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John Taylor

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Posts posted by John Taylor

  1. A lot of us here who are Angels fans lived through the 1980's and 90's, some years where our best player was Luis Polonia. We got young hungry guys and Trout who I think will have a chip on his shoulder. I would have loved to have had Shohei back but this isn't the end of the world. I remember the years where they didn't even try to field a competitive team.

  2. 23 minutes ago, SlappyUtilityMIF said:

    Owners are loyal to their investment. SOME are fans as well... 

    Players are loyal to their families and the money. Haven't seen a player stay an entire career with a single team since Brett, Ripken, Jeter,  Salmon. Either they leave for money or continue to chase the game with an eroding skillset. 

     

    Adam Wainwright will most likely join the list although he could be considered someone from an old school mindset (Also having the worst season as a SP probably ever this year). Only thing that could change that is if he doesn't return to the Cards and still at 199 wins at the end of the season.

  3. I'm ready to move on with our prospects and ideally a revamped coaching and medical staff.

    Honestly give me a young team similar to the 1999-2001 team that was hungry and building towards that 2002 season. I know baseball has changed and is more stat heavy but seeing guys with that grinding attitude like Neto, O'Hoppe and Moniak does give me some hope for a few years down the line.

     

    ....also Arte sell the fucking team you old crusty bastard.

  4. 32 minutes ago, T.G. said:

    I'm guessing he signs a 2 year deal to reestablish his value. He should do that with the Angels because this organization knows him best and can help him navigate the process he has to go through. His familiarity with this team might be even more important now.

    This is what I was thinking as well. I think the injury increases the chance the Angels re-sign him. Also people complaining that they dont want to pay 30+ mil for a DH tend to forget the fact that he actively brings in money to the org because he's fucking Shohei Ohtani.

  5. 1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

    Thank you, @T.G.!!! 

    The only guy coming to the wedding from here is @John Taylor. He's met my daughter Trinity several times. He's making the trek out from Montana later this week. 

    It's @Chuckster70 Italian side.

     

    He invited me into his home, we broke bread, next thing you know I'm at the Riverfloat on his Birthday, Trinity's Graduation party, hanging out at the pool with his family (and other AW folks) in Texas, and now road trippin to TN for her wedding.

     

    I got initiated into the Richter family. 🤌

     

    the don godfather GIF

  6. Nashville and SLC, with Montreal as a close 3rd.

    The Florida MLB teams can't draw for shit already, putting a team in Orlando would be another folly, it's not even that far from Tampa.

    I think people underestimate the population/media market of the SLC metro area (30th largest market in the US and larger than 4 current MLB markets, and only slightly less than Nashville and Baltimore).

    SLC would have the second highest elevation (4226 ft) in MLB behind Coors Field (5183)

    Nashville would give @Chuckster70 a chance to see the Angels more often, lol

  7. One thing I didn't know I needed was Geoff's comedic quips. He has the perfect timing to throw a line in between Victor and Chuck.

    I love how Victor tells it like it is. I know some folks were worried he would "Tow the line" but if you paid attention to when he did PBP he never towed the line.

    The stat nerd in me loves when Chuck brings the "Catchers ERA" type stats.

     

    I didn't expect the chemistry between Victor, Chuck and Geoff to be as good as it is so early in the Podcast, they each fit into their respective roles really well.

  8. 10 minutes ago, Tank said:

    Interesting read. 
     

    I’d like to see side by side pictures of him swinging at a pitch in the same location both years.  In yours, the picture from this year is decidedly more inside than the pitch from last year. In fact, it looks like it isn’t even a strike whereas the picture from last year is a much better pitch to swing at. Not criticizing you personally as I greatly appreciate people who are willing to do this kind of tedious work. 

    Thats why added the "I could be talking out of my ass" part of the post, lol

     

    He definitely doesn't have the look of a guy who is going to do damage, and he looks more like the super light hitting Taylor Ward before he had his swing adjusted.

  9. On 4/25/2022 Taylor Ward hit 2 homers against Shane Beiber and the Indians Guardians, and finished the day with an OPS of 1.225.

    On 4/25/2023 Taylor had an OPS of .655 (He did get 2 hits against the A's that day though and raised his OPS to a whopping .669....nice).

     

    I decided to screenshot his batting stance/swing to see if there is a visual difference (The 2022 at bat is his 1st HR off Beiber). I am not a hitting coach and this is purely an amateur visual commentary:

     

    1.) The stance. My first thought is that he looks a lot (this year) like the light hitting Ward we all remember pre-2022. His left leg is slightly in a more open stance, elbow is higher, and the bat isn't as level off the shoulder.

    He also generally looks less imposing. I remember early in 2022 watching his ABs and thinking "This guy looks like he is gonna hit the ball hard"

    image.png

     

    2.) The leg kick. he already looks off balance. in the 2022 game he looks to be kicking "up" with his stance ready to drive the ball. In the 2023 he seems to be kicking "forward" and flying open.

    image.png

     

    3.) The follow through. This is the most striking to me. The 2022 AB (HR) his head is level, his left leg is balanced, he seems to be driving off of it.  The 2023 AB (Swinging K) he is pretty off balance, seems to be coming off his left heel.

     

    image.png

     

    This is just a small sample size, I could be talking out of my ass, and MLB has a lot smarter people looking into far more advanced stuff than an arm chair guy like me who can struggle his way through a photoshop.

    But most of us have watched baseball for most of, if not, all our lives and we've seen enough ABs to kind of have a "feel" for when someone doesn't quite look right. Taylor Ward currently doesn't look right in the box.

    (Thank you for attending my TED talk, lol)

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