every one of these players and coaches get better.”

...

"Buss was the person in charge of the viral 2022 Nickelback stunt when, in an attempt to end a 12-game losing streak, every player walked up to a different Nickelback song. No one besides Buss knew it was going to happen.

It’s just one role in a job full of varying responsibilities.

“I count him as one of my teammates,” shortstop Zach Neto said. “He’s that close.”

He’s the guy who plans home run celebrations but also picks up balls after batting practice. He makes sure PitchCom devices are working during games. The only thing he can’t do anymore is throw batting practice (he says he’s got the yips). Regardless, he’s a jack of all trades and there’s no job too big or small."

[Chuck]

 

[jsnpritchett]

6 minutes ago, Chuck said:

 

Washington just said last week that Schanuel was going to lead off.  Lol.

https://www.ocregister.com/2024/02/14/angels-owner-arte-moreno-says-hes-around-for-the-long-term/

 

[jsnpritchett]

Here's more context.  Makes perfect sense and I always thought Schanuel leading off was odd (though it worked with Brian Downing):

 

[jsnpritchett]

 

[tdawg87]

Pussy.

[Angelsfan1984]

28 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Pussy.

[Ochocinco!]

Rendon batting 4th is beyond depressing 

[James]

18 minutes ago, Ochocinco! said:

Rendon batting 4th is beyond depressing 

[jsnpritchett]

 

[jsnpritchett]

23 minutes ago, Ochocinco! said:

Rendon batting 4th is beyond depressing 

If he's healthy and playing like himself, it makes the most sense to have him there--so might as well start him out there and see what happens.  Who else would you put there?  Ward is coming back from a bad injury.  O'Hoppe isn't proven enough yet to be in that slot.  Drury is really the only other option, as the roster currently stands--and Rendon has more upside than him, obviously.

[James]

1 minute ago, Angel Oracle said:

It’s not just Rendon’s lack of health that makes batting cleanup look wrong.

His SLG% the past 3 years is only around .365. 

Heck, hit him third and Trout cleanup. Rendon’s ability to still get on base would give Trout more runs to push across.

625 at bats spread across three seasons. Hard to look at those numbers and not consider this. Took him 3 years to get a years worth of at bats, pretty difficult to create consistency there. 

[AvsBroncosAngels05]

Not Angels ST related but random ST venting post ahead. Tried to watch the Dodgers ST game working from home and just had to turn it off. ESPN is trying to make a record of how many times they say "Ohtani" as that appears to be all they care about with the Dodgers. He's not even playing and they've probably mentioned him hundreds of times through just the first 3 innings. The Dodgers will be absolutely unwatchable on any national broadcast this year. Not even the joy of the 1st ST game can make me overlook it, as I've been watching NCAA baseball since last Friday anyway.