disarcina

who's is going to be? Chuck - any scoops here?

been there, done that. He and Mario Impemba were fine for us. they left and the Halos promptly won their only World Championship -- must have been due to Physcioc and Hudler LOL !! or perhaps "Just Another Halos Victory"

Thorne is great - but I agree - we need someone younger who would be the Voice of the Halos for years to come. If Thorne were to get the job - maybe he could do double duty and take over PBP duties for the Anaheim Ducks. Hockey is Thorne's real strong suit.

hey -new analyst. fulfills his ten year personal services contract commitment. also - a great strategy for it -- Albert would probably ask out of the contract after a half season,.

he's pretty good -- I think he did some PBP work for the San Diego Padres in the past before he left for the MLB network

beatlesrule - I hear you about the obsessive aspect of fantasy games. I had to quit an NFL fantasy league years ago (before the internet made tracking so simple) for the same reason - I played two seasons and won at least one year, maybe both (this is some 25 years ago) before I had to quit cold turkey because I was watching players (not necessarily the games) on my team racking up stats/ points. this baseball league is sort to the antidote to that kind of a fantasy league - it's rotisserie scoring for the whole season (not head to head which lends itself more to obsessive behavior), it's auto pick draft (not a live draft - quite frankly there's no way we can get all the folks in front of a computer at the same time for an hour) off the ESPN list (that you are able to modify in terms of ranking players) and it can take as little as five minutes, maybe ten minutes twice a week if you choose. So it's less intense FLB -- so much so it sort of does not appeal to FLB fanatics who are checking their daily stats every half hour or so. if anyone is interested please e-mail me at the e-mail address listed in the first post and please list your e-mail address in the e-mail so I can quickly get the invitation out to you.

I am the organizer of a fantasy baseball league through the ESPN site that started with AW members some 10 plus years ago. Members have come and gone, some non-AW members joined (and subsequently left) The 2021 season is upon us. It is an 8 team roto league. The draft is March 25, the Keeper deadline is March 19 (I have selected Keepers for the two available teams but the new team owner(s) can make different selections by the March 19 Keeper deadline). This is a fun, relaxed rotisserie scoring league with an auto pick draft. The whole conceptt of this league is that it's more casual and not like some of the 'all consuming' leagues that require a lot of logging in and adjusting line ups. This is auto pick draft so there is no live draft. You don't need to adjust your lineup/ roster daily and can keep up with as little as a few minutes a once or twice a week. The big prize for the league winner is BRAGGING RIGHTS. If this more relaxed, less intense approach to FLB is for you - and you are interested in being a team owner (entry fee - ZERO) then e-mail me at: tj.staffel@comcast.net. and please list your e-mail in your e-mail - we have few rules but there a few major ones starting this these: 1. Have fun 2, all team owner commit to play/participate all the way to the end of the season - in other words, don't sign up and then quit making moves with your line up mid -season because you are in 5th place or something like that. All team owners commit to playing right to the final out of the final game of the regular season. if you want to join us - indentify yourself as a AW.com member with your AW screen name and send an e-mail to : tj.staffel@comcast.net - please respond NOW and no later than March 11 first two who respond have best chance(s) of joining league

diplomatically put. reminds me of a saying my 100% Scottish father-in-law use to say when commenting on someone (often it was about me or some scew up I did) - 'oh well, perhaps he's aware in other areas......'

geez - a lot of anti-Terry Smith sentiment here. and it seems to be most of the posters posting on the subject - many have been following Halos baseball for decades. So, I guess, when I dare suggest that I actually like Terry Smith somewhat and think he's OK -- I am in the definite very much out - voted minority - perhaps even a minority of ONE. So I have been an AW poster long enough (20 years now Chuck ?) to know all those AW posters can't be wrong. So, while I have no real issue with Terry Smith - and enjoy his radio side call of the game -- others have strong opinions otherwise and the Halos management has heard them. So - looking forward to the new TV pbp person - whoever it is - and I hope it is someone who can be the voice of the Angels for years to come (I thought that was Victor Rojas - who, according to the Vin Scully standard - had another at least 30 to 40 years to go). Also, I would like to thank the AW posters who certainly disagree (strongly)with my opinion of Terry Smith for posting their difference of opinion in a civil manner. Much appreciated and much needed these days,

I get the MLB audio package each year - actually I never cancel it after the season so I pay $2.99 a month in the off-season as well. But it's a heck of a deal -- all MLB games, home and away. but I'm a dinosaur throw back old school guy who would rather listen to the game on the radio anyway. that's why I probably like Terry Smith's call more than most here -- I have listened to a lot of Terry Smith called games over the years and after a while it's an acquired taste and the regular pbp guy becomes 'your guy' --- When the Angels switched from Physioc to Rojas (that seems like two years ago and, of course, was probably more like 10 or 12 - please don't say 15) I did notice the quality upgrade day one. Physioc has been one of the Kansas City Royals announcers since then ( Rex the Wonder Dog is also on that broadcast team but not always or ever teamed with Physioc) The KC regular pbp guy - is the son of Jimmy Leferbvre (former Dodger and 1965 ROY) . He's pretty good pbp guy.

ahh, LOU - that's harsh -- I mean he's not the quality level of the late Dick Enberg but he's OK. I guess you would rather have Jose Mota on the pbp ? But, what do I know, the Angels management apparently agrees with your opinion on this.

Chuck - I missed your initial post on this thread - so apparently they have someone in mind who can't make it until after Spring Training -- perhaps some one with March Madness pbp duties? I could be OK with that - sort of a snub to Terry Smith - who I like on the pbp call. As long as the new guy with possible March Madness obligations isn't BILL WALTON. I commented in a response to another thread where an AW poster joked that 'Hawk Harrelson' is available - that the best description I could give of that that would be like to have BILL WALTON doing our Halos Play By Play.....LOL !!!

Has an official announcement been made re Terry Smith being the permanent replacement for Victor Rojas for TV for the regular season? I'd be OK with that. Have always appreciated Terry Smith's call of the game (will miss Victor Rojas - he certainly is taking 'early retirement' from the pbp gig but perhaps more should to spend more family time) For the 2021 season the Angels should probably simeulcast TV/Radio call with Terry Smith and save some over-head. Makes sense during this COVID-19 pandemic limitation of fan attendance protocol period of time.

LOL !!! Geez - the Hawk was consistently rated the worst announcer in baseball. When I had the MLB TV package, he'd be announcing the ChiSox games -- perhaps the best description I could give is if Bill Walton did baseball play by play.

just watched that '62 Angels film -- GEEZ - what a walk down memory lane. some of the players don't ring a bell - Billy Moran an 'All Star' at second base - I don't remember him of course Fregosi, Bob Rodgers, Daddy Wags and Dean Chance are all familiar names and Bo Belinsky was our Hollywood Star ! thanks for posting this,. it was fun to watch. kind of hokey as things were back then -- Bill Rigney was a great baseball man. Toward the end of his life he worked as a special scout for the Oakland A's organization - a sportswriter friend of mine from the Bay Area lived near him and got to know him a bit - he said Rigney truly had a great baseball mind and was truly a nice guy.

as to the above Fowler vs. Jay comments - can't really argue with the comments and the dig (not sure if it's at me or the front office - oh well - no big deal - my view has always been posters here need to have thick skin and if that's a dig at me - it's ok). but more to the point - it's where the Halos are now. Those are the options the front office has chosen heading into ST in Tempe. An untested Ward, maybe Adell, perhaps a platoon (or not) of Fowler (lot of K's) and Jay (kind of a 4-A player). sounds like our starting rotation one year deals -- Cobb, Quintana, etc. we could go through some past year names (some forgotten, thank goodness) Harvey etc. who seem to be answer in March and not so much come May, June.

what was Leo Durocher's quote about nice guys? let me remind (since probably more than half of the posters here no idea who Leo Durocher was in MLB: in another time, another era his comment was ; "nice guys finish last' that being said - not sure if Puig's drama on and off the field is worth it. But GEEZ, when Puig feels like playing, can he play !!

Jay vs. Fowler - both have their strength and weaknesses -- when Second Base suggested Jay may be better from an overall perspective - I think that's a very reasonable conclusion. Here's the thing - Fowler played fairly well under Madden - his offensive stats are bolstered by Coors Field time with the Rockies. Jay - didn't he play a season under Madden as well ? And if he did, Madden got him after watching Jay play against the Cubs with St. Louis. Jay was a pretty good almost starter / platoon guy with St. Louis - good glove and has MLB experience time like Fowler does as well. Check Fowler's strike out numbers over the years - not sure if Fowler is in the mix to lead off - but IMO he fails to make contact way too many times, Id' agree with Second Base on his comments Fowler vs. Jay.

great analysis on this and I think it's spot on.....

seems like a lot of competition for the 4th/5th OF'er depth spot on the roster. Is Fowler intended to be the starter in RF? Fowler has some speed but check his career offensive stats -- he strikes out A LOT. So if we wanted to replace Calhoun - we've done that. Jon Jay makes better contact than Fowler. IMO much depends on whether Halos want Adell on the MLB roster on opening day in a less than starting position role. If they don't mind Adell platooning and sitting the pine about half the time, then chances are Jay is sent packing. If not - then Adell starts and plays every day at AAA and Jay's chances of making the opening day roster increase. Is MLB going to reduce the playr roster limit at some defined date during the season (28/26 back to 25?) I could see Jay making the opening day roster, Adell starting and playing everyday in AAA and then a sort of a Fowler/ Jay competition moving forward - not only to see who plays but also by the time May , June rolls around - who stays and who gets DFA'd -- at which time Adell is recalled to play in Anaheim,

Jon Jay not bad for a ST invitee flyer. decent depth type bench player - decent defensive outfielder - once had some speed. some power but not overwhelming. clearly a bench depth guy if he makes the roster - assume there is plenty of competition. what's the regular season roster limit this season? 26 ? or 28? whether Jon Jay can make the opening day MLB roster may well depend not that decision - why do I think its 26 instead of 28,. Not sure. at this point in his career would Jay agree to be a 4-A player - probably not but maybe,

no pans to do so at this time,. have not been to Angels Stadium in something like three years now - at least.

we really need a closer - if Raisel Igelsias can revert to the closer form he had in Cincy - that would really be a piece we've been missing, A big IF - but - and the shelf life of closers seems limited -- but the upside for us is tremendous.

Agree - the luxury tax system is flawed but the best system MLB could come up with that sort of satisfied all the various interests, Your initial article makes the extremely valid point of : "Either MLB has a luxury tax and follows the spirit of it - or it doesn't" Clearly- as you point out very well - the Dodgers Bauer contact with the artificial third opt out year with a $17 million allocated to it meet certain luxury tax average year salary total is something that the Commissioner of baSeball TODAY could say - "in the interest of the game we are going to characterize and allocate the average year salary differently than specified in the contact." I think the Commissioner NOW has the full authority to do that without a vote of the owners/ owners' executive committee. one other point to make in your response above - which I agree with and is well done - is that while MLBPA continues to push to for reducing the time/ years a player is under club control - if they accomplish that - they may well be enacting a system where the average MLB career plummets from whatever it is now to something like 4 years. So. it's not just the annual MLB minimum and the amount players under club control make - it's also for how long. The days of many players playing at least ten years is long gone,. Depth type roster guys who are MLB vets playing out their last years. - stopped years ago -- now the veteran MIF and 'seasoned clubhouse guy who is more of a platoon player are literally being pushed out of the game -- with the minor league system shrinking (a very BAD MLB decision for baseball overall IMO) means that more college players being drafted to be paid the MLB minimum to take the place of veteran players who once were permitted to play out their careers -- and be key depth guys. as all this happens - the constant roster turn over that MLB teams have become - accelerates even more and with the exception of a few top one percent players - fan favorites over several seasons will be a thing of the past. that is not good for the game -- and where the game IS thriving attendance wise - affordable minor league games with strong home town loyalties akin to college football/ basketball teams -- MLB is eliminating them and reducing the number of teams. BAD MOVE. At some point, MLBPA needs to start concerning themselves with the long term viability of the game - little league numbers are way down - the pandemic has not help - and like in other areas has only accelerated the pre-existing trend. the day where every kid on the block played little league baseball and sign up day, try out day and draft day were all big deals --are long gone,

a very honest assessment - I agree. And if - as in year's past - any part of these one year deal guys don't last the season -- we could be looking at more like 75-78 wins -- has the actual schedule come out yet? Are they going to change the schedule up (as the NHL did) to limit travel and will teams play more games within their division? If so, the projected win total may need to be adjusted upward -- AL West not exactly the toughest division in 2021. Of course the mediocre 2021 AL West teams include us.