Red_Planet

We slogged all through the sleeping bear months of the winter looking for a better than average left fielder? One's been kind of nearby and we may've not possibly noticed? His name is somewhat known to us too. Mike Trout. This will reduce much of the wear and tear of our superstar. Some may remember last year when Mike attempted a sliding catch following a long run where the ball trickled sadly away, uncaught, and Trout came up with an injured wrist. So Trout gets stationed in LF. Quinton Berry or someone else, waiver wire or whatever, to man CF. Too bad Petie Bourjos i(PB&J) isn't still an employee? Most CFs are light hitters with wheels. We can very likely get ourselves one by hook or by crook or whatever?

A wonderful reserve infielder in his prime. Good slap hitter. I forget the coach, was it Joe Maddon, who once praised his very soft great hands which are the working tools of an infielder. Hope he finds much to suit him in retirement?

I will readily admit I put the whole shootin' match on der wunderkind. And I cannot begin to express my jangled nerves at seeing Trout extending all out for Burns lead off shot. That all out run right out of the gate in ST made my stomach knot. I have seen many a hammy hurtie come about on runs just like that. Especially the first between the lines hard shot right after the sleepy off season? Oh well, go Trout. Head forth 2016 Angels.

Our exes, no matter how they performed while a Halo, tend to do epic things while sporting for someone else. I cannot imagine Vicky landing a job on the Cubskies when they break camp for up north? The Cubs are stacked and stocked. I expect them to crush this season. I could see the C's in the WS? Wow did I just type that? Yikes. What's the world coming to?

Trouty is a way bigger boy than when he was a rook. Also we did not know fully just what we had in Trout of that early vintage. He was a promising rook only at that early hour. Now he is the franchise. The head first slides he fashions are potential disasters in the making. An infielder who jams his fingers or cuts them beneath his cleats? A nightmare scenario. Let little light fast dudes scoot to second or third? Trout is built like a fast tight end. All crying for his attempting to do more will just be crying should anything untoward occur regarding Trout?

I know our favorite son is only wishing to please. But.... Please young great Trouty, you do not need to do more. We cannot afford to have the franchise get seriously dinged in any shape or form. Trouty, instead of extending thyself gassing for for the next unneeded base, instead please cut thee down on strikeouts. That be all. You are our everything. How Trouty goes there goes the Halos.

It is a shame we here will likely never see Albert perform as in his once prime days back in StL. When the 'king' was the best during that ten year stretch on the planet. StL enjoyed a huge bargain when he was under team control. He dominated the game as if the other players were high schoolers. But that said his contract continues to be a huge sticking point with me. And as stated earlier, not his fault. All of us would have inked that dealio with Mr. Arte. Secondarily, and it also has substance, Albert is not the clutch clutch hitter he was in StL. In fact the opposition will often walk Trout to pitch to him. If I collected a hundred dollar bill for each and every situation, bases juiced, numerous fellows on, and the king failed. And due to his wheels, now retreads, he remains a double play 'machine'. To his favor he is a lunchbox type blue collar player. If Albert can physically get out to the ballpark and play he'll give you all he has on that day. Maybe he's hurting but he'll bust his behind for all who paid their tickets to see him out there. And naturally first ballot HOFer. But beneath a StL cap.

The best giveaways ever IMHO were actual not mini baseball bats. I can see how they could be an insurance nightmare for those baseball teams conducting those giveaways. For me it remains the gold standard for a giveaway. Cannot imagine that ever being repeated in these highly litigious times?

Maybe we'll win a hyphenated 90 games? 45 this season and next? Either way I like your optimism. And I'd rather you be right than me? Hopefully we'll all have much good Halos baseball to see and comment on?

This was a feel good win today. Nice. It's great to win nearly anytime. Nearly anytime. However, that said, the Oakland A's 2016 are pretty terrible. And thanks to our 'brain trust' of Moreno and his two best buds, Scioscia and the luxury tax threshold, we ain't much better? But hey I am delighted to win anytime. So I guess we can sip one together over that?

Another interesting note; Albert Pujols places his Irvine home up for sale for $7M+. What are we to draw from this mere trifle? Uh near nada as his family allegedly never moved in preferring to remain in beautiful St. Louie Louie or MO somewhere? Apparently $240M is truly not that much of a commitment anymore? I was initially excited that the big sack of cement might be thinking of blowing town? But then nah I quickly remembered 165 million reasons why Senor Pujols will be remaining very very close to the Big Big A until said contract is spent. Say you?

Just like the the famous doomed ship of the Great Lakes, the Edmund Fitzgerald and its carrying cargo of 26,000 tons of coal and iron ore, we should've left Albatross Pujols back in the midwest. Now labeled MLB's worst contract as if we fans here didn't already know those grim facts? 'Hey hey hey' has Bengie Mo speed however without the clutch hitting ability. But Albert cannot be blamed for someone offering him a king's ransom to play in Arte's back yard. ANY of us here would've grabbed that coin! Heck yeah. But who or what was advising EL Presidente to proffer that ker-azy amount of team mortgage money? Oh that's right, it's the most interesting man in the world NOT our own founder Arte no party Moreno. The same one who believed he could change famous bad bad boy, the Hamster himself. now partying on Arte's and our dime in ol' Texas with the fringe on top stadium. Arte the very same who cringes and bristles at any crit leveled at his greatness, ultimately bounced a whole message board and its participants for typing often unflattering views of the most interesting dude in the world, his view, and NOT. This message may soon become deleted so read it fast speed readers. Not a reference to our old buddy Josh the slosh Hamilton with all his zillions of Arte Moreno Hamilton $20 bills. Which also brings up how we have numerous light light lightweights manning most of the slots on our 40 man. Those members aching for a big prize in the 2016 campaign may just need to settle for the aches only. But hey at least it's another big league season. We get to eat nachos while viewing the wasting of Trouty, Kole, Simmons, Garret Richards conducting their seasons in futility. We might win as few as 40 games? Perhaps as many as 80. Is it all good no matter? Hey at least it's baseball gang?

Last season we were a push vs. KC and Det. KC 1-6, Det 6-1. We were 12-7 vs. arch rival Texas. That could easily be reversed this upcoming season. That one game back vs. Hou and two back of Tex may be a luxury we might not view again for awhile. Here's to us.

Bo Belinski pal-ing up with diamond cutter Dean Chance might've taken years off his stuff? We will never completely know? Supposedly spring camp was a way looser and more fun oriented affair back in the day? At all the camps supposedly. Oh except if one was a long shot rook or a coach? The Palm Springs weekend spring training games televised in those days by Autry's own KTLA channel 5, Dick Enberg and Drysdale, you couldn't have a better fun viewing experience.

Gene Autry was the best owner of all time. Maybe the most loved by his own players of any owner ever. But that said he also kept a very loose leash on his players who loved to 'play' in their off hours very much too. Many could and would close down the local watering holes of Palm Springs. Gene might've just been too nice. Rig had curfews and even bed checks back in the day but some of his charges were supposedly equally adept at circumventing them. Sad that those rollicking days are over. Although likely much hijinks still is occurring possibly more covertly now?

From where I sit I wished for upgrades throughout our woeful line up and defense. I hoped for a boatload of improves? Nearly none of which have happened this off-season? Arte basically sent the old minivan out for detailing and is trying to sell it to us as a way better ride? Who all among us squatters in his seats are sold? Or will we just enjoy the upcoming 2016 ride along no matter? Hey ain't it great to be seeing, talking the grand game once again? We're all big time seat belted in, yay.

Possibly centipedes?

Also spiders, and mucho rattlesnakes, which may hide in the dernedest places? Whattaya got?

This marks the time of year many of us or at least some of us, wander over into Arizona for the sun, fun, and games. If you are such the type your occurrences and remembrances of those times may benefit us all? For instance have you or someone close to you had an incident with any scorpions. They're numerous and of course it is a desert there. Lest we not forget? I remember some years ago during their broadcast either Terry Smith or the late Rory Marcus told of being stung during the night in their hotel room. And I remember of some Brewers vice president or someone was also stung during another spring. Not to mention various ballplayers etc. If you've been there or live there year round what can you tell us about the pests? On a somewhat different note, the public may interact with players etc. differently in Arizona than the usual. For instance you may bump into players at eateries and other places and may have amusing or interesting stories of such you could impart here? Players are people too and seeing them 'in real life' is often new and different and fun for the day to day fan. Give of this type knowledge you may have or other spring training type tales you know of personally?

When MLB has the final say, as they do, I definitely worry. There is a strong sentimental appeal to the HOF committee for the (sigh) Expos. I strongly believe the committee sides with that organization. I love Vladdy. He is famous for his bad ball hitting abilities. Little talked of are Vlad's undisciplined baserunning and often wild and crazy heaves from the outfield to wherever? Vlad firmly believed he could cut down any runner? Some feared his wing but many more adroit runners simply grabbed the next base as his errant toss sailed, the baseman often needing to lunge to snag it. Still nothing would be sweeter than to see him go in the HOF as an Angel. I put those chances at about 23%. Say you?

Hopefully we'll enjoy many happy returns here? Not like on the Dodgers board and their 'bums' rush.