I know it's early....but with four walks today, the Angels have walked a total of 32 batters.

The 28 heading into today's game was leading the league.

I voted NO....

Also, and I was talking about this last night, I wouldn't be looking to be the richest guy on my team.  If I was a Trout or Harper or other super stars...I would want the best chance to win.  Winning doesn't mean I am the highest paid.  Winning means fielding a competitive team year in and year out.  Also, guys like Gwynn and Salmon who played for one team their entire career...I respect that more than chasing the dollar.

4 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

From Kiley McDaniel's chat on Fangraphs:

Phillie Phanatic

12:53

after reading your review of the Angels system I was left tantalized by Jordyn Adam's potential. I understand you can really only put a 45+ on him now since he's so raw BUT if everything comes together as you defined in the write up are we talking a 65FV? 70FV? Thanks!

 

Kiley McDaniel

12:55

It could be Byron Buxton or Royce Lewis, who are generally 65 FVs when it was all coming together, 70 FV possible in the upper minors.

Chucks new moniker?

To start the season:

Skaggs, Heaney, Harvey, Cahill, Barria

I thnk Barria gets demoted and Felix Pena takes over.  He was pretty solid in August and September

Cahill is hurt and Canning takes over by ASB and does not give up his spot

Harvey is traded and either Suarez or Barria take over.

We finish the season with Skaggs, Heaney, Pena, Canning and Barria

Pre-All Star Break Numbers for Heaney and Skaggs:

Skaggs: 

17 GS

7-5 WL record

98 IP

105/28 K/BB

1.20 Whip

2.57 ERA

Heaney:

17GS

5-6 WL record

102.1 IP

102/30 K/BB

1.16 Whip

3.78 ERA

Skaggs only made 7 starts in the second half and I think Heaney just wore down.  In 2017 Heaney pitched in 5 games and Skaggs pitched in 16 games, primarily in August and September.  

I expected Skaggs to be a solid #2 and Heaney a solid #3.  

10 hours ago, Second Base said:

Skaggs - 180 innings 2.90 ERA 190 K's. Developes into a legitimate ace. Negotiations on extension are kicked into gear.

Heaney - 195 innings 3.45 ERA 185 K's. Is a true workhorse. Angels but out option years plus one year of FA.

Harvey - 130 innings 3.90 ERA 140 K's. Starts the year off right, but ineffectiveness settles in mid May, is slowed by injury in June, comes back as a part of a bullpen game with JC Ramirez, Trevor Cahill and Suarez/Canning and thrives in that role in July and is traded in August.

Cahill - 90 innings 3.20 ERA 90 K's. Is injured on and off for much of the first half. Eventually settles into a bullpen role, eating three innings as part of a bullpen game with Harvey, Suarez and Canning.

Barria - 90 innings 4.50 ERA 70 K's. Gets knocked around to start the year before getting demoted and returning in August. 

Suarez - 50 innings 4.30 ERA 55 K's. Does decent in bullpen games and enters 2020 as a swiss army knife in the bullpen, serving as a lefty specialist,  multi inning reliever and shot starter. 

Canning - 75 innings 4.10 ERA 70 K's. Stuff really plays up at the major leagues, though under developed out pitch will hold him back somewhat. Works his way into a long bullpen role midway through the year.  Enters 2020 as the fifth starter. Enjoys a career similar to that of Trevor Bauer. 

2020 rotation will be Ohtani, Cole, Skaggs,  Heaney, Canning and they will win 90 games that year.  In 2021 they'll win 98 games and the world series.

 

Bookmarking this page!

12 hours ago, Dochalo said:

I'm impressed.  I actually like his swing both righty and lefty.  

Hitting to all fields, not pull happy

Seems like interesting prospect.  Cannot wait to watch his development.

Didnt we hire not training staff to prevent some of this??

Maybe Billy E needs to watch this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Ceremony+to+ward+of+bad+spirits&rlz=1C1NHXL_enUS723US723&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwje3-6x4MjgAhXyQd8KHSwvC7EQ_AUIDygC&biw=1745&bih=852&safe=active&ssui=on#imgrc=7UMV2Lx-KK5tSM:

Lindsey Graham says redirected funds for Trump border wall ‘better for school kids’ than new school

The children of Fort Campbell Mahaffey Middle School will indeed have a new construction project to look forward to in the coming year - just maybe not that new schoolhouse they were expecting.

Instead, they might get a border wall - or a fence, or barbed wire, or something like that - about 1,000 miles southwest of their school, which sits on a military base straddling the Kentucky-Tennessee line.

Yes, that border wall.

That's because the $62m (£48m) that was earmarked for the school's construction is among the billions of dollars already appropriated to the Defence Department, the pot of money the Trump administration now wants to redirect to pay for 230 miles of barriers along the southern border as part of the president's national emergency declaration.

https://news.yahoo.com/lindsey-graham-says-redirected-funds-110240352.html

All I have to say is WTF!  

Woke up to snow this AM...

High's all week do not exceed 35

Snow in the forecast for this Thursday and Friday.

Just in case anyone thinks the Arizona is only hot as f*ck.  Not back east snow, but this weather will shut down the town.

Padres need to make up 25 games to reach the 91 wins....just to catch the Rockies.

Do the reach 25 more wins?  Not sure, but with the DBacks and Giants on a down trend...and if you are building for the next five years...the NL West, with the Rockies, Dodgers and Padres is going to be some exciting ball to watch.

If Trout is concerned about winning, I think he needs to see the guys coming up.  Eppler is building a team that will be competing for years to come...Our staff next year with Ohtani returning should be top 10 in MLB (depending on Heaney and Skaggs) I could see a top five staff.  Adell, Marsh and more....will provide a solid support system around guys like Trout and Upton.

Japan PM nominated Trump for Nobel after US request: report

Tokyo (AFP) - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize last autumn after being requested to do so by Washington, a Japanese newspaper reported Sunday.

Washington sounded out Tokyo over the possibility of nominating Trump for the prize after his landmark summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in June last year, an unnamed Japanese government source told the Asahi Shimbun.

The report came after Trump's claim on Friday that Abe had nominated him for the prize.

Trump said Abe had sent him a copy of a five-page nomination letter delivered to the Nobel Peace Prize committee in which the Japanese leader praised his efforts in defusing tensions with Pyongyang.

"He said 'I have nominated you respectfully on behalf of Japan. I am asking them to give you the Nobel Peace Prize.' I said thank you," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"Many other people feel that way, too. I'll probably never get it. That's okay."

Japanese officials did not respond to AFP's requests for comment on Trump's claim or the newspaper report.

https://news.yahoo.com/japan-pm-nominated-trump-nobel-us-request-report-091018807.html

20 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

not this spring, but next March for sure. Going to be in Florida and Texas this March. I will be attending a Phillies and Yankees ST game while in Florida for a week with my two oldest kids. 

Preparing for when Trout is playing in Philly....

Phillies Win.com

Chuck and the AW staff....Thank you for the last 15 years.  It has been a pleasure to be apart of this wild ride.  The content on this site if fantastic, the people here are outstanding.  Great knowledge, great interviews and insight.

Thank you to all that makes this happen.

Giants trade for Trevor Gott from Nationals; Johnny Cueto to 60-day IL

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The roster churn continued Wednesday morning, a couple of hours before the Giants took the field for the first time. 

The Giants acquired right-handed reliever Trevor Gott from the Washington Nationals in exchange for cash considerations. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, Johnny Cueto was put on the 60-day injured list. 

Gott, 26, was recently designated for assignment. He made 20 appearances for the Nationals last year, posting a 5.68 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. Gott's best big league season was his first one. He had a 3.02 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 48 appearances for the Angels in 2015

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/giants-trade-trevor-gott-nationals-163114838.html

2 hours ago, Torridd said:

I'd rather have GR.

Let's see how the compare at the end of this year....

Unless Harvey blows the doors off and can be a #2 guy, he is a one year rental...no more...he could be a deadline guy depending on how Canning and Suarez progress and where the team stands.

I am excited about the farm system and the future of this club.....when you think of successful franchises year in and year out...it starts with homegrown talent, supplemented with key, smart FA signings.  Baseball is such a different animal in regards to the draft...often times the guys who are picked in the 5-15 rounds are key contributors for a long long time.....

As we pointed out yesterday, next years staff of Heaney, Skaggs, Ohtani, Suarez, Canning and Barria are just about all homegrown talent.  

If Adell is promoted next year and Herm takes over 4th OFer role, three of the four will be home grown talent.

We have a chance to have half of our infield being homegrown talent....

The better your farm, the better the chance to improve today, tomorrow and three to five years from now.

Reading stuff like this....you have to look at 2020 and smile...from a pitching prospective:

Ohtani, Heaney, Skaggs, Canning Suarez, Barria

This is a pretty nice six man rotation.

17 minutes ago, Fregosi said:

Think Hermosillo makes the Opening Day Roster only because picking up Bourjos messes with the 40 Man.  

At least two players will go to the 60 day DL (Ramirez and Middleton)  This will open up two spots. 

I could almost see Ohtani opening on the 60 day DL too....

Herm will be better served in Triple A getting regular AB's.  With Trout (140 GP), Upton (145 GP) and Calhoun (137 GP)...That leaves about 64 games across three positions to be filled....I cant see Herm playing one or twice a week.....Not when you can run out PB for those few games.

I wonder if Rengifo or Ward will start the season with the big club until Ohtani is ready to go.

La Stella is listed twice

23 minutes ago, m0nkey said:

Here we go:

 

WTF....Horrible deal.

I know they are only ETA's...but looking at those time frames, you can see what Eppler is not going after long term FA's (and yes I know a lot of these guys will not pan out, will flame out and some will get traded)....

2018: Jewell, Buttrey, Jerez, Herm

2019: Canning, Rengifo, Suarez, Thaiss, Walsh, Rojas, Pena

2020: Adell, Kruger, Jones, Sandoval, Lund, Hanewich, Procopio, Gatto, MacKinnon, Beasley

A lot of possibilities, with not a lot of spots available.  Going to be interesting.