Tag: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

A.L. West Mid-Season Report Card: Recap, Predictions and Analysis

The grades are in as we approach the halfway mark of the 2010 season.

What teams have lived up to the hype in the American League West, and which have laid an egg and why?

Here is a team-by-team breakdown recapping the first 81 games (almost), and what to watch for in the second half.

Who will be the movers and shakers in the second half?

What moves should teams make going forward?

Which will be buyers and sellers at the trade deadline?

Who is in the running for individual awards?

Who are the biggest disappointments and surprises?

Who will ultimately win the division, and who will fade into the abyss?

Begin Slideshow


Trading Wood For Wood Makes Sense for L.A. Angels, Cleveland Indians

The Angels need bullpen help.

The Indians need payroll relief.

The Angels are about to give up on their top prospect Brandon Wood.

The Indians are about to give up on their season and closer Kerry Wood.

These are just a few of the reasons why a Wood-for-Wood trade might make sense for both teams.

Kerry’s bloated 7.02 ERA and 1.56 WHIP are not exactly living up to his bloated $10.5 million salary. It’s going to make it extremely hard for the Indians to get anything for him if they choose to try and get out from under that albatross of a contract.

Cleveland (28-47) is in another early death spiral, as they have already fallen 13 games behind first place Detroit.

The Indians probably felt they could trade Kerry for prospects mid-season this year if things didn’t go their way. Unfortunately, they probably weren’t counting on Kerry to have such a disastrous start.

Good luck getting anything for him now. The best Cleveland can hope for is to convince a large-market team to take Kerry’s salary off their hands.

Similarly for the Angels, things could not have gone worse for their 25-year-old infield prospect Brandon Wood, who was compared to the likes of Troy Glaus and Mike Schmidt during his minor league career.

The reality has been a nightmarish .176 batting average with four extra base hits and 45 strikeouts over 150 at-bats. Brandon hasn’t exactly made up for his anemic offense with stellar defense either. He has made eight errors in 399 innings.

However, Brandon’s upside might appeal to the Indians. Baseball America had Brandon ranked no lower than the 16th best prospect in baseball for three straight years—ranking him as high as third at one point.

Did I mention he also makes only $410,000 per year?

Brandon hit 43 homers, 116 RBI and had a .321 average one year in the minors. He seemed to be on track to put up similar numbers in the majors until the wheels fell off that turnip truck.

Many have speculated one reason was the unrealistic and unfair expectations put on the kid by the Angels organization and their fans. A change of scenery where not much is expected might be just what the doctor ordered for Brandon, who is obviously pressing.

Kerry Wood is a player that can probably relate to not living up to the hype, even though his problems were more physical than mental.

Kerry might be an excellent gamble for the Angels, who desperately need help at the back end of their pen, and are one of the few clubs who could handle that kind of a payroll hit.

A closer look at Kerry’s stats show 13 of his 16 innings this year were clean. His poor numbers are largely because of a horrible outing against Kanas City, where he gave up 5 runs while only recording one out.

Although he has been wild at times, Kerry is still recording almost a strikeout per inning. When he is on, he has proven he still has the mental toughness and “stuff” to come into games at big moments and shut teams down. Playing for a contender again might start to stir Kerry’s competitive juices and bring back some of his intensity.

It would definitely be a gamble for the Angels to take on the $10.2 million contract of a fragile and declining Kerry Wood, but I like his upside over that of Brian Fuentes.

There really is no gamble in this scenario for the Indians, who stand to save almost $10 million with this move—a move that they would be hard pressed to pull off with virtually any other club.

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Beyond Numbers: Tim Salmon Is Still the All-Time Angel

Garret Anderson returned to Anaheim last week to play against his former team for the first time in his career. Anderson is currently a Los Angeles Dodger but is best known for his time with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Anderson spent more than 14 seasons with the Angels and is the franchise’s all-time leader in games, at bats, runs, hits, doubles, RBIs, extra-base hits and total bases.

Seeing his name at the top of nearly every Angels statistical leaderboard, it’s easy to automatically put Anderson at the top of the list of all-time Angels. But looking closer at Anderson’s numbers and the player that sits under Anderson’s name in most categories, it becomes easier to say that Anderson is not the best all-time Angel.

Tim Salmon, the Angels long-time right fielder, is not only Mr. Angel, having played his entire career with the franchise, he is the all-time Angel. 

When comparing the two players based on what they did on a per-season basis and how much they made out of their total at bats and plate appearances, Salmon beats out Anderson nearly every time.

The clearest way to separate Salmon from Anderson is to compare their OPS numbers throughout their careers as Angels.

OPS is simply the sum of a player’s On-Base Percentage (OBP) and Slugging Percentage (SLG). OPS is an imperfect and artificial statistic, as it doesn’t actually measure any one specific achievement or skill, but it is a quick and straightforward picture of an individual player’s performance level.

Starting with the 1993 season (his first full year) and continuing through the 2006 campaign, Salmon’s OPS was under .800 only twice. In 2001 Salmon posted a .748 OPS. That year Salmon hit just .227 but still managed to walk 96 times for a .365 OBP.

Bothered by bad knees in 2004, Salmon appeared in just 60 games and posted a .628 OPS. At this point it looked like Salmon’s career was over. But after sitting out 2005, Salmon signed a minor league deal with the Angels and earned a part-time role for the 2006 season.

That year Salmon played in 76 games with 244 plate appearances. He posted an .811 OPS. Salmon’s career-high 1.024 OPS came in 1995. During his career, he surpassed the .900 mark another five times.

Salmon retired with a career .884 OPS, good for 79th on the all-time list. Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew also had a career .884 OPS. In case you’re wondering, Babe Ruth’s 1.164 OPS is the best.

Anderson played in 341 more games with the Angels than Salmon. That is equivalent to more than two seasons. During his time with the Angels, a time that spanned over 14 seasons, 2,013 games, and 8,481 plate appearances, Anderson posted a .796 OPS.

Anderson’s highest OPS came in the 2003 season. That year the Angels’ left fielder posted an .885 OPS. The previous year, Anderson had an .871 OPS.

Anderson was somewhat a model of consistency. He posted an OPS of at least .743 every year with the Angels. Except one. His OPS topped .800 six times.

In all of the years that both Salmon and Anderson were full-time players, Anderson had a higher OPS only twice. In 2001 Anderson posted a .792 OPS, 44 points higher than Salmon. In 2003, Anderson’s .885 OPS was 47 points higher than Salmon’s .838 OPS.

Among Angel players with more than 1500 plate appearances, Salmon is second behind Vladimir Guerrero’s .927 OPS as an Angel. Of course, Salmon had almost twice as many plate appearances with the Angels as Guerrero.

And in 112 postseason at-bats, Guerrero hit two home runs and posted a .740 OPS. Meanwhile, Salmon, in his one postseason appearance, hit four home runs in 59 at-bats and posted a .908 OPS.

Anderson is 14th on that Angel OPS list, sitting right behind Wally Joyner, Juan Rivera and Doug Decinces.

But Salmon’s worth to the Angels goes far beyond numbers on the field. Even when he wasn’t the team’s best player, he was always its foundation. Even though he wasn’t the most vocal player, his leadership could never be denied.

When Salmon joined the Angels in late August 1992, he saved a dying franchise that was drowning in poor play and mismanagement. In recent years the Angels had lost, or let go, productive or up and coming players like Wally Joyner, Chili Davis, Brian Downing, Dante Bichette, Mike Witt, and Lance Parish.

In their places, the team brought in washed up players like Dave Parker, Hubie Brooks, and Von Hayes.

With Gary DiSarcina, who played his first full season in 1992, paving the way, Salmon’s arrival gave the Angels new life and paved the way for a new era in Anaheim. For the next decade, Salmon led a core group of exciting and talented players that included DiSarcina, Anderson, Jim Edmonds, Troy Percival, Darin Erstad, and Troy Glaus.

And while the 1990s would have its own share of disappointments and bad luck for the Angels—mainly the postseason would continuing to elude the team—those core players would prove to be vastly popular among the Anaheim faithful.

Led by Salmon, much of that core would stay together long enough to finally make the postseason and win a World Series title in 2002. Since that time, the Angels have become the dominant team in the American League West and a perennial contender.

With all of the success the Angels have had since 2002, it’s somewhat surprising that Salmon participated in only one postseason. The Angels missed the playoffs in 2003. Salmon was not healthy for the 2004 postseason.

That year, due to manager Mike Scioscia’s urging, Salmon kept trying to fight through his injuries and remained on the active roster even when he was clearly unable to perform at a high level.

Of course in 2005 Salmon was never healthy, partly due to waiting so long to have the surgery he kept putting off the year before. The Angels missed the playoffs in 2006, Salmon’s last year.

In 2004 the Red Sox were such a powerhouse and seemingly a team of destiny, so it’s difficult to imagine that one player could have made much difference. And there’s not much anyone could do against the four straight complete games from White Sox pitchers.

But it’s hard not to wonder what Salmon’s patience and calm demeanor would have meant to the Angels, especially in the aftermath of the infamous Josh Paul play.

Many great players have worn an Angels uniform. Many were past their prime by the time they got there. Some were gone before they reached their prime. A few even played for the Angels during their prime.

But when you talk about the Angels, one name stands out above all others. Salmon, but you can call him Tim.

 

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LA Angels Insider.com Podcast: Don Baylor

Angels Hall of Famer, 1979 MVP and current Rockies hitting coach Don Baylor joins Jeff Biggs and talks about his time with the Angels, Gene Mauch and Gene Autry.

Baylor was the Angels first AL MVP in 1979 when he hit .296 with 36 HR 139 “Runs Baylor’d In” and 120 runs scored.

Baylor talks about the 1979, 1982 Angel clubs and being on the other side on 1986’s Red Sox team and collecting his Angels Hall of Fame jacket and ring while in town with the Rockies.

Audio courtesy of AM 830 KLAA

Click here for LA Angels Insider.com – Podcast Don Baylor

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Fantasy Baseball Prospect Report: Mike Trout

Drafted in the first round of the 2009 draft, outfielder Mike Trout instantly entrenched himself among the team’s best prospects. Opening the season at Single-A, he has done little to disappoint:

 

257 At Bats
.370 Batting Average (95 Hits)
6 Home Runs
35 RBI
59 Runs
34 Stolen Bases
.449 On Base Percentage
.553 Slugging Percentage
.420 Batting Average on Balls in Play

There is no question about his speed, which certainly has helped him reach the unrealistic BABIP.  We all know he’s not going to be able to maintain that type of luck at the upper levels, but he certainly has the ability to hit over .300 in a season.

He has a very good eye at the plate, walking (33) almost as many times as he’s struck out (39).  Obviously, the strikeout rate is likely to increase as he moves up to higher levels, but his makeup tells us that the increase may not be all that drastic.  Baseball America, who ranked him as the team’s third best prospect prior to the season, said:

“Trout has a line-drive stroke, the ability to make adjustments and a refined batting eye. His strength and bat speed give him the potential for average power. ”

He’s showing more power then he did after debuting in 2009 (one HR in 179 AB), but he’s never going to be a big source of power.  Still, he’s showing the ability to get both doubles (15) and triples (7).  That’s the type of bat that would do wonders atop the Angels order, don’t you think?

At 19, it’s unlikely that the speedster even sniffs the major leagues this season, especially with Peter Boujos, who has a similar skill set, playing in Triple-A.  Come 2011, however, things will be a whole lot more possible.

Just look at the potential outfielder the Angels currently have:

  • Bobby Abreu – 36-years old
  • Torii Hunter – 34-years old (turns 35 in July)
  • Juan Rivera – 31-years old (turns 32 in July)

You can also throw in Hideki Matsui, the normal DH, who is 36-years old.  It’s an old outfield, to say the least.

They also lack the spark at the top of the order, with the departure of Chone Figgins to Seattle.

In other words, Trout fills a need, and could be making waves as soon as 2011.  In long-term keeper leagues, he’s certainly worth owning.

What are your thoughts on Trout?  How soon do you think he makes a major league impact?  How good do you think he could be?

Make sure to check out some of our Prospect Reports:

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW. ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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MLB Trade Rumors: Is Garrett Atkins the Next Angel-in-Waiting?

 

Garret Anderson just finished what will likely be his final trip to Anaheimand his first

as a member of the visiting team. But a new G.A. could be waiting just over the horizon.

 

With the Baltimore Orioles’ acquisition of Jake Fox from the Oakland A’s this week, Garrett Atkins will be in line to join a new team very soon.

 

And the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have need of a power-hitting corner infielder.

 

The A’s-O’s swap has all but sealed Atkins’ fate, destined to be designated for assignment by the worst team in the majors. His .219 average with one home run and nine RBI in 137 at-bats might have something to do with that.

 

It might not be a match made in heaven, but the Angels still have use for a guy like Atkins.

 

The former UC Irvine Anteater can play both corner infield positions, where the Angels would like a little stability. Not to mention a little power.

 

The left side of the Angels’ infield in particular has been an unfortunate mess.

 

First, it was Brandon Wood, who couldn’t hit a beach ball with a tennis racket. His replacement, Maicer Izturis, was playing admirably until a left forearm strain put him on the 15-day disabled list.

 

Over on the right side, the primary source of run production for the Angels was lost for the year when Kendry Morales broke his leg, ironically in celebration of a walk-off grand slam.

 

Since then, the daily lineup around the horn has been a mixed bag of subs and guys playing out of position. Oh, and Wood, who is only on the field because the Angels literally have no other option.

 

Atkins could help alleviate some of these issues. Particularly, the Angels’ infield power outage.

 

Despite his poor showing at the plate this year, Atkins spent seven terrific years with the Colorado Rockies and is still batting .285 for his career, while averaging 20 home runs and 97 RBI per season.

 

The Angels, meanwhile, have four total home runs from their four third baseman this year. Izturis and Wood both have two.

 

Robb Quinlan and Kevin Frandsen are still looking for their firsts, though that hasn’t discouraged Frandsen at the platehe is hitting .354 coming into Friday night’s contest.

 

Over at first, Mike Napoli is tied for the team lead with 12 big flies, but the career catcher is playing well out of position, and although he seems to be getting better on defense, a little backup never hurt anyone.

 

Atkins could easily easily provide that, spelling both Frandsen and Napoli on defense, giving Hideki Matsui a break at DH, and inserting a veteran presence into the Angels’ patchwork lineup.

 

Best of all, Atkins’ numbers this season, coupled with the fact that he is on a miserable team, all but guarantee a low asking price from Baltimore, a point that could hinder trades the Angels might otherwise pursue.

 

Ty Wigginton, another Orioles infielder, is also being shopped this month. But Baltimore has already asked for a young shortstop in return, a hefty price tag for many teams but not entirely unreasonable given Wigginton’s performance this season.

 

Over in Chicago, Paul Konerko is also swinging the bat surprisingly well, and with his White Sox climbing back into contention in their division, it would likely cost far more than the Angels are willing to pay to retain his services.

 

Angels general manager Tony Reagins and his predecessor, current team adviser Bill Stoneman, have never been the type to mortgage the future for a shot at success in the present.

 

Guys like Wigginton and Konerko, as well as other trade targets like Lance Berkman and Adam LaRoche, would cost at least a couple of top-flight prospects to help rebuild their respective franchises.

 

But not Atkins.

 

Once he hits the waiver wire, the Angels could easily pick him for a lesser-known prospect or two without risking bigger names like Mark Trumbo or Hank Conger.

 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


LA Angels Insider.com Podcast: Jered Weaver

Jered Weaver gives his thoughts on his and the Angels season so far. Speaking with AM 830’s Jeff Biggs, Jered talks about how the team has played since the loss of Kendry Morales. Weaver reflects on his start against the Cubs, pitching in Wrigley Field for the first time. The differences between facing a team for the first time or many times.  He also comments on the prospects of being an All-Star here in Anaheim, pitching in front of his family and facing his brother Jeff in the batters box.

Audio courtesy of AM 830 KLAA

Click here for LA Angels Insider.com Podcast – Jered Weaver.

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LA Angels Insider.com Podcast: Mike Scioscia, Erick Aybar, and Bobby Grich

Listen to Angels Manager Mike Scioscia hit on many topics from earlier today in our Interview Archive section. Scioscia talks about the condition of Erick Aybar, the play of Mike Napoli at first base, and the catching rotation.

Erick Aybar also comments on his health. The Angels shortstop is looking forward to getting back onto the field this weekend against Colorado.

Finally, Angels Hall of Famer Bobby Grich gives his take on the Angels/Dodgers rivalry and the development of second baseman Howie Kendrick.

Audio courtesy of AM830 KLAA.

Click here for LA Angles Insider.com – Podcasts

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It’s Better To Be An Angels Fan Than A Dodgers Fan

For many years Angels fans felt like the red-headed stepchild of Southern California baseball.

However, times have changed and it’s the Halos time to shine.

While the Dodgers still do well at the box office and on the field, they just aren’t the same franchise they used to be. The years of tradition they had were flushed down the toilet by FOX and Frank McCourt. I give you many reasons why there is room on the Angels bandwagon if you want to get off the sinking ship that is Dodgers baseball.

10. The Dodgers sign Garret Anderson and Ramon Ortiz.

The 2002 Angels alumni association called and wants to know where they should send their invitations. It used to be the Angels signing former Dodgers in (and I believe the polite term is) “the twilight of their career”.

Mike Marshall and Fernando Valenzuela come to mind. Ortiz hasn’t pitched in MLB since 2007 and lasted all of 16 games with a 6.30 ERA. It’s hard for me to knock on Garret Anderson, as he was my favorite Angel, but the numbers are what they are: .193 batting average, two home runs, and 11 RBI.

9. The Rally Monkey.

Is there a team in baseball that gets more out of its mascot than the Angels?

If the Angels are down in the later innings and those videos play, more often than not it spells doom for the visiting team. So much so that the Oakland Athletics will not watch the videos like other opposing teams do. The Dodgers have tried to start their own version: They hired some actor to play a Dodger fan to lip sync Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” It’s cool and all, if you go to the ballpark to watch an episode of “Glee.”


8. Angels fans stay for the entire game, less stabbings.

Southern California has the rap of the fans not showing up to the games on time and then leaving in the seventh inning.

Not at Angels Stadium.

The fans know if the Halos are down in the ninth inning, a walk-off victory could be just a few minutes away. And while you’re headed out of the park after a win, you’re much more likely to reach your vehicle without major blood loss.

7. It takes four hours to get into Dodger Stadium.

I just pointed out that SoCal fans show up to the game late. After attending a game at Dodger Stadium this season, I think I understand why.

It’s not that the fans don’t get there on time, it’s that the folks who manage the parking lot and front gate don’t exactly carrying around MENSA membership cards. Once you park, everyone rushes to the entrance, which has no real line to get in and nobody directing traffic.

My party arrived at the gate about five minutes until game time and didn’t get in until the third inning. At least I was entertained by not one, but three Dodger fan-on-Dodger fan fights while waiting.


6. Angels Stadium doesn’t smell like the restroom.

I’ve been to my fair share of stadiums: Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego, New York. However, I never experienced the discomfort I did the last time I was at Chavez Latrine; I was overwhelmed by the smell of urine coming from the men’s room. The odor wafted down from the concourse to the field seats. Disgusting!

This article continues at LA Angels Insider.com

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Erick Aybar’s Collision Proves Consequential For Los Angeles Angels

The Angels depth at the shortstop position has being severely tested ever since Casey McGehee took out Erick Aybar at second base, trying to break up a double play.

Aybar has missed the last six games since McGehee tried to “sweep the leg,” and his return doesn’t appear imminent. The good news is that Erick Aybar’s knee injury is not serious enough to require surgery. The bad news is, he received a cortisone shot on June 22 and has been shut down.

Mike Scioscia addresses the situation yesterday saying “We’re encouraged that long range, it won’t be an issue, but short range, we might shut him down and give him an extra week to get ready.”

Translation, Aybar will be headed to the disabled list. 

Aybar spoke with LA Angels Insider Jason Brennan and said he was feeling better, but he also understands it’s not in his or the team’s best interest for him to return if he is not 100 percent.

Article continued at LA Angels Insider.com

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