This Team Looks Different from

Gonna go back in Time...

So before First2Third was born, I was blogging about baseball on my personal blog.  Can't believe how much this team has changed.  And with Tony Reagins out of the office, who knows what kind of team the Halos will be next year.  Here's a look at what the team looked like in 2008.  Four years later; Hunter, Mathis and Izturis are the only ones whom still remain. 

Napoli is in Texas, with the Rangers just destroying the ball.  Casey Kotchman and Sean Rodriguez are in Tampa playing for the Rays.  Both have been an important part of getting that team back to post-season play.  Figgins is on the terrible Mariners.  Wood is a Pirate, Rivera is a Dodger, Guerrero is will the Os, and Andreson and Quinlan are retired.  What a difference 5 years make.

Torii Hunter adds another Golden Glove - Aybar and Figgins snubbed

Torii Hunter won his 9th Golden Glove award.

Mike Scioscia was quoted in the article Torii adds another Gold Glove to mantel

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he felt Hunter was the AL's MVP at the time he was forced to the disabled list for a month.

"He's the captain of the outfield," Scioscia said. "Torii is as good as it gets out there, with his athletic ability combined with his knowledge and awareness."

Scioscia felt both his left-side infielders -- third baseman Chone Figgins and shortstop Erick Aybar -- were viable Gold Glove candidates.

"I've never seen a left-side infield with the range of Figgy and Aybar," the manager said late in the season. "Both those guys had seasons worthy of Gold Gloves."

I have to agree with Scioscia. Jeter plays some pretty good D at short, but I don't think he played better than Aybar. And was there any better 3rd base play from anyone other than Figgins?

Wire Waiver Trades are sneaky

So say you are a successful baseball franchise still very much in the playoffs. But knowing full well that you really aren't going to clinch a wild-card spot. You've got a pitcher who injuries have often hurt is ability to help the club. So what do you do???? You put his large salary and his deflated numbers out on the waivers and wait for a hungry shark to take a bite of your chum.

And that's just was the Angels GM Tony Reagins did. A trade should be worked out as we speak that would send a pair of 21 year olds to the Tampa Bay club in return for 25 year old Scott Kazmir. Alexander Torres and Matthew Sweeney. Torres is a lefty who was playing in Arkansas. Sweeney has been compared to a young Aubrey Huff, he played 3rd for Rancho Cucamonga and has had a problem staying healthy.

Its kind of hard to believe that sure Torres and Sweeney have upsides, but Kazmir is still young himself. His contract doesn't expire until 2011 and he has an option in '12. And who knows, with the magic that Jeff Mathis seems to work with Ervin Santana maybe Kazmir can get back to his past performance. Kazmir has a lot of experience in facing the Red Sox and the Yankees, which can help in October. He might not be an ACE, but he certainly can be a better option that Bell or Sullivan.

Look for an announcement to be made soon, the Angels don't get mentioned in Rumors unless its for real.

Milestones... What a week!

Would you believe after the tragedy involving Nick Adenhart earlier this year and all the injury woes, that the Angels would set atop of the American League with the 2nd best record in MLB. With a roster that costs fractions of what the Yankees have the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are playing six hundred baseball.

Vladimir Guerrero has been a little of an enigma this year. After experiencing some injuries on the bench, Vlad is back and swinging the bat with ferociousness. His power is not only luminous, but down right intimidating. #27 hit home runs #399 and #400 all but guaranteeing his ticket will be punched to Cooperstown. However, there is still some debate on whether Vlad will be returning at the end of the season. How the heck can you not re-sign this guy? I hope the Angels re-sign him, but I guess the business of baseball takes precedent.

Ervin Santana not only has been battling injuries but also battling his propensity to just not pitch well. Since making his debut, Santana too has had a mysterious side. I have glossed the young man, Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde. And as to the benefit of the Angels, Dr. Jeckyl took the mound Tuesday Night against the Tampa Bay Rays. Voodoo (as he is often referred to on the Premier Angels Baseball blog, Halos Heaven), pitched a 3 Hit, Complete Game Shutout against the very dangerous Rays. With the Angels having as many pitching woes as its faced and not being able to cash in on a starting pitcher before the trade deadline, the Angels look to move forward and to paraphrase the Rev. Halofan, ...Win With What We Got.

The final Milestone for this week is the 13th starter for the Angels this year. Trevor Bell is the grandson of the late Bozo the Clown. Bell who is the protege of Mark Langston had a pretty good outing against the Rays on Wednesday's day game. Off the top of my head can I name the 13 starters of the year?

In no particular order; Jered Weaver, Nick Adenhart, Joe Saunders, Dustin Mosely, Ervin Santana, John Lackey, Shane Loux, Matt Palmer, Anthony Ortega, Darren Oliver, Sean O' Sullivan, and Trevor Bell. Wow, I'm quite impressed with myself. Bell was impressive too. He gave up a couple of runs, but never looked out of the game. Never looked shell shocked. And Kevin Jepsen got the Win.

The Angels play Baltimore Orioles today. And lets see if they can break more milestones.