MLB: A Los Angeles Angels Baseball Blog

2008-11-25T12:37:00.000-08:00

I missed the Angels groundskeepers food drive this past weekend. I haven't seen any updates on it, so I'm hoping it was a success.

2008-10-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Hit this one out of the park--go vote on Tuesday, November4th!!!!!

2008-10-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

We've seen this before, eh? "Another superb regular season -- the best in franchise history and in Major League Baseball -- was tempered by the Angels' elimination in the American League Division Series at the hands of the Boston Red Sox for the third time in five seasons." (click here for full story)

Sean "Out of Nowhere" Rodriguez

2008-09-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

Will Teixeira make the catch? Or will a fan get it? Tex? Or fan?

No, wait! It'll be....Sean Rodriguez, out of nowhere!! What! A! Save!

Okay, maybe it wasn't really that exciting, but I'm practicing for being a cheesy sportscaster in my next life. And it was a pretty cool catch.

2008-07-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

This ad makes me think of that scene in Jerry Macguire where Cuba’s character is complaining about doing mattress commercials instead of the big 3. It almost seems like it can’t be worth the money for the embarrassment of being in ads like these. Poor guys.

LA Laughs

2008-06-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

Remember that show LA Law? My sister just reminded me of something that still makes me laugh. The night it premiered, she was watching it with her boyfriend. I was just a kid, sitting nearby but not watching the show.

At the commercial break, they saw the name of the show and couldn’t figure out why it had such a stupid name. “La Law? What’s that supposed to mean? Is it Spanish or something?”

Then the announcer said, “L.A. Law will return after these messages…” We all lost it then and laughed for the rest of the show. “Oooohhhh, El Ay! That makes much more sense.”

Homegrown

2008-06-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

How cool is it for Tyler Chatwood that he gets to play in the MLB in his hometown? Is that every teenage boys dream come true or what?

His pitching looks great, and who cares about his small size? It’s not like this is the NBA or NFL. Good things come in small packages.

Go Lakers, Go!

2008-06-06T16:26:00.000-07:00

Don't fret, Lakers fans. They just threw Game 1 to make things more exciting for us. The more games there are, the more chances we have to buy LA Lakers NBA tickets, not to mention hats, shirts, shoes, beers, etc. I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist on this, as it seems that every sports finals seems to go to game 7 in recent years. But hey, it keeps the seasons going, so I won't complain as long as the Lakers win in the end.

2008-06-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

So far, June is my favorite month of this year. We haven’t lost a game yet all month! J The Mariners never saw us coming. Truth be told, I don’t think we saw us coming, either. If April showers brought May flowers, maybe May flowers are bringing us June powers.

Stoneman out as Angels GM

2007-10-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

Well, after the disappointing sweep by the Red Sox that knocked out the Angeles in the first round of the playoffs, something had to change. I'm not so sure that losing Bill Stoneman is going to improve things though, as the Angels made the playoffs 4 times in the 8 seasons he was with the team, compared to the 3 times in the almost 40 years before he took over. Tony Reagins, who's been with the team since 1992, will be the new GM. Hopefully he can pick up where Stoneman left off and finally get us a championship title!

Angels stepped on by Cardinals

2007-06-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

Apparently ducking out short of a full game is the thing to do for the Angels these days... pitcher Jered Weaver left after only the third inning against the Cardinals!

(Although considering it was his pitch that allowed Albert Pujols to hit that two-run homer, tying the game at 3-3, maybe he should left a little earlier...? Just sayin'.)

Too Close to Home

2007-03-13T08:06:00.000-07:00

OUCH! It's bad enough when the opposing team bats in three runs but even worse ... it was Guillen! Of course that's the way baseball goes in the major league. The Mariners were looking good and the Angels need some help from God.

2007-01-16T11:14:00.000-08:00

Bart Colon could be sidelined until August???

Colon Needs to Prove Worthiness

2006-12-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

Bartolo Colon had a dismal season in 2006 starting only 10 games and going 1-5 with a 5.11 ERA before becoming inactive for a season due to a partially torn rotator cuff. There's a lot riding on Colon's right arm this coming season, and hopefully he'll be able to pitch like he did in 2005 when he won the American League Cy Young Award.

Ask the LA Angels What’s in a Name

2006-11-14T17:33:00.000-08:00

Looks like a strong possibility that the San Francisco 49ers will abscond to Santa Clara, 30 miles out of town. This evidently came as a shock to the City By the Bay, and they want to sue to make the team leave its legendary name behind. What would they be though? Surely not the Santa Clara 49ers? And please, not the San Francisco 49ers of Santa Clara! Just trying to buy Los Angeles sports tickets is confusing enough with all of our crazy names.

Interesting how these things go round and round. I think I remember a team called the California Angels…and then all the permutations up to today. One thing that was different for us was the team already in a smaller city wanting the name of the larger metro area. This time the team has had the name of the bigger city for decades and just wants to keep it despite playing outside San Francisco city limits. It’s not illegal. You can ask the Irving Cowboys or the Auburn Hills Pistons.

Inspired, I guess, by Halloween

2006-10-31T11:06:00.000-08:00

There was a very weird article on line today, in honor of the horror we might associate with Halloween. It came from Joe Davidson of the Sacramento Bee, and I found it at
http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/69236.html

Davidson titled it "The 31 Scariest Moments in Sports History." Read it yourself and decide if people getting killed or maimed is scary or just appalling, especially when the incidents happened in the middle of games or competitions that were meant to be entertaining athletic performances. I'm afraid these events had more "Yuck!" than "Eeek!"

Cardinals Will Take Momentum into World Series

2006-10-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

Seven hard-fought (ok, some harder-fought than others) games to decide the National League Champions – that should leave the Cardinals worn out, right? I don’t think so. I think they’ve got adrenaline on their side. The Detroit Tigers have been watching from the couch for days, so I think the Cardinals will be on a roll when they arrive at Comerica Park.

The Tigers?!

2006-10-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

Ugh. Just pour more salt on my wounds.

Angels...Not Just for Adults!

2006-10-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

So I was browsing some of my favorite Major League Baseball teams sites and when I was looking at the page of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim I saw something I had never noticed before. They have an awesome array of things for the kiddos to do and see on their page. And I thought these pages were just for us “grown ups!” I guess the Angels know who their fans are and cater to them all, young and old! That was pretty nice to see.

Going on an Early Vacation

2006-10-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

An early end to the 2006 season for the Los Angeles Angels who were hoping to repeat their performance of last season when they made it to the American League Championship Series before losing to the event World Series champions Chicago White Sox. The Angels did finish the season in fine form though winning 7 of their last 9 games. So the question that is on every Angels fan's mind is do the Angels shake things up or do they hope this created some good chemistry that will carry over to the 2007 season.

Time For Lackey to Show Off

2006-05-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Angels ace John Lackey hasn’t been amazing for the team in his last three starts but he did help beat out the Texas Rangers last Tuesday. I think he’ll have a good game against the Minnesota Twins this week and get our Angels back on track.

Angels Win Big Against Mariners

2006-05-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the Los Angeles Angels but they got a big win on Friday night against the Seattle Mariners. Right-fielder Juan Riviera had a grand slam that helped us defeat Seattle 12-7 and Tim Salmon had a towering homer with two RBI. It’s only the fourth win in 14 games for the Angels but this is the kind of playing I’d like to see more of, especially against the Toronto Blue Jays next week.

No Bats in Los Angeles

2006-05-08T16:58:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Angels are not batting well at al lately. We have lost five of our last seven games and things are not looking good for us in the AL West. We are behind the Texas Rangers of all teams and I am a big proponent of the first two months of the season being the most important of the whole season in terms of playoff chances and such. Let’s hope the Angels can pull off some wins in this next series against the Chicago White Sox.

Angels Spirited Win over Orioles

2006-04-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

The Angels have had a hard last three games, losing one to the Texas Rangers and two in a series to the Baltimore Orioles. The Los Angeles Angels fought back tonight clinching their first win this series 9-3 over the Orioles. I think John Lackey’s performance was the key factor in this win; But Vladimir Guerrero’s two homers are worth mentioning as well.

World Baseball Classic Over for USA

2006-03-19T16:48:00.000-08:00

Scot Shields has returned to Los Angeles Angels training camp from participating in the World Baseball Classic. He said he had a lot of fun meeting and playing with all the great players from different American teams. He wanted to advance to the finals so America would win the first ever WBC, but is not letting the loss get him down. All in all, the Classic was a success because people from all over the world got teamed up with people they may never have played with otherwise. Making friends is always fun.

Angels of Spring Time

2006-02-14T09:48:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Angels are preparing for their spring training schedule which looks pretty exciting. We are set to meet the Padres, White Sox and A’s to name a few. I am going to wait and get Angels Opening Day tickets because we are playing the New York Yankees.

Angels fan surprised by Kobe’s court behavior.

2006-01-30T17:41:00.000-08:00

This Los Angeles Angels fan has been sneaking off to watch some basketball games this off-season. I bought Los Angeles Lakers tickets one game too late to see Kobe Bryant score 81 points. Even in the game against the Warriors it was obvious that Kobe needs to pass the ball a little more often.

Angels Looking for Another Slugger

2005-10-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

The man that many consider responsible for getting the Chicago White Sox to the series, is going to be a free agent. Last season first baseman Paul Konerko hit 40 homeruns, 100 RBIs, and a .283 batting average. The Angels are expecting to lay a tempting offer on the table for Konerko, but don’t for a second think they’re going to be the only clubs up for the bidding. The White Sox will definitely be in the mix looking to resign the fan favorite. Konerko did not have a great World Series, but when he did get one of the biggest hits of the series, a grand slam in game 2 to help the White Sox take a demanding lead in the series. Konerko has consistently improved his game each season, and what a great fit he would make in Los Angeles.

On Their Way Home

2005-10-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

Well the ride is over, everyone get off, collect your belongings, and head toward the exit. After ending the season 14-2, it seemed the Angels’ luck had run out. After winning game 1 it seemed that Angels had things under control were going to have a chance to beat the best team in the American League. But 4 complete games pitched by White Sox pitchers, and a total of 9 runs scored by the Angels later, the Angels are going home. Angels manager Mike Scioscia expressed disappointment in the outcome, but not in his team.

"It's impossible to be disappointed by anything these guys did,” he said. “They were awesome. They just left body parts on the field. We obviously had great expectations coming into this series and it didn't pan out for us.”

The Silent Contender

2005-10-02T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Angels finished the season in a blur, with a 14-2 streak going into the playoffs. This is exactly how you want to be going into the postseason. This brilliant end to a wonderful season has given the Angels a chance to have home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. But now is the time of the season when everyone goes back to zero and it’s all or nothing. The Angels have a very good chance to be the Cinderella, the one nobody expects from the American League. All eyes are on the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox, this is something the Angels should definitely use to their advantage.

A Huge Win!

2005-09-26T22:01:00.000-07:00

Monday night was the beginning of the biggest series this season for the Angels. The Angels visited the Oakland A’s for the series to determine the postseason. The A’s came in hoping for a sweep to keep their hopes alive, but couldn’t get it. The Angels came through with a 4-3 win. This win all but assures a place from them in the post season. Their magic number is now down to 2, which means they only have to win two more games or the A’s have to lose two games. But that’s the story of the Angels this year; coming through and winning when they needed to.

The Division to Watch

2005-09-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

The Angels are only a half game up on the Oakland Athletics with 19 games to play. They really didn’t help their case Wednesday, when they lost to the Seattle Mariners 10-9. The half game separation between the A’s and Angels makes this division one to watch for the last few games of the season. With exception of the AL East, the West will be the most exciting division race. The AL West lacks the true powerhouses of the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox, but every season it comes down to the wire to see who will make it to the playoffs. Last season the Angels barely made it in with a stunning run to the end of the season. And it looks like this season that their going to need that same type of streak to hold off the A’s. So break out your rally monkeys, if there not already out, and watch some truly exciting baseball.

Playing Through the Pain

2005-06-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

It is very annoying for ball players to have to decide whether to have surgery or play it out and risk further damage on their injury. Most players decide to have the surgery for the long run benefits, but some players can’t stay away from the game and play through the injury. Such is the case for Kelvim Escobar.

''I'm definitely going to need more than two weeks off, because we want to be very careful with this. It is going to take longer to get back out there, and if I have a setback I'll be out even longer. The last thing I want is to have surgery, but at that point, I'll have run out of options.'' – Escobar

If things go the way Escobar hopes for then he will be back around the All- Star break and hopefully his bone spur will not be a problem by then.

Fallen Angel

2005-06-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

The Angels could really use the bat of Vladimir Guerrero but that won’t happen till 3 days from now. Guerrero the team’s best hitter has a partially dislocated left shoulder and has been sitting out for several games now. The Angels are in trouble right now as they hold the league’s worst on-base percentage. It seems that their swing first attitude is getting them no where.

Something Missing

2005-05-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

The Angels are having a very hard time producing runs this season for some reason. So the question that remains is how much time will the club give Dallas McPherson to come around and play big league ball like he is supposed too. Well if things don’t pick up expect Izturis to come right back in the line-up after he is off the D.L.

The Replacement

2005-05-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

With a shoulder injury to the Angels right fielder, Vladimir Guerrero, the Angels are now looking at their reserves to see who will be getting some playing time. First we have Juan Rivera who originally started the season as a designated hitter.

He was mostly used to bat against south paws. The upside to Rivera is that he is a fast ball hitter, and I mean he can slug the poop out of the ball. All he needs to do is work on his consistency.

Play Polish

2005-05-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

One of the clubs right-handed-closers, Francisco Rodriguez, has been pretty productive in getting his job done so far this season. This is despite Rodriguez having a tendency to go deep in the count digging him a deeper hole to get out of.

Rodriguez seems to relying heavily on his hard slider, but the down side to that is since he overthrows it to much in a jam, he tends to become predictable. Simply because after the slider is picked up he is forced to throw his fast ball which batters wait on late in the count.

Zero

2005-05-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Is the number of homers the Angels have produced from the DH over their first 28 games. Unless there is a change in roles, this number is likely to remain single digits. Not the best way to start of the season if you ask me. There is still a whole lot of baseball to play. Lets see where this season takes us.

Making the Gamble

2005-05-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

The team's desire to press the action has its drawbacks. Most runners have the green light, but the club has run itself out of a number of innings and has wasted opportunities, such as when players were picked off second with middle-of-the-order hitters batting. The Angels will not stop running, though; they figure the strategy will pay off more than it will cost them.

A Fearless Forecast

2005-04-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

When 2B Adam Kennedy returns from extended spring training in early May, look for him to reclaim his job and for Chone Figgins to move to third, where he will solidify that troublesome spot. Figgins has struggled some early, but the team needs him in the lineup. Whether hitting second or down in the order, Figgins is the club's one true speed threat.

Updates

2005-04-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

Robb Quinlan's best position is first base, but he'll replace Dallas McPherson at third until McPherson returns from injury. Quinlan lacks range at third but has good instincts and an adequate arm. At the plate, he doesn't have great power, but he is disciplined and knows how to make contact; he hit .344 last season. He has displayed a talent for situational hitting.

Angels trade for Yanks' Reliever

2005-03-30T10:25:00.000-08:00

By Doug Miller / MLB.com

The Angels added bullpen depth and put the Major League careers of Jake Woods and Chris Bootcheck on hold when they traded for New York Yankees reliever Bret Prinz on Tuesday.

Prinz, who turns 28 in August, was sent to the Angels for Triple-A catcher Wil Nieves. Prinz is out of options, so the Angels will risk losing him to the waiver wire if he doesn't make the 25-man roster.

That likely means the Angels will once again break camp without a left-hander in the bullpen. They haven't had a lefty reliever since Scott Schoeneweis departed in July 2003.

"I've said many times and haven't changed my mind that effectiveness is much more important than which arm you throw with," Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said.

Prinz is a hard-throwing right-hander who was viewed as the Arizona Diamondbacks' closer of the future during a breakout rookie season of 2001. Prinz was 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA and nine saves that year, which was Arizona's World Series championship season.

Over the next three years, Prinz suffered from a lack of command and injuries, including a serious groin injury that put him on the 60-day disabled list in 2003, and saw significant time in the minors.

He was shipped to the Yankees in a July 2003 deal that brought outfielder Raul Mondesi to New York and pitched 28 1/3 innings for the Yankees last year, compiling a 5.08 ERA.

"I'm excited," Prinz said via cell phone from the airport. "I feel like I'm going to have an opportunity to pitch. With the Yankees, you saw the numbers [of pitchers they had]. Everybody knew coming into spring there wasn't a spot open. I'm excited to be going to Anaheim."

Prinz, who was scheduled to arrive in Arizona late Tuesday night and join the team Wednesday morning, will make about $342,000 this year.

"There wasn't a spot for him here," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "But we were able to find a spot for him somewhere and get some value back. A guy with an arm like that, people are going to give him an extra look."

Cashman said "six or seven" teams expressed interest in Prinz, who hit 96 mph on the radar gun while striking out the side in his last spring appearance against the Minnesota Twins last Saturday.

"He's got a good fastball with movement and some Major League experience," Stoneman said.

Nieves, meanwhile, should have more of an opportunity to finally get Major League time. Nieves hit .297 with 10 home runs and 53 RBIs at Triple-A Salt Lake last year.

"I think it's a real good opportunity," Nieves said. "They [the Angels] have three great catchers in the big leagues. I talked to [Cashman] and they have [Jorge] Posada, [John] Flaherty and nobody else in the minor leagues. ... It's going to be a fresh start for me. I'll go there and show them what I can do and what I've learned."

As for Bootcheck and Woods, they'll likely start the season in Triple-A and will go back to being starters. Both had been pitching in relief in hopes of winning the final spot in the bullpen.

"They're going to be contributing Major League pitchers," Stoneman said. "I'm not writing them off right now. This is one more piece of competition. Both guys are young."

D-Mac comes back: Dallas McPherson was back in the Angels lineup Tuesday, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be with the team come Opening Day.

McPherson, the rookie third baseman who had not appeared in a Major League exhibition game since the March 3 Cactus League opener because of a herniated disk, started at designated hitter Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals and impressed, going 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, a walk and two RBIs.

Still, manager Mike Scioscia said McPherson will probably need a week or two of rehabilitation time in the minor leagues to be ready for regular-season action. McPherson will be sent back to the team's minor league complex at Gene Autry Park in Mesa, Ariz., on Wednesday.

"He needs at-bats," Scioscia said. "He's still trying to build up stamina and get stuff worked out defensively."

Things to Know

2005-02-24T16:41:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

Manager Mike Scioscia might decide to switch 1B Darin Erstad to the leadoff role, which would drastically alter Erstad's approach at the plate. Erstad has been accustomed to moving runners from the No. 2 hole, often sacrificing outs and his batting average and on-base percentage in the process. If he goes back to the leadoff spot, he'll try to draw more walks and get on base by all means necessary. . . .

The last spot in the bullpen will be for a long reliever and will almost certainly come down to a battle between righthanders Matt Hensley and Scott Dunn. Hensley might be the favorite because he spent more time with the Angels in 2004 and had an excellent strikeouts-to-innings ratio.

The Pen' is mighter than the Sword

2005-02-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

The Angels have boasted to have the best bullpen in the American in the recent past two years, and for good reason.

Though it will be hard with out Troy Percival, who realized it was time to move on. Picking up the slack at closer for Percival is 22-year-old Francisco Rodriguez. This past season in 2004 Rodriguez maintained a 1.82 ERA in 81 innings. Rodriguez also sported out a (4-1) and had 12 saves in place of Percival.

The bullpen for the Angels will not just depend on Rodriquez. It will also depend on setup pitchers Brendan Donnelly, Scot Shields, and Esteban Yan. All who are fairly young and hard throwers.

Finley is in Town

2005-02-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

By now, we all know that Steve Finley is now an Angel. Not the kind that fly but the kind that won last years AL West. Though I don’t think people know he will be 40 when the 2005 season kicks off.

Finley’s age might give people the wrong impression, because he sure doesn’t play like a 40-year man. Finely is actually in better shape than most players. Last year Finley had 36 bombs, 94 run batted in, and a Gold Glove to brag about

Finely could be the push the Angels need to get the World Series one more.

Cutting Ties

2005-01-15T15:05:00.000-08:00

GM Bill Stoneman has not been one of the most popular of people recently in Anaheim. It seems that Major League Baseball or just professional sports in general are no longer about the game or the fans but more about how much revenue one team (owner) can generate.

Fans still question why the GM released David Eckstein, Troy Glaus, and Troy Percival; who where all fan favorites. Well, Bill Stoneman had this much to say on that when asked about their departure's...
"The one thing that you realize when you have this job is that a general manager's a fan, too. I've gotten to know these guys even better than the fans do. I was a fan of Percival and Glaus and Eckstein, too. That part doesn't make the decision you have to make any easier. But you're still charged with the responsibility of putting the best possible club out on the field for the fans. In spite of my own emotional attachments or the fans' attachments, you still have to put the best club you can out there. That's really what drove the decisions."

Angels lose to Red Sox on Clement

2004-12-20T08:46:00.000-08:00

By Doug Miller / MLB.com

Angels general manager Bill Stoneman has done well with the signings of free agents in the last two offseasons, but he lost out on a big one Friday when right-hander Matt Clement agreed with the Boston Red Sox on a three-year deal that is believed to be in the range of $25 million.

Clement's agent, Barry Axelrod, confirmed the agreement and said the deal would be made official after the contract was finalized and Clement underwent the usual physical.

Axelrod said that his client ultimately chose the Red Sox over the Angels, who had offered a similar deal.

"I'm not going to deny we made an offer, but in the context of what the job is, you're always trying to make your club better, and we're going to continue to do that," Stoneman said when asked for a reaction to the news.

"You can't control the timing of your opportunities. But I'll say this: We're not shutting down. We're always looking to get better."

During last week's Winter Meetings and as recently as Thursday, Axelrod said seven teams -- including the Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Indians -- also were players for Clement, who went 9-13 with a 3.68 ERA and 190 strikeouts in 181 innings for the Chicago Cubs in 2004.

On Friday, it came down to Boston and the Angels, and once again, as they did in the 2004 American League Division Series, the Red Sox came out on top.

"The teams that were still in it were teams that were willing to pay the price," Axelrod said.

"I think the overriding factor became where he thought would be the best chance for him to win for all three years for the contract he was going to enter into. Boston and the Angels have dedicated ownership and management to have them in contention year after year."

Axelrod said there was one personal factor that might have swung the decision to the Sox in Clement's mind.

"In the end, geography may have taken a prominent place," Axelrod said.

"Matt's family and his wife's family are in Pennsylvania. The thought of his dad and other family members being able to easily get to Boston to see him pitch became a big factor for him. Who wouldn't want to pitch in front of their family at Fenway Park?"

Stoneman signed right-hander Paul Byrd to a one-year, $5 million deal earlier in the week, so he has a five-man rotation -- with Bartolo Colon, Kelvim Escobar, Jarrod Washburn and John Lackey -- in tact if he chooses to now tender lefty Washburn, who is eligible for arbitration and will likely earn somewhere in the area of $7 million next year.

Stoneman said there was no "crystal ball" to determine what he might do before the season starts -- lefties Odalis Perez and Eric Milton are still available, among other free agent starters -- but that he felt confident with his roster as is.

"This is really a good club with the personnel we've got right now," Stoneman said. "It appears to me we'll enter the '05 season even stronger than we entered the '04 season. But having said that, as a GM, you're never satisfied. You're always looking to improve. That comes with the job."

In other Angels news Friday, the club learned that it lost prospects Bobby Jenks and Alfredo Amezaga to other teams via the waiver wire.

Jenks, a hard-throwing 24-year-old right-handed starter who had major arm injuries the last two years, was designated for assignment Thursday to make room on the 40-man roster for Cuban defector Kendry Morales. The White Sox scooped up Jenks on Friday.

Amezaga, a slick-fielding infielder, was designated earlier in the week when the team traded for minor league righty Dustin Moseley and was picked up by the Colorado Rockies.

A Foundation for the Future

2004-10-19T10:33:00.000-07:00

By Doug Miller / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels' roller-coaster ride of a 2004 season ended with an abrupt three-games-to-none loss to the Boston Red Sox in the American League Division Series, but the Angels can reminisce with a lot of pride.

Their stocked roster was predicted to do huge things, and they battled those lofty expectations plus crippling injuries and a suspension to a key player en route to a stirring finish and their first division title since 1986.

Ninety-two wins in the regular season plus a taste of the postseason is a good place to start for this retooled team, so the Angels will have plenty to look forward to in what should be an active offseason and an exciting 2005.

Soft-spoken Colon will throw hard

2004-10-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels will look to a throwback to propel them forward in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.
Angels starter Bartolo Colon will take the mound Wednesday against Boston right-hander and countryman Pedro Martinez in what could be the most anticipated postseason game in the Dominican Republic.

The shy Colon will face the brash Martinez, his favorite pitcher no less, and his team the same way he has faced everybody this year -- by remaining calm on the mound and with a steady dose of the hard stuff. The fact that Colon pitched in the ALDS in 1998, 1999, and 2001 while with Cleveland doesn't hurt, either.

He has the numbers to back up his claim. Colon is 2-2 with a 3.29 ERA and 31 strikeouts in six playoff starts. He went 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA in the AL Championship Series against the Yankees while with Cleveland in 1999.

In his first season with the Angels, Colon went 18-12 with a 5.01 ERA in 208 1/3 innings during 34 starts. He led the club in wins, starts and tied in innings pitched with Kelvim Escobar. Among AL pitchers, he ranked third in wins, tied for third in starts, tied for second in home runs allowed (38) and ninth in runs allowed (122).

He limited opponents to three runs or less 18 times during the regular season.

But the season was not without its struggles for Colon. From May 20 to June 17, he lost four consecutive games over a span of six starts, matching the longest losing streak of his career. Some, including Scioscia, believe the slump was caused by a sore left ankle.

Colon didn't think the ankle was huge factor, instead insisting his change of workouts led to a strong finish -- he won eight of his last 12 starts. He allowed four hits in eight innings and three hits in seven innings in his final two starts of the season.

But the regular season means little, if anyhing, now. The postseason has begun and the eyes of two nations -- the United States and the Dominican Republic -- will be on Angel Stadium come Wednesday evening.

Lets go fishin'

2004-09-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

For the time being we are 2.5 games back and we are trailing the A's. The Rangers are closely following, being 1.5 behind us, so we have to pick up the pace. Since the wild card is more out of reach the the division, it is the only hope we have left. Kennedy's injury is hurting us pretty badly and it's going to be a all out brawl for the division this year. Lets finish off this series with a win and win the Division. I know we can do this, now lets just execute!

Escobar-se

2004-09-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

Now two games behind the A's, the Angles have a shot to take AL West crown this season. With several weeks of play left, the Angels play the A's in a three game series after their day off on 9/23.

The Angels beat the Mariners yesterday with the help of Kelvin Escobar(10-10). Escobar was robbed the last time he took the mound, by not receiving any help from his teammates on the offensive side.

In 7 complete innings Escobar had 7 strike outs and only gave up 6 hits, a run, and a walk. The only run came off a homerun by Seattles' short stop Jose Lopez. It was deja vu (loss to Toronto 1-0 on September 9) in the 5-1 win against the Mariners. This time we won.

Go Angels!

O My Glaus!

2004-09-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

On August 29, 3rd baseman, Troy Glaus was activated from a 60 day disabled list. This was after his last appearance on May 11, where 10 days later he had surgery on his right shoulder. After making a speedy and healthy recovery, Glaus is back. And talk about the timing. The Angels are 3 games behind their division leading A's and 3.5 games behind the number 1 spot for a wild card birth. Either way there is plenty of baseball to be played.

Angels fly high!

7 in a row!

2004-08-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

We got 7 in a row baby! Even after all the effort , Oakland somehow managed to stay a 1/2 game ahead so we will have to make the extra push to get this spot even though we have the wild card spot as of right now, I'd be ore comfortable leading the division. Lets finish off this series with a sweep and start getting ready for the playoffs. Go Angels!!!

1/2 game back, getting that much closer

2004-08-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

We have gotten 1/2 game back to the A's, and for some reason I have a small feeling that Tampa won't do too great against out our Angels. The race for the Al West is definatley going to be a tight one, so lets cheer hard and get out there to some of thier games. LETS GO ANGELS!

1 1/2 games back, no problem

2004-08-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

With a 4 game winning streak, our Angels are lookin invincible. We are dominating the Royals and we are going to get in to the playoffs, no doubt , if we continue at this rate.Brendan Donnelly pitched fantastic last night for the win. Keep it up Angels!

We are moving on up...

2004-08-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

2 1/2 more games untill we are tied for first in the division. Lets see how the angels do against the Royals again tonight. If it was anything like last game , we should be back up top in no time. Go Angels lets make the streak 3!

WOO! Angels 8, Twins 3

2004-08-05T18:05:00.000-07:00

From Yahoo.Sports.com:
"After two days of sputtering against Minnesota, the Angels' powerful offense finally got going. Garret Anderson had four of Anaheim's 15 hits, and Jose Guillen drove in three runs to lead the Angels to an 8-3 victory over the Twins on Thursday."

Thanks to Aaron Sele we can now celebrate after those tough losses against the Twins. All we need now is a few more wins to get back in the running for the playoff spot, and I sure would like to see our Angels back in the World Series. Now we need to cheer on the Angels, as you can clearly see that getting the play off spot in ALW is gonna be a tight race to the bitter end. Now lets see how we do against the Royals.GOO ANGELS

Quinlan named top rookie

2004-08-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

From MLB.com:

It was a great July and a great beginning to August for Angels rookie infielder Robb Quinlan, who returned to where he grew up Monday and was named the American League Rookie of the Month for July.
Quinlan, who has been playing third base semi-regularly for the Angels in the past three weeks, led all AL rookies in batting average and RBIs last month. Quinlan batted .407 (22-for-54) with the first two home runs of his big-league career and 15 RBIs in July with eight runs, seven doubles, two stolen bases, a .441 on-base percentage and a .648 slugging percentage.

Quinlan had six multi-hit and five multi-RBI games for the Angels in July, and then sparked the Angels to victory in their only August game, a come-from-behind win over the Mariners in which Quinlan put the Angels on the board with a solo home run before winning the game with an RBI double.

Quinlan, 27, is a native of St. Paul, Minn., right across the Mississippi River from where the Angels will take on the Twins in a three-game series starting Tuesday.

He currently has a 13-game hitting streak, during which he is batting .489 (23-for-47). The corner infielder had a career-high four hits in an 11-1 win at Texas on July 22, and hit his first Major League home run as part of a three-hit game in an 8-4 win at Seattle on July 24.

Cheers!

Watch Lackey and the Angels throw down in Minnesota tonight, should be a good one!

the big unit?

2004-07-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

The Angels have not ruled out trading for Randy Johnson, but according to the Los Angeles Times, they will not go to any length to acquire the Arizona ace before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. "How much of a mortgage do you put on your property?" Moreno said, alluding to the price in prospects the Angels would have to pay to obtain Johnson. "And not only are you mortgaging your minor league organization, Randy is signed for $16 million next year. That would take away some flexibility for us to do other things over a period of time."

i second that. rj is a bad move.

woah.

2004-07-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

bartolo's all fat now. when did that happen? anybody else notice that he sucks this year? i'll be missing this game.

Guerrero, Rodriguez: Two Heavenly All-Star Players

2004-07-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

Guerrero, an All-Start? Get out of here!* Man, that guy can hit anything! I'm suprised the umps don't call anything that comes his way strikes. Whether at his toes or his noes, that young man knows how to make earth-shattering contact with that ball.

And then we have Senior Rodriguez: an up and coming fantastic closer. That man's slider can make almost anyone dizzy. You're the man, K-rod! Keep up the hard work and you'll definitely be one of baseball's legends.

On the Road to Toronto

2004-07-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Well the Angels are coming off a winning series (2-1) against the White Sox. Numbers-wise, they're a pretty comparable team to Anaheim, so we should be feeling fairly confident right now (despite letting things unravel yesterday).

On a positive note, the Sox are a better team than Toronto, even though the Jays are coming off three straight wins against Seattle. Thing is, the Mariners are one of the worst teams on the ballfield right now.

Let's show those Canucks what's up tonight and embarrass them at home!

GO ANGELS!!!

Avid Angels Fan

2004-07-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I'd like to welcome you to my new Anaheim Angels blog. I'll be posting here regularly with news on the Angels and baseball in general, as well as my own thoughts. It's been a pretty decent season so far I'm happy to say (44-40, .524). We may be 3rd out of 4 in the AL West, but in the AL as a whole we're not doing too bad. More soon!

GO ANGELS!!!