disarcina

St. Louis was disappointed when Pujols left - but they sure got the better end of the deal - and the thing is -- the Angels deal was not that much more than St. Louis. I always felt that Albert really should have stayed in St. Louis and would have been a true icon there like Musial, Gibson, Brock etc. But St, Louis front office - which can be pretty stingy - spent their Pujols 'dividends/ savings' well. That being said, I have no ill will towards Pujols and wish him well. He had an RBI single tonight against Madison Bumgarner in his second AB as a Dodger. He's playing first and batting fourth tonight.

Bad Mt. "Crashmore" from the absolute worst to almost as bad 1. HANDS DOWN UNANIMOUS WINNER: Josh Hamilton (a terrible signing from Day One ) 2. Very close second: Gary Matthews Jr. (A terrible signing from day one - five year deal - all because of a highlight reel catch that the guy would never be able to make again). NO ONE on this board liked this signing from the moment it happened and then GMJ proved through his play why it was such a terrible acquisition/ contract/ signing. 3,) Mo Vaughn - became an absolute poison in the clubhouse, got hurt tumbling down the steps of the dugout his first week in a Halos uniform, He rebounded to out up some OK stats but never lived up to his billing and expected to be a team leader type for performance on the field and by his conduct off the field - failed miserably to meet expectations in both. The negative impact he had on the organization hadn't been seen since the Alex Johnson - Chico Ruiz (the MIF depth guy who pulled a gun in the locker room) days. 4, Gary Gaetti -- some folks may not remember this signing -- he was a slugging third baseman for Minnesota coming off a great season(s) there and come here and was hitting about .200 (if that) by the all star break that first year here -- played about another season for the Halos and rebounded a bit but never to the all star numbers he had in Minnesota. He bounced around after the Halos years and actually put up some good numbers in years with KC and St. Louis after leaving the Halos. Total flop as an Angel. 5. Vernon Wells - I guess we traded for him (I can't remember who went to Toronto ) so perhaps he belongs on a separate list with Kent Bottenfield -- but this deal (I thought it was a F/A signing -- I think it was a trade and sign to an extension deal perhaps?) was terrible from day one and so did most of the folks here. He was a huge disappointment here. Terrible decision by the front office to acquire him -- I think it came as response to the Dodgers making some big signing / deal - why we felt the need into that New York Yankees/ Mets 'who can dominate the off -season headlines' war is beyond me - then and now., But that is what I think motivated us here (as well as with the GMJ signing). Just dumb. 6. There was a relief pitcher we signed -- closer guy - I forget his name (Madsen?)- think he pitched for Philly (several years) and then Cincinnati for a year or two as a closer. - was great in Philly (set up guy mainly) did OK as a closer in Cincy -- we signed him and I think he hurt his arm warming up the first day of spring training. I think we signed him to a two year (maybe three) deal and I don't think he ever appeared in a single regular season game with us. In fact, I think the extent of his 'pitches' total was the warm up that first day or two of spring training when he got hurt. He rehabbed on the Halos dollar for about two season and later came back (I think with KC, Oakland, maybe played for both teams) and actually returned to closing duties and had some modicum level of success after he left the Halos, A terrible waste of payroll for us, NOW -- I do not place Albert Pujols on this list. The contract was for too long and for too much -- but everyone was pretty excited that he was coming to Anaheim - he got off to a terrible start of this Halos career after absolutely stellar seasons in St, Louis, And that's all everyone remembers. He got off to a terrible start and then towards the end of the Halos contract (which everyone knew was going to be a problem/ issue) he simply could not run anymore (Mr, GIDP) and became a liability on defense -- but for a period of about 7/8 years of that ten year deal - he rebounded from the slow start and put up some respectable numbers -- folks only seem to remember the slow start and disappointed that we did not get the St. Louis ten year production numbers - which wouldn't have happened in St, Louis either.

Orlando Cabrera was a good signing for us - he won an Gold Glove for us here. I felt we let him go too soon - but the adage is -- better a year too soon than a year too late. Colon won a Cy Young Award here for us and pitched well for the Halos - when healthy I think the Halos decided to sign him a few years before when he pitched a shutout gem against us for the Cleveland Indians the night they had the bg opening ceremonies (Season Opener) for the newly renovated Anaheim Stadium - which had been re-named (at that time) Edison International Field. The game was nationally televised. Colon shut down the Halos line up completely. I think they got two hits or something like that. Also, might have been one of the last times number 26 - the Cowboy - Mr. Gene Autry - my all time favorite Halo - appeared on the field. (That would have been the year 2000 or so).

This is the cold hard 'just the facts ma'am' reality of it with a dose of "MLB is a business" I agree. Still - I think the Dodgers scored PR coup points and the Angels look bad by the way they handled this. And to top it all off - the Angels have somehow managed to play even worse since letting Pujols go. Meanwhile - not sure if Pujols is what the Dodgers need to end their mysterious recent slide after a fabulous start. NOW - think about this - the Dodgers right now have some key folks on the IR (Bellinger, and McKenzie (name is wrong something like that, 2B-OF utility guy) the new rookie guy who was doing well then got hurt. When these guys return the Dodgers may be facing a roster move decision like the Angels faced less than a month ago -- who goes? a productive bench depth guy or Pujols - who by then will have racked up a few frustrating rally killing GIDPs -- and under the new rules (in effect this year or next year?) there's no longer that expand the roster in September to any number of players you can fit on your bench -- so the Dodgers may be weighing another DFA situation.

LOU - I'll bet that's absolutely true. the only Dodger folks loving this are the front office and PR staff. the pitching staff is probably concerned the Dodgers might actually let him play some 1B

AND YES - I'll be rooting for Albert to do well. that September Dodgers at Busch Stadium four game set in St.Louis ought to be something. and a proper send off for a true HOF player. Look - this is a big middle finger at Arte and the Angels - I get it - I still think the Halos handled the situation poorly and probably should have had that DFA discussion with Pujols in mid-March -- But as Angel fans (y'all can shout me down now if you want, it's OK) I think we need to rise above all that and hope that a true HOF'er who overall had pretty good stats for us for 10 years (not the St. Louis phase stats - but truly - who expected that?) gets to leave the game with the plaudits and farewell tour he absolutely deserves. I am rooting for him to do well. Even against us. My respect for him and what he has meant to the game and the Angels leads me to that way of looking at the situation. (Disclosure time - I am also a Cardinals fan). one of the things that has bothered me about Albert's Angels career is that the slow start he got off to that very first year defined his Angels time for the media and others and that was the perception. And - Yes - he got off to an awful start -- but he rebounded stat wise and his stats for about an 8 year period were pretty good - not great - not All Star level - but pretty good -- now -true the past 2 almost 3 seasons he was a liability on the base paths (you could pencil in the GIDPs in the scorecard before the game started) and more recently on Defense at 1B - but overall - had pretty good stats during his Angels time.

GEEZ -- gotta say - well played by the Dodgers Management here - although we'll see if the lustre of the PR coup wears thin when Pujols hits into about his sixth GIDP in a row...... but still -- what a PR coup by the Dodgers - already there are dates / games to mark on the calendar: Memorial Day May 31- Wednesday June 2 -- St. Louis at Dodger Stadium Friday August 6 to Sunday August 8 - three game series - perfect for Albert Pujols Appreciation Day, Albert Pujols Bobble-head night and Albert Pujols headed to the HOF poster night promotions - ANGELS at DODGER STADIUM and the Grand Finale: Monday night Sept, 6 to Thursday (day game?) Sept. 9 at BUSCH Stadium - DODGERS at St. Louis. think they''ll sell a few tickets? What a PR nightmare for the Angels. And, YES - I think Albert's bat will come alive a key moments as he will be very motivated -- but let's see how much actual playing time at 1B he gets -- I think primarily PH, some DH vs AL teams and lot of Pinch runners for him. this deal was about 5% about Dodgers filling a hole in their roster (what hole?) and 95% about poking a stick in the eye of the Angels and Arte (pay back for calling off that Stripling/ Pederson deal perhaps) . Pretty effective and well played by the Dodgers IMO. again, we'll see how well it looks when a few Dodger rallies get killed with Albert's GIDPs

on tv guy and vasgarian keep ragging on Maddon's Linda Rondstadt song reference on the pre-game show. GEEZ - I guess that forgot how Linda Rondstadt just dominated the charts back in the mid-seventies/ 80's and how she could sing any type of genre song and sing it well. just like the Halos dominating the Dodgers tonight - despite some fielding lapses.

Inside Pitch said defense has been a problem -- and so just after I post the above- Walsh bungles a pop up behind the first base bag that the scorekeeper somehow scored a DOUBLE -- (looked like a two base error in my score book) and then Rojas kicks a ball a third base. yeah, Defense is an issue. even without Pujols.

defense --in one of the Tampa Bay games that Pujols played in this past week - there was a groundball to first that got by Pujols - should have been fielded - the guy simply cannot be on defense - even at first base - these days -- he's strictly a DH and one who probably needs a Pinch Runner in the mid to late innings. the opening line on the post above - ""The problem has been the defense, of which AP played (left) a huge hole." Wish AP the best - hope he catches on with Toronto or Cleveland - maybe KC - to play out the year - add a few more HRs to his 667 total. A return to St Louis would be nostalgic but not very practical.

King-less and Duck-less. Vegas Golden Knights look like a good bet to make a deep Cup playoff run -perhaps holding Lord Stanley's Cup aloft on the ice.

Angels really bungled this Albert deal. He's a first ballot HOF'er and deserves a better send off than this unceremonious dumping. Now, I think Albert has been a GIDP disaster mainly in the middle of the line up the past few years. I think the Halos should have thought this out - the time to end this would have been before the season started. but this, after a bad stretch by the Halos - not sure if it's the way to go. the Angels have been playing terrible the past two weeks. the problem seems to be in the pen and rotation.

you pretty much have it locked in correctly. Not sure what's happened to the Ducks. GEEZ. As a Kings fan - I know full well that pursuing a plan a half re-building and half not re-building but trying to be competitive (for about four years now - ) is a half - tailed way that leads to season ending series/ games playing for last place and out of the playoffs. yet another year of saying this (for the Ducks as well, I guess) - the good news is there's no way to go but up and YES - winning the lottery draft preference is better long term than the Kings somehow making it into the fourth spot (ain't happening) only to get swept away by Vegas -- IMO Vegas looks like a good bet to be hoisting the Cup above their heads on the ice.

no REAL baseball fan likes this rule. or the seven inning double header rule or the gotta pitch to three hitters rule - no more LHP one batter specialists. what's next ? Each bench player has to get one at bat and an inning in the field? If they are going to put 'youth baseball' type rules into place -- the one rule I might not mind is to allow more liberalized pinch runner rule which would allow a bench player to pinch run for a player (perhaps the DH or even the pitcher in inter-league games at NL Parks ) and then that player could remain in the game. It would take slow DHs (doesn't have to be the DH but most times perhaps would be) off the base paths and pitchers as well. I am not necessarily advocating for that rule change but it's better than runner at second base stuff.

KINGS 4, DUCKS 1 in the first of four game set - the Freeway Face-off battle for last place in the West. The Kings, technically, mathematically, are still in the playoff hunt in the West (wink, wink). I think Arizona won tonight so the Kings climb gets steeper. If the Kings somehow made it into the West playoff - they'd place the VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS - who are red hot and peaking at the right time. So if the Kings do the near impossible and sneak into the fourth playoff spot -- they might get swept by the Golden Knights who look like they're in for a deep Cup run.

there's LA Angels hats for sale on line - have not been to the team store at the ballpark for forever it seems - but I would think they have some LA Angels caps for sale there - the original LA Angels caps - from Wrigley Field (Los Angeles). the old Anaheim road jerseys were pretty sharp - I don't think they have those readily available these days,. oh well. I thought making the change to Los Angeles Angels was a smart marketing move but most here - Anaheim / OC loyalists - nothing wrong with that - disagreed and continue to disagree therefore the Angels do not take full advantage of the Los Angeles name (I think they have put it on their road jerseys these days?) and they should. the rest of the country has no clue where Anaheim is -- to them California consists of Los Angeles and San Francisco and that's it. Maybe it's gotten better over time with today's instant media but I somehow doubt it. with that being said - Los Angeles, Anaheim or California Angels - we still need pitching,.

Jon Jay just got DFA'd or optioned / released by the Halos. He was once pretty good - looked awful in his ABs with the Halos the past week. Known to have a good glove in the OF - maybe he can catch on elsewhere

Duffy struck Trout out at least twice tonight - maybe three times and Holland once. OIUCH. the Suzuki dropped pop up led to an unearned run,. OUCH. tough loss also - I am about to declare that in addition to Trout and Pujols there was another HOF'er on the field tonight - Salvadore Perez - he's going to get there.

I like Calhoun and what he did for the Halos as much as anyone here -- but are we really talking about taking steps backwards here? When Arte nixed the Stripling/Pederson deal with the Dodgers (still a head scorcher for me) we let go of the Calhoun replacement - right down to all the strikeouts (both Pederson and Calhoun accumulate a lot of K's) -- not getting Pederson was not a loss to us - IMO -- losing Sfripling for our rotation was the bigger issue. Oh well - any of the guys mentioned in the poll would be suitable - and better - than reacquiring Calhoun,. Adell, Marsh and I'd give Walsh a look out there. not that impressed with Jon Jay tonight -- but he does have a good glove in the OF.

Walsh

Ingelsias the winner. he didn't give up an earned run one of the infielders made an error (the pitcher - him !!) we'll take the win

WALK IT OFF LIGHT ER UP!!

3-1 to Walsh -- good stuff.

Walsh at the plate -- in pre-Walsh days, Pujols would be up there with a huge GIDP waiting to be written into the scorebook