Bye Bye Tony!

It seems like just yesterday I was defending Tony Reagins.  It was a day or two later and stumbled across the Fire Tony Reagins website and unaffiliated facebook page.  Well your wishes came true.  Tony claims this decision was mutual, for him to step into a different role with the Angel Franchise, which is great for Tony.  He is always been labeled a "good guy" and a "great story" considering he started as an intern with the organization nearly 20 years ago.  But make no mistake about it.  Since Arte has taking over ownership, he has prided himself as an owner who wants to win.  Arte at one point said he wanted to be the New York Yankees of the West.  In order to compete you need to have superstars.  Superstars out on the field and superstars in the front office.  Reagins did a lot of amazing things while in his tenure in Anaheim.  But the Act of Attrition aka trading Mike Napoli to acquire Vernon Wells was just to heinous.  As the lore grows and people actually forget that Napoli was traded to Toronto and not Texas, this trade will go down as the worst trade in Angels History, of course until someone messes a trade up worse.  And it doesn't help that Napoli is still hitting the cover off the ball in Arlington. 

But lets take a minute to celebrate some of the Great moves Reagins made.  Although it was a three-month rental, Mark Teixera was a steal.  Had the Halos been able to go above the threshold the Yankees offered, perhaps the Halos would be in playoff contention the past two years.  Getting Dan Haren was also a steal.  I miss ole Joe Saunders and who knows what kind of pitcher Tyler Skaggs turns into, but the move really solidified the Halo Rotation in 2011, which was for the most part, outstanding. 

In close, safe journeys TR.  Thank you for your positive contributions to this team.  But I'm certainly looking forward to what's next for the Halos.

Go Angels!

Are you Haren what I'm saying?

Color me surprised by the signing of Dan Haren.  Before last year's trade of Sean Rodriguez and prospects for Scotty Kazmir went down I was of the opinion that the Angels should pursue Dan Haren.  And at the time you heard all kinds of reasons why Tony Reagins couldn't make that move; contract length, money owed, prospects to get the deal, etc.  But in the bottom of the 5th inning in a losing effort to the Texas Rangers, Tony Reagins confirmed that this deal has been in the works for a while.  So when I popped on facebook yesterday afternoon to see what was going on, certainly made me smile.

However, I'm sad to see Joe Saunders go.  He was a gutty pitcher.  He isn't or will he be an Ace, but he was a guy that would go out there and was a pivotal to the successful season the Halos had last year. I felt much worse when I saw Saunders being interviewed.  Saunders hasn't had the best of year, but he really wasn't on my list of guys who should be moved.  I really do wish nothing but success to the Saunders and hope to see the Diamondbacks get back to some winning ways behind Saundo next year.

Haren was tied for the most strike outs in the National League, but has given up a lot of hits and homeruns.  His home runs given up should drop considering Anaheim is more of a pitchers park and there are some reservations about bringing in a guy who has an ERA nearly identical to Saunders, but ultimately this move makes the Angels better and if you watch tonight you'll see why. The Angels have wasted no time into re-introducing the new Angel to the American League.  Haren pitches tonight against the Boston Red Sox.  A Win tonight will certainly send a statement to the Texas Rangers.  But more than anything else, the Angels need a winning streak.  And with Haren on the mound tonight with Weaver following tomorrow, I like those chances.

Go Halos

Oakland Swept

Earlier in this still fairly early season, when the World seemed upside down, Chokeland and Texas were battling for the first place spot in the American League West.  The Angels were floundering in the cellar with the Over Rated Seattle Mariners.  I said then, that the season is just too young and that things will work their way out.  I also said that the A's couldn't maintain their record and the Rangers have been fortunate to face some weaker opponents, feasting on teams like the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and the Cleveland Indians.  

But you can see the Angels are fairly strong in their own division.  And they certainly looked fantastic against the same state rivals, the As.  Saunders and Piñeiro with shutouts and even Santana only giving up 2 runs, with a ton of run support makes me think that the Angels are heading to higher ground.  Saunders was dueling with the 19th Perfect Game thrower, Dallas Braden, and outlasted das wunderkid.  Morales and Kendrick have been hot all year.  Howie even got promoted to batting 2nd.  Which I think has helped sparked a lot of this offense.  The bullpen has been getting some rest, because the starting rotation has been going long.  This is the team we were all hoping for and with patience being a virtue that the Halo Faithful could could no longer tolerate has opened its eyes to the winning ways.  With better pitching and much better hitting, the Angels swept the hated A's. 

So Today, the Rangers come to town.  And we'll just see who the superior team is.  Lets all see how REAL the Rangers are or how rather lets see if their weaker schedule has benefited their win loss record.  Go Halos.

17-8 Loss for the Halos or why a good ass kicking was needed.

Old Hokey Joe wasn't just beaten last night.  He was crushed, give up seven earned runs with two homeruns.  He wasn't alone.  The tandem of Palmer and Stokes were crushed too, combining for giving two more homeruns and ten earned runs.  The Angels offense wasn't the problem last night.  They scored four runs in the first six innings.  And even scored another four runs in the 9th.

The Angels haven't played consistently all season.  But I am of the opinion of this being an ass kicking the Angels deserved.  Sometimes  you need to get  your ass handed to you to force you to straighten your self out.    Look at Howie Kendrick from last year.  His demotion to the Angel's AAA Minor League affiliate the Salt Lake Bees.  That was the ass kicking Kendrick needed to get his stuff  straighten out.  Now he's one of our best hitters and no more base running blunders or fielding errors.

The Red Sox have been a thorn in the Angels side for a long time. Not dating back to last year, or the last decade, but even back to 1986 and later. The Red Sox have been terrible this year, but so have the Angels. I am sure Mike Scioscia was embarrassed with last nights loss. I'm sure Torii Hunter was embarrassed. And I'm sure the Red Sox think of last nights victory as a payback from the 2009 ALDS ass-whoopin the Angels handed the Sox last year. What will be interested is tonight's match up of Santana versus Lester. Santana has been hot and cold, Lester hasn't looked that good all year. Will the Angels take that ass kicking like men or little boys? Will they rise up, or fall down? Ultimately, the Angels are not playing to the expectations that the Angel Faithful is used too. But perhaps, just perhaps, this ass kicking the Angels received last night, will come with a receipt. A discount, or coupon, for buy one ass kicking and get on free.

The Wild Ride with the Angels Bullpen -- Or how Fernando Rodney saved the day!

The Angels rotation took a lot of abuse before the season even started.  The media was doubting the intestinal fortitude of the Halo Starters.  It was like Lackey was the straw that stirred the drink of the Angel's slingers.  But now that Lackey is gone, the Halos are done, no number one, etc. etc. etc.  Weaver has gracefully accepted the role of leader coming out of the rotation.  But a big surprise has been  Piñeiro .  But in the last couple of starts each pitcher has looked dominant.  Its very early in the season, but the Angels are looking like a Diamond full of Aces.  Weaver had a good start in Toronto, followed by Saunders and Santana.   Piñeiro starts it off against Detroit and Kazmir comes out looking pretty good through six.  Perhaps the rotation isn't as much of a concern as the media all lead us to believe.

However Kazmir win last night was nearly tainted at the hands of the bullpen.  Kazmir was charged the runs that Shields allowed.  Palmer didn't look much better.  And Jepsen had me worried.  But when Rodney stepped in the ninth it was all business.

Speaking of Rodney, it was Tim Dierkes of MLB TradeRumors who said that The Angels signing Fernado Rodney was one of the 10 Worst Free Agent Signings Of The Offseason. At the time many of the Angel faithful, myself include, understood this to be an insurance policy in case Brian Fuentes fell back into his familiar funk from last year. Spring opened up and Fuentes looked great. Opening Day, Fuentes looked great. And since his injury, Rodney has covered the closer spot and successfully closed 5 of 5 games. Not only the 5/5 closes, but each one of them were shut outs. Rodney even has a hold, from Opening Day and a win against Oakland. The only bad outing Rodney had was against the blow out against the Twins, where he was charged with the loss.  I am beginning to think that the closer position might be a shared spot between Fuentes and Rodney.  And that could save the Angels big cash, from Fuentes option investing.  Only a month or so into the season, but that Rodney signing is looking as impressive as the Piñeiro and Matsui signings this past off season.

Toronto and Boston get Swept! Damn it feels good to be a Halo Fan

When I originally started this blog, it was going to be in tribute to the young Angel rotation that was headed by John Lackey.  The remaining rotation was made up of Santana, Saunders, Weaver, and Matt Palmer who would be replaced with Scott Kazmir.  Even with Lackey on the roster, most circles I'm in would not even count Lackey as an ACE.  Hence the Diamond Aces, that each Angel pitcher could go out there and have an ACE like start.  2008, Saunders and Santana were both All-Stars.  2009, Weaver and Saunders were pitching like All-Stars.  Palmer was getting lucky!  Kazmir is a former All-Star!  So these Aces of the Diamond were set to destroy the American League West in 2010.  Now its much too early, but the pitching staff has certainly stepped their game up.  Toronto has never been a good city for the Halos, but they showed up in full force.  Weaver had a great outing, followed by Saunders going 8, and Santana finishing a complete game.  Nearly getting a Shut Out!  Now there is a long scheduled of baseball left to be played.  The Halos sit 2.5 games out of 1st Place.  

Speaking of Lackey, he signed with the Boston Red Sox.  He thought it would give him a better chance at winning another World Series ring.  Turns out, not so much.  Tampa Bay is in 1st.  New York is in 2nd.  Hell even the swept Blue Jays are in 3rd.  Because the Boston Red Sox are six games out of 1st Place in the East.  Now obviously this slide won't last all year.  But I plan on enjoying every moment of it I can.  

Go Halos!  

We will win with what we got...

I originally designed this for Halos Heaven the best Angel Community site on the Interwebs, prior to the Trade Deadline.  I was against the Angels pursuing anyone but pitching.  Because even last year, towards the trade deadline I wasn't confident that Lackey would be coming back.  And Figgins was the only guy I could see being traded from the Major League Roster.  Looking at this picture though is kind of depressing.  I was hoping Lackey would return to the Halos-- He gone.  I was hoping Vlad would retire an Angel-- He gone.  And of course Figgins and Darren Oliver also left the team, along with Escobar and Arrendondo. 

With all that being said, the Angels I think had to make that move for Kazmir.  And I think that move alone will really make a positive impact for the Angels in 2010.  And it looks like I need to make a new graphic to include the Diamond Aces of; Weaver, Kazmir, Santana, Saunders, and Piniero. 

If we took a Halladay...

If we took a [Halladay]
Took some time to celebrate
Just one day out of life
It would be, it would be so nice

If the Angels would have made that deal for Halladay they possibly would have given up some of the Halos' Top Prospects: Trevor Reckling, Peter Bourjos and a combination of Joe Saunders and Erick Aybar or Mike Napoli. If we took a Halladay, The Angels would have made their way to another AL West. If the rotation was Halladay, Weaver, Saunders, Santana, and Kazmir and if they pitched on all cylinders with no injuries the Angels would make the ALDS and ALCS their bitch! And probably won the World Series. But, those are a lot of big Ifs.

Looking back at it now, I'm glad we didn't. Halladay immediately agreed to a contract extension with the Phillies once he was traded. And I'm sure Halladay will impact their playoff hopes again in 2010. And so the Angels were left out of the Halladay sweepstakes. On the outside looking in. And this tends to happen every year. I tend to fall in love with the idea of the Angels making a trade to bring a true front of the line ace to Anaheim and bring the Halos back to the World Series. Last year it was Jake Peavy and this year it was Halladay. Now I've got my hopes for Matt Cain.

Ultimately the Angels are going to continue to develop starting pitching with guys like Reckling, Trevor Bell, Anthony Ortega, and whomever they manage to bring up. And with all the draft picks the Angels accumulated this off-season I assume they'll go after pitching.

The Angels go with a Four Man Rotation in the ALDS.

Recently over at Halos Heaven I brought up the question of, Do we go with a 3 Man or 4 man rotation in the Playoffs. The shape and color of the playoffs look like the Red Sox will win the Wildcard, which sets up New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers in the First Round. And the Angels taking on the familiar Red Sox in the opposite side of the bracket. If our first round match up is Boston, we have to consider what our staff has done against Boston. Last night John Lackey gave the Angels a pretty good outing in Fenway, where he's been known to struggle. Saunders gets a start in Fenway tonight and he has won his last 4 Starts. And Kazmir is reported as pitching well in Boston. Obviously our pitching staff has been getting better and better. In the playoffs are we better using a three man rotation or four? And who starts and who goes to the bullpen.

With home-field advantage going to the Angels, obviously match-ups should play a greater role. But with 4-5 above average pitchers, who goes where?

The Angels need a pitching staff who doesn't have the same demons of our past. A pitching staff who will show no fear against the hated ones. Our starting 4 Man rotation should be Kamir, Saunders, Weaver, Lackey and send Ervin Santana in as a late inning reliever. I would also suggest giving Lackey the more favorable starts in Anaheim as opposed to Fenway. Lackey hasn't performed well against Boston. 3 Wins, 7 Losses, and an ERA of 5.25. Kazmir is 8-7 against the Red Sox and has an ERA of 3.59. Saunders has had 4 Wins, 1 Loss and an ERA of 3.25. Ervin Santana vs. Boston is 1-2 and has an ERA of 5.67. Weaver's career is 2-2 against Boston and has a cool 3.99 ERA. Kazmir is unaffected by the Green Monster mystique. He's also had post season success against the Red Sox, by shutting out the Sox for 6 Innings at Fenway. Weaver who has pitch his best year thus far defeated the Red Sox in Fenway, coming out of the Bullpen. Weaver and Kazmir would be my choices for match ups in Fenway. Depending on Saunders next two starts can help shape where he goes in our rotation.

In a Best of 5 Series I'd go

Game 1 of the ALDS in Anaheim
Jered Weaver

Game 2 of the ALDS in Anaheim
John Lackey

Game 3 of the ALDS in Boston
Scott Kazmir

Game 4 of the ALDS in Boston
Joe Saunders

Game 5 of the ALDS in Anaheim
Jered Weaver