Duren, Duren

Now this guy was a character! The one and only Bo Belinsky. Like Bill Stoneman on the first year 1969  expansion Expos, threw a no hitter during the first year of the franchise. 

Read his book, Pitching and Wooing ( co authored by the prolific Maury Allen) if you want some insight into his 'playboy' escapades. 

https://www.google.ca/search?q=bo+belinsky&client=ms-android-asus-tpin&prmd=inmv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSopKBzcbhAhXHxFQKHaFFCKQQ_AUoAXoECA8QAQ&biw=360&bih=560#imgrc=3PEGWw5SG3_OhM

These getaway games are often tough. Especially when the opponent is trying to salvage a game in the series. They tend to be more aggressive and desperate. Especially knowing that Trout isn't playing.

If Pena can put in a solid six and we get some timely hitting maybe another game like the first of this series. But I fear the Brewer bats are due to wake up.

I also hope Bour continues to progress. He is so strong that he can hit it out of the park even with just decent contact. Going into Chicago he can fatten up his numbers if he finds his comfort zone.

With diminished flexibility we see Albert unable to get full body leverage into many of his swings. But he is still strong enough to drive a ball hard if it is in his zone and he anticipates what's coming. Age/injuries have taken their toll, but he is still smart. The key for him is to stay disciplined and not fall behind in the count. He has more pressure now because Upton and Ohtani are out of the lineup.

But if Boar continues his incremental progress it will take some of that pressure off him. I doubt he will hit more than 10 - 15 homers, and maybe end up with 50 - 60 RBI's at best if be plays often enough over the year. 

As well, it will be important if he can stay out of  too many double plays and not clog up the base paths. He is a real liability and barely can make it base to base even on solid hits. Because he has to really get an early jump  he is prone to being doubled off on caught liners. 

Pujols running is more like a slow jog, and possibly the most problematic part of his game. I expect to see a pinch runner more often if situationally appropriate. 

Last night was a blueprint about winning games with this kind of lineup. Excellent pitching, good defense, timely hitting.

Even without the Boar blast the team looked ready to finish with a 3-2 win. The insurance was nice, but the three relievers were mostly in control and made few mistakes. Allen's velocity is edging up, and he seems to be putting last year behind him. The other two guys were hitting the mid to high nineties consistently and used their other pitches strategically well. The Brewers are a very good and smart hitting team and mistakes were held to a minimum last night.

If the starters keep going for a solid six I think the bullpen will settle in with defined roles and get into a rhythm where they can gain some more confidence and momentum. Of course, chaos can ensue at any time, and it will periodically. But the starters are the key. 

Without Trout being Superman at the plate last night we saw how this team has to scratch out runs. RBI's by committee. No one else is hot enough to be confident in at the moment. But by battling through each at bat anyone can be a hero at any time. One key timely hit can justify three or four unproductive at bats. It's not about individual stats, but situational performance. 

I try to focus more on who makes important plays rather than on the abstractions of the math, stats, analytics. Who fails or succeeds in clutch situations. At bat, on the mound,  in the field and on the base paths. 

Last night was a perfect example of how the Angels need to play when Trout or anyone else isn't dominating.

I cringe when I see Bonds name on these lists. Sorry, there is a reason his numbers skyrocketed after his first few seasons. He, Sosa, McGuire and the others forever distorted baseball's sacred statistical foundation. Time does not normalize events and decisions that deviated from the standards of the era and created a two tier playing field.

If what they did is treated with historical revisionism then every other punitive treatment should also be forgiven. From Joe Jackson to Pete Rose. 

Hall of Fame revisionist voting will be the big indicator if everything is forgiven and sentiment trumps objective analysis.

You almost always expect him to be semi-intentionally walked each time he comes up to bat. Regardless of score or situation. 

Pitchers will start off with a high inside fastball or low outside pitch with movement (slider, sinker or off speed). If he takes, the rest of the at bat he rarely will see anything great to swing at. If he swings at the first pitch then the pitcher may think he has a chance to work on Mike. But any mistake will be crushed. Of course Trout is human and will make outs 65 - 70 percent of his balls in play like all the great players.  But factoring in all his walks he is an amazing offensive machine.

Notice all his homers were solo? That's the dilemma. With men on base the pitcher has less room  to work on him. Without men on base he is the only serious threat, and at best can only produce one run.

His RBI numbers will shrink this season unless the rest of the lineup picks up the pace. And if he feels the pressure to carry the offense on his shoulders it may lead to trying to do too much and swinging at more bad pitches. Over the years his discipline and pitch recognition has gotten better and better.

Production from the corners is critical for this lineup to score runs. Fletcher is not a prototypical third baseman. Decent as a utility player and spray hitter, but better and more suited  around the keystone.

A power bat has to be pencilled in regularly. Especially with Upton hurt. The roster is pretty thin now, but a combo of Cozart and Fletcher won't drive in enough runs. Especially if Cozart can't approach his better career numbers.

So far Bour has been a big disappointment, but it is early and he can't remain this unproductive indefinitely. He seems to be off balance and confused at the plate now, but if he can't drive in runs, why is he in the lineup?

Even a badly deteriorating Pujols would likely make hard contact more regularly. He too is a shadow of himself, but he has had a number of well hit balls that were fielded or caught. Boar is having trouble even doing that.

This team has to score runs to win, because even solid pitching isn't likely to hold up for extended periods. They pitched decently in Oakland but now are scrambling again. Without big run support the pitchers will feel more pressure and be prone to making mistakes in the clutch.

Give him time to get his mechanics smoothed out. Crafty veteran relievers can survive with guile, experience and trickery up to a point. His off speed pitches are good enough short term  with his current velocity provided he can steady his control. 

But of course, more velocity will only make everything better. I hope he can raise his speed up a few notches, even in the 93 - 95 range when he needs something extra in a tight situation. If he can show that fastball in key at bats even once, it sets up doubt in the hitter. 

Deception is such an overlooked aspect of pitching. 

His power is his biggest asset. Much needed in the middle of the lineup. Left field has always been where defensive challenged hitters are parked if first (sometimes third) are both options.

He is competent enough in the outfield. Maybe some experimentation at first base but not a commitment yet. Even a weak experienced fielder is a better option than an inexperienced player. At least a Pujols for instance understands positioning and tendencies even if slow and limited in range. 

Tough break with the Upton injury though. Hopefully by the time he and Ohtani return the team can find ways to compensate. 

Albert has more pride than many, and is acutely aware of his career status and numbers. I doubt he will want to keep playing if his numbers nosedive severely and he sees himself as a detriment to the team.

Last year he was verbally defending his production by pointing out that his homers and rbi's were still respectable and he was competently doing what he was acquired to do. He strongly goes by those traditional stats, and in his mind he was still productive, even though obviously diminished. 

With some amazing career milestones ahead I can see him being extra motivated to finish out his career in a high note. The problem will be if he can accept a reduced role and maybe not get the plate appearances to reach those numbers. 

I think it's pride, not selfishness. And with a new manager and a more optimistic team environment he could very well put up fairly decent if reduced numbers. And be an important pinch hitter, dh, or platoon first baseman depending on the situation. If he can maintain his swing, timing, discipline with fewer at bats.

One day we will look back and see that he and Trout may be in the top five of historically great team mates. Too bad their primes didn't overlap. But still awesome seeing them in the same lineup realizing their career greatness.

Don't forget about his own goals and motivation. He has a lot of pride, and went through a surreal 2018. He also is a consummate team player and defensive fixture. With a lesser right fielder, Trout will have more ground to cover and more outfield responsibility.

I still prioritize old school values like pitching and defense, and sacrificing one strong asset for an unproven commodity is risky.

Calhoun also hasn't let his problems at the plate affect his defense either. In fact, it seems he tries to even play harder in the field to compensate for his hitting struggles.

That said, 14 million isn't chump change. He will have to come out of the gates showing a consistent stance and be productive. A good season for him now helps the team in a playoff push. I only want to focus on this year and see the team get into the playoffs. The future will be decided on what happens this season. 

Too many intangibles and variables to look into the future before this season unfolds. 

Injured and rehabbing pitchers seems to be an ongoing, yearly thing. They do need the extra bullpen arm to start the season. Last year the bullpen was overworked.

Bedrosian and Robles can't be thrown out there too early and be expected to be fresh deep into the season. The starters have to chew up more innings and Allen has to be put in only for an inning or less till he can build up some confidence.

Pitching is always critical.

I grew up in Montreal and saw the transition from a funky quasi minor league Jarry Park to the monstrous concrete Olympic stadium. Nightmare financial disaster for the city financed stadium that took decades to pay off. And the ambiance was lousy though the baseball was great for some years. There were corrupt political factors too, and it was a more naive era, but I hope that taxpayer money is not part of any new equation..

I live in Vancouver  now, have family in the L.A. Area and vacation in the O.C. a few times a year. I've been to every sports stadium and arena in SoCal, and they all have their charms and idiosyncrasies along with flaws. As a visitor, the logistics of travel and infrastructure issues are not major issues. But I have met with some unexpected problems along the way. Many to do with parking. Angel games seem relatively more straightforward. 

Last summer I was staying at Huntington Beach during the surf championships and did some exploring around Long Beach. Lots of contrasts, though the nice areas were impressive. 

But long term stability is important too. The Angels have been a bit schizophrenic with their name and logo changes. All the iconic sports franchises maintain the essence of their brand as much as possible. Moving a considerable distance from their roots might be inevitable in some situations but shouldn't be embraced.

As a former fan of a relocated franchise, my loyalty died with the move. Franchise history never means the same. 

I would hope the Angels stay somewhere in the OC, with Long Beach maybe a viable compromise. Maintaining geographical continuity should be a major long term consideration. 

These type of press conferences are  a ceremonial ritual. A public affirmation of faith and commitment to the franchise. A semi formal, orchestrated way to confirm solidarity between player, franchise and fans. 

Discussions of money usually are quickly dismissed while focus is on the bright future ahead.

As such, a necessary part of process even if devoid of hard content. 

The first (and best) behind the scenes/baseball diary books were by Jim Brosnan, a decent mid reliever in the late 50s/early 60s mostly with the Cubs, Cards, Reds and White Sox. He got his ass kicked by the 61 Yankees in the World Series, but he was a better writer than player. 

He had a quote from team mate Stan Musial in one of his books (Pennant Race and The Long Season) that really applies to all negotiations, especially Trout.

Musial talked about negotiating a new contract, having been through over a decade of experience at the time. Basically he said words to the effect

"Don't try to sell management on what you already did. They bought it before. Sell them on what you'll be doing in the future."

All sports have changed dramatically salary and contractual wise over the years, and projecting future performance is much more a science than it used to be, though still prone to unexpected deviations.

The amazing thing about Trout is that his past is so consistently elite, and his age and health are at peak levels that selling management on his future is essentially a no brainer. As sure a thing to project as there is in baseball. ESPN had a story yesterday saying he might be worth a billion dollar contract factoring in a plethora of issues.

And like Musial, destined to play for the same franchise well into two decades.

I like the way Eppler is dealing with the pitching staff now. No need to force things with a big name veteran signing.

Veteran pitchers are often risky, both because of accrued wear and tear and diminishing skills and stamina. You may get two, maybe three solid to elite seasons from a pitcher over thirty who shouldered a heavy workload but beyond that it's a very expensive gamble.

Of course if the team is a player or two away the reward may be worth the risk. But the Angels have to think longer term.

With Ohtani presumably rotation ready next season that pencils in a quality starting addition. It is possible that at least one of this season's new one year contract pitchers prove worth keeping into the future. And the evolution of the younger pitchers also should sort out a core for a decent starting rotation in a year or two.

I have a feeling that Harvey may be a positive surprise of the new additions. He rebounded in Cinci enough to intrigue. With careful use and management he could possibly squeeze out 150 plus innings. If his stuff is even something like last year and his baseball focus is strong he may revive his career.

It's almost scary to think that Albert could have remained an Angel longer than Trout.

That said, the role of the manager is to get the best out of players for each game during the current season. There is no past or future. Just the next game.

So since Pujols is on the roster, how can the most value be extracted? Without dwelling on who he was and how much he has declined.

Pragmatic necessity is a managerial priority. 

Obviously there is no room for Albert as a full time, everyday player. His mobility alone is a major handicap.

But his biggest asset may be his knowledge/experience. Recognizing situational needs, understanding the pitcher/defense dynamics, and having patience at the plate.

Not the run producing machine he was for a decade, but if (a big if) as healthy as he can be at this point then he still retains some value. Reduced as it may be. And especially with a new manager, who will see him objectively without prior investment.

I think he could be useful sometimes as a platoon first baseman, taken out in late innings and more often as a part time DH/pinch hitter. 

I know in recent years his plate discipline and swing are declining, but he still can work counts deep and wait for a pitch he can handle or draw a walk. His analytic metrics aren't impressive, though by 'old school' standards ( homers/rbi which Albert clings to) they aren't terrible either. 

Pride is both a positive and negative. It may be tough for him to accept maybe 250 plate appearances. But considering age, injuries and the team future I would hope he can channel his pride into accepting a limited role and mentoring the young players. And it would be a dignified way to transition into his post playing career.

An auspicious time for my first posts here!

But let's not lose sight of the big picture. Mike was already going to be playing this season. He isn't an addition to a roster that didn't have him, the way Harper and Machado will be. 

The fact that he will be here during his entire HOF impossibly record breaking career has inestimable value for the franchise over the next decade plus. 

But what accrued value is added for this season?

My own opinion is that it will boost team morale by a lot. No more daily stories and innuendo about Philly and by extension, demeaning the Angels and the OC fan base. It also will make the team a prime option for players with no trade or limited trade options. They may now add the Angels to the desirable list. This could come into play even this season around the trade deadline or earlier. And for free agents too, later on.

The young players now know he will be a constant resource and leader, not distracted or uncommitted. And management can go about their business without a sideshow.

Looking forward to another Trout MVP run!

This insures that the Angels will almost certainly never have to do an intensive rebuild the next decade. All things being equal, they will  have the stable foundation (Trout, Ohtani, Addell, possibly Simmons) to contend long term. Assuming that a solid pitching staff evolves/progresses in the next few years.

Trout could remain the foundation of two or even three re-tooling cycles as well. The stability of his presence long term now means that the Angels become one of the most attractive markets for free agents. Hopefully Eppler continues to prioritize the farm system, but has enough flexibility to make necessary trades/signings.

Pitching really is critical to get to championship level, but keeping Trout is going to have an amazing number of positive effects on and off the field.

I was a lifelong Montreal Expo fan till they intentionally gutted the team and sold out. I saw Stoneman, Vlady, and the best of that franchise many times in person. Now living in Vancouver.

I always had a soft spot for the Angels as my American League team. Came in as underdog expansion team (like the Expos) and were a quirky but intriguing  franchise. 

I've been vacationing every year in the OC for a long time and always try to see some Angels games each season.

Last year in the scorching heat one Sunday afternoon I was at the game where Seattle scored 8 runs in the first I recall! The year before I was at the game against the Red Sox that got rained out. If you can believe that luck. But hung around the next day and saw them pound over 10 runs and got to enjoy a free sub at Jersey Mikes!

I will be back in June and watch them play the Reds.

I also am an avid collector, and added a signed Trout jersey to my collection recently. Reminds me a lot of Mantle, my favorite player as a young kid. Both had a rare combination of thick torso/trunk and excellent speed. If only Trout was a switch hitter.

I also created a few statistical table top dice/card sports games in the eighties before computers, analytics and the internet. 

Anyways, I enjoy the analysis and commentary here. I'm not as deep into esoterica as many and trust the old school eye test, but I do appreciate what analytics reveals and how it factors into the overall current baseball worldview.