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Duren, Duren

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  1. A hot start will boost fan optimism and should translate to additional attendence. The last few years quickly morphed into an Ohtani-centric focus as the team faded from contention. And attendence had a portion of Ohtani groupies and tourists who probably won't be back now. But a new manager and philosophy begin the next phase of team history. Attendence may start off slow, but should accelerate if the team plays exciting, ball. Especially if they hang in close to wild card contention into the summer.
  2. Maybe the highest profile new acquisition with a relatively good track record. And with expectations to be better than average. And already dealing with an injury. Welcome to the team! Hopefully he doesn't miss much real season time. And it isn't a lingering, on going issue. As if.....
  3. Should be interesting and kinda fun watching various experiments with platoons and rotations. This is the foundation for establishing structure and stability going forward. Looking back, last year was really tough because of the Ohtani factor. Selling out at the deadline especially. In the hope of impressing him enough to resign. And the better he did, the worse the odds were anyways. The most pressure will be on Trout and Rendon to stay healthy and put up career level numbers. Which would actually be a bonus, given the last couple of years when expectations weren't met. A nice productive spring so far. Nothing spectacular, but positive signs for a team re-establishing themselves and their image. One comment on this good article. I really think this is Adell's last chance with this team. So I hope he gets every opportunity to show that he belongs. That might mean patience early, but the clock will be ticking.
  4. And to think of the stability they had in Philadelphia. Connie Mack, surreal, managing for fifty years. Nine pennants, five world series, retired at age 87. Then becoming a virtual Yankee farm team in Kansas City in the fifties in before transitioning into the Charlie Finley show in Oakland in the late sixties. And a three peat champion a few years later. Some great teams in the eighties, steroid infamy in the nineties. Moneyball after, and since then seemingly a yearly crisis of one sort of another. Vegas will be another colorful stop for the franchise most likely. I may even go to a game or two when they play the Angels. I go to Vegas every couple of years but a baseball game there would be a change of pace.
  5. I wonder how much (if any) off season training and conditioning he did? Assuming he wasn't seriously prevented medically for the last few months at least. You would think that coming off so much inactivity and with a terrible reputation that he would want to change the narrative. At least hustle and try and get better media reaction. Instead he made things worse with his lack of tact and tone deafness. And now again the small injuries appear, likely extending into a whole season of such incidents. If he really has the integrity and self respect he claims to then he would retire. If his body actually is frail and slow healing, then he will never contribute adequately in the field. And hasn't he already made a fortune? No doubt the Angels would kick in some more in a settlement just to be rid of him.
  6. It may be the usual spring training optimism but I like the way Washington is reshaping team philosophy. More running and aggression on the base paths in particular. It changes the filter somewhat in evaluating players. And with his familiar assistant coaches used to his methods the teaching and mindset should be smoothly applied. Pragmatically they lost a big chunk of their home run potential and need to find other ways to score. Not sure if all the right pieces are on the roster yet, but it's a process. If the pitching holds out maybe the Angels will play more competitive exciting ball compared to the static slugging approach. I"m not expecting miracles, but .500 and wild card contention aren't out of the question.
  7. The longer pitchers hold out, the longer it will take for them to be in their best condition. The pitching arm is a delicate mechanism. Of course they work out on their own but the team environment and being in sync with coaches is important. Especially going to a new organization. It's interesting watching this Boras strategy play out.
  8. Votto going stir crazy. Angels are one of three teams mentioned. https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/news/former-cincinnati-reds-star-and-former-mvp-joey-votto-says-he-hasnt-received-any-contract-offers-yet
  9. The post all star acquisitions were supposed to boost playoff chances but collectively were just part of the disastrous slump instead. Best just to obliterate memories of Perry's desperate fishing expedition. Accelerated by the desperation of impressing Ohtani. A new culture is a positive step. By default, really. There will be growing pains but I'd rather just see the young players gell into a new core group. Especially the starting pitchers. And it would be nice to see Trout get back on his normal career track (pre injuries) relative to his age. Anything decent by Rendon is a bonus. With lowered expectations I just want to focus on a game by game approach without worrying about the standings.
  10. On my one visit to Dodger Stadium to see a game a few years ago I was surprised by at the diverse types of items they sell at their store and kiosks. Both with past and present subject matter. The Angels stadium store has much less variety of merchandise. Maybe partly because they can't really glamorize their past the way the Dodgers can. Even though a lot of the Dodgers subject matter references Brooklyn. And now with the switch of Ohtani I can just imagine the contrast going even more extreme.
  11. How about some respect, leadership and extra effort for the owner and organization that signed you to a contract that will make future descendents enormously wealthy? Rather than grumbling and deflecting away from those responsibilities. Everyone on earth prioritizes their families above their jobs. But how many pro athletes actually have to repeatedly demean their job? It's not likely they are mutually exclusive. I think that signing that bloated contract was seen by him as reaching the end of his objectives. He had already won a World Series with personal honors. No higher plateau to aim for. 'Been there, done that.' Actually having to fulfill expectations for all that money then felt like a burden. Maybe not immediately but incrementally. Especially with the string of injuries. And maybe with disillusionment about other players and team dynamics. He has this season however to change some of the narrative. Without Ohtani, presumably healthy, a new manager and lowered expectations there's a chance for him to actually excel at his job.
  12. I wouldn't be surprised if Perry and the scouts carefully check out players who are cut from other teams for various reasons. You never know who doesn't fit a specific team but still might be useful. Often a cheap way to add a piece here or there.
  13. The seventies when the Expos expansion team got going. I was able to go to games easily and listened or watched most games on radio/tv. Jarry Park was fun and intimate. It was cool seeing players I knew from baseball cards in person. I pretty much ignored baseball after the steroid revelations and the move of the Expos. And got more involved again when I focused on the Angels about fifteen years ago. I did like them casually before then but didn't have access to broadcasts of the their games in earlier decades.
  14. So many things in life are about perception. Which may or may not correspond to actual facts in some way or other. And perception of public figures is shaped by the media. Again, spin can shape perception. So regardless of guilt, innocence or some middle ground the perception about Bauer seems already to have become a narrative that MLB (league and teams) doesn't want to deal with in an ongoing way. Bauer obviously doesn't follow the expected script of an abject apology and immediate entry into therapy. In that sense he makes it awkward for any team to place faith in him and subject themselves to unrelenting scrutiny and judgment. Arte is no Al Davis. It would be a public relations nightmare going in one off-season from the exemplary unicorn to a player with so much negative baggage.
  15. An alternative or supplement to good drafting. Pick up intriguing players from other teams who haven't fulfilled their potential. The gamble is will they ever. Or not. Funny how Perry seems to have implemented a strategy for adding these type of relievers in quantity. Hoping at least one blossoms with the change of organizations and coaches. Speaking of coaches ... This is another challenge for the new pitching experts. Seems these moves are somewhat predicated on coaching refining technique with these guys.
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