Michifan

You know it's bad when the pitcher hits better than the catcher

Here's how I imagine things. Hamilton's marriage hits the skids. Hamilton looks down the bottle of scotch and says )(%^*&%&(  it. He hits the bottle, calls up a supplier he still knows and gets blasted on coke, binges for a bit. He then gets sober enough to realize he's screwed up. Calls his agent. The agent executes the escape plan he has devised knowing this day may or likely would come. He calls the lawyer and their first question to Josh is. When is your next drug test? Josh isn't sure what day it is but figures it's soon. Then here is the conversation. "Legally, we think we can get you out of this under the following loophole. If you self-report your relapse, you can avoid a drug test. Doing so means you have not ACTUALLY failed a drug test. That means, baseball can't punish you. That's the only hope."
"Oh and Josh, let's try to make it look like you're the repentant sinner confessing to the priest of MLB. And don't talk to the Angels."
 
I'm sorry but I just don't buy this whole, I was weak and had a relapse, but I didn't mean to and came forward out of the goodness of my soul routine. I think it was a staged ploy, and give his team credit, it worked. MLB will make sure it's the last time it works, but it got the MLBPA behind him and got the arbitrator to hit that legal technicality button. 
But I have yet to see any real remorse from Josh. NO ONE has. He's not made any public statements that I've seen. 
 

Here's how I imagine things. Hamilton's marriage hits the skids. Hamilton looks down the bottle of scotch and says )(%^*&%&(  it. He hits the bottle, calls up a supplier he still knows and gets blasted on coke, binges for a bit. He then gets sober enough to realize he's screwed up. Calls his agent. The agent executes the escape plan he has devised knowing this day may or likely would come. He calls the lawyer and their first question to Josh is. When is your next drug test? Josh isn't sure what day it is but figures it's soon. Then here is the conversation. "Legally, we think we can get you out of this under the following loophole. If you self-report your relapse, you can avoid a drug test. Doing so means you have not ACTUALLY failed a drug test. That means, baseball can't punish you. That's the only hope."
"Oh and Josh, let's try to make it look like you're the repentant sinner confessing to the priest of MLB. And don't talk to the Angels."
 
I'm sorry but I just don't buy this whole, I was weak and had a relapse, but I didn't mean to and came forward out of the goodness of my soul routine. I think it was a staged ploy, and give his team credit, it worked. MLB will make sure it's the last time it works, but it got the MLBPA behind him and got the arbitrator to hit that legal technicality button. 
But I have yet to see any real remorse from Josh. NO ONE has. He's not made any public statements that I've seen. 
 

Here's how I imagine things. Hamilton's marriage hits the skids. Hamilton looks down the bottle of scotch and says )(%^*&%&(  it. He hits the bottle, calls up a supplier he still knows and gets blasted on coke, binges for a bit. He then gets sober enough to realize he's screwed up. Calls his agent. The agent executes the escape plan he has devised knowing this day may or likely would come. He calls the lawyer and their first question to Josh is. When is your next drug test? Josh isn't sure what day it is but figures it's soon. Then here is the conversation. "Legally, we think we can get you out of this under the following loophole. If you self-report your relapse, you can avoid a drug test. Doing so means you have not ACTUALLY failed a drug test. That means, baseball can't punish you. That's the only hope."
"Oh and Josh, let's try to make it look like you're the repentant sinner confessing to the priest of MLB. And don't talk to the Angels."
 
I'm sorry but I just don't buy this whole, I was weak and had a relapse, but I didn't mean to and came forward out of the goodness of my soul routine. I think it was a staged ploy, and give his team credit, it worked. MLB will make sure it's the last time it works, but it got the MLBPA behind him and got the arbitrator to hit that legal technicality button. 
But I have yet to see any real remorse from Josh. NO ONE has. He's not made any public statements that I've seen. 
 

So, he lawyers up and "admits" his relapse to MLB, not his team, knowing full well his next text would be a fail. Then refuses to rehab with the Angels and their doctors. After that, once he's ready to play, refuses to rehab with the Angels in the minors as is standard practice for any player, and demands to be traded to Texas. Let's see, violates drug policy, and then multiple cases of insubordination. Yet we are supposed to feel bad for him? And this is regardless of his lack of production vs salary.
I've always been a Hamilton supporter, especially as a person because of interactions he had with my son, but this is absolutely absurd. I got canned from a 17 year job for insubordination simply because I disagreed with my boss on a project we were working on. Not heatedly, just in a discussion. Didn't refuse to do anything, and actually did what he told me to, but I had disagreed in front of other people. And that was only two months after a perfect review and I had a perfect resume/record with the company. I had zero recourse.
Never thought I'd say this, but good riddance. Guess the drugs made him do it. All of it. The conniving and methodical planning of everything that has happened was obviously his plan. No way all of these things line up as pure coincidence.

Back to the article, love the story. Love to hear Pujols and Trout are buds, that he's clearly happier, and he looks great right now. I know its ST, but 4 home runs in 6 games plus hard hit balls to all parts of the field. I've upgraded from cautiously optimistic to measured excitement. 

Amazed how many people on here admit to being bi.

Well, I started out--blush--as a Dodgers fan as a kid until they let Steve Garvey walk, but I was too young to marry, so while the Dodgers were puppy love, a crush long since abandoned, the Angels have my vow. 

I'd say the Cubs are my first marriage and the Angels are my trade-up trophy wife... :-)

Are we talking true sports polygamy or just having a mistress on the side?
 
Since I no longer live in So Cal (grew up in San Dimas--San Dimas High School rules), I've flirted with many different teams in my time in Florida and now Michigan, but I still am loyal to the Angels. I can't quite embrace the Tigers--kind of like the Indians, can't stand the White Sox, could like the Cubs if they ever get their act together, and have liked the Cards for years since Edmonds. But if there ever was a playoff series or World Series, it'd be the Angels, no question. 

I think the Angels pitching successes have a lot more to do with JD and others than they do with Butcher.

We haven't seen baseball activities from Josh in 3 years

I actually think the series was lost and won on two defensive plays. For the Royals it was the amazing catch of Howie's drive by Aoki. It got past Cain, which few hits had. If Aoki doesn't make that play, two runs score in the sixth inning, and there is no extra innings. Angels win game one. The other is Trout's misplay of Gordon's hit. It would not have been an easy play, but good defense was needed to neutralize the Royals as they were neutralizing the Angels. If Trout makes that catch, the Royals don't score their second run, and again no extra innings and the Angels win game one. I'm not sure how that might have changed the series, but I think the real difference for the Royals overall was defense rather than offense. Angels made some key mistakes that hurt them--others such as Iannetta's throws--yikes. 

I actually think the series was lost and won on two defensive plays. For the Royals it was the amazing catch of Howie's drive by Aoki. It got past Cain, which few hits had. If Aoki doesn't make that play, two runs score in the sixth inning, and there is no extra innings. Angels win game one. The other is Trout's misplay of Gordon's hit. It would not have been an easy play, but good defense was needed to neutralize the Royals as they were neutralizing the Angels. If Trout makes that catch, the Royals don't score their second run, and again no extra innings and the Angels win game one. I'm not sure how that might have changed the series, but I think the real difference for the Royals overall was defense rather than offense. Angels made some key mistakes that hurt them--others such as Iannetta's throws--yikes. 

I think the buzzsaw simply relates to the momentum they were able to seize and sustain. The Angels blinked and made some mistakes that proved fortuitous to the Royals and allowed them to seize that momentum. On the other side, the Angels needed a few breaks and got none. Instead, the Royals flashed spectacular defense that kept the Angels from grabbing any momentum and gaining an upper hand on the series. 

I actually think the series was lost and won on two defensive plays. For the Royals it was the amazing catch of Howie's drive by Aoki. It got past Cain, which few hits had. If Aoki doesn't make that play, two runs score in the sixth inning, and there is no extra innings. Angels win game one. The other is Trout's misplay of Gordon's hit. It would not have been an easy play, but good defense was needed to neutralize the Royals as they were neutralizing the Angels. If Trout makes that catch, the Royals don't score their second run, and again no extra innings and the Angels win game one. I'm not sure how that might have changed the series, but I think the real difference for the Royals overall was defense rather than offense. Angels made some key mistakes that hurt them--others such as Iannetta's throws--yikes. 

I actually think the series was lost and won on two defensive plays. For the Royals it was the amazing catch of Howie's drive by Aoki. It got past Cain, which few hits had. If Aoki doesn't make that play, two runs score in the sixth inning, and there is no extra innings. Angels win game one. The other is Trout's misplay of Gordon's hit. It would not have been an easy play, but good defense was needed to neutralize the Royals as they were neutralizing the Angels. If Trout makes that catch, the Royals don't score their second run, and again no extra innings and the Angels win game one. I'm not sure how that might have changed the series, but I think the real difference for the Royals overall was defense rather than offense. Angels made some key mistakes that hurt them--others such as Iannetta's throws--yikes. 

Who would you bat third instead. Pujols is one of the only three guys WITH and RBI

His post was correct, Lester gave up 6 earned runs. He left with 2 on and only one out. Those are his runners and were charged accordingly.
 
Shields went only 5 innings and gave up 4 runs. Yost was a lot quicker pulling the plug before it got out of hand while Melvin watched the 8th inning spiral out of control.
 
In the end neither Shields or Lester had anything to do with the final outcome although from the standpoint that the A's made a huge payout to get Lester, then made sure their rotation would put him pitching the crucial one game play in, the A's completely blew it and Lester was no better than any other member of their rotation.

So, our family is cutting the cable and going the roku route. Overall I think it's a good idea, except that the ALDS and ALCS are on TBS, which requires subscription TV access even to their streaming service. So, I see that there has been something called Postseason TV through MLBTV, but I don't see the option to purchase it at least not yet. Does anyone know anything about it or have suggestions? I hate to have to go to a sports bar every game or bum a view from my buddy.

It's lovely in Michigan today. High 50s this morning, a few clouds, high of about 68 today. Warming up to 77 by the end of the week. Colors are coming on. Days like today I don't miss LA. 
            
                      ---Days like pretty much every day last year from Dec-April I missed LA.

For me it's this face that I want to smash, or have the pitcher smash with a fastball.

Wait, Mathis played last night? How did the Angels even score with Mathis behind the dish? How did he not catch and call a perfect game? I cant believe they scored off the great Mathis. 

I just can't believe it was actually the A's who had a stupid play like that. It looked exactly like something that the Angels would do. 

I tweeted this out last night.