Come Meet Torii Hunter on Tuesday in Anaheim

Come meet Los Angeles Angels Outfielder Torii Hunter at Ralphs in Anaheim where he will be appearing from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm on Tuesday August 2nd, 2011 as part of the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams program. Torii Hunter will be available to meet fans, pose for pictures and sign autographs.

Pepsi Max is partnering with MLB.com to give fans the opportunity to play against some of the greatest baseball players of all time. The winner, along with 10 of his/her friends, will get to play against a team of MLB greats next year.

To enter to win the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams, fans need to vote from a list of 30 MLB greats for their favorite players at each position. Fans will be given one chance to win for each vote cast, and fans can enter up to 25 times a day. Four (4) fan finalists will be announced in September, with the finalists then vying for votes to win the ultimate prize. The winner will be announced in the MLB Post Season.

Enter the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams by voting for your favorite team here.

Who: Los Angeles Angels Outfielder Torii Hunter

What: Torii Hunter will be appearing for fans, talking about the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams ballot, posing for pictures with fans, and signing autographs.

Where: Ralph's, in Anaheim, 2030 E. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim, CA 92806. For a map, click here.

When: Tuesday, August 2nd, from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm PST.

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Help Save Lives By Donating Blood at Angels Stadium August 4th

Angels Baseball is once again teaming up with UC Irvine Healthcare for a series of summer blood drives. The next blood drive is on August 4th at Angel Stadium. The UC Irvine bloodmobile will be parked near the stadium ticket office and the big red Angels helmets between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. By donating blood to UC Irvine Medical Center, you are helping save lives in our community.

Donors must register online and be at least 17 years of age. Appointments are limited so make yours today by visiting www.ucihealth.com/donateblood. If you have additional questions, email us at donateblood@uci.edu or call 714.456.LIFE

All donors will receive vouchers for two Angels tickets! Look for the UC Irvine bloodmobile in the parking lot near the big red helmets at the stadium's front entrance.

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Angels Cooking Challenge Thursday August 4th

ESPN Zone, the Angels Baseball Foundation and AM830 present the 2nd Annual Cooking Challenge August 4th, 2011 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

JUST ADDED - MARK TRUMBO AND PETER BOURJOS!

• THE EVENT is to be held at the ultimate Sports Viewing Venue, ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney
• Hosted by Angels TV Announcer Victor Rojas and Roger Lodge from The SportsLODGE.
• Event Ticket includes: (2) Club Level Angel Home Game tickets, buffet lunch, intimate autograph session and the opportunity to see your Angels cook it up, Iron Chef style!
• The reigning 2010 Cooking Challenge Winner is Angels Pitching Coach Mike Butcher
• Scheduled to appear - Mark Trumbo, Peter Bourjos, Joel Pineiro and Rich Thompson, with more of your favorite Angel Players to be announced soon...
• Judges to include: Dennis Kuhl (Angels Chairman) and Chef Yvon Goetz (Executive Chef at The Winery Restaurant)
• Players/Coaches will have approx. 15 minutes to prepare a surprise dish with their spouse, friend or relative
• The Winner of the Challenge will receive a generous donation to their favorite charity
• Check in is at 9:30am at the ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney
• Admission is $100 per ticket (limited tickets available) CLICK HERE FOR THE TICKET ORDER FORM
• Scan and Email or fax the Ticket Order Form to Sue Bassett AM830 Business Manager


For additional information, please contact Tiffany Graham at (714) 940-2531

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AngelsWin.com Interviews Frazier Hall

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

Not much was known about Frazier Hall when the Angels drafted him in the 16th round of the 2011 draft (495th overall). But that's about to change. With C.J. Cron limited to the DH spot, Frazier Hall has been playing first base for the Orem Owlz and has been mashing the ball. He has been putting on power displays to rival some of the best in the organization.

At 6'4" and 220 lbs, his build is similar to Mark Trumbo (although Hall is a lefty and Trumbo is a righty). The power potential for Hall is there. With a bit more patience at the plate, Hall could develop into a strong left-handed bat-something that the Angels' sorely need throughout their entire 

organization.

AngelsWin.com recently caught up with Frazier Hall to find out more about him as a player and as a person.

Frazier Hall July 21, 2011 from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

Prior to the game, AngelsWin.com caught some footage of Frazier Hall taking batting practice.

Frazier Hall in Batting Practice from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

During the July 21st game against the Billings Mustangs, AngelsWin.com was only able to record one of Hall's at -bats. However, it turned out to be a pivotal at-bat as Hall hit his 4th professional homerun, which at the time changed the dynamics of the game. The voice in the background is the Billings Mustangs announcer Ryan Schuiling with the homerun call.

Frazier Hall In Game At Bat from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

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AngelsWin.com Interviews Kaleb Cowart

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

When the Angels drafted Kaleb Cowart as their first pick in 2010 (18th overall), they had a choice: whether to develop him as a pitcher or as a third baseman. He was ranked equally by scouts at both positions. Kaleb preferred to be a third baseman, and the Angels agreed. After a lengthy negotiation, Cowart finally signed, but did not get to play much before the end of the season.

At 19 years old, Cowart is drawing rave reviews by the scouts in the Pioneer League. A switch hitter, Cowart has power from both sides of the plate. He's drawing walks and working the counts. His defense is a bit behind his hitting, but, that should develop as he matures. Kevin Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus ranked Kaleb as the 47th best Minor League Prospect.

As part of AngelsWin.com's continuing coverage of the Orem Owlz, listen to our interview with Kaleb Cowart.

Kaleb Cowart July 21 2022 from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

We also recorded some video footage of Kaleb in the batting cages, catching him hitting from both the right and left side.

Kaleb Cowart in Batting Practice from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

And, we caught a couple of in-game at bats for Kaleb. In the first at-bat, Kaleb ground into a 5-4 force out. In the second at-bat, he grounds into an unassisted out at first base. The voice in the background belongs to the Billings Mustangs' announcer Ryan Schuiling.

Kaleb Cowart In-Game At Bats from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

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AngelsWin.com Podcast: Trade P0rn Edition

Check out our AngelsWin.com Podcast (Episode Six) which aired Thursday night, July 28th from 7:30-8:30 PM with host and senior writer Adam Dodge, AngelsWin.com Founder and Executive Editor Chuck Richter, marketing director Brian Ilten and feature writer Andre Castillo to discuss the Angels and the upcoming trade deadline this Sunday, July 31st.

If you like some late night Trade P0rn, stream the podcast which was recorded Thursday night as the four covered an hour show discussing different players the Halos could go after before or on the July 31st deadline.

Listen to internet radio with AngelsWin on Blog Talk Radio

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Thumbs Up & Thumbs Down (Indians Series)

By Jeff Flinn - AngelsWin.com Contributor

Thumbs Up

* Santana on Wednesday afternoon pitched the first Halos CG no-hitter since Mike Witt pitched a perfect game against the Rangers to close the 1984 season. He allowed just 2 baserunners, a first inning error by Aybar on a GB that led to the only run scoring via SB, GB out, and WP, as well as an 8th inning walk to Chisenhall after retiring 22 straight batters. He struck out 10 batters, threw only 105 pitches, and the slider was especially unhittable on this special day. Erv now has a 1.70 ERA in July and a 2.57 ERA since June 1. Haren was magnificent himself on Monday night, pitching 7 2/3 innings and allowing just a run on 3 hits with a 10/2 Ks/BBs ratio. He unfortunately didn't get a win as the Indians rallied to win that game, but he's back on track after a pair of sub-par outings following the ASB.

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AngelsWin.com Interviews C.J. Cron

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

When the Angels drafted C.J. Cron in the first round of the 2011 draft (17th overall), they got a player that many experts labeled as the best college hitter available. Rated by scouts as an 80 on the power scale, this son of a former Major Leaguer has a smooth and easy swing. Having played for the University of Utah, Cron didn't have far to go to start his professional career in Orem. At 6'4" and 235 lbs, this right hander could become a source of power for the Angels for years to come.

Here is the interview that AngelsWin.com recorded with C.J. Cron.


CJ Cron July 21 2011 from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

One concern that Angels fans may have with Cron is that he has a tear in his shoulder that will most likely require surgery. As you can see for yourself, that tear does not prevent him from putting on some impressive shows in the batting cages. If you listen closely, you can hear in the background the opposing coach talk a bit about Cron while he's in the cage and then stop to admire one of Cron's monster shots. Additionally, Cron's injury does not prevent him from doing fielding exercises at 1B. However, to prevent further injury, he just lobs the ball back into the infield.

Here is some video of Cron in the batting cages. One of the blasts he hit easily travelled 450 feet.


CJ Cron in Batting Practice from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

Here are two of Cron's at-bats that AngelsWin.com recorded during the July 21st game against the Billings Mustangs. The first AB results in a walk, the second in a strikeout swinging. The voice in the background belongs to the Mustangs' announcer, Ryan Schuiling.


CJ Cron In Game At Bats from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

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AngelsWin.com's Interview with Dennis Kuhl

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

With the second half of the season well under way, and the July trade deadline rapidly approaching, AngelsWin.com recently spoke with Dennis Kuhl, Chairman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim about the season to date and what the trade deadline could bring. We spoke about 50th anniversary celebrations, the All-Star Game, Jered Weaver—and the Angels' desire to keep him in-house—and the July trade deadline. Specifically, he answered some tough questions about the Angels’ ability to add payroll in a deadline move.

Recorded at The Catch restaurant, listen in as one of the most passionate baseball fans—who just so happens to work for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim—talks baseball.

Dennis Kuhl, July 26, 2010 from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

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AngelsWin.com's Interview with Orem Owlz Manager Tom Kotchman

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com

What can you say about Tom Kotchman? He is a legendary manager, scout and practical joker. Around the Minor and Major Leagues, he is regarded as a treasure within the Angels’ organization. Everyone who has ever played for him has a “Kotchman” story—many of which they might not be able repeat, depending on the company.

Presently, he is the winningest coach in the Minor Leagues. Going into 2011, his record stood at 1623-1364 (.543). With the Owlz, it was 262-191 (.578) in the 6 years of their existence.

A dedicated family man, Kotchman speaks of his wife and kids with a passion and reverence that truly makes one proud. His son, Casey, was a former first-round draft pick and Major League player for the Angels. His daughter, Christal, was champion in softball. His wife, Susan, has recovered from the brain hemorrhage that she suffered in 2008.

As the manager of the Orem Owlz, it’s Kotchman’s job to take the newly drafted players and instill in them the Angels’ way of playing baseball. He takes the players where they are and teaches them how to succeed. Depending on the players’ age and prior program, that can be quite a challenge as he prepares them for the rigors of playing a full season of professional baseball.

Almost everyone playing in the Angels’ organization has learned something from Kotchman, whether it’s a fundamental skill or the way to mentally handle a slump. Kotchman does it all for the Owlz, from hitting fungos to throwing batting practice to lightening the mood on a long bus trip.

Yes, that’s Kotchman dragging the infield as his players watch on. It’s just his way of showing his team that there’s always time to be doing something on the baseball field.

Click below to listen to the interview AngelsWin.com recorded with manager Tom Kotchman. Per his request, this is an audio recording only.

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AngelsWin.com Visits the Orem Owlz

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

If you want to see the Angels play, go to Anaheim. If you want to see where the Angels are made, go to Orem. That’s because almost every player in the Angels’ organization starts his career playing for legendary coach Tom Kotchman—the winningest coach in the Minor Leagues. It’s up to coach Kotchman to instill Angels’ baseball in all of his players and to develop their skills to meet the demands of the higher levels in the organization. As the plaque on the wall in the stadium attests, the Angels’ Major League roster is filled with former Owlz players.

Located about 650 miles from Orange County, the Rookie League Orem Owlz should be a destination that every Angels’ fan visits. Getting to the stadium is an easy drive up the I-15. There are many interesting and stops along the way, and plenty to do once there—making the trip ideal for either a long weekend or an extended stay.

Completed in 2005, Brent Brown Stadium (home of the Owlz) is located on the Utah Valley University Campus. The stadium provides beautiful views of the Wasatch mountain range, making afternoon games beautiful and sunsets spectacular. It is one of the nicest stadiums in the Pioneer League. The stadium is very family friendly, with an enclosed play area for kids. It also has plenty of fun places for younger adults, including grass seating.

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Who was the better pick-up – Wells or Crawford?

Inside the Numbers – Angels Sabermetric Leaders

By Andre Castillo - AngelsWin.com Columnist

This past off-season, the Angels were pilloried for their acquisition of Vernon Wells. From 2011-14, Wells was owed $81 million salary (including $5 million kicked in by Toronto), for about $20 million per year. To make matters worse in the eyes of many critics, the Angels passed on Carl Crawford to get him.  Crawford as we know signed with the Red Sox for 7 years, $124 million, or just under $18 million/year.

Wells is certainly cheaper in terms of total salary, the thinking went, but you’re getting him at age 32, the beginning of his decline years. Crawford was just 29, and likely to age better – so he would be worth the extra money.

Let’s see for ourselves how they’ve panned out so far in 2011 and see if we can get an early sense of who was the better pick-up (stats as of 1:30 p.m. Monday).

You may be surprised.

First, batting average:

Player Comparison	Batting Average
Carl Crawford	.254
Vernon Wells	.218

Crawford has the decisive edge, but both players have fallen off a cliff in terms of batting average. Wells is far down from his career .284, as is Crawford, who is a lifetime .294 hitter.

But who cares about average! What about their walks and on-base percentage?

Player Comparison	OBP
Carl Crawford	.288
Vernon Wells	.250

Despite another putrid showing by Crawford, Wells still falls short and is now 0-2. But that’s not really fair to Wells, who has jacked 16 bombs while Crawford has hit only 6. So let’s look at their slugging percentage:

Player Comparison	SLG
Carl Crawford	.390
Vernon Wells	.414

So while Wells bests Crawford here, it’s not as much as you’d expect.

But what happens when we roll them all together into Fangraphs’ weighted on-base percentage, wOBA? Keep in mind that wOBA average, OBP, and SLG, as well as stolen bases and caught-stealing in its calculation (10/5 for Crawford, 4/2 for Wells).

Player Comparison	wOBA
Carl Crawford	.298
Vernon Wells	.289

First of all, you get two awful results for such premium salaries. Wells ranks just behind Corey Patterson of the Blue Jays. Crawford, meanwhile, is on-par with the hitting of the Marlins’ John Buck.

But also, it shows that Crawford, as bad as he has been, has been better than Wells.

Or has he? What about fielding and base-running? Those things matter too, right?

Player Comparison	Fld	Bsr
Carl Crawford	0.4	0.1
Vernon Wells	3.1	0.8

Now this is a surprise. There’s certainly room for debate as to whether these fielding and base running numbers (based on Fangraphs’ Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) and Ultimate Base Running (UBR)) are accurate in such small samples, but it’s still interesting nonetheless.

It looks like, at least on the surface, Crawford’s defensive value has not translated to the short left field of Fenway Park. (I’ve heard of other examples the Rays’ home field artificially boosting the UZR of their outfielders, whether through smart managing or some other park effect as well, but I’m not aware of any systematic study at this point).

It also appears that Wells is at least a competent defensive left fielder, as opposed to a dreadful center fielder. He also somehows outperformed Crawford’s legendary base-running this year.

Now when you add it all together – hitting, fielding, and base-running – what does this look like in terms of WAR?

Player Comparison	WAR
Carl Crawford	0.3
Vernon Wells	0.6

Surprised?

I was.

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AngelsWin.com's Hot Prospect List - July 25th, 2011

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

At this time of year, trying to write out the Top-10 Hot Prospects is a bit challenging. That's because the Angels have plenty of talent, and they are showcasing their skills. So, trying to whittle down this list to just 10 players is a big challenge. To help deal with all of this, from time to time we may add some extra sections to deal shine the spotlight on some players who may not fit into the regular categories. These categories may include players who are bouncing between the Minors and the Majors or players on the Dominican Summer League, who are completely dominating the competition.
 
For the week, the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees went 4-3 to improve their record to 44-58 (17.5 games out of first place). Sunday night, the Double-A Arkansas Travelers finally snapped their 7-game losing streak (their longest losing streak of the year) and are 14-15, 1.0 games out of first place for the second half. The Single-A Inland Empire 66ers went 4-2 to pull into third place, 5.0 games out of first (14-16 in the second half). The Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels had the opposite record of the 66ers for the week, going 2-4 to drop 4.0 games out of first at 13-16 in the second half. At 18-15, the Rookie Ball Orem Owlz are in second place, 3.0 games out of first, having split the week's schedule at 3-3. The AZL Angels went 3-2 and are 4.5 games out of first (14-13 overall). And finally, the DSL Angels continued their dominance, going 5-1, and have a 13.5 game lead with a 37-10 record.

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Angels Thumbs Up & Thumbs Down (TEX Series)

By Jeff Flinn - AngelsWin.com Contributor

Thumbs Up

* Weaver continues to roll, pitching 7 shutout innings and allowing 7 hits, with a 6/2 Ks/BBs ratio.    He struck out Moreland with 2 outs and the bases loaded in the 6th inning. Weaver is now 13-4 with a still AL leading 1.81 ERA.

* Downs and Walden did their usual thing on Wednesday and Thursday, shutting out the Rangers over 5 innings and allowing just 2 hits with a 3/0 Ks/BBs ratio. Downs has a 1.32 ERA and 0.79 WHIP. Walden has pitched 6.2 scoreless innings, allowing just 4 hits, ZERO BBs, and struck out 5. Thompson pitched 2.2 innings of solid ball, a given when the game isn't tight and late.

* Trumbo didn't have a big fly, but went 4-11 with 2 doubles and an rbi. Callaspo went 3-10 with 2 BBs, and is hitting to all fields like he does when hitting well. Kendrick finally broke through from his recent slump with 3 hits and 4 rbis. Aybar was 3-11 with an rbis and a BB, and continues to play consistent baseball.  He's only made some 6-7 errors so far. Hunter finally had his first hit since the ASB, a solo HR in the win on Wednesday night. Trout beat out a GB to Andrus that kept Wednesday night's 6th inning rally going and drove in a run. Andrus' look after that was priceless (huh?). His adjusted swing now looks similar to Bourjos', and he hit a couple of balls hard against Wilson. The RISP hitting had a nice game in the midst of the Wednesday night rally, going 7-15. The team stole 2 bases in 2 attempts in the 3 games.
 
*Trout made a great diving catch in RCF and another running catch near the RCF wall on Thursday to help out Weaver.

*This was a crucial series for the Halos, and it was great to see them take 2 out of 3 games.   These head-to-head games mean 2 games difference in the standings between winning and losing.  If the Halos don't win Wednesday night, who knows how far in back of Texas they would be by now.  

Thumbs Down
 

* Chatwood couldn't get beyond 5 innings of work, but as he normally does kept the team reasonably close by allowing just 3 runs despite allowing 7 hits and 4 BBs. Haren had his 2nd straight mediocre outing, only working 4.1 innings and allowing 7 runs on 9 hits with a 3/1 Ks/BBs ratio.   This is hopefully just a little slump like he went through earlier in May, and not a re-occurrence of his past 2nd half slumps.

* Kohn is clearly not ready yet, as he gave up 3 HRs on Tuesday night to blow open a game that was just 3-0 with 2 outs in the top of the 8th inning. The Halos clearly need a 2nd reliable righty to go with Walden in the pen, to balance between them and on fire lefty Downs and solid lefty Takahashi. Rodney returns from the DL, but is still a question mark due to never putting together even just 2 consistent months in a row since arriving here in 2010.

* Izturis was just 1-8 to drop his BA to just .268, and is just 5-45 so far in July (.111 BA).   He's had 306 at bats already, and his MLB career high (in 2010) is just 383.   He may be tiring.  Hunter did go just 1-10 with 5 Ks and 1 BB, and is just 1-25 since the ASB., his BA down to .235. The Ks continue to maybe show that his bat has slowed, whether due to the muscle gain in the off-season or slowing down with age. Abreu was just 1-8, and is just 6 for his past 41.   Even though his type of hitting (.384 OBP) and SB ability would play well in the leadoff spot, this slumping wouldn't. Wells went just 1-11, although not striking out very much.   Mathis was 0-5 with 3 Ks, and is hitting just .188.

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AngelsWin.com's Hot Prospect List - July 19th, 2011

By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

The All-Star Break has come and gone, and now it’s on to the July 31st trading deadline. That means, it’s time to start paying particular attention to what’s going on down on the farm. With the start of the short-season rookie leagues, it will be much tougher to make the Hot Prospect List as there are far more players vying for spots.

Here’s a quick recap of the season so far. At 40-55, the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees are 18.0 games out of first place. Congratulations, though, go out to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers who came back to win their division in the first half with a 36-31 record. As a result, they will host the first two games of the Texas League playoffs in September. At 13-9, they have a 3.0 lead over the league right now. With a 10-14 record, the IE 66ers have been unable to gel as a team, often as a result of injuries. They are in 4th place, 5.0 games out in the second half of the season. The Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels finished the first half 13.0 games out of first place (4th place) with a 32-38 record. Presently, they have an 11-12 record, which places them in 3rd place, 3.0 games out. The short season Orem Owlz have been putting on an offensive display, and are off to a 15-12 record. That puts them comfortably in 2nd place, 3.0 games out. The AZL Angels are in 3rd place, 4.5 games out, with an 11-10 record. And, lastly, the DSL Angels have an astounding 10.5 game lead with a 32-9 record.

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By Jeff Flinn - AngelsWin.com Contributor

Thumbs Up

*Weaver continues to roll, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits, with a 3/2 K/BB ratio. Weaver is now 12-4 with a still AL leading 1.90 ERA.

*Downs and Walden did their usual thing on Saturday afternoon, shutting out the A's over 2.1 innings.

*Callaspo went 6-14 with 3 BBs. Aybar was 5-15 with a HR and 2 rbis, and 2 BBs. Abreu had a pair of RBI's. Branyan actually had 3 walks in 5 plate appearances. Wilson drove in the only run on Sunday, and was 2-4. Goodbye Mathis? Yeah right.

Vernon Wells (#14 and 10th since returning from the DL) and Trumbo (#18) also had HR's in game two of the doubleheader for all 3 runs. The team stole 4 bases in 5 attempts in the 4 games.
 
The Halos threw out two runners at the plate and a runner at 3B.

Over the past 15 games, Halos' pitchers have allowed just THREE HRs.
 
The traditional DH on Saturday was fun to attend, the first one for MLB in 8 years.

Thumbs Down
*This was a very disappointing series, to say the least. Where to start?!

*Haren set the tone for the series in allowing the A's to build a 4-0 lead, giving up a crucial HR to Willingham, and allowed 10 hits to go with the 4 runs. Santana seemed to have a bit of a meltdown in the middle innings in game 2 of the DH, making a bad throw to Trumbo and giving up a lot of baserunners. It took a double play to bail him out of big trouble. Joel Pineiro was putrid, as his curveball was flat and he couldn't control the sinker.   1/3 of an inning later, EIGHT runs, 4 hits, FOUR WALKS, one grand slam. The staff walked NINE batters on Sunday. This isn't the A's teams of old, as this team doesn't walk like their clubs did in the early/mid 2000s.

* The Angels desperately need a second reliable righty to join Walden, as Thompson just can't pitch in tight spots yet. Takahashi could easily take the 3rd pitcher spot in the pen, but needs a righty to share that spot with.

*RISP hitting was just 5-31, returning to the woes of the first 2 months. Even Aybar, the most reliable by far guy in those spots so far, hit into a bases loaded double play on Friday night.

* Torii Hunter drew a collar for the ENTIRE series (0-15 with 5 Ks), and saw the BA sink from .250 to .239. Questions still abound about maybe his not adjusting to the muscle gain in the off-season, and having his bat being slower as a result. The Ks count does tend to support that.

*Kendrick is now slumping, going 1-12 and is now 4-26 in the past 2 series. Trumbo, despite the HR and 2 BBs, did go just 2-14 with 6 Ks. Abreu is just 5-33 in the past 3 series. Trout was just 2-15 (although having an rbi) with 6 Ks; not easy for a 19 year-old to hit up here.

*The Halos had THREE throwing errors in the series (Conger, Santana, and Trumbo).

*You do NOT allow a weak hitting A's team to have 20 runs and 40 hits in 4 games. YOU JUST DON'T! Way to kill the momentum guys! Just, way to go! It's like they had some sleep walk in them throughout the series? Oakland sure wanted it a lot more!

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Angels Reliever To Start For Inland Empire

Halos’ Right Hander Fernando Rodney to Begin Rehab Assignment Tonight

San Bernardino, CA – Angels’ reliever Fernando Rodney will begin a rehab assignment tonight with the Inland Empire 66ers. Rodney will be making his first ever California League appearance when he takes the mound for the Class ‘A’ Partner of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim against the defending California League Champion San Jose Giants. The game can be heard beginning with the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Pregame show on the 66ers flagship station, 1050 KCAA, at 5:50 PM.

Rodney was 2-3 with 3 saves in 26 total appearances for the Angels before succumbing to an upper back strain. He last pitched for the Angels June 8th against Tampa Bay. Over his nine year major league career Rodney is 21-36 with 87 saves and a 4.26 lifetime ERA over 406 games, all in relief. He has 385 career strikeouts over 420 major league innings.

Inland Empire 66ers tickets are on sale now both at the 66ers box office and online at www.66ers.com. For more information on the Inland Empire 66ers please contact Sam Farber, Director of Broadcasting, at 909-495-7632.

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Gene Autry to be inducted into Angels HOF

Halo legends Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Brian Downing, Bobby Grich and Chuck Finley to take part in July 19th pre-game ceremony

WHO: The Angels’ original owner, the late Gene Autry, will be inducted in to the Angels Hall of Fame in a special pre-game ceremony at Angel Stadium on Tuesday July 19th. Taking part in the ceremony will be Angel greats Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Brian Downing, Bobby Grich, Chuck Finley and Jackie Autry. Ryan will also receive his Angels Hall of Fame ring and throw out the honorary first pitch prior to the game vs. Texas.

WHAT: Autry will be the ninth inductee into the club’s Hall of Fame joining Ryan, Grich, Carew, Downing, Finley, Don Baylor, Jim Fregosi and Jimmie Reese. In celebration of the induction, all fans in attendance will receive an Angels Hall of Fame shirt courtesy of Smile Generation.

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First Half All Angels Minor League Team

Getty Images (Mike Trout the night of his Major League Debut)

By David Saltzer - AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

Rather than giving a traditional update on the Top Prospects during the All-Star Break, we decided to take a different approach to looking at the Angels players in the Minor League system. For our mid-season update, we imagined what a 25-man roster would look like using just the players in the Minor League system right now. We further limited this imaginary roster to just those players who have been playing a full season so far, so, players in Orem and Arizona were excluded from the list. At the end of the season, we will redo the roster to include those players, but for now, we want to see more from them over the course of their season. By doing this, we tried to get a bit more of an understanding about the Angels’ depth charts that fans have often heard about.

In trying to make this hypothetical roster, some of the reasons why the Angels may have been making certain changes throughout the organization became easier to understand. For example, this year, the Angels have tried to convert several of their relievers into starters. This makes sense as there were plenty of relievers to choose from to make this roster (with several good choices not quite making the cut), but trying to make a 5-man rotation was more challenging.

Two holes that emerged in the system were at 1B and OF. While first base may be filled long-term with C.J. Cron, at the upper levels of the organization, the Angels are woefully thin. The same is true for the OF where the injury to Jeremy Moore meant that fielding an entire OF became challenging. Since Mike Trout is expected to return back to the Minors after this brief stint, we included him in our roster even though he is presently on the Major League roster.

In no way should this roster should be interpreted as a Top-Prospect List. It’s not. Some players are on the team because they are necessary to make a complete a lineup. No effort has been made to rank the players. Some players, such as Andrew Taylor, are not on here because he has been alternating between starting and relieving—per the organization’s needs—and have yet to demonstrate mastery of the new position. However, this is a fun and interesting exercise to ponder over the All-Star Break, and a good way to kick off the second half.

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AngelsWin.com Interview with Fred Lynn

Interview conducted July 11, 2011 by David Saltzer

As part of his continuing work to support Little League Baseball, and, as part of the Subway Baseball DeSIGNS Tour, AngelsWin.com had the opportunity to talk with former Angels’ great Fred Lynn. We spoke about a variety of topics, ranging from his work with the Subway Baseball DeSIGNS Tour, Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout, the All-Star Game, Orel Hershiser’s bid for the Dodgers, and some of the realignment and post season changes circulating about the game.

It’s always a pleasure listening to veteran players. Their take on the game, particularly their historical view, is always worth listening to. Fred Lynn shared his opinion on many issues, and as fans, it’s well worth listening to his candid answers.

To listen to the interview, please click on the play button below.


For more information about the Subway Baseball DeSIGNS Tour, and to see all the baseballs available for charitable auction please click here.

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Inside the Numbers - All-Star Break Review

Inside the Numbers – Angels Sabermetric Leaders

By Andre Castillo - AngelsWin.com Columnist

 

Whoa, a lot has changed since my last piece. The Angels have gone on a tear. Going into Sunday’s game, the Angels have won 3 in a row and 8 of their last ten. They are now just one game back of the vaunted Texas Rangers. So what’s changed?

Well, for one, inter-league happened. The Angels seem to do this every year, and even last year they went on a big run during inter-league season right after the injury to Kendrys Morales, before falling back to earth.

But more optimistically, the Angels bats woke up too. Let’s take a look, using Fangraphs’ Wins Above Replacement (WAR) statistic.

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Saltzer's Shots July 9th, 2011

By David Saltzer - AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
Spraying to all fields with some random thoughts about the game . . .

Dodgers Fans

After the Bryan Stow incident, I wrote an article stating that I wouldn’t take my sons to a game at Dodgers’ Stadium. I still stand by that. Even with “show of force” by the L.A. Police and increased security, I still wouldn’t go. My last few experiences up there haven’t been fan friendly—let alone family friendly. Not only is it not worth the drive, the traffic, and the hassle in and out of the stadium, it’s just not worth the experience.

This isn’t, though, an indictment against all Dodgers fans or their team. I took my 5-year old son to see the Dodgers play the Angels in Anaheim. There were Dodgers fans all about. The police in Anaheim did not need to make a show of force. They were clearly there, but, were inconspicuous in nature. They were able to control more by doing a good job than by being overbearing and highly visible.

More importantly, during the game, my son needed to go to the bathroom. When I was walking back, a lady in a Dodgers’ jersey came up to me and told me that as I left my cell phone had fallen out of my pocket and that she had given it to an usher. I thanked her profusely for her responsible act and enjoyed the rest of the game.

If the Dodgers really want to change the perception of their stadium, they need to overhaul the entire in-game experience for the fans. From the music to the in-game promotions to the advertisements, they need to make the whole place family friendly. Maybe then they won’t have to have a “show of force” to control the crowd as the nature of the crowd will have changed.

Trout’s Speed

I’ve been talking with a lot of scouts about Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos. One of the questions that always comes up is which one is faster. My take on it is that down the line, Trout beats Bourjos by half a step. In his first game, he was clocked at 4.0 and 3.9 seconds down the line.

However, my bet is also that going from home to third, Bourjos beats Trout by half a step. Once Bourjos is going, he’s lightning on the base paths.

By and large, the scouts tend to agree on those bets. Maybe we’ll just have to arrange for a race to prove it once and for all. But really, who cares—watching them both cover large amounts of ground in the outfield is treat enough.

Texas Tragedy

If you didn’t hear, a horrible tragedy happened in Texas earlier in the week. Josh Hamilton, the centerfielder, tossed a ball up to a boy during the game. His father tried to catch the ball and fell about 20 feet. He was conscious and alert after the fall but then died in transport to the hospital.

My heart and prayers go out to the boy and his family. But, it also goes out to Josh Hamilton. He didn’t do anything wrong—he was trying to make a boy’s experience more special. I hope that the Texas Rangers or Major League Baseball don’t come up with any rule preventing players from tossing balls up to fans as souvenirs. And, I hope that Josh Hamilton isn’t too shaken up by the experience or that he becomes reluctant to continue to toss out balls to fans.

What happened was a horrible tragedy. We can’t prevent all the tragedies in the world. There’s no point eliminating or restricting the good practice of tossing a foul ball to a kid just because one time a freak accident happened and resulted in a horrible tragedy. If MLB develops new rules preventing players from tossing out souvenirs, then it will turn this horrible loss for one family into a true Texas tragedy for all of baseball.


Missing in Action

Two things have gone noticeably MIA this season. The first was Vernon Wells’ bat at the start of the season. This led to a continuous stream of rants against the front office for making the trade and for Wells being overpaid.

But, ever since Wells has returned from the DL, something else has gone noticeably missing: the naysayers have gone away. No longer are message boards littered with daily rants against the trade. No longer are post-game shows flooded with callers demanding changes in the front office. Winning cures a lot of things.

Since coming back from the DL, Wells has propelled the Angels onto victory. His resurgence has been integral to the Angels success. He has provided the power and the defense that the Angels wanted when they made the trade.

While the naysayers are gone for now, I know that they’ll be back someday. They will find a new issue to harp on—that’s what naysayers do. But for right now, they are hopefully taking a second helping of the crow that they justly deserve.

First Half Awards

If I could give out some awards right now, here’s what I would give:


A.L. Cy Young—Jered Weaver. If I had to have one pitcher in the entire American League start an elimination game right now, it would be Weaver. He is so focused and hiding the ball so well that he is nearly unhittable (as his 0.91 WHIP and .194 BAA prove).

Angels’ First-Half MVP—Mark Trumbo. Imagine what would have happened if Trumbo could not have hit Major League pitching—the entire infield would have no legitimate power. And, when Wells and Hunter struggled, the whole team would have no power. Worse yet, when Izturis was injured, it would have forced the Angels to play Branyan every game. Trumbo is definitely improving as the season moves on. His ABs are getting better. It’s exciting to think of what he’ll do over the course of a full season.

A.L. Gold Glove Outfield—Peter Bourjos. Bourjos’ defense is worth the price of a ticket for any fan. With him in CF, Wells in LF, and Hunter in RF, it’s not surprising why Weaver and Haren are pitching so well: the Angels’ outfield defense is superb.

A.L. Rookie of the Year—Jordan Walden. Not only is he an All-Star, he’s by far the best rookie in the American League. His 19 saves, 2.87 ERA and 1.19 WHIP are legitimate. He should only get better.

Thanks Eddie!

Although Eddie Bane wasn’t in Anaheim to see it, I’m certain he followed Trout’s first game in the Majors. Right now there are at least 23 other Scouting Directors who are kicking themselves for not taking Mike Trout earlier in the draft.

It’s hard to imagine where the Angels would be this year without Eddie. Aside from all the players directly drafted by Eddie Bane, where would this team be without Dan Haren who was acquired in trade for players drafted by Eddie Bane?

As we continue to watch the Angels succeed with so many home grown players, it’s time to once again say “thank you” to Eddie Bane. Not only were his chats with AngelsWin.com informative, they gave us a glimpse into the future that we will be seeing.

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