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By Adam Dodge, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer - It took nearly five months, but the Angels managed to pass the Oakland Athletics in the standings and will head into this weekend's four game showdown against their division rival with no worse than a share of first place in the American League West. At this moment the Angels hold a one-game lead with both teams in action tonight. Thursday's start to the series marks the beginning of the home stretch, one that figures to be the most exciting for the Angels in five years. While it is certainly possible the teams can split the four games and head into September neck and neck, a dominant performance by either team would create some much coveted separation. In this edition of Foe Fodder, we will take a closer look at some of the key foes standing in the Angels' way on their march to their first division title since 2009. OF - Coco Crisp When he's not dropping bloopers out of the reach of Howie Kendrick, Coco is a well respected member of the Crips' community. His gang name is Beetle. OF - Josh Reddick After a long day on the diamond, Josh spends his free time hanging drywall in Modesto. IF - Eric Sogard Eric pulls double duty for the A's as a slick fielding middle-infielder and team CPA. He also dabbles in IT and makes the best gosh darn pina coladas north of Solvang. SP - Sonny Gray Sonny likes legos, fig newtons and his best friend Timmy. His favorite subject is social studies because his teacher Mr. Warren is really cool. C - Derrick Norris Has wrecked teammate and roommate Josh Donaldon's IROC Z28 three times. Worst roommate ever! Works the swing shift as head bouncer at Red Hots Burlesque across the bay in San Francisco. Rob Neyer From Wikipedia - In September 2004, Neyer used a pseudonym ("Ike Farrell") on Amazon.com to write a negative customer review of One Day at Fenway, a then-new baseball book by Steve Kettmann.[22] Neyer subsequently took offense to positive reviews that he believed Kettmann's friends and relatives had posted.[23] "How did this project go so terribly wrong?" Farrell/Neyer wrote. "Presumably the author wound up with plenty of source material, and so I can only assume that he [Kettmann] lacked either the talent or the time (or both) to shape the material into a decent piece of non-fiction."[24] A Newsday newspaper reporter quickly identified Neyer publicly as the actual reviewer.[23] On September 6, Neyer issued an article explaining his actions, "I had such a visceral reaction to Kettmann's book that I felt compelled to do something" and so, under a "pen name" he decided to write a customer review on Amazon.com.[23] "I didn’t even imagine that it could do anybody any good if I wrote as myself", Neyer rationalized.[23] Kettmann responded: "The thing that I find strange about all of this is that [Oakland A's general manager] Billy Beane, someone who I thought Rob Neyer respects, read my book cover to cover and told me he loved it."[citation needed]

After a brief absence of summer vacations & traveling the past 6 weeks it's time to refocus our attention to our long time members and contributors as we celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary. Glen McKee known on the board for years as tin00can is a fan favorite of many. Glen delivers when it comes to adding both humor and color to thread topics and has become an amazing contributor on our blog in tandem with Nate Trop with their Point/Counterpoint satire features for our readers. I could go on an on about Glen, but let's hear a bit from the man himself so you can get to know him a little better, and read some of his finest moments from AngelsWin.com over the years. AngelsWin.com: When and how did you first come to AngelsWin.com? Tin00can: I think it was about eight years ago or so. I used to post on another Angels fan site, I forget the name of it but some of the old posters (GlausGirl in particular comes to mind) posted there. I think she was the one who told me about AngelsWin.com and at first I split time between the two sites because I felt guilty about not supporting the old one. Eventually, I made the full-time switch. AngelsWin.com: What keeps you coming back to the site? Tin00can: The posters, the information, the camaraderie. Yes, it’s clique-ish but we have a good group here and it’s a lot of fun. There are so many good and funny posters. I’d like to call out a few of my favorites, some of whom I don’t think have been mentioned yet: Eleven, True Grich, Nate, Tank, Wicked, Mancini, DowningRules, Cory, Tank, Calscuf, Jay, Taylor, SteveStevens, AngelsLongBall…the list goes on and on and I know I’m forgetting at least half a dozen. AngelsWin.com: What have been some of your favorite articles and threads? Tin00can: This is like picking my favorite child. Obvious I have them but I don’t want the other ones to feel upset when they learn they aren’t at least tied for first. I think that others have mentioned them but the Boston fan cruise thread, Cory’s break-up thread, the furniture-sex thread – there have been so many great ones. The introduction of the vomiting monkey picture was also excellent. AngelsWin.com: What in-person events have you attended from AngelsWin.com (Spring/Summer Fanfests, Charity Golf, Charity Softball)? Tin00can: I’ve been to spring training twice, and summer fanfest twice (along with the softball games). Great times, always. I love them and hope I can get to more in the future. If you’re thinking about going and you haven’t gone, make sure you go. One event that sticks out was game three of the division series against Boston in 09, at the bar by the stadium. At the time I was attending work-related school in Phoenix, but I drove out to make that event. It was completely worth it. The feeling in the bar when Vlad hit that bloop for the game-winning run, when everybody in the room went from silent to elated – that’s what makes the events special. I still have my Angelswin checklist from that year, with only one box checked. Another story, related to that one – during the first game of that series I was watching the game at Cooperstown restaurant in Phoenix. It was about the sixth inning and one of the waitresses came up to me and told me she had a ticket for a concert that night and asked if I wanted to go with her. I said something to the effect of “Oh man, I’d love to go with you but it’s the first game of the playoffs, it’s the Angels and I’ve been rooting for them since I was a kid…I’ve gotta watch this, ya know?” She looked at me like I was nuts and said “that’s cool, I understand.” In retrospect, even though the Angels won I was nuts. I think my realization of my insanity that night was what drove me to make the trip to Anaheim to watch game three, and that was worth passing up a sure thing. AngelsWin.com: Why is AngelsWin.com your internet home for the Angels? Tin00can: The people who post here are great, even when I bitch and moan about them. We also get some inside information here and we have people helping each other out. It’s truly a community. Back in aught-eight when I was retiring from the Navy, I wanted to do my ceremony on the field. The aw.com peeps got me in touch with Tim Mead and he set it up. That’s also when I learned that people in the organization read the posts, but that’s a story for another time. AngelsWin.com: In your opinion, what is AngelsWin.com’s best feature: the articles, charitable events, game-day chat, message boards, Fanfests, podcasts, etc? Tin00can: Again, as with the kids, it’s difficult to pick a #1. I’d have to go with the message boards; that’s what first got me here and it’s still the main attraction for me. I’d put the articles and Fanfests tied for second, and everything else after that competing for fourth. Lighter Side AngelsWin.com: Where do you live and what do you do? Tin00can: I live in Pinon Hills, CA and I work at Edwards AFB as an F-22 electronics technician. Prior to this I did the same thing on different aircraft in the Navy for 20 years. Yeah, I’m gettin’ old. AngelsWin.com: Why are you an Angels fan? Tin00can: I grew up in Lancaster, CA and we got the Los Angeles news there. Every day for sports it was five minutes about the Dodgers and a quick blurb about the Angels. That made them feel like the underdogs to me, and I loves me some underdogs. As I’ve grown older I’ve discovered that my hatred for the Dodgers is completely rational and justified. Go Angels! AngelsWin.com: What was your first Angels game that you remember? Who’d you go with? Tin00can: I don’t remember the year but my first game was an Angels/Royals game at the Big A. True story…I went with a friend of mine and we were hanging out in the parking lot before the game. We saw Reggie Jackson pull up. He got out of his car and started walking to the stadium. When he saw us approaching and obviously wanting an autograph, he went back to his car and grabbed some stuff out of the trunk. He then said “sorry kids, no autographs, hands are full” and walked away. Total dick move. That might be why I never got excited about autographs. AngelsWin.com: Who have been your favorite players? Why? Any great stories or interactions with them? Tin00can: I started rooting for the Angels in 1979 and back then my favorites were Rod Carew and Brian Downing. Rod Carew because I hit like he did (slappy), and Brian Downing because he was Brian Effing Downing. Throughout the years there have been many favorites, but one that sticks out is Vladdy. Wow, the feeling when I heard the Angels signed him was just…nuts. I didn’t believe it. You’d have had to use a jackhammer to get the grin off my face that day. And watching him play was always entertaining. Even though there wasn’t much to root for in the 90s, watching the outfield of Anderson/Edmonds/Salmon was always fun. For some reason, rooting for homegrown players feels a little more special. I haven’t had any interactions with the players but when I did my retirement I did get to meet Hud and Terry Smith, and they were both gracious. I also really enjoyed it when Jose Mota talked at the fanfest a few years ago. AngelsWin.com: How do you survive the offseason? Tin00can: By going on AngelsWin.com, and when I can’t take it anymore, I kill a hobo or two. That always takes the edge off. I’m a Chargers fan but football is quite a few notches down from baseball for me. I enjoy going to hockey games but I wouldn't consider myself a major fan. While I love the weather between November and April, I hate the wait for baseball to start again. Some days I just sit in my man cave and stare at my picture of Victor Rojas, and wait for the day to end. Then I go to Del Taco and try to order an Oppo Taco or to Jack in the Box and order a Jimmy Jack, and just get more depressed. Those months are hard. (Note: Seriously, I dig Victor Rojas and hope he’s broadcasting for the Angels for a long time to come. The last announcers I remember liking as much as him were Bob Starr and Dick Enberg.) AngelsWin.com: What’s one thing you’d like everyone in AngelsWin.com to know about you? Tin00can: I guess it’s that I've never actually seen Adam’s junk, and we’re both probably thankful for that. Probably. View the full article

And a passed ball.

PS - Who the **** is Anthony Brown? Apparently he didn't put in the work, and he equated that to slave master. I also heard he flunked Lunch, per nate

burkhart you bastard!

Too bad he isn't like Weaver, who was able to come up to the Majors almost immediately. We need a starting pitcher bad. If I am not mistaken wasn't Jim Abbot like that as well?

I can't think of a single reason to give a fat rat's ass what he did.

I've never been a fan of Dickey.

I thought Brandon Wood would sign a 1 day contract, retire as an Angel, and give a ceremonial whiff to the opening pitch, with Mathis catching it.

Ageist.

Interview conducted by David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer Who doesn't love a good baseball movie? It seems like every year we have a few threads dedicated to deciding which baseball movie is the best. The discussions often split along the lines of the serious and the comedic, with fans arguing for favorites in both categories. Last year, we had an incredible baseball movie in the dramatic category, "42", in which our own Rob Goldman had some small parts. That was a great piece of film making, and something that everyone should see. As for a baseball comedy, well, it's been a while. "Major League 2" just wasn't up to the original's standard, and there hasn't been much since then. But that's about to change. Watch this preview for the upcoming movie "108 Stitches". As baseball fans, this is just what we need. With a pennant race on, and every game pulling our emotions, a good baseball comedy is just the way to blow of some tension. Going to a theater with friends for some laughs can be quite a relief at the end of a season. The movie will be available in limited release including the AMC Block 30 at Orange and the AMC Burbank Town Center 8. Better yet, "108 Stitches" will be available September 12th on demand, which means fans can watch a good baseball comedy with all the comforts of home, while enjoying some good food and drink without all the movie theater distractions. While this movie appeals to baseball fans for all teams, this movie is particularly of interest to Angels fans. That's because the movie was filmed on location with the Orem Owlz, an Angels' Rookie Ball affiliate, and co-written and produced by Jake Katofsky, the son of the Orem Owlz owner. Many of the antics included in the story are loosely based on the Jake's experiences with the Orem Owlz. And, as Jake discusses in the second interview I did with him (which will be sent out in a week), not only does the film pay homage to the great baseball comedies of the past, but also has telling tributes to some of our favorite Angels. What makes this comedy different than many of the others is that it focuses a lot on the issues off the field stuff, which as Jake put "is where the character of the game is." Everything from kangaroo courts to clubhouse shenanigans, which are areas ripe for comedy. Fans of the TV Show "Last Comic Standing" will recognize two of the stars in the film: Season 1 winner Dat Phan and Season 4 winner Josh Blue In the coming weeks, AngelsWin.com will be able to give out two sets of two (2) tickets to the premiere of the movie at the Harmony Gold Preview House on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at 6:00 PM. We will be using trivia about the movie from the website, the movie preview and our interviews with Jake Katofsky to determine our winners on Twitter. I know I'm looking forward to seeing this movie. I hope you are too. Please click below to watch our first interview with Jake Katofsky. View the full article

Holy crap...reading wikipedia (so it must be true!)...the original flooding that recreated the Salton Sea set of a series of events that led to the building of the Hoover Dam.

Velocity is only one component of pitching. Pitch location, pitch sequence, velocity modulation and location modulation also contribute to effective pitching. Santiago has performed very well because of a combination of factors and not exclusively on velocity. Me no worry. I am comfortable with Hector in a 1 game showdown.

Yet you'd never hear such a statement about any of them like that on ESPN. USC is a really good school.

**** off Glen

By fee are you referring to the money you handed out?

Love the way we're playing right now, but we'll lose 3 of 4. No doubt in my mind. We can't beat these guys. MAYBE split.

I totally disagree with Jeff Sullivan for reasons already posted in other threads. Jeff Sullivan is a huge Mariners fan so it's hard for me to take what he says about the Angels seriously, just like Rob Neyer's stuff.

Yes, I watch if every week. I agree last weeks episode was just amazing. The episode was also directed by Liev Schreiber. I thought the ending was perfect as well. I'm really enjoying this season. Was kind of worried how it would be since season one was so good. But they've been going strong this season as well and just like last year, Jon Voigt steals every scene he is in.

I'm guessing that whatever Sosh does it will be because he believes it is the best thing to do for the team to be successful, not because of some board invented conspiracy theory.

Twas the night before Oakland, when all through house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The uni's were hung by the lockers with care, in hopes that some wins will soon be there. The players were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of runs danced in their heads. And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long summer's nap. When out in the field there arose such a clatter, and everyone sprung from their bed to see what was the matter. Away from the windows we flew in a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the field in the soft evening glow, gave off a luster on the objects below. And what to our wondering eyes should appear, But a minature bus, and 25 or so green and gold little dears. With a tall green driver who was lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be the lucky A's. More rapid than rats his players they came, As he wistled, and shouted and called them by name. Now Sonny and Lesty, and Kasmir and 'Marja, Come Norris, come CoCo, on Gomesy and Mossy. To the top of the heap, to the top of the West Dash away the Angels, dash away all. And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little Angel hoof. And as I thought in my head, and turned quickly around, Out of a dugout came Scioscia with a bound. He was dressed all in red, from his head to his foot, and when his team followed him, it was a hoot. A bundle of bats he had flung on his back, and he looked like shoe peddler, just opening that sack. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old coach, I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. Then with a wink of his eye and a twist of his head, I soon got assurance we had nothing to dread. He spoke not a word, but went straight to work, and filled out a lineup, then turned with a jerk. And then laying a finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod to the dugout he goes. Then Trouty and Howie, and Weavsie and Matty, along with Albert and Josh, and Eric and Cole, dispatched all the little lucky green rats, very nicely all in a flash. Then I heard Scioscia exclaim, right after the game, "Not in our house, not in our home, there's nothing for little green rats, no matter how lucky, for you all to gain."

What a fat jerk.

Amazing what a little run support can do

That isn't a very nice tribute to Pujols.

Too many reporters try to bait the people they are interviewing, or simply make something up and see how many people believe it. Everything is sound bytes and sensational headlines. All too often the headline is even misleading, and you find that the story doesn't say anything close to what the headline claims. This country is going to Hell in a handbasket, and there is plenty of blame to go around on both sides of the aisle - and among the press.

I remember Bob Ueker had a great quote about trying to catch a knuckleball.... if only I could remember what it was.

That's pretty bad

Thanks for the math lesson, professor. You realize that I wasn't in any way serious, right?

No, FAP is what I am doing right now.

Just finished all 4 seasons. Best. Show. Ever. When does season 5 start? I will be ordering HBO. Watched all 4 seasons on my tablet using the Comcast Xfinity app (amazing app).

and not everyone can pull off that look. sneaky wants to know if you have any pictures.

Just so you know, his brothers favorite superhero is Wonder Woman.

Still, you have to like the control and the overall 2014 numbers. Leading the NL in fewest walks/9innings (1.2), a career-best SO/BB ratio of 5.91, and 1.147 WHIP, also a career best. Almost 7 innings per start too.

FWIW, Colon's last three starts: 21 IP, 4 ER, 2 BB, 19 SO.

i'm glad they're both having fun. i'm also very glad they're both in KC.

it's part of the cba. i imagine it's to help cut down on injuries during mini-camps.

I heart that last sentence

No sweat. Give me your phone number. I'll be sure to call when I am outside.

My guess is the Angels would have to pay 5 million of his 11 million next year to trade him. If it helps the Angels get to the WS this year, 5 million is a small price to pay.

This movie will have you in stitches! "108 Stitches!" Get it?!?! I'll just sit down now.

My favorite thing to do on FB is read comments my FB friends leave on political pages. Glen is the best! He's always posting comments on "Conservative Chicks" and "Americans for a More American America"

He needs to sit down with a guy like Shoemaker and have a listen. It's not rocket science! You have a couple of good pitches (Shoemaker's slider is devastating), and you pound the zone and work fast. You don't stand out there analyzing every damn pitch and get your mind all tied up in knots.

Perhaps I will put together a Weekend Shenanigans once this weekend wraps up. It's been a while.

Where do you get the idea he is narcissistic? Spending time reviewing his own delivery from game to game to pick apart his own flaws is not narcissism, it's quite the opposite. Narcissism would dictate he has no flaws and as such needs not to change. He also seems to not only understand the basic but advanced mechanics of pitching along with hitting and is using the information available on his opponents and verifying a game plan with his catchers. That seems like a man with a plan, even if his physical abilities sometimes are not cooperating. It appears he is very level headed and understands what he can and can't do and is trying to adapt to his physical aging.

Your second thought was Carl Weathers?

I have to ask, why did your brother give him a phone number they were not to call and why didn't they look out front for the van? This doesn't sound like the shuttle service is completely to blame.

So for some of you its perfectly acceptable that a business can go out of its way to ensure not paying benefits, and you have no problem with this and consider it just business. Fair enough, opinions vary, but for me its a lousy thing to do from a company that's making money off those people its going out of its way to hinder. Obamacare has done more harm than can ever be measured in this regard.. so many people working less hours, or having to work multiple jobs to get the same hours, but i guess it makes the employment numbers look good, lol

Initially I thought it was kinda funny. Then I read your post. I'm laughing like crazy. It's now rather hilarious. Thank you.

tank, we both work for government. We are both living the anti-yk dream.