Looking Towards a Strong September

Coming off a three game sweep of the second place Seattle Mariners the Angels will be starting a home stand in which they hope to put the Mariners even farther behind in the standings.

The Angels have the favorable schedule the next ten games as they host Texas Rangers, Athletics and Cleveland Indians. Seattle, after losing a make up game in Cleveland head to Toronto, then New York and finally Detroit.

With a 5.5 game lead over the M's the Angels can focus on a few things without having to scoreboard watch with intensity.

Getting Healthy

Angels third-baseman Chone Figgins out with a sprained wrist now does not have to rush back and aggravate an injury.

Mike Napoli. Taking nothing away from the contributions from Jeff Mathis, but having a healthy Napoli will play a big part in how far the Angels can get in the playoffs. His return pushes Mathis to the bench replacing the inexperienced Ryan Budde.

Bartolo Colon. With Ervin Santana again losing his rotation spot. Colon could be used if Dustin Moseley also falters. Colon has begun a rehab assignment, giving up three runs and six hits in five innings for triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday night

Juan Rivera. With the emergence of Kendry Morales, Rivera may be out of luck as far as taking the DH job. However, he will give Mike Scioscia a power threat on the bench that could come in handy down the stretch and in the post-season.

Experimentation

Mike Scioscia can now tinker with his lineup heading into the post-season. Will the designated hitter job stay with Reggie Willits and his .400 on base percentage. Or will the switch-hitting power threat Kendry Morales take the position. In my opinion, the job is Morales' to lose. While Willits has performed admirably, the Angels need another extra base threat in the lineup so that it doesn't take three singles in a row to score a run. This is especially critical in the playoffs when presumably, the Halos may not have as many scoring chances as they would in a regular season game.

Rest for the weary

Angel regulars Vladimir Guerrero, Orlando Cabrera, Garret Anderson & Gary Matthews Jr. will be able to get an occasional day off here and there the rest of the way. Howie Kendrick and Casey Kotchman will both hopefully have uninterrupted playing time to find their grooves as September becomes October.

Milestones

With 16 wins for John Lackey and 15 for Kelvim Escobar, the Angels have a shot at having a pair of 20-Game winners for the first time since Nolan Ryan and Bill Singer in 1973. Closer Francisco Rodriguez will most likely notch his third consecutive 40 save season.

Prediction

The Angels take advantage of their home stand while the Mariners play .500 on the road clearing the way for the Angels to take their sixth AL West Division Championship.

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Will the Real Ervin Please Stand Up

There's seem to be a lot of blogubation (is that a word?) recently over one Ervin Santana. Matt Hurst from the PE unleashes a personal attack, the infamous bat boy responds with a strawman rejoinder discussing Ervin and how nice he is to other bat boys so obviously not everyone "hates" him, and even the esteemed proprietor of this blog has chimed in.

But what I find interesting is, most of these articles focus on Ervin the person, and not really Ervin the ballplayer. Who is the real Ervin Santana? The pitcher who stepped in during Game 5 of the 05 series vs. the Yanks when Colon went down? The pitcher who threw a masterful complete game shutout during his second big league start after getting shelled on his debut in Cleveland? The pitcher who dominated the Red Sox just a few short weeks ago? Or, is it the seeming head case who gives up 5 runs in a 1/3 of an inning in his biggest start of the year, or can't appear to pitch on the road?

Truthfully, I don't know that answer, nobody does. For every alarming stat (like his career road numbers) you also have the fact that he won 16 games as a 23 yr. old and at 24 is still just a relative pup with an amazing repertoire.

Regardless, the time to discuss Ervin is during the offseason (and yes, I'm aware of the irony in me stating this...in a post dedicated to Ervin). His 07 campaign is pretty much done with the exception of some possible mop up work or maybe a meaningless start in September when the AL West title is beyond doubt. The Angels have some hard decisions to make regarding Ervin. Do they sell low during the offseason? Do they send him off to winterball to get his head back together, bringing him to spring training with the hope he can take up a rotation spot and start to live up to his potential, risking he continues to regress in 08?

These are all tough questions, and questions that will be addressed when the 07 campaign is over. I'm sure without Erstad to kick around anymore GA, Ervin, and TRAAAAAAADES will rate 1-2-3 in the beaten horse countdown during the offseason. Any discussion that occurs now, when the reality is he's lost his job and won't be counted on for any significant role the remainder of the year, is really nothing more than blogubation.

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Escobar & Lackey, true Aces!

Lackey takes the ball tonight, hoping for an Ace-like performance

By Coral Rae - Angelswin.com Columnist

August 27th, 2007

While Kelvim Escobar is currently second in the AL ERA, he traditionally has not received significant or consistent run support, thus he does not get the high number of wins that is indicative of a traditional Ace. And while Escobar has had great numbers this season, including 15 wins, another pitcher on the Angels staff has overshadowed him the last couple seasons, John Lackey.

Bartolo Colon has also spent significant time on the disabled list this season, effectively taking him from the throne of Angels Ace. Colon has won the CY Young award, but he hasn’t been the same pitcher he once was since suffering a shoulder injury near the end of that season. He is no longer the Ace of the Angels rotation: That man, that Ace, is John Lackey.

Most teams would kill for three young guns like Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders and Ervin Santana. The promise they show is undeniable, despite Santana’s road woes, or his recent stint in AAA- Salt Lake. Here in Anaheim, these three young aces have been relegated to the back of the Angels rotation. Despite their potential, and the success that the future most certainly holds for each of them, the title of Angels Ace will have to wait a while. For now, John Lackey holds that title.

How has he attained this? How did he manage to usurp the throne from a former CY Young winner, and the holder of a $51 Million dollar contract? Let us first examine his statistics.

Lackey is 15-8 this season in 26 starts. If one does the math, that means only three of his starts have resulted in a No Decision. And the Angels have won all three. He has pitched 172.1 innings, on pace to best his personal record of 217.7 innings from last season. He has already racked up 133 strikeouts, which means he may best his own record of 199, set during the 2005 campaign, even if he is off pace by a bit. Lackey already has more wins this season than he has ever had before. His season stats stack up with most anyone in the AL this year. Tied with Josh Beckett and Tim Wakefield for most wins, one ahead of Escobar and a few others, he is clearly coming into his prime as a starter.

But what holds Lackey back from true greatness? What did we all think after Lackey’s ERA soared up to 3.32 after his awful start last Friday morning? What happened? The answer: John Lackey’s emotions got the best of him.

Think back to the 2003-05 seasons, and the typical downfall was the stereotypical “big inning.” John would let one batter on, or let a base runner score because of an error, and it was suddenly as though the entire world was on his shoulders, a weight he just couldn’t support. And so the very emotional Lackey would try to work too fast and would lose his composure. Soon enough the lead the Angels had probably given him was gone. And that is exactly what happened last Friday. The one good thing that can be said of this Boston Massacre was that this has not happened to Lackey often this season. In just three starts this year he has given up 5 or more runs. Naturally it would be expected that an Ace stop such an event from happening altogether. One start, or three, however does not a season make.

Lackey has pitched so well this season for the most part this season by controlling his emotions. That is to say not letting them getting the best of him, there have been plenty of times this year where Lackey has had the bases loaded with no outs, and has avoided allowing a run to score. Historically John Lackey’s biggest problem on the mound has been his passion, yet can you truly fault a ballplayer for being passionate about the game that we, the fans, love so much as well. His passion is also his biggest strength.

And even after allowing seven runs in four innings (6 ER) on Friday, Lackey’s ERA this season is still a personal best for him, yet again. And after the Boston Massacre of last week, he dueled Andy Pettitte through 7 innings last night before ultimately losing. He kept his emotions and the Yankee lineup in check.

It seems that John Lackey has finally come into his own by being able to control his emotions when he needs to, yet still calling upon that fire when needed. And in the three horse race for the CY Young award, Lackey is definitely holding his own against the other CY favorites Dan Haren and Josh Beckett. He also stacks up pretty well next to the expanded field that also includes teammate Escobar, and other outside CY candidates like Johan Santana, Erik Bedard, and CC Sabathia.

It has been the history that whoever has the most wins in the league has a large advantage over the other pitchers in contention. Lackey and Beckett are currently tied for the most wins in the Majors with 15. Frankie Rodriguez has blown one save situation for which Lackey was to get the win, but the Angels came back and won in the bottom of the ninth. Another No Decision game was when Lackey and multiple CY Young Award Winner, Roger Clemens dueled in New York on the 7th of July. Both went 8 innings and gave up just one run. The Angels offense failed to score until Howie Kendrick scored on an error, the Angels winning in a drama filled 13 innings. Lackey was the man that night, using his passion, his fire, and his talent to equal the pitching of his fellow Texan, his idol, and possibly the best pitcher of the modern era, Roger Clemens.

As for Dan Haren, he is not playing for a team in contention for the playoffs, and that will most likely hinder his chances at winning the CY Young award. The A’s are not winning, and as they don’t win Haren remains stagnant at 13 wins, despite an admittedly stellar league-leading 2.74 ERA.

There are still approximately six starts for each of these pitchers left in the season, and the CY Young award is not the first thing Lackey will try to achieve. He will try to use his newfound status as the Angels Ace to lead the Angels into the playoffs, and ultimately the World Series. The Angels sport one of the American Leagues’ best starting staffs. But despite their depth, and the quality of their rotation, John Lackey has clearly stepped up to ascend the throne a few miles away from the Magic Kingdom. To become the number one starter in one of baseball’s best rotations, to become the Angels Ace.

Lackey will have to bring this mentality into tonight's game against the Mariners. Lackey is 2-0 against Seattle this season, and hasn't allowed a single earned run to the competing American League West team. Fortunately for the Angels Lackey has learned to bounce back from poor starts, as evident in his last outing against the Yankees. While Lackey did allow ten hits, he kept the team in the game by going seven plus innings. Lackey's strong competitive nature will be of the utmost importance against Miguel Batista, who currently sits on 13 wins. This series could make or break the season for the Halos, with Seattle only two games back. But this is the situation that an ace is supposed to be in.

Here’s to hoping that Lackey can attain number 16, and inch closer to a CY Young Award, while teammate Kelvim Escobar increased his chances with a HUGE performance and W against the Blue Jays yesterday.

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Series Preview

AL WEST SHOWDOWN
Angels, M’s Series Preview
By Adam Dodge – Angelswin.com Senior Writer

August 27th, 2007

2002 saw the unlikely emergence of the then Anaheim Angels into the American League West pennant race. Many thought at the time that the Angels would falter down the stretch. Of course, that did not happen. The Angels could not overtake the Athletics in the division, but did win the Wild Card and ultimately the World Series.

Likewise, many have waited for the 2007 Seattle Mariners, who sit atop the AL Wild Card race and just two games behind the Angels, to finally come down to earth. It’s August 27th and with just five plus weeks remaining in the season it’s time for all to concede that the Mariners are good. Very good!

For the Angels, nothing’s new. The next game the team lines up completely healthy will be the first in what seems like five years. They enter this series without leading hitter, Chone Figgins, first baseman, Casey Kotchman, who are both nursing minor injuries, and with Juan Rivera, Bartolo Colon and Mike Napoli still rehabbing their own injuries.

In contrast, the Mariners have been perhaps the healthiest team in baseball this season, losing not one regular for any significant time.

At 8-4 against the Mariners this season, the Angels will send John Lackey (15-8, 3.34 ERA) to the mound in game one. Lackey was hit hard by the Red Sox two starts ago, and faltered late against the Yankees in his last appearance. Lackey will be opposed by Seattle starter, Miguel Batista, who leads the Mariners’ staff with 13 victories, and who beat the Angels the last time the two teams met. In the key game of the series, Lackey must return to form. Another bad outing here could set the tone for the series, which could see a reversal in the standings if the Angels are swept.

Game two on Tuesday will see a battle of inconsistent right-handers as Ervin Santana (5-12, 6.03) will oppose ex-Angel, Jeff Weaver, who has won his last four decisions.

The series will conclude with a day game Wednesday and a potentially great match-up between young hurlers Jered Weaver and Felix Hernandez.

The Mariners enter the series having been somewhat cooled in the last couple days, as they dropped two to the Texas Rangers over the weekend.

The Angels are glad to be done with Toronto after a four game split of their own.

KEYS TO THE SERIES

For the Angels it has to be production from the top of the line-up. With Chone Figgins likely to miss all three games, Reggie Willits will have to get on base from the lead-off spot. Vladimir Guerrero has been a Mariner killer since arriving in the AL in 2004 and can be expected to continue his hot hitting. Garret Anderson is in the midst of his most productive stretch of the season. If Willits and Orlando Cabrera are able to create action ahead of them, the Angels will score plenty of runs.

After dominant outings in their last appearances, Scot Shields and Frankie Rodriguez appear to have worked out the mechanical issues, which caused their struggles. If given a lead, the Mariners will have their work cut out for them if they’re to come back.

This is a big series, especially for the Mariners, who face a much tougher road than the Angels the rest of the way.

PREDICTION

The loss of Figgins proves too much.

Mariners take series 2 games to 1

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The Eddie Bane Connection, August Edition

Monday, August 27th, 2007

Q: (Angelswin) - Eddie, what can you tell us about Nick Green (10-6, 3.66 ERA & a 1.12 WHIP - 96 K's in 160 IP) who is quietly having a good season after a not so good May/June. Will his fastball be enough to compliment his solid changeup and secondary pitches? 1-6, 3.66 ERA & a 1.12 WHIP - 96 K's in 160 IP

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A: (Eddie Bane) - Nick Green is have a very nice season. He was already on the radar screen though because Scioscia and Butcher will able to see him in spring training. Key is to be more consistent with low strikes. He has plenty of fastball. Not a burner, but up to 93 at times. Chris McAlpin did a great job of finding Green after he was not used much as an amateur.

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Q: (Angelswin) - Baseball America recently listed the top ten prospects at each position plus the top five relief prospects. The Angels only had one player listed in those ninety five names. Did that disappoint you? We had some great drafts in the first few years of the Stoneman regime. What has happened in the past few years? The drafts don't seem to be as productive. I know we have lost some veteran scouts. Is that part of the reason?

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A: (Eddie Bane) - All of us, including scouts, enjoy reading BA and other publications. I am not disappointed at all. I have heard from countless Scouting Directors, asst GM's and other scouts about our Cedar Rapids club. It may be the first time since I have been scouting that we have a legit prospect at every position on the field in addition to at least one pitching prospect every night. Sweeney, Conger, Trumbo and O'Sullivan along with several others don't come along all the time. Nobody in the MW League swings the bat as well as Matt Sweeney with the possible exception of Conger. We consider Conger to be the premier catching prospect in the game right now.

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20 year old Sean O'Sullivan leads the Mid-West League in ERA and is pitching better and better as the season goes on while maintaining his velocity. And, as I have said before we are not going to trade Nick Adenhart for any of the other teams top pitching prospects. We are happy with Nick and they should be happy with their guy.

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Q: (Angelswin) - When Santana went down to Salt Lake Triple-A, did he work on anything specifically in attempts to resolve the issues he had with the major league club?

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A: (Eddie Bane) - Ervin is more of a question for our major league people. I will say that at 24 years old Santana has done a lot more at the ML level then most of the so-called prospects who are also 24 years old have done in the minor leagues.

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Q: (Angelswin) - Do the Angels plan on shifting Kendry Morales to a new position? His bat is there and the power has been shown of late, but he's blocked by Kotchman at 1B and Garret Anderson at DH possibly in 2008.

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A: (Eddie Bane) - Kendry has really good hands. He also has a strong arm which would help with any position change. BUT, currently we need him at 1B because Casey Kotchman is suffering a tough injury. Morales has hit .300 everywhere he has been in the system, but just lately have we seen in the way above average hitter he will be when he settles in at the big league level. Kendry Morales is going to be an above average major league hitter with power. That is what makes scouting fun.

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Q: (Angelswin) - Warner Madrigal...He is putting some impressive numbers in Single A. What does the future hold for him, and how does the club plan on using him?

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A: (Eddie Bane) - Warner is a special young man that all the people in our minor league side of the business pull hard for. He has been in the organization awhile and did not make it as a hitter, but he has a big fastball and his slider can be out of this world. Once again, consistency will be the key.

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Q: (Angelswin) - How much as Brandon progressed this season in AAA and do you guys plan on having him start there again next season as well?

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A: (Eddie Bane) - I wish we had 100 Brandon Wood's. We would have the best organization of all time. That means in all aspects of the game. Makeup, aptitude, ability, usability are all top of the scale when you are talking about Brandon Wood. He is a winner and will make the organization even that much better when he settles into the major leagues.

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Q: (Angelswin) - Mason Tobin, Trevor Reckling, Michael Anton & outfielder Jeremy Moore. What can you tell us out these 4 youngsters that have made quite an impression in short season A Ball?

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A: (Eddie Bane) - I will say that all scouting departments feel giddy about the guys they signed in the draft and we are no different. Mason Tobin is a RHP signed by Casey Harvie in the northwest. I do not know why the Braves did not sign him, but I am happy they did not. Body reminds of big league star, Kevin Brown. He has that kind of life on his fastball at up to 93-94. He completely dominated in Arizona and has not missed a beat in Orem where he and pitching coach Zeke Zimmerman got his breaking pitch on the same plane as his fastball.

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Treveor Reckling is a HS lefty that we got because of the hard work of Greg Mohrhardt and Mike Silvestri. That being said I would have been extremely unhappy if we did not sign this young man. He has a legit Zito type curve and he is striking out everybody in Arizona. We are happy with Trevor.

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Michael Anton is a lefty that is from the east coast, but was living in Arizona at the time of the draft. John Gracio, our area scout in Arizona, found Mike at a workout and then would not let up on the young man or me until the draft. His relentless scouting is the reason that the Angels got Anton.

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Ever year we try and draft a few athletes and hope they can use their tools. We may have something with Moore. He is playing for Kotchman in Orem and has hit a bunch of homeruns. In addition he can run and looks to be a legit prospect.

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Q: (Angelswin) - Sean O'Sullivan appears to have turned the corner and has just been flat out dominate. What can you tell us about the success O'Sullivan is having of late?

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A: (Eddie Bane) - Sean O'Sullivan is back to the form he showed his jr year in high school when he was ranked as the number one prospect in the county by BA. Fastball is getting to 94 at times and he still has the great feel for changing speeds. He also has plus plus command.

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Q: (Angelswin) - With both the Travelers and Bees in 1st place and potentially heading into respective playoffs, how much roster movement if any between teams and from RC do you think might happen?

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A: (Eddie Bane) - Tony will do what he thinks is right, but I like the clubs the way they are setup now. The main focus as always is to have the best players with the Angels so the big league club has the best chance to win.

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'07 Angelswin Prospect Hotlist, 20th Edition

1. Sean O’Sullivan, SP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids
O’Sullivan is not only the hottest Angel minor leaguer; he may be the hottest SP prospect in all of baseball. Sean hasn’t given up more than 3 runs in the last 2 months, YES, 2 months, totaling 11 quality starts in that span. Opposing batters have hit only .223 off Sean this season and he’s starting to fan more hitters as the season has progressed. O’Sullivan is the ERA leader among all starting pitchers in the organization with at least 20 or more starts, at 2.18.

2. Nick Green, SP, Class AA, Arkansas Travelers
Green has managed to keep opposing batters to a solid .238 BAA all season long, while showing excellent command of his 4 solid/average pitches. While his FB hits 88-90 MPH on the gun with regularity, he can dial it up to 93-94 on occasion. Green shows a solid curve, slider and changeup that he seemingly can throw at any time in the count. Repeating Double-A with the Travelers, Green shows determination to get better and a solid work ethic to maintain his chiseled 6'4, 200lb physique that enable him to go late into games (has 2 complete games in '07), and eat up innings. Green is 10-7 with a 3.68 ERA.

3. Warner Madrigal, RP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels
Once a power hitting OF prospect, now a power pitcher, Madrigal has found his niche as a future closer in the big leagues. Warner has limited opposing hitters to a .201 batting average against him, fanning 72 hitters in 52 innings. Warner possesses a mid to high 90’s fastball and a solid slider, while flashing an average changeup. His 18 saves is tops among all Angels prospect relievers in the minors, while his ERA is at a solid 2.17 on the season.

4. Rich Thompson, RP, Class AAA Salt Lake
What more can be said about the season Thompson is having, posting a 2.01 ERA in 21 games in Double-A, while succeeding in Triple-A the same, with a 2.28 ERA. Thompson has limited opposing hitters to a 1.93 ERA at both stops. Thompson uses his 93 MPH fastball to setup his out pitch, a 12-6 curveball that induces whiffs. He punched out 5 batters in 2 innings of work a few days ago to close out a game. Both he and Madrigal, along with possibly Aldridge, Braiser & Arredondo, should be an electric late inning group for the Angels down the road.

5. Sean Rodriguez, SS, Class AA Arkansas Travelers
Rodriguez, trying to make up for what has been an unspectacular follow up season to a nice 2006 campaign, is finishing the season strong, hitting .378 in his last 10 games, while slugging 3 HR’s in that span (15 Hr’s overall). Sean has seen some time in the outfield of late, but there are no immediate plans to have him switch positions yet.

6. Trevor Reckling, SP, Rookie Arizona League
The southpaw who is just 18 years old out of St. Benedicts Prep School, has dominated in his last two starts, fanning 18 (9 K’s per game) in just 10 2/3 innings. We’ll get more of a scouting report from Eddie Bane in our next edition, on just what Trevor’s offerings are.

7. Jordan Walden, SP, Short Season A Ball Orem Owlz
Scouts who followed Walden's every pitch late last summer were all smiles after their radar guns returned a fastball reading of 99 mph during a showcase at TCU. They told Walden of his accomplishment after the game. The 6-5, 225-pound right-hander was once tabbed by Baseball America as the nation's No. 1 high school senior prospect. After the Angels drafted the right-hander in the 12th round last June, Walden turned down a scholarship from Texas and opted to attend Grayson County (Texas) Community College in order to keep his draft options open. Inconsistent as a high school senior, when his velocity dropped to 85-88 mph at times, Walden performed much better this spring. His fastball sat at 92-94 mph and peaked at 97. He also improved his slider and the command of his two primary pitches. He has a classic pitcher’s build at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds.

Walden has not disappointed in his first professional season with the Angels, posting a 3.58 ERA, while fanning 56 hitters in 55 1/3 innings of work. Walden has not given up more than 2 runs in his last 7 starts.

8. Ryan Brasier, RP, Short Season, Class A Orem Owlz
Braiser has used his mid to upper 90’s fastball to shutdown opposing hitters for the Orem Owlz. Ryan was selected in the 6^th round of the 2007 amateur draft by the Los Angeles Angels, will continue to work as a reliever and has the stuff to be a future late inning guy. Braiser has posted a 1.48 ERA in 22 appearances, while fanning 23 batters in 24 1/3 innings, limiting opposing batters to a .183 BAA.

9. Tobin Mason, SP, Short Season, Class A Orem Owlz
Tobin has continued to dominate the opposition even after his promotion to a higher level. Mason, now with the Owlz, has notched a 1.64 ERA in 22 innings of work, 4 starts in total. In his last two starts, he’s fanned 12 in 11 innings and hasn’t given up more than 2 runs in any of his starts in Orem. Like Reckling, we’ll get more out of Eddie Bane on what exactly Mason’s repertoire is like.

10. Jeremy Moore, OF, Short Season A Ball Orem Owlz
Drafted in the 6^th round in the 2005 amateur draft, Moore has flashed both his speed and power on the diamond. Moore has clubbed 11 Hr’s while stealing 15 bases and has shown excellent defense in the outfield, including a strong throwing arm. Moore and Bourjos should offer an exciting outfield in the future.

Player to keep an eye on:
Robert Fish, SP, Short Season A Ball Orem Owlz
Fish a local southpaw out of Montclair, CA has the Angels & Bane excited about his future as a starter. Robert looked sharp in his start on the 21^st, fanning 9 in 7 innings of work, giving up just 1 earned run. Fish has posted a 3.08 ERA, while striking out 75 batters in 67 total innings in 2007.

On the outside looking: Jose Arredondo, Ben Johnson, Trevor Bell, Michael Anton, Brad Coon, Jordan Renz, Anthony Ortega, Young-Il Jung, Chris Garcia, Matt Sweeney, Freddy Sandoval, Jeremy Haynes, Brok Butcher, Jordan Walden, Mark Trumbo, Robert Mosebach, PJ Phillips, David Herndon, Steven Marek, Chris Pettit, Brandon Wood, Andrew Romine, Chris Armstrong, Matt Brown, Barrett Browning, Jay Brossman, Gordon Gronkowski, Nick Adenhardt, Doug Brandt, Miguel Gonzalez, Terry Evans, Tommy Mendoza, Cliff Remole, Ryan Mount and Hank Conger.

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Anderson Sets Angel Record With 10 RBI Game

At least for one night, the rumors of Garret Anderson's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

The veteran left-fielder set a career high and Angels team record with 10 RBI versus the New York Yankees. Anderson's night featured two run scoring doubles, a 3-run home-run and the capper a Grand Slam. Anderson surpassed Vladimir Guerrero's record of 9 RBI which came against Pedro Martinez and the Boston Red Sox in 2004.

When last night's lineup was announced, certainly some Angels fans were dismayed to see Anderson penciled into the clean up slot yet again. Even an ESPN columnist joked yesterday saying Garret Anderson is English for "not a very good baseball player".

Angels fans still aren't convinced about the teams offensive potential. Yes it would be nice to hit more home-runs, yes they have too many singles hitters in the lineup. However, a lot of that is due to injuries and Mike Scioscia working with what he's been given. Of course, Scioscia would prefer to have some more thump in the line up with Juan Rivera, Howie Kendrick and Mike Napoli. But, their replacements, Macier Izturis, Reggie Willits and even Jeff Mathis have filled in admirably.

The Angels are actually about to be a fully healthy team for the first time all year. Howie Kendrick has returned and been a huge boost. 6 hits and 1 walk in his first two games back. Jeff Mathis may not be hitting home runs like Mike Napoli, but he does have 13 rbi to go with his 18 hits. Both players, along with Casey Kotchman probably wont homer a lot the rest of the way, but you can expect plenty of doubles from this group.

Realistically, to win the division and go deep into the playoffs. The Angels need Garret Anderson to go on a tear for the next two months and Juan Rivera to be able to step in and quickly find the form he showed last season. Neither are out of the realm of possibility.

While the team isn't going to impress with the long ball like the Yankees or Red Sox. This team can hit. With their pitching, and favorable schedule. This is the perfect time for the Angels to turn it on the offense.

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Angelswin.com: The Internet Home for Angel Fans

By Adam Dodge - Angelswin.com Senior Writer

As the players align for their respective team pictures after nine innings of softball, it is apparent the individuals within the group know their place in this world. Their faces red from the midday sun, their shirts and hats covered in sweat and dust, most with grimaces expressing agonizing discomfort … these guys are not cut out for the daily grind faced by ballplayers.

What is this collection of gentlemen ranging in age from 19 to 65? Baseball fans. Specifically, Angels fans who spend much of each day of the baseball season -- and offseason -- discussing their favorite team on the increasingly popular Angelswin.com, a fan site created and developed long-time Angel Fan and Systems Support Engineer, Chuck Richter.

The Softball game and after party at Danny K’s Sports Grill in Orange is the first all inclusive get-together for this community of fans since the site went live in February 2003.

Since then, the site has grown into one of the best places on the Web for Angels fans to meet. Richter did not have a mission statement for the site, just a motto – “A site by the fans for the fans.” Angelswin.com is just that as the site’s content is provided solely by Angel fans.

The writing staff -- Eric Denton, an administrator for a major software company, Victor Varadi, a project manager for a Web design company, and myself, an office manager and stand-up comedian -- produces feature articles, columns and series previews, as well as game recaps on a daily basis. The articles can be found on the Angelswin.com homepage and on the site’s accompanying blog.

Angels fans can also get information directly from the Angels, as Vice President of Media Relations Tim Mead and Angels’ scout Eddie Bane frequently share with Angelswin.com readers their insight regarding the state of the franchise and the direction it may be moving, as well as analysis on minor league prospects. In addition, Richter has taken advantage of Spring Training in Tempe, Ariz., annually interviewing current Angels, coaches and prospects for the site's season preview, a must read for all Angels fans.

Richter has also been fortunate enough to find contributors in or near the team’s minor league affiliates. For example, Angels fans can read weekly updates from Kevin Mark of Salt Lake City, who covers the Bees, the Angels’ AAA affiliate. Mark attends many of the Bees’ home games and provides insightful analysis on the progress made by Angels prospects and rehabilitating veterans. Because of this unique insight, Angelswin.com readers already knew what to expect from young players like Howie Kendrick, Mike Napoli and Joe Saunders before they made their Major League debuts.

Every Wednesday afternoon, look for the weekly prospect hotlist as Jason Sinner and Chuck Richter team up to compile a top 10 list of who's hot in the minors, as well as Richter's annual top 20 Prospects list following the season.

On the site’s message board, the real lure for readers, fans can be found posting their thoughts on issues related to the team, its players, front office and other issues related to Major League Baseball, other sports, pop culture, even religion and politics. Discussions and arguments are a 24-hours-per-day occurrence. These arguments sometimes become heated, but are always entertaining and the board’s moderators never allow things to get out of hand, a major reason why so many have flocked to Angelswin.com.

Geoff Bilau, one of the site’s first regulars and creator of many of the logos found on the site and its new clothing line, agrees. “Many of the (message board) posters came over from the message board hosted by ESPN which was seriously flawed by a lack of moderation powers and steady flow of outsiders who sought to exploit that weakness.”

As with many message boards, Angelswin.com has had its share of “trolls,” whose sole purpose seems to be to cause mischief and mayhem by antagonizing members of the online community with repugnant rants comprised mainly of vulgarity and bad grammar. The board’s moderators are quick to delete the tasteless posts and ban the users who express them.

For the most part, fans will find good natured discussion on the message board, as posters tackle important issues such as Scot Shields’ diet, Kelvim Escobar’s heater and Garret Anderson’s demeanor on the field.

Beware first-timers, as sarcasm seems to be the communication method of choice by most of the site’s members, who themselves are often the topic of conversation. Whether it’s someone’s taste in the opposite sex, adventures in travel or their alma mater, the community can be relentless in poking fun at one of their own.

Most everyone who frequents the Angelswin.com message board does so under a pseudonym, which typically provides insight as to some aspect of the poster. For example, “Halo N ‘Zona” resides in Arizona. “Red321” has red hair, "Angel25Fan" for his 25 years + as an Angels fan, and ex-ESPN forum moderator and “ChiliDavisEyez” is apparently a big fan of the former Angel designated hitter’s ability to see the baseball. Although, I am still trying to figure that one out.

“Chonito,”, “GlausGirl,” “Baseballmom” and “Napacious44” make up the female population. Outnumbered by men by more than 100 to 1, the women often pool their efforts and collectively bash whichever male poster decides it’s his day to play a chauvinist. Often that man is “Angel In Red” (or simply, AIR), the elder statesman if you will. AIR receives grief from all as he is admittedly the oldest regular (based on age) on the site. These spats are all in fun and never serious, but provide entertainment to all that read along.

The greatest topic of debate deals with Angels' General Manager, Bill Stoneman. There are two groups of fans on the board and choosing a side is a requisite of becoming a frequent poster. The Anti-Stonemans and Pro-Stonemans wage daily battle as the two groups debate whether or not Stoneman is good at his job. Some say that his ineffectiveness at the trade deadline through the years is reason enough for owner Arte Moreno to find a new, more aggressive team architect, while others will argue that the Angels are in the midst of their best run in franchise history in large part due to Stoneman's ability to build a deep farm system. This schism in the Angelswin.com family has not yet led to civil war, but how the Angels finish the season and the manner in which they do so could change that.

During Angels' telecasts, those who are not in attendance often spend some or the entirety of the game in the site's game day chat room, typing away cheers for their favorite Angels and curses for opponents. The chat room is a great way for Angelswin.com members to share in the excitement of the game while also getting an opportunity to get to know each other on a more personal level. Much like the site's message board, be prepared for sarcasm and banter. And bear in mind, the chat room is uncensored and during those times when things aren't going the Angels' way, many like to, um, express their frustration, present company included.

Angelswin.com provides fans with an alternative to the major baseball Web sites, focusing solely on coverage of L.A.'s best team from a fan's perspective. The site's graphics and logos are second to none and, most importantly, it provides a fraternal atmosphere where people can share their love of Angels baseball without fear of being attacked by the obnoxious sect that flood the other homes of baseball fans on the Web.

Here are some pictures taken by Professional photographer Randy Lawrence (Lifetime) of one of our 3 Angelswin.com Softball Tournaments in the last year. Good times online, at the ballpark, in Tempe at our annual spring-fests and on the field for the Angelswin community throughout the year!

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Nick Green vs. Nick Adenhart

Nick Green 10-6, 3.66 ERA & a 1.12 WHIP - 96 K's in 160 IP


This Nick has been hidden in the shadow of the other Nick, Nick Adenhart all season long, until now, the rock has been uncovered. Nick Green coming off back to back shutout innings (6 2/3 & tonight 8 innings, giving up only 1 hit).

Green has managed to keep opposing batters to a solid .240 BAA all season long, while showing excellent command of his 4 solid/average pitches. While his FB hits 91-93 MPH on the gun with regularity, he can dial it up to 95-96 on occasion. Green shows a solid curve, slider and changeup that he seemingly can throw at any time in the count.

Repeating Double-A with the Travs, Green shows determination to get better and a solid work ethic to maintain his chiseled 6'4, 200lb physique that enables him to go late into games (has 2 complete games in '07), and eat up innings.

While the Angels and scouts are high on Adenhart, they're equally as high on what Nick Green has shown them in 2007.


Nick Adenhart 8-7, 3.84 & a 1.45 WHIP - 99 K's in 136 IP


While Nick Adenhart is 2 years younger than Nick Green and is recognized around Baseball as one of the top right-handed pitching prospects in all of baseball, his #'s don't quite stack up against who I think is the ace of the Double-A Arkansas Travelers staff.

Nick has the makings of being a nice #2 starting pitching in the big leagues, but it's safe to bet he'll anchor the middle of the rotation more than likely.

His stuff is good, but not that of what some would call an ace of a staff or front line starter. His pitches aren't missing many bats (.270 BAA and 136 hits in 134 innings, while fanning only 99 in 136 of those innings). His command is another issue as well as he's walked 59 batters, posting a 1.45 WHIP to date.

Adenhart's FB can reach the mid-90's and his curve and change-up show flashes of brilliance so the future is still bright for this kid.

Be that as it may, for now, Adenhart's not the better of the two Nick's, nor is he even the ace of the Trav's staff, but they both have a bright future ahead of them nevertheless.

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'07 Angelswin Prospect Hotlist, 19th Edition

1. Kendry Morlaes, 1B, Class AAA Salt Lake Bees
OH THERE IT IS! Kendry finally got off the homerless snide at AAA and went yard not once but twice last night. Over his past 10 games he is 19-42 (.452) with 4 doubles, a triple, two long balls, and 7 RBI. He has raised his season avg. to .329. The Cuban switch hitter just turned 24 in June and is still relatively new to the professional ranks. Hopefully someday he will be good enough for us to be able to say, “That’s just Kendry being Kendry”.

2. Bobby Wilson, C, Class AAA Salt Lake Bees
Bobby has performed very well after his call up to the Bees. In 77 at bats he is hitting .338 with 9 doubles, two homeruns and a triple. He also has 16 RBI in 24 games and has shown enough patience at the plate with a 30/38 bb/k ratio for the whole season. He hit .286 with 9hr, 53RBI, and had a bb/k ratio of 33/47 last year with the Travs. From his numbers, it appears Bobby knows how to handle the stick a bit.

3. Hanley Statia, SS, Class A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
“Pooka Shells” has put together a nice ten game stretch with 16 hits in his last 43 at bats for a .375 avg. On the season Statia has 63 RBI with the aid of only one HR. It helps when you are hitting .362 with runners in scoring position. Hanley has also swiped 22 bags in 27 attempts this year.

4. Sean O’Sullivan, SP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels
Sean has been great over his last two outings. He has thrown 13.2 innings and only given up 1 run and ten hits while striking out 8. Over his last ten starts he has not given up more than 3 earned runs, and on the season he has an ERA of 2.37 and has limited opponents to a .230avg.

5. Brandon Wood, 3B, Class AAA Salt Lake Bees
Brandon has had a nice run the last four games going 8-18 (.444) and raising his overall season avg. to .271. Even with missing out on some plate appearances while being up with the big club, Wood has 20 doubles, 19hrs, and 70 RBI with an OPS of .832 in 365 at bats. His overall bb/k ratio is 42/96, and he has mashed lefties to the tune of a .935OPS. After seeing the kid play, he reminds me of a more athletic Paul Konerko. I think we could all live with that.

6. Tobin Mason, SP, Short Season, Class A Orem
After dominating in the AZL to the tune of a 0.95 ERA in 28.1 innings with 32 k’s and only 7 walks, Mason has made his call up to Orem seem like a very wise choice. He has thrown 11 innings while giving up only two earned runs and 4 hits. In his first start with the Owlz, he didn’t allow a hit going five innings and striking out five.

7. Ryan Brasier, RP, Short Season, Class A Orem
After giving up single runs in back to back outings, the 19 year old right-hander has been “lights out” his last 9.1 innings giving up only 5 hits and striking out 8. On the season, 6’0” Texas native has pitched 20.2 innings and only allowed 14 hits while fanning 22. He has also logged 6 saves as he learns how to close out ballgames early in his career.

8. Clayton Fuller, OF, Rookie League, AZL Angels
Clayton has been hot as of late with 15 hits in his last 42 at bats (.357) which has raised his season avg. to .318. On the year he has 7 doubles, 4 triples, 3 homeruns, 21 RBI and 17 steals in 129 at bats. The switch hitter has put up similar numbers from both sides of the plate.

9. Jeff Kennard, RP, Class AA Arkansas Travelers
Jeff has been pretty solid for the Travs since he came over in the Molina trade – especially in his last 3 games where he has thrown 4.1 innings while giving up zero runs and only one hit. As a part of the Angels org he has seen time in 8 games going 10.2 innings and has 9 punch-outs and a 3.38era.

10 Jeremy Moore, OF, Short Season, Class A Orem
Jeremy had a game to remember on Aug 7th in which he went 4-4 with 2 hrs, 6RBI, 3 runs scored and a BB. Over the last ten games he has been top notch hitting .375 with 3hrs and 10rbi. On the season he has 8 doubles, 4 triples, 8 homeruns and 32 RBI in 166 at bats. He has also safely stolen 9 bags in 13 tries.

Player to keep an eye on:
Trevor Bell, SP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels
Trevor has done some nice work in his last 2 starts giving up only one earned run over a 15 innings span. In that stretch he has also fanned 11 while walking only one batter. He will need a few more starts like these to work his way back from a poor 5 start string that is the main culprit of his season ERA being 4.53.

On the outside looking: Jose Arredondo, Brad Coon, Jordan Renz, Anthony Ortega, Young-Il Jung, Chris Garcia, Matt Sweeney, Freddy Sandoval, Jeremy Haynes, Brok Butcher, Jordan Walden, Mark Trumbo, Robert Mosebach, PJ Phillips, David Herndon, Steven Marek, Chris Pettit, Warner Madrigal, Sean Rodriguez, Andrew Romine, Chris Armstrong, Matt Brown, Michael Anton, Barrett Browning, Jay Brossman, Gordon Gronkowski, Nick Adenhardt, Doug Brandt, Miguel Gonzalez, Nick Green, Terry Evans, Tommy Mendoza, Cliff Remole, Rich Thompson, Hank Conger and Ben Johnson

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'07 Angelswin Prospect Hotlist, 18th Edition

1. Chris Pettit, OF, Class A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Chris had some face time in the booth tonight with Phys and Hud which I am sure was a real thrill for him. Chris had a bit of an off week since the last list only going 14-33 with a hr, 5 doubles, 10rbi, and 12 runs. Come on Chris. ONLY ONE HR?! Well at least his season average is back above a respectable .350. By the way, he also has 28 stolen bases and since being called up to Rancho has a bb/k ratio of 24/30. Uh yah. He’s good.

2. Brandon Wood, 3B, Class AAA Salt Lake Bees

Courtesy of the last two days, Brandon works his way on to the list. Since his return to the minors he is 8-26 (.307) with 3 home runs (which have come in the last two days including two tonight), and 12 RBI. He’s still a whiffing machine (12 with only three walks since being sent down), but he’s got the season average up to .265 and his OPS well over .800 (likely closer to .850 after tonight).

3. Warner Madrigal RP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels

Well, he finally gave up a run. So that’s one in his last 23.2 innings. Since he last made the list he’s also had 5 saves, 11 strikeouts, and one walk. His season ERA now stands at 2.34 and he has 60 strikeouts in 50 innings. I think Warner should start looking for apartments in Rancho Cucamonga.

4. Hank Conger, C, Low Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels

It’s good to see Hank back healthy once again and hammering the baseball. Since the last list he is 12-27 (.444) with a hr, double, and six RBI in his last seven games. Although his season has been shortened by injury to 70 games he has managed 9 hrs, 39 RBI, and an .818 OPS as well as 8 steals in 12 attempts.

5. Nick Green SP, Class AA Arkansas Travelers

Nick has made a strong push in the second half of the season. He has logged at least six innings in his last six starts giving up no more than 3 earned runs in any of them. He has been terrific in his last two going 14.1 innings and giving up only one earned run while walking three and striking out 10. He has his season ERA down to 3.91and has limited opponents to a .253avg.

6. Tobin Mason SP, Rookie League, AZL Angels

Tobin has been nearly untouchable in the AZL this year. Over his last four outings he has gone 18.1 innings and hasn’t given up a single run. He also had and 11 k performance in just 5 innings of work in one of those starts. On the season, the right hander has tallied 32 punch outs in 28.1 innings and has a miniscule ERA of 0.97 while holding his opponents to a .177 avg.

7. Jay Brossman, Short Season, Class A Orem

This first year player has been very impressive in his young professional career and has been on fire lately. Over his last ten games he has gone 16 for 38 (.421) with 3hr, a double, 7 RBI, and 9 runs. On the season he is hitting .397 with 5 hrs, and 36 RBI in 44 games with an OPS of .979.

8. Terry Evans, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake Bees

Terry continues to prove he’s ready for the big leagues. He’s 11 for his last 23 with four doubles and a triple and has raised his season average to .323. He hasn’t had many long balls lately and still needs to improve his plate discipline, but he has certainly put to rest any concern that last year was a fluke.

9. Tommy Mendoza SP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels

After some early season struggles, Tommy has finally shaken off some of the rust and done well in his last three starts. He has logged 16 innings giving up four earned runs while walking 4 and striking out nine. Hopefully he can build up enough arm strength to make a late season push.

10. Clifton Remole, 1B, Class A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Cliff makes his first appearance on the list after a torrid ten game stretch in which he has gone 17-41 (.415) with seven double, and 12 RBI. Considering that he is nearly 25 and still in the Cal league, the native Georgian is not likely considered a true prospect but he deserves his props nonetheless. On the season he has a .309 average with a .778 OPS. after a strong July in which he also logged 26 RBI in 29 games.

Player to keep and eye on:

Rich Thompson RP, Class AAA Salt Lake Bees

The Aussie native has only pitched once since the last hotlist which of course was a scoreless 1.1 innings with 2 punch outs. He just deserves to make the list because of his ridiculous season totals of 64.1 innings with 70 Ks and a paltry 1.68 ERA between AA and AAA. Could Rich be our secret weapon down the stretch ala KROD in ’02? You just never know.

On the outside looking: Jose Arredondo, Brad Coon, Jordan Renz, Anthony Ortega, Young-Il Jung, Chris Garcia, Matt Sweeney, Freddy Sandoval, Jeremy Haynes, Brok Butcher, Jordan Walden, Mark Trumbo, Robert Mosebach, PJ Phillips, David Herndon, Steven Marek, Trevor Bell, Hanley Statia, Sean Rodriguez, Andrew Romine, Chris Armstrong, Matt Brown, Michael Anton, Barrett Browning, Sean O’Sullivan, Gordon Gronkowski, Nick Adenhardt, Doug Brandt, Miguel Gonzalez, and Ben Johnson

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