IEAngelsfan

Bobby Grich should be in the HOF.

Are pants optional?

hopefully none of you need this instruction.

Well, double eww to Dogs games, but not Lakers games (fan since 1966)

TEMPE, Ariz. — Joe Maddon said he learned early in his coaching career back in the 1980s that even the best hitters are constantly fighting to stay at that level.
“Even when you get to the point where you feel a guy’s accomplished, they all struggle, man,” the Angels manager said. “They all struggle, and they need help. They need work. They need a warm fuzzy once in a while.”
Mike Trout has spent much of this month looking for just that, after being uncomfortable at the plate.
“I was cutting off my swing really bad,” he said Thursday. “I was hitting everything on the label. Balls down the middle on the label. I just figured out some drills I can do and some stuff to keep me square. Some at-bats I feel good and some not, but I’m happy with the direction it’s going, because I actually figured out how to fix it.”
Trout said he’s been doing a drill that Shohei Ohtani also started doing last year, and it’s made a difference. Although he said he’d never done this particular drill, he characterized the process as just “minor changes… not like a swing change.”
Trout had three hits in his first 18 at-bats, but then six in his next 13 at-bats, including back-to-back two-hit games Monday and Wednesday.
“When you’re going good, you’re going good, but when you’re not feeling so good, you try to get back to feeling good,” Trout said. “It happens a lot. … It’s little stuff like this just just get back on track. You know, hitting is hard. It’s a grind. Sometimes you’re in a cage hitting a whole bucket, and sometimes you’re hitting five balls off the tee. It varies every day.”
WALSH UPDATE
After one hot month in games that count put Jared Walsh high in the Angels’ plans, Maddon isn’t ready to dismiss that based on one cold month in games that don’t.
“Guys ebb and flow all the time,” Maddon said. “I love his bat speed. I love his hands in his setup. I think he’s a very good first baseman. He’s got a high baseball IQ. So … spring training? I just can’t go to negative town on anybody, really.”
Walsh is 8 for 37 (.216) this spring, and he didn’t have an extra-base hit until a double Sunday. He has struck out 12 times and walked four times.
The Angels’ plan coming into the spring was for Walsh to get the majority of playing time at first base, based on his breakout in 2020. He hit .293 with a .971 OPS and nine homers in 99 at-bats, mostly in September.
Maddon pointed out that Walsh started slowly last summer, too. He also looks to Walsh’s career numbers in the minors as evidence that this spring is not a concern.
“What he did in September, to me, it’s not an anomaly,” Maddon said. “He’s done that before. He knows how to do it. I know it’s the minor leagues. I understand that. But I watched this guy very closely. The ball comes off the bat hot.”
PITCHING PLANS
After an off day Friday, the Angels will have Alex Cobb pitch their final Arizona exhibition game Saturday.
Andrew Heaney and Griffin Canning will each pitch a few innings in Sunday’s Freeway Series game against the Dodgers.
Shohei Ohtani will pitch Monday at Dodger Stadium. Maddon said he’s not sure if Ohtani will also hit in that game. Although it’s in a National League park, teams can use the DH whenever they want in exhibition games.
“We haven’t had that conversation yet (about Ohtani hitting),” Maddon said. “If he’s into it, I would.”
Jose Quintana will start the final exhibition at Dodger Stadium next Tuesday.
The Angels still haven’t announced who will start the rest of the season-opening four-game series against the Chicago White Sox, after Dylan Bundy pitches Opening Day.
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Angels’ Justin Upton continues torrid spring with 4th homer in victory over Royals Hoornstra: Is collective bargaining the secret to MLB injury prevention? Angels clear a path for Jose Rojas to break camp on the big league roster Taylor Ward homers, triples in Angels’ loss to Rangers Angels looking for benefits from a six-man rotation Based on the current order, it would be Cobb, then Heaney and Canning in the next two. That would leave Ohtani to start the first game against the Houston Astros on April 5, followed by Quintana.
NOTES
Maddon did not make any announcements Thursday about Jose Rojas, even though it seems apparent that the longtime minor-leaguer will break camp with the big-league team because the Angels sent out all the remaining middle infielders Wednesday. “There’s no white smoke or news to announce yet,” Maddon said with a smile, “but I talk to (Rojas) all the time. I’ve been a big fan.”
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Bullpens are a crapshoot. The bullpen could suck. The bullpen could be mediocre. The bullpen could dominate.

Wouldn’t it be great if these guys could over achieve and shove this assessment right up every pundits ass?  
 
Like the 2002 team did?

Just saw this thread.
I remember watching the Hearns fight live.  That first round was epic.  The shots Hagler took would have knocked out most middleweights, but not Hagler.  He took them in stride and continued to charge in. At the end of that round, Hearns was already tired and hurt.
The 80's had such a great list of fighters including the gentlemen knock out artist Alexis Arguello (my favorite).  I miss those fighters.
 

Just saw this thread.
I remember watching the Hearns fight live.  That first round was epic.  The shots Hagler took would have knocked out most middleweights, but not Hagler.  He took them in stride and continued to charge in. At the end of that round, Hearns was already tired and hurt.
The 80's had such a great list of fighters including the gentlemen knock out artist Alexis Arguello (my favorite).  I miss those fighters.
 

Just saw this thread.
I remember watching the Hearns fight live.  That first round was epic.  The shots Hagler took would have knocked out most middleweights, but not Hagler.  He took them in stride and continued to charge in. At the end of that round, Hearns was already tired and hurt.
The 80's had such a great list of fighters including the gentlemen knock out artist Alexis Arguello (my favorite).  I miss those fighters.
 

Just saw this thread.
I remember watching the Hearns fight live.  That first round was epic.  The shots Hagler took would have knocked out most middleweights, but not Hagler.  He took them in stride and continued to charge in. At the end of that round, Hearns was already tired and hurt.
The 80's had such a great list of fighters including the gentlemen knock out artist Alexis Arguello (my favorite).  I miss those fighters.
 

Died suddenly at 66. 
A real FIGHTER. His fight against Hearns is still one of the best ever. 

Shea O'Tani

Ohtani can’t pitch....
Ohtani should stick to one thing only...
Ohtani can’t hit....
Ohtani will only pitch 60 innings....
Something’s gotta stick
—Pundits

Bored, and havent been able to watch any games yet this year. But I keep reading on here Ohtani looks good.
First time Ive been excited for something in a long, long time. Team has been a dud for awhile. And covid last year made me lose all interest.
But if Ohtani is back.... and he does what hes doing... 
Im trying not to expect too much. Mid rotation stuff, and Ill be happy if his arm just stays intact. 
But weve seen what he can do.... its hard to imagine healthy that hes merely a mid rotation guy.
Then theres the bat. Ill be happy if hes just better than last year. So far it looks like hes the 2018 guy again....
Its hard not to be excited about this. Even forgetting hes an Angel, and how much he can help the team, just from a baseball fan standpoint, its going to be crazy to see this guy go this year.

Probably one of the top 5 catches in Angels history

Freddy!

 

Not entirely. He quit after the third one.

This guy's next: