AngelsWin.com

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer -   

The Angels season ended over a month ago. The last pitch of the World Series has already been thrown. And yet, one of the most significant series for the 2013 was about to begin.

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 was a gorgeous day in Orange County-the kind of day that makes the rest of the country jealous. It was in the low 80s, sunny, clear, with a light breeze. It was the perfect day for baseball.

I went to Angels stadium to attend the 8th Annual Orange County Little League® Challenger Classic. Over 900 children with physical and mental disabilities from 30 Challenger Division Little League teams throughout Orange County were given the opportunity of a lifetime: to play a game on the field at Angels Stadium. Developed as a partnership between The Angels Baseball Foundation and the Bank of America, I was in for a day of smiles.

See for yourself in my slideshow of pictures below.   
 
To be honest, this was the first time I had heard of this game. Although I have a nephew with special needs, he is not yet old enough to play baseball. And, he lives in the Valley, a distance away from Angels Stadium.

From the moment I arrived at the stadium, the excitement was palpable. The sheer joy and excitement was everywhere. Smiles were everywhere. Players told me that they slept in their uniforms so that they would be fully prepared for the day's events.

As I watched the players come onto the field, cheered on by local area cheerleaders, I wanted to find out how such an incredible opportunity came into being. I spoke with Dr. Darrell Burnett, a local area sports psychologist to find out more about how this event came into being. Like many great events, it was an accidental encounter between people wanting to do good for the community.

Click below to listen to an interview with Dr. Darrell Burnett.  
 
I also spoke with Mark Merhab, the Chairman of the Angels Foundation to find out more about how the Angels, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Moreno, have supported charities in and around Orange County. I was surprised to learn that in the past decade, the Morenos have donated over $3 million dollars through their foundation to over 400 charities and groups! That's a lot of good work in our community!

Click below to listen to my interview with Mark Merhab.    
Due to the overwhelming number of players and teams, the day was divided into 4 sessions starting every 2 hours throughout the day. Each session got the opportunity to come onto the field through a crowd of cheerleaders and Bank of America volunteers, stretch, sing the National Anthem and recite the Little League® Pledge. Players were all smiles.

And then they got to play. But, they didn't get to play by themselves. Every session had current and former Angels players who came out to join in the fun. These included current Angels Jerome Williams and Steve Soliz and former Angels Jim Abbott, Bobby Grich, Clyde Wright, and Justin Speier.

Click below to watch my interview with Jim Abbott.    
Click below to watch my interview with Chuck Finley.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Justin Speier.

 
Click below to watch my interview with Jerome Williams.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Clyde Wright.
 
 
Talking with all of them, it was clear that they got more out of the event than they gave. Never had I seen an Angels pitcher smile so much as he gave up hit after hit (and even a few home runs that went over the fence)!

This event could not have occurred without all the hard work from over 350 Bank of America volunteers and Little League® Buddies who came out to support the players and the game of baseball. However, all baseball fans are welcome and can attend the event to cheer on the players. I guarantee if you do come next year, you will leave with a smile that will last all day.

As we head into the holiday season, and think about how we can help those in our community, there are many ways to support those in need. Baseball is a great way to connect with the community. AngelsWin.com has proudly supported the Orange County Miracle League and has supported many of our own members in tough times. That's part of our commitment to the #AngelsFamily.

Remember, you can also support many worthwhile causes through the Angels Baseball Foundation to share your love of baseball with those who need it most in Southern California. So, while shopping for that special Angels fan this holiday season, consider buying him/her an Angels brick and know that your gift will not only put a smile on his/her face, but on the faces of many through the Angels Foundation.

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer -   

The Angels season ended over a month ago. The last pitch of the World Series has already been thrown. And yet, one of the most significant series for the 2013 was about to begin.

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 was a gorgeous day in Orange County-the kind of day that makes the rest of the country jealous. It was in the low 80s, sunny, clear, with a light breeze. It was the perfect day for baseball.

I went to Angels stadium to attend the 8th Annual Orange County Little League® Challenger Classic. Over 900 children with physical and mental disabilities from 30 Challenger Division Little League teams throughout Orange County were given the opportunity of a lifetime: to play a game on the field at Angels Stadium. Developed as a partnership between The Angels Baseball Foundation and the Bank of America, I was in for a day of smiles.

See for yourself in my slideshow of pictures below.   
 
To be honest, this was the first time I had heard of this game. Although I have a nephew with special needs, he is not yet old enough to play baseball. And, he lives in the Valley, a distance away from Angels Stadium.

From the moment I arrived at the stadium, the excitement was palpable. The sheer joy and excitement was everywhere. Smiles were everywhere. Players told me that they slept in their uniforms so that they would be fully prepared for the day's events.

As I watched the players come onto the field, cheered on by local area cheerleaders, I wanted to find out how such an incredible opportunity came into being. I spoke with Dr. Darrell Burnett, a local area sports psychologist to find out more about how this event came into being. Like many great events, it was an accidental encounter between people wanting to do good for the community.

Click below to listen to an interview with Dr. Darrell Burnett.  
 
I also spoke with Mark Merhab, the Chairman of the Angels Foundation to find out more about how the Angels, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Moreno, have supported charities in and around Orange County. I was surprised to learn that in the past decade, the Morenos have donated over $3 million dollars through their foundation to over 400 charities and groups! That's a lot of good work in our community!

Click below to listen to my interview with Mark Merhab.    
Due to the overwhelming number of players and teams, the day was divided into 4 sessions starting every 2 hours throughout the day. Each session got the opportunity to come onto the field through a crowd of cheerleaders and Bank of America volunteers, stretch, sing the National Anthem and recite the Little League® Pledge. Players were all smiles.

And then they got to play. But, they didn't get to play by themselves. Every session had current and former Angels players who came out to join in the fun. These included current Angels Jerome Williams and Steve Soliz and former Angels Jim Abbott, Bobby Grich, Clyde Wright, and Justin Speier.

Click below to watch my interview with Jim Abbott.    
Click below to watch my interview with Chuck Finley.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Justin Speier.

 
Click below to watch my interview with Jerome Williams.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Clyde Wright.
 
 
Talking with all of them, it was clear that they got more out of the event than they gave. Never had I seen an Angels pitcher smile so much as he gave up hit after hit (and even a few home runs that went over the fence)!

This event could not have occurred without all the hard work from over 350 Bank of America volunteers and Little League® Buddies who came out to support the players and the game of baseball. However, all baseball fans are welcome and can attend the event to cheer on the players. I guarantee if you do come next year, you will leave with a smile that will last all day.

As we head into the holiday season, and think about how we can help those in our community, there are many ways to support those in need. Baseball is a great way to connect with the community. AngelsWin.com has proudly supported the Orange County Miracle League and has supported many of our own members in tough times. That's part of our commitment to the #AngelsFamily.

Remember, you can also support many worthwhile causes through the Angels Baseball Foundation to share your love of baseball with those who need it most in Southern California. So, while shopping for that special Angels fan this holiday season, consider buying him/her an Angels brick and know that your gift will not only put a smile on his/her face, but on the faces of many through the Angels Foundation.

By Robert Cunningham, AngelsWin.com Staff Writer - 
Disclaimer: This trade discussion is purely speculative in nature and presents an unlikely example of how the Angels can improve their roster for 2014. FanGraphs WAR stat is used to help evaluate player value, but it is merely a useful guide for this analysis. This series of articles are meant to entertain, generate discussion and to show that there are multiple avenues to improve the team.
Teams Involved:
Note: This is not a multi-team trade. Each of the trades would be separately conducted between the Angels and each other individual team in question.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim St. Louis Cardinals San Diego Padres Toronto Blue Jays
Team Needs:
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim –
The Angels need pitching for both the rotation and bullpen. Additionally a possible upgrade at third base would be desirable. Team budget is a concern (even if Arte Moreno breaks the luxury tax threshold for 2014) so any trade would need to keep the team payroll relatively neutral. Improving their overall farm system is a secondary goal.
St. Louis Cardinals –
The Cardinals are looking for upgrades at both shortstop and center field. Budget is not a concern for them and improving their overall farm system would be icing on the cake as they have probably the premier prospect base in MLB.
San Diego Padres –
The Padres have a stated need for a left-handed bat, a corner outfielder and/or first baseman, and a left-handed reliever. Additionally there is some upheaval surrounding their third baseman Chase Headley so that may be a concern for them as well. The Padres are a small-market team so budget is a concern, requiring any trade to relatively neutral. An improvement to their farm system would also be a bonus for the Padres who already have a good prospect base.
Toronto Blue Jays –
The Jays have made it clear they need to find an upgrade at second base. Also they have stated a desire to acquire a right-handed hitting backup catcher against left-handed pitching. Adding some inexpensive bullpen help could allow them to safely move one or more of their current relievers in trade. The Jays farm system is relatively strong so an improvement there is a bonus.
Players Involved:
‘Adjusted Value Out’ takes the average WAR of a player, over the last three years, and makes minor adjustments for age (decline), scarcity (projected high WAR season), and whether they project to receive a Qualifying Offer.
Please note that prospects are, by nature, inherently cheaper in value. Top prospects, of course, are more valuable than ‘organizational depth’ type prospects and Minor League experience level is also reflected in their value.
Example: The Rangers traded Mike Olt (#57 on MLB 2013 Top 100), Justin Grimm, C.J. Edwards, and Neil Ramirez for essentially $5.1 million (1.1 WAR for 2nd half of 2013) and a half-year of Matt Garza. Although it was a deadline overpay for one mid-level star and three organizational players, it illustrates the point.
This prospect evaluation is reflected in the ‘Adjusted Value Out’ column in the chart above. Those players under contract that are likely eligible for a Qualifying Offer at contract end, which would net the controlling team a compensatory draft pick, adds additional dollars to their ‘Adjusted Value Out’ total.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim –
The Angels are coming off a disappointing season and know that in order to compete they need to acquire young, controllable pitching and one of the only ways to accomplish that is through trade of some of their position players.
One of those players is Howie Kendrick. Since early June there has been increasing chatter that Kendrick and the remaining two team-friendly years on his contract could be moved. It is also likely that Howie, at the end of his contract when he enters free agency, will receive a Qualifying Offer which would net a draft pick, increasing his value.
Mark Trumbo is also a player that the Angels might consider parting with in trade. Several teams are looking for a corner outfielder/first baseman and the Angels don’t really have a clear starting position for him in 2014. Trumbo is also likely to receive a Qualifying Offer before hitting free agency, netting a draft pick for the controlling team.
Erick Aybar might be the most painful of these players to part with as our replacement options, although defensively sound, are not offensively oriented to the degree that Erick is. Aybar is a solid shortstop with a team-friendly 3 years remaining on his contract, making him an attractive option for a team in need.
Chris Iannetta also has two years remaining on his team-friendly contract. His positive value would allow the Angels to move him in trade and then sign a catcher who can hit left-handed pitching to backup Hank Conger, who would receive the lion’s share of starts in 2014.
Peter Bourjos, whose performance has been hampered by injuries, is quite possibly the most elite defensive center fielder in the game today but hasn’t had too many opportunities to show it. His offensive game started to take a step forward in 2013 before being hit by a pitch that limited his season. Although trading him right now is a sell low moment, other teams recognize the tremendous value he brings and he will net more than most realize.
Prospects Michael Roth and C.J. Cron are expendable pieces for the Angels, especially the latter who is a first baseman/designated hitter type that probably won’t have a positional home on the team for the foreseeable future. Cron, a first round pick, has some value as a potential power hitter while Roth, a lefty specialist, has quite a bit less.
St. Louis Cardinals –
The Cardinals are coming off a tremendous season where they nearly won it all. St. Louis is flush with cash to compliment a great farm.
Recently there have been rumors that the Cardinals would be willing to move Shelby Miller or Lance Lynn in trade to fill their other needs. They are so deep in pitching that they can also afford to part with another starter/long reliever in Seth Maness, who is a sinker-ball specialist.
San Diego Padres –
The Padres are facing a big question regarding the retention of their current third baseman Chase Headley. The fact that they haven’t been able to sign him to an extension yet leads to the belief that they might move him in trade this offseason. If they do lose Headley, Jedd Gyorko could be moved over to the hot corner and second base could be filled internally (Amarista for instance) or through trade/free agency.
Beyond Headley the Padres have two prospects, Matthew Wisler, a young right-handed pitching prospect, and defensive-whiz, Austin Hedges who are expendable due to the Padres depth in their rotation (Luebke and Wieland should be available next season) and also their team control of Hundley and Grandal at the catcher position for at least the next two years.
Toronto Blue Jays –
Just like the Angels and Phillies, the Blue Jays are also coming off a disappointing season where they were expected to contend. Questions surround their rotation, second base, and at the backup catcher position behind Josh Thole. Looking towards the future when Edwin Encarnacion’s contract expires they could use a power-hitting first baseman.
Although the Blue Jays would be okay with retaining Casey Janssen, their 2013 closer, he could also be moved in trade to fill some roster holes. Janssen could be a one year rental for an acquiring team or a possible extension candidate.
The Blue Jays also have enough pitching depth in AAA that they can afford to part with young right-handed pitching prospect Marcus Stroman (AA) in a trade for the right players.
The Trades:

How Does This Improve Each Team?
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim –
The Angels, by moving Kendrick, Trumbo, Iannetta, Aybar, Bourjos, Cron and Roth, move a lot of salary off of the books to make room for the acquisition of Shelby Miller, a clear front of the rotation starter.
Essentially the Halos trade five controllable, MLB players and two prospects in exchange for one controllable MLB player, two rental MLB players and four controllable, near-MLB ready prospects.
The net cash results of this trade, for the 2014 season, is a reduction of $11,420,000 in team payroll after we pay about half of Aybar’s 2014 contract in salary relief to the Cardinals and receive about a million each in salary relief for Headley and Iannetta for 2014 only.
If the Angels re-sign Jason Vargas, it would give them a starting five rotation of Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Shelby Miller, Jason Vargas, and Garrett Richards which would be an improvement over the 2013 pitching staff.
In addition to controlling Miller for the next five seasons, we acquire sinker ball pitcher Seth Maness who is very good at limiting both walks and home runs. With the new Angels defensive arrangement behind him (Headley, Romine/Field, Lindsey/Green, and Pujols) he should enjoy quite a bit of success with the Halo’s as either a starter or long reliever.
Additionally, from the Padres, we acquire a one-year rental of one of the better defensive third basemen in the Majors: Chase Headley. Chase is also a switch-hitter who hits RHP better than LHP but is a presence in the middle or top of our batting order. He would also be a secondary extension candidate behind Mike Trout.
Beyond that we also acquire a rising young AA RHP prospect in Matthew Wisler and the young, defensive-wizard catcher Austin Hedges who can act as the primary depth option behind Conger and whomever we sign as a free agent catcher for 2014.
Finally from the Blue Jays we acquire a one-year rental of Casey Janssen who immediately upgrades the back-end of our bullpen and young AA RHP prospect Marcus Stroman who is also a rising star in the Jays farm system.
The net result is that the Angels do improve their rotation and bullpen along with acquiring, at least for 2014, a third baseman that is a significant upgrade over what was available to us internally. We do lose some offense at both shortstop and second base but it is made up by the improvements in other areas.
St. Louis Cardinals –
The Cardinals deal from their impressive farm system by trading away top prospect Shelby Miller and prospect Seth Maness for three years of shortstop Erick Aybar and three years of Peter Bourjos.
Losing Miller or Maness doesn’t hamper the Cardinals rotation options and it allows them to reload for another sustained run at a championship in 2014. In particular the upside of Bourjos, if he avoids injury, is favorable to St. Louis.
Additionally they only had to take on a small amount of total salary ($4,325,000) which will allow them to pursue any and all free agents that they choose to pursue and could even allow them to consummate additional trades to further upgrade their already elite team.
In the end the Cardinals deal from great positions of strength to fortify their main areas of weakness. It would not surprise me to see the Cardinals try to acquire Max Scherzer or another experienced, high-quality starter (maybe even Cliff Lee) to upgrade their rotation in pursuit of another World Series run.
San Diego Padres –
The Padres end up replacing the loss of Headley by moving Gyorko over to third base, his former Minor League position, and acquiring power-hitter Mark Trumbo who they can use at either RF or at first base and the offensive-minded Howie Kendrick to plug in at second base.
This gives the Padres a nice infield of Gyorko, Cabrera, Kendrick, and Alonso/Trumbo. If they want to keep Alonso at first they can move Trumbo to the outfield and trade Will Venable or perhaps Chris Denorfia for some of the pitching depth they want. Also Kendrick has no significant platoon split, giving the Padres added strength vs. RHP.
The catching tandem of Hundley and Grandal mitigates the loss of Hedges. Wisler would probably not contribute significantly this season whereas the likes of Luebke and Wieland probably could help making Wisler’s loss manageable.
San Diego takes on a little over four million in salary for 2014 and pays for almost a million of Headley’s salary, creating a net increase of about $5 million for 2014 which is a reasonable increase for the team payroll. The remaining holes can be filled by a Venable-based trade. The Padres could take a significant step forward in 2014.
Toronto Blue Jays –
The Blue Jays end up using their farm system and bullpen depth to acquire the right-handed hitting catcher they need along with a first base power hitting prospect.
Chris Iannetta would become the backup catcher to Josh Thole, creating a nice catching platoon for the Blue Jays. Chris has a reasonably priced, two-year contract which is a good fit for the Blue Jays current window of contention.
C.J. Cron places a left-handed hitting power prospect who can possibly be the first baseman or DH in the coming years. This would provide insurance behind Edwin Encarnacion and allow the Blue Jays to deal Adam Lind for starting pitching help. Cron could possibly take over first base in two years if Edwin leaves or could hit in the DH spot.
The Blue Jays take on nearly $975,000 in salary for the 2014 season along with an additional $1,100,000 in salary relief for Casey Janssen which is a reasonable increase for their team payroll.
Conclusion:
The actual individual trades are fairly reasonable. Probably the most disagreement will center on the Miller-Maness for Aybar-Bourjos trade. Just so you understand I assumed Peter would project for a 2.4 WAR season in 2014, 3.1 WAR in 2015, and 3.5 War in 2016, his walk year.
These are reasonable values in my opinion and it only reinforces the idea that Bourjos is a valuable commodity. Some focus so much on his offense that they forget he is one of the top 3 defensive center fielders in the game today. Run prevention is criminally underrated by the fans but luckily not so by MLB teams.
Although this was a fun thought exercise it does show what some extreme creativity can do to improve a team. In reality, the likelihood that the team completely sells off all of the players in this scenario is pretty remo

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By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer -   

The Angels season ended over a month ago. The last pitch of the World Series has already been thrown. And yet, one of the most significant series for the 2013 was about to begin.

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 was a gorgeous day in Orange County-the kind of day that makes the rest of the country jealous. It was in the low 80s, sunny, clear, with a light breeze. It was the perfect day for baseball.

I went to Angels stadium to attend the 8th Annual Orange County Little League® Challenger Classic. Over 900 children with physical and mental disabilities from 30 Challenger Division Little League teams throughout Orange County were given the opportunity of a lifetime: to play a game on the field at Angels Stadium. Developed as a partnership between The Angels Baseball Foundation and the Bank of America, I was in for a day of smiles.

See for yourself in my slideshow of pictures below.   
 
To be honest, this was the first time I had heard of this game. Although I have a nephew with special needs, he is not yet old enough to play baseball. And, he lives in the Valley, a distance away from Angels Stadium.

From the moment I arrived at the stadium, the excitement was palpable. The sheer joy and excitement was everywhere. Smiles were everywhere. Players told me that they slept in their uniforms so that they would be fully prepared for the day's events.

As I watched the players come onto the field, cheered on by local area cheerleaders, I wanted to find out how such an incredible opportunity came into being. I spoke with Dr. Darrell Burnett, a local area sports psychologist to find out more about how this event came into being. Like many great events, it was an accidental encounter between people wanting to do good for the community.

Click below to listen to an interview with Dr. Darrell Burnett.  
 
I also spoke with Mark Merhab, the Chairman of the Angels Foundation to find out more about how the Angels, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Moreno, have supported charities in and around Orange County. I was surprised to learn that in the past decade, the Morenos have donated over $3 million dollars through their foundation to over 400 charities and groups! That's a lot of good work in our community!

Click below to listen to my interview with Mark Merhab.    
Due to the overwhelming number of players and teams, the day was divided into 4 sessions starting every 2 hours throughout the day. Each session got the opportunity to come onto the field through a crowd of cheerleaders and Bank of America volunteers, stretch, sing the National Anthem and recite the Little League® Pledge. Players were all smiles.

And then they got to play. But, they didn't get to play by themselves. Every session had current and former Angels players who came out to join in the fun. These included current Angels Jerome Williams and Steve Soliz and former Angels Jim Abbott, Bobby Grich, Clyde Wright, and Justin Speier.

Click below to watch my interview with Jim Abbott.    
Click below to watch my interview with Chuck Finley.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Justin Speier.

 
Click below to watch my interview with Jerome Williams.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Clyde Wright.
 
 
Talking with all of them, it was clear that they got more out of the event than they gave. Never had I seen an Angels pitcher smile so much as he gave up hit after hit (and even a few home runs that went over the fence)!

This event could not have occurred without all the hard work from over 350 Bank of America volunteers and Little League® Buddies who came out to support the players and the game of baseball. However, all baseball fans are welcome and can attend the event to cheer on the players. I guarantee if you do come next year, you will leave with a smile that will last all day.

As we head into the holiday season, and think about how we can help those in our community, there are many ways to support those in need. Baseball is a great way to connect with the community. AngelsWin.com has proudly supported the Orange County Miracle League and has supported many of our own members in tough times. That's part of our commitment to the #AngelsFamily.

Remember, you can also support many worthwhile causes through the Angels Baseball Foundation to share your love of baseball with those who need it most in Southern California. So, while shopping for that special Angels fan this holiday season, consider buying him/her an Angels brick and know that your gift will not only put a smile on his/her face, but on the faces of many through the Angels Foundation.

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer -   

The Angels season ended over a month ago. The last pitch of the World Series has already been thrown. And yet, one of the most significant series for the 2013 was about to begin.

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 was a gorgeous day in Orange County-the kind of day that makes the rest of the country jealous. It was in the low 80s, sunny, clear, with a light breeze. It was the perfect day for baseball.

I went to Angels stadium to attend the 8th Annual Orange County Little League® Challenger Classic. Over 900 children with physical and mental disabilities from 30 Challenger Division Little League teams throughout Orange County were given the opportunity of a lifetime: to play a game on the field at Angels Stadium. Developed as a partnership between The Angels Baseball Foundation and the Bank of America, I was in for a day of smiles.

See for yourself in my slideshow of pictures below.   
 
To be honest, this was the first time I had heard of this game. Although I have a nephew with special needs, he is not yet old enough to play baseball. And, he lives in the Valley, a distance away from Angels Stadium.

From the moment I arrived at the stadium, the excitement was palpable. The sheer joy and excitement was everywhere. Smiles were everywhere. Players told me that they slept in their uniforms so that they would be fully prepared for the day's events.

As I watched the players come onto the field, cheered on by local area cheerleaders, I wanted to find out how such an incredible opportunity came into being. I spoke with Dr. Darrell Burnett, a local area sports psychologist to find out more about how this event came into being. Like many great events, it was an accidental encounter between people wanting to do good for the community.

Click below to listen to an interview with Dr. Darrell Burnett.  
 
I also spoke with Mark Merhab, the Chairman of the Angels Foundation to find out more about how the Angels, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Moreno, have supported charities in and around Orange County. I was surprised to learn that in the past decade, the Morenos have donated over $3 million dollars through their foundation to over 400 charities and groups! That's a lot of good work in our community!

Click below to listen to my interview with Mark Merhab.    
Due to the overwhelming number of players and teams, the day was divided into 4 sessions starting every 2 hours throughout the day. Each session got the opportunity to come onto the field through a crowd of cheerleaders and Bank of America volunteers, stretch, sing the National Anthem and recite the Little League® Pledge. Players were all smiles.

And then they got to play. But, they didn't get to play by themselves. Every session had current and former Angels players who came out to join in the fun. These included current Angels Jerome Williams and Steve Soliz and former Angels Jim Abbott, Bobby Grich, Clyde Wright, and Justin Speier.

Click below to watch my interview with Jim Abbott.    
Click below to watch my interview with Chuck Finley.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Justin Speier.

 
Click below to watch my interview with Jerome Williams.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Clyde Wright.
 
 
Talking with all of them, it was clear that they got more out of the event than they gave. Never had I seen an Angels pitcher smile so much as he gave up hit after hit (and even a few home runs that went over the fence)!

This event could not have occurred without all the hard work from over 350 Bank of America volunteers and Little League® Buddies who came out to support the players and the game of baseball. However, all baseball fans are welcome and can attend the event to cheer on the players. I guarantee if you do come next year, you will leave with a smile that will last all day.

As we head into the holiday season, and think about how we can help those in our community, there are many ways to support those in need. Baseball is a great way to connect with the community. AngelsWin.com has proudly supported the Orange County Miracle League and has supported many of our own members in tough times. That's part of our commitment to the #AngelsFamily.

Remember, you can also support many worthwhile causes through the Angels Baseball Foundation to share your love of baseball with those who need it most in Southern California. So, while shopping for that special Angels fan this holiday season, consider buying him/her an Angels brick and know that your gift will not only put a smile on his/her face, but on the faces of many through the Angels Foundation.

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer -   

The Angels season ended over a month ago. The last pitch of the World Series has already been thrown. And yet, one of the most significant series for the 2013 was about to begin.

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 was a gorgeous day in Orange County-the kind of day that makes the rest of the country jealous. It was in the low 80s, sunny, clear, with a light breeze. It was the perfect day for baseball.

I went to Angels stadium to attend the 8th Annual Orange County Little League® Challenger Classic. Over 900 children with physical and mental disabilities from 30 Challenger Division Little League teams throughout Orange County were given the opportunity of a lifetime: to play a game on the field at Angels Stadium. Developed as a partnership between The Angels Baseball Foundation and the Bank of America, I was in for a day of smiles.

See for yourself in my slideshow of pictures below.   
 
To be honest, this was the first time I had heard of this game. Although I have a nephew with special needs, he is not yet old enough to play baseball. And, he lives in the Valley, a distance away from Angels Stadium.

From the moment I arrived at the stadium, the excitement was palpable. The sheer joy and excitement was everywhere. Smiles were everywhere. Players told me that they slept in their uniforms so that they would be fully prepared for the day's events.

As I watched the players come onto the field, cheered on by local area cheerleaders, I wanted to find out how such an incredible opportunity came into being. I spoke with Dr. Darrell Burnett, a local area sports psychologist to find out more about how this event came into being. Like many great events, it was an accidental encounter between people wanting to do good for the community.

Click below to listen to an interview with Dr. Darrell Burnett.  
 
I also spoke with Mark Merhab, the Chairman of the Angels Foundation to find out more about how the Angels, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Moreno, have supported charities in and around Orange County. I was surprised to learn that in the past decade, the Morenos have donated over $3 million dollars through their foundation to over 400 charities and groups! That's a lot of good work in our community!

Click below to listen to my interview with Mark Merhab.    
Due to the overwhelming number of players and teams, the day was divided into 4 sessions starting every 2 hours throughout the day. Each session got the opportunity to come onto the field through a crowd of cheerleaders and Bank of America volunteers, stretch, sing the National Anthem and recite the Little League® Pledge. Players were all smiles.

And then they got to play. But, they didn't get to play by themselves. Every session had current and former Angels players who came out to join in the fun. These included current Angels Jerome Williams and Steve Soliz and former Angels Jim Abbott, Bobby Grich, Clyde Wright, and Justin Speier.

Click below to watch my interview with Jim Abbott.    
Click below to watch my interview with Chuck Finley.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Justin Speier.

 
Click below to watch my interview with Jerome Williams.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Clyde Wright.
 
 
Talking with all of them, it was clear that they got more out of the event than they gave. Never had I seen an Angels pitcher smile so much as he gave up hit after hit (and even a few home runs that went over the fence)!

This event could not have occurred without all the hard work from over 350 Bank of America volunteers and Little League® Buddies who came out to support the players and the game of baseball. However, all baseball fans are welcome and can attend the event to cheer on the players. I guarantee if you do come next year, you will leave with a smile that will last all day.

As we head into the holiday season, and think about how we can help those in our community, there are many ways to support those in need. Baseball is a great way to connect with the community. AngelsWin.com has proudly supported the Orange County Miracle League and has supported many of our own members in tough times. That's part of our commitment to the #AngelsFamily.

Remember, you can also support many worthwhile causes through the Angels Baseball Foundation to share your love of baseball with those who need it most in Southern California. So, while shopping for that special Angels fan this holiday season, consider buying him/her an Angels brick and know that your gift will not only put a smile on his/her face, but on the faces of many through the Angels Foundation.

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer -   

The Angels season ended over a month ago. The last pitch of the World Series has already been thrown. And yet, one of the most significant series for the 2013 was about to begin.

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013 was a gorgeous day in Orange County-the kind of day that makes the rest of the country jealous. It was in the low 80s, sunny, clear, with a light breeze. It was the perfect day for baseball.

I went to Angels stadium to attend the 8th Annual Orange County Little League® Challenger Classic. Over 900 children with physical and mental disabilities from 30 Challenger Division Little League teams throughout Orange County were given the opportunity of a lifetime: to play a game on the field at Angels Stadium. Developed as a partnership between The Angels Baseball Foundation and the Bank of America, I was in for a day of smiles.

See for yourself in my slideshow of pictures below.   
 
To be honest, this was the first time I had heard of this game. Although I have a nephew with special needs, he is not yet old enough to play baseball. And, he lives in the Valley, a distance away from Angels Stadium.

From the moment I arrived at the stadium, the excitement was palpable. The sheer joy and excitement was everywhere. Smiles were everywhere. Players told me that they slept in their uniforms so that they would be fully prepared for the day's events.

As I watched the players come onto the field, cheered on by local area cheerleaders, I wanted to find out how such an incredible opportunity came into being. I spoke with Dr. Darrell Burnett, a local area sports psychologist to find out more about how this event came into being. Like many great events, it was an accidental encounter between people wanting to do good for the community.

Click below to listen to an interview with Dr. Darrell Burnett.  
 
I also spoke with Mark Merhab, the Chairman of the Angels Foundation to find out more about how the Angels, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Moreno, have supported charities in and around Orange County. I was surprised to learn that in the past decade, the Morenos have donated over $3 million dollars through their foundation to over 400 charities and groups! That's a lot of good work in our community!

Click below to listen to my interview with Mark Merhab.    
Due to the overwhelming number of players and teams, the day was divided into 4 sessions starting every 2 hours throughout the day. Each session got the opportunity to come onto the field through a crowd of cheerleaders and Bank of America volunteers, stretch, sing the National Anthem and recite the Little League® Pledge. Players were all smiles.

And then they got to play. But, they didn't get to play by themselves. Every session had current and former Angels players who came out to join in the fun. These included current Angels Jerome Williams and Steve Soliz and former Angels Jim Abbott, Bobby Grich, Clyde Wright, and Justin Speier.

Click below to watch my interview with Jim Abbott.    
Click below to watch my interview with Chuck Finley.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Justin Speier.

 
Click below to watch my interview with Jerome Williams.
 
 
Click below to watch my interview with Clyde Wright.
 
 
Talking with all of them, it was clear that they got more out of the event than they gave. Never had I seen an Angels pitcher smile so much as he gave up hit after hit (and even a few home runs that went over the fence)!

This event could not have occurred without all the hard work from over 350 Bank of America volunteers and Little League® Buddies who came out to support the players and the game of baseball. However, all baseball fans are welcome and can attend the event to cheer on the players. I guarantee if you do come next year, you will leave with a smile that will last all day.

As we head into the holiday season, and think about how we can help those in our community, there are many ways to support those in need. Baseball is a great way to connect with the community. AngelsWin.com has proudly supported the Orange County Miracle League and has supported many of our own members in tough times. That's part of our commitment to the #AngelsFamily.

Remember, you can also support many worthwhile causes through the Angels Baseball Foundation to share your love of baseball with those who need it most in Southern California. So, while shopping for that special Angels fan this holiday season, consider buying him/her an Angels brick and know that your gift will not only put a smile on his/her face, but on the faces of many through the Angels Foundation.

By Robert Cunningham, AngelsWin.com Contributor -    Disclaimer: This trade discussion is purely speculative in nature and presents an unlikely example of how the Angels can improve their roster for 2014. FanGraphs WAR stat is used to help evaluate player value, but it is merely a useful guide for this analysis. This article is meant to entertain and generate discussion!   Teams Involved:   Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Philadelphia Phillies Toronto Blue Jays   Team Needs:   Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim –   The Angels need pitching for both the rotation and bullpen. Additionally a possible upgrade at third base would be desirable. Team budget is a concern (even if Arte Moreno breaks the luxury tax threshold) so any trade would need to keep the team payroll relatively neutral. Improving their overall farm system is a secondary goal.   Philadelphia Phillies –   The Phillies need to fill one hole in the back-end of their rotation and bullpen. Additionally they have stated a need for a power-hitting corner outfielder who can hit left-handed pitching. Also their catching situation is up in the air and finding the right tandem for primary and back up duty is a priority. Improving the lower levels of their farm system is a secondary goal.   Toronto Blue Jays –   The Jays have made it clear they need to find an upgrade at second base. Also they have stated a desire to acquire a right-handed hitting backup catcher against left-handed pitching. Adding some inexpensive bullpen help could allow them to safely move one or more of their current relievers in trade. The Jays farm system is relatively strong and is a potential asset source.   Players Involved:      
  ‘Adjusted Value Out’ takes the average WAR of a player, over the last three years, and makes minor adjustments for age (decline), scarcity (projected high WAR season), and whether they project to receive a Qualifying Offer.   Please note that prospects are, by nature, inherently cheaper in value. Top prospects, of course, are more valuable than ‘organizational depth’ type prospects and Minor League experience level is also reflected in their value.   Example: The Rangers traded Mike Olt (#57 on MLB 2013 Top 100), Justin Grimm, C.J. Edwards, and Neil Ramirez for essentially $5.1 million (1.1 WAR for 2nd half of 2013) and a half-year of Matt Garza. Although it was a deadline overpay for one mid-level star and three organizational players, it illustrates the point.   This prospect evaluation is reflected in the ‘Adjusted Value Out’ column in the chart above. Those players under contract that are likely eligible for a Qualifying Offer at contract end, which would net the controlling team a compensatory draft pick, adds additional dollars to their ‘Adjusted Value Out’ total.   Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim –   The Angels are coming off a disappointing season and know that in order to compete they need to acquire young, controllable pitching and one of the only ways to accomplish that is through trade of some of their position players.   One of those players is Howie Kendrick. Since early June there has been increasing chatter that Kendrick and the remaining two team-friendly years on his contract could be moved. It is also likely that Howie, at the end of his contract when he enters free agency, will receive a Qualifying Offer which would net a draft pick, increasing his value.   Mark Trumbo is also a player that the Angels might consider parting with in trade. Several teams are looking for a corner outfielder/first baseman and the Angels don’t really have a clear starting position for him in 2014. Trumbo is also likely to receive a Qualifying Offer before hitting free agency, netting a draft pick for the controlling team.   Tommy Hanson might be a possible non-tender for the Angels. It is a borderline call but as a pitcher in the back-end of the rotation, his measly projected $3.9 million arbitration salary is reasonable, especially in this scarce pitcher market. Hanson would essentially be a one-year rental with possible upside.   Chris Iannetta also has two years remaining on his team-friendly contract. His positive value would allow the Angels to move him in trade and then sign a catcher who can hit left-handed pitching to backup Hank Conger, who would receive the lion’s share of starts in 2014.   Philadelphia Phillies –   The Phillies are also coming off a disappointing season and have needs in their rotation, bullpen, and the outfield. They too would like to acquire another young, controllable starter and a trade, especially if it involves moving one of their big contracts, would be desirable from a payroll point of view.   Cliff Lee has been the subject of trade talk for a while now and he is owed a tremendous amount of money over the remainder of his two year, plus one option year, contract. Despite his increasing age he has been very productive and the short contract length would be attractive to the right teams.   Note: For the purposes of this analysis Lee’s value is based on the idea that his option year would not be picked up and his buyout paid. Even if the option were picked up it would make minimal difference in this analysis.   Third base prospect Maikel Franco (AA) had a terrific offensive year in the Minors this season. His defense is fringe-average but he has decent hands and a sturdy arm. The Phillies already have Cody Asche, another third base prospect, up on the big league team who looks like he will start in 2014, making Franco expendable in the right move.   Finally the Phillies can afford to part with left-handed reliever Jake Diekman (AAA/Majors) and left-handed starter Austin Wright (AA) as they have other near-MLB ready starters (Biddle, Martin, and Pettibone) and relievers like Luis Lopez as depth for Bastardo and Horst.   Toronto Blue Jays –   Just like the Angels and Phillies, the Blue Jays are also coming off a disappointing season where they were expected to contend. Questions surround their rotation, second base, and at the backup catcher position behind Josh Thole.   Although the Blue Jays would be okay with retaining Casey Janssen, their 2013 closer, he could also be moved in trade to fill some roster holes. Janssen could be a one year rental for an acquiring team or a possible extension candidate.   Also J.P. Arencibia is a potential non-tender candidate for the Jays as their front office feels that left-handed hitting Josh Thole is their 2014 starting catcher. If the Jays could trade him and his projected $2.8 million salary it would be a plus as he is a borderline non-tender candidate.   Additionally the Jays have two of their top young starting pitching prospects, right-handers Aaron Sanchez (A) and Marcus Stroman (AA) that could eventually slot into the front end of a pitching staff. Since the Jays already have Jeremy Jeffress and Sean Nolin on their 40-man, these two are expendable in the right trade.   Finally the Blue Jays are able to part with right-handed relievers Joel Carreno (AAA) and Wil Browning (A+) who are young, cost-controlled bullpen pieces that are expendable.   The Trade:
    How Does This Improve Each Team?   Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim –   The Angels, by moving Kendrick, Trumbo, Iannetta, and Hanson, move a lot of salary off of the books to make room for the acquisition of Cliff Lee, a clear front of the rotation starter. Essentially the Halos trade four controllable, MLB players in exchange for one controllable MLB player, one rental MLB player and five prospects.   The net result of this trade, for the 2014 season, is an addition of $4,175,000 in team payroll and this doesn’t consider the fact that the Phillies will have to kick in some salary relief (about $5 million in 2014 and $8.5 million in 2015) to help balance out the trade making this a net gain in salary of zero for 2014.   If the Angels re-signed Jason Vargas, it would give them a starting five rotation of Cliff Lee, Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Garrett Richards, and Jason Vargas, which would be a significant improvement over 2013.   In addition to Lee the Angels acquire a young, offensive minded third base prospect in Franco who could compete for a starting position in Spring Training and at the minimum would provide some quality depth at the position.   Additionally the back-end of our bullpen would be instantly upgraded with the addition of Janssen. Also the acquisition of Carreno and Browning creates additional, quality depth in the Minors with Carreno being the first called up in the event of an injury.   Finally adding Marcus Stroman and Austin Wright (both currently in AA) provides starting rotation depth which we badly need. If a starter is injured one of these two could get the call and fill in the gap.   Philadelphia Phillies –   The Phillies trade away two controllable MLB players, cash, and two prospects in exchange for one controllable MLB player, two probable one-year rental MLB players, a top pitching prospect, and some salary relief.   Losing Cliff Lee creates a bit of addition by subtraction for the Phillies mainly through payroll relief. Although they now have to fill a hole in the front of their rotation they have more cash to focus on a starting pitcher trade and their primary catcher position.   Mark Trumbo adds the right-handed, corner, outfield bat the Phillies need and Arencibia gives them a stop-gap backup catcher for 2014 with some slight upside. Hanson gives them a 5th starter for their rotation and if he performs well back in the National League he could be a trade chip or extension candidate.   Although the Phillies would technically have about $12,250,000 available for 2014 they have to provide some salary relief for Cliff Lee. Assuming they send over the $5 million, mentioned above, it leaves them with a little over $8 million (for 2014) on top of the available payroll space (about $38 million) they currently have to acquire a starting pitcher, catcher, and set up reliever.   If the Phillies were to sign Masahiro Tanaka, for instance, it would give them a starting five man rotation of Cole Hamels, Masahiro Tanaka, Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, Kyle Kendrick, and Tommy Hanson, which is not too shabby.   The remaining payroll could be used to acquire a left-hand hitting catcher such as Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Brian McCann to handle the main catching duties and a right-handed relief pitcher for their bullpen.   Finally the Phillies acquire the type of young prospect that they wanted in any trade for Cliff Lee in the form of right-handed pitcher Aaron Sanchez who can be a future front end starter for them in 2-4 years. Alternatively, the Phillies could flip Aaron Sanchez (or Jesse Biddle) to the Rays as the centerpiece of a David Price trade. In fact they could forego Hanson and try to target both Tanaka and Price!   Toronto Blue Jays –   The Blue Jays end up using their farm system to acquire some of the pieces they need to contend in 2014, especially in light of the major upgrade moves they made prior to 2013. Toronto gives up two one-year MLB rental players, some cash, and four prospects in exchange for three controllable MLB players.   Acquiring Howie Kendrick impacts their middle infield tremendously and he is an offensive-minded hitter in a hitter-friendly ballpark. The potential compensatory pick has additional value for the Jays.   Chris Iannetta would become the backup catcher to Josh Thole, creating a nice catching platoon for the Blue Jays. Chris has a reasonably priced, two-year contract which is a good fit for the Blue Jays current window of contention.   Jake Diekman gives Toronto a pretty good left-handed back-end bullpen guy who is more of a groundball pitcher in a homer-friendly ballpark which is a plus.   The Blue Jays end up taking on a little over $8 million in salary for the 2014 season which is a reasonable increase for their team payroll. They will have to kick in about $3.3 million to the Angels as well (probably paying most of Janssen’s salary) to help balance out the total trade. It still gives them room to target a starting pitcher in trade.   Conclusion:   Although this was a fun thought exercise it does show what some extreme creativity can do to improve a team.   Most trades are done on a much smaller scale to add one or two pieces at a time but once in a while you get a monster trade that can completely reshape a team’s outlook (Pre-2013 Blue Jays) or season (2013 Dodgers and Red Sox!).   This trade would rely on the willingness of the Phillies to move Cliff Lee and his massive salary and the Blue Jays to give up two of their top pitching prospects. However both teams intend to compete next season, especially the Jays, so there is a motivation factor on all sides that could make this a possible reality.

They already have a name for their daughter.
Cera.

DR is feeling a little rough tonight, so I thought I'd come here and throw my pasta against the wall.
 
This time last year, I was carrying my wife around and tending to her every need...feeding her, lifting her, reading to her, and so on.  It was all a pleasure. 
 
Her eyes would get heavier with each day and the deep well that held her will to fight cancer was finally reaching bottom. 
 
On Monday, I will recognize the one year anniversary of her passing.  And it's sucking right now.
 
Just before she was originally diagnosed with brain cancer, she purchased a shiny red beach cruiser.  It had a white basket on the front and she would ride along side me and we'd ring our bells and laugh.
 
She wanted one of those little license plates attached with her name on it.  It was hard to get it to fit given the shape of the seat, but I found a way to make it work.  Her license plate is still on the bike, of course.
 
This summer, my twin teenage nieces borrowed the bike while they were in town.  Before I lent it out, I told them how important the bike is to me and it had better not get stolen.  They treated it very well and the bike remained at my mom's house, where they stayed this summer.
 
A few days ago, mom mentioned the bike was getting in her way and maybe I could render it back home.  I went down to her house and carefully lifted my wife's bike in the trunk and drove it home.  When I unloaded it in front of our house I started breaking down.  Thankfully, none of the neighbors were around. 
 
The bike without my wife next on it made me think of a fly-over with the missing man formation.  Or when there's a funeral for a fallen cop or firefighter, their boots or shoes empty in memory.
 
The last time my wife was on that bike was in the same spot I unloaded it.  It was the 4th of July, 2012.  I thought she could handle a bike ride and figured the air would be good for her.  We got out of the driveway and she fell off the bike.  A neighbor came from across the street asking if we needed help.  She couldn't stand up.  Her brain was defying her arms and legs.  I lifted her and she was heavy as stone.  It was the first time I had to lift her and I could feel the difference in helping someone up, and lifting someone up.  My wife looked at me confused, as if to say, "What's wrong with me?"
 
I slowely peddaled the bike into the garage.  Once inside the house, I paced from room-to-room, talking out loud.  Cursing the day, cursing cancer and telling me wife it was bullshit what she had to go through.  I threw down half a xanax.  I could've taken 10.
 
But the show must go on. 
 
I didn't tell Date Chick any of this, not that she wouldn't understand.  It just wouldn't be fair or right.  What the hell is she supposed to say?  I've mentioned some of the tribulations before, and she was great about it.  She feels terrible.  She says the stuff I hope she would say, but I only realize that after she says it.
 
She's hanging out with me tomorrow.  She is coming over to work from her laptop in the morning.  And she asked me to dinner at some restaurant in Laguna.  Date Chick knows that this weekend and Monday, especially will suck for me, and I think she's trying to keep me busy.  I think that's pretty great.
 
I'm picking up my mom from the airport tomorrow.  She re-married about 10 years ago to a man I call 'My New Dad.'  He's a very interesting man and I've explained him here before.  Since they got re-married later in life, neither wants to move from their respective homes.  So, they fly back and forth, to and fro northern and sourthern California to spend time with each other.  They usually have about 10 days off.  They'll be married forever.
 
My New Dad is coming in to town Monday to pay his respects to my wife.  She was the daughter he never had.  I don't know what we're going to do, but I think he just wants to be near the ocean where I put her ashes.  I'm getting sad just thinking about it.
 
Sunday will pretty well suck, too.  My wife's family is headed down to my mom's where we'll remember my wife and walk out to the ocean and toss some flowers.  I always gave my wife white flowers.  Stargazer lillies were her favorites.  When it was her birthday this year, I picked white roses from our garden and put them in the ocean by myself.
 
I will probably mix the two this weekend. 
 
I've told Date Chick I'll be busy Sunday and Monday and she gets it.  Damn, is it nice to not have to try and balance all that.
 
On my iTunes, I have the Genesis song "Follow You Follow Me."  When she was away this weekend, I texted Date Chick, writing that I was listening to the song via my Apple TV.  She texted that she loves the song and that it makes her think of me.  And the words make her cry.
 
I just heard it a few minutes ago, and it made me happy and sad all at once.  It makes me think of Date Chick and my wife.  Music has that power, don't it? 
 
I came upon a blog today where this dude captures his wife's ordeal as she battled breast cancer.  It's eerily similar to what my wife went through.  As a photographer, his way of dealing with the situation included taking lots of photos of his wife's awful journey.  Not only that, but he wrote about it in his blog, in a much better and concise style than I could.  Or maybe we just have a little different route in getting there.  Either way, it's worth a look.
http://mywifesfightwithbreastcancer.com/
 
Ya know, I really didn't need this week to get heavier, but as ever, it's part of the process. 
 
On this forum, I love that we can get along or fight just as fervently.  But when you step away from your computer or phone and go beyond your driveway, remember that whoever you're pissed at might be going through something crappy and that whatever their offense is, it's tiny in comparison to what can really piss you off.  DR's thought for the night. 
  

I'm giving myself a 100% discount on my 2014 seats. A big thanks goes out to Pujols and Hamilton for helping me choose my new seats for next season which are located 25' away from my refrigerator. Free Parking included.

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist
Stevie Wonder said it best way back in 1972: “very superstitious, the devil’s on his way.”  Now unlike Stevie I’m not superstitious, but you don’t have to believe in superstition to think that maybe the Angels are a bit snake-bitten.  Sure, there’s 2002 but other than that, this team has had a handful of playoff appearances and lately appears to be settling comfortably into mediocrity.  Why is that?  What happened to the team from the first decade of the 2000s, that year-after-year had playoff and World Series aspirations and actually at least made it to the postseason?  Since the joy of sweeping Boston out of the playoffs in 2009 this team has been a limp noodle.  There has to be a reason for this.  I don’t believe in coincidence so I had to further research this to determine what went wrong, and how it can be corrected.
What I found shocked me.  OK, not really.  I didn't really do any research and I’m just confirming what I thought all along was the problem, at least for the last two years.  
This damn t-shirt (and its more foul-mouthed variant):
 
Yes, I know, it defies the logic of the space-time continuum to place the blame for the 2010 and 2011 seasons on a t-shirt that came out before the 2012 season, but karma is retroactive and not subject to the laws of physics.  Or rationality.  What I do know is that the first time I saw this shirt, while I chuckled at it I also got what a friend calls “that hinkey feeling” running up and down my spine.  Yeah, it felt great (at the time) to sign one of the best hitters in the game, even though the end of the contract was gonna feel worse than eating a dozen egg-salad sandwiches from your local AM-PM.  We were gonna at least get 3-4 good years out of Pujols, right?  Those would make it worth it!
And then April of 2012 happened, and Pujols had one more HR than Reggie Willits.  Meh.  And then the rest of 2012 happened, and then Arte Moreno totally forgot history and signed Josh Hamilton, who like Pujols had a memorable first few months with his new team, but for the wrong reasons (also like Pujols).  Fortunately, after the Angels signed Hamilton, AngelsWin.com didn't make any t-shirts once again mocking the Rangers, or else the team might have finished in last place.  We sorta learned our lesson, and if there’s one thing we do well on this website it’s not learning a damn thing sorta learning our lessons.
However, sorta learning our lessons isn't enough, as the 2013 season illustrated.  We have to do more.  We have to almost learn our lessons, or actually learn them.  I think the lesson we need to learn here, to set the team free, is some genuine humility and regret.  Keep in mind that forced humility, like a forced apology, is not genuine.  There needs to be something more.  Fortunately, I know what is needed.
Monday, December 9, 2013 will be the day we once again set this day free.  That day is the official “Day of Burning the “Forget Yu!” T-Shirts” day.  For this to work everybody needs to participate.  Everybody meaning “everybody who bought one of those shirts.”  On Monday, December 9 all shirt owners will take their shirt to a location of their choosing, douse it in some flammable liquid, and set it afire.  As the shirts burn so will the accumulated bad karma for them.  These shirts are our Ruth trade, our billy goat, our new 1986.  We need to be rid of them to be free.  So I’m asking all of you Shirters to make that sacrifice.  Come on, you know you haven’t worn the damn thing since spring training of ’12.  I don’t care if you’re using it to wash your car, or clean up after the dog hurls.  It needs to burn.  If you’ve already thrown away or donated or otherwise banished the shirt, you still need to participate with a symbolic gesture – print a copy of the picture of it, and burn the copy.  That’s how the rest of us can also participate.  We need to do this as a group, but it is crucial for the Shirters to burn these foul cloths.  
December 9 – never forget.  Let’s do what we have to, to put this day behind us.

View the full article

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist
Stevie Wonder said it best way back in 1972: “very superstitious, the devil’s on his way.”  Now unlike Stevie I’m not superstitious, but you don’t have to believe in superstition to think that maybe the Angels are a bit snake-bitten.  Sure, there’s 2002 but other than that, this team has had a handful of playoff appearances and lately appears to be settling comfortably into mediocrity.  Why is that?  What happened to the team from the first decade of the 2000s, that year-after-year had playoff and World Series aspirations and actually at least made it to the postseason?  Since the joy of sweeping Boston out of the playoffs in 2009 this team has been a limp noodle.  There has to be a reason for this.  I don’t believe in coincidence so I had to further research this to determine what went wrong, and how it can be corrected.
What I found shocked me.  OK, not really.  I didn't really do any research and I’m just confirming what I thought all along was the problem, at least for the last two years.  
This damn t-shirt (and its more foul-mouthed variant):
 
Yes, I know, it defies the logic of the space-time continuum to place the blame for the 2010 and 2011 seasons on a t-shirt that came out before the 2012 season, but karma is retroactive and not subject to the laws of physics.  Or rationality.  What I do know is that the first time I saw this shirt, while I chuckled at it I also got what a friend calls “that hinkey feeling” running up and down my spine.  Yeah, it felt great (at the time) to sign one of the best hitters in the game, even though the end of the contract was gonna feel worse than eating a dozen egg-salad sandwiches from your local AM-PM.  We were gonna at least get 3-4 good years out of Pujols, right?  Those would make it worth it!
And then April of 2012 happened, and Pujols had one more HR than Reggie Willits.  Meh.  And then the rest of 2012 happened, and then Arte Moreno totally forgot history and signed Josh Hamilton, who like Pujols had a memorable first few months with his new team, but for the wrong reasons (also like Pujols).  Fortunately, after the Angels signed Hamilton, AngelsWin.com didn't make any t-shirts once again mocking the Rangers, or else the team might have finished in last place.  We sorta learned our lesson, and if there’s one thing we do well on this website it’s not learning a damn thing sorta learning our lessons.
However, sorta learning our lessons isn't enough, as the 2013 season illustrated.  We have to do more.  We have to almost learn our lessons, or actually learn them.  I think the lesson we need to learn here, to set the team free, is some genuine humility and regret.  Keep in mind that forced humility, like a forced apology, is not genuine.  There needs to be something more.  Fortunately, I know what is needed.
Monday, December 9, 2013 will be the day we once again set this day free.  That day is the official “Day of Burning the “Forget Yu!” T-Shirts” day.  For this to work everybody needs to participate.  Everybody meaning “everybody who bought one of those shirts.”  On Monday, December 9 all shirt owners will take their shirt to a location of their choosing, douse it in some flammable liquid, and set it afire.  As the shirts burn so will the accumulated bad karma for them.  These shirts are our Ruth trade, our billy goat, our new 1986.  We need to be rid of them to be free.  So I’m asking all of you Shirters to make that sacrifice.  Come on, you know you haven’t worn the damn thing since spring training of ’12.  I don’t care if you’re using it to wash your car, or clean up after the dog hurls.  It needs to burn.  If you’ve already thrown away or donated or otherwise banished the shirt, you still need to participate with a symbolic gesture – print a copy of the picture of it, and burn the copy.  That’s how the rest of us can also participate.  We need to do this as a group, but it is crucial for the Shirters to burn these foul cloths.  
December 9 – never forget.  Let’s do what we have to, to put this day behind us.

View the full article

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist
Stevie Wonder said it best way back in 1972: “very superstitious, the devil’s on his way.”  Now unlike Stevie I’m not superstitious, but you don’t have to believe in superstition to think that maybe the Angels are a bit snake-bitten.  Sure, there’s 2002 but other than that, this team has had a handful of playoff appearances and lately appears to be settling comfortably into mediocrity.  Why is that?  What happened to the team from the first decade of the 2000s, that year-after-year had playoff and World Series aspirations and actually at least made it to the postseason?  Since the joy of sweeping Boston out of the playoffs in 2009 this team has been a limp noodle.  There has to be a reason for this.  I don’t believe in coincidence so I had to further research this to determine what went wrong, and how it can be corrected.
What I found shocked me.  OK, not really.  I didn't really do any research and I’m just confirming what I thought all along was the problem, at least for the last two years.  
This damn t-shirt (and its more foul-mouthed variant):
 
Yes, I know, it defies the logic of the space-time continuum to place the blame for the 2010 and 2011 seasons on a t-shirt that came out before the 2012 season, but karma is retroactive and not subject to the laws of physics.  Or rationality.  What I do know is that the first time I saw this shirt, while I chuckled at it I also got what a friend calls “that hinkey feeling” running up and down my spine.  Yeah, it felt great (at the time) to sign one of the best hitters in the game, even though the end of the contract was gonna feel worse than eating a dozen egg-salad sandwiches from your local AM-PM.  We were gonna at least get 3-4 good years out of Pujols, right?  Those would make it worth it!
And then April of 2012 happened, and Pujols had one more HR than Reggie Willits.  Meh.  And then the rest of 2012 happened, and then Arte Moreno totally forgot history and signed Josh Hamilton, who like Pujols had a memorable first few months with his new team, but for the wrong reasons (also like Pujols).  Fortunately, after the Angels signed Hamilton, AngelsWin.com didn't make any t-shirts once again mocking the Rangers, or else the team might have finished in last place.  We sorta learned our lesson, and if there’s one thing we do well on this website it’s not learning a damn thing sorta learning our lessons.
However, sorta learning our lessons isn't enough, as the 2013 season illustrated.  We have to do more.  We have to almost learn our lessons, or actually learn them.  I think the lesson we need to learn here, to set the team free, is some genuine humility and regret.  Keep in mind that forced humility, like a forced apology, is not genuine.  There needs to be something more.  Fortunately, I know what is needed.
Monday, December 9, 2013 will be the day we once again set this day free.  That day is the official “Day of Burning the “Forget Yu!” T-Shirts” day.  For this to work everybody needs to participate.  Everybody meaning “everybody who bought one of those shirts.”  On Monday, December 9 all shirt owners will take their shirt to a location of their choosing, douse it in some flammable liquid, and set it afire.  As the shirts burn so will the accumulated bad karma for them.  These shirts are our Ruth trade, our billy goat, our new 1986.  We need to be rid of them to be free.  So I’m asking all of you Shirters to make that sacrifice.  Come on, you know you haven’t worn the damn thing since spring training of ’12.  I don’t care if you’re using it to wash your car, or clean up after the dog hurls.  It needs to burn.  If you’ve already thrown away or donated or otherwise banished the shirt, you still need to participate with a symbolic gesture – print a copy of the picture of it, and burn the copy.  That’s how the rest of us can also participate.  We need to do this as a group, but it is crucial for the Shirters to burn these foul cloths.  
December 9 – never forget.  Let’s do what we have to, to put this day behind us.

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Fans find it hard to believe the bench coach and hitting coach were responsible for this season's woes.
Most Angels fans are probably scratching their heads at Arte Moreno's decision to retain Jerry Dipoto and Mike Scioscia, while firing bench coach Rob Picciolo and hitting coach Jim Eppard. Here's my take:
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By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist  
Well, that’s it.  This dreadful season is finally over, but the results of it will linger like gas after too much cauliflower.  After any sports season, for the teams that are sitting home for the playoffs (and their fans) the focus turns to awards.  We need some sort of recognition for our season, our version of the participation trophy.  We may not have made the playoffs, but we got the Blanty (see below)!  No other team can say that.  Without further ado, I give you the awards for the Angels this season.  Some (most…OK, all) of them are new so don’t be surprised if you don’t recognize them.
The Trouty: also known as The Mike Trout MVP Runner-Up Award, goes to (of course) Mike Trout, perpetual (two years is enough to be perpetual) second banana to Miguel Cabrera.  You know, Miggy:  the guy who couldn't steal a base if it was five feet away from him.  If this award had existed last year then Trout would have gotten it then.  Congrats, Mike Trout!  See you here again next year.
While we’re on the subject of Mike Trout and awards…this show has limited time so here are a list of awards Mike Trout received off-camera: the Oprah Winfrey Award for weight gain during the offseason, the GAA (Garret Anderson Award) for the player the fans are most likely to turn on next year when he goes into a mini-slump, and the OGAA (Other Garret Anderson Award) for coming the closest to duplicating your stats from the previous year. 
The Blanty: this award goes to the biggest waste of money on a free-agent pitcher, and the winner is…Joe Blanton!  Yep, it’s named after him so of course he’s gonna get it.  But wait, I hear you say, Ryan Madson signed a contract and didn’t throw an inning!  That’s a bigger waste!  No, it isn’t, because we’ll still be paying Blanton about $7.5 million next year as well.  That will again qualify him for the Blanty, especially when you factor in that some team will take a lowball chance on him and increase his pay. 
The Gamble: this award goes to the player with the best hair-do.  You’d think that Wilson or Hamilton would win it because of their Head & Shoulders commercial, but no, it goes to Matt Shoemaker, who just barely gets the nod over Jered Weaver.  This is a sentimental award for me because I miss giving it to Dan Haren and his Dennis Wilson-esque locks, and MattShoey (I’m gonna make that stick, it’s fetch) is the closest we have to Haren. 
The Maicer Izturis Memorial Award for copious DL time: goes to Peter Bourjos.  But wait, I hear you say, Madson again!  Quit trying to give him an award;  I’m trying to forget him.  To get this award you have to play in some games and show some potential, and then get injured.  Pujols was a close second, but I’m trying to avoid accusations of reverse-racism.  So Bourjos it is.
The Beaker: Named in honor of my favorite Muppet, this is the award for the best redhead on the team.  It goes to rookie sensation Kole Calhoun!  He’s ginger-rific. 
The Ersty Trophy: for the player that demonstrates the most GRIT (it’s all-caps but it isn’t an acronym, you just have to spell it that was because it’s too much grit for lower-case letters) once again goes to…Darin Erstad.  Even retired from baseball his GRIT is so strong that it wins him the award.  The runner up, who lost by a hair, is CJ Wilson.  He has more stealth GRIT (sGRIT) than people realize.
The Sosh Award: This award goes to the player with the most nickname-friendly name on the team.  Until he gets traded (because guys who finish in the league top-10 in homeruns grow on trees, albeit trees with 10 or fewer branches), this award will always go to Rusty Trumbo, the Trumbomber, creator of the Trumbo Jack, the man who is Trumbolicious, the guy who (when he isn’t striking out) Trumbowns the other team,  that’s right…Jeff Mathis.  I mean, Mark Trumbo. 

And that’s all there is, folks.  Not very many, I know, but a horrible season like this – we lost the season series to the Astros, for cripes sake, the team we were supposed to pad our record against – doesn’t deserve a lot of awards.  This season shouldn't be rewarded with posterity, but studied so that 2014 isn’t more of the same.  Enjoy your awards, Angels.  Next year let’s earn a few real ones, along with a trophy or two.

View the full article

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist  
Well, that’s it.  This dreadful season is finally over, but the results of it will linger like gas after too much cauliflower.  After any sports season, for the teams that are sitting home for the playoffs (and their fans) the focus turns to awards.  We need some sort of recognition for our season, our version of the participation trophy.  We may not have made the playoffs, but we got the Blanty (see below)!  No other team can say that.  Without further ado, I give you the awards for the Angels this season.  Some (most…OK, all) of them are new so don’t be surprised if you don’t recognize them.
The Trouty: also known as The Mike Trout MVP Runner-Up Award, goes to (of course) Mike Trout, perpetual (two years is enough to be perpetual) second banana to Miguel Cabrera.  You know, Miggy:  the guy who couldn't steal a base if it was five feet away from him.  If this award had existed last year then Trout would have gotten it then.  Congrats, Mike Trout!  See you here again next year.
While we’re on the subject of Mike Trout and awards…this show has limited time so here are a list of awards Mike Trout received off-camera: the Oprah Winfrey Award for weight gain during the offseason, the GAA (Garret Anderson Award) for the player the fans are most likely to turn on next year when he goes into a mini-slump, and the OGAA (Other Garret Anderson Award) for coming the closest to duplicating your stats from the previous year. 
The Blanty: this award goes to the biggest waste of money on a free-agent pitcher, and the winner is…Joe Blanton!  Yep, it’s named after him so of course he’s gonna get it.  But wait, I hear you say, Ryan Madson signed a contract and didn’t throw an inning!  That’s a bigger waste!  No, it isn’t, because we’ll still be paying Blanton about $7.5 million next year as well.  That will again qualify him for the Blanty, especially when you factor in that some team will take a lowball chance on him and increase his pay. 
The Gamble: this award goes to the player with the best hair-do.  You’d think that Wilson or Hamilton would win it because of their Head & Shoulders commercial, but no, it goes to Matt Shoemaker, who just barely gets the nod over Jered Weaver.  This is a sentimental award for me because I miss giving it to Dan Haren and his Dennis Wilson-esque locks, and MattShoey (I’m gonna make that stick, it’s fetch) is the closest we have to Haren. 
The Maicer Izturis Memorial Award for copious DL time: goes to Peter Bourjos.  But wait, I hear you say, Madson again!  Quit trying to give him an award;  I’m trying to forget him.  To get this award you have to play in some games and show some potential, and then get injured.  Pujols was a close second, but I’m trying to avoid accusations of reverse-racism.  So Bourjos it is.
The Beaker: Named in honor of my favorite Muppet, this is the award for the best redhead on the team.  It goes to rookie sensation Kole Calhoun!  He’s ginger-rific. 
The Ersty Trophy: for the player that demonstrates the most GRIT (it’s all-caps but it isn’t an acronym, you just have to spell it that was because it’s too much grit for lower-case letters) once again goes to…Darin Erstad.  Even retired from baseball his GRIT is so strong that it wins him the award.  The runner up, who lost by a hair, is CJ Wilson.  He has more stealth GRIT (sGRIT) than people realize.
The Sosh Award: This award goes to the player with the most nickname-friendly name on the team.  Until he gets traded (because guys who finish in the league top-10 in homeruns grow on trees, albeit trees with 10 or fewer branches), this award will always go to Rusty Trumbo, the Trumbomber, creator of the Trumbo Jack, the man who is Trumbolicious, the guy who (when he isn’t striking out) Trumbowns the other team,  that’s right…Jeff Mathis.  I mean, Mark Trumbo. 

And that’s all there is, folks.  Not very many, I know, but a horrible season like this – we lost the season series to the Astros, for cripes sake, the team we were supposed to pad our record against – doesn’t deserve a lot of awards.  This season shouldn't be rewarded with posterity, but studied so that 2014 isn’t more of the same.  Enjoy your awards, Angels.  Next year let’s earn a few real ones, along with a trophy or two.

View the full article

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist  
Well, that’s it.  This dreadful season is finally over, but the results of it will linger like gas after too much cauliflower.  After any sports season, for the teams that are sitting home for the playoffs (and their fans) the focus turns to awards.  We need some sort of recognition for our season, our version of the participation trophy.  We may not have made the playoffs, but we got the Blanty (see below)!  No other team can say that.  Without further ado, I give you the awards for the Angels this season.  Some (most…OK, all) of them are new so don’t be surprised if you don’t recognize them.
The Trouty: also known as The Mike Trout MVP Runner-Up Award, goes to (of course) Mike Trout, perpetual (two years is enough to be perpetual) second banana to Miguel Cabrera.  You know, Miggy:  the guy who couldn't steal a base if it was five feet away from him.  If this award had existed last year then Trout would have gotten it then.  Congrats, Mike Trout!  See you here again next year.
While we’re on the subject of Mike Trout and awards…this show has limited time so here are a list of awards Mike Trout received off-camera: the Oprah Winfrey Award for weight gain during the offseason, the GAA (Garret Anderson Award) for the player the fans are most likely to turn on next year when he goes into a mini-slump, and the OGAA (Other Garret Anderson Award) for coming the closest to duplicating your stats from the previous year. 
The Blanty: this award goes to the biggest waste of money on a free-agent pitcher, and the winner is…Joe Blanton!  Yep, it’s named after him so of course he’s gonna get it.  But wait, I hear you say, Ryan Madson signed a contract and didn’t throw an inning!  That’s a bigger waste!  No, it isn’t, because we’ll still be paying Blanton about $7.5 million next year as well.  That will again qualify him for the Blanty, especially when you factor in that some team will take a lowball chance on him and increase his pay. 
The Gamble: this award goes to the player with the best hair-do.  You’d think that Wilson or Hamilton would win it because of their Head & Shoulders commercial, but no, it goes to Matt Shoemaker, who just barely gets the nod over Jered Weaver.  This is a sentimental award for me because I miss giving it to Dan Haren and his Dennis Wilson-esque locks, and MattShoey (I’m gonna make that stick, it’s fetch) is the closest we have to Haren. 
The Maicer Izturis Memorial Award for copious DL time: goes to Peter Bourjos.  But wait, I hear you say, Madson again!  Quit trying to give him an award;  I’m trying to forget him.  To get this award you have to play in some games and show some potential, and then get injured.  Pujols was a close second, but I’m trying to avoid accusations of reverse-racism.  So Bourjos it is.
The Beaker: Named in honor of my favorite Muppet, this is the award for the best redhead on the team.  It goes to rookie sensation Kole Calhoun!  He’s ginger-rific. 
The Ersty Trophy: for the player that demonstrates the most GRIT (it’s all-caps but it isn’t an acronym, you just have to spell it that was because it’s too much grit for lower-case letters) once again goes to…Darin Erstad.  Even retired from baseball his GRIT is so strong that it wins him the award.  The runner up, who lost by a hair, is CJ Wilson.  He has more stealth GRIT (sGRIT) than people realize.
The Sosh Award: This award goes to the player with the most nickname-friendly name on the team.  Until he gets traded (because guys who finish in the league top-10 in homeruns grow on trees, albeit trees with 10 or fewer branches), this award will always go to Rusty Trumbo, the Trumbomber, creator of the Trumbo Jack, the man who is Trumbolicious, the guy who (when he isn’t striking out) Trumbowns the other team,  that’s right…Jeff Mathis.  I mean, Mark Trumbo. 

And that’s all there is, folks.  Not very many, I know, but a horrible season like this – we lost the season series to the Astros, for cripes sake, the team we were supposed to pad our record against – doesn’t deserve a lot of awards.  This season shouldn't be rewarded with posterity, but studied so that 2014 isn’t more of the same.  Enjoy your awards, Angels.  Next year let’s earn a few real ones, along with a trophy or two.

View the full article

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist  
Well, that’s it.  This dreadful season is finally over, but the results of it will linger like gas after too much cauliflower.  After any sports season, for the teams that are sitting home for the playoffs (and their fans) the focus turns to awards.  We need some sort of recognition for our season, our version of the participation trophy.  We may not have made the playoffs, but we got the Blanty (see below)!  No other team can say that.  Without further ado, I give you the awards for the Angels this season.  Some (most…OK, all) of them are new so don’t be surprised if you don’t recognize them.
The Trouty: also known as The Mike Trout MVP Runner-Up Award, goes to (of course) Mike Trout, perpetual (two years is enough to be perpetual) second banana to Miguel Cabrera.  You know, Miggy:  the guy who couldn't steal a base if it was five feet away from him.  If this award had existed last year then Trout would have gotten it then.  Congrats, Mike Trout!  See you here again next year.
While we’re on the subject of Mike Trout and awards…this show has limited time so here are a list of awards Mike Trout received off-camera: the Oprah Winfrey Award for weight gain during the offseason, the GAA (Garret Anderson Award) for the player the fans are most likely to turn on next year when he goes into a mini-slump, and the OGAA (Other Garret Anderson Award) for coming the closest to duplicating your stats from the previous year. 
The Blanty: this award goes to the biggest waste of money on a free-agent pitcher, and the winner is…Joe Blanton!  Yep, it’s named after him so of course he’s gonna get it.  But wait, I hear you say, Ryan Madson signed a contract and didn’t throw an inning!  That’s a bigger waste!  No, it isn’t, because we’ll still be paying Blanton about $7.5 million next year as well.  That will again qualify him for the Blanty, especially when you factor in that some team will take a lowball chance on him and increase his pay. 
The Gamble: this award goes to the player with the best hair-do.  You’d think that Wilson or Hamilton would win it because of their Head & Shoulders commercial, but no, it goes to Matt Shoemaker, who just barely gets the nod over Jered Weaver.  This is a sentimental award for me because I miss giving it to Dan Haren and his Dennis Wilson-esque locks, and MattShoey (I’m gonna make that stick, it’s fetch) is the closest we have to Haren. 
The Maicer Izturis Memorial Award for copious DL time: goes to Peter Bourjos.  But wait, I hear you say, Madson again!  Quit trying to give him an award;  I’m trying to forget him.  To get this award you have to play in some games and show some potential, and then get injured.  Pujols was a close second, but I’m trying to avoid accusations of reverse-racism.  So Bourjos it is.
The Beaker: Named in honor of my favorite Muppet, this is the award for the best redhead on the team.  It goes to rookie sensation Kole Calhoun!  He’s ginger-rific. 
The Ersty Trophy: for the player that demonstrates the most GRIT (it’s all-caps but it isn’t an acronym, you just have to spell it that was because it’s too much grit for lower-case letters) once again goes to…Darin Erstad.  Even retired from baseball his GRIT is so strong that it wins him the award.  The runner up, who lost by a hair, is CJ Wilson.  He has more stealth GRIT (sGRIT) than people realize.
The Sosh Award: This award goes to the player with the most nickname-friendly name on the team.  Until he gets traded (because guys who finish in the league top-10 in homeruns grow on trees, albeit trees with 10 or fewer branches), this award will always go to Rusty Trumbo, the Trumbomber, creator of the Trumbo Jack, the man who is Trumbolicious, the guy who (when he isn’t striking out) Trumbowns the other team,  that’s right…Jeff Mathis.  I mean, Mark Trumbo. 

And that’s all there is, folks.  Not very many, I know, but a horrible season like this – we lost the season series to the Astros, for cripes sake, the team we were supposed to pad our record against – doesn’t deserve a lot of awards.  This season shouldn't be rewarded with posterity, but studied so that 2014 isn’t more of the same.  Enjoy your awards, Angels.  Next year let’s earn a few real ones, along with a trophy or two.

View the full article

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist  
Well, that’s it.  This dreadful season is finally over, but the results of it will linger like gas after too much cauliflower.  After any sports season, for the teams that are sitting home for the playoffs (and their fans) the focus turns to awards.  We need some sort of recognition for our season, our version of the participation trophy.  We may not have made the playoffs, but we got the Blanty (see below)!  No other team can say that.  Without further ado, I give you the awards for the Angels this season.  Some (most…OK, all) of them are new so don’t be surprised if you don’t recognize them.
The Trouty: also known as The Mike Trout MVP Runner-Up Award, goes to (of course) Mike Trout, perpetual (two years is enough to be perpetual) second banana to Miguel Cabrera.  You know, Miggy:  the guy who couldn't steal a base if it was five feet away from him.  If this award had existed last year then Trout would have gotten it then.  Congrats, Mike Trout!  See you here again next year.
While we’re on the subject of Mike Trout and awards…this show has limited time so here are a list of awards Mike Trout received off-camera: the Oprah Winfrey Award for weight gain during the offseason, the GAA (Garret Anderson Award) for the player the fans are most likely to turn on next year when he goes into a mini-slump, and the OGAA (Other Garret Anderson Award) for coming the closest to duplicating your stats from the previous year. 
The Blanty: this award goes to the biggest waste of money on a free-agent pitcher, and the winner is…Joe Blanton!  Yep, it’s named after him so of course he’s gonna get it.  But wait, I hear you say, Ryan Madson signed a contract and didn’t throw an inning!  That’s a bigger waste!  No, it isn’t, because we’ll still be paying Blanton about $7.5 million next year as well.  That will again qualify him for the Blanty, especially when you factor in that some team will take a lowball chance on him and increase his pay. 
The Gamble: this award goes to the player with the best hair-do.  You’d think that Wilson or Hamilton would win it because of their Head & Shoulders commercial, but no, it goes to Matt Shoemaker, who just barely gets the nod over Jered Weaver.  This is a sentimental award for me because I miss giving it to Dan Haren and his Dennis Wilson-esque locks, and MattShoey (I’m gonna make that stick, it’s fetch) is the closest we have to Haren. 
The Maicer Izturis Memorial Award for copious DL time: goes to Peter Bourjos.  But wait, I hear you say, Madson again!  Quit trying to give him an award;  I’m trying to forget him.  To get this award you have to play in some games and show some potential, and then get injured.  Pujols was a close second, but I’m trying to avoid accusations of reverse-racism.  So Bourjos it is.
The Beaker: Named in honor of my favorite Muppet, this is the award for the best redhead on the team.  It goes to rookie sensation Kole Calhoun!  He’s ginger-rific. 
The Ersty Trophy: for the player that demonstrates the most GRIT (it’s all-caps but it isn’t an acronym, you just have to spell it that was because it’s too much grit for lower-case letters) once again goes to…Darin Erstad.  Even retired from baseball his GRIT is so strong that it wins him the award.  The runner up, who lost by a hair, is CJ Wilson.  He has more stealth GRIT (sGRIT) than people realize.
The Sosh Award: This award goes to the player with the most nickname-friendly name on the team.  Until he gets traded (because guys who finish in the league top-10 in homeruns grow on trees, albeit trees with 10 or fewer branches), this award will always go to Rusty Trumbo, the Trumbomber, creator of the Trumbo Jack, the man who is Trumbolicious, the guy who (when he isn’t striking out) Trumbowns the other team,  that’s right…Jeff Mathis.  I mean, Mark Trumbo. 

And that’s all there is, folks.  Not very many, I know, but a horrible season like this – we lost the season series to the Astros, for cripes sake, the team we were supposed to pad our record against – doesn’t deserve a lot of awards.  This season shouldn't be rewarded with posterity, but studied so that 2014 isn’t more of the same.  Enjoy your awards, Angels.  Next year let’s earn a few real ones, along with a trophy or two.

View the full article

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist  
Well, that’s it.  This dreadful season is finally over, but the results of it will linger like gas after too much cauliflower.  After any sports season, for the teams that are sitting home for the playoffs (and their fans) the focus turns to awards.  We need some sort of recognition for our season, our version of the participation trophy.  We may not have made the playoffs, but we got the Blanty (see below)!  No other team can say that.  Without further ado, I give you the awards for the Angels this season.  Some (most…OK, all) of them are new so don’t be surprised if you don’t recognize them.
The Trouty: also known as The Mike Trout MVP Runner-Up Award, goes to (of course) Mike Trout, perpetual (two years is enough to be perpetual) second banana to Miguel Cabrera.  You know, Miggy:  the guy who couldn't steal a base if it was five feet away from him.  If this award had existed last year then Trout would have gotten it then.  Congrats, Mike Trout!  See you here again next year.
While we’re on the subject of Mike Trout and awards…this show has limited time so here are a list of awards Mike Trout received off-camera: the Oprah Winfrey Award for weight gain during the offseason, the GAA (Garret Anderson Award) for the player the fans are most likely to turn on next year when he goes into a mini-slump, and the OGAA (Other Garret Anderson Award) for coming the closest to duplicating your stats from the previous year. 
The Blanty: this award goes to the biggest waste of money on a free-agent pitcher, and the winner is…Joe Blanton!  Yep, it’s named after him so of course he’s gonna get it.  But wait, I hear you say, Ryan Madson signed a contract and didn’t throw an inning!  That’s a bigger waste!  No, it isn’t, because we’ll still be paying Blanton about $7.5 million next year as well.  That will again qualify him for the Blanty, especially when you factor in that some team will take a lowball chance on him and increase his pay. 
The Gamble: this award goes to the player with the best hair-do.  You’d think that Wilson or Hamilton would win it because of their Head & Shoulders commercial, but no, it goes to Matt Shoemaker, who just barely gets the nod over Jered Weaver.  This is a sentimental award for me because I miss giving it to Dan Haren and his Dennis Wilson-esque locks, and MattShoey (I’m gonna make that stick, it’s fetch) is the closest we have to Haren. 
The Maicer Izturis Memorial Award for copious DL time: goes to Peter Bourjos.  But wait, I hear you say, Madson again!  Quit trying to give him an award;  I’m trying to forget him.  To get this award you have to play in some games and show some potential, and then get injured.  Pujols was a close second, but I’m trying to avoid accusations of reverse-racism.  So Bourjos it is.
The Beaker: Named in honor of my favorite Muppet, this is the award for the best redhead on the team.  It goes to rookie sensation Kole Calhoun!  He’s ginger-rific. 
The Ersty Trophy: for the player that demonstrates the most GRIT (it’s all-caps but it isn’t an acronym, you just have to spell it that was because it’s too much grit for lower-case letters) once again goes to…Darin Erstad.  Even retired from baseball his GRIT is so strong that it wins him the award.  The runner up, who lost by a hair, is CJ Wilson.  He has more stealth GRIT (sGRIT) than people realize.
The Sosh Award: This award goes to the player with the most nickname-friendly name on the team.  Until he gets traded (because guys who finish in the league top-10 in homeruns grow on trees, albeit trees with 10 or fewer branches), this award will always go to Rusty Trumbo, the Trumbomber, creator of the Trumbo Jack, the man who is Trumbolicious, the guy who (when he isn’t striking out) Trumbowns the other team,  that’s right…Jeff Mathis.  I mean, Mark Trumbo. 

And that’s all there is, folks.  Not very many, I know, but a horrible season like this – we lost the season series to the Astros, for cripes sake, the team we were supposed to pad our record against – doesn’t deserve a lot of awards.  This season shouldn't be rewarded with posterity, but studied so that 2014 isn’t more of the same.  Enjoy your awards, Angels.  Next year let’s earn a few real ones, along with a trophy or two.

View the full article

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist  
Well, that’s it.  This dreadful season is finally over, but the results of it will linger like gas after too much cauliflower.  After any sports season, for the teams that are sitting home for the playoffs (and their fans) the focus turns to awards.  We need some sort of recognition for our season, our version of the participation trophy.  We may not have made the playoffs, but we got the Blanty (see below)!  No other team can say that.  Without further ado, I give you the awards for the Angels this season.  Some (most…OK, all) of them are new so don’t be surprised if you don’t recognize them.
The Trouty: also known as The Mike Trout MVP Runner-Up Award, goes to (of course) Mike Trout, perpetual (two years is enough to be perpetual) second banana to Miguel Cabrera.  You know, Miggy:  the guy who couldn't steal a base if it was five feet away from him.  If this award had existed last year then Trout would have gotten it then.  Congrats, Mike Trout!  See you here again next year.
While we’re on the subject of Mike Trout and awards…this show has limited time so here are a list of awards Mike Trout received off-camera: the Oprah Winfrey Award for weight gain during the offseason, the GAA (Garret Anderson Award) for the player the fans are most likely to turn on next year when he goes into a mini-slump, and the OGAA (Other Garret Anderson Award) for coming the closest to duplicating your stats from the previous year. 
The Blanty: this award goes to the biggest waste of money on a free-agent pitcher, and the winner is…Joe Blanton!  Yep, it’s named after him so of course he’s gonna get it.  But wait, I hear you say, Ryan Madson signed a contract and didn’t throw an inning!  That’s a bigger waste!  No, it isn’t, because we’ll still be paying Blanton about $7.5 million next year as well.  That will again qualify him for the Blanty, especially when you factor in that some team will take a lowball chance on him and increase his pay. 
The Gamble: this award goes to the player with the best hair-do.  You’d think that Wilson or Hamilton would win it because of their Head & Shoulders commercial, but no, it goes to Matt Shoemaker, who just barely gets the nod over Jered Weaver.  This is a sentimental award for me because I miss giving it to Dan Haren and his Dennis Wilson-esque locks, and MattShoey (I’m gonna make that stick, it’s fetch) is the closest we have to Haren. 
The Maicer Izturis Memorial Award for copious DL time: goes to Peter Bourjos.  But wait, I hear you say, Madson again!  Quit trying to give him an award;  I’m trying to forget him.  To get this award you have to play in some games and show some potential, and then get injured.  Pujols was a close second, but I’m trying to avoid accusations of reverse-racism.  So Bourjos it is.
The Beaker: Named in honor of my favorite Muppet, this is the award for the best redhead on the team.  It goes to rookie sensation Kole Calhoun!  He’s ginger-rific. 
The Ersty Trophy: for the player that demonstrates the most GRIT (it’s all-caps but it isn’t an acronym, you just have to spell it that was because it’s too much grit for lower-case letters) once again goes to…Darin Erstad.  Even retired from baseball his GRIT is so strong that it wins him the award.  The runner up, who lost by a hair, is CJ Wilson.  He has more stealth GRIT (sGRIT) than people realize.
The Sosh Award: This award goes to the player with the most nickname-friendly name on the team.  Until he gets traded (because guys who finish in the league top-10 in homeruns grow on trees, albeit trees with 10 or fewer branches), this award will always go to Rusty Trumbo, the Trumbomber, creator of the Trumbo Jack, the man who is Trumbolicious, the guy who (when he isn’t striking out) Trumbowns the other team,  that’s right…Jeff Mathis.  I mean, Mark Trumbo. 

And that’s all there is, folks.  Not very many, I know, but a horrible season like this – we lost the season series to the Astros, for cripes sake, the team we were supposed to pad our record against – doesn’t deserve a lot of awards.  This season shouldn't be rewarded with posterity, but studied so that 2014 isn’t more of the same.  Enjoy your awards, Angels.  Next year let’s earn a few real ones, along with a trophy or two.

View the full article

By Glen McKee, AngelsWin.com Columnist & Satirist  
Well, that’s it.  This dreadful season is finally over, but the results of it will linger like gas after too much cauliflower.  After any sports season, for the teams that are sitting home for the playoffs (and their fans) the focus turns to awards.  We need some sort of recognition for our season, our version of the participation trophy.  We may not have made the playoffs, but we got the Blanty (see below)!  No other team can say that.  Without further ado, I give you the awards for the Angels this season.  Some (most…OK, all) of them are new so don’t be surprised if you don’t recognize them.
The Trouty: also known as The Mike Trout MVP Runner-Up Award, goes to (of course) Mike Trout, perpetual (two years is enough to be perpetual) second banana to Miguel Cabrera.  You know, Miggy:  the guy who couldn't steal a base if it was five feet away from him.  If this award had existed last year then Trout would have gotten it then.  Congrats, Mike Trout!  See you here again next year.
While we’re on the subject of Mike Trout and awards…this show has limited time so here are a list of awards Mike Trout received off-camera: the Oprah Winfrey Award for weight gain during the offseason, the GAA (Garret Anderson Award) for the player the fans are most likely to turn on next year when he goes into a mini-slump, and the OGAA (Other Garret Anderson Award) for coming the closest to duplicating your stats from the previous year. 
The Blanty: this award goes to the biggest waste of money on a free-agent pitcher, and the winner is…Joe Blanton!  Yep, it’s named after him so of course he’s gonna get it.  But wait, I hear you say, Ryan Madson signed a contract and didn’t throw an inning!  That’s a bigger waste!  No, it isn’t, because we’ll still be paying Blanton about $7.5 million next year as well.  That will again qualify him for the Blanty, especially when you factor in that some team will take a lowball chance on him and increase his pay. 
The Gamble: this award goes to the player with the best hair-do.  You’d think that Wilson or Hamilton would win it because of their Head & Shoulders commercial, but no, it goes to Matt Shoemaker, who just barely gets the nod over Jered Weaver.  This is a sentimental award for me because I miss giving it to Dan Haren and his Dennis Wilson-esque locks, and MattShoey (I’m gonna make that stick, it’s fetch) is the closest we have to Haren. 
The Maicer Izturis Memorial Award for copious DL time: goes to Peter Bourjos.  But wait, I hear you say, Madson again!  Quit trying to give him an award;  I’m trying to forget him.  To get this award you have to play in some games and show some potential, and then get injured.  Pujols was a close second, but I’m trying to avoid accusations of reverse-racism.  So Bourjos it is.
The Beaker: Named in honor of my favorite Muppet, this is the award for the best redhead on the team.  It goes to rookie sensation Kole Calhoun!  He’s ginger-rific. 
The Ersty Trophy: for the player that demonstrates the most GRIT (it’s all-caps but it isn’t an acronym, you just have to spell it that was because it’s too much grit for lower-case letters) once again goes to…Darin Erstad.  Even retired from baseball his GRIT is so strong that it wins him the award.  The runner up, who lost by a hair, is CJ Wilson.  He has more stealth GRIT (sGRIT) than people realize.
The Sosh Award: This award goes to the player with the most nickname-friendly name on the team.  Until he gets traded (because guys who finish in the league top-10 in homeruns grow on trees, albeit trees with 10 or fewer branches), this award will always go to Rusty Trumbo, the Trumbomber, creator of the Trumbo Jack, the man who is Trumbolicious, the guy who (when he isn’t striking out) Trumbowns the other team,  that’s right…Jeff Mathis.  I mean, Mark Trumbo. 

And that’s all there is, folks.  Not very many, I know, but a horrible season like this – we lost the season series to the Astros, for cripes sake, the team we were supposed to pad our record against – doesn’t deserve a lot of awards.  This season shouldn't be rewarded with posterity, but studied so that 2014 isn’t more of the same.  Enjoy your awards, Angels.  Next year let’s earn a few real ones, along with a trophy or two.

View the full article