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Chuck

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  1. Chuck
    MIKE TROUT NAMED 2019 AMERICAN LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

    ANAHEIM – Angels outfielder Mike Trout today was named the 2019 American League Most Valuable Player in an announcement made by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). It marks the third career MVP award for Trout, who previously won the award in 2014 (unanimously) and 2016. Trout becomes the 11th player to win at least three BBWAA MVP awards and is the sixth to win three times in the American League, joining Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle and Alex Rodriguez. The only player to win more than three MVP Awards in a career is Barry Bonds (7).
    Trout garnered 17 first place votes and 13 second place votes for a total of 355 points in the balloting process, 20 points ahead of second place finisher Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros (335 points). In his nine Major League seasons, Trout has now finished in the Top 3 of the MVP vote seven times, becoming just the second player all-time to do so, joining current Angels teammate Albert Pujols. 
    The 28-year-old captures the Angels fifth MVP award in franchise history. In 2014, Trout joined Vladimir Guerrero (2004) and Don Baylor (1979) as the only Halos to receive the honors and became the Club’s first multiple winner in 2016. The Angels become the only team in the Majors to have won four MVP Awards across the last 17 years. 
    The New Jersey native finished 2019, batting .291 with 27 doubles, two triples, 45 home runs, 104 RBI, 11 stolen bases, 110 walks and 110 runs scored. He led the league in both OBP (.438) and slugging percentage (.645) for the second time in his career (also 2017) and joined Mantle and Ty Cobb as the only center fielders to lead their league in both categories in multiple seasons. Additionally, he reached the 100 runs plateau for the seventh time in his career and became the fifth player in MLB history to score 100 runs seven times by his age-27 season, joining: Mantle, Rodriguez, Hank Aaron and Mel Ott.
    Trout’s resume now includes three A.L. MVP Awards (2014, 2016 and 2019), an A.L. Rookie of the Year Award (2012), eight All-Star Game selections (2012-19), two All-Star Game MVP honors (2014 and 2015), seven Silver Slugger Awards (2012-16, ’18-19) and two A.L. Hank Aaron Award (2014 & 2019).
    A BBWAA conference call will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT) with Mike Trout. The number to call in is (877) 256-6029. Please note that questions are reserved for BBWAA members only. All other media outlets are invited to join the call in listen-only mode.
    Statements from Angels manager Joe Maddon and hitting coach Jeremy Reed
    Angels Manager Joe Maddon –
    “Mike is a one of a kind player.  There is no comparison that I've seen since 1981, when I began as a Coach, Manager and Scout.  His complete skill set is generational and stands up to every era that participated in our game.  He is the player I would recommend be required watching by all youngsters who want to become a Major Leaguer – Be Like Mike!” 
    Angels Hitting Coach Jeremy Reed –
    “Mike’s abilities simply continue to amaze. He is a MVP on and off the field. His determination to be the best drives him to new levels each day. Mike’s passion to win helps elevate the organization as a whole. I’m blessed to work with him and I have the best seat in the house to watch greatness. Mike has combined his God-given physical skills with a mind-set that is equally as strong.  His work ethic on a daily basis never alters from day one of Spring Training through the end of the season, yet one of the most impressive aspects of Mike is his non-stop support and encouragement of his teammates.  In the clubhouse, in the dugout or on the field, nobody is better!”
  2. Chuck
    By Geoff Stoddart, AngelsWin.com Director of Social Media (better known as: @Spirit)
    In February of 2004, Chuck Richter, launched the AngelsWin.com site and community forum as a place for Angels fans from around the country and around the world to come and discuss not only the team they loved, but also a wide array of topics that interested them.  As the community grew, the forum became the go to place for Angels fans on the internet to call their home discuss their team.
    In the years that followed, two small websites became publicly available and changed the way the world interacted online.  Twitter in July 2006 and Facebook in September 2006. 
    It is impossible to overstate the immense impact both of these social media platforms have had on the world we live in.  At first, they appeared to be a pioneering leap forward in allowing people to connect and reconnect with others on the internet. Family members, long lost friends, sports heroes, entertainers and the list goes on.  People shared their photos, stories of their kids, animals, dates and jobs with anyone who was willing to follow them and give them a like.  It started off all so promising. 
    But like many things in life, too much of a good thing can often turn ugly.  Such has been the case with both Twitter and Facebook. 
    How many times have you logged onto one of these platforms looking for Angels news and/or discussions, only to find yourself having to weed through endless amounts of drama, politics and hate?  If you said, “every time,” then you’re being honest.
    As fans of the website slowly began transitioning over to the social media platforms, AngelsWin joined them.  We’ve had fun with discussions, memes, meltdowns and the like.  But over the last couple of years, we’ve seen interest wane.  People are getting tired of these internet cesspools.  And that’s caused something of a shift for our website.  What was old is suddenly becoming new again!  The AngelsWin community forum has continued to see a steady resurgence in activity. 
    So, why is this happening?  Why are people migrating back to a format that has been around since the 90’s?  Well, the answer is pretty simple.  They want to engage without having to weed through the madness.
    The AngelsWin community forum has everything you want from your ideal social media platforms.  A place for Angels baseball, a place for sports of all kinds, a place for politics, a place for general nonsense, and the list goes on.  But the great part about these forums is that they’re all separate from each other.  You don’t have to engage in a discussion about Ohtani’s recovery, while also having to read that someone thinks <insert politician’s name here> is a Nazi all the while getting a creepy or spam filled DM by strangers.
    There are other benefits too …
    ·        You can easily search for topics or posts from days, weeks or even months before. (Try doing that on Twitter or Facebook)
    ·        We don’t mine your data and sell it to horrible people who will do horrible things. (I’m looking at you, Facebook!)
    ·        AngelsWin contests and prizes
    ·        Fanfest events with former and current players
    ·        Intelligent discussion threads that are moderated to filter out and hide any trolling that would derail the topic or disrespect others. 
    ·        Angels live Gameday threads & chat with fans, as well as up to date prospect updates and in-game stat lines through the major and minor league season.
    ·        Full access to our members gallery to upload and share pictures, calendar to create events, private clubs to discuss topics in a group setting, a private messaging system & chat (coming soon).
    ·        Easily embed .Gifs just like on Twitter, upload images and videos, and we offer a full set of emoji's to share with the entire community. 
    ·        We have more than just the Facebook LIKE or Twitter Heart reaction. So take that! 
    ·        Our mobile experience is modern, responsive and rivals all the popular social media apps out there. 
    ·        We have exclusive High Definition video interviews with front office members, both active and former players, as well as our top minor league talent. 
    ·        Angels news quickly populated to our forum via an RSS feed from the OC Register, including interaction & Q&A with Angels' beat writer @Jeff Fletcher.
    ·        While user accounts are always free, an upgrade to our Premium Member status provides you with an ad free experience.
     So if you’ve never been to AngelsWin.com before, come give us a try!  And if you were a member who has fallen away, come give the site another look. We think you’ll be very happy with what you find! 
    The AngelsWin Community Forum … it’s new again!
     

  3. Chuck
    By Jason Sinner, AngelsWin.com Columnist (aka @Dochalo)
    Here's who unlikely will spend on players outside of some 1 and maybe 2-yr deals. We won't really go into much detail here for the following teams.
    BAL, DET, KC, TB, TOR, ARZ, MIA, COL, PIT, SF.  
    Here's who might spend some money but likely on deals in the 1-3yr range.  Not on any big names.  

    BOS - likely to shed some payroll.  can't see them being big FA players
    OAK - don't have much money but might surprise with a key player or two on shorter deals.  Nothing big.  Could make a couple trades.  
    CLE - Payroll is manageable now.  If they trade Lindor, they could make a small deal or two.  
    SEA - don't see them going big on any particular player.  a couple of small deals and of course some trades
    CHC - payroll already at 183m.  Don't see them doing much other than some complementary pieces.  Cap number is already above 200m.  
    HOU - I debated on where to put them but I really think they'll stay fairly conservative this year.  They'll add some pieces but they're already at 220m for 2020.   
    NYM - At 180m  in salary and 203m in AAV.  don't see them going big.  
    Teams that could spend just because of who they are:

    LAD - always a threat to go at a big time player.  They've avoided long term contracts in the recent past and already have a good team with a great farm.  At 175m for 2020.  They're gonna do some stuff.  I definitely see them as a player for the SP market.  Maybe Cole but more likely in that next tier down.  
    NYY - same as the Dodgers.  2020 payroll at 204m.  AAV at 215.  again, they could always spend but I think they end up being a little more conservative.  
    Teams that could spend and go after a longer term contract on a couple key players but won't go huge:
    ARZ - they were a pretty good team in 2019.  payroll at 109m.  Made some substantial trades at the deadline and could move Ray for more cheap talent.  Wouldn't surprise me if they went after a slightly more expensive player or two.  
    ATL - I don't think they'll go big but their current payroll sits at about 90m so they definitely could.  Lots of prospect capital here as well.  I think they'll definitely be in on SP in the tier after Cole.  Could surprise and even make a run at Cole but I doubt it.  
    CIN - smaller market team who could also be in the secondary market and spend some but likely not huge.  At 122m already for 2020.
    MIL - similar to CIN.  They're likely still trying to hold on to their window.  At about 97m right now so they've definitely got some room.  
    STL - at 163m in payroll and 176m in AAV.  They won't be afraid to add the right players but I don't see them in the top of the market.  
    The big spenders:

    TEX - I could see them shelling out some dough this winter on both SP and Rendon.  Personally I think that would be a mistake as they got some non sustainable performances to make them seem better than they really can be long term.  Pence, Choo, Lynn, Minor, Santana.  There are rumors of them going after Rendon which I could see happening but I think there's a fair amount of fools gold with this team.  
    MIN - they are losing 4 of their SP from their rotation and had a 100 win season.  Payroll is at 80m.  Plus they they a very good farm.  I think they'll be very active this winter.  I don't see them going after Cole, but anyone in the tier below is someone they'll target.  Plus, I could see them in on big trade or two.  
    CWS - a good lineup and better than most people think with some key additions.  Payroll is at about 60m.  They'll definitely be in on Cole and probably Rendon as well.  They may very well whiff on everyone they go after, but they'll be looking to make some big splashes (plural).  Plus, they still have a good farm system.  
    WSH - just won the series.  They have spent in the past and payroll of 120m gives them plenty of room to work.  
    PHI - disappointing year and payroll at 171m with AAV at 191m.  They were all in last year and need pitching.  They'll spend but this could be a team that's in a bad way by the end of 2020.  
    LAA - money to spend. Need starting pitching. No brainer! 
    View the full article
  4. Chuck
    Pick three moves, whether it's a FA signing, a player acquired via a trade or a manager or coach hired to win a pretty cool prize! 
    Example: 
    1. Angels hire Dino Ebel to become their third base coach
    2. Angels sign Gerrit Cole
    3. Angels sign Mike Moustakas
    If there's a tie, we'll come up with a tiebreaker contest to determine the winner. 
    If you're reading this from our Blog, enter your three picks here: 
     
    Prize: An awesome Mike Trout by the numbers picture to frame and hang up on your wall. It's a 16"x 20" artwork of Mike Trout's numbers from his  2014 MVP season.

    Best of luck to everyone! 
     
     
  5. Chuck
    Taylor Blake Ward made a trip out to San Bernardino to visit the Inland Empire 66er's and caught up with Los Angeles Angels prospects RHP's Riley Bauman, Justin Britt and Barrett Kent, and outfielder Joe Redfield. 
    Check out the interviews below. 
    Barrett Kent has seen an immense rise in his prospect status after a strong post-draft showing in 2023. Continuing to show his rotation prowess during the spring, he has carried that into a strong start to the 2024 season. Barrett talks us through his winter and spring and what will make him successful over his first full season.
    Logan Britt never pitched in high school and only faced three hitters in college. Now he's pitching professionally in a rotation. Logan takes us into his arsenal and how pitching became part of his baseball future.
    After suffering two Tommy John surgeries, Riley Bauman stayed on the radar of Angels scout, K.J. Hendricks, which led to a 13th round selection in the 2023 MLB Draft. Bauman shined during instructional league play, showcasing new velocity and promising secondaries. Riley takes us through his journey to pro ball and talks about the early stages of his professional career.
    Joe Redfield was near the top of most offensive categories across Division-1 baseball his junior season that led to a fourth round selection by the Angels in 2023. Joe talks to us about his junior season, early professional career, personal goals for the season, and how his swing plane and speed can carry him into a Major League future.
  6. Chuck
    Hear that sound? It's the crack of the bat and roar of the crowd signalling America's pastime is BACK! There's no better way to kick off the MLB season than with an exclusive look at the future stars of the game.
    That's why we're going to knock your socks off with LIVE Spring Breakout action from March 14-16! Thanks to our amazing partners at Major League Baseball, you can livestream these top prospect matchups without paying a dime.
    MLB.com's Angels beat reporter has everything you need to know about this contest between the Dodgers and Angels farmhands that are set to square off this Saturday here: https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-angels-spring-breakout-2024-faq?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
    If you'd like to watch one of the other games live on AngelsWin.com, please let us know and we can accommodate you due to our partnership with STN & MLB.
    Here is the full schedule. 

    You can watch the Angels vs. Dodgers game here:
  7. Chuck
    By Ellen Bell, AngelsWin.com Staff Writer - 
    No series on the Women of Angels Baseball would be complete without Jackie Autry—arguably the most influential female in franchise history. During her time with the Angels, she witnessed the team’s transformation from a small baseball business into a corporate sports franchise. She also had a front row seat to watch a group of home-grown, unknown players develop into World Series Champions.
    During the All Star Game in New York, Jackie Autry continued her role as honorary American League President and introduced the AL Team Manager, Jim Leyland. Once again, she was at the heart of one of baseball’s biggest events of the season.
    None of this was ever her intention.
    In fact, the former Security Pacific Bank Vice President was actually more of a football fan when she met Angels owner, Gene Autry. But when you marry a man you adopt his family, and Gene Autry’s family was always the Angels.
    “We were all like a big family back then,” she said. “From the front office to the bat boys. We had get-togethers and picnics. It would be hard to do that today.”
    The Angels meant more to Gene Autry than just another business. Autry, who had no children of his own, saw the players as sons. 
    “He loved the Angels,” Jackie Autry said. “but if you told Gene you loved another team that was OK too, as long as you were a baseball fan. He thought that baseball was a family game and he wanted it to stay that way forever,”
    The game was already changing when Jackie and Gene Autry married on July 19th, 1981. The Angels and the Dodgers were the only family owned teams at the time. Salaries began to rise and expenses increased. In baseball, the old way of doing business began to make no business sense at all.
    In 1982, after a successful season and a trip to the playoffs, Jackie Autry looked at the financial statement and was surprised to see that team barely made a profit. 
    “Clubs were losing money back then,” she said.  “even when salaries were lower.”
    Jackie Autry started working with the Angels in 1983, using her prior business experience in marketing and budgeting. In her former career at Security Pacific, Autry worked her way up from a switchboard operator to become the 13th female Vice President in company history. She brought this same focused work ethic with her to the Angels Front Office. She soon learned that a professional sports franchise doesn’t run with the fiscal discipline of a bank.
    “I would try to start with a two million dollar bottom line and work backwards,” she said. “But with free agents on the market and a team in the hunt for the playoffs, that two million went pretty quickly.”
    Jackie Autry tried to hold a responsible bottom line, looking at the team as a businesswoman, not only as a baseball fan. Near the end of her husband’s life, she worked hard to preserve the team that he dearly loved. 
    She became active in Major League Baseball and is the only woman to ever serve on the Major League Baseball Executive Council, Oversight Committee, and as a member of the Board of Directors. 
    “In Major League Baseball, I always voted for the good of the game,” Autry said. “I looked at the Big Picture, even when if it didn’t directly benefit The Angels.”
    It was this “big picture thinking” that finally convinced Jackie Autry that a change in ownership was inevitable. Years of losses and mounting debt led her to negotiate a sale to the Walt Disney Company. Disney purchased controlling rights in 1996. Even though Jackie Autry sold the team, she never lost faith in the Angels.
    “I told Michael Eisner to stand pat and stick with the young players,” she said. “They’ll win you a World Series. In 2002, all players came from our farm system except for three. These were home-grown kids who won a World Championship.”
    Her critics may have disagreed with her decisions to avoid high-contract players, but Autry believed that the best course was to develop franchise players from within the organization.
    “It’s not about pinching pennies, it’s about building a foundation,” she said. “You cannot buy a World Championship Club.”
    These days, the business of baseball is very different from the time when Gene Autry owned the team, and she admits that the multi-million dollar player contracts and blockbuster media deals have been game changers. 
    “If Gene Autry were alive today, he’d have a heart attack,” she said.
    There are some things that are still familiar to Jackie Autry. She never misses watching a game, either from her box at Angels Stadium or from her home in the Coachella Valley. Now, freed from her financial responsibilities with the team, she can follow the Angels like her husband always did, as a devoted fan.
    What would Gene Autry think of today’s Angels?
    “Oh he would have loved to watch the young guys play, like Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo,” she said. 
    “He would have loved their hustle.”

    Now in semi-retirement, Jackie handles investment portfolios, continues to attend Angels baseball games and enjoys traveling. She has a home in Palm Springs, California and also in Studio City, California.
  8. Chuck
    By Jonathon Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    So its February 5th and pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks. Let's take stock of Perry's moves and where the Angels might go from here.
    Perry's made no major acquisitions - no starting pitchers, no positions players, only bench and bullpen guys. The team as it stands looks to be something like this (with likely 26-man roster in bold and potential first call-ups in parentheses):
    C - O'Hoppe, Thaiss (Mejia, Wallach)
    IF - Schanuel, Drury, Neto, Rendon, Rengifo, Sano (White, Stefanic, Soto, Lopez, Martin)
    OF - Trout, Ward, Moniak, Adell, Hicks (Dozier, Calhoun)
    SP - Detmers, Sandoval, Canning, Anderson, Silseth (Plesac, Rosenberg, Bachman, Daniel, Mederos)
    RP - Estevez, Stephenson, Moore, Soriano, Cimber, Garcia, Joyce, Ciserno (Suarez, Quijada, Warren, Wantz, Herget, Caceres)
    We can quibble with my choices for the 26-man -- maybe Sano doesn't make the cut and they insert White, or maybe Plesac starts the year in the rotation instead of Silseth, or Dozier as a starting OF with Moniak as 4OF, or the bullpen is slightly different. We enter spring training with some interesting roster battles. But including the guys in parentheses, I think I've included all the players who are candidates to start the year on the big league club.
    So again, there are no big splashes, just some solid bench and bullpen acquisitions. Given that, it seems we're seeing one of two scenarios:
    1) He went "secondary" first and is still going to sign a couple bigger free agents (e.g. Snell, Bellinger, etc) to try to at least give the appearance of contention.
    2) What you see is what you get, aside from another possible small clean peanutty move or three. He plugged some holes, but is really just going the budget route for 2024, presumably with the idea being that realistically they can't compete and it is better to think long-term, or at least beyond "win now," regardless of the cost.
    The first really seems unlikely at this point. I only really mention it because his moves so far kind of look like the type of secondary moves you make in addition to a couple big ones, and we all know Arte doesn't like to throw in the towel of playoff aspirations. But not only are we late in the game, but it is just hard to imagine the Angels getting some big names because they'd really have to get several to justify it as a win-now strategy. Meaning, not Snell or Bellinger but both...and I don't see that happening. And frankly, I'm not sure how much these guys want to wear Angels uniforms.
    Either way, Perry seems to realize that no matter who they acquire, the biggest factor for 2024 success is the players they already have staying healthy and playing better. They could sign Bellinger and/or Snell and others and still go nowhere if Trout/Rendon/Ward can't stay healthy, or if the young guys don't develop.
    So in a way, 2024 looks like a "taking stock" year. We've heard that before, but it hasn't really happened. With Trout and Ohtani, they've always at least "kind of" gone for it. But it looks like they want to answer two big questions before determining the plan for 2025 and beyond:
    How good are the young guys? Can Trout and Rendon reverse the downward spiral? A best-case reasonable scenario and the Angels are pretty good, maybe winning 85 games and staying competitive into the second half but not reaching the playoffs. I suppose there's a tiny thread-the-needle possibility that they're good enough in July to make some moves at the deadline. But...
    But if they show overall improvement to the 82-87 win range, this would enable Perry to augment for 2025 and make a run at it. But if it turns out that lots of young guys disappoint and Trout and Rendon continue to struggle with injury and decline, we might see an actual full-out rebuild, and some kind of fire-sale in July (e.g. Rengifo, Ward, Anderson, Stephenson, Moore, etc).
    I know, the Arte Factor. Maybe he'll jump ship and sell after 2024, if the franchise doesn't turn the corner. It won't be as sexy a purchase for potential buyers without Ohtani and with Trout entering his age 33 season, but it also won't be as burdened with long-term contracts. After 2024, Rendon will only have two years left and Trout the only long-term big contract. The team will still have a core of young talent, even if it isn't awe-inspiring. Not taking on any big contracts this year only furthers this. And regardless of the dubious Angels tradition, they're still an LA team and potential buyers will look to 2002-09 as a case of what the Angels could be, if run well.
    Discussion on the forum
  9. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Introduction
    In a recent post, I re-assessed Mike Trout's career trajectory via WAR and comparable players, pointing out that as things stand, his 85.1 fWAR ranks him 30th all-time, and he's likely going to end up somewhere in the latter half of the top 20, depending upon to what degree his career revives. Of especial note, his 71.4 through his age 27 season (2019) was the best in major league history; now, through his age 31 season (2023), his career fWAR of 85.1 ranks him 8th among his age cohort. So if you don't want to read that other post, the takeaway is that he's slipping down the all-time rankings, and while he was arguably the greatest player in baseball history through age 27, he's fallen to the back half of the top 10 because of his sub-par age 28-31 seasons. Or to put it more starkly:
    Through Age 27: 71.4 fWAR (1st all-time)
    Age 28-31: 13.8 fWAR (395th all-time)
    Through Age 31: 85.1 fWAR (8th all-time)
    I want to go a bit further with this and make an argument that Trout has a good chance of having a career bounce-back over the next few years. So this is a bit more positive than the last!
    There are two facets of it: One, observations of Trout as a player and his penchant for adjusting over the last 13 seasons and two, which I'll focus on in a sequel post, an analysis of historical comps and how they fared in their 30s.
    PART 1: Mike Trout - The Great Adjuster
    It was often remarked of Trout earlier in his career that a major component of his greatness was his ability to adjust. Laypeople who follow baseball casually, and don't think much about deeper technical elements, tend to think that there is a direct, one-to-one relationship between a player's stats and their improvement. While there is obvious, logical truth to this, it discounts the dynamic nature of baseball: hitters and pitchers adjust to each other, and if a hitter maintains a certain level of performance over long periods of time, it likely means that he's actually improved in terms of refinement of skills due to the necessary adjustments that are made to maintain a statistical threshold. In other words, staying at the same level of time actually might mean continual improvement, even if only in small ways (aka, adjustments).
    There is also normal fluctuation. A player hitting .302, .293, .287, and .312 over a four-year period isn't necessarily getting better or worse - it is just normal fluctuation; trends are key here. If the same player hits .312, .302, .293, and .287, it may imply some degree of decline (in terms of contact, at least). And of course some statistics, like batting average, are more subject to oscillation than others are (e.g. walk rate).
    But in terms of the initial point, if a player averages a .300 BA over, say, a five-year span, it actually probably means he's improved his skills as a hitter.
    When hitters first show up in the big leagues, they have to adjust to major league pitching. Imagine making the jump from AA to the majors. Whereas in AA, as a hitter you might face several guys within the entire league that have blazing, elite stuff, but most pitchers are still in the process of refining their skills, and some won't even ever have real major league careers; in the majors, you'll face dozens of pitchers with elite stuff, and the baseline level is, well, a major league pitcher. After a hitter becomes more comfortable and gets in a groove, pitchers get to know them and how to pitch to them, what is proverbially called "the book" on said player. Hitters adjust, and then pitchers try to find and exploit more weaknesses. So it is an ongoing back-and-forth of adjustments and counter adjustments. Now I would argue that it becomes less pronounced over time; that there's a big adjustment period early on--the hitter to major league pitching, then the pitchers to the maturing hitter, and any further back-and-forth diminishes in impact over time as after a few years in the big leagues, hitters stabilize at a certain "plateau" level.
    Inevitably hitters age. Usually starting around the age of 30 or 31, and then increasing at age 33-34, the skills of hitters decline. It may show up in reduced bat speed, diminishing eyesight and hand-eye coordination, but more importantly, the aging body's inability to bounce back as quickly as it did in one's 20s. Anyone who is in their 30s or older knows this first-hand; from hangovers to hard physical work, to lack of sleep, etc, the older you get, the longer and harder recovery is. This can be somewhat counter-acted by more stringent health regimes, but eventually Father Time catches us all. This factor is probably far more important than skill decline, at least in the first half of a player's 30s. I can't remember where I saw it, but I read somewhere that hand-eye coordination doesn't really start declining until around 40. This is why you find the occasional hitter who is just as good in their late 30s as they were in their 20s: from Barry Bonds (ignoring other factors) to Hank Aaron to Ted Williams, and other players who had peak hitting seasons in the latter half of their 30s.
    This is exemplified by Ted Williams who, in 1957 at the age of 38 had his career best wRC+ of 223 (!). But he was starting to slip in other ways - he played in 132 games, and it was between two relatively pedestrian (for him) 174 and 179 seasons, the latter of which was followed by an 111 season at age 40, by far his career worst. But Williams finished out his career with a 184 wRC+ in 1960 at age 41, which was very close to his career average of 187. Meaning, the skills were there to the end, but he fluctuated more, presumably due to age.
    Mike Trout was always a great adjuster early on: pitchers would find a weakness and exploit it, and then for a month or so, Trout would struggle. But then he'd adjust, and he'd figure out how to hit what was being thrown at him. Like all great hitters, he receives fewer good pitches to hit than, say, a David Fletcher, which in turn illustrates how great hitters--when maintaining the same stats year to year--are actually improving. Trout in 2012 (167 wRC+) was receiving a lot more good pitches to hit then he was after, yet he actually continued to improve as a hitter, peaking in 2018 with a 188 wRC+.
    What is also quite notable about Trout's career, even through 2022, was how he didn't vary that far from his career hitting line. Through 2023, his career wRC+ is 170; from 2012 to 2022--discounting the Covid-shortened shortened 2020 season and his mostly-lost-to-injury 2021 season--his seasonal wRC+ ranged from 167 to 188, a very tight band of 21 points. Even in 2020 he wasn't far out of that range, with a 160 wRC+.
    That is an absurd degree of consistency. Among a sampling of great hitters, here are the ranges of their wRC+ in full seasons from age 20-30 (so again, discounting Trout's 2020-21 seasons):
    Mike Trout: 167-188 
    Hank Aaron: 103-178 (or after his rookie year, 144-178)
    Willie Mays: 120-173
    Ken Griffey Jr: 106-164 (after his rookie year, 132-164)
    And so on. Or we can look at a few contemporary stars:
    Mookie Betts: 107-185
    Bryce Harper: 111-197
    Aaron Judge: 141-209
    This can be further illustrated in this chart, which depicts season WAR for Trout and his three contemporaries:
     

    (Column width is relative to plate appearances)
    What is notable about Trout from the above are two things: One, his consistency, and the fact that unlike most players, great or not, he doesn't have any huge outlier seasons, either good or bad - at least through 2022. Meaning, he doesn't have an equivalent season to Aaron Judge's 2022 (209 wRC+ vs 165 for his career), which is the 15th highest wRC+ in major league history; or Betts 185 in 2018, or Harper's 193 in 2015 -- or really any of their down seasons.
    Now to be honest, this year he did seem on pace to have, by far, the worst season of his career, with a 3.0 WAR and 134 wRC+ in 82 games. He was turning things around with the bat, so if he had stayed healthy and played 130+ games, chances are he would have come close to 7 WAR and surpassed 150 wRC+. But even then they would have been career lows for him.
    Two, Trout entered the league in a Venusian manner: a fully formed superstar performing at a Hall of Fame level, almost from day one (that is, after his cup-o-coffee in 2011). Betts and Harper took several years to find an elite level. Judge, however, like Trout had a great rookie year, but was already 25 years old - the same age as Trout in 2017.
    The big question is: Can Trout make the biggest adjustment of his career, that is to an aging and injury-prone body? An optimistic view would hold that just as the Dude abides, so too does Trout adjust. I worry less about this year's 134 wRC+--especially when you consider that he's just a year removed from 176, and also that his performance this year was greatly marred by a terrible slump which was bookended by periods of relatively vintage Trout--than I am his inability to stay healthy. In other words, if he stays healthy, I fully expect something at least close to vintage Trout. I believe that the days are gone when Trout regularly puts up 8-10 WAR seasons, but certainly he has to be better than what we've seen the last three, injury-ridden seasons, when he average 4.1 WAR and 79 games per year. Right?
    It is also worth noting that some of Trout's myriad injuries going back to 2017 were rather flukey: book-ended by two flukey hand injuries, one in 2017 due to a bad slide and the other his hamate bone earlier this season. While we can try to feel optimistic about the flukey nature of these injuries and consider a similar injury in 2024 to be unlikely, it does seem to be that Trout--perhaps due to the big-muscled bulkiness of his body--is, like other similarly built players of the past, truly "injury prone." Meaning, even if we consider that such flukey injuries are exceptions and not the rule, we cannot discount the possibility that they're far more likely for a guy like Trout than they are for "differently-bodied" (smaller and lighter) players like Mookie Betts.
    But we can hope, and even with the injury-prone label, there's no reason to think that Mike Trout doesn't at least have several more almost-full seasons (e.g. 120-140 games) left in him. If I were to hazard I guess, we could see game totals over the next seven years like so: 130, 135, 107, 128, 111, 104, 58. Or something like that. Am I being optimistic? Pessimistic? Only time will tell.
    PART 2: Among the Greats
    For this next part, I'll take a deep-dive into historical comps to try to get a sense of what we might expect for the remainder of Trout's career. For such an approach, at least two problems exist: One, for a player as great as Trout, there are few close historical comps, so in order to get adequate data we have to spread the net a bit wide. Two, Trout is a unique individual -- including his personality, skill-set, and his physique; while we can find an array of somewhat similar players in terms of statistical profiles, they're ultimately all different human beings, playing under different circumstances which can't really be accounted for statistically. A third factor that should be considered is context: The game of 2023 is quite different from 1983, let along 1943 or 1903.
    The point being, looking at historical comps only gets us so far. But it at least provides something to work with, to get a sense of how somewhat similar players--whether in terms of greatness or player profile--fared in their 30s (or for the remainder of Trout's contract, age 32-38).
    8 WAR Seasons
    To start I took a relatively broad approach, looking at ever player with at least two 8 fWAR seasons. Why 8 fWAR? Well, it is a level of performance which makes it likely that a player is the best in their league in a given year. Not every great player has reached 8 WAR in a season; take for instance the great Johnny Mize, who finished his career with 68.1 WAR, 15th highest among first basemen, despite only playing in 1884 games, as he missed three prime years (age 30-32) to World War 2 service, probably losing 15-20 WAR in the process. His best year was 7.7 WAR. Or similarly, Frank Thomas who finished his career with 72.1 WAR (11th among first basemen) and 154 wRC+ (30th all-time), but peaked out at 7.2 WAR, mostly due to being a (poor defending) first baseman. Even the great Hank Aaron "only" had four 8 WAR seasons; his greatness was largely defined by incredible consistency at an MVP level over a long period of time: For 14 straight seasons, from 1955-69, he produced at least 5.9 WAR, and only the first of those was below 6.8. Furthermore, over the course of his illustrious 23-year career, he had 11 seasons of 7 WAR or better, 15 of 6 or better, and 17 of 5 or better.
    As a general rule, an average regular has a WAR roughly in the 2.0 to 3.5 range; a borderline star is roughly 3.5 to 5.0 WAR, an all-star 5.0 to 6.0, and a superstart 6.0 and above. 7.0 and above is an MVP candidate--arguably the best player in their league--and 8 WAR is arguably the best player in the game. Once you get to 9.0 WAR and above, you're getting into once a year, historical seasons. 10 WAR seasons only happen every few years and are historically great - close to or within the top 50 best seasons of all time.
    To illustrate this, from 1871 to 2023--153 years of baseball statistics--here is how many position players have reached various marks:
    10+ WAR: 55 seasons (a bit more than 1 ever three years)
    9+ WAR: 139 seasons (a bit less than 1 per year)
    8+ WAR: 281 seasons (a bit less than 2 per year)
    7+ WAR: 618 seasons (about 4 per year)
    6+ WAR: 1237 seasons (about 8 per year)
    5+ WAR: 2371 seasons (a bit less than 16 per year)
    As you can see, from 10 WAR down, there are about twice as many players in each threshold.
    The above totals are taken from 19,473 player seasons of at least 400 PA (so about 80% of a qualifying season). It includes a wide range of play styles and contexts. However, if we narrow it down to the expansion era, or 1961-2023, you get very similar rates, except for 7 and 5 WAR, where it becomes more like 5 per year for 7 WAR and 22 per year for 5 WAR; I take this to be due to the larger number of players. But the high end of the scale remains the same, with the caveat that during the expansion era, there were fewer very high outliers (that is, 11+ WAR seasons).
    Anyhow, the point being that there are, on average, about two 8 WAR position player seasons a year, which essentially equates to the two MVPs. In the Trout era, from 2012-23, here are the number of 8 WAR seasons per year, with bold face meaning Trout is one of them: 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 1, 4, 2, NA, 0, 1, 2 (The NA is for 2020 when the season was only 60 games).
    So that's 22 seasons of 8 WAR or higher in the last 11 full seasons (2 per year), or a bit above the historical average (1.84). Oh, and Trout has 7 of them; Betts 3; Judge and Bregman 2 each; and Cabrera, McCutchen, Donaldson, Posey, Lucroy, Ramirez, Harper, and Acuna 1 each.
    So I picked 8 WAR as a threshold because of its historical relevance as roughly synonymous with being the best player in the league, and considered two 8 WAR seasons rather than just one because it cuts out "one year wonders" like Darin Erstad, whose 8.7 WAR in 2000 was his only season above even 4 WAR.
    Those 281 position player seasons of 8+ WAR were accomplished by 124 players. Of those 124 players, 47 of them had multiple 8 WAR seasons. Of those 47, four are active: Trout, Mookie Betts, Alex Bregman, and Aaron Judge. Presumably new 8 WAR club member Ronald Acuna has a good chance of joining them, with Bryce Harper and Jose Ramirez also having single 8 WAR seasons, though both less likely to have a second.
    Here's where Trout's greatness really starts to stand out: Not only is he one of only 47 position players with multiple 8 WAR seasons, he's got seven, something accomplished only by nine players: Willie Mays and Babe Ruth with 11 each, Barry Bonds with 10, Rogers Hornsby and Lou Gehrig with 9 each, Honus Wagner and Ted Williams with 8 each, and Eddie Collins and Mike Trout with 7 each. 
    You'll note that of those nine players, Trout and Bonds are the only players to play since 1973 when Willie Mays retired. Before Mays, it was Williams in 1960 and the five others retired in the 1920s or 30s. So Mays, Bonds, and Trout are the only such players to play a significant portion (or all) of their careers in the expansion era.
    Among players with 6 such seasons, you have Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial, and Alex Rodriguez -- again, mostly old-timers; 5 seasons and you add Mickey Mantle and Joe Morgan. 4 adds Nap Lajoie, Hank Aaron, Mike Schmidt, Wade Boggs and Albert Pujols, and 3 adds nine more players, including Betts.
    So we get a nice array of inner circle Hall of Famers, but most of whom played before the expansion era. Morgan is the only player with 5 or more 8 WAR seasons that doesn't have at least 100 career fWAR, and he's just shy at 98.8. Of the players with 7 or more, aside from Trout the lowest career fWAR total is Lou Gehrig with 115.9 -- a player whose career was shortened due to a debilitating illness. The other six all have over 120 WAR.
    The Chart

    What you see above is a chart of all 47 players with at least two 8 WAR seasons, sorted first by number of 8 WAR seasons (third column) and secondly by career WAR (last column).
    A few observations to make.
    Notice where chart is on the chart, and among whom. The eight players above him and the five below him all have 100+ WAR. Of those thirteen players, all but one has 110 WAR, and all but four (9 of 13) have 120 WAR. The first player without a 7 WAR season in his 30s is 11 spots lower than Trout - Mr. Albert Pujols. 6 of the 47 players debuted in the 21st century. Trout (2011) is 9th on the list, then Pujols at 20th, then Betts at 30th, Chase Utley at 38th, Judge at 44th, and Bregman at 45th. Of the seven previous players in the "7-8s Club," all had at least one 7 WAR (MVP caliber) season in their 30s, and only Collins didn't have at least three 7 WAR seasons. In other words, 6 of the 7 players with the same number of 8 WAR seasons as Trout had at least three 7 WAR seasons (or MVP caliber) in their 30s. None of this automatically means that Trout is due for multiple 7 WAR seasons going forward or 120+ WAR, but it does show us the type of company he's in, and implies that he has a good chance of at least one more MVP caliber season. If he doesn't, he'll be the first player in the "7-8s Club" to not have at least one 7 WAR season in his 30s.
    All of the players with six 8 WAR seasons had at least one 7 WAR season in their 30s; but among the five 8 WAR players, both Mantle and Pujols didn't reach 7 WAR in their 30s.
    If we expand the pool to the 20 players (not including Trout) with at least four 8 WAR seasons, it is just those two--Mantle and Pujols--who never had a 7 WAR season in their 30s; meaning, 18 of 20, or 90%, had at least one MVP caliber season in their 30s, and 15 of those, or 75%, had multiple such seasons.
    Can Trout have another 7+ WAR season?
    Given the last few years of sub-par performance, It isn't hard to imagine Trout setting a new precedent, as the best player in baseball history not to have an MVP caliber (as defined as 7 WAR) season in his 30s. Right now that honor belongs to Mickey Mantle, with Albert Pujols and Mel Ott also in the mix. Others in the multi-8 WAR club include Ken Griffey Jr, Ron Santo, Ernie Banks, George Sisler, Duke Snider, Arky Vaughan, John Olerud, Snuffy Stirnweiss, and Benny Kauff. Alex Bregman turns 30 next year, so the jury is still out. But all of those guys--after Mantle, Pujols, and Ott--were significantly lesser players than Trout.
    One factor working against Trout from having a 7 WAR season (or two) in his 30s is that he just turned 32, meaning every season going forward will be at age 32 or older. But even so, of the 20 players with four or more 8 WAR seasons, and whittled down to 15 players who had at least one 7 WAR season in their 30s, only Boggs, Foxx, and A-Rod had their last 7 WAR season at age 30 or 31; meaning, the other 12 still had 7 WAR seasons at age 32 or older. Still a majority, in other words. And 10 of them--or half--had 7 WAR seasons at age 34 or older, and all but Collins and Hornsby among the 7-8s Club.
    Alright, if you made it through that, what does it all mean? Can we conclude anything from looking at players with similar accomplishments, as defined by multiple 8 WAR seasons?
    Yes and no. The vast majority of players with five or more 8 WAR seasons still produced MVP caliber seasons in their 30s. Again, of the players with the same number as Trout--seven or more--so far he's the only one who didn't produce at least one 7 WAR season in his 30s. But he's got a lot of time left. We can hope that he'll follow his historical comps and have at least one such season.
    2023 Examined: What does Statcast tell us?
    In the past two installments, we focused first on Trout as a player (Part 1) and then on historically comparable players (Part 2). In this final installment, we'll take a deeper dive in Trout's 2023 season, to see if the statistics--in particular, Statcast.
    2023 was a rough year for Trout, both on the field and in the statistical record. We can see this by splitting his season into three unequal parts:
    First 28 games (through April 29): .320/.408/.612, 176 wRC+
    Next 41 games (April 30 - June 16): .199/.318/.351, 85 wRC+
    Last 14 games before injury (June 17 - July 3): .340/.441/.680, 203 wRC+
    As you can see, about half of his games played--or the first month and the last two weeks (ignoring his one game back)--were pretty standard Trout, though with small differences: higher batting average and slightly lower walk rate. But he was basically as good as ever.
    But in-between is what is probably the worst 40ish game span of his career, especially the last 18 games (May 28 to June 16) in which he hit .141/.309/.234 with a 58 wRC+ in 81 PA.
    A first, cursory look at his Statcast data doesn't yield any red flags. His Barrel rate, Exit Velocity, Launch Angle, and Sweet Spot % are all within the natural fluctuation of the nine years of data (Statcast only goes back to 2015). His Barrel rate (16.0) is a tad on the low range and below his average (16.4), but higher than 2016-17; his Exit Velocity (91.9) is above his average (91.4), and his Launch Angle (19.3) is a bit higher than his average (18.4) but lower than three other seasons; finally, his Sweet Spot % (38.3) is a little below his average (39.0) but higher than four other seasons. In other words, he's hitting the ball about as hard as ever.
    The same is true when we look at his Batted Ball profile: just about everything is within normal ranges. There are a few minor exceptions: The number of balls he hit to center was a career low (30.1%), well below his average (35.8%). Also, his solid hit % (5.8) was his lowest since 2017 and at the MLB average, below his own (6.7).
    The pitch he struggled with the most by Run Value was the sinker at -3 RV; everything else was average or better. He's never had an issue with sinkers, at least in the data range going back to 2017, and it was his only RV below -1 for his career.
    But here's where the flags start showing up: His Zone Swing % was the highest during the data span going back to 2015 at 69.8%, significantly above his previous high in 2022 at 64.8%, both of which were well above his average of 59.2%. At the same time, his Zone Contact % over the last two years--75.8 and 75.9, respectively--are his lowest and far below his average of 82.0.
    And here's another interesting bit: Remember when we all used to complain about him always taking the first pitch? Well, his last three seasons (2021-23) have been a jump from previous years, and the highest going back to 2015 (the full data range). 2021 was the highest but in only 36 games; otherwise 2023 is the highest. And his overall Swing% is the highest of his career at 44.4, compared to a career rate of 38.8.
    To summarize, Trout is swinging more, especially in the zone, swinging at more first pitches, and making worse contact. This likely means one (or both) of two things: diminished hand-eye coordination (or eyesight) and pitch recognition and/or that he's pressing and gotten into bad habits.
    Is that fixable? Only time will tell. His last two weeks before injury are encouraging, because it seemed like he had made the necessary adjustments and was seeing the ball better. Chances are he'll be able to carry this forward, or at least adjust again as necessary, but whether back to the super elite 170 wRC+ level of most of his career or something in-between remains to be seen.
    We also see a trend in his plate discipline: His 12.4 BB% is the fourth lowest of his career after 2012, '14, and '22, but at least it went up from last year, and it was rising over the course of the season. His K% (28.7) was the highest of his career, but that is partially due to league-wide increasing strikeouts.
    As mentioned, Trout has been unusually consistent over the course of his career, with full-season wRC+ rates in a rather tight range: 167 to 188. In 2023 he plummeted to 134. It would be very surprising if 134 is the new norm. Chances are he bounces back to at least the 150ish level, and maybe higher. 
    So if I were to guess, I'd say that Trout's bat will improve significantly, at least for the next several years. There's no reason to think that he cannot at least bounce back to the 150+ level, and may even have a season or two back around his career average of 170.
    The big question is whether he can stay healthy. The most similar player to Trout in baseball history is Mickey Mantle who, even as his WAR plummeted after his last great season in 1961 at age 29, his wRC+ remained above his career average for three more partial seasons (age 30-32), and he only dipped below 140 for one season. But again, given the nature of some of his injuries--basically freak accidents--it seems quite possible that at least some of the next seven or more seasons will be less injury-ridden.
    The 100 WAR Question
    Before concluding, I want to add one more piece to the puzzle. The question has come up on the forum as to whether we've seen the end of players reaching 100 WAR. I noted that we don't see as many huge outlier seasons. For instance, while there are more 7-8 seasons overall, we are seeing less 10 and especially 11+ WAR seasons, with Aaron Judge's being the first since Barry Bonds did it three times in the early 2000s, and then before Bonds you have to go back to Joe Morgan in 1975 (11.0 WAR).
    To put that another way, of the 26 hitter seasons of 11+ WAR, ten of them (38.5%) were in the 1920s alone and only four in the last 48 years (1976-2023). Or compare the number of players at various levels above 7 WAR by decade:

    It is important to understand that this is not a static player pool -- thus note the "Player Seasons" row. From the 1900s to the 1950s there were from 1002 to 1114 hitters per decade with 400 PA; as expansion happened starting in 1961, this grew substantially, from 1331 in the 1960s to 1731 in the 70s and up from there, maxing out in the 2000s with 2182 player seasons of 400 PA or higher. Meaning, three 10+ WAR seasons in the 90s isn't the same thing as three in the 1950s when there were about half as many teams and players.
    The next chart illustrates this, with WAR ranges as percentage of 400 PA seasons:

     
    Perhaps what stands out most in both charts, but especially the second one, is how many big (10+ WAR) seasons there were in the 1920s. In fact, of the nine 12 WAR hitter seasons in baseball history, seven of them were in the 20s: Five by Babe Ruth and one each by Rogers Hornsby and Lou Gehrig. The two in the 2000s were, of course, Barry Bonds.
    So it is worth noting that every 12 WAR season was done either in the 1920s when Ruth and, to a lesser but still significant extent, Rogers Hornsby were so much better than everyone else with the bat--or by Barry Bonds who, well, you know. Ruth revolutionized hitting in a way not seen before or since, and Hornsby was presumably the first to be able to come close to emulating it. By the 1930s, big bats flourished, with fewer high outliers. But even Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays weren't able to reach 12 WAR (Though Williams and Mantle both had multiple 11 WAR seasons).
    Another, and perhaps more relevant, takeaway from the chart above is that there have been fewer 10 WAR seasons in the last 50-60 years, not just numerically but as a percentage of all hitters. The 1920s are a historical outlier; the 1930s-60s saw a significant number, but it dropped during the comparatively low offense of the 70s and 80s, before rising a bit in the 90s and after. But more importantly, we see this contraction occurring with 9 and 8 WAR seasons, and slightly with 7 WAR seasons. Meaning, WAR is being contracted.
    So to return to this question, while I think we will see 100 WAR players--Trout is a virtual lock, and Mookie Betts has an outside chance, and who knows about Acuna and other young guys--we probably are done with 120 WAR players, at least unless the game radically changes (again). In fact, other than Bonds (164.4) we haven't seen a 120 WAR player since Mays (149.8) retired in 1973 and Aaron (136.3) retired in 1976. Alex Rodriguez (113.7) fell just short, and Mike Schmidt (106.5) and Rickey Henderson (106.3) are the only other hitters to surpass the 100 WAR threshold in the last five decades.
    With his astonishing 11.6 WAR season last year, Aaron Judge proved that we still will see the occasional 11 WAR season; and within the last dozen seasons, Trout (twice), Betts, and Buster Posey have reached 10 WAR. But these high 10 to 11+ WAR seasons are more rare than they once were, and will likely continue to be more rare.
     
    Conclusion: Summing Up the Series
    OK, let's wrap things up. After about 6,000 words, where does that leave us? Let's summarize some key points: 
    Trout's career has been characterized by unusual consistency, with every full season from 2012-22 within the 167 to 188 wRC+ range. 2023 was a huge aberration from that, with a 134 wRC+. According to JAWS, Trout is the 5th best center fielder and 25th best position player all-time, and has a good chance of reaching 4th and the top 15 (possibly top 10), depending upon how the rest of his career goes. The vast majority of somewhat similar players, in terms of career accomplishments, had at least one MVP caliber season (7+ WAR) in their 30s. In 2023, he was his normal self for about half of his playing time (the first month and last two weeks) but terrible for about 40 games in-between. An analysis of Statcast tells us that the main outlier in 2023 was a penchant to swing more often, especially on the first pitch, and making worse contact. WAR totals have contracted since the 1920s, with very high (10 and especially 11 WAR and above) seasons more rare than before, leading to career WAR totals also contracting. What does all this mean? And to the point: What does it mean for Mike Trout in 2024 and beyond?
    To go back to a point from the intro of part one, every player is unique - and there is no way to know the future with any degree of certainty. All we can do is try to understand the individual player as much as possible, look at historical trends and deeper statistics, which is what I tried to do in the three parts of this series.
    All that is left is to make an informed guess, season it with intuition and, hopefully, reduce bias as much as I can (which is hard with Trout).
    So my guess is this: In 2024, Trout will bounce back, having his best year since 2019. He'll never quite be as good as he was in his prime (2012-19), but his bat will be close. Over the next three or four years, he'll have one or two MVP caliber seasons of 7 WAR or better (or very close to it), but probably not 8 WAR or above. But he'll continue to struggle with the injury bug to some extent, and probably never play 140 games again, though have several seasons above 120 games.
    He'll be an MVP caliber player--when healthy--through 2026 or 27 (age 34-35), surpassing the 100 WAR mark sometime in 2026, then drop to merely good to very good, before playing one final hurrah season post-contract in 2031 at age 39, turning 40 near the end of his final season. With injuries and a bit of ups and downs, he'll accumulate 30-35 more WAR and finish his career with 115-120 WAR, to go along with 550+ HR and a career wRC+ in the 160-165 range. He'll widely be considered an easy pick as one of the top 20 players of all time, and arguably top 10.
    Or to put it another way, Trout isn't done. We may never see "Trout WAR Day" again, but we'll see him among the five or ten best players in the sport, at least for several years. And who knows, maybe the stars align and he has one (or two?!) more MVP runs left in him. We can dream....
  10. Chuck
    The longtime voice of the Los Angeles Angels joins the AngelsWin.com team of Chuck Richter and Geoff Stoddart to discuss all things surrounding the Halos and Major League Baseball.
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  11. Chuck
    By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    I haven’t been writing much, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been watching Angels baseball. I’m a diehard Angels fan. Win or lose, I follow my team. And, when you are really not feeling well, there’s no better medicine than a good Angels game.
    As I reflected on the Angels Spring Training so far, I came away very impressed! We had a very good spring. And, I’m not just talking about our Win-Loss Record (which at 18-11 led the Cactus League).
    There was something more about our spring training that got me excited. Reflecting back on all the games, at bats, innings pitched, etc., we had a very good spring training.
    Thinking over our Top-30 Prospects, we saw a lot of them take a moderate or large step forward in their game. Players came in a lot more hungry and were performing at in-season levels. More players in our organization took steps forward, and that made the games far more exciting to watch.
    Looking over each game, it was easy to see how impressive many of the players were. While I won’t name all the players who made big impressions, Joyce and Neto are two examples of guys who really came into camp far more advanced than advertised. They opened some eyes, along with many others.
    And then, it dawned on me: Maybe this is finally a true Perry Minassian team. We never got a full answer to that question, but it seems that the writing is clear as to what he wants: a mix of stars and depth.
    All during the offseason, the narrative has been that the Angels were going to raise their “floor” by signing lots of depth pieces. The problem with the Angels in the past has been our over reliance on our stars to carry us through the season. If any of them got hurt, we were essentially eliminated.
    So, rather than signing a star shortstop, such as Trea Turner (assuming that he would sign with us),  we traded for and signed players like Urshela, Renfroe, Drury, etc.
    The whole offseason narrative came down to a focus on raising our floor for wins and to fill in depth rather than raise our high end performance. It was as if raising the floor came at the expense of raising the ceiling. That’s a false dichotomy. Raising the floor can and does raise the ceiling for the team.
    When it comes to potential, there are at least two components to it. First, how high is one’s potential. Second, how likely is that person to hit his/her potential.
    This offseason, Perry brought in many players, all of whom have playoff experience. We all know that the Angels, including Trout, haven’t been to the postseason since 2014. We have a young team, so bringing in some veteran leadership will go a long way towards helping our younger players succeed more on the field.
    At the same time, all of the players that Perry brought in can play multiple positions. Flexibility is key to this team.
    This is going to help us a lot with the balanced schedule. In the past, the Angels would use games up until June to see what was working and what wasn’t working. With a balanced schedule, and fewer games against divisional rivals to take matters into our own hands, every game counts—and counts a lot more than early games did in the past.
    It also allows us to rest more players throughout the season to keep them fresh. Rather than pushing through minor injuries, our players can take a day or two off.
    This means we need players to play with urgency to maintain their playing time. And that’s exactly what we saw this spring. With all of our Swiss Army knife players, we can mix and match whomever is hot or has the best record against an opponent. If a player is struggling, he will quickly lose playing time. Unlike last year, playing time is not guaranteed for many players. Performance will dictate their time.
    And this is where the big step forward with our farm comes into play. Having more depth in the upper minors (unlike in the lower minors for so many years), we can quickly replace an arm or fielder. We don’t have to put up with sub-replacement level play. We can make a trade for a playoff drive.
    So maybe this is the future of Angels baseball under Perry Minassian: a team with a lot of flexibility, good pitching, and a strong farm. Sadly, the person most likely to appreciate this team the most is Mike Scioscia—with all this flexibility, he could finally have a season with 162 different lineups!
    The Angels team that I saw in Tempe this year reminded me of the teams I saw in 2004-2009—some of the best teams in franchise history. If that’s the case, I’m very excited for Angels baseball in 2023.
  12. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    As an aside, while there has been some confusion about Minasian's plan, I think it is pretty clear at this point: to raise the floor of performance, and hope that the premier talent already on the team actualizes itself better. Or to use another metaphor, he's patching holes in the boat. But he's not upgrading the engine....why? Presumably because of payroll considerations and the impending sale, but also - and adequately enough as an explanation - the engine itself is already pretty good, it just had problems last year. Raising the floor not only fills out the gaps in the roster with better players than last year, but it also means better replacements in the eventuality of injury.
    Meaning, the Angels already have star power: Trout and Ohtani are still among the very best in the game, and if you squint just right, a healthy Rendon would still be pretty good; and Sandoval and Detmers are emerging studs. And we can dream on what Ward might do, bounce-backs from Stassi and Walsh, and a solid secondary group of new and old players like Rengifo, Fletcher, and some of the new guys.
    Which brings me to the question of the thread. If we assume that Minasian is done with significant moves, aside from a small move here and there, what questions remain that won't be answered in ST, but also will presumably be answered then?
    Here's the chart from the 26-Man Roster thread:

    Looking at that, I think the questions that will be answered in spring are:
    Who will the second catcher be?  
    This will depend on how everyone looks in ST. We assume that Stassi has the starting gig, but what if he looks like he did last year and O'Hoppe looks great? Or if Stassi is fine, do they roll the dice on Thaiss's defense as back-up and put O'Hoppe in AAA? Or do we see them go with Wallach?
    Who will be the (and will there be a) fourth outfielder? 
    One would assume Adell will start in AAA (again), but I could go either way on Moniak. I think the best thing for him would be to a get a month or so of regular playing time, and then be called up in May or June. But who will they go with, if anyone? They could carry another infielder (Lamb, Soto, or Velazquez) and use one of the infielders as the 4th outfielder.
    Who is the sixth starter?
    There have been rumors that the Angels will go with a five-man rotation but even if they do they'll probably still have someone start when there are no off-days during the week. My estimate for that is April 22: That's the first day that Ohtani's spot (assuming he pitches on Opening Day) would come up without having had a day off since his last start. Similarly with the following week, April 28th.
    So my guess would be that whether or not they go for a five or six man rotation, they don't really need a sixth starter until April 22, three weeks into the season. By that point, they'll have some data on guys like Chris Rodriguez and Griffin Canning, and see how rusty they look in live games. Right now is probably is probably Davidson or Silseth, but the former has limited upside and the latter could use a bit more seasoning.
    What does the back-end of the bullpen look like?
    I imagine the bullpen will be a work in progress for at least the first couple months, and there will be lots of fantasy baseball-esque "streaming" of players in the bullpen all year, with a ton of options. Later on, the Angels will want to at least get a look at prospects like Bush, Erla, Joyce, Murphy, Torres, Bachman, etc.
    ......
    Meaning, I think the dark red players in the chart are all set - locks to start the year on the roster (barring a spring injury). That's 21 players. So we're still looking at five slots: a catcher, a bench hitter who can play outfield, and three pitchers, which I'm guessing will be three relievers on Opening Day, with a sixth starter called up when needed.
    There's of course the big question of When will the team sale go through and who will the new owner be (and what will be their strategy)? But that isn't a question specific to spring training. 
  13. 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--
  14. Chuck
    By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Feature Writer
    The clock is now down to days before the first name in the 2022 MLB Draft is called. I’ve been gathering information from around the industry to put together my final in-detail mock draft for 2022, and will have a names only one coming just prior to the draft itself on Sunday at 4pm PT.
    You can read my first and only other mock for the year, Mock Draft 1.0, from HomePlateView.com from July 1, here
    As noted throughout, the top pick will dictate much of the first third of the draft. No one knows what Baltimore is doing with the first pick and won’t up until the name is called. As always, enjoy...
     
    1. Baltimore Orioles - Druw Jones, OF, Wesleyan HS (GA)
    The entire top of the draft hinges on Baltimore's selection and as record will stand, no one will know what direction Mike Elias and staff are going until just minutes before the selection or potentially even when the selection is made. There are still five names attached to this pick between Jones, Jackson Holliday, Termarr Johnson, Brooks Lee, and Kevin Parada. Everything will come down to price and value that permits them to execute the best use of their bonus surplus and set them up for their second, third, and ongoing picks through the course of the first two days of the draft. Jones is viewed, although not by consensus, as the top player in this draft and may have enough of a gap between the potential "money-saving picks" of Johnson, Lee, and Parada to still merit the top selection and allow Baltimore to swing a talent to their second and third picks at 33 and 42. I believe that if Jones is not the selection, it will be at a reduced deal with Lee, or a very slightly reduced deal with Holliday, with a target on one of the upper-tier arms that suffered injuries over the spring with their next pick.
    2. Arizona Diamondbacks - Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS (OK)
    Much less held to secrecy, Arizona's hopeful scenario is that Baltimore passes on Jones, and he is available for them. They don't view Holliday as a consolation prize though as he is seen as their second priority to Jones.
    3. Texas Rangers - Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy (FL)
    Similar to Arizona, Texas will have hopes that Baltimore passes on Jones and Holliday with the chance one is at hand here, with Holliday being the more likely scenario. If not, it seems this pick is down to Kevin Parada and Elijah Green, who had a strong showing during a workout at Globe Life Field.
    4. Pittsburgh Pirates - Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly
    It seems this pick is down to a trio if the top three go accordingly, with Lee, Johnson, and Cam Collier in the mix. Lee and Collier continue to gain traction here with Johnson staggering just behind though I wouldn't rule him out. An underslot deal with Cole Young has started to gain some headwind.
    5. Washington Nationals - Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech
    Once again, pending the outcome of the first pick, the third selection may dictate what happens here between Parada and Jacob Berry based upon who Texas takes and whether or not Parada is available.
    6. Miami Marlins - Termarr Johnson, 2B, Mays HS (GA)
    This pick seems less likely determined by the top pick as it does by the fourth. Though college bats come up more often here and this would be the apparent floor for Parada, I still think Johnson is near the top of their board. If Pittsburgh does swing for Collier instead of Lee and neither are underslot options for the first pick, I believe Lee lands here. If Texas gets one of Jones or Holliday and Washington opts for Green or Berry over Parada, I believe this is his final outcome (I give these scenarios as alternates since the top of the draft has so many potential outcomes that intertwine together). In this scenario, neither Lee or Parada are available and that would lead to Johnson. I mentioned in my previous mock that Berry could have his ceiling here, though I see Johnson and others above him here. Another option gaining steam over the last week, though I’m not biting on the smoke, is that Miami may go down the board a bit and underslot one of the upside prep arms like Dylan Lesko.
    7. Chicago Cubs - Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola JC (FL)
    Collier and Johnson have both been long attached to Chicago, with Collier being the preference so it could be a dream scenario for Chicago to get one of their favored bats. There's always a strong chance someone does something unique in the first handful-or-so picks with underslot deals for teams who have supplemental picks, but it seems the seven mentioned here and before are going to be the first seven picks of the draft. If Collier or Johnson is gone, I could see this being the final landing spot for Lee to fill out to top seven. College bats like
    8. Minnesota Twins - Jacob Berry, 1B/OF, Louisiana State
    Returning quickly to the alternate scenarios, the perceived top seven talents are going in the top seven picks of this mock. By Sunday afternoon, there is just as strong a chance one of them falls out of the first seven selections as there is they all land within that range. There's no guarantee, but I would bet that someone mentioned above this will be available over the next two picks and ripe for the taking. That could leave Minnesota (and Kansas City right after this) in a holding pattern awaiting a potential faller. Back to this mock reality (fun oxymoron that I had to include), I've heard Minnesota on college bats. Berry and Gavin Cross lead the charge.
    9. Kansas City Royals - Justin Crawford, OF, Bishop Gorman HS (NV)
    After trading the 35th selection in the draft, Kansas City's bonus pool fell by just over $2.2M and went from the fourth largest to their ninth. It likely won't do too much altering with their first selection but it does hinder the chance of landing one of the priority picks in they do fall far enough -- Green in particular. This is the first legitimate underslot bet I've been hearing for some time and actually believe may be a reality between Brock Porter, Brandon Barriera, and Justin Crawford, though I'm hesitant to go Crawford for the diminished bonus and a strong potential suitor with a large bonus pool in the teens (see below). It's also the first place I've heard any pitcher's name tossed in and feel they'll be the first to pull the plug.
    10. Colorado Rockies - Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech
    I've been told for weeks by multiple industry sources that this is the floor for Berry. When one person says it, it's a poor rumor, but when multiple people say it, it has merit. There's a chance he falls here, but if he's gone, I believe it will be Cross or Porter.
    11. New York Mets - Brock Porter, RHP, Orchard St Mary's HS (MI)
    With two picks in the teens separated by only two picks between, the Mets have cast a wide net on potential suitors. Crawford has been attached here for a long time and I believe if they like him enough, they could swing him to either pick with their large bonus pool. The Mets have played the draft backwards in the past by taking two underslot deals early and landing their bigger fish with a later pick (i.e., 2019: Brett Baty, Josh Wolf, Matt Allan), though that was without the excess of two high picks and leads me to believe they'll play this draft more straightforward. Pending their confidence in what the Tigers and Angels will do, I see them going upside with their first pick and top of their board with the second. Jett Williams is a name of interest for either pick.
    12. Detroit Tigers - Connor Prielipp, LHP, Alabama
    Up until the last week, I believed this would be the floor for Jace Jung with very slight risk the Mets would take him ahead of this. Detroit was full hands-on deck for Jung late in the season and I still wouldn't rule it out. But, I have it on good authority, almost to guarantee, that Detroit has pivoted heavily towards Prielipp who impressed during scouted bullpens and at the MLB Draft Combine, and he is set to be the first college arm off the board.
    13. Los Angeles Angels - Brandon Barriera, LHP, American Heritage HS (FL)
    As this is an Angels Community Fansite & blog, there will be more reader emphasis on the Angels selection due to its paramount readership. As a caveat, it doesn't alter anything to the entirety of the mock and will go according to the information given. I have brash confidence that the Angels will take a pitcher here. Few pitchers, if any, will be selected ahead of them which gives the Angels their most desired arm and surplus to pick from. To my understanding, they have narrowed down who they believe is the top college and prep arm to Gabriel Hughes and Brandon Barriera and will be selecting between the two. The debate of who lingers behind them tends to fall to Justin Campbell on the college side and Robby Snelling on the prep, while Cade Horton and Lesko may be enticing. Kumar Rocker has had rumors in this range, though I'm leery on the Angels being among that group based on some internal comments. It will be noted here as opposed to later: whoever takes Rocker will plausibly have a gameplan of getting him to the big leagues as a reliever by September while in the hunt for the playoffs or impending a roster spot in the postseason. Postscript: belief is that the Angels will not take twenty pitchers with twenty picks.
    14. New York Mets - Daniel Susac, C, Arizona
    Once again going to the Mets and their creativity, this pick and the one they hold ahead of this have so much variance that plenty can alter between the two and it's a crapshoot as to trying to access what they will do. I do believe that if Crawford is available the Mets would try and swing him here as opposed to at 11 due to how the Tigers and Angels picks are being conceived, and they would target a college bat with their first pick. Instead, with him unavailable, I see them going to the top of their board with my idea being that it is a college bat and Susac being the frontrunner. One name that continues to come up around the teen picks and even prior is Lesko who was seen as the top arm in this class before having Tommy John surgery this spring. Again, there's no dead set feeling here but I could see the 11 and 14 picks being swapped multiple ways with too many players involved to feel any bit of confidence about New York.
    15. San Diego Padres - Jett Williams, SS, Rockwall-Heath HS (TX)
    Speaking of Lesko, everyone and their mother will believe he's a perfect fit for A.J. Preller and the Padres. I have it on good faith that San Diego is taking a hitter here, but I too am wary of Lesko being available and not being the pick. Of the hitters I've heard mentioned here, Crawford gains the most traction with Jett Williams and Cole Young right behind, with Williams getting the slight nod.
    16. Cleveland Guardians - Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech
    Cleveland shied away from their standard draft model last year with Gavin Williams, only slightly, where they focus on youth for the
    class and upside. With that, I could see Crawford, Barriera, or Williams going here and gives me pause on them taking Cole Young. A late rumor I heard as of writing this mock is that Cleveland has hopes of a particular falling talent getting to them in Jung who has rumors of falling down towards the 21st pick, while also having suitors from 8-14, though I don't believe the Mets would take him with either of their picks. Drew Gilbert and Chase DeLauter also seem to be candidates. With Lesko still on the board, I'm once again wary of Cleveland passing.
    17. Philadelphia Phillies - Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga
    Another late rumor I heard while writing this mock is how deep Philadelphia ran in to see Gabriel Hughes during the late stages of the season. I've heard mixed reports on Philadelphia and while keeping things honest, don't have a strong feel for the direction they will go. My belief is that they'll take an arm here and though I'm somewhat confident in the general demographic they'll target I'm much less confident in who that will be. Plenty of teams in this range are interested in Lesko and he could even work his way into the top ten.
    18. Cincinnati Reds - Dylan Lesko, RHP, Buford HS (GA)
    It might be a pipedream, but I don't think it's out of the realm for Cincinnati to get who they see as the top arm in the class. If Lesko is taken earlier and the Angels go with Hughes, I think this would be Barriera's floor. Zach Neto is also mentioned here, as well as into the late top ten.
    19. Oakland Athletics - Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison
    College bat here with some options between DeLauter, Beavers, Drew Gilbert, and Jacob Melton; among others including previously selected.
    20. Atlanta Braves - Cade Horton, RHP, Oklahoma
    College arms are the talk with Atlanta, and they should have a reserve to pick from. Hughes -- who is believed to not make it past this pick with confidence -- and Campbell are the most common names that come up here. Running back to the trade with Kansas City, I'm curious to see what Atlanta does with the extra $2.2M+ in allotted bonus pool funds. I'm not certain it will alter this pick as much as it will their next, but with the rumors of Horton's bonus demands, it would make sense that they could be getting some extra bank for someone like him, and he seems to be solidly in their mix.
    * I said it in my last mock, and I think it bears repeating: Expectation is that there will be a run of college bats that could start upwards of 19 and end somewhere around the start of the supplemental round. During that stretch, there will be players who are not college hitters taken. Mock drafts are an inexact science and are based on information granted by industry sources. At some point, you're going to be wrong while doing a mock, and I'd put big money on this run of college bats being quite different from the real outcome. After that grain-of-salt public service announcement, let's move on. *
    21. Seattle Mariners - Zach Neto, SS, Campbell
    Another team with a broad mix of potential candidates, I'm hearing college for Seattle with no set direction on bats or arms. My best bet is Seattle sits and hopes for someone to fall, potentially Young who is still available. I believe this is the floor for Neto or Jung who could be the falling talent Seattle could be looking at. Gilbert is in play and is one of the top candidates for each of the next three picks. Other hitters here are the same as Oakland while the pitchers here are Hughes, Horton, or Connor Hjerpe.
    22. St. Louis Cardinals - Peyton Graham, SS, Oklahoma
    Sticking to my guns from the last mock. This is the first spot I've heard Graham's name attached and I was told to not be surprised by how high he goes. I also could see St. Louis taking a falling talent.
    23. Toronto Blue Jays - Drew Gilbert, OF, Tennessee
    A lot of the same. Plenty of college bats in the mix, with Gilbert being the preferred.
    24. Boston Red Sox - Sterlin Thompson, OF, Florida
    I'm going to stick with college bats here, and any of the ones ahead fit. Among this group is Jordan Beck, though I am leery to Colorado trying to swing Beck towards their supplement picks, as they do have some interest in him with their 10th overall selection.
    25. New York Yankees - Brock Jones, OF, Stanford
    The Yankees have been keeping up with the Jones', Brock and Spencer. It's the first landing spot I've heard for either but there seems to be real smoke that could be a fire on either here. There is some noise to the Yankees looking at Mikey Romero of Southern California for their second-round pick.
    26. Chicago White Sox - Connor Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State
    Hjerpe is more likely destined for one of the picks ahead of this where I mentioned that it won't strictly be college bats. His range is from 18 onwards. If Chicago went with a bat, I could see it being Melton or Toman.
    27. Milwaukee Brewers - Justin Campbell, RHP, Oklahoma State
    We've reached the throwing darts portion of the mock. I've heard pitching with Milwaukee, and they'll have plenty to choose from.
    28. Houston Astros - Jacob Melton, OF, Oregon State
    Sticking and probably ending with the run of college bats. No real connection here, just going with the gut.
    29. Tampa Bay Rays - Jacob Miller, RHP, Liberty Union HS (OH)
    If you go back to my pick for the Braves, this is my secondary landing spot for Horton due to the same reasons mentioned: lots of bonus pool. There are so many directions the Rays can go, and it seems like every year they do something off the charts. Miller is the kind of arm they've shown interest in in the past, but I don't have any real connections for them either.
    30. San Francisco Giants - Dylan Beavers, OF, California
    San Francisco is another broad range team with their first selection, and it seems natural as we're at the end of the natural first round. They have been linked to high upside preps and solidified college hitters. I could see them taking one of the previously mentioned bats if one were to fall, or go directly to upside arms and take Snelling, Jackson Ferris, or even swing big on Rocker.
     
    SUPPLEMENTAL ROUND A
    31. Colorado Rockies – Jordan Beck, OF, Tennessee
    32. Cincinnati Reds – Robby Snelling, LHP, McQueen HS (NV)
    33. Baltimore Orioles – Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, East Carolina
    34. Arizona Diamondbacks – Thomas Harrington, RHP, Campbell
    35. Atlanta Braves – Tucker Toman, 3B, Hammond HS (SC)
    36. Pittsburgh Pirates – Cole Young, SS, North Alleghany HS (PA)
    37. Cleveland Guardians – Blake Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee
    38. Colorado Rockies – Kumar Rocker, RHP, Tri-City (Independent League)
    39. San Diego Padres - Henry Bolte, OF, Palo Alto HS (CA)
    Supplemental Notes: Colorado has some interest in Beck with their 10th pick and have the bonus pool to swing him down though I believe he'll go ahead of this. Toman, Snelling, and Young are all likely to go earlier in the first round, but someone will swing some tend talents to the supplement and second round; Young is the most interesting at Pittsburgh has a rumored under slot deal early in the draft. Rocker will go somewhere in the first round though no one seems to know where; my best bet is he files in between the college hitters.
  15. Chuck
    Trout earns 10th career All-Star selection and ninth straight as a starter Ohtani makes his second consecutive Major League All-Star Team
    ANAHEIM – Mike Trout (OF) and Shohei Ohtani (DH) have been selected via fan voting to start for the American League in the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, to be played Tuesday, July 19 at Dodger Stadium. Trout extends his Angels records with 10 overall All-Star selections and nine selections via fan voting.
    Ohtani earns his second consecutive All-Star starting nod at designated hitter and is the first player to win consecutive All-Star starts at DH via fan voting since Nelson Cruz in 2014-15. Trout is the first Major League player to be voted in by the fans as a starter in nine straight All-Star Games since Alex Rodriguez (2000-08). He also becomes the eighth player in A.L. history to earn nine fan elections with one organization, joining Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL, 17), George Brett (KC, 11), Ken Griffey Jr. (SEA, 10), Rod Carew (MIN, 9), Derek Jeter (NYY, 9), Ichiro Suzuki (SEA, 9) and Iván Rodríguez (TEX, 9).
    Entering play today, Trout ranks in the Top Five in the American League this season in home runs (3rd; 23), slugging (3rd; .601), OPS (4th; .968), runs (4th; 53), extra-base hits (42) and total bases (161). He scored his 1,000th career run on May 21 and joined Garret Anderson (1,024) as the only players in Angels history to do so. Additionally, he became the first player in MLB history to hit game-winning home runs in four different games of a series during the Angels trip in Seattle from June 16-19.

    This season, Ohtani is the only player in the Majors with both 18+ home runs and 10+ stolen bases. Additionally, he ranks in the Top 10 in the A.L. with 34 extra-base hits (6th), 53 RBI (8th) and 149 total bases (8th).
    On June 21 vs. Kansas City, he set a single-game career high with eight RBI which are the most in an MLB game for any Japanese-born player. Additionally, he has made 14 pitching starts, going 8-4 with a 2.44 ERA (81 IP – 22 ER) and 111 strikeouts. In his last five pitching starts, Ohtani is 5-0 with a 0.27 ERA (33.2 IP – 1 ER) and 46 strikeouts. In his seven previous All-Star Game appearances, Trout has amassed a .412 average (7/17) with two doubles, one triple, two home runs, four RBI, three walks and four runs scored. He became the first player to win the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award in consecutive seasons after winning the honors in 2014 and 2015. His seven All-Star Game hits are the most in Angels history. Additionally, his 17 All-Star Game total bases before turning 28 years old, are tied with Al Kaline and Ted Williams for the most in A.L. history; in the N.L., only Johnny Bench (18) had more by that age. Trout did not play in the 2017 and 2021 All-Star Games due to injury.

    Ohtani, the reigning A.L. MVP, made his MLB All-Star Game debut last season and was both the starting pitcher and starting designated hitter for the American League. He was the first player ever to start at pitcher, start in the leadoff spot and earn the win all in the same game (regular season, All-Star or postseason). He also became the only player ever selected to an All-Star team as both a pitcher and a position player.
    The complete All-Star rosters will be announced on Sunday, July 10th at 2:30 p.m. PT during the AllStar Selection Show on ESPN. 
  16. 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.
  17. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop (@Angelsjunky), AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Introduction
    Before the season began, I predicted that the Angels would go 91-71, with a good chance of earning a wildcard berth. At the time, I doubted my own prediction - as @Dochalo half-jokingly remarked, he and I did the same thing every year: Wrote a long, stat-heavy post that showed how the Angels could be better than expected. And they never were.
    But this year seems different - and more so, I'm starting to believe. Not only my own prediction, but that this is a very good club.
    Before getting into that, I'm going to take a stroll down memory lane, to provide the context from which the current team arose. If you're not interested in all that, just skip to Part 2.
    1: A History of Mediocrity and Disappointment
    As a four-decade Angels fan, I'm used to the unsavory but familiar mix of mediocrity and disappointment. Except for a single, shining year in 2002, Angels history has been characterized by it. In fact, one of my first memories of fandom was my father telling me that the Angels lost to the Brewers in 1982 playoffs; I was outside playing ball--kids actually played outside back then--and I remember kicking it in frustration, but then quickly moving on to something else. While my fandom goes back to around 1980, I only really started following the team closely in 1987; I would have before then, but lived overseas for the previous two years, so in the pre-internet days, wasn't really able to follow them (so I thankfully missed the '86 postseason).
    Now consider my first fifteen years of serious fandom, 1987-2001. The first five years of that period was one of the worst, with the Angels signing a smorgasbord of declining former stars as free agents, and never really amounting to much, even though they had a core of young homegrown players in Wally Joyner, Devon White, Jack Howell, Mark McLemore, Mike Witt, Chuck Finley, Kirk McCaskill, Jim Abbott, etc. They did win 91 games in 1989, but other than that the teams of 1987-94 were par for the course for Angels: mediocre, through and through.
    1995 was the original "magical season." The Angels were playing good ball, 39-30 at the All-Star Break, and then went on an absolute tear, winning 17 of their first 20 games after the break, and 25-8 over 33. On August 15, they were 64-38, 10.5 games ahead in the AL West.
    It was an exciting team, with many young players - including that great outfield of Tim Salmon, Jim Edmonds, and Garret Anderson, and fueled by veteran spark-plug Tony Phillips. Again: 64-38, 10.5 games ahead in 1st place. They then proceeded to win only 9 of the next 37 games, somehow managing to fall into 2nd place. But as bad as that was, to add insult to injury, they went on a five-game winning streak to finish the season, tying the Mariners for 1st place and forcing a one-game playoff. What commenced was my personal worst day in franchise history. They had to face Randy Johnson and, through six innings, were only losing 1-0. Then, in the worst moment of the worst day, Luis Sojo comes up to bat against Mark Langston with the bases loaded. Sojo hits a broken bat ground ball that got by JT Snow at first base, bounced around in the benches along the wall - everyone scored, including Sojo (it is ruled a double). If you want to re-live this improbable play, here it is:
    Again, this was the low-point of my Angels fandom - not simply because they lost, but because it was the culmination and reversal of a "magical year" that turned sour. And after that, for the next six years, the Angels reverted to mediocrity, winning between 70 and 85 games each season (sound familiar?).
    And then 2002 happened - and that was an actual magical season. One of my favorite elements of that season but barely gets a mention when it comes up in conversation, is that the Athletics were also having a magical season, including a 20-game win streak in August and September. But the Angels were also white-hot, and only lost a few more games. But even so, the Angels began to fade in the last two weeks, going 5-8, and the Athletics took the division. But the Angels earned a wildcard berth.
    After losing the first game of the Division Series to the Yankees, it looked like the Angels would go quietly. Top of the 8th in game two, and the Angels are down 5-4...it wasn't looking good. But then the Angels scored 3 runs in the 8th, including two solo shots by Anderson and Glaus, and Troy Percival closed it out. The Angels took the next two games and the series, and then dispatched the Twins handily in the AL Championship series, 4 games to 1, going to their first World Series.
    The first four games were a back-and-forth, the Angels winning games 2 and 3. But then the Giants blew them out in game 5, 16-4. One problem is that the Angels simply couldn't get Barry Bonds out: he hit an absurd .471/.700/.1.294 in the Series. So through five games, the Angels are down 3 games to 2.
    If that Luis Sojo at-bat in 1995 was my worst moment in franchise history, the 7th and 8th innings of game six were my best. Down 5-0 in the bottom of the 7th and, well, you know the rest. Actually, you can watch the whole game on Youtube, but if you want to just watch the 7th and on, start at 2:02:22 (or if you want to see Bonds strikeout, start at 1:58:45). 
    I actually watched that game in a Northern California retreat center, surrounded by Giants fans. I left the room after the Giants went up 5-0, unable to bear the cheering of the NoCalers. Then, driving home, I turned on the radio and the Angels had two men on based in the 7th, and the rest is history, and the names Scott Spiezio, Darin Erstad, Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Troy Glaus, and others will be forever carved into Angels history.
    2002-09 is sometimes called the Golden Age of Angels baseball, for obvious reasons: it was, by far, their most successful period. Not only did they win the World Series in 2002, but then reached the playoffs in five of six years, from 2004-09. But as great as that era was, it was marred by continual disappointment in the playoffs, illustrated by their 4-17 record in playoff games during that span.
    The Angels came back down to earth in 2010, going 80-82. In response, what commenced over the next few years--as the Angels failed to get back to the postseason--was a series of panic moves that disastrously hampered the franchise for the next decade, starting with the head-scratching trade for Vernon Wells in January of 2011, then the massive contracts to Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton. Despite the arrival of the franchise's best player ever, Mike Trout, the 2010s felt like a return to the mediocrity of the 1990s: one playoff appearance, but a 3-0 exit, and mostly teams that were a few games above or below .500.
    Perhaps the biggest factor in the team's mediocrity was the almost comical rash of injuries to the young pitching staff in the 2014-16 period. A talented young group, all of them disappointed - and GMs Jerry Dipoto and Billy Eppler couldn't find the pieces to make up for it.
    Fast forward to last year. It was supposed to be different: Not only did they have a new GM in Perry Minasian, who had, at least, the air of confidence, but they had two superstars in Trout and Rendon, plus the ever-promising Shohei Ohtani. But injuries to Trout and Rendon yielded another disappointing year, the Angels finishing 77-85. Yet there were glimmers of hope - Ohtani's massive breakout, Walsh's emergence as another plus hitter, and the arrival of top prospects Brandon Marsh and Jo Adell in the majors. So before the 2022 season, I wrote yet another post or two, pointing out how this year could be different. Again. For realz, this time!
    2. The 2022 Team
    When I scan over the 2022 team, it is easy to justify my pre-season prediction: it is a team with no major weaknesses. But it isn't a perfect team, and behind the pretty facade there are a few points of concern, which can be illustrated by contrasting them with the team's strengths:
    The starting rotation looks very good but beyond the 1-5 starters, there's a steep drop-off, with an assortment of guys with limited upside, question marks and/or little major league experience. The lineup is explosive but rather top-heavy and a bit weak in the last third or so. The bullpen is vastly improved but still a little soft around the edges. The defense is surprisingly good but largely dependent on a guy who is hitting .176. In other words, and this is the key point: behind the first line of players, there's questionable depth. There is some depth, but it is mostly minor league filler, with no top prospects waiting in the wings.
    We're only 32 games into the season, with no major injuries to any key players (unless you count David Fletcher). It is likely that someone gets injured at some point, but as traumatized as we are, it is worth noting that some teams escape seasons without any major injuries to their best players. It can happen!
    All that said, at this moment in time, 91-71 looks conservative. Or rather, I think it is actually realistic - it accounts for the team's talent and some possible injuries to come. The implication being that if the Angels escape the season relatively unscathed, they could win more than that.
    In other words, whereas to start the year I thought 91-71 was on the optimistic side of the range of likely outcomes, now I see it more as an over/under, or even a baseline. The team is 21-11, a .656 winning percentage; to finish 91-71, they need to go 70-60, a .538 winning percentage, which is an 87-win pace over a full year. With this team's talent, they'd have to face significant adversity to not play the rest of the season at that pace.
    Meaning, 91-71 is the number below which--by season's end--meant the Angels faced significant challenges, above which meant they had just a normal amount of mild to moderate injuries.
    As Billy Beane once said, in paraphrase, you use the first third of the season to see what you have, the next third to get what you need, and the last third to cruise into the postseason. The Angels are still seeing what they have - and there's another 22 games before the first third is done. But if we look at the team, what do they seem to have?
    A dynamic offense, with power, patience and speed. They lead the majors with 44 HR and a 127 wRC+, way ahead of the Yankees at 118, and are 8th in walk rate at 9.7%, and 5th in SB with 19. An overall strong pitching staff, 8th in ERA with 3.39, with the starters 9th with a 3.35 and relievers 14th with 3.45. A good defense which, despite being only 16th in Def Runs at -5.7, looks much better than that with the eyeball test. But three potential cracks in the facade:
    Despite an 8th best ERA, the pitching staff has a 16th best 3.79 FIP, meaning they could come back down to earth and be more of an average staff over the course of the full season. A huge portion of that team 127 wRC+ is due to Trout's 245 and Ward's 244, both of whom will inevitably come down to earth. That said, others are rising: Walsh is now at 137, Marsh holding steady at 127, Ohtani at 126, and even the struggling Rendon is at 108. Meaning, Trout/Ward performing at non-Bondsian levels could be balanced by other players improving. The ever-looming possibility of injury, whether to one of the Big Three hitters--Trout, Ward, Ohtani--or to one of the starters. As said, while the depth behind the regulars isn't terrible, there's still a significant drop-off, especially when you consider replacing Trout at-bats with Adell at-bats, or Ohtani starts with Junk starts. 3. Summing Up: Some Remaining Questions
    Injury aside, what are the question marks, as the team currently stands?
    The Middle Infield: 2B/SS remains the soft underbelly of the lineup. Everyone wants Andrew Velazquez to hit enough to justify him being the everyday shortstop due to his stellar defense, but he's still hitting just .176 with a 52 wRC+. That said, he's got 5 hits in his last 14 at-bats, hitting .357 over his last four games. With his defense and speed, he doesn't need to be Barry Larkin - he just needs to be Mario Mendoza and hit about .200 or so. As for 2B, the Angels have added Luis Rengifo to the mix, and so far, so good. With David Fletcher out for a couple months--a blessing in disguise--they still need to figure out who among Rengifo, Wade, Duffy, and perhaps Mayfield, will be Velazquez's partner (assuming AV can hold down the job). And there's also Michael Stefanic to consider. But again, with the rest of the lineup as good as it is, they simply need adequate offense from 2B/SS; defense being the priority, especially at SS.
    4th Outfielder: Trout and Ward are locks, and Marsh has been playing well enough and Adell poor enough that the Angels couldn't justify platooning them, so Marsh is the everyday leftfielder. With those three, a good 4th outfielder seems a luxury, but they'll want a defense-first guy they can bring in, thus the promotion of Aaron Whitefield and the signing of Juan Lagares to a minor league contract. They've also got Magneuris Sierra, Dillon Thomas, and Monte Harrison in AAA. If any of the starting three get injured, Adell will get another look (and he just walked 4 times in a AAA game!). Meaning, all they really need right now is a guy who can play good defense, and not embarrass himself in the occasional emergency start.
    6th/depth starters: Jose Suarez lost his job in the rotation, at least for the time being, but given his success last year in the bullpen, the Angels might audition other pitchers to fill his role and bring Suarez back up as a reliever, especially given that Griffin Canning should be back in a few weeks. Jhonathan Diaz, Davis Daniel, Janson Junk and Kenny Rosenberg look like adequate depth pieces, but probably not players you want in a playoff-bound rotation. The wildcard is injured Chris Rodriguez, but one would think that whenever he returns, the Angels will baby him. 2021 draftees Sam Bachman, Ky Bush, and Chase Silseth could also factor in by season's end, but probably only if the Angels fall out of contention, and are more considerations for 2023 and beyond.
    Back-end of the bullpen: The bullpen is the best its been in years, led by veterans Iglesias, Tepera, and Loup, but also solid contributions by Herget, Ortega, and Barria, and improving performance from Bradley. That's probably enough, but the Angels will still rotate different guys through the remaining spots, with Barraclough the most recent experiment.
    Bench configuration: The bench configuration will largely be determined by how the middle infield pans out - whether Velazquez holds onto his starting job, and if anyone emerges as the regular second baseman. There are lots of possible configurations, from a more tradition starting pair at SS/2B to a continual platoon, involving some or all of Velazquez, Wade, Duffy, Mayfield, Rengifo, Stefanic, and eventually Fletcher. Moving over to catcher, the stellar performance of Chad Wallach, filling in for Kurt Suzuki, has to turn Joe Maddon's head. While it is hard to see Maddon releasing the veteran Suzuki, Wallach has a few more games to try to convince him. Anyhow, this is one area in which the Angels really could use a bolster - someone who can provide plus hitting playing multiple positions (Ahh, Chris Taylor, if only...).
    To end this, it is almost concerning that there's nothing really to be concerned about. Or rather, the biggest concern remains possible injury, and the questionable depth behind the everyday players. But this is a talent-laden team, and despite the depth concerns, can take some bumps before imploding.
    One final note. I was inspired to write this after last night's remarkable game, which had an almost mythic quality that I haven't experienced with the Angels in many years - even since 2002 (I know, I shouldn't have). In a way, it joins my personal list of best franchise moments: if game 6 of the 2002 World Series is the best postseason moment, this is in the running for the best among regular season games. Watching the joyful camaraderie of the team upon Detmers completing his improbable no-hitter, as well as the offensive barrage and even the crazy left-handed HR by Rendon - it was the stuff of legends.
    But even if reality sets in and it ends up being a great moment in merely a good year, this is a talent-laden team, and one that--at the least--should remain a blast to watch for the rest of the year.
  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
    Robinson Pina, RHP Tri-Cities Dust Devils
     
    By Tres Hefter, AngelsWin.com Columnist
    With the trade deadline now in the past and prospects on the move to the bigs, attention continues to turn towards some of the Angels breakout prospects; unexpected performance from once-prospects, 2021 draftees and trade returns making their debuts, players adjusting to new leagues and other names returning from injury...
    -- Pitchers--
    1) Robinson Pina – RHP, Tri-City A+:
    In the last two weeks, Robinson Pina was the hard luck loser in two of his three starts, but there was more than meets the eye, as the 6’4” righty struck out 28 hitters in 17.1 IP, almost half of the hitters he faced (62) in that time, continuing a resurgent summer following an erratic May which saw Pina walk 24 hitters in his first 15 innings. Since then, Pina has only walked 22 in his last 60 innings, and has flashed strong strikeout numbers along the way, whiffing 88. Pina also continued to limit opponents at the plate, as his .175 BAA is consistent with his season mark of .185 BAA. A late-season promotion to AA Rocket City isn’t out of the question, especially as Pina’s stuff could easily factor into the Angels bullpen as soon as late-2022, though it might be best the Angels continue developing him as a starter until no longer feasible.

    2021 (IE A/TRI A+): 3.48 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, .185 BAA with 46 BB, 107 K, 6 HR allowed in 75 IP in 16 GS
    2A, tied) Davis Daniel – RHP, Rocket City AA:
    Maybe AA won’t be a challenge either? The Angels 7th round selection from the 2019 draft continues to breeze through his first professional season, who has not missed a beat since being promoted at the start of July. In his last two starts for Rocket City, Daniel continued to dominate hitters with a fastball-heavy attack pounding the zone, striking out 21 and walking zero across 14 IP, while also holding hitters to a .213 BAA (10 hits) and 0.64 ERA (1 ER). Daniel isn’t Rule 5 eligible until December ’22 so the Angels have no need to rush him, but at this rate, Daniel could be in the running for bullpen innings before this season is even out.

    2021 (TRI A+/RCT AA): 2.47 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .200 BAA with 25 BB, 100 K, 6 HR allowed in 72 IP in 14 GS
    2B, tied) Jhonathan Diaz – LHP, Rocket City AA:
    Matching Davis Daniel almost pitch-for-pitch from the other side of the mound is former Red Sox farmhand Jhonathan Diaz, who in his two starts (one of which was the rare complete game) struck out 16 and walked one in 16 IP, allowing two HR, 11 hits, and three ER (1.69 ERA), though he did also hit five hitters (!!!) in that span. Only 24, Diaz still has youth on his side and his strong performances through the year should garnish consideration for a bullpen audition as soon as this season, though the time he missed with injury could cause the Angels some hesitation. It will be interesting to see how he fits in the org’s future plans.

    2021 (RCT AA): 2.22 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, .210 BAA with 9 BB, 65 K, 4 HR allowed in 48.2 IP in 10 G/6 GS
     3) Cooper Criswell – RHP, Salt Lake City AAA:
    Just as Davis Daniel didn’t miss a beat in his promotion to AA, the same can be said for Cooper Criswell, whose first two starts with Salt Lake at AAA have been no different from his season’s performance in AA. In his first two starts at the minor’s highest level, Criswell has thrown 11 innings, struck out 14, walked 2, allowing 4 ER (3.27 ERA) and a .250 BAA. Criswell doesn’t have any overwhelming stuff, but he attacks the zone, keeps hitters guessing, and his approach has produced both this season and in the pre-COVID 2019 season. Now at AAA, Criswell’s pitchability will be put to the test. So far, so good.

    2021 (RCT AA/SLC AAA): 3.65 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .247 BAA with 10 BB, 99 K, 10 HR allowed in 81.1 IP in 14 GS
    4) Adam Seminaris – LHP, Inland Empire A:
    Somewhere in the last two months, something clicked for Seminaris, the Angels’ 5th round choice in last year’s draft, as the lefty started striking out hitters at a much higher rate than the first part of his season (56 K in 35.1 IP against 24 K in his first 19 IP). That’s continued of late as Seminaris posted two consecutive starts with 8 K in 5 IP, holding opponents to a .270 ERA and .184 BAA. Seminaris’ control has also been steady, though not remarkable, as he allowed four free passes in that time. Drafted with some anticipation that he could move quickly, Seminaris is probably due for a promotion to Tri-City to face competition a little older and more challenging. His future seems to spin off in all sorts of possible outcomes, as he could draw a trajectory like prior lefties in Nick Maronde or Michael Roth and find himself a spot-starter/multi-inning reliever, or he could be brought along more gradually in hopes of achieving a much higher ceiling, either in the rotation or relief.

    2021 (IE A): 5.63 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, .281 BAA with 15 BB, 80 K, 7 HR allowed in 54.1 IP in 14 G/12 GS
    5) Daniel Nunan – LHP, Arizona Rk.:
    Rocketing into the list is 6’6” lefty Daniel Nunan out of New Jersey. Taken in the 12th round of the 2018 draft, Nunan has electric stuff but has struggled to harness it in his limited pro career. In the last two weeks, Nunan has made four appearances (all in relief) with the Angels’ Arizona Complex League team and the results are near perfect – 5.1 IP, zero hits, two walks, nine strikeouts. Nunan has the stuff to advance quickly, though with the Angels’ strong organizational pitching this year, the need is slightly lessened.

    2021 (ARZ Rk.): 5.06 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, .059 BAA with 4 BB, 9 K, 1 HR allowed in 5.1 IP in 4 
    Honorable mention, pitchers:
    Connor Von Scoyoc (RHP, IE A/ARZ Rk.): 3.97 ERA, .295 BAA, 6 BB, 15 K across 11.1 IP in 3 G/2 GS – Angels 11th rounder from ’18, 6’6” showing signs of establishing some prospect status
    Zac Kristofak (RHP, TRI A+): 0.00 ERA, .071 BAA, 0 BB, 5 K across 4.1 IP in 5 G  
    Emmanuel Duran (RHP, ARZ Rk.): 2.57 ERA, .143 BAA, 2 BB, 10 K across 7 IP in 3 G/1 GS – lively relief arm pitching well consistently in Rookie ball
    Jose Aleman (RHP, ARZ Rk.): 2.57 ERA, .231 BAA, BB, 5 K across 7 IP in 3 G – teenaged arm pitching well stateside
    Jose Marte (RHP, RVA/RCT AA): 0.00 ERA, .083 BAA, 3 BB, 5 K across 4 IP in 4 G – power relief arm impressing since coming back in Watson trade 
    Sam Bachman (RHP, TRI A+): 0.00 ERA, .167 BAA, 2 K across 2 IP in 1 GS – strong pro debut for Angels’ 2021 first round draft pick
    Jake Smith (RHP, TRI A+): 0.00 ERA, .000 BAA, BB, 2 K across 2 IP in 1 GS – equally strong pro debut for Angels’ 2021 sixth-round draft pick
    Justin Courtney (RHP, IE A): 1.42 ERA, .250 BAA, 2 BB, 8 K across 6.1 IP in 3 G – indy ball signee having a solid first pro season, though a little old for the league
     
    -- Position Players--
    1) Edgar Quero – C, Arizona Rk.:
    It’s been years since the Angels had a catching prospect this exciting, and Edgar Quero only furthered that excitement over the last two weeks as the teenager from Cuba slashed an impressive .294/.600/.765/1.365 in 30 plate appearances over 8 games. Quero drew twelve walks against 7 strikeouts, displaying extraordinarily advanced plate discipline for his age, and did just as much damage when he did swing, hitting three doubles, a triple, and a home run in 8 games as well. Quero is playing in a manner which will give him legitimate Top 30 prospect consideration for updated lists and could start hearing whispers of catcher-of-the-future, even if premature, before long.

    2021 (ARZ Rk.): .304/.513/.679/1.191 with 7 doubles, a triple, 4 home runs, 19 RBI, and 19 BB, 17 K, 33% CS% in 20 G/80 PA

    2) Luis Aviles – 2B/SS/LF/3B, Rocket City AA:
    What is going on here? After typically posting home run totals in the single digits through a reasonably lengthy minor league career, and never hitting more than his career high of 9 in nearly 500 PA, Luis Aviles has erupted since returning from injury, hitting 14 HR in less than 200 plate appearances, a pace that has not lessened of late, as the utility player clubbed 6 more home runs in 12 games, adding five doubles in for good measure, leading to a .345/.339/.764/1.103 slash. He didn’t walk once in the last two weeks, but hard to hold that against him when he’s hitting as well as he has. At 26, Aviles isn’t exactly prospect-age and is quickly approaching minor-league filler status, but versatility, speed, and some pop could give him MLB at-bats in the future, though it might be hard to find with the Angels.

    2021 (RCT AA): .266/.312/.597/.909 with 9 doubles, 14 home runs, 37 RBI, and 9 BB, 41 K, 6-6 in SB attempts in 40 G/170 PA
    3) Brendon Davis – 3B/2B/SS/LF, Rocket City AA:
    Another utility player for Rocket City is also enjoying swinging the bat lately, as Brendon Davis has had no problems adjusting to AA since his promotion. Over the last two weeks Davis has slashed .295/.426/.523/.949 displaying impressive discipline (10 BB to 14 K), contact (13 hits in 44 AB) and power (3 doubles, 1 HR) to go with his defensive versatility, seeing time at four positions. A once well-regarded Dodgers’ prospect, Davis could not be enjoying a breakout season at a better time, as he’s on the cusp of outgrowing prospect status. The Angels could still have a potential late-bloomer here, especially if he finishes the AA season strong.
    2021 (TRI A+/RCT AA): .284/.349/.552/.901 with 19 doubles, 3 triples, 20 home runs, 51 RBI, 29 BB, 95 K, 10-13 in SB attempts in 80 G/355 PA
     4) Michael Stefanic – 3B/2B, Salt Lake City AAA:
    If it weren’t for the offensive outbreak and defensive prowess of Jack Mayfield, there’s a chance Michael Stefanic would be in Anaheim by now and no longer eligible for this list. All season long, Stefanic has hit and nothing has changed of late. In his last ten games, Stefanic has hit .350/.409/.525/.934 in 44 plate appearances, only striking out once in that span. Displaying Fletcher-esque contact skills, Stefanic has only improved as the season has continued, dropping his K% in AAA each month. Stefanic has also benefitted from the hitter-friendly parks of AAA-West, as he his 10 HR obliterated his former career high of 3. Rule 5 eligible this winter, there’s a chance we still see Stefanic make an appearance in Anaheim before the year is out, and it’s almost a certainty he will be added to 40-man.
     
    2021 (RCT AA/SLC AAA): .333/.405/.479/.883 with 14 doubles, 10 home runs, 41 RBI, 31 BB, 51 K, 2-5 in SB attempts in 78 G/303 PA
    5) Alexander Ramirez – RF/CF, Arizona Rk.:
    Typically, it takes more than 5 games and 23 PA to rank in the top five, but this kid can just hit. In the last two weeks Ramirez has hit .500/.565/1.000/1.565 in 23 PA, with half of his ten hits going for extra bases: two doubles, a triple, and two home runs. Ramirez drew one walk, was hit by a pitch twice, and limited his strikeouts to only five in this time, furthering some of the hopes that his offensive skill set can continue to translate as he progresses and he can avoid the high strikeout numbers that often beset young power hitters.

    2021 (ARZ Rk.): .290/.380/.548/.928 with 4 doubles, 4 triples, 4 home runs, 17 RBI, 10 BB, 37 K in 23 G/108 PA
     
    Honorable mention, position players:
    Gabe Matthews 1B/DH (IE A): .393/.541/.893/1.433 with 5 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 2 SB, 6 BB, 7 K ­– at 23 and an UDFA, he’s a little old for the competition but it’s a good debut to a pro career
    Matt Thaiss C (MLB LAA/AAA SLC): .367/.457/.600/1.057 with 4 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 6 K in 8 G/35 PA
    Braxton Martinez 1B (IE A): .257/.413/.457/.870 with 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 9 BB, 10 K – still rockin’
    Izzy Wilson RF (RCT AA): .282/.341/.410/.751 with 2 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 13 K, 4 SB - .299 BA, .929 OPS since start of June
    Francisco Del Valle RF/LF (TRI A+): .250/.388/.425/.813 with 4 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 7 BB, 9 K
    Elijah Greene CF/LF (IE A): .303/.378/.424/.803 with 2 2B, 3B, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 14 K – increasing power from a discipline-first bat
    Kevin Watson DH/C (Arizona Rk.): .333/.571/.333/.905 with 8 BB, 3 K, 4 SB – interesting stat line debut for UDFA catcher
    Ray-Patrick Didder SS/2B/CF (Rocket City AA): .243/.391/.432/.824 with 4 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 14 K
    Adrian Placencia 2B/SS (Arizona Rk.): .167/.400/.500/.900 with 2 HR, 6 RBI, 7 BB, 8 K – continued strong discipline and power showing, unlucky .125 BAbip
    Kyren Paris SS/2B (Arizona Rk./IE A): .294/.455/.471/.925 with HR, 5 BB, 5 K, 3 SB – strong return from injury
    Brennon Lund RF/CF (SLC AAA): .353/.368/.706/1.074 with 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, 3 K
    Anthony Mulrine C (RCT AA): .267/.450/.667/1.117 with 3 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K – also a strong 36% CS% on the year
  20. 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!
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