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Chuck

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  1. Chuck

    "Turning Points" Part 1

    By Chuck,

    By @mulwin444
    So, I was planning on a bigger piece to kind of encompass everything until 2020 but, with recent suspension of all baseball related activities, I thought this would give something else to discuss...so here's part 1:
    I always find it fascinating to look back into decisions made by the Angels franchise that essentially define its nature, both within the fan base and from the outsider's perspective.  With the franchise closing in on 60 years, we are now starting to get dividing lines in regards to specific eras of its history that take us from the expansionist beginning, the surprise success of '62, the Fregosi-led teams of the mid-to-late 60's and the fight for team identity and relevance,  the trade before the '72 season that brought them Nolan Ryan, "Tanana and Ryan and two days of cryin'", the death of Lyman Bostock, "Yes We Can!" in 1979,, Buzzie Bavasi thinking Ryan was just a .500 pitcher, the veteran-led playoff team of '82, the disastrous game 5 of the 1986 ALCS...
    Lots to review and breakdown but I was more curious as to the turning points, both positive and negative, that have occurred since Arte Moreno's purchase of the franchise in 2003.  With the Angels coming off a World Championship in 2002, and the sale of the franchise note announced until May 15, 2003, Arte didn't really get a chance to make his mark until the off-season.  
    2004 Spending Spree: 
    Fresh off a disappointing 2003 season, Arte opened up the check book and immediately turned the franchise fortunes around by signing Kelvim Escobar, Jose Guillen, Bartolo Colon, and, to the surprise of literally everyone, generational talent  Vladimir Guerrero.  This was a significant change from the Jackie Autry and Disney ownerships of the past decade that envisioned the Angels as more of a small-to-mid market franchise and spent accordingly.  By contrast, Arte brought in legitimate talent in their prime (Escobar at 28, Guillen at 28, and Guerrero at 29) and got himself a top of the rotation starter in Colon.  This season set the tone for the Angels going forward as it announced their intention of being perennial contender for the AL West.  
    Troy Glaus' Departure:
    After two injury-plagued seasons in 2003 and 2004, Troy Glaus was not pursued by the Angels as a free agent option at 3B.  Dallas McPherson tore through AA Arkansas and AAA Salt Lake to the tune of .317 .387 1.057 OPS and was viewed as the heir apparent and, ironically, a supposed answer to the inconsistency at 3B due to Glaus' DL visits.  However, chronic back issues derailed McPherson's career to the point of back surgery and he never reached his potential.  As a result, the Angels attempted to fill in the gap with Chone Figgins, Maicer Izturis,  Robb Quinlan, Edgardo Alfonzo, Shane Halter and Shea Hillenbrand before finally settling on Chone as the permanent starter for the 2009, a year before his departure in free agency.  After that, it was still a mixed bag of fill-ins and disappointments with Alberto Callaspo, Brandon Wood, Kevin Frandsen, Luis Jimenez, David Freese, Yunel Escobar, Luis Valbuena, Taylor Ward and Zach Cozart.  Alternatively, Glaus went on to play 6 more seasons (almost all of 2009 was lost to injury) with Arizona, Toronto, St Louis, and Atlanta while putting up a 15.4 WAR between 2005 - 2008.
    Bill Stoneman Continues to Build Team through Free Agency:
    More representative of an era than a specific date or offseason, Bill Stoneman defined his time as Angels GM as an executive who sought Free Agents to fill in the talent gaps as opposed to trading away his prospect currency.  At the time, there was a lot of evidence to support this approach as the 2002 team, and subsequent playoff teams of the mid-to-late 2000's, were built on a combination of farm talent and free agent signings.  2004 was Molina, Erstad, Anderson, Salmon, Glaus, Lackey, Washburn, Percival, Shields and KRod mixed with the previously mentioned haul in free agency.  2005 saw more of the same as they brought in Steve Finley, Paul Byrd, Orlando Cabrera, and Esteban Yan, 2006 had Hector Carrasco and J.C. Romero, and 2007 saw Gary Matthews Jr, Darren Oliver, Justin Speier before Stoneman stepped down in 10/2007. 
    By leaning heavily on Free Agency, Stoneman was able to supplement the existing roster but ultimately at the expense of the upcoming drafts. So, in 2004, the Angels were able to score big when Jered Weaver fell to them at the 10th due to sign-ability concerns they lost their 2nd and 3rd round pick due to signing Colon and Escobar.  Additionally, in 2005, they lost their 1st round pick due to signing OCab (got a late 1st round supplemental pick for losing Percival, chose Trevor Bell) , lost 2006 2nd round pick for Carrasco signing,  lost 2007 1st and 2nd round picks due to Matthews and Speier signings (got a late supplemental 1st rounder due to losing Kennedy, chose Jon Bachanov), and lost 2008 1st round pick due to Hunter.  So, between 2005 - 2008, they only picked three times in the late 1st round.  This was a gamble because it was absolutely depending on the next wave of talent coming after 2004 to become at least major league regulars and, honestly, it was a mixed bag.  For every success (Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, Kendrys Morales, Howie Kendrick, Jered Weaver, Erick Aybar, Mike Napoli) there was a missed opportunities (McPherson, Casey Kotchman, Jeff Mathis, Chris Bootcheck, Brandon Wood, Sean Rodriguez, Kevin Jepsen, Trevor Bell) and, by the time 2010 rolled around, the farm was in a sorry state.
    The Mark Teixeira Trade and the 2009 draft
    In 2007, after the Angels had just finished another season which ended in an AL West crown, their third in the past four seasons, and another playoff loss to the eventual World Champion Red Sox, newly promoted GM Tony Reagins attempted to address their rather average offense by signing Torii Hunter to pair with Vlad Guerrero in the middle of the order.  By mid-season, though, despite being 26 games over .500, the starting pitching and bullpen was once again doing the heavy lifting that season.  Casey Kotchman was one of those offensive players that was struggling to find his form with a rather tepid .287 .327 .774 OPS.  While not terrible, it was certainly under what is traditionally expected of a 1B and well under the .296 .372 .840 OPS he posted the season before.  At the trade deadline, Reagins made his move and brought in 1B slugger Mark Teixeira, a legit switch-hitting middle-of-the-order presence to bat in front of Vlad and Torii.  Now, if this felt like an odd occurrence in regards to recent Angels’ history, it’s only because, under Stoneman, a mid-season acquisition usually resembled Alex Ochoa.  Despite the shot in the arm, he gave to the offense (.358 .449 1.081 OPS 181 OPS+ 3.7 WAR), Teixeira was definite risk to be lost to free agency once the season was over and, after the season, the Angels might again be looking for a new 1B.
    Well, the “worst case scenario” came to pass: Teixeira signed with Yankees, giving Arte a case of the “sads”, but, luckily for him, the Angels front office signed a stud Cuban player named Kendry(s) Morales a few seasons prior and all he did was put up .306 .355 .924 OPS 139 OPS+ 4.3 WAR to help lead them to the 2009 AL West.  On top of that, Scouting Director Eddie Bane leveraged the draft picks (1st rounder and a supplemental 1st rounder) from losing Teixeira to draft Mike Trout…yes, THE Mike Trout and Tyler Skaggs.  Additionally, Bane proceeded to draft Randall Grichuk, Garrett Richards, and Patrick Corbin as well for a ridiculous 1st/2nd round haul.  Despite is previous neglect, the Angels’ farm system got a much needed shot in the arm.
    The Death of Nick Adenhart:
    The morning of April 9th, 2009 was surreal.  A post on this message board announced what had happened but the words didn't make sense...it just didn't seem possible and there was no way to really conceptualize it.  I remember refreshing the website over and over again as the news changed from uncertainty to disbelief to stunning realization.  Even over a decade later, just typing the words brings a familiar ache as well as memories of Jered Weaver’s tributes during and after that season, including naming his son after him.   Obviously, a baseball game seems trivial in comparison to life and death but baseball was not going to stop to let the Angels mourn.  After one suspended game, the Angels were back on the field to deal with tragedy both individually and collectively.  They could have folded under the weight of those events but they persevered, using what they could to inspire them to an AL West title, past their playoff nemesis, the Red Sox, only to come up just short against the Yankees in the ALCS.  Whether or not Adenhart would have been a factor in that series is a question but what we do know is, despite a late season acquisition of Scott Kazmir, the Angels didn’t have the arms to compete against the playoff tested Yankees.  Going forward, it also meant the Angels were down one starting pitcher they were counting on to make a contribution for 2010 and beyond and eventually led to both signing Joel Pinera and trading for Dan Haren.   
    Just 2010…All of it
    Where to begin…so the Angels lost the 2009 ALCS to the Yankees and went into the offseason knowing that Vlad Guerrero, John Lackey and Chone Figgins, keys to their recent playoff runs, were likely gone and they were really counting on guys like Kendrys Morales, Bobby Abreu, Juan Rivera, Mike Napoli and Torii Hunter to continue to provide the extra base power, starters like Scott Kazmir and Joe Saunders to stabilize the rotation behind Weaver and Santana, and for players like Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Kevin Jepsen, and Brandon Wood to continue to develop.  That, for the most part, didn’t happen.  Bobby Abreu was feeling all 36 years of age putting up a .255 .352 .787 OPS 1.9 WAR, Juan Rivera saw his production drop to .252 .312 .721 OPS -0.2 WAR, but at least Torii Hunter was solid, despite his penchant for getting thrown out trying to steal.  Lots of struggling…but the gut-punch was Kendrys Morales’ broken ankle jumping on home plate after a game winning grand slam.  Seriously, what the f…?! Hard to remember a time when you went from absolute joy to utter misery within a few minutes.  What that meant was, besides the huge bat out of the line-up and Napoli eventually had to move to 1B.  As for the younger players, Kendrick finally made it through a whole season where he wasn’t injured or demoted but put up .279 .313 .721 OPS 99 OPS+, Aybar’s offensive numbers fell off a cliff to .253 .306 .636 OPS 77 OPS+, and Brandon Wood, highly touted prospect and supposed future franchise 3B, put up a historically brutal .146 .174 .382 OPS 6 OPS+.
    As for the pitching, Joel Pinero was signed to bring some depth to the rotation and on the DL by mid-July and didn’t come back until mid-September, when the Angels were already out of it.  Additionally, Scott Kazmir, who was being counted on to pick up some of the slack after Lackey departed for Boston, was awful.  It was just one mediocre start after another culminating in memorable July start against Oakland which saw him put up a line of:
    5.0 IP 11 H 13 ER 3 BB 2 SO 3 HR
    This prompted a “DL visit” and a search for answers on the Angels’ part.  The Angels answer?
    On 07/25/2010, the Angels sent Joe Saunders, Patrick Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez and a PTBNL (Tyler Skaggs) for Dan Haren…Woof.  While Dan Haren was a definite high-end starter, that was a lot of starting pitching currency to give up even with the move being made with 2011 in mind.  Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, the team never got back on track and the team’s struggles set the tone for the 2010 offseason.
    Part 2...coming soon
        File Manager Pro Free File Converter tool to convert and combine documents FileConvertPro.co  
  2. Chuck
    On November 12th, 2018 the Angels RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani was named the 2018 Jackie Robinson American League Rookie of the Year in an announcement made by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
    The 24-year-old was the third player in Angels’ history to earn the honor, joining Tim Salmon (1993) and Mike Trout (2012). He also became the fourth Japanese-born player to win a Rookie of the Year Award in the Major Leagues, joining Hideo Nomo (1995), Kazuhiro Sasaki (2000) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001).
    Ohtani finished with 137 points in the balloting process, including 25 of 30 first place votes. He finished 48 points ahead of second place finisher Miguel Andujar of the New York Yankees (89 points).
    "What Shohei did both on the mound and at the plate this season was just amazing to watch,” Salmon said. “He wasn't just good, but great. He made the transition from pitching to hitting look seamless and we all know how difficult it is to be successful at just one aspect of the game. Congratulations to Shohei and we can't wait to see what the future holds in his career."
    “I want to pass along my congratulations to Shohei for this special honor,” Trout said. “It’s great to see all of his hard work and effort recognized with this very prestigious award.  All of us enjoyed playing along-side and watching Shohei excel as a two-way player and make history along the way.  I have no doubt the best is yet to come!”
    The Ōshū, Japan native finished his rookie season in the Majors with a .285 (93/326) batting average with 59 runs scored, 21 doubles, two triples, 22 home runs, 61 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He led all A.L. rookies (min. 300 PA) in OPS (.925), on-base percentage (.361), and slugging percentage (.564) and posted the best rates of at-bats per home run (14.82) and RBI (5.34).
    Additionally, in his 10 starts as a pitcher, he went 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA (51.2 IP – 19 ER) and his 63 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher in Angels history through his first 10 career starts. He allowed three-or-fewer runs in nine of 10 starts and held opponents to a .036 (2/55) batting average against his splitter.
    Ohtani was named the American League Rookie of the Month in April and September and also received A.L.Rookie of the Week honors twice. He is the first player in Major League history to hit 15+ HR and compile 50+ pitching strikeouts in a season and joined Babe Ruth (1918 & 1919) as the only players since 1900 with 10+ HR and 4+ wins as a pitcher in a single campaign.
    This season, he was the only player in the Majors to have multiple games of two home runs and a stolen base. Additionally, on Sept. 5 at Texas, Ohtani became the second rookie in A.L. history to record four hits, four runs, two HR and a stolen base in a single game, joining Craig Wilson who did so for the White Sox on Sept. 14, 1988 at Detroit.
    Ohtani signed with the Angels as an international free agent on Dec. 9, 2017 following five seasons with the Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Japanese Pacific League.
    The Rookie of the Year Award has been presented annually since 1947 and subsequently had its name changed to the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award in 1987, 40 years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier.
    SHOHEI OHTANI’S ROOKIE SEASON Angels RHP/DH 
    Shohei Ohtani compiled a historic first season in the Major Leagues. Below is a look at some of his accomplishments, as well as where he ranked among A.L. rookie batters and pitchers. 
    Named 2018 American League Rookie of the Year by the BBWAA, Baseball America and Baseball Digest.  Became first player in Major League history to hit 15+ HR and compile 50+ pitching strikeouts in a season.  Joined Babe Ruth (1918 & 1919) as the only players since 1900 with 10+ HR and 4+ wins as a pitcher in a single campaign…Ruth is also the only other player to hit 15+ home runs and pitch 50+ innings in a season. Established new home run record for a Japanese-born rookie (previous was 18 by Kenji Johjima in 2006).  Only player in Majors to have multiple games of two HRs and a stolen base in 2018.  Is the first player since Jimmy Ryan of the 1888 Chicago White Stockings to record 15+ home runs, 10+ stolen bases and three pitching appearances in a single season.  Named American League Rookie of the Month for April and September.  On Sept. 5 at Rangers, became second rookie in A.L. history to record four hits, four runs, two HR and a stolen base in a single game, joining Craig Wilson who did so for White Sox on Sept. 14, 1988 at Tigers. Was twice named A.L. Player of the Week, becoming the first Angels player to win the award twice in one season since Tim Salmon in 2000. o April 2-8: Pitched seven shutout innings with one hit allowed and 12 strikeouts in his start and also slashed .462/.500/1.154 with four runs scored, six hits, three home runs and seven RBI as a hitter. o Sept. 3-9: Batted .474 (9/19) with eight runs, one double, one triple, 10 RBI, two SB and a 1.828 OPS.  Became first player to start games as a pitcher and non-pitcher at any point within the first 10 games of a season since 1920, when Bullet Joe Bush (Red Sox) and Clarence Mitchell (Dodgers) started as pitchers and outfielders. Ohtani led all American League Rookies with a combined 3.8 WAR (Fangraphs) ADDITIONAL PITCHING NOTES 
    Set Angels record with 63 strikeouts through first 10 career starts.  Opponents batted .036 (2/55) against his splitter.  Allowed three-or-fewer runs in nine of 10 starts  Became third pitcher all-time with 11+ SO in two of first six career games pitched, joining Brooklyn’s Karl Spooner (1954) & Cubs’ Kerry Wood (1998).  Carried perfect game into 7th inning on Apr. 8 vs. OAK; had stretch of 27 consecutive batters retired between starts on Apr. 1 & Apr. 8.  Had average fastball velocity of 96.7 MPH…Topped 98 MPH with 110 of 396 fastballs, including seven pitches at 100+ MPH.
    Click here to view the full list of the Top-50 Greatest Moments in Angels Baseball

  3. Chuck
    By @Hubs, AngelsWin.com Contributor
    For the 2022 Season, most pundits put the Angels somewhere in the 82-88 win range, second or third in the division, with the Astros universally the pick across the board to repeat as division winners. If they’re healthy, if they can get enough pitching, if things all work, then… maybe the Angels contend for the division but mainly if they’re picked for the post season, then they are picked as a wild card. 
    They’re wrong.
    Every team in the league is dependent on their core players, their stars, and hope for little to no injuries. Every team has pitching questions, or lineup questions, and that is why they play the games. So why the Universal prediction of the Astros, and doubting the Angels (or Mariners) chances at the division?
    I’ll save my deep thoughts on the Astros cheating scandal, as that usually gets me in trouble, but I’ll just say that the new PitchCom devices are going to be bad for the Astros. I bet more teams use it against them than don’t and I love that the league waited until two days before opening day before announcing that this was going to be used in the 2022 season. Even if teams knew that this was possible, because they clearly knew it was being used in the Spring, but I don’t think teams expected to be able to use this tech in the regular season this year. With a team that has been proven to steal signs during their lone World Series win in 2017, and lets just say suspected of continued stealing, the lack of signs to be stolen will be terrible for their overall offensive output.
    But that aside, let’s run through the 5 AL West teams and see how they stack up position group by position group, and see how close or how far they truly are.
    Starting with the OF, here’s the five teams starters and primary reserve OF.
    Angels: Mike Trout (CF), Jo Adell (LF), Taylor Ward (RF), Brandon Marsh (OF).
    Mariners: Julio Rodriguez (CF), Mitch Haniger (LF), Jered Kelenic (RF), Kyle Lewis (OF).
    Astros: Chas McCormick (CF), Michael Brantley (LF), Kyle Tucker (RF), Jose Siri (OF). 
    Rangers: Adolis Garcia (CF), Brad Miller (LF), Kole Calhoun (RF), Eli White (OF).
    A’s: Christian Pache (CF), Seth Brown (LF), Stephen Piscotty (RF), Ramon Laureano (OF-Suspended).
    We all know the Angels group, and are all undoubtedly excited to see them perform together. But the Mariners group also looks to be young and stacked. If Trout is completely healthy, he alone brings the Angels group ahead of the Mariners one… but they could also use a breakout from one of the three young guys to a mid .800 OPS. I have Marsh listed as primary reserve, but I actually think they will all get similar playing time after Trout. Health for Trout is the primary question, and then will the three young OF hit and how well.
    For the Mariners, Julio Rodriguez is gonna be a star, but when is the question. He’s made the team and will start, which relegates 2020 AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis to the bench after a sub-par 2021. Their other young OF prospect, Jered Kelenic, struggled mightily last year, but still hit 14 HR in just 93 games. And while his average dipped, Mitch Haniger hit 39. Their young guys need to produce for this unit to be successful, and even if they have higher pedigrees than the Angels trio of young players, they have plenty of questions. Defensively they’re solid, but will Rodriguez and Kelenic hit? If not, does presumptive DH Jesse Winker get time in the OF? 
    The Astros will continue to have issues in CF with McCormick or Siri starting, plus young Jake Meyers who will be ready later in the season. The 2017-2020 Astros had George Springer patrolling CF and still miss him, even with Kyle Tucker developing into one of the best OF in baseball. Brantley is a stud too, and one whose health is the only question. The Astros won’t have a ton of power from their OF, unless one of the young CF takes a huge step forward. Tucker likely leads the trio with around 30 HR again. They also have playing time concerns, as they didn’t really field a full time starter in 2021 at CF or in LF or RF, as Brantley and Tucker only managed 121 and 140 games. Defensively they’re solid, but this is not their best group.
    The Rangers group is noticeably lacking and would be the worst in the division, if not for the A’s. There’s not much to say here and I expect the trio of starters to look very different in 2023. They could still add a FA, but since they’re not expected to be big contenders, it’s hard to see why. Former Angel Kole Calhoun probably plays better in Texas than he did in Arizona. Brad Miller is almost 33. 
    The A’s most accomplished OF is suspended for PED’s, while their next best, Piscotty is 31 seemingly going on 40. Seth Brown was a 19th round pick. They’ll cycle through a lot of names here, but again, aren’t really aiming to compete in 2022.
    To Summarize the OF groups, all three of the contenders have young guys expected to compete and take a step forward. All have playing time and health questions.
    Let’s turn to the infield now. Here’s the four starting infielders and primary reserves for each team.
    Astros: Yuli Gurriel (1B), Jose Altuve (2B), Alex Bregman (3B ), Jeremy Pena (SS), Aledyms Diaz (INF).
    Angels: Jared Walsh (1B), Tyler Wade (2B), David Fletcher (SS), Anthony Rendon (3B), Matt Duffy (INF), Jack Mayfield (INF).
    Rangers: Nathaniel Lowe (1B), Marcus Semien (2B), Corey Seager (SS), Andy Ibanez (3B), Charlie Culberson (INF/OF).
    Mariners: Ty France (1B), Adam Frazier (2B), Eugenio Suarez (3B), J.P. Crawford (SS), Abraham Toro (INF).
    A’s: Stephen Vogt (1B), Tony Kemp (2B), Elvis Andrus (SS), Kevin Smith (3B), Sheldon Neuse (INF/OF), Chad Pinder (INF/OF). 
    The Astros do have the best infield in the division — but it’s not without questions. Altuve rebound in 2021 from an abhorrent 2020, while veteran 1B Gurriel is almost 38 years old. They’re hyping Jeremy Pena, but he’s got very limited experience and will not come close to replicating Correa’s production. Bregman is back and a perennial MVP Candidate.
    The Angels didn’t sign Correa or one of the other top FA SS, and appear to be shifting 2021 2B Fletcher there. However, I don’t think its as simple as that. They will not be playing Fletcher every day after he turned in one of the worst hitting performances in the majors in 2021. Wade, Duffy, Mayfield, and others will all get starts at SS.  At third, Rendon is back and healthy, and I expect him to come back to his 2019 numbers or close to it. Walsh is gonna hit better against lefties, but will get spelled occasionally by right handed Ward and Duffy. Wade comes over from the Yankees, and should produce excellent defense. Also, youngster Michael Stefanic opened up a lot of eyes with his bat in Spring — all the guy does is hit. But can he field? And What about Jose Rojas? He’s a classic late bloomer, at 29, if he can ever translate his AAA and ST offense to the majors, they’ll find a spot for the lefty. 
    The Rangers did sign a top FA SS, actually two of them, but the inexperience at the corners drops them to third. Unlike the Angels and Astros, there are two suspect positions, though Lowe did ok, in his second year. I might have ranked them second actually, but it’s close. Semien was among the best hitters in the majors last year and Seager was as well. So they’ll produce. This is the best part of the Rangers team, by far, but they certainly spent on it.
    The Mariners group is interesting, but again, questions abound. Ty France is a solid 1B. Think of Walsh but less power. Adam Frazier and Toro will be solid at 2B, but defensively neither is elite. But their SS is the opposite. Crawford might be the best defensive SS in the league, but is offensively limited. Mariners keep waiting for him to break out offensively, but he’s a good player regardless. And at 3rd, they acquired Eugenio Suarez from the Reds to take over for long time 3B Kyle Seager. Suarez didn’t hit well at all in 2021, but the M’s hope he can rebound with a change of scenery. Reserves Toro, Torrens, and Moore will play sparingly. They can be ranked 3rd or 4th.
    The A’s again are clearly 5th. Vogt used to be a good bat, but he’s 37. Kemp is basically average. Andrus’s defense used to be elite, but his offense never materialized in Texas. Smith at 3rd is going to strike out…a lot. Their reserves are middling.
    Astros take the cake, but have questions with health and an unproven SS. Angels have solid corners, questionable middle, Rangers the opposite. Mariners are solid but not spectacular.
    At Catcher, the write-ups will be shorter.
    Astros: Martin Maldonado (C), Jason Castro (C)
    Angels: Max Stassi (C), Kurt Suzuki (C)
    Rangers: Mitch Garver (C) Jonah Heim (C)
    A’s: Sean Murphy (C), Austin Allen (C)
    Mariners: Tom Murphy (C), Cal Raleigh (C), Luis Torrens (C)
    Astros lead the way with two solid catching options, but neither is good offensively. Angels have one good offensive catcher who’s also good defensively, and one backup that is questionable at both. They have former first round pick Thaiss at AAA, though, and he may force his way into the backup job in Anaheim. The Mariners trio of Murphy, Raleigh, and Torrens is going to be interesting to watch. And the Rangers added former twin Garver to go along with former A’s Backup Heim. The A’s may have the best offensive catcher in Sean Murphy, along with former highly regarded backup Allen.
    None of these groups are significantly better than the others. All should be decent. The best defender is probably Maldonado, and offensively, it’s probably Stassi or Sean Murphy, but Garver also had good offense in his career, as did Tom Murphy.
    I’d rank all five of these groups as basically even.
    With the DH coming to the NL, it deserves it’s own grouping. A lot of defensively challenged hitters will now have jobs.
    Angels: Shohei Ohtani (SP/DH).
    Astros: Yordan Alvarez (DH/OF).
    Mariners: Jesse Winker (DH/OF).
    Rangers: Willie Calhoun (DH/OF/INF).
    A’s: Jed Lowrie (INF/OF/DH).
    Again, the Angels group is the best. Shohei Ohtani is the reigning MVP, and a two-way star. The only reason he’s not a position player is to save his energy for his turn on the mound, as he would likely be a premium defender if he played any position on the diamond. As the best or second best player in the game, because of his two way status, it’s hard to concentrate just on his offense, but by most metrics, he was the among the best hitters in the game… just slumped a bit in the second half as the Angels lineup deteriorated around him.
    The Astros Yordan Alvarez is the second best DH in the division, and is an elite hitter. He’s not Ohtani, but he’s pretty darn good. Health is his only question mark, and he may play some OF, but he’s not a good defender.
    The Mariners obtained Winker in a trade with the Reds to be their DH. He took a huge step forward offensively and defensively for the Reds, but he still profiles best as a DH. He’s an All-Star Level Hitter.
    The Rangers have tried former top Dodgers prospect Willie Calhoun everywhere, but he just isn’t a good fielder. He hasn’t been a great hitter either. This is a significant drop off from the first three teams.
    The A’s recently signed Vogt, which I though was to be their DH, but It’s Jed Lowrie projected on Fangraphs. Neither are good hitters anymore, and they’re gonna miss Olson and Chapman. This lineup is basically terrible. Why didn’t they at least bring back Khris Davis, I have no idea. 
    Now on to Starting Pitching. The Angels most often mentioned weakness. Here are the Rotations:
    Astros: Framer Valdez (SP), Jake Odorizzi (SP), Justin Verlander (SP), Jose Urquidy (SP), and Luis Garcia (SP). Lance McCullers (SP-INJ).
    Mariners: Robbie Ray (SP), Logan Gilbert (SP), Marco Gonzales (SP), Chris Flexen (SP), Matt Brash (SP)
    Angels: Shohei Ohtani (SP), Patrick Sandoval (SP), Noah Syndergaard (SP), Jose Suarez (SP), Michael Lorenzen (SP), Reid Detmers (SP). (Griffin Canning SP-INJ).
    A’s: Frankie Montas (SP), Cole Irvin (SP) Daulton Jeffries (SP), Paul Blackburn (SP), Brent Honeywell Jr (SP-INJ), James Kapriellan (SP-INJ).
    Rangers: Jon Gray (SP), Martin Perez (SP), Dane Dunning (SP), Taylor Hearn (SP), Spencer Howard (SP)
    The Astros have solid 1-5. Especially if Lance McCullers is healthy, as he’d bump someone out.  He’s still not though. They have depth in the minors, but Brandon Bielak, Peter Solomon, and Tyler Ivey are the only ones with major league experience and its all very limited. Injuries are a concern, with McCullers still out and as Verlander didn’t pitch very much in 2020 or 2021, and is 39. But he’s still Justin Verlander and most pundits are predicting he comes 100% back to form, some even predicting the Cy Young! He just as easily could be ineffective or not hold up. He’s looked good in Spring. Their other veteran Odorizzi, is coming off a injury limited year where he pitched just 104 innings at a 4.21 ERA. Solid, but not spectacular.
    Framber Valdez though gets the opening day start as Verlander isn’t quite ready, he’ll pitch Saturday instead. Valdez pitched 22 games last year, with a great 3.14 ERA but his FIP didn’t quite match it (4.01). Jose Urquidy pitched 20 games last year, and also had the same ERA/FIP discrepancy. Luis Garcia managed 28 starts and a very consistent 3.48 ERA / 3.63 FIP.
    The three younger guns of the Houston rotation all stepped up last year, and so hopefully for Houston they all repeat with slightly more innings. But that’s not a sure thing. Prior to 2021, Garcia had just one start in 2020, and was at High A in 2019. Urquidy had 12 starts combined in 2020 and 2019 in the majors, though he started 18 games in the minors in 2019 as well. His numbers have been the most consistent in recent years, and if not injured he has a chance to be the best starter of the three. Valdez pitched a full season in 2020 (albeit a limited season), and was up and down in the 2019 season. He was a back and forth to the pen that year, and most of his minors career. He’s never come close to the 134 IP he managed last year, and was injured quite frequently, so who knows how he’ll hold up in 2022.
    The Mariners rotation 1-5 features former journeyman and current Cy Young winner Robbie Ray at the top, there are no questions if he competes as he did in Toronto in 2021. Logan Gilbert is up next, and he managed 119 IP last year at a middling 4.68 ERA. But unlike the Astros two young starters Gilbert actually had a better FIP than ERA in 2021. Still not a lot of innings though and just one start in the minors. Marco Gonzales is up third, he made 25 starts and 148 IP for the 2021 club with a 3.96 ERA but a terrible 5.28 FIP. Does not spell long term success. He’s been with the club a few years now and was pitching full time without injury really in 2018-2020, and with much better FIP/ERA differences. Still He’s like Odorizzi, Solid, not Spectacular. Chris Flexen and Matt Brash round out the five projected starters, and Flexen has managed 31 starts for the M’s in 2021, after pitching in Korea in 2020. His last two years are unlike anything he’s thrown up before, however, so he must’ve figured something out. Brash pitched in AA last season, and made just 10 starts. It will be a big jump to the majors. Their minor league depth isn’t great, free agent Tommy Milone is the most experienced pitcher in the AAA staff. Their top minor league guys are at AA.
    The Angels have major durability concerns, as Ohtani’s 130 IP was the top number on the entire staff. Detmers managed 19 starts last year in his first professional year, but his stuff plays now and he won the 6th starter job in ST. Syndergaard is coming off 2 straight seasons of not really pitching, just like Verlander. And Sandoval managed just 14 starts. Lorenzen is a converted reliever and Suarez too pitched in the pen last season, and in the rotation. Canning also is coming back from injury. He may have been their best starter in 2020, but last year didn’t go well. 
    The A’s had the best pitching in the division last season with Chris Bassitt, Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, and Cole Irvin and James Kapriellan last year. Bassitt and Manaea are gone. Montas could be moved. Kapriellan is hurt. So only Irvin and Montas start the year in the rotation. They’re cobbling together a rotation, with only 4 healthy starters to start the year, but both Montas and Irvin pitched a lot of innings last year and well, so they won’t be the worst in the division.
    The Rangers staff is middling, with journeyman Perez and Jon Gray being their top two starters. Not much of a staff honestly, but they have some intriguing young guys. This is the worst rotation on the list though and its’ not close.
    Bullpen. I’m not gonna list every guy here, as the teams will all cycle through a lot of relievers. But the Angels have the best pen in the division based on last years results, with a bunch of nice veterans and a lot of intriguing young arms. Iglesias was among the best closers in baseball, and Tepera, Loup were both excellent. Mayers and Bradley also did well, and the Angels have a lot of young hard or funky throwers, and they’ll have the best pen clearly.
    The Astros are probably next, headlined by Ryan Pressley at Closer and then Ryan Stanek. They’re also pretty deep with a lot of solid arms. The Mariners lack a solid veteran closer, but Steckenrider did well for them last year. They have a few good arms at the top of their pen too in Paul Sewald, Diego Castillo, and Sergio Romo. Enough for third place.
    The Rangers have Matt Bush and Greg Holland fighting it out with holdover Joe Barlowfor closing role, and the A’s feature veteran Lou Trivino and AJ Puk at the top of their pen with Doming Acevedo and a lot of young arms.
    Ok, I’m not gonna go deeply into coaching or anything else here. It’s important, but between the three contending teams, there isn’t a huge gap between Maddon and Servais or Baker. Chris Woodward is ok. The A’s not bringing back Melvin is gonna cost them a few wins.
    So overall, the Astros rank 3rd in OF, 1st in INF, a tentative 1st in SP, 2nd in RP, 2nd at DH, and are even with the other groups at C. They’re not as far ahead as everyone thinks they are. And if their offense slumps, their pitching has any injuries, they’re gonna fall to the middle of the pack. They aren’t as loaded as recent Astros teams.
    The Angels have the best OF, due entirely to Mike Trout, and the second best infield due to their corner infielders. Their third on this list in starting pitching, and 1st in bullpen by a clear margin, Yes we’d like it if they’d signed another elite starter, but they have faith in their depth and young guys, just like the Astros did in 2021. They’re even at C and the best at DH. Yes they need health, but that’s the case across the board and with every team. Yes, the Angels have three of the best players in the league, and they need them all to be healthy. They need innings from their starters. I do not understand why young pitchers without a lot of success or innings under their belt get a lot more credit on other staffs than the Angels guys get. I don’t see why Syndergaard and Verlander aren’t viewed more similarly. If the Astros lost Altuve or Bregman (or they suddenly didn’t hit like they used to) can Tucker, Brantley, or Gurriel carry that offense? 
    While the addition of Robbie Ray or Kevin Gausman or another premier starter would’ve been nice, in July if The Angels do need another starter, they can go get him then. 
    The Mariners have the arguably second best OF though I could see the Astros taking that spot if the M’s vaunted young OF all struggle. They’ve got the fourth best infield, as they’re solid, but no star power. The Angels, Rangers and Astros all have stars in their infield. They have the second best starting group, but they have questions. Their pen is not great, but not bad, one elite veteran reliever would’ve helped them significantly. Getting a proven closer would have helped. Their DH is great, probably not too far from Alvarez for 2nd place, and their catching is even. 
    The Rangers might hope to compete sooner than later, but they don’t have a good enough pitching staff and I don’t see a lot of high upside guys in AAA or AA that will make a difference. Their infield is the best part and I bet they finish in fourth but maybe third if someone slips. 
    The A’s aren’t trying to compete and are in the middle of a major reset. There is just not a competitive team, but they also always compete with less than other teams have. Maybe in 2023.
    While I’m not ready to throw the Astros from the top of the division, this will be a much closer race between the top three teams in this division than in recent seasons. I’d expect all three to be between 87-93 wins, and the Rangers to finish with 77 or so, while the A’s finish at 67-70.
    Let’s go Angels. 
     
  4. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Perhaps what defines the 2024 Angels, to me at least, is the wide range of variance between best and worst-case scenarios, that is such scenarios that exist within the realm of possibility. Meaning, nearly every player--with only a couple exceptions (e.g. Brandon Drury) has a huge range of reasonably possible outcomes.
    In what follows, I will look at the hitters and suggest what I see as their ceilings and floors, and where I think they'll end up in 2024 and beyond. Please note, this isn't an actual series of projections - it is more a ramble, with a bit of prediction thrown in for each player as to where I think they'll end up. I did a set of stat predictions a couple months ago which I deliberating didn't look back on, but these are more general.
    C LOGAN O'HOPPE
    Best: Becomes a bonafide first tier star catcher - not Adley Rutschman and maybe not Will Smith, but not far behind. In this best-case scenario, an off year is 3 WAR and only due to missing time; a typical year is more like 4-5 WAR, and he has one or two seasons above the 5 WAR mark. He easily becomes the all-time Angels WAR catcher leader, and before reaching free agency.
    Worst: Aside from the injury-bug, the worry would be that he doesn't really iron out his defensive kinks and struggles to make contact. Still, worst-case is the strong side of a platoon, but more of a 2 WAR in 100 games type than a 4 WAR in 120 games type.
    My prediction: The variance for Logan isn't huge, but there's still a range of outcomes, but none of them bad - more "solid to very good." I see more of a second tier catcher being the most likely scenario - a quality regular to borderline star type (3-4 WAR) who is a good captain of the team, sort of like Jason Varitek. Meaning, he won't be confused for Rutschman (let alone Gary Carter), but he'll have some years in the top five WAR for catchers, but mostly more in the #5-10 range.
    1B NOLAN SCHANUEL
    Best: If he makes enough good contact to regularly hit .300, with his plate discipline he could put up gaudy OBPs. And if he develops even average power, he's a "3-4-5" threat and a star hitter. Sort of like Nick Johnson, if he had been able to stay healthy.
    Worst: With that downward swing, there's a chance he never develops any power at all and becomes a Doug Mientkiewicz type - a nice guy to have on your roster, but more of a platoon guy or fringe starter.
    My Prediction: I think he'll probably be more of a .280ish hitter than .300ish, but still have seasons above the .400 OBP mark. I'm more dubious about the power - his downward swing leads to a lot of ground balls, no matter how strong he gets. Still, he's too big and strong not to hit a few out of the park, but I see a peak season being something like .290/.420/.450, which is plenty good enough for me. 
    2B BRANDON DRURY
    Best: More of the same.
    Worst: More of the same, but getting older, and the defense gets shakier. 
    My Prediction: Drury is probably the guy with the least variance of any hitter likely to see substantial playing time: What you see (or what we've seen) is what you get. I think the only questions are how much playing time he gets and where he plays, which depends largely on Rengifo and Rendon. So my prediction is "more of the same," but not sure how much of it. He's a useful guy to have around, but he'd be really useful if he could back-up Rendon (he played 67 games at 3B in 2022).
    SS ZACH NETO
    Best: I like the Dustin Pedroia comp, with a significantly lower batting average but playing Gold Glove defense - so similar overall value. This is pretty optimistic, though, but I could see it happen. 
    Worst: Has trouble getting away from the injury bug, and becomes known as an undisciplined hitter, but still a solid starting shortstop. But rather than the 5 WAR stud of the best-case scenario, he's more of a 2-3 WAR guy.
    My prediction: Zach Neto is a ballplayer - I just love the energy he brings to the team, sort of the anti-Rendon. I do think he'll be prone to occasional injuries and never be quite the hitter Pedroia was, but he'll have some really good seasons, with a good probability of reaching his best-case scenario, at least in his peak. But it might take a few ups and downs to get there. I think 2024 will be a continuation and gradual improvement from 2023, so something like .250/.330/.420. 
    3B ANTHONY RENDON
    Best: He makes baseball a top priority, avoids the injury bug and has a bit of a career renaissance, playing about 350 games over the last three years of his contract and putting up 10+ WAR. Yeah, right.
    Worst: More of the last three years. Arte releases him sometime in 2025.
    My Prediction: I can't imagine how it can possibly continue to be as bad as it has been the last few years, but I would be surprised if Rendon ever plays 130 games again, and maybe not even 120. Part of the problem is that he's a momentum hitter and is never healthy enough to get into a groove. If he manages to play 110-120 games, he'll put up better numbers (maybe .270/.380/.450), but he's never going to be a star again. And that is a pretty big "if." I honestly don't know what to predict, as I could see a continuation of the last few years, or a scenario where the youthful energy of some of the guys above him on this list rubs off and he has a nice next couple years as the Roger Dorn of the Angels. 
    LF TAYLOR WARD
    Best: He's not only back, but he finds the star hitter form that we've seen for parts of the last two years, and is an elite hitter for the next few years, maybe something like .290/.370/.550 with 30 HR. 
    Worst: He's never the same - either neurological, psychological, or just an inability to stay healthy. Ends up as a 4OF/DH type.
    My Prediction: Ward has one of the widest range of possibilities on a team with a lot of players with a wide range of possibilities. For whatever reason, I remain bullish on Ward: I think he's going to have several really good years in the 140 wRC+, 4-5 WAR range, and be the team's second best hitter, at least in 2024. But I've been over-optimistic before. 
    CF MIKE TROUT
    Best: Let's play a game of imagination and time travel to the end of Trout's contract in 2030 and do a career retrospective. It turns out that Trout just had some terribly bad luck for a few years in 2021-23 (they were all different injuries, right?!), but then righted the ship in 2024 and had a career renaissance. Maybe not quite vintage Trout, but he had several years around 7 WAR, with one truly special one in the 8-9 WAR range, winning his 4th MVP award. He started trending down in 2027 or so at age 35, but it was gradual and he finished his career with 127 WAR, just edging Stan Musial out of the top 10. You might say that I'm a dreamer...but I'm not the only one...
    Worst: Ken Griffey III. He'll still hit, but the injury-prone label is real, and the hitting--while flashing towards Ye Olde Days at times--is inconsistent and not what it was. It will be hard to watch for the next seven seasons, as Trout just squeaks above the 100 WAR mark for his career, which would be under 30 WAR in his last eleven seasons after 70 WAR in his first eight.
    My Prediction: I'm going to be bullish again, as I think Trout could do something similar to 2022 (it was just a year ago, afterall); with a bit of better health (130ish games), he could reach the 7 WAR mark. The next few years will be a bit of a comeback for him, just not the Trout of 2012-19. He'll probably miss chunks of time over the rest of his career, but have good spells and just pass Mickey Mantle (112.3) on the fWAR chart.
    OF MICKEY MONIAK
    Best: He learns to take a pitch and builds on 2023, but with more walks. Not a star, but a good overall player who is known for dangerous spells when he's hitting everything.
    Worst: No plate discipline and 2023's good parts turn out to be a fluke. Minor league depth or an erratic 4th outfielder.
    My Prediction: Remember Jeff Francoeur? That's the type of career I think Moniak might have, with minor cosmetic differences. He probably has no place starting for a contender, but will find gigs on various teams over the next decade. I do think he loses a starting job to the next guy on this list, sometime before the ASB and, if Trout, Ward, and Adell are healthy, could be shipped off in July.
    OF JO ADELL
    Best: Basically what we thought his upside would be a couple years ago. Adell kind of reminds me of Dave Winfield, but with more power and significantly less contact ability. Maybe it is the tall, athletic build. But the best-case scenario might be Winfield in 1982 (.280/.331/.560 with 37 HR), but maybe even more HR and a bit lower average. 
    Worst: More of the same and the Angels swap him for a rondon in July to some team thinking they can do better (which, knowing the Angels, they probably will).
    My Prediction: Is it foolish to think that this could finally be the year? He probably won't be the star we hoped for, but he could make enough contact and develop enough discipline to leverage that power. In other words, as much as my mental faculties say that Adell is a bust, my gut still sees a good ball player. I still think he'll hit 40 HR at some point in his career; probably not this year because he's unlikely to get enough plate appearances--and I think needs several years of building success to get there--but I could see something like 110-120 games, .250/.330/.500 with 25+ HR, with even better numbers in 2025.
    IF LUIS RENGIFO
    Best: Take Rengifo's second half numbers last year (.318/.374/.587 in 47 games) and extend them over a full season, but reduce them a bit for likelihood that he's just a slow starter and he's simply unlikely to be that good for a full season. But it foretells the future. In this scenario, everything comes together and Rengifo hits .290/.350/.500 with solid 2B defense. Can we dream?
    Worst:  Basically more of the same - which isn't so bad, but the problem is the defense - which is ok, I guess. But he never quite gets out of the fringe starter/UT role.
    My Prediction: I'm a fan and think he'll find another level in 2024. Maybe not my best-case scenario, but if you imagine that he'll continue his arc of improvement from 2022 to 2023 to 2024, he could hit .270/.340/.450 or better. Now if he could only polish up that defense a bit...
    Pitchers to come...
  5. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    As with the hitters, the Angels pitching staff has a good amount of variability, although perhaps a bit less, with almost every starter having a floor of a #4-5 and either #3 or, in one or two cases, #2 upside. I'll look at the bullpen in a third instalment.
    A note on "worst-case scenarios:" For pitchers, even durable ones, there's always the lingering phantom of a blowout and/or Tommy John surgery. Rather than repeat myself for every pitcher, I'll only mention that if there is a significant injury concern beyond the norm. In other words, worst-case scenarios don't include the "absolute worst" of TJS, but are rather more focused on performance only.
    SP REID DETMERS
    Best:  We finally come to a place in which Reid Detmers is not simply the "staff ace" by default (that is, there's no one else), but he's actually a legit #2ish starter. In this scenario, he irons out the kinks of the last few years and puts together a full season like one of his hot-streaks: a sub 3.50 ERA, 180+ IP, and ~4 WAR. 
    Worst: More uneven performance like the last two years, which is still pretty good, but more Heaney-esque than Finley-esque.
    My Prediction: If there's any player that I feel relatively confident flat-out predicting that they hit their best-case scenario--or close to it--in 2024, it is Detmers. I don't think he'll reach his peak level yet, but I do think that he'll be more consistent and have more good starts than bad, so an ERA around 3.50, and more innings (170ish). Meaning, if he doesn't reach his best-case scenario, he'll be close.
    SP PATRICK SANDOVAL
    Best: He defies the warning signs and bounces back to 2022 level, with an ERA around 3.00 and even manages to reduce his pitch count and bit and surpasses 150 IP.
    Worst: The warning signs explode into a total poop-show. Sandoval struggles to throw strikes and his ERA creeps up to the mid-4.00 range.
    My Prediction: I'm worried - not hugely so (yet), but something just seems off. The good news is that while his velocity was down early last year, it trended up all season and his last start was not only the highest of the year, but one of the highest of his career. But in order to even take a step back to his 2022 level (3.7 WAR in 148 IP), he has to curb the walks. last year he walked 4.6 batters per 9 IP - up a full walk from the last two seasons - and his K-rate went down more than a full strikeout. So my prediction is...I don't know. Let's see how he looks after five starts.
    SP TYLER ANDERSON
    Best: Even in the best of possible worlds--or at least those that have a real chance of happening--it is hard to imagine Anderson re-capturing his 2022 performance (2.57 ERA, 4.0 WAR). But if you look at his FIP that year (3.30) and split the difference with his career rare (4.29), then you get around 3.80...which is about the performance level for ERA that I think a best-case Anderson is capable of. 
    Worst: A continuation of last year. 
    My Prediction: Not a lot of variance with Anderson. Split the difference between 2022 and 2023 and you have a decent #4 pitcher with an ERA in the low 4.00s and a solid number of innings. Anderson may even end up under-appreciated for much of the season, but eventually we'll learn to enjoy the fact that he's consistently putting up solid innings. Not sexy, but steady.
    SP GRIFFIN CANNING
    Best: Canning finally makes good on his potential and becomes a good (and consistent) #3 starter, even fringy #2, and embodies the leadership role that Ron Washington envisions for him. 
    Worst: Aside from a revisit to the injuries of the last couple years, the worst-case scenario for Canning is that he doesn't progress further. Last year he produced a 4.32 ERA and 1.8 WAR in 127 IP, which means he's already a 2-3 WAR starter - which is either a good #4 or fringe #3. The FIP was almost exactly the same as his ERA (4.29), so it is possible that this is who he is. In other words, while much has been made of his comeback last year, it was really only to the solid level of 2019-20, which is as a solid #4. So the worst-case scenario is that is who Canning is, which isn't so bad but not what we hoped for.
    My Prediction: I think we'll see a consolidation of 2023's performance, but with slight overall improvement and more innings: an ERA in the 3.70-4.20 range, 150+ IP, 3+ WAR. In other words, he'll establish himself as a bonafide #3.
    SP CHASE SILSETH
    Best: We'll call this the "Angels fan scenario," because it is an outlook that only Angels fans seem to see for young Mr. Silseth. In this scenario, he makes good on the flashes of promise we've seen over the last couple years and becomes a true #2 starter - right there with Detmers (and perhaps a resurgent Sandoval and/or best-case scenario Canning) for best pitcher on the staff. 
    Worst: More erratic performance, and is eventually relegated to a relief role. Or another alternative, it just takes a few years for him to find his best form - but it it won't be 2024.
    My Prediction: Silseth has the widest variance, at least over the pitchers above him. As I implied in the "Best" section, there seems to be a wide gap between Angels fans and analysts as to his upside; I can't think of an outlet that sees the potential that some of us see in him. Whether that is because of fan bias or knowledge is hard to say; probably some of both. Regardless, I think Silseth will become a good starter, but not the ace some envision - but a #2-3 pitcher who has some flashes of brilliance, but isn't consistent enough to be a true ace. In 2024, I think the inconsistency will still be a major factor, but the trajectory will be positive.
    SP ZACH PLESAC
    Best: Plesac picks up where he left off in 2019-20, four years ago, and becomes a solid mid-rotation starter.
    Worst: 2021-23 proves to be his true level; in other words, a back-end starter. There's also the lingering attitude concerns, so he's probably either going to do well or be released.
    My Prediction: Who knows? We probably need to see a few starts, but if he does well enough, I'm guessing he ends up as AAA depth but ends up with 10+ major league starts and/or in the bullpen.
    SP/RP JOSE SUAREZ
    Best: The time off brings things together for Suarez, and we see far more of the better version than the worse. He becomes a solid #3-4 starter or a very good middle reliever.
    Worst: Prone to bad spells, Suarez is relegated to the bullpen and becomes an innings-eating long reliever utilized in low-leverage situations.
    My Prediction:  I personally like the idea of taking the idea of the "worst"--that of a long reliever/swingman--but with the hopes that he pitches well in that capacity, and can be relied upon in a variety of situations. He could be a very useful pitcher if used correctly, but I'm not sure that is as a regular starter. As things stand, he's probably third on the list of potential #5 starters, behind Silseth and Plesac. I imagine he'll pitch in a variety of situations, from spot starts to long relief. By season's end, we could be looking back at him as one of the quiet stalwarts on the pitching staff.
    OTHERS
    Davis Daniel making good on his potential probably means a solid #4 starter, which is more valuable than it sounds, but the not-so-young prospect (27 in June) has had a slow road: a delayed professional debut due to injury, a lost 2020 due to covid, solid development in 2021-22, then most of 2023 lost to injury. At this point, I'm only hoping for a serviceable relief pitcher and/or AAA depth. Kenny Rosenberg is the quintessential minor league "depth starter" - not the worst guy to start in a pinch, but a dime-a-dozen in AAA. Victor Mederos probably has the most upside of likely AAA starters, but needs more seasoning and is less likely to receive a major league gig than some of the others. Brett Kerry and Mason Erla (and several others) look like minor league depth for the foreseeable future. A brief note on Caden Dana. While I think it very unlikely that he factors into the major league rotation this year, he's on the cusp of being a legitimately good pitching prospect and perhaps on the fast-track for the major leagues. His minor league debut was very impressive, but I'd like to see more before getting too excited. 
  6. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Part One: The Cycle of Ages - Angels Baseball version
    After the dead-cat bounce of the post-Golden Era (2014-15), the Angels dipped below .500 in 2016 and have stayed there since, with a .465 Win% from 2016-23, which equates with a 75-87 record. In other words, for the last eight seasons, the Angels have been, on average, a 75-win team.
    Without going back into it again in too much depth, the Angels are long overdue for a rebuild, or at least, a shift in the organizational approach of the last decade plus. One could argue that they should have rebuilt way back in 2010-11 but Arte wouldn't accept that the Golden Age was over. What commenced was a serious of blunders that proved disastrous to the franchise for the last 15 years. They had another window in 2015-2016 and didn't take it, for a variety of reasons: they had a promising core of young starters, all of whom went under the knife. Next, they had the Trout Window, and then the Ohtani Window. 
    So we have, ala the Greek/Indian ages, four distinct periods of 21st Century Angels Baseball:
    2002-09: Golden Age - no comment needed. If you're a Millenial or older, you remember. If you're a Zennial, no, it isn't fake news - the Angels really were one of the half dozen best franchises in baseball for the first decade of the new millenium.
    2010-15: Silver Age - At the time it was frustrating, but they won 85+ games in four out of six seasons, and we saw the arrival of the Promised One. Oh, and We Got Pujols; we'll extend Greinke; Hamilton is just so talented, isn't he? 
    2016-20: Bronze Age - Things started looking grim, but we got a smart GM in Eppler. Right? 
    2020-23: Iron (or Dark) Age - This era, despite the gloriousness of Ohtani, was embodied by Trout's injuries and Rendon's suckitude. It was probably the most dismal three-year span since, I don't know, the early 90s. If you want a Darkest Hour of the Dark Age, it is probably either the losing streak in 2022 or the trade deadline last year and what followed. Or possibly Ohtani signing with the Dodgers. But it's over, right?
    Now the ancients had a few different versions of the cycle of ages. One is that the Dark Age eventually led to a new Golden Age. Yeah, right. Another is that the cycles goes back in reverse, and a new "ascending" Bronze Age follows the Dark Age, and then up to Silver and eventually Golden. Seems more plausible - or at least possible. A third is, well, Ragnarok: the Dark Age ends in cataclysm and the world ends.
    Let's hope that the trade deadline, team collapse, and departure of Ohtani is that Ragnarok and that we'll get to start seeing the ascent again. I mean, how much worse can it get?
    Anyhow, the various factors mentioned above kept the Angels brass from doing what long needed doing: taking stock and pushing the reset button. Of course there wasn't much to take stock of, but at least they could have held off on spending more money on mediocre free agents in a lame attempt to kinda compete each year.
    So now Ohtani's gone and the Angels had one of their quietest offseasons in the last couple decades: No big splashes, no long contracts at all, just a handful of gap-fills and somewhat random free agent signings. It was a bit confusing at first, because Minasian's early offseason emphasis on building a stronger bullpen implied that he was going to go big on free agency. But nothing significant manifested -- no new starting position players or pitchers, just a handful of bench and bullpen guys. 
    Barring a last minute Snellsplash, it looks like the Angels are truly--and finally--taking a beat, taking stock, and maybe eventually replenishing the farm a bit (barring contention come trade deadline). And I say, hallelujah! It is long overdue.
    Consider the above as being a summation of my offseason thoughts, with the disclaimer that I've only paid passing attention the last few months and haven't really followed the Cactus League. On to part two...
    Part Two: 2024 - the Year of Stock-Taking 
    Here's the new part, or at least new to me. "Taking stock" implies seeing how good the young guys are. But I think that is somewhat secondary to the Minasian Plan. We know that in 2025 and beyond, the under-25s of Detmers, Silseth, O'Hoppe, Neto and Schanuel will be around - there isn't really a likely scenario in which they don't form the nucleus of whatever this iteration of the Angels morphs into. But what Minasian will really be looking at, aside from whether (and to what degree) Trout and Rendon can salvage their careers, is how the not-so-young guys will do. Meaning, the 25-30 group that includes Sandoval, Canning, Ward, Rengifo, Adell, and Moniak.
    Really, it is all of the above and more - but I wanted to highlight that middle group, because those are the guys who are "on the clock" in one form or fashion. Sandoval and Canning have shown promise but struggled at various points in their career; Ward is coming off a major injury and it remains to be who the real Taylor Ward is; Rengifo is deciding whether he's going to be a quality regular or a bench guy; and Adell and Moniak are fighting for a starting gig, and at least for Adell, whether or not he's an Angel long-term.
    So in summary, we have several groups that bear watching:
    The young pups (under 25): Detmers, Silseth, O'Hoppe, Neto, Schanuel, also Joyce, Bachman, and Soriano (who is 25, but belongs with this group). 
    The mid guys (age 25-30): Sandoval, Canning, Ward, Rengifo, Adell, Moniak, and Suarez.
    The old guys (over 30s): Trout and Rendon.
    The mercs (possible trade fodder): Anderson, Drury, most of the bullpen, especially Estevez, Moore, and Stephenson.
    The last group, the "mercs," are solid players but are ultimately expendable, and the type of guys you dangle in July if you're out of the playoff hunt. Meaning, they only "stock-taking" is whether any of them have value - either for an unlikely postseason hunt in the second half or, more likely, as trade fodder.
    The young guys are here to stay and are the nucleus for the next half decade plus, along with Old Man Trout. The middle guys are the ones whose place on the Angels are most in question - thus my relating the term "taking stock" most especially to them. Minasian will be looking at who is worth keeping and who joins the trade fodder, in the likelihood that the Angels are sellers in July.
    Not sure what to say about the Decrepit Duo that hasn't already been said. The hope is obviously that both have a renaissance of some kind - that Trout returns at least to 2022 form but with better health, and Rendon is at least a solid on-base hitter. I'm guessing that of the two, he team's hopes is 95% on Trout, and anything Rendon produces is viewed as a pleasant surprise.
    All of the above are under the eye of "taking stock" but, I think, the mid guys most especially. So even if the Angels struggle and don't ever really contend, it should be interesting to see how this year pans out.
  7. Chuck
    #3. WAR7 FOR CENTER FIELDERS and ALL POSITION PLAYERS
    Related to the two stats above, but worthy of its own entry, Mike Trout’s WAR7—or seven best seasons of rWAR, according to Baseball Reference—is 65.6, behind only Mays (73.5) and Cobb (69.0) among center fielders. He’s surpassed Mantle (64.7) and Speaker (62.5). In other words, his seven best seasons are only behind Mays and Cobb among all center fielders in major league history.
    Here are the above Hall of Fame average (which is 44.7) center fielders by WAR7:
    Willie Mays 73.5 Ty Cobb 69.0 MIKE TROUT 65.6 Mickey Mantle 64.7 Tris Speaker 62.5 Ken Griffey Jr 54.0 Joe DiMaggio 52.4 Duke Snider 49.5 Andruw Jones 46.4 Can he pass Cobb or Mays? Maybe Cobb but probably not Mays. As things stand right now, his seven best years according to rWAR are: 10.5, 10.5, 10.2, 9.6, 8.9, 8.2, 7.7. Let’s say he eventually replaces those bottom three with three 10 WAR seasons; that would get him to around 70 WAR7: ahead of Cobb, but still well behind Mays. The only way he beats Mays is if he has another performance spike.
    But that's a tall order, especially now that 2020 will be abbreviated. That said, he does have a good chance of adding a few points to his WAR7.  Just one 9 WAR season gets him up to around 67.
    How does Trout stack up against all position players?
    Babe Ruth 84.8 Rogers Hornsby 73.7 Willie Mays 73.5 Barry Bonds 72.7 Ty  Cobb 69.0 Lou Gehrig 68.1 Ted Williams 67.9 MIKE TROUT 65.6 Meaning, considering how many of the all-time best players are center fielders, he  only slides to 8th. And he has a very good chance of passing Williams and Gehrig.
    So let me say this one more way: Mike Trout has already had one of the eight or so best peaks in major league history. Let that sink in.
    One final note on WAR7: this number won't go away or get lower. In other words, he's got this locked up for years to come and will forever be among the greatest peak players in major league history, no matter how he performs in the second half of his career.
    #4. WAR THROUGH AGE 27 SEASON
    The next stat is one of my favorites, but also one that has been talked about extensively: WAR leaders through age 27, Trout’s official age for the 2019 season (the age threshold is June 30 to July 1). For the next three installments, we’ll be using Fangraphs’ version of WAR (aka ‘fWAR’).
    WAR Leaders Through Age 27
    Mike Trout 73.4 Ty Cobb 68.8 Mickey Mantle 67.9 Rogers Hornsby 64.6 Jimmie Foxx 64.6 Alex Rodriguez 62.0 Mel Ott 61.5 Ken Griffey Jr 57.0 Tris Speaker 54.4 Eddie Collins 53.7 If you want to know why some consider Trout to be the best player in baseball history, and why that idea isn’t as ludicrous as it might sound, you can start by looking at this statistic. What it tells us is this: Trout has been the best position player in major league history through his current age.
    Now certainly it is probable that eventually he’ll fall behind, especially as Babe Ruth—who  didn’t become a full-time position player until his age 24 season (1919), and thus Trout has a four-year head start on--catches up. And of course Bonds’ spike in his late 30s led him to be only one of two players, along  with Ruth, to have surpassed 150 WAR for his career.
    With that in mind, what lies ahead? What does Trout need to do to keep the pace?
  8. Chuck
    #5: WAR PACE THROUGH OLDER AGES
    Here are the top five WAR leaders through the next few years:
    Age 28: Cobb  78.6, Hornsby 77.0, Mantle 74.8, Trout 73.4, Foxx 71.3 (Trout’s 5.2 behind)
    Age 29: Hornsby 87.9, Cobb 86.4, Mantle 85.1, Ruth 79.4, Rodriguez 77.7 (Trout -14.5)
    Age 30: Cobb 97.9, Hornsby 92.5, Mantle 91.1, Foxx 83.6, Ruth 82.9 (Trout -24.5)
    In other words, Trout only needs 5.3 WAR in 2020 to maintain his lead through age 28, 14.6 (or 7.3 per year) through 2021 for age 29, and 24.6 (8.2 per year) through 2022 and age 30.
    Now unfortunately, the current crisis puts a damper on his pace. Assuming that MLB plays more than half a season, Trout has a good chance of maintaining his lead through age 28. He has averaged 9.9 WAR through 162 games for his career, or 10.5 over the last three seasons, so half a season gives him a shot and 100 games should get him there easily.
    Assuming health, he could catch up a bit in 2021, with a real chance of finishing the year with the highest WAR through his 20s in major league history.
    Age 30 and 2022 seems less likely. Cobb had a monster age 30 season (11.5 WAR), the highest of his career, and jumped way out  in front.
    What about beyond that? Here are the WAR leaders through all ages for the rest of Trout’s contract, with the WAR that Trout needs to average per year to keep pace:
    Age 28, 2020: Cobb 78.6 (5.2)
    Age 29, 2021: Hornsby 87.9 (7.3)
    Age 30, 2022: Cobb 97.9 (8.2)
    Age 31, 2023: Cobb 104.4 (7.8)
    Age 32, 2024: Hornsby 111.9 (7.7)
    Age 33, 2025: Hornsby 123.0 (8.3)
    Age 34, 2026: Ruth 126.3 (7.6)
    Age 35, 2027: Ruth 136.8 (7.9)
    Age 36, 2028: Ruth 147.5 (8.2)
    Age 37, 2029: Ruth 156.2 (8.3)
    Age 38, 2030: Ruth 163.0 (8.1)
    What I find interesting about that list is that the pace remains relatively  consistent: If Trout wants to remain the age WAR leader, he pretty much has to average about 8 WAR per year from here on out. Anything significantly above that and he’s ahead of the curve; anything below, and he starts falling behind.
    It is also worth reminding ourselves of the names on that list: all guys who played a century ago, in a very different context. Once we get to the mid-30s, the only recent player in the top 10 is Barry Bonds. Before Bonds you have to go back to Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.
    Now it is highly  unlikely that Trout will average 8 WAR per season for the remainder of his career. But he might keep pace for a few years. And more so:  just the  fact that this is worth discussing reminds us just how great he is.
    #6: ALL-TIME WAR LEADERS
    With only eight full seasons and 1199 games under his belt, Mike Trout is still far down the list of all-time WAR leaders—but not as far as you might think. Trout current ranks at #47 all-time:
    40. Charlie Gehringer 78.6, 2323 games
    41. Ken Griffey Jr 77.7, 2671 games
    42. Bill Dahlen 77.5, 2443 games
    43. Johnny Bench 74.8, 2158 games
    44. Frankie Frisch 74.8, 2311 games
    45. Paul Waner 74.7, 2549 games
    46. Ed Delahanty 73.7, 1835 games
    47. MIKE TROUT 73.4, 1199 games
    48. Derek Jeter 73.1, 2747 games
    49. Fred Clarke 72.8, 2242 games
    50. Reggie Jackson 72.7, 2820 games
    Now consider this: Of the 46 players ahead of Trout, only # 46 Ed Delahanty (73.7 WAR, 1835 games), #39 Dan Brouthers (79.5, 1673), #34 Joe DiMaggio (83.1, 1736), and #29 Roger Connor (86.2, 1997) have played in fewer than 2000 games.
    To find a player with fewer than 1200 games played, like Trout, you have to go all the way  down to #224, Charlie Keller with 46.0 WAR in 1170 games. Keller, by the way, is sometimes included among the best players to not be in the Hall of Fame, and that is entirely due to his short career.
    In other words, Mike Trout is the  only player in the top 223 position players to have less than 1200 games played, and he’s at #47.
    Speculation Time
    How quickly will Trout rise in the rankings? Well, obviously we don’t know how Trout will age or how much time he will lose to injury, but let’s play make-believe anyway. Assuming a bit more than a half season this year and similar performance over the three years with steady  decline in his 30s, we get something like this: 5.6, 9, 9, 8, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (obviously without such an even array, but the point is to give a moderate prediction of what might be ahead). This would yield WAR totals and rankings like so, with the player he would supplant in parentheses:
    2020: 79.0, #40 (Charlie Gehringer)
    2021: 88.0, #28 (Albert Pujols)
    2022: 97.0, #22 (Eddie Mathews)
    2023: 105.0, #18 (Frank Robinson)
    2024: 113.0, #14 (Mickey Mantle)
    2025: 120.0, #12 (Lou Gehrig)
    2026: 126.0, #11 (Eddie Collins)
    2027: 131.0, #7  (Tris Speaker)
    2028: 135.0, #7
    2029: 138.0, #6 (Hank Aaron)
    2030: 140.0, #5 (Honus Wagner)
    In other words, with basic health and without early or steep decline, but balanced with no performance spikes and steady decline, Trout would end up with the 5th highest WAR in major league history, with only Ruth, Bonds, Mays and Cobb ahead of him.
     
  9. Chuck
    Last year I was playing with the idea of an article series that collected 27 amazing Trout stats that I was going to publish on the blog throughout the offseason. Obviously that didn't happen, but I started it and thought I'd share them over the next month or two, as we face a delayed season of indeterminate length.
    I will release at least two per day, each in its own blog post. 
    Finally, there is no rhyme or reason. I have a list of 17 or 18 of them so far, and will have to scramble for more. There is also some overlap, especially as--I'm sure you'll guess--a lot of this is focused on WAR and related supernerd stats.
    That says, here goes 1 & 2. 
    #1: CENTER FIELD JAWS LEADERS
    JAWS (or Jaffe WAR Score system) is a nifty stat designed by Jay Jaffe that averages out a players career rWAR (Baseball Reference version) with the total of their seven best seasons, and is used primarily as a predictor of whether that player will reach the Hall of Fame. What is nice about it is that it balances career and peak numbers, thus avoiding the often deceiving cumulative-heavy nature of straight-up WAR.
    Through 2019, Trout is now, just turned 28-years old, 5th all-time among center fielders, having just passed Ken Griffey Jr. Let me put that another way: Mike Trout has, through his age 27 season, the 5th best Hall of Fame resume among all center fielders in major league history. The impressive nature of that feat is when you look at who is on the list, centerfield being perhaps the most hallowed position on the baseball field, at least in terms of "Hall of Fame density."
    The average of 19 Hall of Fame center fielders is 58.0 JAWS; Trout is at 69.2. Here are the above average center fielders, with their number of years played:
    Willie Mays 114.9 (22  years) Ty Cobb 110.0 (24 years) Tris Speaker 98.4 (22  years) Mickey Mantle 87.4 (18 years) MIKE TROUT 69.2 (9 years) Ken Griffey Jr 68.9 (22 years) Joe DiMaggio 65.7 (13 years) Duke Snider, Carlos Beltran, Kenny Lofton, Andruw Jones, Richie Ashburn, Andre Dawson, Billy Hamilton and Jim Edmonds round out CFers with 50+ JAWs.
    As you can see, there is a big gap between Trout and those above him, all of whom are all inner circle greats who at least twice as many years. If he maintains a modest (for him) 8 WAR pace, his JAWS should go up by about 4 per year, so he should be passing Mantle by the end of 2024, his age 32 season. If he averages 6 WAR over the course of his 11-year contract, he'll join Mays and Cobb in the 100+ JAWS club.
    #2. POSITION PLAYER JAWS LEADERS
    So the above compared Trout to center fielders. How does he match up against all position players? Here is where Trout currently resides on the JAWS list for all position players:
    Babe Ruth 123.5 (22 years) Barry Bonds 117.7 (22 years) Willie Mays 114.9 (22  years) Ty Cobb 110.0 (24 years) Hank Aaron 101.7 (23 years) Rogers Hornsby 100.4 (23 years) Tris Speaker 98.4 (22  years) Honus Wagner 98.1 (21 years) Stan Musial 96.3 (22 years) Ted Williams 94.9 (19 years) Eddie Collins 94.1 (25 years) Lou Gehrig 91.1 (17 years) Alex Rodriguez 90.9 (22 years) Mickey Mantle 87.4 (18 years) Rickey Henderson 84.4 (25 years) Nap Lajoie 83.8 (21 years) Mike Schmidt 82.8 (18 years) Mel Ott 82.4 (22 years) Albert Pujols 81.0 (19 years) Frank Robinson 80.1 (21 years) Joe Morgan 79.9 (22 years) Cal Ripken Jr 76.1 (21 years) Carl Yastrzemski 76.0 (23 years) Jimmie Foxx 75.8 (20 years) Eddie Mathews 75.1 (17 years) Roberto Clemente 74.6 (18 years) Wade Boggs 73.9 (18 years) Adrian Beltre 71.2 (21 years) George Brett 71.0 (21 years) Al Kaline 70.8 (22 years) MIKE TROUT 69.2 (9 years) On first blush you might think that any list that Trout is #31 on isn’t that impressive. But the thing I like about this list is that it is comprised of the very best players in baseball history: this is the 70 JAWS club (which Trout will officially join a month or two into the season), and there are only 30 position players on it (and 23 pitchers). Note, again, that he’s only played in 9 seasons, 8 of them as a full-time player. The next fewer seasons on this list are Gehrig and Mathews at 17. 
    Mike Trout will probably be in the top 20 by the end of the 2022 season. Barring something catastrophic,  he'll be in the top 10 by the end of his career, with a good chance of nudging past Hank Aaron and Rogers Hornsby to be in the hallowed top 5.
  10. Chuck
    By @Inside Pitch, AngelsWin.com Senior Analyst
    Most people here will likely want to skip this, it's stat nerd heavy, but if you are interested in stuff like that you'd be well served to read this excellent article at FG...
    https://library.fangraphs.com/pitching/stuff-location-and-pitching-primer/
    This post leans heavily on the information in this article but for anyone not wanting to read the long form or that doesn't want to have to look at a bunch of graphs you can basically focus on these three excerpts/summaries on the three major pitch modeling components.
    Stuff+
    Stuff+ looks only at the physical characteristics of a pitch. Important features include, but are not limited to, release point, velocity, vertical and horizontal movement, and spin rate. A pitcher’s secondary pitches are defined based on their primary fastball — with “primary” defined by usage in an outing — and so are judged by velocity and movement differentials along with raw velocity and movement numbers. The model also includes “axis differential,” a statistic that attempts to describe the difference between the movement expected by spin alone and the observed movement affected by the phenomenon described as seam-shifted wake.
    Stuff+ was trained against run values, so even if the research community is divided about how much a pitcher can control weak contact, the model includes an inherent nod to the possibility that they do possess some of that ability.
    Location+
    Location+ is a count- and pitch type-adjusted judge of a pitcher’s ability to put pitches in the right place. No velocity, movement, or any other physical characteristics are included in the statistic. A breaking ball should go to different parts of the strike zone in 2-0 and 1-2 counts, and Location+ captures that phenomenon. Stringer-based command statistics that attempt to judge what a pitcher was intending to do with each pitch do not add predictive value to those models, so Location+ only looks at actual locations and implicitly assumes the intent is generally the same across the league in certain counts with certain pitches.
    Pitching+
    The overall model, Pitching+, is not just a weighted average of Stuff+ and Location+ across a pitcher’s arsenal. Rather, it is a third model that uses the physical characteristics, location, and count of each pitch to try to judge the overall quality of the pitcher’s process. Batter handedness is also included in Pitching+, capturing platoon splits on pitch movements and locations.
    So the short version of all the above..  The point of it all is to measure movement/pitch type, location/pitch type, and how well a pitcher does at doing both
    If you have ever wondered why a guy that throws so hard gets lit up so much -- pitch modeling data is where you want to look.  If you wondered how guys can be coasting and all of a sudden a single baserunner can wreck it all -- again, pitch modeling is where you want to look.
    Years ago I waxed poetic about Zach Wheeler despite what the ERA was because WATCHING him pitch it was obvious he was better than his numbers.  For a couple years I mentioned trading either Adell or Marsh in exchange for George Kirby, again because watching him throw.  Now thanks to pitch modeling it's easier to argue that Pitcher A, should be better or will do well in the future.,
    Wheeler ranks number 2 in MLB in Pitcher+, Kirby 3rd among MLB qualifiers.
    So what does this have to do with Lorenzen?
    Last we saw him, he was getting lit up the second half of 2023 -- he ended the season with an ERA over 5.50 after joining Philly and was dropped from the rotation -- awful except maybe it was just fluke results, fatigue, or simply bad pitch selection after swapping teams.
    Stuff + is again the weighted results of every pitch thrown by every pitcher.  
    Stuff+ Averages/Standard Deviations Pitch Type Average Standard Deviation Four-Seam Fastball 99.2 18.3 Changeup 87.2 16.4 Curveball 105.5 16.8 Cutter 102.1 14 Knuckle Curve 110.3 16.4 Sinker 92.5 13.6 Slider 110.8 15.6 Split-Finger 109.6 30.2 Lorenzen pitches graded out like this:
    All FB types 98 (above average), Sinker 82 (below average), cutter 91 (below average) Slider 116 (above average), Curve 104 (above average)*, Change 95 (above average).  There seems to be a disconnect between what the stringers are calling a cutter and what Baseball Savant sees as a cutter because they only show him throwing 22 of them and that's not adding up.  it's likely that his sinker is being mistaken for a cutter and it's driving that grade down.
    The interesting thing about the info above is that if you look at his location+ data you'll see he's been doing an even better job of locating his pitches.. Location is the same for everyone and so -- 100 is league average regardless of the pitcher.  All FB types 100, Sinker 108, Cutter 66, Slider 102, Curve 111, Change 101.  This is where you can start to pick up how good the pitch has been for him.
    Pitching+ Averages/Standard Deviations Pitch Type Average Standard Deviation Four-Seam Fastball 98.1 8.2 Changeup 98.7 8.4 Curveball 103.9 7.2 Cutter 98.6 6.2 Knuckle Curve 104.5 7.2 Sinker 95.4 6.7 Slider 106 6.9 Split-Finger 107.6 10.3 This is probably the most important category -- what he's been able to do when you look at the quality of his stuff and how he's located it...
    All FBs 98, Sinker 100, Cutter 62, Slider 106, Curve 110, Change 102 -- don't look now but that sinker/cutter isn't helping him -- but is it even the sinker???
    Basically Lorenzen has four quality pitches Four Seamer, Slider, Curve, Change but there is some question what that fourth quality pitch may be.
    These are the averages allowed for the individual pitch types at Baseball-Savant.
    Pitch type -- wOBA (number of pitches)
    Four Seamer - .289m (794) 
    Slider - .282, (525)
    Change up - .270, (489)
    Sinker - .338, (277)
    Sweeper - .427 (142)
    Curveball - .962 (28)
    Cutter - .742 (22)
    When you compare his averages allowed from 2022 to last year it seems likely that there there is a large disconnect between what human stringers are charting .vs what statcast is charting.  It seems likely that the stringers are getting the sinker wrong as the averages allowed on it have actually been extremely consistent while the sweeper has seen pretty big swings year to year.

    Whatever.  The point is Lorenzen's actually pitched better than it may seem and most of the predictive data likes him.  Last year was his first time throwing more than 97 inning since 2015, he may have just been gassed.  If it's a tunneling issue that can be fixed, if it was fatigue then one can hope another year of added innings means he can keep pitching well longer.  But he's a relatively fresh arm career wise and he's got quality stuff.
    Plus if the Angels did sign him -- we'd see a lot less spam from our friend, Fredo AKA @Angels 1961.
  11. Chuck
    By Rob Goldman, AngelsWin.com Contributor
    Of all of Nolan Ryan's achievements, few garnered more attention than the 20-second skirmish between Ryan and veteran third baseman Robin Ventura in 1993. The fight has come to symbolize his Texas toughness, and it made Ryan a symbol of middle-age defiance.
    Much has been made about the "Ventura Fight" but most don't realize its roots started three years earlier in Florida.
    In the 1990s, Chicago's Craig Grebeck was one of baseball's smallest everyday players. Just 5'7", he compensated for his lack of stature with the attitude of Goliath.
    During a spring training game against the Rangers in 1990, Grebeck hit a home run on the first pitch and pumped his fists triumphantly as he jogged around the bases. Sitting on the Rangers bench, Ryan stared at the Lilliputian and made a mental note.
    A few months later the Rangers were at Comiskey Park. Ryan was on the mound, and Grebeck hit a home run off him. As he had in Florida, Grebeck whooped it up rounding the bases. When Ryan got back to the bench, he asked pitching coach Tom House, "Who is that boy?"
    House told him Grebeck's name.
    "How old is he?" asked Ryan next. “He looks like he's about 12."
    "He's pretty young," said House.
    "Well, I'm gonna put some age on the little squirt. He's swinging like he isn't afraid of me."
    "Sure enough," recalls House, "next time up [in the teams' next meeting], plunk! Nolan hits him right in the friggin' back. Grebeck was 0-for the rest of the year off him."
    Thus began three seasons of constant strife between the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox.
    "It didn't help," says House, "that Chicago hitting coach Walt Hriniak taught his hitters to cover the outside third of the plate. He even had his hitters dive toward the plate in order to cover the outside corner.
    "That was encroaching on Ryan's turf. His fastball spent so much time on the outside half it could have taken up residence there. 'Half the plate's yours, half is mine,' was Ryan's thinking. ‘you don't know what half I want. But if you're going to take away half of the plate that I want, you're gonna pay.'
    "He hit a bunch of White Sox. They had a philosophy that didn't quite fit in with Nolan's philosophy, and we had three or four fights with them, because Nolan would pitch into hitters that were diving."
    Robin Ventura disagrees. It wasn't batting stances that caused the friction, he says, but a good old-fashioned bean-ball war.
    "Hriniak didn't have anything to do with it," Ventura claims. "At the time in baseball the zone was low and away, and that was where pitchers were getting you out. We weren't the only team doing it. It was the kind of pitch that was getting called, so you just had to be able to go out and get it."
    In any case, altercations between the two teams accelerated:
    -August 17, 1990: Ryan hit Grebeck again in his first at-bat on the first pitch. Three innings later the Sox retaliated by hitting Rangers third baseman Steve Buechele.
    -September 6, 1991: Ryan hit Ventura in the back at Arlington.
    -August 2, 1993: Two days before the Ventura fight, Roger Pavlik of the Rangers hit Ron Karkovice. Chicago retaliated by hitting Dean Palmer twice and Mario Diaz once.
    "We had a lot of going back and forth that season," says Ventura. "Guys were getting hit regularly, and it was just one of those things where something was going to eventually happen."
    The night before the fight, on August 3, the White Sox manhandled the Rangers 11–6. Ryan was slated to start the following day against Alex Fernandez.
    In the first inning, Ventura tagged Ryan for an RBI single. In the Rangers' half of the second, Fernandez hit Rangers leadoff batter Juan Gonzalez on a 2-2 pitch. When Ventura came up again in the third frame, Ryan's first pitch plunked him on the back.
    "If you look at the replays, the ball wasn't really that far inside," says House. "It was just barely off the plate and it went off Ventura's back. Robin was starting toward first base when he abruptly turns and charges the mound instead. And the closer he got to Nolan, the bigger he looked. If you watch it in stop action, you can see Ryan's eyes were like a deer's in a headlight.
    "So everybody was surprised by what Nolan did next: Bam! Bam! Bam! Three punches right on Ventura's noggin!"
    Robin Ventura had hit Ryan hard in the first inning, and [Ryan] was trying to keep him off the plate.
    "Ventura charged to the mound but he didn't do a good job, and Nolan Ryan grabbed him and hit him pretty good. I was trying to hold [Ventura] off, but they were two big guys. I tried to cover myself because I have a scar on my face, and so I just grabbed [Ventura] from the back but that didn't do much."
    Rangers shortstop Jeff Huson watched it unfold from the bench.
    "All I could think about when it was happening was, What's Robin thinking?" Huson recalls. "You don't charge the highest authority -- that's just the way it is. I was shocked when he went out there. I remember Nolan saying that early in his career Dave Winfield had charged the mound and he didn't do anything about it, and later he vowed that if anybody ever charged the mound again he was going to take the offensive."
    To this day, Ventura maintains it was no big deal and that his reaction was pure instinct.
    "Everybody on both teams knew [Ryan] was hitting guys, and the mentality on our club was when he hits us, we're gonna hit one of them. So whoever got hit, I'm sure he would have went. He had hit Grebeck on purpose and he had hit me on purpose. It was going to happen no matter what. It just happened that Ryan was well known. Had it been anyone else, it would have all been forgotten.
    "Nobody said 'you had to go, charge the mound,' and we didn't talk about it beforehand. There was so much friction going on between us that eventually whoever got hit was probably going to charge anyway."
    Ryan's recollection of the incident echoes House's.
    "There was a buildup between the Rangers and the White Sox, and what Tom said was accurate about them diving into the ball," he said. "But Grebeck, their little center fielder, had had a lot of success off me and he was diving into the fastball, so I hit him one time. Not with the intent of hitting him -- I was trying to get him off the plate and back him off, and I hit him.
    "Earlier in the year I had a fight with Chicago over them hitting one of our guys, but certainly there hadn't been any issues between Robin Ventura and myself. In that particular game, his first time up I left a fastball out over the plate and Ventura hit a line drive to left field, so I felt like I had to get him off the plate. Next time I came in on him and hit him right behind the shoulder blade, but it wasn't on purpose."
    Regarding the rumored bounty supposedly put on him by the Sox, Ryan says, "I heard there was some kind of a vendetta, but do I know that for a
    fact or not? I don't know that for certain. As far as I know, Robin just reacted."
    When Ventura charged toward the mound, he slowed down just enough to run into a Ryan headlock. Nolan got in four quick right hands on the top of Ventura's head. His fifth and final punch got Ventura square in the face.
    Both benches emptied, and the main combatants disappeared under the surge of humanity. Ventura eventually emerged unscathed, but Ryan remained trapped beneath the pile and was nearly unconscious when help came from an unexpected quarter.
    "All I remember is that I couldn't breathe," says Ryan. "I thought I was going to black out and die, when all of a sudden I see two big arms tossing bodies off of me. It was [Chicago's] Bo Jackson. He had come to my rescue, and I’m awful glad he did, because I was about to pass out. I called him that night and thanked him."
    As two of the game’s biggest stars, Jackson and Ryan were natural rivals. Their friendly feud began in 1989, when Bo was with the Royals. "I had 3-2 on him," recalls Ryan. "I knew if I threw him a curve he'd probably chase it, but instead I threw him a fastball up to see if I could get it by him. As soon as it left my hand I knew I was in trouble, 'cause I knew it was gonna be down. When he hit it, I had to turn to see where it went because I knew he really got it. It turns out he hit it two-thirds up the way in straight-away center field in old Arlington Stadium."
    "I was watching Bo as he went around," adds House, "and boy, it was impressive. Two superstars in the moment, and as Bo is jogging around first base, Nolan makes eye contact and Bo makes a gesture like, I gotcha! and Nolan gives him a look like, What the hell is he talking about? "Well, the next time Bo's up, first pitch is a curveball, and Bo was like spaghetti-legged. Nolan struck him out six more times after that. I think he faced Bo 20 times, and struck him out 12 times."
    The day after Jackson’s tape-measure home run, when Ryan came out for stretching at 4:30, nobody was on the field.
    "I'm thinking, I may have the time wrong, when all of a sudden I hear way off in the distance, ‘Hey, Nolan!’" he recalled. "I look out and the whole team is sitting in the bleachers where the ball landed, and they’re waving at me. They were making sure I wasn't going to forget it."
    In a 1990 home game against Kansas City, Jackson led off the second inning with a one-hopper back to the mound that caught Ryan square in the mouth.
    "Nolan was more embarrassed than hurt," recalls trainer Bill Ziegler. "He was bleeding like a stuck pig. So in between innings the Rangers team
    doctor, Dr. Mycoskie, stitched him up. He pitched the rest of the game with black stitches coming out of his lip and blood all over the place."
    Kansas City’s George Brett later said, "Nolan’s scary under normal conditions, but facing him when he was all bloody was another level of intimidation altogether."
    The Jackson-Ryan rivalry was rooted in mutual respect, so it wasn’t so surprising that Bo came to his rescue on August 4.
    Ruth Ryan was awfully glad he did.
    "After Ventura rushed the mound, everyone in the park, including my kids, went wild," recalls Ruth, who was seated in the family section. "When Nolan didn't come out of the pile, I got concerned. With his bad back, sore ribs, and other ailments, he could easily have suffered a career-ending injury."
    When Nolan finally did emerge, he was visibly winded and his jersey was unbuttoned. Otherwise, he seemed to be intact. But a few moments later there was more pushing and shoving and the fight resumed. This time, Ryan and Ventura remained on the fringes, but some other players really got into it. Rangers coach Mickey Hatcher had a bloody gash above his eye, and Chicago manager Gene Lamont was taking on all comers. Several White Sox players taunted Ryan and he considered rejoining the fray, but the umpires restrained him.
    When it was finally over, Ryan remained in the game and Ventura and Lamont were ejected.
    Of all people, Craig Grebeck, whose gesture somewhat precipitated the tension three years earlier, came off the bench to pinch-run for Ventura. Ryan promptly picked him off first.
    In a show of stubborn focus, Ryan pitched four more innings. When he left at the end of the seventh, he had struck out five and given up three hits, with one earned run.
    Texas won the game 5–2, but the score was really irrelevant.
    "It was a split-second thing," Ryan told reporters after the game about his brawl with Ventura. "All you can do is react. you don't have time to figure out your options."
    Lamont believed his player getting hit wasn't an accident, and admitted his getting tossed was an act of protest after Ryan was allowed to remain in the game.
    "I think our guys felt Nolan hit guys on purpose and that was probably part of the reason Robin charged the mound, and they didn't like it," says Lamont. "I'm also positive there wasn't a vendetta. If there was one, it was without me knowing about it, and if that was the case our players would have been out there a lot quicker than they were."
    Leaving the park, Ryan figured he'd heard the end of it, but at the postgame dinner at a nearby restaurant, Reid Ryan and his friends couldn't stop rehashing the action. Brother Reese had videotaped the game, and when the family returned home, he entertained all comers by replaying the brawl over and over.
    When Reese asked his dad, who was in the kitchen sorting the mail, if he wanted to view the fight, he responded with a firm no.
    He was in a distinct minority. Broadcast networks were showing the fight continuously, and the late-night talk shows picked it up. The next morning the melee was front-page news.
    "Remember the Alamo!" George W. Bush proclaimed in the Dallas Daily News. "I saw Nolan square away like a bull and thought, This guy [Ventura] has lost his senses. It was a fantastic moment for the Rangers and elevated [Ryan’s] legend."
    Chicago's Jack McDowell insisted Ryan was culpable and was pleased that Ventura charged him. "Ryan had been throwing at batters forever, and no one ever had the guts to do anything about it," the Sox pitcher complained. "Someone had to do it. [Ryan] pulled that stuff wherever he goes."
    Fans across America were polarized. Ryan was their perpetual good guy in the white hat, and some didn't know what to make of their hero throwing punches in the middle of the infield.
    Arguments raged at dinner tables across America about whether Ryan did the right thing. The Dallas Morning News said it was bad for baseball. Fight Gives Game a Big Black Eye, argued its headline.
    When ESPN's Peter Gammons insisted that Ryan hit Ventura on purpose, the pitcher had heard enough.
    "If Robin had stopped before he got to the mound, I wouldn't have attacked him," Ryan explained to ESPN. "But when he came out and grabbed me, I had to react to the situation."
    Ryan thought the incident would eventually fade, but as time has passed interest in that dustup has never subsided. The Ventura fight has become a part of American folklore, an integral part of Ryan's legacy. Photographs of the fight are as common as postage stamps, clips of it are shown every season, and the clip has been viewed more than million times on YouTube.
    For almost two decades the two key combatants never crossed paths. Closure finally came in 2012, when Ventura was named manager of the White Sox. Early that season, Ryan and Ventura discreetly met in the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington tunnel. Ryan congratulated Robin on getting
    the manager's job; Ventura gave Ryan kudos for his recent successes in Texas.
    "I have nothing but respect for Robin and wished him the best," said Ryan.
    A man of his word, as team president Ryan issued a standing order that footage from the fight -- previously shown before Rangers games -- not be played on the scoreboard.
    Ventura, who was suspended two games over the incident, harbors no grudges.
    "I don't sit around thinking, Oh, my gosh, I should have done different, or whatever. I do get tired of talking about it, though. Mostly it’s press from Texas saying we want to talk to you about it."
    Ventura has always been known for his class and affability, and is highly respected in baseball circles. Here's hoping people remember him for something other than being the guy who got in a brawl with Nolan Ryan.
    -- Excerpted by permission from Nolan Ryan: The Making of a Pitcher by Rob Goldman. Copyright (c) 2014 by Rob Goldman. Published by Triumph Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Available for purchase from the publisher, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes.
  12. Chuck
    By @Inside Pitch, AngelsWin.com Contributor
    Interesting numbers..
    https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2021&month=0&season1=2021&ind=0&team=1&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2021-01-01&enddate=2021-12-31&sort=20,d

    Everyone who would have guessed Quintana had the best FIP among the SPs, raise your hand?   
    The Babip numbers for some of these guys are what you'd expect for small sample sizes -- all over the place.  As a team they have been totally normal for what you'd expect over a full 162 games (.301) -- but that ranks as the 10th highest in MLB which means compared to the rest of MLB they have been a tad unlucky early on. The HR/FB rates sort of indicate some bad luck or rather, fluke outcomes given what the HR/9 is.   The team K/9 rates are great, the BB/9 rate have been league average, the team GB rate has been elite.   Basically the early indications are that for the most part the pitching is likely to improve and if there is any truth to the thinking that inducing GBs and piling up K totals = future success the pitching staff has a lot going for it.  That HR/FB has basically been the issue.  Im guessing that figure will come down as they face less Astros, Jays and CWS hitters.
    https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2021&month=0&season1=2021&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2021-01-01&enddate=2021-12-31&sort=8,d
    Offensively...  A lot to like there.   K rates are low, walk rates are too but again -- the level of competition has been good.   Defensively -- despite the spurt of ugly errors for a couple games there the Angels have 3 defensive runs saved, behind only the Tigers with 5.  (3 teams tied with 3).
    Basically, there really hasn't been anything flukey good early on and there are indications things will get better in some key areas. 
    It's been a fun first 7 games.
  13. Chuck
    By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Columnist
    Angels third-round pick, Alberto Rios, chats with Taylor Blake Ward about what he learned while riding the bench his first two years at Stanford before becoming Pac-12 Player of the Year and a top draft prospect.
    Rios spent his first two years at Stanford as a bullpen catcher who received eight total plate appearances as a pinch-hitter, reaching base once. His junior season, the Cardinal put him in their starting lineup and all he did was hit, and hit, and hit, to a point of outperforming his first-round teammate Tommy Troy and earn him Pac-12 Player of the Year honors. Rios sets up with a rhythmic hand load and great balance as he turns and extends. He has a compact cut from the right side with some quick explosion and a great ability to find the barrel letting his natural strength drive the ball to all fields. He has solid zone coverage and pitch recognition, which aids to his hitability where he rarely chases and has shown the ability to hit higher velocity and adjust to off-speed. With his solid pitch recognition, Rios is a disciplined hitter with zone awareness and should be able to keep his swing-and-miss in check consistently aiding to his hit tool which projects above-average. There is some thud in his compact six-foot, 203-pound frame and his natural strength with average-or-above bat speed has allowed him to frequently tap into his power which plays to all fields and easy projection to see 15-20 home runs annually. There is plenty of faith in Rios' ability to hit, but that same faith is not shared in the other facets of his game. Rios is a below-average runner who is more of a grinding baserunner and though he has some active feet in the outfield, his limited speed and fringy arm make him a below-average fielder in left field where he spent the majority of his time with Stanford in 2023. The Angels opted to take him away from the outfield and selected him as a third baseman -- where he played as a prep -- where his feet may play a bit better but still with a below-average projection (the Angels worked him out at second base during a private workout). Rios has spent some time catching and has some raw receiving skills that make him a fascinating development project behind the dish, though the Angels will hold out until at least Instructional League before putting him there, if they do. Rios has shown a strong arm in glimpses, but it is mostly graded as fringy or below while his throwing mechanics would need attention to stick at catcher with the modern game leaning to more base stealing. If Rios can catch, his profile could have a meteoric rise as an above-average hitting catcher, but the likelihood is that the Angels will need to focus one defensive home whether it be third base, second base, left field, or catching (likely in that order) to capitalize on a special bat that could play as an everyday regular.
    Tim McIlvaine on Alberto Rios: “It’s a neat story with him. He was recruited by (Stanford). Got there and just really couldn’t get into the lineup. For him – he kept working hard, kept working at it. Something seemed to click for him in the fall and he really started swinging it well. Once they put him in there this spring, they couldn’t get him out of the lineup, and he ended up being Pac-12 Player of the Year. We followed him pretty closely. We have a guy that lives in Northern California, Scott Richardson, he’s around there a lot. He started calling me a little early on in the spring and was like, ‘Hey this guy, he didn’t really play, but he’s really good. He’s really swinging it well.' So, we kind of kept tabs on it and he didn’t stop and just got better seemingly every game this spring, so we ended up watching him a lot."
    Alberto Rios 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 293 PA, .384/.485/.707, 69 R, 18 HR, 73 RBI, 5 SB, 13.0 BB%, 14.3 K%
    Check out our interview with Alberto Rios below. 
  14. Chuck
    By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com
    When taking a look at performances from the Dominican Summer League and Arizona Complex League, there is an obvious caveat about the variance in play. Pending the league, the ages can vary from 16-years-old to 21-year-olds in the Dominican and 18-years-olds fresh out of high school or out of country to 24-years-olds who have spent the last four or five years at some of the premier college programs in the nation. Most kids haven't grown into their bodies so power could be at a minimum. Some pitchers throw in the high 90's with explosive breaking pitches, while others hardly top the mid 80's with hardly any sign of a secondary offering. Hardly any pitcher has a strong feel for the strike zone, so on-base percentages are highly inflated due to the high number of walks. Performance numbers can be fun, but only when taken with a serious grain of salt.
    Quickly hitting on some performance indicators, we already talked about the inflation of walks and high on-base percentages. Offensively, you should be looking at contact rate and low strikeout-percentages for future indicators of offensive success from a solely performance-based merit. For pitchers, you're looking at strike-throwing ability (i.e., BB%, BB/9) as even with low walk numbers will come the raw package of hindered command. Control is a fine thing to see on paper and is usually something you will see prior to command in and out of the zone once coming stateside.
    With that out of the way, let's dive into some of the Angels minor leaguers who put together strong seasons in northeast Boca Chica or southwest Tempe, whether performance based or by scouting merit.
    Tapping into the record books, the Angels Dominican Summer League affiliate has been in existence since 1992, with three years as a shared affiliate and one year without play. Records only permit us to date statistics back to 2006, but five different players for the Angels this year broke into the top-10 of affiliate records with one appearing seven times while tying a record. Luis Torres saw one of the greatest seasons for the DSL Angels with his 156 wRC+ being only second to Alexi Amarista's 158 wRC+ in 2007. Among DSL Angels single-season records, Torres scored the ninth most runs (48), had the ninth most hits (68; most since Johan Sala hit 76 in 2016) had the fifth most runs batted in (40), had the fifth most total bases (113; the most since Eduardo Soto had 117 in 2008), hit the third most home runs (8; trailing only Luis Jimenez (11 - 2007) and Raddy Sierra (9 - 2007))
    Let's walk away from the statistical confusion and admire Torres the player who signed for $10,000 in February 2022. Already well developed physically at six-foot-three and 210 pounds with his arms filled out well, there is some present strength and power from the right side in Torres' offensive profile. He has a free and loose swing that will open up to allow him to get to his power on pitches away. He did a fine job of controlling the zone and sparsely chasing which led to low strikeout totals. There is the natural tendency of young players to over swing which leads to hitting the top of the ball and high groundball totals, which was a very natural defect to Torres' game and is one of the first focuses of development once stateside. There's feel for hitting and his ability to get to his power is a positive trait where he turned on the ball well and put together some regular triple-digit exit velocities. Defensively, there's a lot of unknown as Torres was an outfielder as an amateur but immediately moved to first base with very limited playing time in the corner outfield.
    The big international splash over the winter, Nelson Rada showed exactly why he signed for such a high dollar ($1.85 million) in January. Spending the entire season as a 16-year-old, Rada was one week shy of being the youngest player in professional baseball this year, with 10 others being born between August 24-31, 2005 (yikes, we are getting old). Going back to the record books, Rada posted a 148 wRC+, which was fourth best in DSL Angels history; he scored the sixth most runs (48) in a single-season (the most since Pedro Toribio scored 50 runs in 2011), and stole the third-most bases at 27, tied with Raul Linares and trailing only Ayendy Perez (41 - 2013) and Pedro Toribio (32 - 2011). Rada reached base in 44 of 50 games he played, all in center field. It's clear the Angels see Rada playing a premium position in center field where he is a plus defender who is quick and direct to the ball and comes equipped with an above-average arm and outstanding athleticism. More instinctual than an actual burner, Rada clearly knew what he was doing on the basepaths and has double-digit steal potential with only average to better speed. At the plate, Rada keeps things fairly simple from the left side looking for pitches in his zone to drive to the gaps. There is some over-the-fence power that could turn into average power when he fills into his compact frame. Despite his youth, Rada has already shown good control of the zone and has a strong idea of what he’s doing at the plate with a focus on getting on base with a balanced approach that leans more to aggression.
    The other big bonus baby over the spring came in Randy de Jesus, an outfielder who signed for $1.2 million. More physically driven than Rada, de Jesus put up his expected power numbers while lessening the concern of how much swing-and-miss would be included in his offensive profile. His 13 doubles were tied for the ninth most in a single-season for the affiliate, while his seven home runs were fourth most as well as his 43 runs batted in being fourth most in a single-season and the most since Samir Mendez hit 44 in 2011. More intangible based, de Jesus is a smart player who is a fair athlete and makes smart plays in the field and base paths. Not always getting to his separation and finding some grooves in his timing, de Jesus was still able to tap into his big-bodied natural strength and will have to work on getting to the ball quicker once coming stateside to tap into his above-average potential. Going 2-for-2 with a three-run home run, de Jesus was named the MVP of the Dominican Summer League All-Star game.
    On the pitching side, DSL Angels rotation was headlined by Sadiel Baro, a lean 17-year-old left-hander who signed for $125,000 out of Cuba. Baro worked his fastball up to 92 over the summer while flashing a swing-and-miss curve and changeup that allowed him to work against hitters on both sides of the plate. Baro was a workhorse, having the most innings pitched (53.0) since Jose Soriano (57.0) in 2016, with the third most strikeouts (60) since 2014. Manuel Cazorla, a 17-year-old left-hander from Venezuela, showed good feel for locating his fastball in the bottom part of the zone while flashing an average curveball and the ability to pitch inside. Nixon Encarnacion was the big-arm splash for the Angels over the winter due to his strong arm from the right side. Encarnacion works 91-95 with positive signs towards his secondary offerings, while his athleticism gives hope of above-average command down the road.
    Other notables: Outfielder Ramon Ramirez posted a 142 wRC+ while hitting the seventh most doubles (14) and eighth most runs batted in (37) in the affiliate’s history. Capri Ortiz is a 17-year-old defense-first shortstop who saw a tail of two seasons at the plate, having a .542 OPS with five extra-base hits in his first 26 games, while having a .793 OPS with nine extra-base hits in his final 26 games. Dario Laverde and Jonathan Linares, both 17-year-old catchers, matched each other in basic offensive and defensive statistics despite differing profiles, both posting a 124 wRC+ while throwing out 41% of runners. Laverde is an athletic backstop with a better chance at sticking behind the plate while Linares is a switch-hitter with more offensive upside to his game. Marco Vega is a soft-tossing right-hander from Panama who will work in the mid-to-high 80’s but has a great feel for the zone and a better feel for his changeup than most at his age.
    After focusing on much of Boca Chica, let’s take a trip north to Tempe where the Angels Arizona Complex League club fell two run short of a wildcard berth in their final game of the season with the tying run at the plate.
    Perhaps one of the biggest risers on prospect charts in the Angels system this year was Jorge Marcheco, a 20-year-old (turned 20 on August 6) Cuban right-hander who signed last September for $350,000. After throwing a statistical no-hitter and near perfect game in three games with the DSL affiliate in 2021 (retired 27 of 28 batters with 20 strikeouts, only one to reach base was via a hit by pitch), Marcheco didn’t see the same dominance in Arizona (though who would expect that?) but still put together a solid showing for the year while encroaching on some affiliate records. In his 50.2 innings, Marcheco struck out 76 batters, the sixth most in affiliate history and most since 2009. Marcheco works mostly 89-93 with his fastball while incorporating a swing-and-miss curve and changeup/splitter that he can manipulate. There’s a limited ceiling to his game but he has backend of the rotation kind of stuff with present command indicators he could reach that ceiling.
    No one made as loud a presence at the start of the Angels development season as Walbert Urena, an 18-year-old Dominican right-hander. Hitting 100 in his stateside debut, Urena was a surprising unknown in prospect circles who despite being a six-figure signing in March 2021 ($140K). The triple digits didn’t come as common over the full season but there was plenty of arm strength and velo to dream on as he worked mostly off of his fastball that ranged 95-97. His secondaries have some progressive signs though are identifiable out of the arm, with his changeup being the better of the pair and his slider being inconsistent and rarely flashing more than average. He struggled to find the strike zone and lagged in fastball command but a solid athlete there are hopes he can work around the zone with that heat. Undersized at six-foot, it’s likely he will be a premium velo reliever type.
    Caden Dana received the highest bonus ever among players taken after the 10th round in the bonus pool era at $1.4975M and the initial returns show that record bonus was well earned. Though he got limited time after the draft, the New Jersey prep arm had back-to-back scoreless outings – both two innings each – to kick off his pro career and ended his summer in a do-or-die game where he allowed one run over two and two/third innings. It’s too small a sample to really rely on any of his performance numbers, but the reports indicate he was able to hold what he showed during his prep season and showcase summer going into his senior year. Working mostly with a two-pitch mix, Dana will work in the low 90’s mostly but has been upwards of 95-96. The fastball is his primary weapon currently as he shows enough command of it to play with it around the zone and elevate in late counts, though it is hittable due to its minimal movement. Dana also has a high-spin curveball that he has struggled to locate but the pitch at raw is an above-average offering and will only improve with command. A project in every sense, Dana is a big-bodied kid at six-foot-four with athleticism and physicality whose strength and arm speed should be able to keep him as a starter through development. There’s a high ceiling to be tapped into but it won’t be an overnight miracle and he could be set for a lengthy development.
    It's rare for a 19-year-old rookie ball reliever to garner much attention, but Sandi Charle’s on mound improvement have made him an intriguing arm in the lower tiers of the Angels system. Tall and lean like an NBA shooting guard, Charle has long limbs and comes at you with size and aggression but has shown much better body control which aided to his strike-throwing improvements. His breaking ball has good velo and shape and can be a swing-and-miss pitch as it plays off of his low 90’s fastball with deception. He’s a relief only type but one to monitor.
    After three years at Texas-Rio Grande Valley and a brief stint in Indy Ball, Christian Sepulveda signed with the Angels in April. Splitting time between Arizona and High-A Tri-City, Sepulveda was an elder statesman who performed well in Arizona posting a 146 wRC+ with five home runs, among the most total over the last half decade. Spending most of his time at shortstop as an amateur, Sepulveda played the corner infield for the year. He’s organization depth but put together a notable performance in 2022.
    Signing the same day as his island counterpart Marcheco, Anthony Scull came to the Angels for $235,000 in September of 2021 and has turned a few heads in the process. The son of former Cuban baseball star and Olympian, Antonio, Scull has a swing reminiscent of his father with a closed stance, short load, and good bat speed. His season was limited to 13 games after initially starting the year in Boca Chica, and when in Arizona he displayed his offensive prowess hitting .306 with an .807 OPS. Focus will fall on the bat as he’s not as strong an athlete as other outfielders in the system, but a corner platoon bat could be in his ceiling. At just 18-years-old, the Angels have plenty of time with Scull.
    The top international signee from 2021 who came to the Angels for $2 million, Denzer Guzman kept his head above water through the course of the Arizona Complex season while his performance was moderately better than league average, but age relevancy and physical based numbers indicate it was better than the on-paper product. Guzman, 18, was able to hit for a 109 wRC+ with 11 doubles and three home runs in 192 plate appearances which is fine for a blossoming prospect younger than the core of the league. He’s still growing into his frame and more power can be expected though it is likely he’ll have below-average power. His feel for hitting and finding the barrel though will keep interest in seeing him as a potential everyday player, and in particular, his defensive traits. Playing at the premium position of shortstop where he played solely in the CPX, Guzman makes smart decisions in the field and had the quick feet to make regular and challenging plays at the position, supported by a strong arm. Prior to the Angels drafting Zach Neto, Guzman was the prospect seen as the most likely to stay at shortstop long term. Following the complex league season, he earned a promotion to Low-A Inland Empire where he’s expected to begin in 2023.
    After spending his debut pro season as a leadoff man in the Dominican, Jorge Ruiz picked up where he left off as the consistent leadoff man in Arizona where he outperformed himself upon coming stateside with a 122 wRC+ while making smarter decisions at the plate. A contact-focused hitter from the left-side, the 18-year-old outfielder was more aggressive at the plate which allowed him to stay in hitter’s counts and cut down his strikeout rate and SwSt% (14.1%) while adding some more intent to his swing despite still being an upper-body heavy and armsy swinger who has slap tendencies. There is limited to minimal over-the-fence power projection and he’s more set for the gaps and being a 20/30-grade power guy with instinctual baserunning due to his fringe-average speed. A solid athlete, Ruiz is a capable defender in center field and has some depth hopes.
    Other Notables: Originally assigned to Low-A Inland Empire, Jenrry Gonzalez was sent back to Arizona where he shined allowing two runs in 20.1 innings with five walks and 32 strikeouts. He’s a low velocity southpaw (87-89) with a decent breaking ball who is finesse-over-stuff. Not dissimilar to Gonzalez is Luis Viloria who is a strike-throwing machine but lacks a true secondary and operates in the mid 80’s. Similar to Gonzalez and Viloria but from the right side is Luis Nunez who has a high 80’s to low 90’s fastball with natural cutting action and a sweepy slider that allows him to work away from right-handers. Nunez allowed three runs in 27.1 innings. Though rehab is usually not notable, it is in the case of Jose Soriano who was once one of the Angels top prospects. Soriano, who was taken by Pittsburgh first overall in the Rule-5 Draft and returned over the winter, has struggled with health his entire career, but when healthy offers an explosive two-pitch mix from an athletic delivery. It was no different in his rehab appearances in Arizona where he sat 96-99 early in outings but fell to 93-96 after an inning. Soriano also has a 2700 RPM slider that has been a swing-and-miss weapon for him throughout his career. One last note on the pitching was Kenyon Yovan transitioning from the plate to the mound (again). A former draft prospect as a pitcher, the Angels signed Yovan (cousin of Keynan Middleton) as a first baseman who hadn’t pitched during his senior year at Oregon. Upon his return to the mound, Yovan has worked 93-96 with a workable breaking ball, and he has dominated since returning to the mound. Matt Coutney, the Angels 10th round selection in 2022, got his post-draft work done in Arizona where his pro debut which included a home run kept the intrigue while the following eight games were lackluster but too small a sample to lean on anything. Coutney is a power bat who is set for first base and maybe some short corner outfield time. Johan Macias had a loud offensive season, batting .322 with an .833 OPS that included 11 extra-base hits in 49 games. The top undrafted player for Arizona was Mason Holt from UL-Monroe who had just 16 games by the end of the season but justice in those games with a .296/.377/.389 slash and six stolen bases, while playing some solid defense in the outfield.
  15. Chuck
    By @Dochalo, AngelsWin.com Contributor
    The Angels are a good team.  Probably the best team fielded in 5 years. 
    They could have been better.  
    It would have taken money though. Probably a decent chunk more money.  The Angels opening day payroll is projected around 189 million.  That's pretty good.  Good enough for other teams to be jealous. Double or at least a lot more than that of some other really good teams.
    Here's a fun article:
    https://thecardinalnation.com/ranking-major-league-baseball-teams-financial-strength/
    First of all the caveats.  I have no idea if their numbers are totally accurate and it's some dude from a site called 'the cardinal nation'.  I know how I feel about all things cardinal related.  But I thought it was an interesting look.  But we've had this discussion.  Financial people smarter than I have made their valid points etc.  
    But here's my point.  It doesn't matter if other teams are figuring out how to be more efficient in terms of talent relative to the opportunity that the Angels have right this second.  Yes it matters for long term viability and success.  But not for 2022 and maybe even 2023 and 2024.  The team is clearly in reasonable if not very good financial shape.  
    So let's digress for a second and I promise I'll come back to the actual topic.  The Angels have the highest percentage of non-arb and non pre arb players.  Hmm, I wonder why that is.  Why does it always feel we are limited on a yearly and that there's always the sentiment of 'well, wait till that guys off the books'?  So I'll provide the obvious answer to my own semi-rhetorical question.  We just haven't drafted and developed all that well.   That's catastrophic for many reasons but it does impact this years team and how we're gonna get back on topic.  Sort of.  
    The other way to make your team better than spending is to trade for really good players.  But you have to have some players that are going to be really good in the future to do that.  And let's talk about that for a second.  Trades are really really hard.  More difficult than throwing a truck of money at a guy to convince him to play here.  You need scratch.  Dinero.  Moolah.   Greenbacks.  (in terms of trade capital of course).  And with all due respect ( @Lou )to @totdprods, no one wants Jordyn Adams for a really good player.  And no one is going to properly value Arol Vera or Denzer Guzman because they haven't done much yet.   And if you do have a couple good players that are in line to contribute then you can't part with those guys.  Every phone call Perry took as it relates to a trade was Detmers, Adell and Marsh.  Oh My!  And the answer was always going to be and should be no!   So you're either stuck with accepting lesser value or damaging the absolute core of your major league club.  SO NO TRADES! (yet). 
    Which leads us back to spending to make this work.   So there's an important question to ask about that.  Do you have a window?  Some might contend that it's a small, frosted glass one looking out from your shower but I think it's a bit bigger and more clear than that.  This is already long enough without getting into that having to do with some young guys and the ages of a few key player and how long it might take for the next wave etc.  But it's there more right now than it's been for awhile.  That's good enough for me.  
    So why am I optimistic yet disappointed? (finally right?)
    Let's break it down by position:
    C 
    Optimistic - Max Stassi of course.   That extension is great.  Locking him up for the foreseeable future.  He won't be confused with an elite C and at 31, there's some age concerns for a 3+ year deal, but he's not being paid like and elite guy by any means.  He's a good receiver and handles the staff well.  A better hitter than I ever expected and even if he tapers off a bit, he's only being paid a few mil more than most backups these days.  
    Disappointed - Are you kidding me Perry?  Kurt Suzuki?  I know it's a pretty small thing but great teams care about small things.   They missed a win here.  Easily.  And I'll never be convinced what he does off the diamond makes up for his poor on field play.  And it really wouldn't have cost much to do better.  And extra 2m to get Manny Pina.  Less than what they're paying Suzuki to get someone better.  
    INF
    Optimistic - Rendon is back healthy.  Excited to see Walsh take a step forward.  Fingers crossed, rabbits foot, horseshoes all ready to help Fletcher get back to form.    Matt Duffy is a decent depth piece.  Wishing and hoping and dreaming still on Rengifo.  Davis can repeat last year?  Stefanic can rake.  Mayfield become a late bloomer?  He's got so pop and plays really good defense.  Wade and Velazquez can pick it and they can run.  So a lot of unproven depth with some upside that likely requires timing get these guys optimized.   Finally, I'm just gonna assume they've fixed whatever plagued what should have been a decent defense last year.  
    Disappointed - Walsh can hit lefties.  They might have figured out Fletcher.  And they'll likely play him at a position that doesn't maximize is defensive value.  And waiver pickups plus minor league depth for a team looking to make the postseason?  C'mon.  You can do better Perry.  You should have done better.  Not Correa or Semian or Seager better, but at least Villar better for 6m.  Switch hitter that could have spelled Walsh if he still struggles.  Can play 3b if Rendon gets hurt.  A starter in the MIF if Fletch fails again or even if he doesn't.  They were a decent depth piece away from making thing acceptable and giving everyone a fair amount more comfort.  
    OF
    Optimistic - Trout.  I could probably stop there but I pumped about watching Adell and Marsh.  Adell looked really good.  Marsh is gonna quietly be valuable.  People might get a bit frustrated with him at times but the contribution will be there.  Don't sleep on Taylor Ward.  He's becoming a better defender with increased reps and he's a better hitter than he gets credit for.  And he can run.  Rojas and Fletcher and Walsh and maybe even Lorenzen can get thrown out there in a pinch if needed.  And Rojas can hit.  And there's a bit of low ceiling depth in AAA in Martinez, Cabbage, Thomas and Sierra.  
    Disappointed - not much other than I'm sad to see Upton go because he seems like such a good dude.  Not sure the timing was perfect, but his best days were behind him.  Probably even his palatable days.   A little concerned about Marsh and Adell not continuing their progress.  But not enough to go out and sign another OFer.  So no spend here.    
    SP
    Optimistic - Thor looks great.  Detmers looks great.  So much more like the successful guy in the minor last year as opposed to the nervous rookie last year.  Lorenzen looks capable of handling a starters role.  Suarez and Sandoval ready for the next level.  Bachman moves quick.  There's some depth in Junk, Barria, Daniel, Smith, Diaz.  
    Disappointed - Health, depth, and attrition.  The first one is just a given but relates to depth.  And even if they all do well, you're back to having significant needs again or doling out a big time contract for Thor and/or the additional value that you've enabled Lorenzen to obtain if he succeeds.   Outside of Bachman, there still no high ceiling depth until Rodriguez comes back and hopefully Canning can heal quick.  A year or two from now, I think I'll feel a lot better.  But I'd have spent on one more stable piece.  Even if it were underwhelming to some who have pined for that TOR arm.  Cost would have been in the 10-20m range.  Deal with the good problem of having too many SP should it ever occur like Santa riding a unicorn during a Martian eclipse.  
    RP
    Optimistic - best pen on paper we've had in a long time (get it?).  Dare I say it's almost good enough to save Joe from himself?  And there's a ton of depth with some potential fast risers.  There's like 20 guys who could fill out the AAA pen.  Seriously.  And then all the A+ and AA college guys we just draft.  
    Disappointed - They overspent.  Almost 95m on the pen for the next 2-4 years.  About 30m for 2022 alone.  Again, I'm certainly not complaining on Iglesias or even Loup for that matter.  But there are a ton of arms in the system that can be here pretty quick and smart GM's figure out how not to spend on the pen.  It's not that I don't love a good pen it's just that I see money better spent elsewhere.  Especially when you have the depth we do now.  
    DH 
    Optimistic - Ohtani.  How cool is it that the collectively bargained to make sure that Ohatni gets as much mlb face time as possible.  Just thought he deserved his own category.   
    Disappointed - nope
    Was going to add a coaching category but I'll leave it alone.  Bottom line is that another 10-20 could have made a difference and I think would have been worth it for this team.  Basically, Robbie Ray + Villar - Tepera = an additional 5-6 wins.   It's a good team that's a bit more thin in certain areas than I'd like and that easily could have been addressed.  But I am glad they didn't do anything drastic or desperate.  Which I was frankly a bit worried about going into the off season.  
  16. Chuck
    ANAHEIM – The Angels selected SS Zach Neto from Campbell University (Buies Creek, NC) as their first pick (1st round, 13th overall) in the 2022 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The announcement was made by Angels Director, Amateur Scouting Tim McIlvaine.
    Neto, 21, finished his third year at Campbell University where he hit .407 (81/199) with 23 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 50 RBI. The shortstop paced the Big South Conference in average, hits, doubles, runs scored (65) and OPS (1.283). Neto also went 19-for-20 in stolen base attempts and struck out just 19 times in 199 at-bats for the Fighting Camels. A two-time Big South Player of the Year (2021 and 2022), Neto amassed a .403 (152/377) career average in three years with Campbell along with 40 doubles, five triples, 27 home runs and 108 RBI.
    The Miami, FL native prepped at Miami Coral Park Senior High School where he was a three-time all-district team honoree after posting a career. 407 average with 19 doubles, six triples, two home runs and 37 RBI. The Angels held the 13th overall pick in the Draft for the third time in franchise history. Neto joins threetime All-Star Frank Tanana (1971) and 10-year MLB veteran Casey Kotchman (2001) as Angels selections with the #13 pick. After selecting RHP Sam Bachman (9th overall) last year and LHP Reid Detmers (10th overall) in 2020, the Angels have drafted a position player with their initial first round pick for the first time since 2019 (SS Will Wilson – 15th overall).

    The Halos 40-man roster currently features nine players who were first round selections, including five who were first round picks by the Angels: Jo Adell (10th overall by Angels – 2017), Archie Bradley (7th overall by D-backs – 2011), Reid Detmers (10th overall by Angels – 2020), Michael Lorenzen (38th overall by Reds – 2013), Anthony Rendon (6th overall by Nationals – 2011), Matt Thaiss (16th overall by Angels – 2016), Touki Toussaint (16th overall by D-backs – 2014), Mike Trout (25th overall by Angels – 2009) and Taylor Ward (26th overall by Angels – 2015).
    The Angels will make eight selections tomorrow in rounds 3-10 and will have 10 selections on Tuesday to conclude the Draft.

    --@ANGELS--
  17. Chuck

    Angels Win?

    By Chuck,

    By Chuck Richter, AngelsWin.com Founder
    Over the past 16 seasons, starting in 2004, we’ve watched 2,592 games together since the launch of the website Angels”WIN”.com. Over that time, the Angels have compiled 1389 Wins vs. just 1203 losses, boasting a .536 winning percentage. 
    While the past few years haven’t been so kind to us, on AngelsWin we have much to reflect on and be excited for in the future as fans. Since ’04 we have witnessed greatness in the form of player achievements, been blessed with two different MVP’s, acquired the first two-way player since Babe Ruth, signed a World Series champion & generational player, we FINALLY beat Boston in the playoffs, been to the postseason seven times and boy does the future look bright in Trout, Ohtani, Rendon & Adell…oh my! 
    Be that as it may, it’s not all about the W/L. Over the past 16 seasons, we’ve gotten to share some of the finest sports moments together on our community forum. We have had the opportunity to celebrate the victories on & off the field, both in season, postseason and during the offseason. We’ve also witnessed tragedies and experienced loss together. Essentially, this is what binds and merges the words “Angels” & “Win” together. 
    A wise man once said to look at the long view in life because yesterday, today and tomorrow could all unfold quite differently. After winning the World Series in 2002, only to follow that up with a disappointing season in ’03, I felt it was time to build a home for Angels fans that could experience the pure joy of ’02 but go through the difficulty of a season like 2003 together. So the construction of AngelsWin began shortly after the disastrous ’03 campaign ended and we launched in February of 2004.
    Reflecting back on the past 16 seasons together at AngelsWin.com, I’m pleased that our website & online community has exceeded my expectations. The friendships, the memories, the events, the good and the bad both on & off the field … we’ve been able to experience it all together. Like friends.  Like family.  #AngelsFamily
    That in the end is the ultimate WIN.
    So here’s to another decade and a half of winning, Angels fans. 

    If you haven't registered for an account at AngelsWin.com and joined the community discussions yet, what are you waiting for? Sign up today here!
  18. Chuck
    Interview Conducted by Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Feature Writer

    Intensity is something you can’t teach. It’s not a pitch you can practice in the bullpen; it’s not a flaw in your swing you can fix in the batting cages. It’s an intangible that doesn’t show in stat lines on the back of baseball cards. It’s a personality trait that is found in winners and leaders throughout baseball’s long history.
    Few men are more intense when it comes to the game of baseball then Larry Bowa. Bowa played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball, 12 of those seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. Fast feet, soft hands, a quick temper, and unlimited determination characterized Bowa's years as a player in which he was selected to five All-Star games and was the recipient of two Gold Glove awards. The pinnacle of Bowa’s playing career came in 1980 however when he, along with Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose and Steve Carlton beat the Kansas City Royals in the World Series bringing the Phillies their first ever championship. Bowa would go on to play another five seasons before retiring in 1985.   Rather than enjoy retirement, Bowa instead chose to begin a new chapter in his baseball career by becoming the manager of the San Diego Padres in 1987. Bowa’s time in San Diego would be brief however as he and the Padres parted ways in 1988. Following his departure from San Diego Bowa would go on to become one of the great third base coaches in recent history as he would man the coach's box for the Phillies, Angels and Mariners.   In 2001, Bowa became the manager of the Phillies and that same year was named the 2001 National League Manager of the Year. Bowa and the Phillies would part ways in 2004 but his time off would be brief, he again found himself in the third base coach’s box, this time for the Yankees and Dodgers.   After departing the Dodgers in 2010, Bowa became an analyst with the MLB Network. Bowa draws from his years of experience as a player, coach and manager to provide viewers with in-depth analysis like only he can. I was fortunate enough to speak with Bowa recently to get his thoughts on his time with the Halos, their chances this season, and the changes that have occurred in baseball since his playing days.   AngelsWin: Larry, On behalf of Angelswin.com I’d like to thank you for your time this afternoon; I know your schedule is very hectic with the 2012 season approaching. You’ve been associated with the game of baseball in numerous capacities throughout the years, Angel fans though will recall your time with the Halos as a third base coach from 1997-1999, can you talk briefly about your time with the Angels and speak of your fondest memory?   Bowa: I remember how enjoyable it was to go to the ballpark every day. The stadium is beautiful. I recall that at the time the crowds weren’t necessarily what they are today for the Angels (in terms of attendance) and when the Yankees came to town it almost seemed like it was an away game for us. The Angel fans were always great though. It was also great being there around the time that the young outfielders were coming into their own, Salmon, Edmonds and Anderson were outstanding young players and were a lot of fun to watch.   AngelsWin: When you were a coach with the Angels, was there one player that you specifically took under your wing as a mentor? If so who, and what did you see in them that made you do so?   Bowa: Not so much as a mentor, but I really enjoyed Gary Disarcina. He was a terrific player, had a blue collar mentality and came to the ball park to play every single day. He was really the glue that held that infield together and he always seemed to fly under the radar. He was one of my favorite players to coach and watch play on a daily basis. He was a gamer.   AngelsWin: We talked about your coaching days with the Angels, how about opposing the Angels? As a coach, who was the one player wearing a Halo’s uniform that you dreaded facing and why?   Bowa: (Laughs) that’s a good question; I have to think about that one. I do know this, the team we did not like facing when I was with the Angels was hands down the Yankees. It always seemed like we played them close but one thing or another would happen and we would end up losing the game. We always felt we played them close and had a chance to win but it didn’t always work out in our favor.   AngelsWin: What one word would you use to describe yourself as a player? How about as a manager/coach?   Bowa: Intense. I was always intense, from the time I got to the ballpark to when I left, both as a player and coach.   AngelsWin: Can you give us a little insight as to why you were so intense? Where does it stem from and when did it start?   Bowa: I’d say it started in high school. I was actually cut from my high school baseball team and I wasn’t drafted out of college either. I had to work twice as hard and when I played the game I never took anything for granted. I played every game; every out like it might be my last. I think that is where the intensity came from.   AngelsWin: After years of playing, coaching and managing, how is it being away from the field and sitting in a studio commentating on the game? Has it been a big adjustment for you?   Bowa: It hasn’t been really. I get paid to come to work every day and watch baseball and talk baseball. The MLB Network treats us really good here.   AngelsWin: Do you see yourself ever coaching or managing again?   Bowa: If the right situation came along yeah, I do. Like I said, I’m happy with where I am at now but if the right situation comes a long I would be interested.   AngelsWin: You’ve been associated with this game for decades. As a player, coach, manager and now as a commentator, what accomplishment are you most proud of?   Bowa: A personal goal that I am very proud of is getting 2,000 hits. As it pertains to the team, it would be winning a world series in 1980. There is no feeling that tops winning a World Series, I don’t care if you hit .350 in ten straight seasons, it doesn’t compare to being a champion. That is what I am most proud of, being a part of that (Philadelphia) Phillies team and winning the World Series.   AngelsWin: Has the game changed for the better since your playing days?   Bowa: I think so, yes. I am a fan of the playoff format change, it builds excitement in cities around the league and it gives teams incentive to win their division. I am a fan of instant replay as well, every other sport has it and I think baseball should have it too. It’s important to get the call right.   AngelsWin: Some say there has been a power shift in the American League, from the East to the West. Do you agree with that?   Bowa: The AL West is definitely stronger than it’s been in a while. Those two teams (Angels and Rangers) are both very good and I think who goes to the World Series comes down to a battle between those two teams. From top to bottom though I think the AL East still has more depth and better quality teams. I don’t think a lot of people realize how good the Toronto Blue Jays are going to be this seasons. That gives the AL East 4 very good teams (Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and Blue Jays).   AngelsWin: The Angels and Rangers have developed quite a rivalry recently which has made for competitive and entertaining games. If you could pick one game to watch, either the Yankees vs Red Sox or the Angels vs Rangers, which game would you pick?   Bowa: I don’t think you could go wrong picking either of them. For me, it comes down to the (pitching) match-ups. The Angels rotation is very impressive and they have the ability to throw an ace out there on a nightly basis. Again, it’s hard to choose one game so I will base my decision off of the pitching match-ups between the two teams.   AngelsWin: Who do you predict will meet in the 2012 World Series?   Bowa: That’s difficult to say right now, there are some very good teams right now. I see it coming down to the Rangers or Angels for the AL. The Angels rotation is just so strong. The one question mark I think the team has though is Jordan Walden. I think if he can improve on his control then he could easily roll of 45 saves. I also think Detroit (Tigers) are going to be a very good team this seasons as well. As far as the NL, I think it comes down to the (Philadelphia) Phillies and the (St. Louis) Cardinals with the (San Francisco) Giants not far behind.   AngelsWin: Final question, I have got to know something. From a coach and player perspective, what did the team think of the late 1990’s Angels uniform? Were you guys a fan of the winged “A” and the periwinkle blue?   Bowa: (Laughs) You know, they weren’t that bad. I will say this though; they aren’t nearly as sharp as the Angels uniform today. The uniforms today are really nice.   AngelsWin: Again, I just wanted to thank you for your time today Larry. You’ve provided us with some good insight on a lot of different topics. Angelswin.com really appreciates it.   Bowa: It was my pleasure. I hope you guys enjoy the season.   One thing became clear to me while I was speaking with Larry Bowa, the passion he has for the game of baseball hasn’t diminished since he became a commentator. When speaking about the game, Bowa is very sincere and the intensity that he displayed on the field for decades now manifests itself in the form of debating baseball topics. It wasn’t necessarily an interview but more two people just talking baseball. It was truly a pleasure speaking with a man that has accomplished so much in the game of baseball.   *Larry Bowa can be seen regularly on MLB Hot Stove, MLB Tonight and 30 Clubs in 30 Days on the MLB Network.
  19. Chuck
    Torii Hunter may be one of the most beloved former Angels in the history of their franchise so we wanted to pull some of our greatest hits from our old Blog into one column to reminisce a true fan favorite. 
    Let's start off with David Saltzer's piece, titled - Torii Hunter, my favorite Angel followed by Coral Marshall's Torii Hunter: A True All-Star. David Saltzer catches up with Torii Hunter in an interview (video) while he was promoting the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams and finally Brian Waller wraps it up in his All Good Things Must Come to an End article on Hunter. 
    Enjoy some of our finest through the years on one of our favorite all-time Angels. 
    Torii Hunter, My Favorite Angel

    By David Saltzer - AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    August 4th, 2010
    Years from now, Angels fans might look back on August 3rd, 2010 as the day the Peter Bourjos era began. He is a speedy, dynamic, defensively gifted outfielder who may become an integral part of the Angels’ future. But for me, I’ll remember the day as the day Torii Hunter became my favorite Angel player on the team.
    No one likes getting older. When I close my eyes, I don’t picture myself as the person I am standing in front of the mirror. I picture myself as the person I was in my prime, about 10 years ago—the guy with the full head of hair, who could bench a lot more, and who weighed a bit less.
    I’m just a few years older than Torii, so it’s not too hard for me to relate to the aging process. While my prime may have been a lot better than I am today, it never will come close to the athleticism that Torii had in his prime. Heck, my prime couldn’t touch his worst. So, it must be much harder for Torii to witness the inevitable toll that time takes on us all.
    When Torii Hunter, a nine-time Gold Glove winner in centerfield to agreed to move to right field so that Peter Bourjos could take over center, it took a lot of humility on his part. Torii said "I didn't sleep for three, four days. I prayed about it, thought about it . . . I think we need to do something different.”
    I’m sure that this decision didn’t come over easy for Torii. He’s a highly skilled, highly paid, and highly liked player. He’s vocal about what he thinks the team needs in order to win. He is the team’s de facto captain. He didn’t need to make this move. And yet, he did it. Rather than fighting it, he embraced it. In an era of mega-egos, Torii, the face of the franchise, owned the decision to take a back seat to the kid. "This is my decision. This isn't their decision." By stepping aside, he made the team better and gave the team its best shot to win.
    As an Angels fan, I want to see the best players on the field playing their hardest every day. I want to see the players playing with passion—running out every play as if it were their only chance to win a spot on the field. I want the players playing selflessly, not selfishly. But more importantly, I want to see the Angels win. I want to see the players doing whatever it takes to win it all—even if it comes at the expense of their individual goals.
    "I could say I want to go for that 10th Gold Glove . . . But sometimes you've got to slap pride in the face and all that individual stuff – the Gold Glove stuff – you can let that go . . . All I care about is winning, I need a ring. I've been to the playoffs seven times and haven't won anything. I haven't been to the World Series yet, not even to lose . . . If this makes the team better, I'm going to do it."
    With those words and with his actions on the field, Torii showed me that his passion to win is as great as my passion to see the Angels win. He wants to win a ring as badly as I want to see them win another championship. He willingly put aside his personal goals to see the team win some bigger goals. As a fan, I couldn’t be more grateful to have him as a player.
    Baseball teaches a lot of life lessons. Sometimes it says in order to win you have to swing for the fence and hit a home run—the ultimate individual achievement. But other times, it also says, in order to be a winner, you sometimes have to lay down a sacrifice. Over the years, I’ve seen Torii hit a lot of homers but I can’t recall ever seeing him lay down a bunt—until today. By moving aside for Bourjos, Torii laid down a perfect sacrifice for the team.
    Ever since Tim Salmon retired, I’ve been asked by many people “who is my current favorite player on the team?” And, while there are plenty of good players to like, I haven’t had a clear favorite until now. Today I’m proud to say that Torii Hunter is my favorite current Angels player. He is the ultimate and rare champion—one who plays with a selfless passion to win.
    Torri Hunter: A True All-Star

    By Coral Marshall - Angelswin.com Columnist
    May 18th, 2009
    For someone who has won the Gold Glove for eight consecutive seasons, Torii Hunter is a guy who doesn't get much credit when it comes to the All-Star Game. Sure, a career .273 batting average with about 25 home runs a year are not the numbers one expects from an All-Star outfielder (think Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle or Ted Williams). Instead, Hunter's overall numbers are more akin to former Angel Fred Lynn, an All-Star who didn't make it to the game for the last seven seasons of his career. (He too averaged 25 homers a year and a .283 batting average, only .010 higher than Torii's.)
    But the All-Star Game isn't about comparing the past with the present; it is about electing who is most deserving in the early months of a season to a game that not only celebrates the players who have done the best so far, but also determines which league gets home field advantage in the World Series. This should not be about fans only electing big name players, or players from their favorite team, yet it inevitably comes down to that; evidenced by the fact that fans are not allowed to vote for pitchers, perhaps even more telling is the election of David Ortiz to play first base when games are in National League parks and designated hitters are not used. But fans of the game of baseball should instead vote for the players who will give them the best game possible, especially since each team is required to have at least one player represented on the roster.
    If the Angels are to have only one player on this roster, Torii Hunter is most deserving this season. This isn't to say that Mike Napoli and others have not stepped up to the plate metaphorically, but rather that Hunter has exceeded all expectations in Vladimir Guerrero's absence. While Napoli, Gary Matthews Jr., Bobby Abreu, Juan Rivera and the rest of the team have really come through in the trying times the Angels have faced with this season's injuries, Hunter has displayed the fielding and batting expertise necessary to hold the team together, which does not even include his clubhouse presence — which one can deduce from player interviews keeps everyone in good spirits.
    Instead of making the All-Star Game a who's who of baseball, fans should work to honor those who have made a difference on the field and carried their team to this point in the season. Torri Hunter has become a prime example of this. His defense is unmatched, as shown by the aforementioned Gold Gloves, and not to mention his almost nightly appearance on baseball highlight reels. And to be honest, the numbers don't lie — Hunter has a perfect fielding percentage so far this year; that means no errors.
    His offense has been impressive so far this season, too. Before Sunday's game, the Angels had a total of 27 home runs this season, of which Hunter had hit 9; that's one-third of the total for the team. (Is anyone else reminded of Babe Ruth in the 1920s by that kind of percentage?) His total ranks him No. 10 in the AL. His at-bats-per-homer ratio is an impressive No. 10 in the league, as well. With 14-plus position players in a game like the All-Star Game, where players are likely to only get one or two at bats for the entire game, this is a highly important statistic. The fewer at bats, on average, it takes for a player to hit a home run the more likely in any game (let alone a game that they will more than likely not bat the minimum three times) they are to do so, increasing the odds of scoring at one time rather than having to put together a rally. While his batting average may not have him on any leader boards before Sunday's game, he was batting .317 this season (an entire .029 points higher than his highest single season average), and more importantly his .611 Slugging Percentage ranks him ninth in the American League, while his 1.012 On-Base Plus Slugging percentage puts him at eighth.
    Hunter has not only stood out amongst the Halos this year, but amongst the entire league. Who knows, with these numbers, maybe by the end of the season this will become a petition for an MVP instead of an All-Star Game bid.
    Promoting the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams, AngelsWin.com got a chance to interview 9-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter.
    August 2nd, 2011
    All Good Things Must Come to an End

    By Brian Waller - AngelsWin.com Columnist
    Nov 6th, 2012
    All good things must come to an end, and it appears as though fan favorite Torii Hunter’s days in a Halo’s uniform have come to an end; with the door only slightly cracked for the mayor of “Toriitown” to return. After signing a 5 year $90-million deal with the Angels on November 22, 2007 Hunter seemed like the perfect fit for the team. Sure his contract was a little on the pricey side and sure he didn’t appear on paper as the “impact” player the team had been seeking the previous season or so but none the less the marriage seemed perfect; it was consummated at a Del Taco after all.

    From afar, I think we all could agree that Hunter was and is the type of player that any fan would love to have on their team. The former 1st round pick of the 1993 amateur draft spent 9 full seasons in Minnesota where he made two All-Star appearances and compiled 192 home runs, 711 rbi’s, swiped 126 bases all while hitting .271 with a .793 OPS. Perhaps Hunter’s most impressive attribute on the field was not his offense, but what he did defensively. In those same 9 seasons with the Twins, Hunter racked up 7 Gold Glove awards and proved himself to be one of the best defenders in Major League Baseball.
    As an Angel fan I can honestly say I was pleased with the signing at the time and figured he would be a great addition to the team both offensively and defensively. What I didn’t take into consideration however was the impact Hunter would have on the Angels’ clubhouse as well as the Southern California community. Through the years Hunter has contributed to many charities including his own, the “Torii Hunter Project Education” Initiative, which provides college scholarships to students in California, Arkansas, Nevada and Minnesota. Hunter is also very involved in a partnership with Major League Baseball to help maintain and improve baseball diamonds in inner cities as well as the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the “Big Brother” program. In 2009 Hunter was acknowledged for his hard work in the community and charitable services when he was presented with the Branch Rickey Award; an honor bestowed upon those in the MLB that go above in beyond in the community and who show excellence in charity work.
    Hunter became something the Angels hadn’t had since Tim Salmon retired; a face of the franchise. Hunter became the voice of the clubhouse, someone who from afar, seemed to put the team on his shoulders when needed and handled the media when things got rough. He was the cheerleader in the off season reaching out to players to sign with the Angels; players like Carl Crawford, C.J. Wilson, etc. As a fan it was both enjoyable and refreshing to see a player so passionate about his team he would take to Twitter and other media outlets to entice free agents to done Angels red; even though it didn’t always work out.  Hunter’s leadership qualities really became apparent when he voluntarily moved from center field to right field in 2011 to make room for a speedy Peter Bourjos and eventually Mike Trout. Rather than show bitterness and shun the up and coming players, Hunter took his years of knowledge and helped teach the youngsters because he knew it was best for the team. When you really take a step back and realize that a player who had won nine consecutive gold gloves in center field during his career made such an unselfish move you really appreciate just what type of player and person Hunter is.
    Hunter would go on to become a solid contributor to the Halos on the field. He won his 8th and 9th Gold Glove awards while with the Angels and also won the only Silver Slugger award of his career in 2009 (thus far). Hunter made the All-Star team twice; most notably in 2010 when the All-Star game was hosted at the “Big A”. Although injury prevented Hunter from participating in the All-Star game it still gave the fans a tremendous sense of pride having one of their own and the face of the franchise voted in to the annual summer classic. Hunter would go on to hit 105 hr, 432 rbi’s, steal 60 bases and hit .286 with an .814 OPS during his 5 year stint in Anaheim; numbers that are not necessarily “eye popping” but again, his value cannot be measured in mere stats.
    Watching a fan favorite change teams is never easy, it’s all most like a break up of sorts with the Angels telling Torii “it’s not you….it’s me”. Although both sides may appear to part ways amicably there always will be lingering feelings due to just how intermingled the two were due to Hunter being the face of the franchise. We all have our favorite “Torii moments” and although it is easy to get wrapped up and attached to players we do need to realize it is a business. Hunter has intangibles that can’t be given a stat and won’t show up on the back of a baseball card; how important those intangibles are remains to be seen. The Halos will most likely find out in 2013 what life is like without Hunter and hopefully the dollars saved are worth his absence and will be put to good use.
  20. Chuck
    Interview conducted by David Saltzer and Tres Hefter 
    Who doesn’t like a blue-collar player? A scrapper. A grinder. The kind of player who leaves it all out there on the field and doesn’t get cheated in an at bat.
    Players like that quickly become fan favorites. They make the team better than their individual stats suggest. Fans connect with them because in many cases, that’s the kind of player they wish that they could be.
    In David Fletcher, the Angels have one of the best blue-collar players in the game right now. He is one of the toughest outs at the plate. He plays great defense at multiple positions. He leads off the game and sets the table for the heart of the order. He doesn’t strikeout often and gives his all on every play. He makes the Angels a better team whenever he is in the lineup.
    We recently had the opportunity to sit down with David Fletcher to talk to him about the 2021 season, his thoughts on baseball in general, and life off of the field. We asked questions from fans that we received on our website, www.angelswin.com, Facebook, Twitter, and from our panel of writers. Along the way we talked about his 26-game hit streak (2nd longest in Angels history and the longest in MLB this season), what it’s like to play for his hometown team, watching Ohtani’s spectacular season, who the best Angels poker players are, and what he’s seeing in the younger players that are making the team.
    David Saltzer: This is David Saltzer and Tres Hefter from AngelsWin.com speaking today with Angels’ infielder, David Fletcher. David, how are you doing today?
    David Fletcher: Doing great. How about you?
    David Saltzer: Doing great. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. We’d like to talk a little bit about your season, about baseball in general, and then a little bit of life outside of the stadium.
     David Fletcher:  Perfect.
    David Saltzer: I’ll start with some questions about the season. Can you tell us a little bit about the season, how is went from your perspective?
    David Fletcher: Definitely, some ups and downs for us. You know, we had a lot of injuries, obviously. And yeah, I mean, so far, it’s been a little rough up and down, but we’re just going to finish strong and keep showing up to the field ready to win games.
    David Saltzer: In terms of your season this year, you started off a little slowly, and then you went on this amazing hit streak. What really changed for you , and what really clicked so that you were able to really go on that hit streak?
    David Fletcher: I think just, kind of, a natural ups and downs of the game, and just having my timing get a little better, kind of just being more—just being more right at the plate.
    David Saltzer: You know, at the time, your manager, Joe Maddon, was juggling you a little bit in the lineup. How does that affect you as a player to have that adjustment, and what are you trying to do in different spots in the lineup?
    David Fletcher: It doesn’t really affect me much. Pretty much take the same approach whether I’m leading off, hitting second, ninth, wherever. So, I mean, more than anything, just the situation of the game dictates my approach, not really where I’m hitting in the lineup; more so, where the runners are, the score of the game, who’s pitching, things like that.
    David Saltzer: When you were on the hit streak, how aware of it were you that, you know, every day, and what were you thinking as you were going through the hit streak?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, definitely aware of it, and it was exciting. And yeah, I definitely wanted to keep it going as long as I could. So, hopefully, I can start another one soon.
    David Saltzer: You know, you work the count really well; you have a good two-strike approach, stuff like that. Where did you really learn how to do that, and, you know, at the plate, what are you thinking when you’re battling like that?
    David Fletcher:  Yeah. I mean, I’ve always wanted to be a tough out at the plate. And ever since I was little, you know, don’t want to strike out, and wanted to put the ball in play and make it a tough at-bat for the pitcher. So yeah, I’m just up there. You know, when I get two strikes, battling and looking for a pitch I can hit hard and put in play. And that’s about it.
    David Saltzer: Who would you say are the toughest pitchers? And who would you say that you’ve faced, and, you know, what are some of the tricks that you had to try and battle with them?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, there’s a lot of good pitchers in the league. I mean, Gerrit Cole, the guy we recently faced, really good stuff, doesn’t make many mistakes, so you’ve got to, kind of, be ready to put the first pitch you get to hit in play. With him, like I said, just get a good pitch to hit and put it in play and hope for the best.
    David Saltzer: You know, this season, we’re watching something spectacular with the Angels with Shohei Ohtani. What are all the other players in the clubhouse thinking as they’re watching this? And what are you thinking watching what he’s accomplishing?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, I mean, he’s always had the ability to do this. It’s not anything new to any of us that have seen him play the last couple of years. It’s just, kind of, all come together a little bit this year for him on the mound and at the plate. And it’s pretty incredible to watch on a daily basis.
    David Saltzer: You know, lots of fans have, like, bets or things like as to what he can accomplish this season. I have a bet with my cousin that he’ll hit a certain number of home runs and so forth. Do you guys ever make bets or things about, like, what he can accomplish this season?
    David Fletcher: No. No bets and stuff like that. But, I mean, it’s pretty cool to see him pass some of these milestones and most home runs by a pitcher and most, you know, strikeouts and all these things. So, it’s just cool to be out there and watch it.
    David Saltzer: What’s the mood like in the clubhouse? And, like, when you get Trout—and, you know, we’ve seen Villar come back and stuff—what’s it like seeing some of these guys? And what does it do to the clubhouse when you get some of them back in the clubhouse to be there with you guys?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, it’s nice have them in there. It’ll be nice when we get a couple more of those guys healthy and back on the field. So, I’m just looking forward to that.
    David Saltzer: You know, now that you are one of the more seasoned players, what advice are you offering Marsh and Adell and players like that—some of the younger guys? And what are you seeing also in them and then also, some of the younger pitchers that are coming up?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, those guys have a ton of talent. I think for them it’s about, you know, taking good approaches and slowing the game down in big spots and, kind of, just the daily grind of the ups and downs and staying even keel.
    David Saltzer: Tres, do you want to take over?
    Tres Hefter: Yeah, absolutely. Hey, David. Thanks again for taking some time to talk with us. Good luck tonight at the game. My first question: you bounced around the field a little bit with the Angels. You’ve even seen some time in the outfield, and settled in pretty nicely at second base. Do you have a preference where you play or which position or which position you feel more comfortable at?
    David Fletcher: Honestly, I feel pretty comfortable, I mean, this year just playing second and short. But feel comfortable at both. I played short most of my life growing up through high school, college, minor leagues. So, always—always comfortable there, and obviously, played a ton of second base last couple of years. So yeah, I’m feeling good at second and also short.
    Tres Hefter: Great. Is there anywhere it’s been particularly challenging to play, especially, kind of, getting thrown right into the outfield?
    David Fletcher: I wouldn’t say the outfield was challenging, especially coming from the infield. It’s, kind of, a little easier to play out there but definitely different and took a little adjustment on the reading the balls off the bat. But I had fun playing out there in 2019.
    Tres Hefter: You know if you’re still the emergency catcher?
    David Fletcher: I don’t think I am; hopefully I’m not. But [laugh] I have to, I’ll go back there.
    Tres Hefter: Follow on that note, do you feel defensive shifting has taken away some of the reliance on instinct a little bit? Do you feel like shifting might be best limited or banned in the future?
    David Fletcher: That’s a tough question. I don’t think it should be banned or limited. I think it’s a good opportunity for hitters to take advantage of it if they choose to. I don’t think hitters take advantage of it enough. But yeah, I don’t think it’s a bad thing for the game. I don’t think it takes away from many instincts in the field. There’s still a lot of stuff that goes into it. So, I don’t think it should be banned.
    Tres Hefter: Thank you. You’ve now had three different managers in your time with the Angels. How has Joe Maddon impacted the clubhouse most? What’s been the most difference between the three?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, he was the same guy every day when he walks in. Always a positive attitude and a good relationship with all the players and good communicator. So, it’s nice to have him, kind of, be the same guy every day and lead us in that way.
    Tres Hefter: Great to hear. At what point in your career did it, kind of, dawn on you, like, “Holy Cow, I think I might actually make it to the majors.”? Did you ever have moments where you did things like look at your own baseball card or look at yourself in video games or check you baseball reference page and stuff like that?
    David Fletcher: What was the question? When it dawned on me that…?
    Tres Hefter: At what point, as you were coming up, that it, kind of, start to dawn on you that— “My God, I might actually make it.”?
    David Fletcher: I never put too much thought into it. Maybe A ball or maybe double A, started, kind of, climbing the ladder of the minor league and getting closer to the big leagues, so… But I always, kind of, was focused on where I was and just didn’t really put too much thought into the future. And obviously, wanted to play in the big leagues, and that was my ultimate goal. But it never really was showing up at the field every day thinking that.
    Tres Hefter: Right. I remember probably spring training around 2015 or 2016, you had a really great spring. I think that was the moment I, kind of, thought, “Man, this guy is going to make it,” and did.
    Tres Hefter: You proved me right, so thank you for that. [laugh] Feel good about that. How exactly have you been able to maintain such a contact-first approach in a game that’s become so centralized around these three true outcome-type players? Is that something that you’ve stuck with since you were little, and its just carried you this way? Or have you had to, kind of, fight to stay that way?
    David Fletcher: Yeah. It’s pretty natural for me. I, kind of, know what kind of player I am, and what I can bring. And then when the game starts, it’s just up there looking to win games and do what I can to help the team. So, it really doesn’t cross my mind very much at all.
    Tres Hefter: So, it’s comes naturally. But we had the opportunity to interview Rod Carew a couple months back, and he specifically called you out as far as what your skill set was and what it brought to the team and how much it vibed with the kind of baseball that he grew up playing, too. So, I just thought I’d pass that along. So, nice from a Hall of Famer.
    David Fletcher: For sure.
    Tres Hefter: Southern California brings a lot of baseball talent into this world, and you’re one of the luck ones that have been able to play for your home-town team. Are there any other guys that you grew up playing against or playing with that you’d like to face some day?
    David Fletcher: There’s a lot of guys in the big leagues right now that I grew up playing against or with. Ryan McMahon, Rio Ruiz, Ty France, JP Crawford, Thomas Eshelman, there’s a bunch of guys across the league that I grew up playing with or played against. A lot more than that, but those are just guys I can think about off the top of my head. But pretty cool to see southern California guys. And it’s, kind of, a small circle when end up looking at—you, kind of know everybody in some way or another. So, it is pretty cool to see.
    Tres Hefter: Did you know Jose Rojas at all when you all were coming up? Did you all play together when you were all young?
    David Fletcher: He’s the one guy that I didn’t play with or against. But obviously now, I get to talk to him a lot, and we know a lot of the same people, too.
    Tres Hefter:  Speaking of a little bit, how much do you keep in touch with your brother, Dominic? We saw him a few weeks ago at a minor league game here in Texas. I wonder if you all have ever had dreams of playing together, too?   
    David Fletcher: Oh, yeah; for sure. I talk to him all the time and check in with him, how his season’s going, and check on how he does every night. And yeah, it’s cool to see him doing well, and yeah, hopefully he can get up to the big leagues soon.
    Tres Hefter: Great. Wishing him the best, too. There was a cool moment a few days back where both Andrew and Austin Romine had a chance to play together in a game. And that, kind of, brings me back to another question about positional versatility. I think Andrew, a few years back, played every single position in a game. You ever have any dreams of doing that someday in your career?
    David Fletcher: Now that you bring it up, maybe. But not really [laugh]. Yeah, that’s a pretty cool thing that I’ve seen some people do.
    Tres Hefter: No problem. One last question before I turn it back over to Dave for his next round, Do you have any causes or charities that you particularly care about or support?
    David Fletcher: Yeah. We did some work with the Food Harvest in Orange County over the offseason getting some meals out to people in need, especially with Covid going on and affecting a lot of people. So, we’re working on some more things that’ll raise money for them in the offseason.
    Tres Hefter: Very cool. I’ve worked a few of those myself. Good to hear. Dave, I’m turning it back over to you. Thanks again, David.
    David Saltzer: Thanks, Tres. You know, Tres touched on it a little bit, you know, as a southern California player growing up with a team you’re rooting for, got to go and see and everything. What’s it like being that hometown success story?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, I didn’t realize it when I got drafted how lucky I was to actually get drafted by the Angels, the hometown team. But once I got to the big leagues, it was pretty special for me. And the other thing is getting to live at home year-round and, kind of, being in the same area and see all the fans. It’s definitely something I don’t take for granted.
    David Saltzer: What are some of your favorite go-to places in OC?
    David Fletcher: Oh, man—
    David Saltzer: Not, you know, like, not the people who are going to be, like, hanging out there for you, but I mean—
    David Fletcher: No, [laugh] huh. No—
    David Saltzer: —you like to see more, what were some of the places you grew up going to?
    David Fletcher: We go to the Irvine Spectrum every once in a while to eat and/or watch a movie. Yeah, not many one spots, but, kind of, hang out everywhere.
    David Saltzer: What would be a perfect day in the offseason for you, like, away from baseball, no baseball activity?
    David Fletcher: Oh. I’m not very exciting in the offseason; just, kind of, hang out with my wife and my dogs at home and maybe, go to the beach, something simple like that.
    David Saltzer: All right. Best burger in Orange County? What would you say?
    David Fletcher: In-N-Out burger.
    David Saltzer: Okay. So, if you bring out up In-N-Out, the Angel debate, are you a fan of the In-N-Out fries or not a fan of the In-N-Out fries?
    David Fletcher: Yes.
    David Saltzer: Let’s see. How aware are you of just how incredibly popular you are on social media? I mean, when we look at Twitter, and we look at all the Facebook posts, you know, fans just completely gravitate toward you because you’re such a, you know, scrappy, blue-collar, hard-working player. How aware are you of this, and what are some of the things that interactions you may have had that you find positive?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, it’s definitely cool for me to see all the fan support and kind of appreciation for the way I play the game, it’s really cool for me to see. And I’m really appreciative of that. And then there’s also some funny pictures and stuff that I’ve seen out there, definitely entertaining stuff.
    David Saltzer: So, you enjoy seeing some of that stuff?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, I’ve seen some funny ones [laugh].
    David Saltzer: Awesome. I heard you’re quite the poker player? Any poker tips you’ve got?
    David Fletcher: Oh, man. Yeah, I’ve been playing for a few years now, and I’ve a couple good friends that play professionally and got a chance to learn from them. So, it takes a lot of patience and studying and hard work. Definitely fun for me to do in the offseason, too.
    David Saltzer: You guys have a poker group in the Angels’ clubhouse?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, we play on the road every once in a while after games.
    David Saltzer: Who would you say is the toughest poker player on the team, and who bluffs the best?
    David Fletcher: Eww.  Ippei is a good poker player. Who bluffs the best? [pause] Not many good bluffers on our team. I have to go with myself on that one. [laugh] 
    David Saltzer: [laugh] Oh, we’ll tell the other guys on the team that. I’m sure every hand you had; you got the cards you need to win. We’ll tell them that, anyway. You know, a lot of players—you know, when you’re done with your baseball career, what would be a second career that you would’ve like to have done, other than, say, a baseball player?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, when I’m done playing, I definitely want to go into coaching, not sure what level, maybe college. But yeah, that’s something I definitely want to do when I’m done playing.
    David Saltzer: Well, speaking of coaching, what was it like in Cape Cod League, and would that be something you’d want to do?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, that was a great experience for me. Met a lot of people out there and definitely good for my baseball career getting to face that kind of pitching before getting drafted. Yeah, I played with a lot of good players out there and got some good coaching.
    David Saltzer: You’re my sons’ favorite player, so they wanted to know, you know, when you were younger, you know, what was your thought as yourself as a player and hitter. Like, where you trying to be more of a power hitter and then switched more towards contact. Or did you always want to see yourself as more of a use-the-whole-field type player?
    David Fletcher: I’ve always been the same player since I was six-years-old, probably. At the plate, I just want to get hits and get on base and make things happen. So, I’ve always, kind of, had the same approach.
    David Saltzer: Who did you emulate yourself most after, and who were favorite players growing up?
    David Fletcher: Yeah, when I was real young, it was David Eckstein. The way he played and hustled and got the most out of his abilities is definitely inspiring to me and modeled my game after him. And then Dustin Pedroia was another one, as I got a little older, that I loved to watch play a lot.
    David Saltzer: You know, fans always draw that comparison with you and Eckstein. The team just seems to play better with you in the lineup and you on the field. They seem to win more. Do the other players seem to notice that, and are you aware of that?
    David Fletcher: Of comparisons to—
    David Saltzer: That—you know, that you just—you know, some players have a greater contribution than just—it’s greater than the sum of the parts. That you may uplift the whole team in many ways in terms of the play, kind of, like, David Eckstein.
    David Fletcher: Yeah, I like to think that I, kind of, do a lot of little things well to win games. And I take a lot of pride in doing those things.
    David Saltzer: Last two questions. Number one: you’re just an all-around great and approachable, wonderful kind of person. And you doing interviews like this and so forth, you know, how have things changed from your perspective now that you’re, you know, more of an established player and, you know, more famous, new site, you’re going to be for years, has that changed your perspective on what you would like to do with Orange County and with the Angels?
    David Fletcher: Not really. I mean, I’ve always, since I came up, I, kind of, knew I wanted to play here for a long time. And definitely one of my goals is to play here the rest of my career. And that’s something that’s not easy to do, and I’ve a lot of work left to do to make that happen. But yeah, I definitely am happy to be here and excited that I’m going to be here for, definitely, a few more years.
    David Saltzer: Last question. What is one thing that you can share with fans about yourself that we may not really know? You know, something that you haven’t really gotten out there, you know, about you, your personality, or something like that, so that fans can have a better feel and understanding for you?
    David Fletcher: That’s a tough question. Probably I don’t like to talk too much about myself and pretty quiet person. Yeah, that’s probably something…
    David Saltzer: But you know, we really appreciate you taking the time. And, you know, as I said, fans really just absolutely adore everything that you do on the field, off the field. Really, thank you so much for your time. Tres?
    Tres Hefter: I was going to echo the same thoughts there, David. Thank you for everything. It’s been a joy being able to talk today, and thank you for all your contributions on the field; past, present, and future.
    David Fletcher: Thank you.
    Tres Hefter: Wishing you the best of luck.
    David Fletcher: Thanks, I appreciate it.
    David Saltzer: On behalf of Angels’ fans everywhere and AngelsWin.com, thank you so much for taking the time. We really appreciate it. We wish you the best of luck this season and going forward into the future.
    David Fletcher: No problem; thank you, guys.
  21. Chuck
    Photo by: Cristina Byrne-Sternberg/Rocket City Trash Pandas
    By Chuck Richter, AngelsWin.com
    September 22nd, 2022
    It has been quite a season for Chase Silseth as he made his major league debut less than a year after being drafted by the Angels in the 11th round of the 2021 amateur draft and he was a significant contributor in the Trash Pandas first ever (combined) no-hitter where he spun seven hitless innings against Biloxi (on 9/3). Silseth also won two Southern Player of the Week Awards and ended the season with a shiny 2.28 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 11.93 K/9, fanning 110 batters over 83 innings of work in 2022. 
    Here's a look back Chase Silseth's impressive major league debut against the Athletics on May 13th in Oakland where he went 6 shutout innings, allowing just one hit striking out 4. 
     
    Here's a mix tape of Chase Silseth's greatest hits in 2022, where his filthy arsenal was on full display in both Double-A and in the Major League this season.
    In our interview with Chase you learn about his time with the Angels, being part of the Trash Panda's combined no-hitter, his pitching arsenal, what he needs to work on to become a successful major league starting pitcher, who he models his game after on the mound and also get to know the Angels right-hander on a more personal level on the lighter side of things.
    Click on the video below to watch our entire interview with the Angels top RHP pitching prospect, Chase Silseth. 
    Here is the complete interview transcript below. 
    AngelsWin.com: Chuck Richter from AngelsWin.com. We got Chase Silseth. Chase, how’re you doing today?
    Chase Silseth: Phenomenal. How are you doing?
    AngelsWin.com: Great. Great. So, first off, how exciting is it to be a part of this Rockey City Trash Panda club that’s going to the playoffs, and just everything that has happened this year?
    Chase Silseth: It’s great; It feels great to feel to be a part of this team. You know, with the work that we put in, it’s obviously reflected on, you know, our perseverance that we have, you know, done. But, yeah. It feels phenomenal to be able to just to be in those playoffs. We’re here so might as well just win them all.
    AngelsWin.com: Yeah. So, I know it’s been about a year, but what was Draft Day like for you?
    Chase Silseth: So, Draft Day, obviously, I didn’t think I was going to go Day 1. I’d hoped, you know, obviously. But I didn’t think so. So, I thought I was going to go Day 2. There was some talks with a couple teams, and I thought it was going to happen. But then it didn’t happen. Ended up, you know, they had to go with someone else. And…
    AngelsWin.com: So, the Angels were, kind of, a surprise for you when they picked you?
    Chase Silseth: A little bit; a little bit, you know? Then I just went into Day 3, you know? At that point, everything was a surprise to me, because, you know, for me, I didn’t think I was going to go Day 3, but there was just calls from teams saying, you know, would I go for this, or this, or this—
    AngelsWin.com: Yeah.
    Chase Silseth: —and just wasn’t the ones that I was looking for, so the Angels took me and, you know, threw an offer and thought about it and—
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh] So, tell us what it was like to get promoted to the big leagues, and just your first full season in professional ball, and what was that experience like for you?
    Chase Silseth: Oh, I mean, it’s everyone’s dream—
    AngelsWin.com: Dream, right.
    Chase Silseth: —to go out there and be there. And, you know, to get a taste of that, you know, experience that was awesome. We’re talking to some guys up there, learning from some guys, and, you know, taking it and just got my feet wet, hopefully, be back there. Know what it, kind of, takes to, kind of, be there a little bit, you know, but—
    AngelsWin.com: Anybody, kind of, take you under their wing when you’re there, any of the pitchers there, or…
    Chase Silseth: I feel like, you know, everybody, kind of, was. I was, kind of, talking to everybody, question, you know? Just asking questions and trying to learn as much as I could, because that’s what this game is. You, kind of, want to learn and then grow as fast as you can before your age, you know, just, kind of, allows you to keep, you know, declining. So, you want to, kind of, meet this experience level before you start, kind of, coming down too much. But, just trying to learn as fast as I can and experience because this is my first full year, and I’m trying to take in a lot quick—
    AngelsWin.com: It’s a lot to process.
    Chase Silseth: —and be there for the rest of the time, hopefully.
    AngelsWin.com: Yeah. Do you think that there’s any learning experiences that you learn from your time in the big leagues, and then coming back here? What is your biggest take-away from that experience?
    Chase Silseth: Because normally, you can’t mis-watch the Dodgers?
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh]
    Chase Silseth: And you know, yeah, just being competitive, you know? Being able—up there was, kind of, not being able to hold my stuff through five incomplete innings. That’s what—So, I took, when I came back down here, was to make sure I can, you know, hold my stuff five, six, seven innings. Up there, just, kind of, when I hit the third or fourth, it was—you know, my normal 95 to 97 to 91, 93, sometimes bored. You know, I probably could pitch at that, but I would have to be a little bit more perfect in that way. And I’m a guy that just goes out there and not trying to think, just, kind of, throwing it through a quadrant of a zone, not just trying to be, like, you know, a fine line. So, just being able to hold my stuff was the experience that I, kind of, took away. And I’ve learned more.
    AngelsWin.com: Yeah. Are you, kind of, left to your own devices in terms of, like, workout, diet, you know, pitching mechanics. Or does the organization have a plan for you?
    Chase Silseth: They have a plan. They tell us, kind of, what they want, you know, with that. So, we, kind of, follow them. Diet’s on our own. And yeah, pitching mechanics are on our own, for the most part, unless they see something we—you know, to fix and, kind of, help to make us better. And if we make that fix, it does good. And we just, kind of, go out there and try to keep it up.
    AngelsWin.com: So, you throw a fastball velo, what? Tops out at what, 96, 90…
    Chase Silseth: I topped out at 99.
    AngelsWin.com: 99, is that right.
    Chase Silseth: Yes.
    AngelsWin.com: This year?
    Chase Silseth: Yes.
    AngelsWin.com: Okay, wow. And so, and the splitter is, kind of, your secondary. That’s, kind of, like, your out-pitch, right, slider?
    Chase Silseth: It just depends.
    AngelsWin.com: Changeup, yeah.
    Chase Silseth: Split or slider one of the days or most—
    AngelsWin.com: Any pitches that you’re working on that you’re trying to add to your repertoire?
    Chase Silseth: I got five and five is plenty.
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh] Yeah. Unless you’re Ohtani, right? Then you can just invent a new pitch during the [laugh]… yeah. So, what will Angel fans come to learn about you, the player and the person?
    Chase Silseth: I’m just a competitor. I’m going to go out there and just try to give my team a chance to win every time, every game. That’s my plan going forward. So, know every time I go out there and pitch is to give the team a chance to win, you know? Just want to win.
    AngelsWin.com: Yeah. What’s your most memorable game to date, you know, college, professional ball, big leagues? It’s got to be the major-league debut, right?
    Chase Silseth: Major-league debut for sure. That was—
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh] Or the combined no-hitter here, right?
    Chase Silseth: Combined no-hitter was fantastic, too. But no, that’s—obviously, you got a no-hitter, but, I mean, making the MLB debut—
    AngelsWin.com: That’s a dream. Yeah.
    Chase Silseth: —and you go six scoreless there—
    AngelsWin.com: That was amazing.
    Chase Silseth: —that’s one of the things I’m going to remember for a long time.
    AngelsWin.com: Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Who’s impressed you the most here in terms of teammate and on the opposing side, like a tough out here in the Southern League?
    Chase Silseth: Everybody. Everybody’s good teammates in there. We got a great clubhouse. You know, so I can’t really single anybody out because, you know, it’s been a team effort at this point, keeping each other, you know, going.
    AngelsWin.com: You guys got a stacked roster here; it’s just phenomenal. Everybody when I—
    Chase Silseth: There’s one thing, you know, is that Neto, too, when he first got here, you know, lit it up. But what, kind of, impressed me the most, was when he got hit, like, four times in his wrist, but he just, kind of, kept going. And, you know, because you’re in pain, and fight through it, and that’s what really impressed me. That’s what got me to like him a lot. You know, it probably doesn’t feel good to get hit in the wrist once, much less, like, three or four times, and fouled off couple off his foot just to be able to just stay in there and grind it out. That got my respect.
    AngelsWin.com: Gritty and durability, man—
    Chase Silseth: Yes, exactly.
    AngelsWin.com: —that goes a long way; I’m telling you. So, when did you first commit to playing baseball? How old where you?
    Chase Silseth: About four years old, I started playing T-ball, you know?
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh]
    Chase Silseth: It’s been long ago, 18 years.
    AngelsWin.com: I hear that a lot, four years old. Favorite pitcher, teams growing up?
    Chase Silseth: I was a Minnesota Twins fan growing up. My dad is from Minnesota, so just, kind of, growing up watching Minnesota teams. I’m a die-hard Minnesota Vikings—die-hard. And if I had to choose one Minnesota team, it’s the Vikings [unintelligible 00:08:35].
    AngelsWin.com: You going to take care of the Eagles on Monday night?
    Chase Silseth: I’m hoping; I’m hoping.
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh] Let’s hope Mike Trout doesn’t see this interview, huh. [laugh]
    Chase Silseth: [laugh] I know, that’s the one thing, but I got it in my soul, baby. [unintelligible 00:08:49].
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh] There you go. Who do you model your game after in terms of a professional athlete or big leaguer?
    Chase Silseth: I don’t know, maybe, Gullett. You know, also growing up watching games, I, kind of, was watching people, trying to learn from it, much less just try to watch, you know, the baseball game. I was just trying to learn from other people, but, you know, just like that competitive-dog attitude that just wants to win—
    AngelsWin.com: Scherzer?
    Chase Silseth: —probably Scherzer’s just like that. You know, that’s what I got when I’m up there.
    AngelsWin.com: Yeah. It’s good to see that.
    Chase Silseth: When I don’t have that and lose that, that’s when I tend to be on the, you know, crabbier side of things, especially when I take it too far, and I’m getting mad after, you know, when something doesn’t go my way instead of having that competitiveness. Just go to the next pitch, just I, kind of, dwell on it, and it, kind of, affect me mentally. That’s one of those things I need to, you know, be better at.
    AngelsWin.com: Yeah. Okay, real quick, Lightning Round. Favorite movie?
    Chase Silseth: Have to go with Avengers: End Game.
    AngelsWin.com: Okay. Good flick. Favorite song or artist?
    Chase Silseth: Favorite song. I’m going to have to go Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs.
    AngelsWin.com: Okay. Morgan Wallen a lot here. Favorite video game?
    Chase Silseth: Call of Duty—
    AngelsWin.com: There you go.
    Chase Silseth: —[unintelligible 00:10:22]. You—whatever.
    AngelsWin.com: [laugh] What’s a perfect day look like for you away from baseball?
    Chase Silseth: Perfect day. You know, it, kind of, sucks being—I love to hunt. The perfect day from me is just go out, go out and hunt in the mountains; camping out, friends, family and go out and hunt all day and come back and build a campfire—
    AngelsWin.com: Do that back home?
    Chase Silseth: Yeah. Sucks—somebody will fall for me—but yeah, I love to hunt.
    AngelsWin.com: So, last question. When you’re done playing baseball, have you envisioned what your next career will look like?
    Chase Silseth: I’ve not; I’ve not. Just trying to stay seven feet in front of me at all times, you know? Just, what’s next; what’s next; what’s next? You know, a couple of seven feets, here and there, will get me to that point in time, or get me to that point where I’m starting to figure it out. But now, just, kind of, taking it what’s in front of me. Trying to stay on my feet.
    AngelsWin.com: Awesome. Chase, thank you so much
  22. Chuck
    Interview Conducted by David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    In 2019, UC Santa Barbara tied a school record with 10 players taken in a single draft. The Angels were the first team to select one of the Gauchos when they picked the Saturday Night starter, left-handed pitcher Jack Dashwood in the 12th round (361st overall).
    Between the lost year to Covid, and some injuries, 2021 has been the first year where we have been able to see Dashwood on the mound. And, from what we saw, we were very impressed! Dashwood sat 92-94, attacked the hitters, worked inside and out, and kept the hitters off balance with his breaking pitches. We were not surprised that shortly after this interview that Dashwood was promoted up a level to the Tri-City Dust Devils.
    So far on the season, Dashwood is a combined 3-1 with a 3.77 ERA. He’s posted 70 Ks and only allowed 8 BBs in 62.0 IP. His WHIP is 1.08 and has held opposing batters to a .245 BA. Dashwood is excelling in his command and control, and that could help him be a fast-rising prospect in our organization.
    Please click below to watch our interview with Angels Pitcher Jack Dashwood.

  23. Chuck
    Interview Conducted by David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    It’s easy to see why the Angels drafted Jack Kochanowicz in the 3rd round of the 2019 draft (92nd overall). He’s big (6’6”) and still filling out, so there was and is a lot to project with him. As a result, the Angels went overslot for him to buy him out of his commitment to the University of Virginia.
    There is a lot to like with Kochanowicz. His velocity has ticked up since being drafted, and now sits mid-90s and touches 97. His curveball has near elite spin rates at around 3000 rpm. His changeup sits in the low 80s and is developing (in the interview he shows how he’s changed his grip on the pitch).
    During 2020, Kochanowicz (pronounced Ko/han/o/wicz) spent some time in the Long Beach complex. We heard a lot of positive things about his progress and development there from many sources.
    Right now, the Angels have Kochanowicz working on specific things and pitches in games. So, he is a case where the stats don’t tell the whole story. The talent is real, and Kochanowicz just needs to get the innings in to have it all come together. After missing 2 seasons between signing and Covid, there’s some rust that needs to be remedied. But, the tools are there. And, when he clicks, he could move through the system quickly.
    Please click below to watch our interview with IE66ers Pitcher Jack Kochanowicz and then head on out to San Bernadino to see him play.

  24. Chuck
    Interview Conducted by David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Long-time Angels fans will recognize the IE66ers manager and former Halo, Jack Howell. As an Angels fan, it is great to see him back with the organization where he made it to the majors and played primarily 3B (but also many other positions, such as OF, 1B, and 2B). He even had 2 plate appearances in the 1986 postseason for the Angels, go 0 for 1 with a walk.
    Jack is also the player who made one of the most memorable moments that I have ever seen in a game. Jack hit a broken bat home run in Yankee Stadium in 1987. For newer Angels fans, you can watch a video of that special moment here. More importantly, fans can head out to see the IE66ers play and get a bobblehead immortalizing that moment on September 11th, 2021
    Throughout our interview, Jack and I discuss the Angels philosophy on developing players, what playing “Angels Baseball” means, how the IE66ers are playing, how the 20-second pitch clock is affecting the game, and many more topics that you will want to hear. After spending time with Jack, I can tell that he really cares about developing the next generation of Angels Major Leaguers and is very capable of helping them along their way.
    Fans really should head on out to see the IE66ers play. It is a great and local experience. All the food venues at the stadium are open, the tickets are incredibly reasonable, and you will see some good baseball being played by the next generation of Angels players. There are lots of great promotions in a family friendly stadium. Please click here to check out upcoming games, promotions, and the schedule.
    Please click below to watch our interview with IE66ers Manager Jack Howell.

    Make sure to secure your tickets to the 66ers game on Sept 11th and you'll go home with a Jack Howell broken bat home run bobblehead! 

  25. Chuck
    By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    On December 12th, 2019, the Angels made what appeared to be a quiet move when they selected outfielder Edwin Yon with their 2nd round pick of the Triple-A portion of the Rule V Draft. Originally signed by the Cincinnati Reds on November 5, 2014 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Yon, a right handed hitting OFer had spent several seasons in Rookie ball in the Reds system before showing some improvement during the 2019.
    After losing a year due to Covid, Yon has been loudly putting up numbers for the IE66ers this year. The power that led to him being signed by the Reds has emerged and the bat is much improved. Yon has been one of the main bats powering the IE66ers offense this season.
    Yon is one of the tallest players in the Angels system, if not the tallest. Now listed at 6' 8", Yon has filled out and is able to transition his power into game-play. AngelsWin.com recently caught up to talk with Yon to learn about his change to the Angels, how his season has been going, and how he made it through Covid.
    66ers play by play broadcaster Steve Wendt tweeted this recently about Yon's poor start with the Low-A affiliate and ultimate turn around. 
    Yon as of today (July 25th) is currently slashing .305/.383/.676, good for a stellar 1.060 OPS with 10 HR and 32 RBI. 
    Here are just some of Yon's majestic home runs this season for the 66ers. 
    Please click below to watch our interview with IE66ers OFer Edwin Yon and then head on out to San Bernardino to go see him play.

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