Hubs

Why?
 
I simply don't get this. Shuck isn't hitting. Cowgill is hitting. 
 
If it's the righty-lefty thing, I'll just point out that Cowgill has a .286 BA against both righties and lefties. He has a 1.018 OPS against righties and a .824 OPS against lefties.
 
Shuck has a .537 OPS against righties and a .170 OPS against lefties. THAT's OPS not batting average. He's slugging .059 against lefties. 
 
Cowgill should start every day in RF. Until Calhoun returns healthy.
 
And as for LF….Until Hamilton is back...
 
Matt Long isn't doing great in SLC, but he's doing better than Shuck. Shuck isn't a great defender, so if they don't bring up Long and his .738 OPS this year than I should remind everyone that...
 
Grant Green is killing the ball. .968 OPS. He can play 2nd, SS, 3rd, and can probably play the OF. 
 
CJ Cron is killing the ball. .979 OPS….strictly a 1B or DH, but yeah, killing the ball.
 
I'd rather see Green or Cron up, with Ibanez or Kendrick playing the OF, than Shuck continue to get starts every day.
 
Cron as the DH, or at 1st, with Pujols the DH, and Ibanez in the OF is preferable to Shuck. And I know Ibanez isn't hitting, but he's going to be in the lineup most days anyway. This way they get Cron or Green in there instead of Shuck…and that's a win win.
 
 
 

Grant Green with another error-free game in LF in AAA tonight. Batting .372 with an incredible .960 OPS and 26 RBI. Needs to replace JB, STAT!

I think regardless of what the stats show, the Halos are going with Shuck everyday and a cowgill platoon vs. lefties. 
 
Shuck is pretty bad.  I'd rather see Green, Long, Cron or just about anyone else.  I have never been a big fan of Shuck even when he was supposedly capable last year. 

Why?
 
I simply don't get this. Shuck isn't hitting. Cowgill is hitting. 
 
If it's the righty-lefty thing, I'll just point out that Cowgill has a .286 BA against both righties and lefties. He has a 1.018 OPS against righties and a .824 OPS against lefties.
 
Shuck has a .537 OPS against righties and a .170 OPS against lefties. THAT's OPS not batting average. He's slugging .059 against lefties. 
 
Cowgill should start every day in RF. Until Calhoun returns healthy.
 
And as for LF….Until Hamilton is back...
 
Matt Long isn't doing great in SLC, but he's doing better than Shuck. Shuck isn't a great defender, so if they don't bring up Long and his .738 OPS this year than I should remind everyone that...
 
Grant Green is killing the ball. .968 OPS. He can play 2nd, SS, 3rd, and can probably play the OF. 
 
CJ Cron is killing the ball. .979 OPS….strictly a 1B or DH, but yeah, killing the ball.
 
I'd rather see Green or Cron up, with Ibanez or Kendrick playing the OF, than Shuck continue to get starts every day.
 
Cron as the DH, or at 1st, with Pujols the DH, and Ibanez in the OF is preferable to Shuck. And I know Ibanez isn't hitting, but he's going to be in the lineup most days anyway. This way they get Cron or Green in there instead of Shuck…and that's a win win.
 
 
 

Why?
 
I simply don't get this. Shuck isn't hitting. Cowgill is hitting. 
 
If it's the righty-lefty thing, I'll just point out that Cowgill has a .286 BA against both righties and lefties. He has a 1.018 OPS against righties and a .824 OPS against lefties.
 
Shuck has a .537 OPS against righties and a .170 OPS against lefties. THAT's OPS not batting average. He's slugging .059 against lefties. 
 
Cowgill should start every day in RF. Until Calhoun returns healthy.
 
And as for LF….Until Hamilton is back...
 
Matt Long isn't doing great in SLC, but he's doing better than Shuck. Shuck isn't a great defender, so if they don't bring up Long and his .738 OPS this year than I should remind everyone that...
 
Grant Green is killing the ball. .968 OPS. He can play 2nd, SS, 3rd, and can probably play the OF. 
 
CJ Cron is killing the ball. .979 OPS….strictly a 1B or DH, but yeah, killing the ball.
 
I'd rather see Green or Cron up, with Ibanez or Kendrick playing the OF, than Shuck continue to get starts every day.
 
Cron as the DH, or at 1st, with Pujols the DH, and Ibanez in the OF is preferable to Shuck. And I know Ibanez isn't hitting, but he's going to be in the lineup most days anyway. This way they get Cron or Green in there instead of Shuck…and that's a win win.
 
 
 

SP has been the topic of contention in the offseason. The starters have been pretty decent actually, 9 QS in 20 games.
A few of the other starts have been good starts, but don't meet the QS criteria.

I went through all of the years at third base under Mike Scioscia. Production from this position has been awful. 
 
In 2000-02, they had what we expect from a prototypical power hitting 3rd baseman. 
 
2003-2006, they tried a bunch of guys and nothing stuck. 
 
2007-2009, Figgins got the majority of the starts, so there was nearly zero power from the spot.
 
2010-2013, Callaspo got the majority of the starts, still no power, and he sucked a lot more than people want to believe.
 
2014, New guys. Freese isn't hitting, Stewart's been ok. McDonald had one game. The most 3B they've used in a season is 7 and the fewest is 2. If Green were to come up it would be at the expense of an extra BP arm, basically a five man pen, or at the expense of a backup OF…with a 25 man roster, they only have room for a four man bench with a full-time DH because they decided to go with Ibanez over an in house option (likely a platoon), they have to figure on a backup OF, backup C, and they have two infielders now.
 
They're not going to bring up Green unless there is an injury to an infielder. Jimenez is a defensive whiz at 3rd, but can't play SS. If he could, then McDonald would be expendable. Jimenez, Green, McDonald, and Freese are all right handed, so with the two primary left handed bats in the outfield out, replacing Stewart with Green or Jimenez makes them even more right handed. 
 
I don't know how to fix the offense, but the Angels have not had consistent production at that spot since 2000-2002…even Figgins wasn't that consistent. Makes you glad for the production they've had from 2nd and SS over the entire Mike Scioscia era. Eckstein, then Cabrera, then Aybar at SS and Kennedy and Kendrick at 2nd, have been very consistent. 

Yeah, not a bright move tossing a MLB career .292 second baseman for a relief arm worth 1/3 his value. I get there is a collective dislike for Kendrick because you guys never seem to see him hit a ball when you want him to but really, just stop it, stop it!

RE-FREAKIN-LAX.
 
There are 154 games to play. They could win them all. 

RE-FREAKIN-LAX.
 
There are 154 games to play. They could win them all. 

Injured players in the AL West, April 2014:
 
Angels
 
Josh Hamilton, Thumb- End of May, Early June
Sean Burnett, Shoulder? - A few weeks still.
Dane De La Rosa, Forearm - Back Friday?
Brian Moran, TJ- Out for year
Ryan Brasier, Elbow Strain
 
Rangers
 
Derek Holland, Knee, All-Star Break
Matt Harrison, April? May?
Jurickson Profar, All-Star Break
Geovany Soto, All-Star Break
Adrian Beltre, Taken out of Game Yesterday, Sent to Arlington for Exam on Quad
Colby Lewis, Hip Replacement, May/June
Joe Saunders, Bruised Ankle, 15-Day DL
Engel Beltre, Fractured Fibula, 60-Day DL
Joe Ortiz, Fractured Foot, 60-Day DL
 
A's
 
Jarrod Parker, TJ, out for year
AJ Griffin, Elbow, May/June
Eric O'Flaherty, 15-Day DL
Jake Elmore, 15- Day DL
Fernando Rodriguez, 15-Day DL
Craig Gentry, 15 - Day DL
 
M's
 
James Paxton, Left Lat Strain 
Hisashi Iwakuma, Tendon in Finger, 6-8 Weeks from March 21, but reportedly might be back sooner
Stephen Pryor, Lat Surgery
Tajiuan Walker, Shoulder
 
Astros
 
 
Alex White
Asher Wojciechowski
Jesse Crain

RE-FREAKIN-LAX.
 
There are 154 games to play. They could win them all. 

If it were up to me, I'd say Long, Green, McDonald and Conger.
 
It's not so it's going to probably be Shuck, Stewart, McDonald and Conger.

I also thought Texas was looking at Scheppers to be a starter

A walk is only good if you can't get a hit.

SUPER GINGER!!!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oooops, I may have broken the nickname rules.

How about this? (insanely positive prediction)
 
OPS
 
Pujols .925
Hamilton .900
Trout  1.100
 
Angels:  900 Runs Scored

Don't get comfortable with the way the floor has been open to throw tantrums or troll your agenda's (i.e, Pujols, Scioscia, Dipoto hate etc.) going forward. Things are changing around here.

We will be announcing the new and improved AngelsWin.com experience soon. It is our desire to create a better environment for everyone here, not just for you to bitch and moan. I don't mind ranting and voicing strong opinions, we've always accepted that here. The shoutbox was designed for rants but was rarely used and the board was flooded with non-stop complaints and regurgitated hyperbole.

But I've heard enough from longstanding members of this forum over the past few years that they don't post in the main forum anymore due to the negativity and constant trolling on certain players/coaches/manager..

I've basically come to a point, and not just me, my Mods too, where if you don't like the new rules that will be enforced going forward you can leave. There's always Facebook, Twitter or another Angels Blog you can post on.

Less is of the negativity is more and there's others dying to post again after the negative opinion and voice goes away. I'm not talking about normal groaning and moaning when Jepsen leaves a ball up on an 0-2 count with 2 outs and runners on base, every fan will raise their voices in frustration over that. I'm talking about the daily ripping, hell vilifying on Scioscia, Pujols, Dipoto etc. win or lose. It is called trolling which is against our code of conduct that I have let slide for far too long. The result is a negative tone that has been established here that most of our members and lurkers are sick of. I know, I get the PM's and emails.

Oh and most of these people that are the detractors of the Angels or certain players/managers never show up at our events, never give to our charities or even send a thank you note for the free website and service we provide for you all.

Lastly, while it hasn't helped that the team has missed the playoffs the past four years, I never in my life have seen so much crying and negativity as I have the past two years. I've been a fan since '79 so I endured the worst of consecutive seasons, yet I still went to the games, still hoped for wins and never went on and on about the same things that some of you go off on on a regular basis.

Howie Kendrick is the backup 1B.

Bench in April:
 
Conger (S)
Green (RH)
Romine (S) 
Shuck (LH) 

I think that is missing the forest for the trees, however. If a team has a bad month, it makes it that much harder to win 97 games. Especially the first month, which puts you in a big hole that you spend much of the season digging out of.

The CBT takes only AAV into account. They divide signing bonuses up equally for the length of the contract, despite how they are actually paid out.
 
The CBT also accounts for payroll beyond the top 25 players, the 15 players not on the 25, but on the 40 man get counted for a specific salary depending on their experience, and also they use some of the $189 million for pension and benefits.

I don't understand how people like Mota or Vic the Brick or anyone who doesn't have a smooth, easy delivery on the mic gets a job as a broadcaster. 
 
I miss Rex. 

I don't understand how people like Mota or Vic the Brick or anyone who doesn't have a smooth, easy delivery on the mic gets a job as a broadcaster. 
 
I miss Rex. 

Capuano is not any better than Blanton. 
 
I advocated strongly for guys like Dan Haren, Tim Hudson, Bronson Arroyo, etc. They were better options early in the offseason. I'd also have kept Jerome Williams because a) arbitration salaries are not guaranteed until the first day of the regular season. They could have retained him, and cut him if they signed better starter. While he wasn't excellent last year, he is at least depth.