ScruffytheJanitor

Plus, you know, promoting players before they get 12,000 ABs per level. 

It's stir crazy that 7 teams are still only 3 games apart for the 2nd WC spot nearing the close of August.   Toronto has pretty much dropped out of it.

I think it may be as simple as them knowing his defense doesn't need a lot of work.   They may just be having him focus on making contact and pitch recognition.  To be honest - that may not be a bad idea - those were the parts of his game that people were mixed about.
Not that you are being critical -- but I'm finding myself questioning the Angels development staff a lot less lately.  So many guys seeing improvements in their games in the areas they needed to improve in.  
 

Altuve it's really not close. Best team in the AL with the best offense and he's the best player on that team. Sorry Trout don't get injured and don't be clawing for 2nd wild card

Taylor Blake Ward‏ @TaylorBlakeWard  10m10 minutes ago MoJaime Barria has been promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake #Angels

Most people think I'm an idiot, but I proved them. 

If you're always saying that, does that mean it happens to you often ? 

But I thought the Angels were wasting Trout's prime years and they suck and are going to finish last in the AL West and have a terrible farm system and are cursed and suck and aren't good and suck?  

As AO said he is solid. Kind of reminds me of Joe Randa.
 

Pujols looks like a chubby 3rd grader waiting for the bus on his first day of school.

Pujols looking like a middle aged dad ready for that tailgate BBQ

Pujols looks like he just learned about basketball yesterday so Trout loaned him some gear. He looks fat, uncomfortable, and dorky all at once. Funniest picture of him ever. 

Fan probably said," You were so bad as an Angel that you made Hamilton look like a star when he was with the Angels."

Fan probably called him Steve Finley.

Fan probably said "You didn't hit one that hard the whole year you were here".

What do folks think about the comp of Andrew McCutchen for Jahmai Jones? I can't compare them on the field, but there is some similarity in the statistical profile. Like Jones so far, McCutchen was both young for his level but also didn't dominate at any level in the minors (presumably because he was young), making it to the majors in 2009 as a 22-year old (which would be 2020 for Jones, who will likely make it to the majors by 2019, at age 21). Cutch spent a few years as a good player, but not a star, and didn't break out as a true star until 2012, at age 25.
But I see a lot of similarities in their numbers - Cutch didn't hit for much power in the minors, but it gradually developed and now he typically hits around 25 HR a year. He also has a well-rounded hitting profile, which Jones seems to also have: good to very good in average, power, plate discipline, and speed.
If we're looking for a best-case scenario for Jones, I think its McCutchen. Now one thing to keep an eye on is that McCutchen stalled out in AA for a year and a half. Like Jones, he had a late season call-up at age 19 and did quite well, but then merely held his own in a full season of AA ball at age 20. Presumably Jones will have a full season in AA, or close to a full season, next year. McCutchen then had a good but not great full season in AAA at age 21, and an improved third of a season there at age 22 before being called up. Jones could conceivably be a year ahead of Cutch, because of opportunity; in 2008, the Pirates didn't push him because their outfield was full. But in 2019 - when Jones will be 21 - unless Hermosillo does really well, there could be a spot for Jones.
 
 

Thanks Blarg.
So in 56 years we've had a LH bat hit over 30 homers twice? Just say no to Moose.

Garret Anderson hit 35 home runs back in 2000 and followed that with 28,29,29 before dropping off to under 20. 

Would Belt be open to a 2 year max deal?
Edit:  Thought that his numbers were down due to low BA (.240s), but he still has an .826 OPS.  He's become the NL version of Carlos Santana.   Might be very tough to get him for only two years.

I'd be down with that lineup. Santana if not Belt too. 

I think you could plug in Maybin, Jon Jay, Melky Cabrera, possibly even Ben Revere, Jarrod Dyson, or Curtis Granderson all as cheap, short-term LF options, and let them hold down the fort until someone shakes them into a bench/4th OF/trade/DFA. 
Snag one MIF/UT IF type (Nunez, Lowrie, Forsythe) that can cover wherever Cowart isn't or serve as a UT IF in a worst-case scenario, and lock in Santana at 1B and you're set offensively. 

I know people are against Moustakas, but man, he's going to hit 30-40 HR and he plays good defense at 3B. Plus he's a lefthanded bat. 
I'd like to have one if not both of him and Hosmer and go cheap with 2B and LF (Cowart, Puello/Hermosillo). 

It is actually getting rather strange that Puello hasn't been given a cup o' coffee - you really can't hit much better than he's hitting in AAA. At the very least, he should be auditioned as a potential stop-gap in LF until the higher end prospects are ready, starting with Herm late next year.
So yeah, free Puello.
As for next year, my view is coalescing around the idea of Cowart being the regular at either 2B or 3B, some combination of Puello, Hermosillo, or a cheaply re-signed one year of Maybin in LF, then bigger dollars spent on first base and whichever of 2B/3B Cowart isn't playing at.

I was just discussing with my brother a couple days ago why Simmons isn't leading off and why Trout used to.  Coming to the recollection that behind Trout, at one time we had Hunter, a much younger and better Pujols, a productive Calhoun, Trumbo, Kendrick...
We used to have guys that could drive in runs, and now we have Simmons and the shell of Albert Pujols.
Our pitching is coming back at the end of this year and will be ready to go next year.  Even if we sustain injuries, we now have the depth to cover this.  We need an offense to match it.  I'm all for giving Cowart 2B or 3B, and Hermosillo/Puello LF.  But if we do that, the Angels will need to sign a big time run producer for 3B/2B (whichever Cowart isn't covering) and 1B (which means trading Cron, if he has any value left). 
That means Hosmer, Carlos Santana, Yonder Alonso, or maybe even J.D. Martinez at 1B and Kendrick or Moustakas at 2B or 3B.  That or trading for a 2B/3B, not sure who would be on the block though. 

I've always said that a good defensive catcher really only needs to bring one thing offensively to be a solid MLB regular. Whether it's power, on-base skills, or raw batting average, a solid defensive catcher can get away with only providing one of those things. That's why I think Ward is so interesting -- he has the tools to be better than just a "good" defender, he has some untapped power, and I think he might have pretty good on-base skills too.