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Gameday Thread: Angels vs. A's (8/10/2020)

Let's FUCKING go Angels! 

Quick pussyfooting around. Take this series and get on a roll. 

Let's see what you got?

Jo Adell getting the day off, Stassi back in there against a righty! Ohtani is in the lineup, hopefully to stay from here on out. 

Here's some information on today's starter Dylan Bundy.

- Ohtani will hit behind Rendon when he returns. Trout/Rendon have been on base 9x in 2 games together. Angels scored 17 runs those games.

 

Interview by David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

Over the past two years, the Angels organization has taken a giant step forward in terms of its prospect rankings. One of the many players leading to this improvement is Jo Adell, who is considered by most, including AngelsWin.com, to be the top prospect in the Angels organization.

Drafted in the 1st round of the 2017 draft (10th overall), Adell has moved rapidly through the Angels organization, and recently was promoted to High-A ball with the Inland Empire 66ers. It’s easy to see why: he hits for power and average, is one of the fastest runners in the organization, has a powerful arm, and fields well.

What stood out most when interviewing him was how mature Adell is. With all the accolades that have been heaped upon him, he seems to be taking it all in stride. Like his teammate Jahmai Jones, it’s easy to see how Adell will become a fan favorite not only for his on-the-field performances, but for how approachable he will be off the field.

Below are the first three at-bats by Jo Adell on May 27, 2018. Unfortunately, it was tough day for the 66ers as the team was no-hit for 8 2/3rds innings. In his last at-bat, which was not recorded, with two outs and Jones on via a walk, Adell delivered a 2-run opposite field homerun to breakup the no-hitter and shutout in one blow.


With the way that Adell has been improving, and with how aggressively the Angels have been promoting their prospects, Angels fans should definitely make the drive out to San Bernadino soon to see Adell and others, and have a chance to meet him before he arrives in Anaheim. You’ll be glad you did.

Click below to watch our interview with Jo Adell.


 

View the full article

 

15 Marlins players and two coaches have tested positive and games have been cancelled through this week.

Update: now 15 players.

Gameday Thread: Mariners @ Angels (7/29/20)

Gameday Thread: Mariners @ Angels (7/28/20): Angels 2020 Home Opener + Rendon's debut

Gameday Thread: Angels vs A's (7/27/20)

RHP SHOHEI OHTANI (0-0, --- ERA)
Making first appearance as a pitcher since Sept. 2, 2018 at Houston...Was Angels Opening Day DH...His two career pitching starts vs. Oakland were his first two big league
pitching outings; is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA (13 IP - 3 ER) with 18 strikeouts against the A’s...Finest pitching performance of big league career came vs. Oakland on Apr. 8, 2018
(W;7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 12 SO) and carried a perfect game into the 7th inning...Only appearance at the Coliseum was pitching debut on Apr. 1, 2018 (W; 6 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6
SO)...Has totaled 63 strikeouts, which is an Angels record through a pitcher’s first 10 career pitching outings (needs one strikeout tomorrow to set Angels 11 game record held by Griffin Canning).

Also, here's some Ohtani 2018 pitching highlights to wet your appetite! 

 

I recently came across an internet meme that said "January 1st, 2020: I didn't stay up late that night for all this shit to happen". And the way this year has gone, nothing could be more true.

The good news is that we have baseball coming back. And, thinking about the baseball season, every year, near the end of June, the Angels do a weekend promotion called "Christmas in June". By that logic, that makes it New Years in July!.

So, mark tonight down: July 24, 2020. I say we stay up late to celebrate a new New Years Eve to welcome in the baseball season. This year needs a restart and nothing brings everyone together like baseball. Let's get back to posting sick lineups, fantasy trade deals, interesting (possibly worthless) trivia. Game day threads, fan polls, group jokes, etc. Bring it all on. The rest of the year can take care of itself because we have a mad dash to win 60 games!

Trout has said he's playing. Ohtani and Canning are on the mound. Maddon is at the helm. Our lineup is the strongest it's been in years.

Let's make tonight the official start to 2020 and our (new) New Years Eve!

Here's the Joe Maddon's 2020 Opening Day Roster. 


View the full article

If Hollywood hired a writer to write the perfect script for a baseball movie, it couldn’t have done better than what actually happened at Angel Stadium on Friday, July 12, 2019.

To set the stage, the Angels were struggling all season long through July 1st, barely holding onto a .500 record. While on the road in Texas, the Angels awoke to the tragic news that their friend, their teammate, their pitcher, Tyler Skaggs had died of an accidental drug overdose in his hotel room.

The Angels and Rangers cancelled their game that night, while the team dealt with its grief. The whole team was visibly shaken. Mike Trout tweeted out ““Words cannot express the deep sadness we feel right now. Our thoughts and prayers are with Carli and their families. Remembering him as a great teammate, friend, and person who will forever remain in our hearts… we love you, 45.”

Overnight, a memorial, built by fans with flowers, hats, letters, pictures, and posters appeared on the pitching mound in front of Angels Stadium. Everyday, the memorial grew while the Angels finished up their road trip leading up to the All-Star Break. At the All-Star Game, both Mike Trout and Tommy La Stella wore #45 jerseys to honor their teammate.

On Friday, July 12th, the Angels opened a homestand with the Mariners. They honored Tyler by having his mother, Debbie throw out the opening pitch. Standing beside her stood Carli, Tyler’s wife, his brother Garret, and stepfather Dan. A visibly emotional Andrew Heaney and Mike Trout carried out a framed Skaggs #45 jersey while every Angels player wore a #45 Skaggs jersey to honor their friend.

By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Columnist

#26: WAR per 162 games

I’m saving my favorite one for the penultimate entry: WAR per 162 games played. This stat, which for some reason isn’t used by any of the statistical sites, measures quality: that is, how good a player is per 162 games played, measured by WAR. The formula is simple: Career WAR divided by 162 games. With the MLB and MLBPA officially put in place a 60-game regular season with the standard 10-team playoff, the Yankees (+450) and Dodgers (+375) both saw their odds drop in the latest World Series odds on SBD. A shorter season means increased volatility.


Meaning, according to this metric, only Ruth has been a better per-game player. Considering the evolution of the game--especially the fact that Ruth only played seven other teams--this is as good as any  evidence that Trout has been, pound-for-pound—and thus far—arguably the greatest player in baseball history. Now of course he will go down as he declines, but he almost certainly will remain in the top 10.

Among active players, he blows the competition away (although the above chart helps us re-appreciate just how good some of his contemporaries have been).

You see where I'm going with this? This is proof that nearly every team has a good shot in 2020, including the Angels at cracking the postseason! 


Despite all of the injuries to the pitching staff and key position players in 2019, a team without Ohtani pitching over the entire season and a burned out bullpen, the Angels finished among the leaders last season with the best record over a 60-game stretch. Which is exactly how many games they'll be playing in 2020. 

You add in the Maddon over Ausmus factor as manager with playoff experience which essentially is what this season is, a long ass 60-game playoff tournament. Then include an Anthony Rendon talent to the roster, hot damn son! 

I'm liking our chances if we get out of the gate strong. No team, that includes the Nationals, Astros, Yankees or Dodgers can afford a two-week slump or a terrible start. 

Now on the flip side, the World Series Champion Washington Nationals started their first 60 games 27-33 and the Dodgers went 30-30 out of the gate. So it's imperative, no matter how good a roster is to fire on all cylinders right out of the starting gate. 

But back to the point. These are just facts to illustrate how exciting the 2020 shortened season will be with every game being crucial in what will be a weird stay at home playoff type atmosphere. 

Feel free to add on and respond, but here are some burning questions that come to mind with regards to the Angels 60-game season. 

1. How many of the 60 games will Mike Trout play as his first child is to be born in August. 

2. Will Jo Adell without a minor league season available make the team and start in RF? 

3. Can our 1st round pick Reid Detmers (when signed) crack the rotation? 

4. Since Ohtani has a short season and has already been medically cleared and throwing off the mound, should he be on a pitch and starts per week limit? 

5. Griffin Canning has been cleared and throwing off the mound, how much can he contribute? Would it make sense to ease him back as a late inning guy? 

6. Do we need a 6-man rotation now? 

7. With an initial 29-man roster, which surprises make the team out of the gate? 

8. Do you think the Angels will bunt and hit & run more since every game is like a Sunday NFL game? This season is no longer a marathon, but a sprint. 

9. Can you see Eppler making any last minute deals before Sunday's deadline? 

10. What are some big names that you can see the Angels trading a prospect away for on or by the Aug 31st trade deadline if they're in the thick of things?

League & Union Reportedly "Closing In" On Deal For 2020 Season

 

By @Dave Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

I’ve read the same articles that you have about the Angels cutting scouts prior to the draft, and frankly, have been rather upset by that decision. I think it’s a bit penny wise and dollar foolish.

So, I’d like to present an alternative idea that I would implement if I ran the Angels. If it were my team, I’d see this year’s draft as a major opportunity to boost the team for the long term, and not a financial drain and would invest heavily in this year’s draft.

Throughout this pandemic, I’ve one heard one voice loud and clear. And that was the voice of my dad. His favorite poem was “If” by Rudyard Kipling. For those who are not familiar with it. It starts off with “If you can keep your head, when all about you/Are losing theirs and blaming it on you . . . “

By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Columnist

My apologizes for the two-month gap in this series--extenuating real-life circumstances (and no, I wasn't sick, but thanks for the concern!). Let's continue...

#21: On-Base + Slugging Percentage....

The 5-round Amateur Draft is next week (June 10th & 11th) so it's time for our annual thread on this.

So far Baseball America and MLB.com has us getting a college or HS outfielder or college catcher. 

MLB also has the Angels looking at College SP Cade Cavalli or SS Ed Howard. 





 

Hi guys, there's a bunch of threads discussing the topic on if there will be a Major League Baseball season this year and what that will look like if there is.

Let's post all of the news related items on that topic in this thread so we can all check in here for the latest. 

Crossing my fingers for a MLB season this year! 

Boy has it been a long offseason when you consider spring training was cut in half and the start of the regular season was postponed until a day yet to be determined in the future due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

To say it has been a brutal past couple months is an understatement for everyone involved. Sports always has a way to unite people and especially after a tragedy, but unfortunately because of the times we're living in there has been more division among people that goes well beyond just the stay at home orders. 

Baseball, sports in general, have a way to unite people and nudge us to overlook differences that normally would divide, by joining in one accord to root on our favorite sports teams. 

We as baseball fans specifically have had a major void in our lives. The online banter here at AngelsWin.com during the games, calling out the manager's decisions, or simply just taking in a ball game at home with family, at the sports bar with friends or at the ballpark among those who all seemingly are in it to win it alongside you as you cheer on your team to win. It has been a while since we've had a meaningful conversation with a friend or family member about the game we love. 

Until last night. 

The voice of the Angels @VictorRojas29 took two hours of his Saturday night away from his schedule and family to talk to the fans and it was exactly what we needed. 

Victor talked about his early career in baseball, his professional career after MLB and how he went from the diamond to the booth doing play by play. 

The Q&A session with the fans revealed some amazing insight and stories that have been heard before, so if you're itching for baseball talk as I'm sure you are and  you missed out on the discussion with Victor, tune in below.

Also, if you haven't checked out Victor's Big Fly Baseball Show or visited Big Fly Gear and purchased some gear, what are you waiting for? 

Now enjoy two hours of talking Baseball. 

 

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/espn-kbo-league-korean-baseball-sports-tv-deal-1234597027/

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29124646/power-rankings-top-players-key-storylines-more-everything-need-kbo-opening-day

 

 

 

 

By Joe Haakenson, AngelsWin.com Contributor - 



 



APRIL 28, 2002

GAME 24 - BLUE JAYS AT ANGELS



 



ANAHEIM - For the second game in a row, David Eckstein hit a grand slam, and this time in came in dramatic fashion, his two-out slam in the bottom of the 14th inning lifting the Angels to an 8-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday before 25,073 at Edison Field. 



 



Eckstein was 0 for 6 in the game when he came to the plate in the 14th, and he responded with his second slam in as many days to help the Angels to their fourth win in a row.



 



Garret Anderson had four hits and Tim Salmon three hits for the Angels.



 



Reliever Mark Lukasiewicz, despite giving up a run in the top of the 14th, got the victory.



 







 

By Joe Haakenson, AngelsWin.com Contributor -



 



APRIL 27, 2002



GAME 23 - BLUE JAYS AT ANGELS



 



ANAHEIM - David Eckstein's fifth-inning grand slam lifted the Angels to an 11-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays Saturday night before 29,112 at Edison Field.



 



Troy Glaus chipped in with three hits and three RBIs as the Angels won their third game in a row.



 



Angels starting pitcher Aaron Sele gave up four runs & only one earned run in 5 2/3 innings to get his first victory over the season.