WeatherWonk

Did you take that from the Mike Scioscia Baseball Bible? That's what he seems to do all the time, with disastrous results. I have never had much of an issue with Scioscia on baseball strategy. I even thought the Aybar squeeze was a good call (Aybar is a decent bunter). But he's the worst at using players, i.e., making out lineups, choosing when to pull a starter or reliever, choosing a pinch hitter. Just not good at personnel moves within the game. Trout should bat second. Over the course of the year, he comes up too many time with 2 outs and nobody on, by virtue of simple first-inning probabilities. What good is having your highest OBP guy get on with two outs so much? The odds of scoring in that situation are too low.

I'm starting to remember why I never liked this board. Seems like half the people on here engage in arguments and name-calling that I used to do in junior high school. And in a game day thread, no less. Are you guys, like, working on your puerile cuss words in spring training? Can we expect a bit higher level of maturity by April 1? Talk baseball, man. Save the bitch-fighting for when you're beating up your sister, or something. Or take it to the bitch-slap board.

Oh, come on. You dont think the Astros have improved? Their closer is better. And the have Correa for a full season. And they got rid of Chris Carter. And they have Carlos Gomez for a full season. I think the Astros are the team to beat in the AL West.

Looks like the Angels got one hit after the 3rd inning. It will be nice to see more regulars in there. Hope the results are different.

This is the first year that I wont be going to a ST game in nearly 10 years. i've decided to enter a pickleball tournament next week in Green Valley, AZ. and dont want to drive back up for a ST game, later. I live in Mexico about 5 hours below the AZ border. The ball fields that shouldnt be missed, IMO, are Camelback, Talking Stick and Maryvale. I like the new Cubs park, as well. I refuse to go to Tempe Diablo stadium because it is ridiculously crowded and very hard to move around, especially when the concession lines get long. For those that like to combine a good pub experience with good food, good beer and great TV viewing of March Madness, I highly recommend the Zipps on Camelback. Great salads, too. Of course, you cant go wrong hitting an Oreganos, either.

In Shoemaker's defense, he did strike out 3 of his last 4 batters.

I think we will struggle offensively, again. I dont think adding Escobar (notwithstanding his outlier numbers from last year), the Nava/Gentry symbiosis and Soto will improve us, offensively. Simmons vs Aybar is probably a push, though Aybar probably had the potential to be better, offensively, that Simmons will be. Can we expect a better season from Pujols than what we got last year? Certainly not in HR numbers. Maybe marginally better in BA. Kole can certainly improve, but probably only back to his career numbers. Not likely to get more HRs from him than last year; could get less. All of this probably wont make enough difference to improve a team that was 12th in runs scored, 13th in OBP, 14th in OPS. Mike Trout may set a new MLB record for BBs, unless he starts extending his strike zone as badly as he did in 2014. Why pitch to him at all, especially if he is stupidly kept at the #3 spot in the order, where he will come up many times with 2 outs and nobody on (given our low OBP)? He needs to be back at #2, where his chances of generating more runs increases. We need higher OBP near the top of the lineup. Aoki would have been really great, there, in front of Trout. The pitching and defense BETTER be better, because we won't have many come-from-behind wins with this club's offense, IMO. There are a lot of good starters and good bullpens in the AL West. Tough sledding, ahead. I really cant comment on OUR starting pitching. There are SO MANY QUESTION MARKS ! I wouldnt know what to say except "IF.........., then.......... Are you sold yet?

What about that Sue girl? Didn't she run off and elope with Yasiel Puig or some other Dodger?

As bad as the criticism got over on the Angels MLB board over the pathetic off-season, I guess Arte just couldn't handle how bad it was going to get with the team finishing in 4th place.............which is somewhat likely. Much has to go right for the Angels to challenge for the division lead, IMO. Thank God for the Oakland A's.

The "Cubs up, Halos down....." article is an ESPN Insider article, so many cant read it. Can someone C and P the Angels portion? Or is that a no-no around here?

That didnt take long CC and robrock30. You got me! Has AG or Charles found the board yet? Yikes!!! Would like to get exileindc and a few other stout lads over here............. My gut feeling is the Angels decided to ditch the board. Arte and Scioscia got tired of reading all the negativity. I'm only half serious on that, really. I think MLB is ditching ALL the boards. That's why the links to the boards on the main team websites is so hard to find.

Hey, DEVLBAT, what area Italy is your winery? Piedmont, Tuscany? We spent ten days in Tuscany this summer hitting wineries in Chianti, Montalcino, Montepulciano. Wines were good but, cutting my teeth on California wines, most were just too light-bodied for my palette. I like Syrahs, Cabs and Zins. I am holding onto a couple Barbarescos and three Brunellos. Am told that most of them wont be good until 2018 or later. But I am a patient man.

Another renegade from the Angels BB. OC resident from 1960-2008, now residing in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. Went to Mission Viejo HS from 68-71. CSUF and SDSU grad. Any guesses who I was over on the Angel BB, fellow renegades?

Everything I've seen says Heyward moves to RIGHT, Fowler takes over center and it is a Soler/Schwarber platoon in left. Heyward has a good arm. He's perfect for right field.