Sitting A Rookie

There has been much discussion amongst Angel fans wondering why Mike Scioscia is not using 1B/DH prospect Kendry Morales more. There is no question that having a switch hitting power bat off the bench is a desirable option. That said, is Morales, who will turn 24 years old in June better served playing everyday at Salt Lake City.

On the surface the answer is probably yes, but there are reasons why Morales is with the Angels. First off, he hasn't shown a problem not starting for days on end then coming off the bench for a spot start. Yes, Morales is 0-3 as a pinch hitter, but in his two May starts he's come off the bench and delivered RBI hits. I believe because of this, Scioscia sees a player who can deal with a bench role. Unlike the recently dispatched Tommy Murphy who was given some starts over the weekend and rewarded Scioscia by going 1-14. This led to the designating for assignment of Phil Siebel and the purchasing the contract of Nathan Haynes.

This answers the other reason why Morales is with the big club. Who's better to call up in this situation ?

The answer might be veteran outfielder Curtis Pride. Problem is, Pride would need to be added to the 40 Man Roster and another player DFA. With Haynes this was an easy decision for Stoneman since Siebel is out for the year and at little risk to be claimed. While it's doubtful that Greg Jones or Chris Resop will go onto save 40 games for another team, is it worth making another Bobby Jenks type mistake just so Morales can play for the Bees ?

Without tinkering with the 40 Man Roster, the Angels are limited to recalling those players already on it.

It's doubtful that the Angels would recall another pitcher, so this leaves other players that would be better suited to playing every day as well. Matt Brown, Nick Gorneault, Jeff Mathis, Brandon Wood and the afore mentioned Tommy Murphy.

Regarding his lack of playing time. Honestly, if Morales was getting a lot of pinch hits, it probably means the Angels are losing. So if the only time I see Kendry is at the end of the game giving high fives, that's fine with me.

Also, this isn't time wasted. Morales is getting an education on how to be a professional baseball player just by being with the Angels than hitting everyday at AAA. This is especially important when you consider Morales is still only two years into his journey of America.

With Shea Hillenbrand finally coming around, Garret Anderson on the mend, Casey Kotchman and Reggie Willits establishing themselves as a regular player. Morales will be back at AAA. This isn't a case of Scioscia not liking Morales, or an aversion to playing rookies. Sometimes it's just not a players time to shine. Morales has a bright future be it in Anaheim or elsewhere. While it would be preferable that Morales play everyday, the Angels have made the right choice when choosing the 25th man on the roster.

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2007 Angelswin Prospect Hotlist, 9th edition

#1 Tyler Johnson, OF, Cedar Rapids

Tyler Johnson, drafted by the Angels in the 15th round of the 2004 free agent draft out of Haskell (OK) HS, played 11 games in Cedar Rapids in 2006 and posted a .257 BA with 8 HR and 36 RBI with Orem of the Pioneer League. After Johnson joined the Kernels from extended spring training over a week ago, he’s been hot with the bat, hitting .325, with 5 home runs, 2 doubles and 8 runs batted in, in just 11 games. The toolsy outfielder is one to keep an eye on as he covers a ton of ground in the outfield, shows a plus arm and is fast enough to steal 30+ bags.----------

2. Anthony Ortega, SP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels) - After getting off to an unspectacular start to the season at Rancho, Anthony has strung together 3 excellent starts in which he’s gone 8 innings each of those starts, giving up no more than 1 run. Last night he blanked the Dodgers High A club (Inland Empire) for 8 innings, fanning 4. Ortega’s ERA is now down to 3.41 and is just another talented starter in the Quakes rotation along with Marek, Mosebach and Butcher.

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3 Sean O’Sullivan, SP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels) - 4 straight quality starts, two of which he’s given up no runs (13 innings total) has catapulted O’Sullivan to the #3 spot in this week’s Prospect Hotlist. Sean’s ERA is now down to 2.57 and continues to make progress in his first full season in the organization. One thing I’d like him to do is to cut down on the amount of hits he’s given up per game. Hitters are batting .273 against him as he’s given up 60 hits in 56 innings.

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4. Christopher Pettit, OF, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels) - Pettit continues his hot hitting in the month of May as he’s hitting at a .429 clip, .361 for the season. Christopher is in line for a promotion to Rancho Cucamonga soon with his hot hitting, clubbing a league leading 21 doubles, while launching 6 Hr’s and stealing 13 bases.
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5. Freddy Sandoval, 3B, Class AA Arkansas (Angels) - You know, if Bill Stoneman can’t get a big bat to replace Chone Figgins at third base, one might have to consider Freddy Sandoval, #1 on our list last week as a possible replacement. Freddy makes good contact (hitting .313) and will draw his share of walks (28 walks to 24 strikeouts, posting a .409 on base pct.). Not a prototypical third baseman with power, only 2 home runs in 163 at bats, but has 11 doubles and a triple, so he’s not a slap hitter either. Freddy plays a solid defense and has the speed Scioscia likes (12 SB’s) to hit 9th in the lineup.
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6. Brok Butcher, SP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels) - Brok has seen his ERA rise, but that is no knock on him as he’s posted a 1.77 ERA to date, leading all minor league pitchers with (8) quality starts. Not bad eh? Especially pitching in the hitter friendly California League.
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7. P.J. Phillips, SS, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels) - After hovering above the Mendoza line for most of the season, P.J., the little brother of Brandon Phillips, 2nd baseman of the Reds, has started to get hot, hitting in 6 of his last 8 games, 3 of which were multi hit games. Phillips needs to work on his defense at SS (10 errors) and show better plate discipline (just 3 walks vs. 56 strikeouts), but he does have the skills to be a dynamic player in the future as he’s wiry strong and lightening quick (12 stolen bases in 13 attempts). The Angels will be patient with him and he might need to log some 3000+ at bats in the minors before it clicks.
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8. David Herndon, SP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels) - Like O’Sullivan, Herndon too has posted 2 straight starts without giving up a run, lowering his ERA to 3.06. Like O’Sullivan, Herndon has given up a lot of hits as hitters are hitting .289 off him. Herndon leads the Kernels in complete games with 2 on the season.
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9. Terry Evans, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels) - 4 out of the last 6 games Evans has posted multi hit games, boosting his average back up to .332 on the season. Evans continues to show scouts that he just bloomed late, though he needs to cut down on his strike outs, fanning 49 times vs. just 8 walks.
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10. Nick Adenhart, SP, Class AA Arkansas (Angels) - Much better! The 20-year-old has been scuffling in the Texas League lately. Adenhart has allowed eight runs on 15 hits and walked seven over his last 11 innings, but looked a lot better in his last outing, going 7 and 2/3 innings, giving up just 2 runs while fanning 5. Nick still has a 3.43 ERA and is one of the best pitching prospects in the game.
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Keep an eye on: Jason Bulger, RP, Class AAA Salt Lake & Jose Arredondo, RP, Class AA Arkansas (Angels) - Both of these fireballers will be called upon at some point in the season and they haven’t disappointed in the minors this year. Bulger who throws a heavy 93-96 MPH fastball has fanned 30 in 21 1/3 innings, posting a 2.53 ERA. Arredondo has fanned 25 in 22 1/3 innings, showing a mid to high 90’s fastball and devastating slider. Batters are only hitting .182 against him. The Angels have two late inning fireman that they can add for the playoff push in Aug/Sept. which would also help give K-Rod, Shields and Speier rest as well.
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On the outside looking to get in soon: Ryan Mount, Brandon Wood, Brad Coon, Peter Bourjos, Sean Rodriguez, Stephen Marek, Jeff Mathis, Ryan Aldridge, Timothy Schoeninger, Matthew Sweeney, Jeremy Haynes, Trevor Bell, Darren O’Day, Amalio Diaz, Nick Gorneault, Hank Conger, Jordan Renz, Andrew Hill, Michael Collins, Mark Trumbo, Robert Mosebach, Kevin Jepsen, and Hainley Statia.

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2007 Angelswin Prospect Hotlist, 8th edition

1. Freddy Sandoval, 3B, Class AA Arkansas (Angels) The switch hitting, speedy 3B from Tijuana, Mexico has been on fire in the last 10 games, hitting .361 over that span, with 4 multi hit games out of his last 6 contests, earning him the top spot in this week’s prospect hotlist. Sandoval has upped his average to .322 and has shown excellent plate discipline, posting a .413 on base pct. (24 walks to 23 strikeouts). Sandoval has also stolen 11 bags and is on pace to equal or surpass his 30 stolen bases last season with Rancho. With good defense around the bag at third, Sandoval has a future in the big leagues as a Bill Mueller type, but with more speed.

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2. Brok Butcher, SP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels) Brok just keeps getting it down, notching his 8th straight quality starts in as many starts (8) on the season. Last night he fanned 8 Bakersfield hitters, while going a 7 strong, only giving up a 2 run homer to John Mayberry Jr. A couple more starts like this and I could see the Angels promoting Brok to Arkansas along side top pitching prospect Nick Adenhart.

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3. Nathan Haynes, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels) Haynes had a 0-5 night last night that saw his batting average drop down to .386, but was back at it this afternoon with a couple more hits, 2 more walks and an RBI pushing his average back up to .391, which leads the PCL. If he were in Marlins organization he might be up with the big league club right now. Boy, if Juan Pierre can get what he’s being paid there has to be a starting gig for Haynes somewhere!

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4. Douglas Brandt, SP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels) The southpaw, Brandt continues his dominance in Low A ball, hurling 6 scoreless innings last night, fanning 6 along the way. His ERA stands at 1.11 and has fanned 44 batters in 40 2/3 innings. He’s 3-0
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5. Christopher Pettit, OF, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels) Pettit continues to push his average upwards and is now hitting .350 for the Kernels with a .411 on base pct. Pettit has stolen 5 bases in his last 10 games giving him 12 so far this season, while slugging at a .573 clip.

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6. Aaron Peel, OF, Class AA Arkansas (Angels) Peel who started off the season slow, hitting .190 in the month of April, is hitting .294 in May and last night hit for the cycle in a losing effort. Peel hit 16 Hr’s, stole 13 bases and batted .285 in High A Ball last year for Rancho Cucamonga. Keep an eye on him!

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7. Jason Bulger, RP, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels) Bulger hasn’t given up a run since April 28th and has been striking out batters at an impressive clip of late. Bulger has fanned 13 hitters in his last 5 appearances and boasts a 28 strikeouts to 19 Innings pitched ratio. His ERA sits at 2.79 which is impressive considering where he pitches half of his games.
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8. Jose Arredondo, RP, Class AA Arkansas (Angels) With Darren O’Day given up his first runs of the season (2) it was about time Jose made his prospect hotlist debut. The league is hitting .182 off Arredondo and has fanned 22 batters in 19 innings. If you take away a bad outing he had on the 1st of this month his #’s would look even stellar. Like Bulger, Jepsen, O’Day and when healthy, Aldridge, keep an eye on Arredondo, as all of these guys have excellent stuff and could be added to an already impressive bullpen in the near future.

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9. Terry Evans, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels) Evans, with 9 RBI’s in his last 10 games, has continued his hot hitting in the PCL. Evans has hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games and is currently hitting .324, with 6 Hr’s, 16 doubles and 10 stolen bases to go along with his 29 RBI’s.

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10. Joe Saunders, SP, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels) Saunders looked good against a very good hitting Sacramento club last night, fanning 9 batters in 6 innings, while giving up just 2 runs to earn the win. Saunders is an injury to one of the Angels starters or trade away from getting another promotion to the majors.
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Keep an eye on: Ben Johnson, C, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels) Selected by the Angels in the 23rd round (683rd overall) in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Washington. Ben Johnson who hit 19 home runs with Rancho Cucamonga last season is with the Bees and getting some work in behind the dish. In just 7 games with the Bees he’s driven in 6 runs while hitting .333.

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On the outside looking to get in soon: Nick Adenhart, Brandon Wood, Brad Coon, Peter Bourjos, Sean Rodriguez, Stephen Marek, David Herndon, Jeff Mathis, Ryan Aldridge, Timothy Schoeninger, Matthew Sweeney, Jeremy Haynes, Trevor Bell, PJ Phillips, Amalio Diaz, Nick Gorneault, Hank Conger, Jordan Renz, Andrew Hill, Michael Collins, Mark Trumbo, Anthony Ortega, Kevin Jepsen, and Hainley Statia.

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ANGELS WITH UNEXPECTED LEVERAGE

Team Shouldn’t be Desperate for “Big Bat”
By Adam Dodge and Victor Varadi

On May 22nd, 2006 the Los Angeles Angels lost a tough one-run game, 3-2 at the hands of the Texas Rangers dropping their record to 17-28, a season worst 11 games under .500. Since that day almost one year ago exactly the Angels are 96-63, one of the very best records in all of baseball.

Despite this, fans and media consistently express displeasure with the Angels, Arte Moreno and Bill Stoneman, for not acquiring another power hitter or two. For many, the lack of power within the Angels line-up, a concern since the beginning of 2005, will ultimately be blamed for the team’s “certain demise” in 2007.

While the intent of this article is not to defend, nor endorse Stoneman, who has been less than creative in his attempts at landing a legitimate power hitter to compliment Vladimir Guerrero, the concern that outsiders have expressed has been overstated.

The Angels have won, are winning, will continue to win, and are good enough to win a World Series as currently constructed. It is however, ridiculous to argue that the Angels could not improve their chances for success by acquiring a “big bat.” But, the pursuit of that “bat” should not be carried out with the desperation, which continues to be suggested by the majority of those that follow the team. Such an acquisition should be viewed as a luxury, rather than a necessity.

The Angels have more leverage than what was expected before the season, and more than the most would currently acknowledge. They currently lead their division by 3 games, with Oakland, likely their only challenger, hamstrung by injuries. The A’s best starter, Rich Harden and reliever, Huston Street are both on the DL. Mike Piazza and Mark Kotsay are currently on the DL, and the A’s roster is loaded with guys who have difficulty staying healthy. Not to mention, this team just isn’t as good as it was a year ago after losing Barry Zito and Frank Thomas to free agency. And, neither Seattle nor Texas are worthy of being mentioned as possible contenders without making wholesale changes.

The Angels offense would be improved by acquiring another bat, but they should not make a trade this early in the season unless overwhelmed by value. Committing one of the five starters currently in the rotation, and a top prospect for a bat right now would not be wise unless that player is Alex Rodriguez. The Angels are the chasees not the chasers, and should act as such for the time being. A better approach would be to wait for the trade deadline as player values adjust based on the position of teams in the standings. In other words, the Angels may be able to get the bat they covet, while giving up less, or may decide that a bat is not necessary at all should say…Casey Kotchman emerge as a legitimate homerun threat.

There are several reasons why the Angels can win as constructed, and why patience would serve the Angels best when looking to deal. The following are the top five.


1. Pitching

The Angels do not have a good pitching staff. They have a great one. The starting staff is currently second in the American League in ERA, and first in both strikeouts and innings pitched. John Lackey was outstanding last year, and is unbelievably even better this year. Bartolo Colon has returned, completely unexpectedly, to Cy Young form. Kelvim Escobar has been brilliant. Jered Weaver is as talented and polished as anyone could expect a second year player to be and Ervin Santana, the weak link, is potentially the best number five in all of baseball, and flat out doesn’t lose at home. Only the Red Sox can compete with the Angels in the starting rotation, and theirs is an aging one, which will require a lot of luck to stay healthy and productive through the grind of the long season. Most would agree that pitching wins championships. The Angels’ stacks up favorably to anyone.

2. Gary Matthews Jr.

It’s time to admit that the Matthews Jr. signing was a good one, and could prove to be great if he continues to produce at his current pace. Despite a couple of careless errors, Matthews has played a remarkable centerfield, robbing opposing hitters of extra bases on what seems like a daily basis. Offensively, he works counts, gets on base, drives the baseball, and has executed Scioscia ball beautifully with runners in scoring position. He has been the bat the Angels had been missing. We can complain about the amount and length of his contract all we want. The fact remains that through 42 games, he has proved more valuable than the off-season’s biggest free agent, Alfonso Soriano. For now, Matthews has even made believers of the “unfaithful.”

3. Youth Served

Dallas McPherson.

“Who Howie Kendrick and Reggie Willits are not, Alex?” That’s right. This group of young Angels, which should also include Erick Aybar, has delivered the goods – something the highly touted McPherson could not do. Kendrick looked like a five time all-star before breaking his hand, and will return to the starting line-up within a week. He has already shown himself to be a top tier major league hitter, and has played solid in the field. Reggie Willits, thrust into a starting role after the injury to Garret Anderson leads American League rookies in batting, and is constantly on base. With Willits’ production at the top of the line-up, Mike Scioscia is allowed to hit Matthews, a capable run producer, behind Vladimir Guerrero, and in front of the second half of the line-up, which will soon include Kendrick and Anderson. This provides a significant balance, which has been absent the last two seasons. Willits will not continue to hit at a .360+ pace, but can be expected to continue to be patient at the plate and get on base, which will force Scioscia to leave him in the line-up, despite the fears of some that he will be benched upon Anderson’s return.

4. The AL “Worst”

Unlike the Yankees, Orioles, Blue Jays and everyone in the AL Central, the Angels are fortunate to play in a bad division. They should be right at the top of their division for the entire season and could quite possibly pull away from the pack early. They are currently head and shoulders above every other team in the division and should remain superior provided they stay healthy. Getting into the post-season is half the battle and the Angels are headed that way. While contenders in other divisions look to improve their club in hopes of just competing in their division, to do so, they will likely be pressured to give up more. The Angels, on the other hand, can take their time pursuing a bat and do not have to rush to fill a need.

5. Juan Rivera

Perhaps the greatest leverage the Angels enjoy is Juan Rivera who should return to the Angels by the All-Star break according to early reports out of Tempe, where he is rehabbing his broken leg. Rivera had a career year in 2006 and could provide the Angels with another power threat down the stretch. It’s possible that come the trade deadline no one on the market will be of Rivera’s caliber. Rivera hit .310 with 25 homeruns and 85 RBI in just 124 games last season. If nothing else, having Rivera’s bat in his back pocket is a plus for Stoneman when negotiating with other clubs. It provides the Angels and Stoneman a rebuttal to GMs trying to get over on the Angels in any potential deal.

Things are going relatively smoothly for the Angels through the first two months of the season. They’re pitching brilliantly, playing good defense and scoring runs. The Angels are fourth in the AL in hitting and sixth in runs scored. The team is where they need to be and are headed in the right direction. They have enough weapons to compete with anyone in baseball now and in the post-season.

In fact, one could argue that only upgrade that would make an immediate impact is at 3rd base, where Chone Figgins has struggled since returning the disabled list. And this is where Stoneman should focus his attention if a deal is indeed being sought. However, any talk of Santana for Crede/Endsburg should be nixed. Giving up a starter at this stage in the season without getting better value is return is too risky to the present state of the team and to the future of the franchise.

Victor’s Commentary

I think that we as fans tend to border on the obsessive. We complain non-stop about our lack of a power hitter to protect Vlad, yet the team continues to win. When is winning enough? And is winning enough? Or do we collectively spend our time waiting for the wheels to fall of and when they don’t, we simply shift our energies to critiquing the manner in which we win? Nick Hornby, author-extraordinaire and obsessed Arsenal fan, wrote a book called “Fever Pitch” in which he explored the inner workings of his own sick and twisted obsession with a London soccer club. Never able to enjoy the team when they were losers and never able to enjoy the team when they were winning, Hornby described how even when the team was winning and one of the best in the league (sound familiar?) he still found reason to sulk and abhor bad management decisions. If the team won 3-1, it was a victory marred by poor officiating or chippy play, bad coaching decisions or un-spectacular goals. It wasn’t about the wins anymore; it was about how they won. In 15 plus years of rooting for his beloved Arsenal, Hornby could only point out two such occasions that he would label as “perfect victories.” And most of the requisites for such a victory had little to do with play on the field.

The obsessed fan had to get on the right train, preferably get a seat for the short ride to the stadium, and then find his way with plenty of time to spare to the fish and chips shop. Once there he would order a bag of chips (fries to us Americans). And he had to have a seat in order to enjoy his short meal before a brisk walk to the stadium would find him in his spot in the North stands. Oh yeah, almost forgot. The team had to win 2-0. Not by 2 goals, they had to win by a score of 2-nil. And the goals had to be “good goals.” Magnificent displays of skill and finesse that were ultimately followed by a finish never to be seen again. “You had to be there” was how those goals would forever be described. If all of those things didn’t happen, he would spend the week bemoaning how being in first place was merely a prelude to finishing short of the ultimate prize. Are we as Angels fan headed down this dark road? I hope not. But we seem to be there now. This is a very good team with some weaknesses that are more than made up for by our overwhelming strengths. There is no such thing as perfect balance in baseball. There was that 97-99 Yankees team, but we may never see a team like that again. Enjoy the ride. Enjoy first place. It’s not so much how we get there as long as we get there.

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FREEWAY SERIES RETURNS TO ANAHEIM

ANGELS V. DODGERS
Freeway Series Preview
By Adam Dodge

The only part of inter-league baseball that still intrigues me is the annual Freeway series between the Angels and the hated Dodgers. The two teams meet again this weekend for a three game series in Anaheim.

With two first-place teams doing battle and So Cal bragging rights on the line, the weekend series should take center stage in the southland. The Dodgers enter the series in a similar position as the Angels – 3 games up in their division, and clear favorites to outlast their contenders. And like the Angels, they lack in homerun power and are deep in pitching.
On paper it appears that the fans are in for a good series. The Angels though, should have the advantage having won 7 of their last 9 games. They’ve also beaten the Dodgers in 11 of their last 14 games played at the Big A.

The pitching match-ups are good. Friday night, the Dodgers will send the MLB leader in ERA, Brad Penny to the mound against the Angels, who will counter with the struggling Ervin Santana. Santana should feel comfortable pitching a home-night game, a setting which usually brings out the best in the 24 year old right hander. Expect a low scoring game, which could be settled by the bullpens in the late innings.

On Saturday, Mark Hendrickson (2-0, 2.61), who is filling in for the injured Jason Schmidt, will face the Angels’ Jered Weaver, who appears to have shaken off the rust and has settled into the rotation after missing the first two weeks of the season. The Angels were among baseball’s best against lefties last season, and have roughed up Hendrickson, former Devil Ray, in the past.
Sunday will feature Derek Lowe and Kelvim Escobar, who will look to rebound after being pounded by Seattle in his last start.

The Angels are playing great baseball, especially at home, have been the better team in inter-league play, and have the one true superstar in Vladimir Guerrero.
Prediction – Angels take series 2 games to 1

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ervin Santana – Tonight’s start is a big one for the young Santana, who has struggled in the early going. A big performance against the crosstown rivals in front of a rowdy sold out crowd could go a long way in getting him back on track as one of the games best young pitchers.

Vladimir Guerrero – The Angels just completed a 5-2 road trip, and except for last night’s 3-4 3 RBI performance, Guerrero was quiet. I look for him to heat up this weekend. **Prediction** Vlad goes deep twice on Saturday.

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Sarge Jr. surges for the Halos

Angels new center fielder hasn't disappointed.
Eric Denton
AngelsWin.com

There was a lot of hand wringing about the 5 year $50 million dollar contract the Angels awarded to Gary Matthews Jr. in December. Was he just a journey-man who had a fluke year, or was he a late bloomer who just needed playing time to blossom ?

So far those worries have been laid to rest as Matthews has done exactly what the Angels had hoped for. Playing a great defensive center field and adding a much needed threat to the lineup. Matthews has produced from both the lead off position and now as the 3rd place hitter or clean up batter.

Second on the team with an .834 OPS, Matthews has filled the role of run producer the injured Garret Anderson has vacated. Since being moved down in the lineup Matthews has pounded out four home-runs and 13 RBI.

Matthews production will give manager Mike Scioscia the tools to strengthen the middle of the line up when Anderson and Howie Kendrick return from injury.

1. Reggie Willits LF
2. Orlando Cabrera SS
3. Vladimir Guerrero RF
4. Gary Matthews CF
5. Howie Kendrick 2B
6. Garret Anderson DH
7. Casey Kotchman 1B
8. Mike Napoli C
9. Chone Figgins 3B

Assuming Napoli, Kotchman and Figgins heat up this could be a productive lineup, thanks to the productivity and versatility of Gary Matthews.

While the future is uncertain and his contract may come back to hurt the Halos in his 4th or 5th year. For now, this signing is a success. I would expect a productive Matthews in Angels outfield for at least another two seasons before a decline could set in.

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2007 AngelsWin Prospect Hotlist, 7th Edition

1. Nathan Haynes, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels)

Haynes who hit .500/.559/.667 last week and currently leads all Triple-A batters in average (.400), on-base percentage (.486) and triples (five) gets the top spot in this week’s prospect hotlist. The A's selected Haynes 32nd overall in 1997 and moved him to the Angels two years later for Omar Olivares and Randy Velarde. The 27-year-old Haynes has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but his strong early showing with the bat and with his legs (he plays center field and has swiped 12 bases) might get him consideration for a call up.

2. Terry Evans, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels)

Evans is En Fuego! Currently riding a 7 game hit streak in which he’s had 7 multi hit games in his last 11 games, Evans has seen his average rise to .326, with 5 Hr’s along with 10 stolen bases. His slugging pct. (.556) and his ability to run balls down in the outfield gives the Angels a talented option in the outfield in the near future.

3. Brok Butcher, SP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels)

Brok had just one start since being crowned the #1 last week and he didn’t disappoint, hurling another scoreless affair in 6 innings of work. It won’t be long before Butcher is moved up if he continues to dominate hitter’s in the Cal League. Read what Eddie Bane had to say about Butcher and some of the other prospect in the May edition of “The Bane Connection” http://www.angelswin.com/bane.htm

4. Robert Mosebach, SP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels)

Another talented arm in Rancho is Mosebach, who Eddie Bane raved about in Spring Training with his bullpen sessions. After a slow start, Mosebach has lowered his ERA to 3.78 and has notched a quality start in each of his last 5 starts.

5. Darren O’Day, RP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels)

Darren who throws an underhanded ball that gives the hitter’s another look, has resulted in an 0.00 ERA to start the season in 11 innings of work, fanning 12.

6. Christopher Pettit, OF, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels)

Pettit just keeps on raking which has seen his average stay steadily around the .340-.350 area for the last 3 weeks. He’s smacked 16 doubles and has a solid .977 OPS for the Kernels.

7. Douglas Brandt, SP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels)

Douglas just keeps getting it done after being converted to a starter in Cedar Rapids. His ERA among starters with at least 5 starts or more is a organization best, 0.91, with 30 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings.

8. Daniel Davidson, SP, Class AA Arkansas (Angels)

Davidson has not given up more than 2 runs in each of his last 6 starts, posting a 2.06 ERA for the Travelers. Davidson, a southpaw is repeating Double-A after he was hit hard in ’06. The league is only hitting .219 against him so perhaps he’s turned the corner at the age of 25.

9. Sean O’Sullivan, SP, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels)

Sean been pretty steady for the Kernels thus far in the season, posting a solid 3.35 ERA. In his last two starts, he’s giving up just 3 runs in 14 innings, fanning 13. One of the alarming stats against O’Sullivan however is that he’s given up more hits than innings pitched, 50 in 43 innings.

10. Jason Bulger, RP, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels)

Acquired from the Diamondbacks for Alberto Callaspo, Bulger has done well of late in the bullpen for the Bees. In his last 5 appearances, he hasn’t given up a run and has fanned 11. Bulger could be huge if he keeps it up in Triple-A for the Halos later on this Summer to give Speier, Shields and Frankie a break late in the game.

Keep an eye on: Robert Fish, SP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels) Making his first start of the season for the Quakes at the age of 19, Fish gave up 2 runs in 3 innings, walking 4, while fanning 4. Another lefty that’s on a quick path to the big leagues, Fish has very good stuff according to Eddie Bane and it’s someone we all should be keeping an eye on.

On the outside looking to get in soon:
Nick Adenhart, Brandon Wood, Joe Saunders, Peter Bourjos, Brad Coon, Sean Rodriguez, Stephen Marek, David Herndon, Jeff Mathis, Ryan Aldridge, Timothy Schoeninger, Matthew Sweeney, Jose Arredondo, Jeremy Haynes, Trevor Bell, PJ Phillips, Amalio Diaz, Nick Gorneault, Hank Conger, Jordan Renz, Andrew Hill, Michael Collins, Mark Trumbo, Anthony Ortega, Kevin Jepsen, and Hainley Statia.

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Angels at Mariners

Angels v. Mariners

Escobar v. Hernandez

I was driving home from Angels stadium a week or so ago and I was complaining to my pal about Scioscia batting Vlad in the 4 hole and having Cabrera in front of him. My rationale was that OC does better in that 2 hole because the pitcher may slightly panic when having to face Vlad in the first inning of a game when Vlad is in the 3 spot. With Vlad hitting 4th, there’s a sense of relief on the part of the pitcher that he may not need to face Vlad in the 1st inning and may even get to face him as a leadoff hitter in the 2nd inning where he can pitch around him and essentially shut the entire Angels offense down for the first 3-4 innings. It was as if mike heard my cries and came to his sense, keeping Willits and OC in the top 2 spots and instead batting Gary Matthews behind Vlad as protection. Now I don’t think that Matthews is a “big bat” but he can do a lot in the 4 spot in that he works counts and gets on base. This can create havoc for the pitcher without scoring runs via the long ball. So far, it’s paying dividends as the Angels offense has been electric.

Tonight’s game should be a good test as to how fluky this offense may or may not be. Felix Hernandez returns from the DL to take on Kelvim Escobar, one of a couple of Angels with early Cy Young potential. If Hernandez is completely free of the elbow discomfort that kept him out of action for a month then the Angels offense will need to be patient and do whatever it can to get Felix out of the game and get into that shady Mariners bullpen. The Angels will need Reggie Willits to set the tone and take pitches and work counts in the hope that it continues to trickle down the lineup. If the Angels can get Felix out of the game early enough, Escobar should be able to keep the team in it long enough for the offense to get to work. But, if the halos go out there swinging early and often, this game could be over before 9 PT.

Something worth noting is Vladimir’s numbers in Seattle and against tonight’s pitcher. Vlad is a .367 (36-for-98) lifetime hitter at Safeco Field with six homers and 22 RBIs, and is 4-for-14 (.286) lifetime against Hernandez.

If the Angels can win tonight, a sweep is not out of the question.

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The Bane Connection

The May Edition

May 15th, 2007

Interview conducted by Senior Editor, Chuck Richter

Q: (Angelswin) - Eddie, what's not to like about Brok Butcher's start to the season. Can you shed some light on Brok and why he's been so successful in such an extreme hitter's league. He was the #1 Prospect in our Hotlist last week and his brother Jason Butcher who you signed in the past, shed some of his own thoughts on his little bro as well. http://www.angelswin.com/prospectreport.htm

A: (Eddie Bane) - Brok is a pitcher that we signed late one year away from Cal State Fullerton. Much of the credit goes to area scout, Bobby DeJardin and Bill Pintard who runs the Foresters team in Santa Barbara. Bill has put together one of the top summer programs in the country and puts in countless hours with that club.

Brok has finally gotten over some injuries and is pitching like we thought he would. The Angels have a great relationship with CS Fullerton and George Horton. George gets his share and so do the Angels, but we never walk away with hard feelings after the negotiations. Not the usual thoughts that people would have with pro and college baseball, but in reality we both have the same goals. We both want to make the players as good as possible.

Q: (Angelswin) - Darren O'Day is another one that most Angels fans or those that follow prospects haven't heard about. What can you tell us about him? A scouting report of sorts. He seems to be flourishing as a closer in Rancho Cucamonga. He hasn't given up an earned run yet in 10+ innings, fanning 11 thus far.

A: (Eddie Bane) - Darren is another Kotchman sign. He is an under hander and his different look along with good stuff gives him a chance to be a major league reliever.

Q: (Angelswin) - Another new face to us Angels fans is southpaw Douglas Brandt from Oceanside, CA. Since being moved into the rotation he hasn't given up more than 1 earned run in each of his 4 starts, posting an ERA of 0.91 with 30 K's in 29 innings. Like Butcher and O'Day, what can you tell us about Brandt?

A: (Eddie Bane) - We will know more about Mr Brandt when he gets to a higher level. He is doing what he should do in A ball. He is a lefty with average stuff and will throw plenty of strikes. That always give a pitcher a chance.

Q: (Angelswin) - Injury updates. How are Tommy Mendoza, Ryan Aldridge and Trevor Bell progressing?

A: (Eddie Bane) -Tommy and Ryan are both working at our site in Arizona. The facility is the same place that benefited Nick Adenhart and others. It is a great place to get players back to health. Trevor is already back off the DL. In this day and age where the investments are greater we always want to error on the side of caution. Gamers like those 3 want to just keep on pitching. But, the best thing for all 3 is to go slow. Both Ryan and Tommy have had an opportunity to impress Mike and his staff and they are both on Mike''s radar after spring training. That is a great place to be.

Q: (Angelswin) - Terry Evans is on fire of late in Salt Lake and his season last year is looking more like a true testament of his ability, rather than a fluke. He's flashing 5 tools out there for the Bees, must be exciting for the organization to land a player of his caliber for a guy we were looking to dump off to another team. Props to Stoneman! What are the scouts saying about Evans?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Gary Sutherland and his professional staff do a great job. When they see a prospect at 2A or even A ball they will file a report. His staff saw a player that was under the radar with St Louis. Some players come into their ability a little later than others. Terry is no exception. He always had the tools and now the use of them is catching up. Bill pulled the trigger and was able to land Evans. Jeff Weaver got back to being himself for St Louis so both teams won which makes for a great trade.

Evans does have all 5 tools that you are looking for in a position player. Hit, arm, run, power and field. Or as great old time scout, Birdie Tebbetts used to call it, HARPF. Birdie always wanted a HARPF player. Evans has all those tools and now the trick is to use them at Mike's level. We think he can do it.

Q: (Angelswin) - Though the stats don't reflect it, who has impressed you thus far, 6 weeks into the season?

A: (Eddie Bane) - All of our young players in Cedar Rapids are doing really well. Dan Radcliff's work with Matt Sweeney and him signing quickly last year has helped him skip a year of development. He started the season with a huge hitting streak. He also helped himself by working hard on his defense.

Hank Conger is hitting some homeruns and calling a good game. Mark Trumbo is starting to warm up. Power is the last useable tool to come in games and Mark is realizing that. The guys that get lost by the fans at this time of the year are the youngsters in extended spring. Jung struck out 10 guys in 4 innings the other day. Robert Fish is throwing 92 mph at times and for a left-handed pitcher his command has improved and we are very happy with him.

Clay Daniel has brought in another crop of international players that are going to make an impact and some of them could be another Aybar or even a Frankie. At least we can always dream about some of them becoming like Frankie although Frankie is a really huge goal to have for a young player.

Nick Adenhart, as long as he stays healthy, has been incredible for a 20 year old young man.

Q: (Angelswin) - Lastly; with the Orem Owlz season about to embark upon us, who are you excited to see in action this season for the Owlz? Who should we keep an eye out for?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Obviously we want to see Young IL Jung from Kwanjiu. He has a big arm, but his ability to pitch is equally impressive. A couple of the Latin arms that are in extended spring can throw really hard. Fish will be fun to watch. A lot of the team in Orem will be the hs arms we took in last years draft. Conger and Sweeney are the exception rather than the rule as they were able to skip Orem because they signed quickly and got out to play.

Tom Kotchman will make them better players in their 2 and a half months in the Pioneer League. The draftees will be best served by getting out and playing ASAP.

(Angelswin) - Like always Eddie, we truly appreciate your time and efforts. You got a ton of fans and they look forward to this monthly piece.

(Eddie Bane) Once again to Chuck and the Angels fans, I want to thank you for your interest. We have the 58th pick in the draft and should be able to supply Angel fans with some exciting selections. I know you guys won't agree with all of them, but my guys have put in a ton of air miles and hotel nights trying to find the best possible prospects for us to sign. And, when you do not agree with some of our selections it is good to voice your opinion. That is what good scouting is about. You have to have thick skin in the scouting business and if nothing else we all have a thick shell and can take some criticism.

Thanks for reading this Angel information.

Eddie

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2007 Angelswin Prospect Hotlist, 6th edition

1. Brok Butcher SP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels) Brok moves to the top of the list this week after continuing his dominance of High Class A hitters in an extreme hitter's league. Brok's ERA is an organization best 1.10 (for starting pitchers with at least 5 starts) and has posted a 1.07 WHIP to boot. Brok has not given up more than 2 runs in any of his 5 starts. An amazing feat considering the league he's playing in.

I spoke with Jason Butcher, Brok's brother who has attended all of his starts and he had this to say about his brother's repertoire: Brok's velocity is only at 87-91 but he has tremendous command (8 walks in 41 Innings). He throws a tremendous 2 seam fastball that runs all over the plate. He gets a ton of ground balls with this pitch and his ball seems very heavy. He also throws a hard slider (79-83) and when his change-up is on it is un-hittable. The bottom line from my perspective is that Brok loves to compete and loves to win every time he takes the mound.

2. Nathan Haynes, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels) While Butcher takes over as the ERA leader for the organization, Haynes is at the top in multiple statistical categories not only in the organization, but in the entire minors. Haynes .OBP is currently at .470 (#1 in the entire PCL), he's 2nd in batting average to Shane Costa with a .374 BA and he's tied with Matt Brown for the most RBI's in the organization with 22 (from the leadoff spot). He's also in the top 5 for stolen bases with 11. Haynes isn't just a slap hitter either. He's posted a 1.056 OPS, 3rd in the PCL behind Ryan Braun and Jack Cust (currently with the A's).

3. Nick Adenhart, SP, Class AA Arkansas (Angels) Adenhart had his worst start of the season last week going only 3 1/3 giving up 6 hits and 4 earned runs which saw his ERA skyrocket to 1.70. Yep, he's been that good folks. Tonight he faces off with the Rockies top SP prospect Greg Reynolds in a premier pitching match up.

4. Bradley Coon, OF, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels) Coon just keeps getting on base, stealing bags and playing a sold centerfield for the Quakes. Coon is tied for 2nd with Eric Young Jr. with 17 SB's, one behind the leader Antoan Richardson (Giants) who has 18. Last night Coon went 4-5 against Lake Elsinore pushing his average up to .338.

5. Joe Saunders, SP, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels) Saunders has notched quality starts in each of his 3 starts; his last was the best on Sunday going 8 innings, giving up 2 runs while fanning 8. Saunder's ERA since being sent down is at 3.05 and he's just waiting for the phone call if Colon can't go on Saturday.

6. Douglas Brandt, SP, Low Class A, Cedar Rapids (Angels) What's not to like about Brandt? His ERA is at 0.76, though he's just making his 3 start for the Kernels as he started the season off in the bullpen. His strikeouts to innings pitched is a solid 24/23 2/3 and hasn't given up more than 1 run in each of his starts. We'll get more on Brandt from Eddie Bane later this week in our "Bane Connection" segment.

7. Darren O'Day, RP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels) If it isn't the ERA which currently sits at 0.00, or the 6 saves converted out of 6, then it's the Ground Outs to Fly Outs rate which is currently at 7.00. The League is hitting .107 off O'Day and he's fanned 9 hitters in 8.1 innings. Like Brandt, we're getting the lowdown on O'Day this week from Eddie Bane.

8. Matt Brown, 3B, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels) With Brandon Wood rotting on the bench for the Angels since his last recall the Angels decided to promote Brown to get Wood some at bats. We're unsure if the Angels are going to use Brown at third base for the struggling Figgins, but Brown has also played 2B for the Bees this year. Matt has been on a tear of late so perhaps the Angels are hoping to catch lightening in a bottle here. Brown has hit .375 in his last 7 games with 1 HR, 4 doubles and 6 runs batted in.

9. Steven Shell, RP, Class AA Arkansas (Angels) What's not to like about Steven Shell this season thus far? After making a relief appearance and start in Salt Lake which saw him give up only 1 earned run in 7 innings, he's been on fire pitching out of the bullpen for Arkansas. Check this out; in Shell's last 4 relief appearances for Arkansas, he's struck out 17 hitters, 19 in total in 5 games for the Travelers. His ERA currently sits a 0.68. Keep an eye on Shell as the Angels could use his arm in the bullpen at some point this season.

10.Christopher Pettit, OF, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels) Struggled with either Pettit or O'Sullivan who threw a nice 8 inning gem last night, but went with Pettit for his overall consistent play of late. Pettit leads the Kernels in multiple categories. Pettit has 3 multi hit games in his last 4 games. Pettit is another player with excellent on base skills, good speed and power. Track his progress this season in Cedar Rapids. His average is at .337 and has posted a .404 on base pct.

Keep an eye on: Daniel Davidson, SP, Class AA Arkansas Davidson who's repeating Double A with the Travelers has seemed to turn it around this season. The southpaw has a solid ERA of 1.96 after getting murdered in AA last year (5.64 ERA). Davidson hasn't given up more than 2 runs in any of his last 5 starts. Keep an eye on Davidson as perhaps he's figured it out this season. The Texas League is only hitting .215 off him.

On the outside looking to get in soon: Brandon Wood, Peter Bourjos, Jason Bulger, Sean Rodriguez, Sean O'Sullivan, Terry Evans, Stephen Marek, Kendry Morales, David Herndon, Robert Mosebach, Jeff Mathis, Ryan Aldridge, Timothy Schoeninger, Matthew Sweeney, Jose Arredondo, Jeremy Haynes, Trevor Bell, PJ Phillips, Amalio Diaz, Nick Gorneault, Hank Conger, Jordan Renz, Andrew Hill, Michael Collins, Mark Trumbo, Anthony Ortega, Kevin Jepsen, and Hainley Statia.

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Angels v Indians (Game 1 of 3)

Santana v. Lee

I am generally not a pessimist and when it comes to the Angels I generally take a very constructive and unbiased view of the team’s chances. All of that could change after this 3 game series with the Indians. 2 losses or more against the Tribe, coupled with that disastrous series against the White Sox last weekend, and I may join the dark side and start bemoaning Stoneman and calling for Hatcher’s resignation. I know it’s early in the season but with injuries beginning to mount the pressure is on to stay competitive. And this series should be a good barometer for where this Angels team is. The Indians have been very good in a very tough division and they are responsible for sending the Angels into their last tailspin of mediocrity.

On the mound tonight for the Halos is the always evolving Ervin Santana. Statistics would suggest that tonight should be a game in which Ervin should shine. It’s a night game and he is at home. If Santana struggles tonight then all bets are off and the Angels could struggle throughout the game. As we ALL KNOW, the Angels need the rotation to keep it close. Cliff Lee has only made one start so far this year and we should all hope he looks like he did in that start when he gave up 5 runs in 6 innings.

This team will need to continue to be patient at the plate and play better defense. The Indians are a good team. We should be better.

If the guys in front of Vlad can get on at a good pace we should win this on. I put my trust in Matthews and Willits.

Angels win

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Road Kill Santana

Road Kill, Joy Kill, whatever. Ervin Santana can be classified as either when pitching on the road. The straight as an arrow fastball that German drilled over the fence to give the Royals the lead and win on Wednesday night, was indicative what he's been doing on the road, entering into his third season.

Take a look at Santana's home/road splits, they are Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde like.

2005: Home ( 9-3, 3.18 ERA) - Away (3-5, 7.43 ERA)
2006: Home (10-2, 3.02 ERA) - Away (6-6, 5.02 ERA)
2007: Home (2-0, 1.93 ERA) - Away (0-4, 7.87 ERA)

Ugly, unless of course he's taking the hill at home, then it's all good. Here's the deal though, you need to be effective on the road to be a quality pitcher in the big leagues, I don't care how good you are when you take the hill in front of home crowd cheers.

From watching some of his games on the road vs. home, I've noticed that his fastball command on the road is just awful, for whatever the reason. I've seen calls for inside or outside fastballs thrown right down the middle of the plate, which resulted in an extra base hit most of the time.

Another thing I've noticed is, he's used his changeup more at home (by count, he threw his changeup 10 times vs. the Rangers at home and 7 vs. the Mariners). In the combine 4 losses of his on the road this year, he's thrown his changeup 7 times from what I caught with my eye in going back to my mlbtv.com archived games.

The solution? well it appears it's easy to resolve. Throw more changeup's in fastball counts and starting hitting the corners when the catcher calls for it. Perhaps have Santana hypnotized before the game "You're not in KC, you're in Anaheim, Esteban German is not Albert Pujols".

You hear the boys at Baseball America or scouts talk about, "he's only a two pitch pitcher, he likely profiles best as a late inning reliever", they say that because you need at least 3 average to good pitches to survive as a successful starter in the big leagues. When Santana is at his best, home or not, he's using all 3 of his pitches (an above average fastball, average slider and average changeup).

Santana has no room for error if he's not commanding his 93-97 MPH fastball because it has no movement. It would behoove the coaching staff to teach him a cutter, add some sink to his fastball and preach CHANGEUP CHANGEUP CHANGEUP when facing hitters on the road.

He's got the talent so he's going to get his feathers ruffled by the fans & critics if he doesn't start having success outside of Anaheim, especially since this team isn't the strongest offensively, we need our starting rotation to notch quality starts for the majority of games this year. I pull for Santana everytime he takes the mound, but I'm skeptical of any type of success when he does.

The time is now for Santana to shit or get off the pot. With Saunders and Moseley showing they can pitch at the major league level with success and Top Prospect, Nick Adenhart not too far behind, Santana can be expendable in a trade for a power hitting 3B, DH or LF. The Cardinals, Yankees, Phillies, Cubs or Orioles could have some interest in Santana's services, since they're battling issues with their starting rotation.

If not, let's hope Santana gets it, he has every bit of ability as right-handed hurler Justin Verlander if he can put it alltogether. Not a bad guy to lean on for years to come if this "thower" can learn how to pitch.

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Angels at Royals (Game 3)

Angels v. Royals

Santana v. De La Rosa

I have always been a huge supporter of Ervin Santana. When people point to his away stats and scream in terror; or when someone wants to say his slider or curveball are below average and his fastball has no movement, I point to his win totals as evidence that he gets it done. That could all change for me tonight if Ervin goes out there and lays another rotten egg against one of the worst franchises in baseball. Ervin is young, I say, but the Royals are just plain awful.

That being said, tonight could pose the only chance the Royals have of taking a game in this series. But this also presents a danger to our beloved Halos. Lose this game and we’re looking at a possible split of this 4 game series. The only upside to such a catastrophe is that Mike Scioscia would get the Angels manager wins record at home on Friday or Saturday. However, we should take 3 out of 4. I never say we should sweep because any team can beat any other team in this league one out of 4 chances. We will see tonight.

After last night’s game the Royals may have learned their lesson, and in doing so look for them to walk Vlad every chance they get. I hate Sosh’s kooky lineup. I would personally take Cabrera out, bat him 5th, and move everyone else up. That top of the order would rival any in the game right now. Matthews, Willits and Vlad! That’s my new battle cry! Say it with me!!! Matthews, Willits and Vlad!

I can’t go against my boy Santana…not…yet.

Angels win.

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2007 Angelswin Prospect Hotlist, 4th edition

1. Nick Adenhart SP, Class AA Arkansas (Angels)

So, it’s hard to move a guy down when in his only start since last Wed’s Prospect Hotlist, Adenhart threw zeroes for 7 innings, fanning 4. His ERA currently sits at 0.80 and has established himself as one of the top 3 prospect pitchers in all of baseball.

2. Brok Butcher, SP, Class A, Rancho Cucamonga (Angels)
Butcher debuted on the Hotlist last week for the first time and with two starts in which he didn’t give up a run, 14 innings total, he lowered his ERA to a minor league Halos best (Among starting pitchers) to 0.78. Butcher fanned 12 in those 14.1 innings.

3. Nathan Haynes, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels)
It’s hard to ignore what Haynes has been doing in Salt Lake. With a league leading .380 batting average going into tonight’s game, Haynes also leads the Bees with 17 RBI’s from the leadoff spot (WOW). Besides the batting average, Haynes has been getting his fair share of walks as well (15) which has resulted in a .484 on base pct.

4. Douglas Brandt, SP, Low Class A, Cedar Rapids (Angels)
Brandt since being moved into the rotation has given up only 1 run in two starts, while fanning 10 in those 10 innings pitched as a member of the Kernels rotation. This is a guy to keep an eye on and we’ll find out a lot more about his arsenal from Eddie Bane in our May edition of “The Bane Connection”.

5. Nick Green, SP, Class AA Arkansas (Angels)
Green has notched 3 quality starts in a row to earn his way back onto the Prospect Hotlist. Green, in his last 3 starts (20.1 innings) has given up only 3 runs, while fanning 12. His last two starts he went 7 innings each time out, giving up only 1 run vs. Tulsa, twice.

6. Christopher Pettit, OF, Low Class A Cedar Rapids (Angels)
Petit leads the Kernels in batting average (.329), OBP (.402), Home Runs (4), Slugging Pct. (.589 and second to Bourjos in Stolen Bases with (7). Look for him to debut in Rancho Cucamonga by June if he keeps this up.

7. Darren O’Day, RP, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels)
It’s hard not to recognize what O’Day has done late in the game for the Quakes as he’s yet to give up a run in 7.1 innings, fanning 8, while saving 6 games for Rancho. O’Day had success with Orem and Cedar Rapids in 2006, so his start to the season isn’t a fluke. He’s another kid that we’ll be asking Bane about in our May edition of “The Bane Connection”.

8. Freddy Sandoval, 3B, Class AA Arkansas (Angels)

It’s hard not to like Sandoval, a manager’s player that can play multiple positions, has a strong work ethic and gives 110%. Sandoval plays mostly third base, where he’s playing this year, but is red hot of late. Freddy has upped his BA to .303 and has an impressive 13/13 walk to strikeouts rate, while playing solid D at the hot corner. Sandoval, who stole 30 bases for the Quakes in ’06, has 6 with the Travelers thus far.

9. Tommy Murphy, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake (Angels)
Murphy has been hitting, as he did in ’06 with the Bees since being sent down over a week ago. Tommy has posted a .360 batting average, with 2 doubles, 2 triples and 4 stolen bases while flashing his range and arm in the outfield.

10. Bradley Coon, OF, Class A Rancho Cucamonga (Angels)
Coon who is tied for the lead in stolen bases (Cal League) with 16 has continued to excel as a leadoff hitter, posting a .327 batting average, .386 on base pct. And showing some extra base power of late ( 7 doubles, 1 triple and smacked his first home run of the season vs. Visalia on Sunday).

Keep an eye on: David Herndon – The Angels have a ton of starting pitching depth, but Herndon is intriguing as he possesses a large frame (6’6, 200 lbs) and has a heavy fastball and developing secondary pitches. Herndon gave up 1 run in 7 innings in his last start.

On the outside looking to get in soon:
Brandon Wood, Sean Rodriguez, Terry Evans, Stephen Marek, Kendry Morales, Matt Brown, David Herndon, Robert Mosebach, Jeff Mathis, Ryan Aldridge, Timothy Schoeninger, Peter Bourjos, Matthew Sweeney, Jose Arredondo, Sean O'Sullivan, Jeremy Haynes, Steven Shell, Trevor Bell, PJ Phillips, Amalio Diaz, Nick Gorneault, Hank Conger, Jordan Renz, Andrew Hill, Michael Collins, Mark Trumbo, Anthony Ortega, Kevin Jepsen, and Hainley Statia.

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Angels at Royals (Game 2)

Angels v. Royals

Colon v. Greinke

I’ve been picking the Angels to win a lot lately but that’s because I think our match ups are consistently better. The Red Sox series was the only series where it seemed like we might falter match up wise. They have a good rotation and a pretty good offensive line up. All of this is a [reference to tonight’s game. I can’t see our Angels team losing to Kansas City. I think the Royals are much improved and tonight WOULD present their best chance.

The Royals send Zack Greinke (1-2, 3.51 ERA) to the mound tonight where he will face the rejuvenated Bartolo Colon (2-0, 1.93 ERA). It didn’t seem like Colon could get better than his first start but he did by striking out 11 in a win over a very good offensive team in Tampa Bay. As long as Bartolo continues this kind of dominance the Royals should just phone this one in and look to tomorrow’s game.

Look for Vlad to continue his campaign for another MVP award.

Reggie Willits might be my new favorite player.

Angels win…again

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