AngelsHilo

Ok, cool story.  Going into the off season it was predicted he would get about $4.5 million contract.  The Angels got him for $2.5 million.  So besides the Angels, it was expected that he deserved more than 65 at bats.  I believe I will try patience because more times than not impatient people are idiots.  

I didn’t fit it in there, but Heaney also did refer to the fans and how they just don’t get it. Similar comments to what Skaggs said.
I understand fans’ frustration when guys can’t pitch or when they struggle, but if they think it’s ever for lack of effort or because they don’t care or because they’re just soft or some other nonsense that gets spouted sometimes, that’s just ridiculous. 

Where's the balloons in this circus?

Where's the balloons in this circus?

You should check again.   Your best hitter hits 2nd. 

Career WAR -  La Stella - 1.1...Fletcher - 2.0. 
Fielding  Ave.  - La Stella - .982... Fletcher - .994
Again, I'm not questioning La Stella's role on the Roster.  But he's at best a PH, should Start not more than 25 games this Season, and play late inning Defense to give guys a blow.  He's not a 300 AB guy.  Fletcher should at least get an opportunity for 300+ AB's. If he proves inadequate, give Ward or Rengifo  shot.  Again La Stella is not the solution.

Ask Kole and Trout what they thought of that cutoff play. 
 
 
Kole.cutoff.mp4

So I wanted to look at a larger defensive sample size re: LaStella.  I didn't realize this.  I just assumed when we got him, La Stella was a decent singles hitter, sound defensively, and could be used as a pinch runner.  Well, I looked at his numbers.  His overall career fielding % is .973.  His best position is 2B, at .983.  Hardly stellar.  He has a career 4SB's with 3 CS.  Not sure if he is a good runner going from first to third or second to home, but he is definitely not a base stealing threat.   He does have a career OPS of .709.
I still believe he can be a great bench piece for us offensively.  He could spell Fletcher or Cozart against tougher righty's as an occasional starter, or come in late in the game and play 1B for Albert or Bour.   But to have him get 300 AB"s (which he has done once in his career in 2014 as a Braves rookie)?  I don't think so.  Last year with the Cubs, he had 192 PA's in 123 games.  He started 22 games, of which two were as a DH.  I think that's kind of the threshold for his playing time.  I don't think splitting time with Fletcher is a short or long term solution.  While we hope Fletcher will help with the bat, we know he won't give up extra outs/runs defensively.
I think you need to let Fletcher play.  If Fletcher screws up, then give his playing time to Ward or Rengifo.

So I wanted to look at a larger defensive sample size re: LaStella.  I didn't realize this.  I just assumed when we got him, La Stella was a decent singles hitter, sound defensively, and could be used as a pinch runner.  Well, I looked at his numbers.  His overall career fielding % is .973.  His best position is 2B, at .983.  Hardly stellar.  He has a career 4SB's with 3 CS.  Not sure if he is a good runner going from first to third or second to home, but he is definitely not a base stealing threat.   He does have a career OPS of .709.
I still believe he can be a great bench piece for us offensively.  He could spell Fletcher or Cozart against tougher righty's as an occasional starter, or come in late in the game and play 1B for Albert or Bour.   But to have him get 300 AB"s (which he has done once in his career in 2014 as a Braves rookie)?  I don't think so.  Last year with the Cubs, he had 192 PA's in 123 games.  He started 22 games, of which two were as a DH.  I think that's kind of the threshold for his playing time.  I don't think splitting time with Fletcher is a short or long term solution.  While we hope Fletcher will help with the bat, we know he won't give up extra outs/runs defensively.
I think you need to let Fletcher play.  If Fletcher screws up, then give his playing time to Ward or Rengifo.

Om 3/11, MLBTR listed the following players as Out of Options -
Angels
Cam Bedrosian, RHP Kaleb Cowart, 2B/3B/RHP Luis Garcia, RHP Noe Ramirez, RHP Hansel Robles, RHP Kevan Smith, C  
So it seems Pena does have an Option.

Om 3/11, MLBTR listed the following players as Out of Options -
Angels
Cam Bedrosian, RHP Kaleb Cowart, 2B/3B/RHP Luis Garcia, RHP Noe Ramirez, RHP Hansel Robles, RHP Kevan Smith, C  
So it seems Pena does have an Option.

Ask Kole and Trout what they thought of that cutoff play. 
 
 
Kole.cutoff.mp4

Ask Kole and Trout what they thought of that cutoff play. 
 
 
Kole.cutoff.mp4

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.  

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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