ShotimeDynasty

It isn’t tough to figure it out. There’s much more to the story than has been released.  

Really hard not to love any player that finishes a full season as the youngest player at their respective MiLB level, showing an advanced plate approach (13.5% BB/18.1% K) and elite defense at a premium position (MiLB Gold Glove award winner).

Not directly related but also interesting
Trout & Ward off to their great starts with completely contrasting adjustments.
Ward swinging much more
Trout swinging much less
 
 

Really hard not to love any player that finishes a full season as the youngest player at their respective MiLB level, showing an advanced plate approach (13.5% BB/18.1% K) and elite defense at a premium position (MiLB Gold Glove award winner).

Man, I forgot about that elbow injury clause and sure sucks to be reminded of it in just the second week of April, 2024

I would have Sano (or Moniak) as DH instead of Hicks and Logan O’Hoppe should be the #5 hitter

@Ochocinco!, what @totdprods says here is correct. If Stephenson spends 130+ days on the IL due to elbow ligament surgery, the Angels have a $2.5M option on him for 2027. Of course, it might not even be worth exercising that option by that point, but it is there. 
And, hey, who knows, maybe it's not as bad as it looked in the video...

Sigh. Mentioned earlier in the winter months he reminded me too much of Matt Wisler or Oliver Drake. Rays found them on scrap heap, made them unreal, and then let them go only to see them disappear to the IL and seemingly out of baseball.
Only “bright side” is I guess we get a free year of control on him if he has elbow surgery. 

Hicks shouldn't be batting 5th (or playing at all...), but it's not bad, given what we're working with. 

The guys ahead of Trout haven't gotten on base, so hard for him to drive anyone in. Trout has been on base quite a bit other than his HRs, so gives Ward more opportunities. 

There’s less to criticize when there’s actually a competent manager with a track record of success in place.

Dude, Sano is performing exactly how he did when he was good.  He's pretty much a three outcome guy.

I think RW wants Adell and Moniak to feel like they have to earn playing time and that it won't be just handed to them. Hicks is making this easier with every game.
I think it's the right approach assuming they both get 300-400 AB this year. This strategy could backfire with both JA and MM being out of options, but I think it's going to work out, and sooner than later.

Seriously. 
 
if the Angels get through the season and a healthy Jo Adell has been on the bench the whole time that would mean everyone else is healthy and performing well, which would be a problem the Angels haven’t had lately. 

Sano's peripherals this year are very similar to where they were when he hit 34 bombs in Minn.  Dude has been extremely unlucky but if he keeps doing what he has been he's going to have a much better year than anyone believed he would.
His Baseball Savant data is nuts.
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/miguel-sano-593934?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

Spring stats and all...but this seems really impressive to me. Especially because a lot of these guys tend to have issues with walks.
Estevez: 6 IP, 4.50 ERA, 5 hits, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts, 1 HR Moore: 6.1 IP, 1.42 ERA, 1 hit, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts, 0 HR Garcia: 4.1 IP, 8.31 ERA,6 hits, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts, 0 HR Cimber: 7 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 hit, 1 walks, 6 strikeouts, 0 HR Pomeranz: 8 IP, 5.63 ERA, 8 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, 0 HR Cisnero: 6.2 IP, 1.35 ERA, 3 hits, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts, 0 HR Strickland: 10 IP, 2.70 ERA, 8 hits, 0 walks, 14 strikeouts, 2 HR Zuniga: 8 IP, 6.75 ERA, 11 hits, 0 walks, 11 strikeouts, 0 RH Suarez: 12 IP, 5.25 ERA, 12 hits, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts, 1 HR Also not many HR, but real small sample (especially for relievers in ST) and this is without some of the guys we expected to be the core of the pen (Stephenson, Joyce, Soriano) going into spring.
Looked up Soriano and just as good there after today, 14.1 IP, 4.40 ERA, 15 hits, 3 walks, 19 strikeouts, 1 HR.

Then 2022 happened and they finished top ten in ERA. Then 2023 happened where they sucked but it was all Wise’s fault because fans want simple answers when there isn’t one. 

Was listening to a pitcherlist podcast with Nick Pollack yesterday and Detmers was the topic. Despite Reid using his slider effectively to pile up 7 Ks in his last start, Nick is out because the Angels “fired all their good coaches” and of course I found that sentiment to be hilarious. Barry Enright and Steve Karsay are going to be opening some eyes this season.
For the record Nick is a really smart guy and diligently studies the science of pitching. But like Enright says, pitching is an art. Some of these analysts are just too smart for their own good sometimes 

Matt Wise-- the guy who was promoted to the job because the pitching coach got fired for being a creep-- sounded good and promising?
I disagree.

I'm not mad at Arte.  I just don't like the way he runs the franchise.  He's actually pretty predictable and nothing much has changed since he started.  A little bit of window dressing here and there but really, it's all been part of the same MO.  Feed the major league team.  Put a reasonably marketable team on the field with a blend of some star power and hint of decency.  
And to the comment earlier of him riding the coattails of the previous regime.  Sort of true.  What he really did was to ride the vision of Bill Stoneman.  Arte seemed a lot more passive in those days where he let Bill do his thing and Bill kept him under control.  I think that 2009 series loss to the Yanks really changed him.  And Reagins fumbling about sort of facilitated him getting more involved.  
Arte wants to win and has shown his support in the way he sees best by spending a certain amount.  His efforts have been misguided for a long time and while there is that passion for winning, it's never really been ahead of his passion for making money.  Except last year.  That was really quite the disaster.  Raise payroll.  Put a big dent in the farm.  Barely win 70 games and soon to follow you lose your golden goose to your biggest rival down the street.  
And the reason I just shake my head at the way he runs things is that he was willing to throw 9 figures at yet another player who is probably on the downside of his prime if not already past it.  
We joke about the definition of insanity.  But I guess it's not insane considering that he's probably pocketing millions on a yearly and could easily get a more than 10 fold return on his original investment.  
I always gotten the sense from him when he does interviews that he's got this sort of 'if you don't like it then oh well' sort of attitude.  
We talk a lot about what he should do differently.  Why should he?  As far as he's concerned, it ain't broken.  The only thing that broken was last year when he spent an extra 50 million dollars for no reason.  

Are you saying Arte is the one who made all those decisions? Obviously every owner needs to approve decisions, but you seem to be saying Arte has been calling the shots.

Trading for Simmons, Teixeira, and Haren ; signing Morales, Abreu, and drafting Kendrick were all great moves under Arte. We can also add lots of incredibly detrimental moves. 

He didn’t ride the coat tails, he literally signed Vlad, Colon, Escobar, Hunter.  Drafted Weaver, Trout, Kole, Skaggs.  And yes he was the owner who let it turn to shit, but he’s also the guy who was there when that playoff run was built. Most of that 2002 group was gone during most of the teams run of playoffs. 

If I was a pitcher signing a one year deal there is no park I'd rather pitch in than that one.  I know his history, but if he's healthy he will pitch well and that place will mask some warts... Think MadBum.