CJ Wilson vs. Yu Darvish

CJ Wilson vs. Yu Darvish

Wilson with his best Duck Face

I find it laughable when Texas Ranger Fans comment on how great Yu Darvish is versus CJ Wilson. "Well the Rangers seemed to be ok with taking a chance on a rookie rather than giving away playoff games with CJ," was a post from a dear friend who has the tragic illness of being a Ranger fan.  The most alarming thing to me is that there is a perception that Darvish is better than Wilson because of Wins versus Loses.  I have never claimed to be a huge stat guy.  But I did a quick look on some measurables.  And as of last nights disapointing loss to Oakland you can compare the two pitchers and it isn't as one sides as Ranger Fans would lead you to believe.  Darvish has 68 Earned Runs, Wilson is at 55. Darvish has given up 12 HR, Wilson is at 11. Darvish has thrown a lot more strikes, but the he's also walked 14 more batters and his ERA is 4.57 to CJ's 3.34

How quickly the Ranger Fans forget how CJ carried that team to the World Series last year and was an important part of getting them their in 2010.  Now grant it, I wouldn't say Darvish is a horrible pitcher.  He's actually a pretty solid pitcher.  He was the Ace of the Japanese Staff in the final Olympic Baseball game played in 2008.  And was a part of the Japanese Team that won the WBC Championship, prior to coming to the states.  It is said in a first time match up between a pitcher and a hitter that the pitcher always has the advantage, the batter can always make adjustments for his next at bat.  Darvish came into the league and very few players had faced him.  Darvish benefited from that.  Both Darvish and Wilson had very good starts to the year, but both of them have struggled and both looks bad in their last outings.  

CJ Wilson is signed to the Angels for the next 5 Years making roughly 15 Million a Year.  Yu Darvish is signed for 6 Years and is making roughly 9 Million a Year, however when you include the posting fees the Rangers had to pay 51.7 Million Dollars to Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, it cost the Rangers roughly 17.61M a year.  There is roughly 40 Games left to the season, each pitcher will probably have 8-9 more starts before the post season. 

In conclusion the Rangers are paying nearly 3 Million dollars more a year for 2 more wins and 28 more strike outs, really doesn't make a lot of fiscal sense to me.

Go Halos!

The Halos... questions answered.

Off the 710 Freeway

Its the dawn of a new era for Angels Baseball.  There has been a lot of hoopla and a hype with regards to the 2012 season of Major League Baseball for your Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but we're just a little more than 24 hours away from the Season Opener for the Angels as they take on the Royals of Kansas City.  Spring Training answered a lot of questions, as least for me.  Mark Trumbo at the very least will be serviceable at third base, potentially adding another 25+ home runs into that line up.  Another questions that was answered for me was that foot of Kendrys Morales.  I don't expect Morales to field one iota, but I think he's going to be a great contributor in the Designated Hitter position.  This team looks like the team I had hoped and dream for.  The Angels are all in and it looks like I'm not the only one thinks so.  Buster Onley said "The Angels Look Tremendous." Mark Gonzales of the South Bend Tribune picked the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to run away with it all, with that pitching rotation, "CJ Wilson as your 4th man in the rotation, that's saying something" He also picked Giants Angels in the World Series a repeat of the World Series that took place 10 years ago.  AM830 host Roger Lodge is calling his World Series prediction The Angels vs. The Phillies.  Google MLB 2012 Post Season Predictions... and you'll see that the Angels have caught the eye of a lot of handicappers and members of the media.

Cactus League is done, no more Exhibition games... It's Here Opening Day.  Today is the third opening day for the 2012 season... but its all about tomorrow.  Opening Day!

The Taiwanese Love the Halos

I know I'm late to the game, but this is incredible. The Taiwanese Media loves the Angels too, with this animated video portrayal of the Halos signing both CJ Wilson and Albert Pujols. I've watched several of these videos in the past. This is by far my favorite.

Dodger Fans hate you Albert Pujols

In another forum, I was recently baited by a True Blue Dodger Fan. First and foremost, you never feed the trolls. Haters are going to hate. And Dodger Fans aren't a very happy bunch. The biggest 2 acquisitions the Dodgers made this off-season outside of extending Matt Kemp and signing Chris Capuano. Now the Dodgers for all they have been through aren't an awful team and with a few minor tweaks could be very competitive next year, but I had to share this hate.

That Albert Pujols signing was awful. LOL@those of you who think signing a guy with declining stats to a $200+million contract for 10 years is something to be happy about. I always thought/still think that Frank McCourt is an idiot, but Arte Moreno is an even bigger idiot for shelling out all that cash for a guy in his mid-30's (you're tripping if you think he's younger than 33).

Dodger fans, are you honestly telling me that you'd prefer James Loney and his paltry contract to Albert Pujols?  Are you also telling me that you wouldn't want an owner like Moreno over McCourt?  Lets see a guy who continues to spend, increasing pay roll, keeping concessions lower, parking reasonable, and over all one of the best sporting experiences in the country, or a guy who charges you $20 to park to sit at a dinosaur of a ball park and watch a sub-par baseball team?  When was the last time the Dodgers were in the playoffs?  When was the last time they won a World Series?  When was the last time Los Angeles Dodgers were relevant?

...but that doesn't matter and the fact remains that Albert isn't going to help the Angels win, his numbers will continue to decline (and when they do, attendance will decline too) and he's still going to be owed tons of money for a number of years. It's a terrible investment because that means less money for other free agents, international signings, and less money to spend on top draft picks.

Not only that, but the appeal of Albert is going to die once the Dodgers get new owners who will be willing to spend money on talent to go along with Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp (the real NL MVP, fuck Ryan Braun).

Pujols isn't going to help this team win?  I'm not saying the Angels are favorites to win the World Series, or even the West, but that has to be the stupidest comment with regards to this signing I have ever read.  I'm really starting to doubt this fans credibility.  My only response to this was this picture...

I'm not mad. I'm just wondering why people think that all this money invested in an aging veteran who was an obvious steroid user is such a great thing? I'm happy with having Matt Kemp, a guy who hasn't even reached his prime and is still young, and Clayton Kershaw (when he gets his contract) become the next Sandy K.

I won't lie, I like the CJ Wilson signing, but the Angels have fucked themselves.

Here's how I replied: 
"Obvious Steroid User" You are trying to hard. You are aware that that "idiot" Arte signed a big boy television contract, right? 3 Billion Dollars. And season ticket sells are through the roof.

What's gonna happen in 2-3 years when Albert is batting .250 and hitting 15 homeruns a year? Will season ticket sales still go through the roof?

It's cool though. Arte spent a lot of money on a player who is past his prime and won't help the Angels. I guess he and his fans are more concerned about image and what massive world record publicity stunt they can pull off at that rat infested stadium.

The Moral of the Story, don't feed the trolls.  Just enjoy their frustrations as they implode.  No MLB World Series was won in December.  Or January.  But Certainly, the Angels have addressed a lot of the question marks they had at the end of the season.  They needed an upgrade behind the plate.  Iannetta is an upgrade over Mathis.  They needed additional bullpen depth, Hawkins adds depth.  They needed to added another bat in the line up and Pujols is the most prolific hitter in our era.