AngelsWin.com

Tonight on the AngelsWin.com Internet Podcast, hosts Adam Dodge and Geoff Stoddart welcome AngelsWin.com Founder, Chuck Richter, and Director of Marketing, Brian Ilten. Tonight's topics of discussion included …

* Angels horrible Spring Training start. Something the fans should worry about? * Mike Trout's new contract. Was he jobbed, or was it a good move by the team? * Update on the new website  * Update on the Spring Training Fanfest
We also took your questions from Twitter this evening and answered them. 
Tune in below! 


Listen to internet radio with AngelsWin on Blog Talk Radio View the full article

Love it. And without the evil aftertaste! 

By Gregory Bird - AngelsWin.com Columnist 
 
Welcome to the new Inside The Numbers Feature. I'm Greg and I'll be taking over this AngelsWin.com feature for the 2013 season. I hope to provide the same high quality analysis that AngelsWin.com is known for. My articles will be focused on the current Angels roster through the lens of sabermetrics. I also hope to give insight into how the Angels' front office might be thinking when they make their decisions. I'm sorry, up front, that I may sound like a JeDi apologist (to be fair I really like his moves so far.) But what I really want to do is to dig a little deeper and understand better the game and team we all love. I don't claim to be an expert but I do want to spark intelligent, thoughtful conversation based on the facts of the game.
 
So, why did JeDi let Torii go and sign Hamilton to a 5 year deal? This question has been kicked around this offseason. It is a fair question. Much of the analysis I've read says that Josh isn't really an upgrade over Torii and that the only possible reason could be age. The articles tend to include, as support, the sabermetric stat of WAR (Wins Above Replacement.) They'll say, Well Hunter produced a 5.3 WAR in 2012 while Hamilton only produced a 4.4 WAR (according to FanGraphs.) This means that at best they were equal but that most likely Josh won't be as good for the Halos in 2013 as Torii was in 2012.
 
Don't get me wrong here, WAR is an excellent stat and very useful, BUT it isn't the end all and be all of sabermetrics. We cannot reduce performance to one number. One reason is our current lack of understanding of defensive metrics, a key component. WAR seems best used to help start an intelligent conversation, not to end one. 
 
WAR is often misunderstood. It is a comprehensive counting stat that combines the value of: a player's defense (using either UZR/150 or Defensive Runs Saved,) a player's bases running, and a player's hitting. Their performance is then adjusted for their fielding position and finally distilled to how many wins they added to their team. The generally accepted formula is 10 runs equals approximately 1 win.
 
The problem with comparing Hamilton and Hunter's WAR in 2012 lies in the defensive positions they played throughout the year. Hunter played 134 games in Right Field, an easier defensive position, where he excelled in saving 13 runs according to UZR/150. Hamilton played 95 games in Center Field and cost his team -26.3 runs according to UZR/150. He also played 86 games in Left and Right Field combined where he basically broke even with -0.1 UZR/150. 
 
Defensive stats are the least accurate and understood at this time and are best looked at over three seasons to improve accuracy. Over the past three years Hamilton has a positive 8.5 UZR/150 in Left Field and a positive 6 UZR/150 in Right Field. Additionally, Torii's last year in Center Field was less than stellar as he posted a -6.4 UZR/150 in 98 games in 2010. So, for the purpose of comparing these two players last year I propose it is best to leave defense out of it for now. I am going to just look at their offensive production. I assume Josh in Right Field is going to be almost as good as Hunter in Right, not absolutely but close enough.
 
Much of what I'm going to be talking about includes references to a baseball statistical field known as linear weights. No, this has nothing to do with chemistry nor how heavy something is. It is a system developed to replace the basic stats we've grown up using (BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS) with a set of statistics that better represent the value of each action on the diamond. Every possible action has a weight or approximate run value it adds to an inning. The idea was conceived by trusting if we accurately value each possible offensive event than we can get the correct value of an individual player's offensive contributions.
 
You may wonder why linear weights are needed. The reason is really rather simple. In slugging percentage, a homerun is 4 times as valuable as a single. In on base percentage a walk is as valuable as a homerun. In batting average a single is the same as a triple and walks don't matter. It has become obvious that none of this is true. 
 
Sabermetricians embarked to find out the actual value of each baseball event and found out some very interesting things. First, the value of events change slightly year to year based on the overall environment of the game. Second, there are some basic relationships that are fairly constant like: a HR adds about 1.4 runs to an inning, a single about .47 runs, an unintentional walk adds .32 runs, a strikeout subtracts -.29, a groundout subtracts -.27, a stolen base adds .25 runs, and a caught stealing subtracts -.50 runs. There are more events and numbers but this gives you an idea of how linear weights work and how differing events are relatively important to each other. 
 
My first comparison between Hunter and Hamilton has nothing to do with linear weights, it is simply who possess the most power? To determine this let's look at a stat called ISO or isolated power. It is derived by simply subtracting batting average from slugging percentage. This removes singles and lets us know who is likely to produce more extra base hits. Hunter's ISO last year was .139, the average for 2012 was .151. Hamilton's ISO was .292. Hamilton was more than twice as likely last year to have his hit go for extra bases. This isn't a big surprise but it is significant. Because of his power Josh is more of a run producer than Torii and this is my first reason to like this Hamilton guy.
 
Next let's look at a stat called wOBA. Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA) is a good measure of a player's offensive value. Weighted On-Base Average attempts to package a player's entire offensive output into one statistic using a form of the run values in linear weights.  It takes these run values and converts them into a familiar usage to all baseball fans, that of OBP. When looking at wOBA values an average hitter is around 0.340 or so, a great hitter is 0.400 or higher, and a poor hitter would be under 0.300. 
 
Last year Hunter had a wOBA of .356. He was well above the league average of .315. Hamilton, in 2012, had a wOBA of .387. He was 72 points higher than the league and still considerably higher than Torii. Talking in terms of OBP a 31 point improvement is significant to a player or team. Josh was also only 13 points shy of hitting the threshold of having an all-time great year. He finished the season ranked 10th overall in terms of wOBA among qualifying hitters. But you may be asking but how much of this is related to his hitting in Arlington? Let's dig some more.
 
How many more runs could Hamilton produce for us in 2013 than Hunter did in 2012? What about our park, it isn't hitter friendly, how will Hamilton compare here? Here are two stats that will help us solve these problems. They are Weighted Runs Created (wRC) and Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+.) Weighted Runs Created is a counting stat based off of wOBA that gives us the raw number of runs a player created in a season. Weighted Runs Created Plus measures a player against league average (100) and tells us how much better or worse they were in terms of percentages than the league. wRC+ is also league and park adjusted so we can compare players accurately apart from their seasons or environment. Remember wRC+ is a percentage comparison so a few points different can be significant unlike wRC and other counting stats (i.e. HR, RBIs, or even WAR.) 
 
Let's dig into these numbers. Hunter created 86 runs in 2012 and Hamilton created 109 runs according to wRC. That means the 31 point difference in wOBA amounted to 23 more runs being created, a significant amount. If 10 runs equal a win then it is about 2.3 more wins in Hamilton's offensive output than in Torii's. 
 
But how did their parks affect them? In 2012, Torii posted a 130 wRC+; he was 30% better than the average major leaguer after adjusting for Angel Stadium and the AL. Josh posted a 140 wRC+; he was 40% better than the average major leaguer and was tied for 13th overall among qualified hitters. This means Josh was 10% better than Torii once we adjust for the parks they hit in. This isn't a lot but once we start looking at elite hitters it very hard to find a 10% improvement over someone who is already very good. 
 
Why do I think JeDi choose this Hamilton guy over Torii? First, he is a more powerful hitter who can do more damage in the lineup. Second, he provides more offensive value than Torii did last year and still delivers top notch defense. Third, he'll most likely create more runs for the team, even hitting in our park. Fourth, he is younger and while Torii is aging well nobody knows how his next two years will turn out. Look at the first year of Abreu as an Angel compared to his final two years. 
 
While it may or may not work out like JeDi envisions I think it is always wiser to let go of a player one year to early than one year too late. For this I think our GM made a difficult but smart decision. I think this Hamilton guy will be more valuable to us in 2013 than Torii was in 2012. That's all I need to know to be happy with the decision.

By Brian Waller,  AngelsWin.com Columnist --    This is the time of year all baseball fans look forward to. The weather is warming up, spring training games have started and each of us, no matter which team we support, have at least a glimmer of hope that this could be the season our favorite ballclub makes the post season. As fans look forward to the upcoming season, managers and coaches sift through dozens and dozens of players to put together their opening-day 25-man roster. So many different aspects go in to building a contending ballclub; the rotation, offense, bench, bullpen, minor league systems, etc. With so much information to follow from each team it may get a little overwhelming for the common fan. Fortunately, the MLB Network has an annual series called “30 Clubs / 30 Days”, the one stop shop for baseball fans wanting to scope out the competition or learn more about their team going into the season.   AngelsWin.com was provided an opportunity to discuss the upcoming 2013 season with MLB Network analyst Eric Byrnes. Many of you will remember Byrnes from his playing days with the Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners. Byrnes has hung up the cleats for a position on MLB Network where he shares his baseball expertise and experience with viewers around the country.   Waller: First and foremost, on behalf of AngelsWin.com I just wanted to thank you for your time today, I know you have been roaming all over the Cactus League for the 30 Clubs / 30 Days feature on the MLB Network.   Byrnes: It’s my pleasure Brian. It has been a little crazy with visiting each club in the Cactus League; I have so many ERA’s, WHIPS, and WAR stats floating around in my head its crazy. It’s been enjoyable though catching up with the teams.   Waller: Now, jumping right into it, what are your thoughts on the moves the Angels made this past offseason, was it enough to shift the balance in the AL West?   Byrnes: You know, there is a lot of talent in the AL West. The A’s are for real and aren’t going anywhere. The Rangers still have the talent to compete and win the division so they are in the mix as well. The Angels definitely improved their offense. The addition of Hamilton gives them, in my opinion, potentially the best offense in baseball however; their rotation took a hit in the offseason and has some question marks.   Waller: Speaking of the A’s, do you feel they have improved going into 2013?   Byrnes: Actually yeah. The A’s have great depth and I really think they will again compete in 2013.    Waller: You bring up the rotation; can you give me your thoughts on the additions the Angels made to their pitching staff in the offseason?   Byrnes: Tommy Hanson, Joe Blanton and Vargas will be interesting to watch this season.  Blanton will eat innings and give the Angels anywhere from 190-200 innings. Vargas will eat up some innings as well; it will be interesting to see how he pitches this season away from Safeco Field. Hanson will be a wild card in my opinion. If he can stay healthy he is capable of putting up solid numbers. I think if two out of three of those pitchers perform well then it will result in a successful season for the Angels. On the other hand, if two out of those three pitchers falter for the Angels it will hurt their chances in the AL West.   The addition of Madsen and Burnett should really help the bullpen out; the Angels blew quite a few saves last season and I don’t think that happens again this year. The improved bullpen is definitely a positive going into the season.   Waller: What are your thoughts on Mike Trout; will there be a drop off from 2012?   Byrnes: Mike Trout is a special player. There may be a drop off because the numbers he put up last year were just crazy. I think he will have another really good season. Again, this Angels offense has the potential to be the best in baseball. They will be a fun team to watch this season.   Waller: Many fans remember you from your playing days. You played with the A’s for six seasons and faced the Angels numerous times through the years; can you share some of your experiences facing the Halos?   Byrnes: You know it’s funny; the Big A is a great place to play baseball. The fans are tremendous and get really into the games. In my opinion Angel Stadium can be as noisy as Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium. I always enjoyed playing in Anaheim because I grew up in the area. It would be great to have family and friends from the area come to the game to watch me play. It was also great to play against Troy Glaus who I played with at UCLA. We would catch up on the field and then go grab a bite and a few drinks after the game. I have a lot of good memories playing at the Big A.   Waller: Who was the toughest Angels pitcher you faced?   Byrnes: Oh man, no doubt about it…K-Rod. Frankie Rodriguez was always tough to hit. He had a good fastball and a hard, heavy curve ball. It was always tough facing him; his stuff was just plain nasty.   Waller: its common knowledge that good natured “ribbing” or jokes are played amongst players during the course of the season; thinking back to your playing days, what would you say was the best prank you were involved in?   Byrnes: Wow, good question. There are always the typical pranks like “hot foot” and stuff like that but I think the best happened when I played with the A’s. I won’t use the player’s name but there was a time we got a guy pretty good with an Icy/Hot type burning cream. In the past people have put it in someone’s jock strap but this time the cream was put in someone’s suit for the plane ride home. Needless to say, it was a long trip back home for the prank victim. No harm was done and we all had a good laugh out of it. Gags and pranks like that really help break up the monotony of traveling and the long season and help build team chemistry.    Waller: Eric, I know you are getting ready to cover another Cactus League team  for 30 Clubs / 30 Days, on behalf of AngelsWin.com I wanted to thank you for your time today. We really appreciate you sharing your thoughts with us on the upcoming season.   Byrnes: No problem at all Brian, it was my pleasure. It will be a fun season and the Angels are going to be an exciting team to watch. I plan on following AngelsWin.com on Twitter and maybe catching up down the road.   Waller: Sounds great Eric thanks again.   30 Clubs / 30 days will roll into Tempe, Arizona THIS COMING FRIDAY (March 1st). The content covering the Halos will air on MLB Tonight Live at 10:00 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific.

By Geoff Stoddart, AngelsWin.com Director of Social Media -- 

Over the years, AngelsWin.com has been honored to welcome such guests as Arte Moreno, Terry Smith, Jose Mota, Rex Hudler, Jerome Williams and Victor Rojas to their Spring Training Fanfest.  These guests took the time to speak with the fans, answer questions and even pose for pictures.  They have made each year's Fanfest more memorable than the last.  
This year we're excited to welcome be welcoming back Arte Moreno and Victor Rojas.  We're also thrilled to welcoming Angels GM, Jerry Dipoto, to this year's event!  Jerry's passion for discussing baseball is sure to be a treat for everyone in attendance!  
So … there you have it!  What a line-up!  Put a bow on it and call it a night … right?  
Well, not so fast.  How about if we welcome just one more guest?  You know … just for fun!
AngelsWin.com is thrilled to announce that Mr. Angel … the King Fish … Tim Salmon will be joining us for this year's Spring Training Fanfest on March 16th!  
During a playing career that stretch from August 21, 1992 to October 1, 2006, Tim amassed 299 home runs, 983 runs scored, 965 walks, a slugging percentage of .499 and a World Series title in 2002.  And this was all done wearing the uniform of only one team … the Angels!
While Tim was a middle of the order bat during his playing career, he will be batting leading off at our Fanfest.  Tim will be joining us from 5-6 pm.
March 1, 2013 is the last day to purchase tickets to the Fanfest (no exceptions!).  Tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for children.  Event tickets include adult dinner options of Blackened Fish Tacos or Chicken Enchiladas complete with salad and desert (vegetarian meals on request).  The children’s meal is chicken tenders, salad and dessert.  To reserve a seat for this event, please send payments via PayPal to: angelswinevents@gmail.com.
We would like to remind everyone that we have secured a special guest room rate at the Fiesta Resort of $129.00 plus tax for AngelsWin.com Fanfest attendees.  Each individual guest must make their own reservations by calling our toll-free number 800-528-6481 by Friday, March 1, 2013 (today).
Finally, don't forget to order your Spring Training Fanfest gear soon so you have it in time for Fanfest weekend!  All Fanfest gear can be purchased here: http://www.cafepress.com/angelswin/9749569 
This is the last call … don’t miss out!
*Attendance by all special guests is subject to change based upon potential last minute conflicts in their personal or professional schedules

View the full article

By Geoff Stoddart, AngelsWin.com Director of Social Media -- 

Over the years, AngelsWin.com has been honored to welcome such guests as Arte Moreno, Terry Smith, Jose Mota, Rex Hudler, Jerome Williams and Victor Rojas to their Spring Training Fanfest.  These guests took the time to speak with the fans, answer questions and even pose for pictures.  They have made each year's Fanfest more memorable than the last.  
This year we're excited to welcome be welcoming back Arte Moreno and Victor Rojas.  We're also thrilled to welcoming Angels GM, Jerry Dipoto, to this year's event!  Jerry's passion for discussing baseball is sure to be a treat for everyone in attendance!  
So … there you have it!  What a line-up!  Put a bow on it and call it a night … right?  
Well, not so fast.  How about if we welcome just one more guest?  You know … just for fun!
AngelsWin.com is thrilled to announce that Mr. Angel … the King Fish … Tim Salmon will be joining us for this year's Spring Training Fanfest on March 16th!  
During a playing career that stretch from August 21, 1992 to October 1, 2006, Tim amassed 299 home runs, 983 runs scored, 965 walks, a slugging percentage of .499 and a World Series title in 2002.  And this was all done wearing the uniform of only one team … the Angels!
While Tim was a middle of the order bat during his playing career, he will be batting leading off at our Fanfest.  Tim will be joining us from 5-6 pm.
March 1, 2013 is the last day to purchase tickets to the Fanfest (no exceptions!).  Tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for children.  Event tickets include adult dinner options of Blackened Fish Tacos or Chicken Enchiladas complete with salad and desert (vegetarian meals on request).  The children’s meal is chicken tenders, salad and dessert.  To reserve a seat for this event, please send payments via PayPal to: angelswinevents@gmail.com.
We would like to remind everyone that we have secured a special guest room rate at the Fiesta Resort of $129.00 plus tax for AngelsWin.com Fanfest attendees.  Each individual guest must make their own reservations by calling our toll-free number 800-528-6481 by Friday, March 1, 2013 (today).
Finally, don't forget to order your Spring Training Fanfest gear soon so you have it in time for Fanfest weekend!  All Fanfest gear can be purchased here: http://www.cafepress.com/angelswin/9749569 
This is the last call … don’t miss out!
*Attendance by all special guests is subject to change based upon potential last minute conflicts in their personal or professional schedules

View the full article

By Brian Waller,  AngelsWin.com Columnist --    This is the time of year all baseball fans look forward to. The weather is warming up, spring training games have started and each of us, no matter which team we support, have at least a glimmer of hope that this could be the season our favorite ballclub makes the post season. As fans look forward to the upcoming season, managers and coaches sift through dozens and dozens of players to put together their opening-day 25-man roster. So many different aspects go in to building a contending ballclub; the rotation, offense, bench, bullpen, minor league systems, etc. With so much information to follow from each team it may get a little overwhelming for the common fan. Fortunately, the MLB Network has an annual series called “30 Clubs / 30 Days”, the one stop shop for baseball fans wanting to scope out the competition or learn more about their team going into the season.   AngelsWin.com was provided an opportunity to discuss the upcoming 2013 season with MLB Network analyst Eric Byrnes. Many of you will remember Byrnes from his playing days with the Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners. Byrnes has hung up the cleats for a position on MLB Network where he shares his baseball expertise and experience with viewers around the country.   Waller: First and foremost, on behalf of AngelsWin.com I just wanted to thank you for your time today, I know you have been roaming all over the Cactus League for the 30 Clubs / 30 Days feature on the MLB Network.   Byrnes: It’s my pleasure Brian. It has been a little crazy with visiting each club in the Cactus League; I have so many ERA’s, WHIPS, and WAR stats floating around in my head its crazy. It’s been enjoyable though catching up with the teams.   Waller: Now, jumping right into it, what are your thoughts on the moves the Angels made this past offseason, was it enough to shift the balance in the AL West?   Byrnes: You know, there is a lot of talent in the AL West. The A’s are for real and aren’t going anywhere. The Rangers still have the talent to compete and win the division so they are in the mix as well. The Angels definitely improved their offense. The addition of Hamilton gives them, in my opinion, potentially the best offense in baseball however; their rotation took a hit in the offseason and has some question marks.   Waller: Speaking of the A’s, do you feel they have improved going into 2013?   Byrnes: Actually yeah. The A’s have great depth and I really think they will again compete in 2013.    Waller: You bring up the rotation; can you give me your thoughts on the additions the Angels made to their pitching staff in the offseason?   Byrnes: Tommy Hanson, Joe Blanton and Vargas will be interesting to watch this season.  Blanton will eat innings and give the Angels anywhere from 190-200 innings. Vargas will eat up some innings as well; it will be interesting to see how he pitches this season away from Safeco Field. Hanson will be a wild card in my opinion. If he can stay healthy he is capable of putting up solid numbers. I think if two out of three of those pitchers perform well then it will result in a successful season for the Angels. On the other hand, if two out of those three pitchers falter for the Angels it will hurt their chances in the AL West.   The addition of Madsen and Burnett should really help the bullpen out; the Angels blew quite a few saves last season and I don’t think that happens again this year. The improved bullpen is definitely a positive going into the season.   Waller: What are your thoughts on Mike Trout; will there be a drop off from 2012?   Byrnes: Mike Trout is a special player. There may be a drop off because the numbers he put up last year were just crazy. I think he will have another really good season. Again, this Angels offense has the potential to be the best in baseball. They will be a fun team to watch this season.   Waller: Many fans remember you from your playing days. You played with the A’s for six seasons and faced the Angels numerous times through the years; can you share some of your experiences facing the Halos?   Byrnes: You know it’s funny; the Big A is a great place to play baseball. The fans are tremendous and get really into the games. In my opinion Angel Stadium can be as noisy as Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium. I always enjoyed playing in Anaheim because I grew up in the area. It would be great to have family and friends from the area come to the game to watch me play. It was also great to play against Troy Glaus who I played with at UCLA. We would catch up on the field and then go grab a bite and a few drinks after the game. I have a lot of good memories playing at the Big A.   Waller: Who was the toughest Angels pitcher you faced?   Byrnes: Oh man, no doubt about it…K-Rod. Frankie Rodriguez was always tough to hit. He had a good fastball and a hard, heavy curve ball. It was always tough facing him; his stuff was just plain nasty.   Waller: its common knowledge that good natured “ribbing” or jokes are played amongst players during the course of the season; thinking back to your playing days, what would you say was the best prank you were involved in?   Byrnes: Wow, good question. There are always the typical pranks like “hot foot” and stuff like that but I think the best happened when I played with the A’s. I won’t use the player’s name but there was a time we got a guy pretty good with an Icy/Hot type burning cream. In the past people have put it in someone’s jock strap but this time the cream was put in someone’s suit for the plane ride home. Needless to say, it was a long trip back home for the prank victim. No harm was done and we all had a good laugh out of it. Gags and pranks like that really help break up the monotony of traveling and the long season and help build team chemistry.    Waller: Eric, I know you are getting ready to cover another Cactus League team  for 30 Clubs / 30 Days, on behalf of AngelsWin.com I wanted to thank you for your time today. We really appreciate you sharing your thoughts with us on the upcoming season.   Byrnes: No problem at all Brian, it was my pleasure. It will be a fun season and the Angels are going to be an exciting team to watch. I plan on following AngelsWin.com on Twitter and maybe catching up down the road.   Waller: Sounds great Eric thanks again.   30 Clubs / 30 days will roll into Tempe, Arizona THIS COMING FRIDAY (March 1st). The content covering the Halos will air on MLB Tonight Live at 10:00 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Pacific.

I have updated the Mobile App to reflect our color scheme on the full version of the website!
 

No more blue!

The Los Angeles Angels 2013 Spring Training season is underway, and now so is the 2013 AngelsWin.com Internet Podcast season!
Listen in as hosts Adam Dodge and Geoff Stoddart welcome AngelsWin.com Founder, Chuck Richter, to discuss …

* The new AngelsWin.com site

* The 2013 AngelsWin Spring Training Fanfest

* Their thoughts on the 2013 Los Angels Angels team

AngelsWin.com … Unraveling Angels Baseball, One Thread (and Podcast) at a Time!
Click HERE to listen or download our first podcast of the 2013 season!

By Geoff Stoddart, AngelsWin.com Director of Social Media --

The AngelsWin.com Spring Training Fanfest is now less than 3 weeks away!

This year’s event is going to be absolutely amazing! Our scheduled* special guest include Angels owner Arte Moreno, GM Jerry Dipoto, TV announcer Victor Rojas, Tim Mead, Kole Calhoun, Randal Grichuk, Travis Witherspoon and more. You won’t want to miss it!

The final deadline for purchasing event tickets is this Friday, March 1, 2013. The rate is now $40 for adults and $20 for children. Event tickets include adult dinner options of Blackened Fish Tacos or Chicken Enchiladas complete with salad and desert (vegetarian meals on request). The children’s meal is chicken tenders, salad and dessert.

To reserve a seat for this event, please send payments via PayPal to: angelswinevents@gmail.com.

Still haven’t booked a hotel for the weekend? We would like to remind everyone that we have secured a special guest room rate at the Fiesta
Resort of $129.00 plus tax for AngelsWin.com Fanfest attendees. Each individual guest must make their own reservations by calling our
toll-free number 800-528-6481 by Friday, March 1, 2013. When calling to make your reservation, you must identify yourself as part of the
AngelsWin.com Group. All reservations must be guaranteed and accompanied by a first night room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card.

The discounted rate is subject to availability.

Finally, don't forget to order your Spring Training Fanfest gear soon so you have it in time for Fanfest weekend! All Fanfest gear can be purchased here: http://www.cafepress...gelswin/9749569

This is the last call … don’t miss out!


*Attendance by special guests is subject to change based upon potential last minute conflicts in their personal or professional schedules

By Geoff Stoddart, AngelsWin.com Director of Social Media --

The AngelsWin.com Spring Training Fanfest is now less than 3 weeks away!

This year’s event is going to be absolutely amazing! Our scheduled* special guest include Angels owner Arte Moreno, GM Jerry Dipoto, TV announcer Victor Rojas, Tim Mead, Kole Calhoun, Randal Grichuk, Travis Witherspoon and more. You won’t want to miss it!

The final deadline for purchasing event tickets is this Friday, March 1, 2013. The rate is now $40 for adults and $20 for children. Event tickets include adult dinner options of Blackened Fish Tacos or Chicken Enchiladas complete with salad and desert (vegetarian meals on request). The children’s meal is chicken tenders, salad and dessert.

To reserve a seat for this event, please send payments via PayPal to: angelswinevents@gmail.com.

Still haven’t booked a hotel for the weekend? We would like to remind everyone that we have secured a special guest room rate at the Fiesta
Resort of $129.00 plus tax for AngelsWin.com Fanfest attendees. Each individual guest must make their own reservations by calling our
toll-free number 800-528-6481 by Friday, March 1, 2013. When calling to make your reservation, you must identify yourself as part of the
AngelsWin.com Group. All reservations must be guaranteed and accompanied by a first night room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card.

The discounted rate is subject to availability.

Finally, don't forget to order your Spring Training Fanfest gear soon so you have it in time for Fanfest weekend! All Fanfest gear can be purchased here: http://www.cafepress...gelswin/9749569

This is the last call … don’t miss out!


*Attendance by special guests is subject to change based upon potential last minute conflicts in their personal or professional schedules

Angels ace Jered Weaver walked away from extra millions in 2011 when he signed five-year, $85-million extension, a 'hometown discount.' He's not losing sleep over it.<br/><br/>TEMPE, Ariz. — The words "free agency" had barely left a reporter's mouth before Jered Weaver shot back.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/~4/iQ4MjVpvfWU" height="1" width="1"/>
View the full article

They fall to the Cubs, 11-2, and the Giants, 4-1, in split-squad spring-training games.<br/><br/>Chicago Cubs 11, Angels 2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/latimes/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/~4/QS_odvTXCRo" height="1" width="1"/>
View the full article

This is my first post! How do you guys like it?

Butthurt level reaching critical levels.

By Ellen Bell, AngrelsWin.com Columnist --
I’m a creature of habit. I like traditions and rituals and history. Maybe that’s why I’m a baseball fan.

So, when I make my annual trip to Tempe for Spring Training, I look for the familiar faces and places that remind me that even in a world full of constant change, some things still stay the same. There are rituals and reminders that welcome me back every year, letting me know that another season of Angels baseball is about to begin.

Like saying hello to Casey, the poolside bartender at The Buttes, who makes a mean post-game margarita even if it’s 50 degrees and cloudy.

There’s Joe, Bill and George, my super senior buddies on the Tempe Diablo Stadium crew who greet me with the hug and smile reserved for old friends. Trust me. If you’ve never seen George dressed as a leprechaun during the St. Patty’s Day game you haven’t lived.

Then there’s Mark the Beer Guy, the iconic, 6’8” vendor whose booming, “Cold Beer Here!” can bring tears to my eyes. Incidentally, if you tip Mark, he’ll give you his latest “Mark the Beer Guy” trading card as a souvenir. According to his stats, he pours right.

But I really know that spring has sprung when I’m sitting in the stands at about 9:30 in the morning, feet up and coffee in hand, watching the Angels run out onto the grass for the first time. 40 years may have passed since I saw my first ballgame, but the sight of players hitting the field always makes my stomach flip. It’s something that never changes. And it never gets old.

What are your Spring Training Rituals? What experience makes you say, “baseball is back”?

Los Angeles Angels 2013 Top-50 Prospects List
 

Keep it all on here that board wasn't active enough.

This is my first post! How do you guys like it?

Word up, Brian! So many features too!

Los Angeles Angels 2013 Top-50 Prospects List