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Gameday tracking and the actual tracking used on TV are way, way different. The locations on the gameday app/site are atrocious and seem almost completely unrelated to the actual location, which is what causes those posts. The "foxtrax" system and whatever you see sometimes on other channels is much more accurate - an article I found from 2013 claims that the system is accurate to within an inch, assuming it hasn't improved since then. At least with a machine you'd have more consistent calls and no variation umpire to umpire. I'd like to see something where each team (pitcher or batter) can challenge 4-5 pitches a game with an animated representation of the pitch like in tennis. The system is incredibly quick and easy in tennis and it wouldn't completely eliminate umpires.

Is his arm strength really below average? Honest question, not trying to be rude. I grew up near him and went to the same high school (graduated a year behind him) so I saw him play a lot. As a kid he had an absolute cannon for an arm and even in high school (if I remember correctly) he pitched a lot because he simply threw harder than anyone on the team. I recall friends saying he could hit 90 in high school, though that was hearsay so it could be completely wrong. Is the skill in the MLB so high that a catcher that can throw 90 off the mound still has below average arm strength or has he lost velocity somewhere along the way?

Going to my first MLB postseason game. I'll be in one of the dugout suites. SO EXCITED!

Been a big Angels fan all my life but in 2002 I was only 14 and no one else in my family was really into baseball, so I had to settle for watching the games on TV. Tonight, I'll be experiencing my first MLB playoff game (and from a dugout suite no less)! Going to be a hell of a night

Something like moving Santiago to the pen, even for Rasmus (who has admittedly been good) seems reactionary to me. This is the same Santiago that, in spite of the recent meltdown, has a post All-Star Break ERA under 3.5 and is holding batters to a .232 average with runners in scoring position on the season. Considering the lack of other options I'd rather see them trust in Santiago to pull it together and be the reasonable starter he's been most of the year. I know this is the playoffs we're talking about and there isn't much room to mess around but many pitchers have a stretch of a few bad starts and pull out of it. Of course, Santiago isn't exactly the most dominant pitcher to start with but it's not like he's generally terrible either. Rasmus was clearly gassed in the 5th yesterday... I was there and it was pretty clear. I doubt he gets stretched out enough in the last few games of the year to pitch 5-7 innings in the playoffs, especially considering the arm issues that caused him to be converted in the first place. I can see him being incredibly useful if CJ or Santiago decide to blow up but I'd rather start them than him.

I went to high school with Hank, he was always a smart/nice kid. The little league team team he was on that made it onto TV was ridiculously good and Hank always had a CANNON for an arm. It's a shame his bat hasn't come around like it looked like it would - I remember being at the all star futures game where he hit that home run and being really excited to watch him hit in the big leagues, but he hasn't completely figured it out yet :\ That said, he's eloquent, a good club house guy, has a great attitude, and has been fantastic with the pitchers and pitch framing - according to statcorner, he's #3 in +calls (and 20 calls from first) with a roughly 4000 less sample size. It's hard to quantify how important an extra 153 strikes is but from what I've read it's huge. He's way higher in +strikes/gm than anyone who has played more than 2 or 3 games this year. Iannetta is currently sitting in the negatives (-39), getting some strikes called balls due to his framing. Obviously, Chris is a much better hitter but I wouldn't mind seeing Hank start more even with his lack of hitting this year. I really hope they keep him around and keep giving him chances.

This!! I wasn't all that concerned about a loss (frankly, even with the A's slumping like crazy I'd rather the Halos face a Seattle team right after Felix has pitched in a Wild Card game than the A's) until ol' crooked hat Rodney came in. Then I wanted them to destroy him, as Rodney is probably my least favorite player in the game right now. I saw Kole taking swings in the training room in the ~6th or 7th inning so I expected him to pinch hit at some point but other than him and Cron (the DHs are always in there) no one was even warming up. I wish they'd have had Howie or Aybar taking a few hacks just in case there - you knew with Tony Campana coming up to bat the game was probably over and I wish they'd have at least made an attempt at the end there.

Also not really how it works. It's not that your buddy is "stronger" or CHOOSING to not letting it affect him. For Josh, it's not "in his head," he doesn't need to "just ignore it," or "be stronger" or any of those other ridiculous platitudes. Your anecdotal experience with a friend (sample size = 1) isn't really statistically significant >_>. Some recovering addicts will have intense, unbearable cravings when seeing their trouble substance for the rest of their life. I mean, look at all the celebrities like Phillip Seymour Hoffman who were clean for YEARS before suddenly falling off the wagon. It doesn't take much, it's hard to know what will trigger it, and it never really goes away. Source: I'm a scientist. Also, a little disappointed they didn't at least do what the rangers did in 2010 I think? Where they initially partied with non alcoholic beverages before moving on after he left. Though it looks like he might have scheduled that chiropractor's appointment intentionally to avoid being labeled as a "downer" or being judged or whatever.

I know that the Halos have a history of injuries lasting longer and being worse than originally described but when the first MRI came back they weren't even sure he'd miss a start and Shoe was saying (I can't seem to find the quote) that he felt like he could go out there for his next start. Considering the situation they're in (already clinched and clinching the division soon) there's no real need for deception so I doubt they're lying when they say that the one start he's missing is simply precautionary. Shoemaker is also a gamer so he can probably pitch through a little pain in the postseason if he has to. Of course there's some small possibility that he comes back pitching differently or that the injury nags when he tries to come back but I'm inclined to take this at face value given the situation. I don't think it's a big deal even though it's an oblique injury. "minor ____ strain" is basically what they say when the MRI doesn't show anything >< I've been told that a few times and the only one that took a while to recover from was my lower back, which took 6-8 weeks, but I doubt that's the case here.

Terrible. All the things the Angels have overcome and a "very mild oblique strain" is the one that should make us panic? The writer also does a fantastic job trivializing all the accomplishments of the Halos and their ability to succeed without key players while contradicting himself frequently.

Great job by Pujols taking as small a jump as possible there. Gotta love his defense.

Wait... what? Are you serious? Shut him down until SPRING TRAINING for what is being dubbed a "very minor oblique strain?" Afaik they already did the MRI... Talk about humpty dumpty doom and gloom >.>

Going to be both difficult and risky to do that with a playoff roster. You just don't have a ton of relievers available at will like that - what if the starter falls apart the next game?

What a BLAST. That looked like a routine fly ball off the bat and just kept carrying.

I'd probably start CJ on a VERY short leash with Rasmus warming up, personally. It's pretty clear just a few batters in whether CJ has it or not. If it looks like he's going to struggle, get Rasmus up and make it a "bullpen start." Obviously you won't have the flexibility you do now due to the 40 man roster but I think CJ at least has the potential to pitch well and if he doesn't then the bullpen is good enough to bail him out.