AngelsHilo

Whoa!  Eppler making moves to create depth in the roster.  Freeman, Stratton, now Goodwin.  Eppler continues to make this roster interesting.  Nice that we can let our young talent get a little more experience without forcing them up too quick.  

While we certainly are gonna miss Upton's bat, it's kinda nice having Petey earn an Opening Day start.  He did well during the Spring, and hope his new swing continues in the regular season.  The "spare parts" really make a difference.  Every team is decent from 1-5 in the lineup.  It's what the bottom of the order and bench can do that takes it one step further.  

I like this lineup. PBJ TLS and KC setting the table for the GOAT.

I think the more interesting question is what to do if he has an average season.
What if he hits .270/.345/.425 with 19 HRs and above average, but not have changing defense? That's pretty good but is it worth picking up the option on? Would a team trade for that (with the contract) if the team wants to move on?

Should be fun to see how this all plays out.  Looking forward to the development of the pitching staff and the depth we have offensively.  

Great article from USA Today by Bob Nightingale on Trout -
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2019/03/19/mike-trout-never-wanted-to-leave-los-angeles-angels/3211347002/
Brings into perspective that Mike can play the game he loves for a ton of money, yet being an Angel, will still give him the personal privacy he can enjoy.  Less pressure from friends, family, and media, on requests for his time and probably fortune if he isn't in the Philly or even East Coast area. 
I recall the Talking Heads complaining over the years that Trout is the greatest athlete that many sports fans would not recognize if he was walking down the street.  That Baseball, the Angels, and Trout should better market Mike as the Face of Baseball in order to grow the game.  Perhaps they should be resigned to the fact that Mike prefers his "anonymity" more than the Spotlight and that staying an Angel gets him the best of both worlds.  
 

Great article from USA Today by Bob Nightingale on Trout -
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2019/03/19/mike-trout-never-wanted-to-leave-los-angeles-angels/3211347002/
Brings into perspective that Mike can play the game he loves for a ton of money, yet being an Angel, will still give him the personal privacy he can enjoy.  Less pressure from friends, family, and media, on requests for his time and probably fortune if he isn't in the Philly or even East Coast area. 
I recall the Talking Heads complaining over the years that Trout is the greatest athlete that many sports fans would not recognize if he was walking down the street.  That Baseball, the Angels, and Trout should better market Mike as the Face of Baseball in order to grow the game.  Perhaps they should be resigned to the fact that Mike prefers his "anonymity" more than the Spotlight and that staying an Angel gets him the best of both worlds.  
 

Read this earlier. Great article. 

Great article from USA Today by Bob Nightingale on Trout -
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2019/03/19/mike-trout-never-wanted-to-leave-los-angeles-angels/3211347002/
Brings into perspective that Mike can play the game he loves for a ton of money, yet being an Angel, will still give him the personal privacy he can enjoy.  Less pressure from friends, family, and media, on requests for his time and probably fortune if he isn't in the Philly or even East Coast area. 
I recall the Talking Heads complaining over the years that Trout is the greatest athlete that many sports fans would not recognize if he was walking down the street.  That Baseball, the Angels, and Trout should better market Mike as the Face of Baseball in order to grow the game.  Perhaps they should be resigned to the fact that Mike prefers his "anonymity" more than the Spotlight and that staying an Angel gets him the best of both worlds.  
 

Great article from USA Today by Bob Nightingale on Trout -
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2019/03/19/mike-trout-never-wanted-to-leave-los-angeles-angels/3211347002/
Brings into perspective that Mike can play the game he loves for a ton of money, yet being an Angel, will still give him the personal privacy he can enjoy.  Less pressure from friends, family, and media, on requests for his time and probably fortune if he isn't in the Philly or even East Coast area. 
I recall the Talking Heads complaining over the years that Trout is the greatest athlete that many sports fans would not recognize if he was walking down the street.  That Baseball, the Angels, and Trout should better market Mike as the Face of Baseball in order to grow the game.  Perhaps they should be resigned to the fact that Mike prefers his "anonymity" more than the Spotlight and that staying an Angel gets him the best of both worlds.  
 

TEMPE, Ariz. — For Mike Trout, Wednesday marked the first day of the rest of his life as an Angel.
Trout returned to work a day after he was excused from showing up to Tempe Diablo Stadium amid the news that he and the Angels had agreed to a 12-year, $426.5-million deal.
With the record-breaking contract still not finalized, Trout declined to talk to the media.
Instead, he laughed with his teammates during stretching, as they discussed the feasibility of bringing a fish on team flights.
“Only if it’s a service fish,” quipped Manager Brad Ausmus.
Trout took batting practice, and then he headed down to the minor league complex to load up on seven plate appearances.
Facing Cody Allen, Jaime Barría and top prospect Griffin Canning, Trout had three hits and a walk. He hit a homer off Barría, just after giving a sideways glance to the minor league umpire who had called a strike on a pitch he felt was out of the zone.
Trout also spent a few minutes chatting with former teammate Torii Hunter, who was on hand to watch his son, an Angels prospect.
Trout is likely to get back on the field in a Cactus League game on Thursday, when the Angels travel to Salt River Fields for a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In the meantime, it was up to his teammates to react to the news that Trout had essentially agreed to spend the rest of his career with the Angels.
Shohei Ohtani, the only one of his teammates who could possibly still be with him when the contract expires in 2030, said he was thrilled with the news.
“I’m just simply really happy and excited to play with such a great player such a long time,” Ohtani, 24, said through his interpreter. “If anybody deserves that contract, it’s Mike.”
Trout, of course, spoke to Ohtani via FaceTime during the Angels’ first recruiting meeting with the Japanese star.
“He seemed like a really nice genuine guy,” Ohtani said, recalling the conversation. “He actually was when I met him also. That impression hasn’t changed… Last year I had a lot of questions to ask him. He’s a guy I leaned on.”
OHTANI UPDATE
Ohtani continued throwing and taking batting practice on Wednesday. He was cleared to take regular batting practice in the cage against a coach on Sunday, and so far he said he’s feeling good.
“Body-wise, there are no issues,” Ohtani said. “But there are some things I still need to polish. It’s getting there.”
Ohtani said he’ll be ready to move to batting practice on the field as soon as the medical staff clears him. There is no timetable for that step.
Ausmus also said that Ohtani’s rehab has gone to plan, so far.
“The whole time he’s really been on target,” Ausmus said.
Ohtani also said he stayed up to watch the Seattle Mariners play the Oakland A’s in Tokyo, a game that started at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning in Arizona. Ohtani wanted to see Ichiro Suzuki.
“More than just being a fan, he was somebody every kid looked up to,” Ohtani said. “He’s a really iconic figure.”
ALSO
Although Justin Upton and Zack Cozart are now healthy and back in the lineup, apparently ready to start the season on the active roster, Ausmus said that they may not be ready to play everyday immediately. …
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Nick Tropeano was scheduled Wednesday for his first bullpen session since he was shut down with a shoulder problem in the first days of spring training. Tropeano has said if all goes well he could be able to pitch by late April. …
Kaleb Cowart cleared waivers and was outrighted. That will allow the Angels to keep Cowart in the minor leagues, as they continue to develop him as a two-way player. It also clears a 40-man roster spot. The Angels could have as many as three non-roster players make the team – Peter Bourjos, Dan Jennings and Daniel Hudson – so they’d need to clear spots for them.
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1. Mike Trout extension - Makes him an Angel for life, and subsequently causes so much butt- hurt for Philly fans. The greatest of all time will always be depicted wearing an Angels uniform.  Think about that. Until then, the great always seemed to be in pinstripes. And now the greatest ever in Angel red.
2. Shohei Ohtani signing - The first two way player in 100 years, and potentially the greatest Japanese player of all time someday (belong to Ichiro and Oh) signs with the Angels for next to nothing and the subsequent tantrums from Yankee and Mariner fans were epic. And then how he trolled everyone in Spring Training and the amount of apology articles that came out.
3. This one is non-Angel, but when USA won the WBC. Hosmer's HR, and superman celebration, Stanton destroying the Western Metal Supply building with a mammoth shot, Adam Jones clutch hits and robbing a Machado HR, and slaying the giants, Dominican Republic, Japan and Puerto Rico back to back to back. Like it had to happen that way, because it means more when your road to victory goes through the best. That one got me misty eyed. Ran around the place with a US flag draped over my shoulders.

It feels to me like a lot of the factors that fans thought would play a role in Trout's decision, really didn't.
Here's how I perceive the narrative, and the actual reality of it. 
- "Mike Trout just wants to win, and the Angels aren't winning."  Half truth.  Yes, Trout wants to win, and yes the Angels haven't won yet.  But it isn't for lack of trying.  They spend money every year.  And the fact that Trout actually gets involved in the draft process and gives the Angels his own input on who he likes illustrates his own personal investment into winning.  He knows the culture, knows Arte, knows Billy and knows just how hard they're working to win now, AND in the future. 
- "Mike Trout is from the East Coast, and wants to be on the East Coast"  Another half truth.  Yes, he is from the East Coast, and yes, he's an Eagles fan and enjoys spending his Winters out there. But it's also clear that Mike enjoys Orange County during the season, and travels all over and enjoys the weather all over. 
- "Mike Trout is close with Bryce Harper and several players on the Yankees and Phillies.  That's where he will play."  The people perpetuating these narratives don't seem to know Trout at all.  He's the most likeable guy, maybe in all of baseball.  Him or Granderson probably.  Sure, he's friends with Harper, jokes around with Judge etc..But they don't see the connections he makes with the players in the Angels clubhouse.  Pujols, Calhoun, Ohtani, Skaggs, Heaney, Bedrosian....shoot, you can even see him hitting it off with David Fletcher.  
- "Mike Trout's personality fits the Philly narrative.  Hard working, passionate" - That also fits Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Queens....And yes, Mike Trout is both of those things, but I think what some people know about professional athletes and some people don't.  These guys by and large, hate to lose.  It doesn't matter if it's baseball, ping pong, pick up basketball games, random trivia games.  They are ultra-competitive, and Trout is no exception.  Inside the Angels clubhouse, it's full of these guys, probably every other clubhouse too.  Even when there's a language barrier, you see someone like Ohtani competing and trying to beat others at non-baseball activities.  The point is, you don't need to go to Philly to find those traits. 
I think at the end of the day, Trout is loyal, and is good at reading people.  He surrounds himself with an inner-circle that's been built over time.  He's genuine.  Arte Moreno is like that.  So was Scioscia.  Same with Upton, same with Pujols.  So is Eppler.  Trout stayed with the Angels because he's comfortable here, likes the people, wants to win and feels they're going to win a lot of games soon, and was offered an amount of money and years that would make this great arrangement a permanent one.  He didn't choose the Phillies or anywhere else because he hasn't established a nearly decade long rapport with them, and doesn't feel like being under their media microscope at all times.  He can keep the distractions at a distance in Anaheim.  

Nice to see Bourjos doing well.  Interesting that coaches had him hitting “down.”  

Think it's way too early to be worried.  Except for Cahil no one has 3 starts.  Everyone looks like they're healthy.  I view this as the Staff is working on pitches with little regard to winning games.  Nothing more than that.  

I will just add this...
Whatever you thought of the Angels rotation on Feb 10 should be what you think of them today. Nothing has changed. 

Skaggs, Heaney, Barría, Peña, Canning, Suarez, Tropeano, JC Ramirez are all signed beyond 2019. 
If you just mean “free agents” then the Astro’s also don’t have one signed beyond 2019. 

I guess I'm just more optimistic, Scotty. Or maybe it is because I haven't been following the games or looking at stats. I just don't see spring performance translating. Not to mention that baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. I think Eppler is taking, and should take, the approach Billy Bean used to take: you use the first third of the season to see what you have, the second third to get what you need, and the last third to sprint to the finish line (postseason berth).
With the influx of new players, young and old, it might be a month or two into the regular season before it is clear how good this team is and can be. On March 12 I'm not worried. If we're 15-27 on May 12, I'll be worried.

I get being upset with a player's performance, but comments like this go too far and make you  look like a piece of shit.

Nice to see a good outing from Harvey.  Sounds like he's working hard to reestablish himself.  Like the fact that he seems to want to take a leadership role.

Nice to see a good outing from Harvey.  Sounds like he's working hard to reestablish himself.  Like the fact that he seems to want to take a leadership role.

Wish Cozart the best in getting back to health.  We're gonna need him.  

you all know what's gonna happen.  
Cozart will start the year on the DL.  Ward will open the year as the starting 3bman and do well.  He'll get sent down when Cozart returns only for Zack to do poorly.  

Just an examination on how it all could go right (and wrong in a follow up post). The way this all goes right begins first and foremost with pitching, and that begins with catching. Specifically, Jon Lucroy. The Oakland A's 2017 team ERA before Jon Lucroy arrived, 4.67. The A's team ERA once Lucroy began working with their pitching staff, 3.81. Every pitcher on the Angels staff improves with his guidance. 
1. Matt Harvey rediscovers his "Dark Knight" form. Arrogant, yes. Not the best at making friends, absolutely. But when it's going right and he's healthy, he's among the best in baseball. The velocity spiked to end 2018, and heading into 2019, Matt Harvey is in classic form. 180 innings, 190 K's and. Clean 3.00 ERA.
2. Trevor Cahill reinventing his approach upon moving to the bullpen in Chicago helped him. Last year, Cahill coupled with Lucroy to deliver some impressive results, but it was an injury shortened season. Cahill has been healthy enough throughout his career to know what it takes to stay on the mound for a full 30 starts. 180 innings, 170 K's and a 3.70 ERA.
3. Tyler Skaggs has already pitched like an ace for an extended period of time, and in 2019, he just does it for 10 more starts. 180 innings, 190 K's and a 2.75 ERA.
4. Andrew Heaney is further separated from injury, takes another step forward in his development as a pitcher, and now has a great catcher helping guide him. 180 innings, 180 K's and a 3.50 ERA. 
5 Jaime Barria, we'll make this one simple. Take his FIP from last year, and subtract .80 from it as that's how much the A's improved under Lucroy's tutelage. 150 innings, 120 K's and a 3.70 ERA. 
6. The bullpen. Billy Eppler warned against judging Cody Allen by his ERA and maybe he's right. The velocity was still there, as we the quality off-speed offerings and location. Allen successfully locks down the 9th in stress-free fashion for the Angels, while Robles, Buttrey and Garcia all blow through the middle innings with their own flavor of 95+ velocity. The bullpen gets a big boost mid-season by the returns of JC Ramirez, Key Middleton, and because of the author, you guessed it, Alex Meyer. The Angels will have the hardest throwing, most successful crop of relievers in baseball. 
7. The offense. Lucroy is an improvement over Maldonado. Bour helps supplement Pujols at 1B, and Thaiss breaks into the majors around August, which further improves the offensive output from that position. Luis Rengifo shocks the world and wins 2B outright, and gets on base at a .350 clip in front of Mike Trout. Andrelton Simmons does improve in the power department and makes his first all-star appearance. At third base, Cozart flames out as expected, but the acquisition of Tommy La Stella actually solidifies the position until Taylor Ward develops far enough along that he takes over as the starter for good. Bats .260/.340 with power and speed. Upton is the same as he was last year, and pretty much every year, except now he hits with RISP again. Trout is healthy for a full year, and is even better than he was before, and posts a 12 win season. In RF, Calhoun has the man that fixed his swing keeping a watchful eye on him, and Calhoun ends up hitting .240, but with power and solid enough defense to get the Angels by until Jo Adell proves he's ready, which will happen come August, when the Angels shockingly "fix something that isn't broken" by subbing Calhoun and Adell. They normally wouldn't do this, but Adell is batting .400 in AAA and the Angels amazingly find themselves with a 5 game lead in the West. Shohei Ohtani does what he did last year, but even better, and across close to a full season. The result is an Angels offense that performs near the top of the league. 
8. And one final surprise to finish the season. Shohei Ohtani's recovery from TJ surgery goes better than anticipated. He starts making relief appearances in garbage time in September. Come playoff time, Ohtani not only provides the left handed boost they need in the middle of the lineup, but also makes some key pitching appearances in crunch time. 
9. The Angels win 96 games, and the division by three games and face the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. The Indians pitchers stifle the Angels 1, and 6-9 hitters, but cannot quiet Trout, Ohtani, Upton and Simmons. The Angels pitchers limit, but can't fully shut down the Indians bats. The series goes a full 5, but is closed out by a dominant performance by Tyler Skaggs, and as a dagger through their heart, Cody Allen striking out the side of his former team. The Angels next see the Yankees in a 2009 ALCS rematch. This series ends quickly as the Angels offense absolutely trounces the Yankees pitchers, and the Yankees big bats come up empty against Harvey in a return performance at NY, and Skaggs official coming out party as a staff ace. SWEEP.
The Angels will face the Philadelphia Phillies in a bit of drama for the 2019 World Championship. Harper signs with the Phils, so it's Trout vs Harper all over again, and with Trout oft connected to Philadelphia, it's seen as a bit of a coming home party for him with the entire town of Millville attending the games. The media absolutely hounds him about his potential future playing in Philly, which drives the Angels fans insnane and irritates Trout to the point where he makes them pay on the field. And Trout doesn't disappoint at all, with one of the greatest offensive clinics ever put on in a series. By game four, the Phillies can do nothing except intentionally walks him, even with the bases loaded and two outs, and the legend only grows from there, The Angels pitchers can' slow down the Phillies offense though, and this one turns into a very high scoring series. Come game 7, the Angels pull out all the stops. Skaggs starts the game, but runs into trouble in the third inning, and Brad Ausmus stunningly turns to Cody Allen to bail him out. Allen returns for a stress-free fourth. But the Phillies offense erupts in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 6-3 lead over the Angels. In the seventh, Ohtani hits a three-run bomb to tie the game.  With a righty on the mound, Ausmus opted to start Calhoun in this pivotal game. In the 8th, Calhoun gets a bloop single and is subbed for Jo Adell. Adell promptly steals second and third base. Adell then shocks the world and tags on a short fly ball to RF with one out, and slides in just under the tag of Realmuto from a strong, yet high throw from Bryce Harper. Angels take a 7-6 lead. With the Angels pitching staff completely exhausted and unreliable due to the onslaught of offense from the Phillies, Brad Ausmus uses his last trick up his sleeve. He brings Shohei Ohtani out of the DH spot to close out the ninth inning. With a fresh arm, and the biggest moment of his life, Ohtani is absolutely juiced and is registering 102-103 on the radar gun. He strikes out the side and the Angels are World Champs. 
10. Mike Trout signs that extension, and remains in an Angel uniform for the rest of his career. He adds World Series MVP to his ever growing mantle of awards. The Angels also sign Skaggs, Ohtani and Simmons to major extensions, and the Angels core is in place to make many more return trips.