This Team Has Grit!

By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

This team has grit! I stared at my computer screen for a few minutes, typed a few different opening statements but none of them really did justice for what occurred last night. As fantasy baseball GM's and self-professed experts of the game, we all try to pick apart and analyze each series, each game and each inning...we are die-hard baseball fans, it's what we do. We can delve into the team statistics during this recent hot streak and debate and disagree on who should and shouldn't be starting but I think we can all agree, something special has been going on with this team for the last week or so and it really showed last night.

I've said it before and I will continue to say it, the Angels' 2012 season is like a wild roller coaster ride that is filled with dramatic drops and unexpected turns. Just when the Angels appear to be out of it, just when fans accuse them of playing uninspired baseball and not having a passion to win, they roll off 7 consecutive wins capped by an amazing win over the Yankees last night in front of 44,016 at the "Big A". Last night's game was one of the most amazing games I have seen in a long time, the Halos had no business winning but somehow...someway they managed. With staff ace Jered Weaver leaving the game in the 1st inning with an injury and being down 3-0 early against the Yankees, it would have been real easy for the Halos to curl up and take a New York beat down by Jeter and company but they didn't, they persevered. Led by a gutsy pitching performance from Bobby Cassevah and big hits from Kendrys Morales, Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo the Halos just refused to give up.

Earlier in the season, when faced with adversity the Angels showed little fight; leads were blown, the offense sputtered and the rotation was ineffective. This team however appears to be maturing right in front of us; their confidence in themselves and one another grows with each game, each inning, each out. The 11th inning win against the Oakland A's last Wednesday and the come from behind win against the Seattle Mariners this past Friday where the team scored 3 runs in the 9th inning show that this team believes in their abilities and won't stop fighting. When looking at the game logs at the end of the season, yesterday's win might look like just another game but it was a lot more than that. It, along with the current win streak has been the turning point in the Angels' season. I say that not because statistically this team is better than it was the previous 43 games before the streak but because they are finally playing together with a passion for the first time in my opinion. I'm not saying the team won't lose games or series the remainder of the season, it would be nearly impossible for that to happen but I think many of you would agree that if the Halos continue to play collectively as well as they have been playing then the team will win its fair share of games from this point on and make a strong playoff push.

As a fan it's easy to get wrapped up in how the team performs on the field, when they underachieve we cry that the sky is falling and when they win on a consistent basis we sing their praises from the highest mountain top. Regardless if you are take a wait and see approach or if you firmly believe the team has turned the corner, it is very apparent the Angels have a fire for the first time this season. That fire is very reminiscent of a certain 2002 club that had a never say die attitude no matter what they had to overcome.

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Inside the Numbers - Most Valuable Angels

By Andre Castillo - AngelsWin.com Columnist

Hitters

Welcome back everyone to Inside the Numbers. To kick us off I hope to keep a weekly tab of the most valuable Angels, as told by Fangraphs's Wins Above Replacement (WAR) calculation.

Name     -   WAR

Mike Trout - 1.6

Torii Hunter - 1.2

Mark Trumbo - 1.0

Howie Kendrick - 0.5

Maicer Izturis - 0.5

Alberto Callaspo - 0.4

Peter Bourjos - 0.4

Chris Iannetta - 0.3

Kendrys Morales - 0.2

Vernon Wells - 0.0

Albert Pujols -  -0.2

Bobby Wilson - -0.5

Erick Aybar - -0.6

I don't think anyone would've predicted this at the start of the season. Young guns Trout and Trumbo are leading the offense, with Hunter making a surprising contribution as well led by an unusually strong defensive UZR rating.

The bottom of the list shows where the Angels weaknesses lie. Vernon Wells has been useless again, despite the home runs. His injury was a stroke of good luck for the Angels who were able to replace him with the far superior Mike Trout. Iannetta wasn't bad at all due to the high amount of walks he accrued, but his replacement Bobby Wilson has been terrifying bad. Aybar and Pujols have been worse than useless as well, though Pujols looks to have finally turned it around.

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Los Angeles Angeles vs. New York Yankees Series Preview (5/28-5/30)

 
By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

Angels/Mariners Recap:

The Angels went into the series with the Mariners on a 2-game winning streak. They knew the Mariners had just recently beat the division leading Texas Rangers 2 out of 3 games and they knew they were scheduled to face "King" Felix during their upcoming 4-game series, this Mariners squad was not a team to overlook. The Halos played sound fundamental baseball; great pitching from the rotation, timely hitting from the offense, and effective pitching from the relief corp. For the first time in 2012 the Halos seemed to be firing on all cylinders and that resulted in a sweep of the M's and a season high 6-game winning streak.

The Halos had terrific pitching performances from C.J. Wilson, Jerome Williams and Dan Haren; all picking up wins. The rotation continues to be consistent and really gives the club a chance to win every single game. Although all starters pitched well, the more we see out of Jerome Williams the more I really like him. Even when he doesn't necessarily have his best "stuff" he continues to keep the Angels in games. In my opinion the Angels have the best #5 in baseball.

Albert Pujols is finally looking like the slugger Angels fans thought they were getting when he signed his mega deal this past off-season. He was 6-for-16 against Seattle with 3 home runs and 6 RBI's. It was a breakout series for Pujols and it could not have come at a better time for the Halos who now return to Anaheim and welcome the Bronx Bombers to town for a 3-game series beginning tonight at the "Big A".

Angels/Yankees Preview:
The Yankees are coming to Anaheim hot! They too are riding a season high winning streak, although theirs stands at 5, not 6. Fortunately for the Angels they will not have to face staff ace C.C. Sabathia but they will have to contend with a rejuvenated Philip Hughes and Andy Pettitte.

Hughes, after stumbling out of the starting gate this season has pitched pretty well as of late, he has won 2 out of his last 3 starts and has not allowed more than 2 runs in an outing since early May. Hughes tends to throw a lot of pitches and that may be the key to beating him, patience at the plate. Hughes has only pitched past the 6th inning once this season, it will be important in the series opener to "jack up" the pitch count and get to the Yankees bullpen early in the series.

I think the pitcher the Halos will have the most difficulty with this series is the returning Andy Pettitte. Pettitte got roughed up in his 2012 debut but he has been very good his last 2 outings going 2-0 and only allowing 2 earned runs over 15 innings. The Angels have always played well against Pettitte, he owns a career 14-10 record against the Halos with a 4.42 ERA. If you are wondering how he has fared at the "Big A", he is 7-7 with a 3.97 ERA.

The Yankees are 2nd in the AL in home runs so it will be important for the Halos' rotation to keep the ball down and out of the wheel house of the Yankees sluggers. All 3 games will be in the evening so hopefully that  wonderful Southern California marine layer works in the Angels' favor.

This is a big series for the Angels with the Texas Rangers next in line to come to Anaheim at the conclusion of the Yankees' series. The Angels have been playing very consistent baseball as of late, hopefully that trend continues. No disrespect to the Athletics or the Mariners but the Yankees are definitely on a different level then those two clubs, it will be a great test for the the streaking Halos.

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Los Angeles Angels Prospect Report - 5-26-2012

By Scott Stedman - AngelsWin.com Minor League Reporter

Salt Lake Bees - The Bees went 3-3 this week, but they are now on a 3 game losing streak.  Third-baseman Luis Jimenez has been on a tear at the plate, hitting .370 in his last 6 games.  The only real knock on Jimenez has been his plate discipline - he has 4 walks the entire year.  If he can improve his eye at the plate, he could very well be a big league third-baseman.  Some fans often forget that Jimenez missed all of 2009 with a shoulder injury, so his bat has always been advanced for his age.  This is his age 24 season.  On the other side of the coin, Garrett Richards has really struggled lately.  His ERA has ballooned to 4.31 ERA, and his batting average against (BAA) is up to .281.  Richards has been leaving the ball up, which in the PCL is a disaster.  Longtime minor league veteran Cory Aldridge was signed out of a Mexican baseball league, and is hitting .333 for the Bees with 2 HRs in his 4 games.  On the bump tomorrow is Eric Hurley who owns a 6.15 ERA this season.

Arkansas Travelers - Arkansas went 2-3 this week, but like the Bees, they are now in a 3 game tailspin.  On Monday, Ariel Pena continued to absolutely dominate.  He tossed 6 innings of spotless ball - 0 runs, 0 walks, 8 Ks.  In my opinion, Pena is far superior to any other Angels pitching prospect, as of now.  For the stats guys, Pena has improved his K:BB ratio to 3:1, by far the best of his minor league career.  He also has maintained his 9K/9IP ratio, and opponents are hitting just .216 off Pena.  For the 'eyes guys', Pena can pump it up to the high 90's with his fastball, buckles hitters with his slider, and has shown a much improved hard change up.  My prediction: If the Angels have an injury to a starter, Pena would be the first guy on his way to Anaheim.  At the dish Jean Segura has struggled like crazy, hitting .167 in his last 10 games, lowering his average to .260 overall.  However one thing Segura has going is his speed.  In just 46 games, Jean has 19 stolen bases.  Out of the 'pen, Steven Geltz has continued to pretend like it's little league.  He has dropped his ERA to 0.42 and has 31 Ks in 22 innings of work.  Why does the Angels organization insist on keeping Geltz in the dungeon that is Double-A?

Inland Empire 66ers - The 66ers had a good week, going 3-2.  Center fielder Travis Witherspoon led the way.  Witherspoon, a 23-year-old out of Spartanburg Methodist, SC has been on fire this week, hitting nearly .500.  On Thursday, Travis hit for the cycle, which shows his full spectrum of tools.  More than once I have heard the term "oozes tools" regarding the outfielder, and this year he seems to have put it all together, as his OPS has soared past .800.  Also, his 17 stolen bases are good for 3rd overall in the Cal League.  Lefty starter Max Russell has been lights out in his last 3 starts for the 66ers.  On Friday, he went 7 innings, surrendering just 1 run and striking out 5.  Although he could be described as a 'soft-tossing lefty', Russell gets outs and could move up the ladder quickly.  Tomorrow, Manny Correa will go for Inland Empire at 7 PM.

Cedar Rapids Kernels - The Kernels are heating up after a slow start.  This week, they went 3-2.  19-year-old Kaleb Cowart has started to heat up as well, after falling into a deep slump.  On Friday, Cowart went 4-5 with a double and a walk.  This pushed his average up to .270, and his OPS to .784 - something not easy to do in the pitcher haven Midwest League.  The bullpen has been the shining point for the Kernels this season.  Stephen Tromblee, a 23-year-old lefty out of Lamar, has pitched to the tune of a 1.54 ERA with just 6 walks in 23 innings of work.  Mostly, Tromblee has been setting up for another 23-year-old, Ty Kelley.  Kelley, a 6'4" 220 un-drafted righty, has a 1.09 ERA as Cedar Rapids' closer.  He has now strung 10 scoreless outings together.  Tomorrow, Eswarlin Jimenez will go for the Kernels.  This is the lefties' first year in the States, and he has struggled thus far.


Prospects of the week:  CF Travis Witherspoon/SP Ariel Pena

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Spark. Boom. Anaheim's TNT

By Scott Fowler - AngelsWin.com Columnist

TNT.

Trinitrotoluene.

In chemical terms, this is the full name of the compound usually referred to as TNT.

‘Round these parts, that might be changing.

With TNT, a relatively stable compound, you add an ignition, or spark, and BOOM.

There it goes.

Looking around Anaheim lately, the Angels are putting together their own version of TNT in the forms of Rookie call-up Mike Trout and second-year first base…er, third ba…utili…Angel Mark Trumbo.

With the lack of offensive production and consistency plaguing the majority of Angels veterans this season, it’s the youth movement that is providing the pop and the energy that they clearly lacked in May. That same energy and pop just might be turning things around for a club still struggling with the notions of having legitimate preseason expectations to live up to.

Often referred to as either the #1 or #2 prospect in all of baseball, Trouts skills were sure to translate at the big league level. A great eye in the batters box, unrelenting speed on the bases and in the outfield, and an understanding of the game well beyond his 20 years, Trout embodies “5 Tool Player”. Seemingly unaffected by the funk that the rest of the team seemed stuck in, Trout’s arrival in Anaheim signaled that something needed to change with this lineup and it’s lack of production, and that had to start at the top of the order.

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Angels Illustrated - The Rise of Mark Trumbo

 

By Lou Spirito - AngelsWin.com Columnist

Since the beginning of the 2012 season, Mark Trumbo has been establishing himself as the Angels’ most consistent and dynamic hitter. For all games played through May 23rd, he led the team or was tied for many key offensive categories including batting average (.325), on base percentage (.388), and slugging percentage (.556). He was tied for total hits with Howie Kendrick (41) and home runs with Vernon Wells (6) and was second in RBI’s behind Albert Pujols’ 20 with 19.

To view the content of this week's feature, click on the image above or hit this link for the .PDF.

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Los Angeles Angels vs. Seattle Mariners Series Preview (5/24-5/27)

By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

Angels/A's Recap:

After dropping two out of three games to the San Diego Padres in a disappointing weekend series, the Halos rebounded nicely by winning two out of three games against the Oakland A's earlier this week. Nobody can argue that C.J. Wilson isnt earning his money this season, he is everything he was advertised to be. Wilson was masterful on Tuesday against the A's going 8.0 innings while striking out 7 and allowing only 1 hit. It was a big game for the Halos, one that snapped a 3-game losing streak. Albert Pujols also went deep in Tuesday's game as he hit his 4th home run of the season. The biggest hit in the series however came from the bat of Alberto Callaspo who hit a 2-run double in extra innings to not only win the game for the Angels but win the series.

The team is .500 on their current road trip which is flat out disappointing in my opinion. This was/is an important stretch for the Halos because they were/are facing mediocre teams, teams they needed to beat! Fortunately they have 4 games remaining against the Seattle Mariners, a team that should not be overlooked but a team that is definitely not in the upper echelon in MLB. A sweep of the M's would put the Halos only 1 game under .500 before the Bronx Bombers come to town and would renew faith in Angels' fans everywhere that this team can compete with the "big boys" in 2012.

Angels/Mariners Preview:
The Angels have a few things working in their favor in this series with the Mariners. Their pitching staff, which has been excellent recently, will be facing a light hitting Mariners offense who is second to the last in the AL in average. Angels hurlers also will have the benefit of pitching in spacious Safeco.

To counter the above listed working in the Angels' favor let's take a look at what the Mariners have working for them...The Mariners are a very good fielding team, they lead the league in fielding percentage so don't expect many errors from them this weekend. They Halos will also face "King" Felix on Saturday. Hernandez has not dominated the Angels by any means, he has 6-9 career record with a 3.67 ERA against the Halos, but still...let's be real..its Felix Hernandez. The Mariners rotation is basically middle of the pack in terms of what they have accomplished this season, so perhaps this is a good time for the Halo bats to start hitting more consistently.

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AngelsWin.com's Podcast (2012) - Episode One

AngelsWin.com is pleased to announce our first podcast show of 2012. Topics that were on the table that were discussed: Mike Trout, the firing of Mickey Hatcher, the studness of Mark Trumbo, poor attendance at the Big A, Albert Pujols's and the Angels poor start and some predictions by our panel of guests. To hear it all, click below to stream our first podcast of 2012. You won't be disappointed! 

Listen to internet radio with AngelsWin on Blog Talk Radio

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Los Angeles Angels Prospect Report - 5-18-2012

By Scott Stedman - AngelsWin.com Minor League Reporter

Salt Lake Bees - The Bees went 3-2 over their last 5 games, an improvement over what the Bees had been doing.  The positives: Garrett Richards had somewhat of a bounce back performance on Monday.  He went 7 IP allowing just 2 ER and 4 hits.  However he did walk 5 batters and only struck out 2.  His ERA for the season stands at 4.33.  Also, Anaheim native Kevin Jepsen has looked sharp lately.  He has tossed 3 scoreless appearances in a row, with his fastball reaching the upper 90's.  Offensively, Luis Jimenez has jumped his average to .283 and his OPS to .800.  However if Jimenez yearns to be a starting third-baseman in the big leagues, he needs to improve his plate discipline.  He has only walked 4 times this season.  Unfortunately,  left-handed starter Brad Mills has cooled off significantly after a blazing start.  On Thursday, Mills gave up 5 ER and 8 hits in just 6 innings of work.  His ERA has ballooned to 3.76 and opposing batters are hitting .268 against him.

Arkansas Travelers - The Travs' went a disappointed 2-4 this week, dropping to last place in the Texas League standings.  Even during this tough stretch, there have been some bright spots.  Catcher Carlos Ramirez has turned it on, after a very rough start to the season.  In May, the 24-year-old Ramirez is hitting .325 with an .814 OPS.  Defensively, Ramirez is as smooth as they come, and has a cannon for an arm.  In his minor league career, Ramirez has thrown out 33% of would-be basestealers.  On Wednesday, Dominican starter Ariel Pena was absolutely dominant.  He struck out 8 Springfield batters in 6 innings, surrendering just 1 run and 3 hits.  Pena, who turns 23-years-old on Sunday, has struck out 46 batters in 46 innings, and walked just 17.  The Angels signed Pena out of the Dominican Republic in 2007.  Out of the bullpen, 2 pitchers have come up big for the Travs.  Steve Geltz has pitched to the tune of a 0.47 ERA, and lefty Drew Taylor has had 5 scoreless appearances in a row, lowering his ERA to 3.94.  The 25-year-old Taylor has only walked 4 batters this year, and has shown devastating stuff as the set up man.

Inland Empire 66ers - The 66ers had a very rough week, winning just 1 of their 5 contests.  Offensively, the beast has awoken.  After a poor April, the Angels 2011 1st round draft pick C.J. Cron has hit .349 with a .914 OPS in the month of May.  With Cron's power potential, it could be extremely fun to watch him rake in the Cal League, which is a notorious hitters league.  On Tuesday, Max Russell tossed a gem against the Lake Elsinore Storm.  He went shutout 9 innings, striking out 5, and allowing just 5 hits.  Unfortunately he got the no decision, as the game went into extra frames.  Russell could be described as a soft tossing lefty, but he can be very successful if he keeps the ball down in the zone, yielding a ton of ground balls.  The 66ers closer Ryan Chaffee has been nothing short of great.  His ERA has plummeted to 1.56 to go along with his 24 strike outs in 17 innings of work.  The 6'2" righty closer out of Marianna, FL celebrated his 24th birthday today.

Cedar Rapids Kernels -  The Kernels have turned it around this week, going 3-2.  Starter Austin Wood has continued to baffle hitters, putting up ridiculous strikeout numbers.  Through 37 innings,  Wood has struck out 45 batters!  While his command has sometimes been off (23 walks), he can dial his fastball up to 98 MPH, and has a devastating slider.  If he can keep this kind of dominance up, look for Wood to soar to the top of nearly every Angels prospect list.  Ty Kelley, an undrafted free agent signing in 2010, has thrived in the Kernels bullpen.  Kelley, a 6'4 220 physical pitcher, hasn't allowed a run in his last 15 innings, and has only walked 4 batters all season.  Overall, he has a 1.31 ERA with 24 Ks in 21 innings.  On the offensive side of the ball, not much to report.

Prospect of the week:  SP Austin Wood

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THE FIRING OF MICKEY HATCHER

By Dave Snyder - AngelsWin.com Contributor

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim fired their hitting coach of 13 years this week.  Mickey Hatcher has been a teammate, close friend and confidant of the Angles manager Mike Scioscia.  Over the last ten years the Angels team batting average has been in the top 25% of the American league in almost every year except the last three.  With Mickey Hatcher as hitting coach, the 2009 team  set franchise records in batting average, hits, runs and RBIs.  During that time Hatcher was considered a competent hitting coach who worked extremely long hours with the players – especially when they would struggle at the plate.  Mike Scioscia said upon Hatcher's firing that he was a “great teacher and a great hitting coach”.   There have not been any Angel players, past or present that have complained of Hatcher's competence as a hitting coach that has made it into the press. In fact, the only comment recently has been one of praise from Mark Trumbo who credits Mickey Hatcher with teaching him how to be more selective with pitches and the results have yielded a .370 batting average for Trumbo this season after barely hitting .250 last year. Trumbo was quoted in the Angels website as saying:  "It's really unfortunate, and downright unfair for the most part, that people from their couch are going to call for this guy's job for years and years," Angels slugger Mark Trumbo said. "It's not him that's in the batter's box. Mickey puts in the time. He provided everything I needed as a player, to go up there and have the best chance of success. If I was to fail, it wouldn't be on him. It's not his fault." Yet, the local baseball blogs and fan websites have called for Hatcher to be fired for the last two years claiming that he does not teach his players to be patient but teaches them to be aggressive.

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Los Angeles Angels vs. San Diego Padres Series Preview (5/18-5/20)

 

By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

Angels/White Sox Recap:

I said it a few days ago and I will say it again...this team is like a roller coaster ride filled with ups and downs, sharp turns and sudden drops. After taking the first game of the two game series the Halos dropped the second. C.J. Wilson was very wild and just didn't seem to have his "stuff" working on the mound Thursday afternoon. It wasn't all bad news though; much to the delight of Angels fans everywhere, prized off-season acquisition Albert Pujols finally seems to be heating up. He homered in both games and looks to be getting his "mojo" back, coincidentally the same time the team brought in a new hitting coach. The bullpen continues to improve, the starting rotation still looks solid and the offense is finally coming together. Although the team split the two game series with the Sox and didn't get much momentum going into the weekend series with the Padres, there are enough "things" going right for the Halos right now for fans to feel confident about the rest of the season.

Angels/White Sox MVP(s)

Albert Pujols. He hit two home runs during the series, his 2nd and 3rd of the season. It's clear that Pujols is heating up and it could not have come at a better time. The Angels will be facing the Padres, A's and Marines the next week, a crucial stretch for the team if they want to get back into the race before summer.

Angels/Padres Preview

This is a big series for the Angels. As I stated above they are in the middle of a stretch in their schedule where they are facing teams they should beat. The Halos have a lot of things going for them right now; they will have their top three pitchers throwing this weekend, they will be facing a lackluster San Diego offense, and their big bopper Albert Pujols finally seems to be heating up.

The Padres have made a whopping 39 errors this season, the Angels' speed and aggressiveness on the base paths could be a difference maker in the series. Pitching and aggressive base running are the keys to winning this series in my opinion.

Pitching Match-ups:

5/18 – Jered Weaver (5-1, 2.83 ERA) vs. Jeff Suppan (2-1, 1.69 ERA)

5/19 – Dan Haren (1-4, 4.41 ERA) vs. Tim Stauffer (0-0, 5.40 ERA)

5/20 - Ervin Santana (2-6, 4.36 ERA) vs. Anthony Bass (2-4, 2.87 ERA)

Weather:

5/18 – Partly cloudy with a high of 65 degrees
5/19 – Partly cloudy with a high of 67 degrees
5/20 - Sunny with a high of 69 degrees

Game Times/Channels/Promotions:

5/18 – 7:05 p.m. / FSW
5/19 – 7:05 p.m. / FSW

5/20 - 1:05 p.m. / FSW

Player(s) to Watch:

Last series preview I picked Albert Pujols as the player to watch, and boy oh boy he didn't disappoint. Pujols notched his 2nd and 3rd home runs of the season during the brief two game series with the White Sox. Although I do think "King" Albert is heating up, I don't expect him to go deep this weekend due to having to play in pitcher friendly Petco Park. The fact that two of the games are night games and their will be the San Diego marine layer also make me think that not many balls will be flying out of the yard.

I think Mike Trout will have a big series this weekend. His speed will be important in the outfield due to the large amount of real estate he will have to cover. If Trout can find the big alleys in Petco then he can run for days. I wouldn't be surprised to see a triple...or two, by him this weekend.

Usually I try to select just one player to watch but I can't help but pick Jered Weaver. He will be facing a light hitting Padres' offense in a big expansive pitcher friendly park. Couple that Weaver looking to rebound from one of his worst starts in 2012 and I think he will be very dominant on Friday night.

Angels’ Team Statistics / League Rank (as of 5/17/12)

Offense

Avg.: .252 / 6th (+.002)*

OBP: .302 / 12th (+.001)*

SLG: .382 / 11th (+.003)*

OPS: .686 / 11th (+.006)*

Hits: 327 / 8th

HR: 35 / 9th

RBI’s: 135 / 12th

R: 142 / 12th

BB: 93 / 14th

SO: 263 / 9th

SB: 20 / 10th

Pitching

W: 17 / 11th

ERA: 3.86 / 6th

SV: 5 / 14th

SVO: 11 / 12th

IP: 340.2 / 10th

HR: 37 / 11th

BB: 113 / 11th

SO: 271 / 8th

Avg.: 249 / 9th

WHIP: 1.28 / 6th

* Although it is a VERY small sample size, the team has improved their team Avg., OBP, SLG, and OPS since switching hitting coaches.

Opponent Interesting Facts:

The Padres were the first team to ever play a series outside the U.S. or Canada. They played the New  York Mets August 16-18, 1996 in Monterrey Mexico in a series called "La Primera Serie"

The "Swinging Friar" is the Padres mascot and has been since the 1970's when he replaced the chicken.

Preston Gomez was the Padres' first manager.

Randy Jones was the first Padre to win the Cy Young Award in 1976 after posting a 22-14 record. Jones set franchise records for wins, innings pitched and complete games.

The Padres changed their team colors in 1992 going from brown and orange to navy blue and white.

The Padres joined Major League Baseball in 1969, their first season in MLB resulted in a 52-110 record.

Tony Gwynn (Mr. Padre) retired in 2001 with a .338 career batting average. Gwynn was selected to the National League All-Star team 15-times and won 8 batting titles during his 20 season career.

Rickey Henderson collected his 3,000 hit while he was with the Padres. Henderson got the hit off of Colorado's John Thompson on the final game of the 2001 season.

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An Angels Fan Retropactum...Retrospective?

Picture of Fowler Jr. taken on the night of Jered Weaver's No-No on May 2nd, 2012

By Scott Fowler - AngelsWin.com Columnist

Greetings all. I wanted to take a moment just to introduce myself to the community a little bit before completely getting carried away in a rant, or some ill-advised, heat of the moment impassioned plea to Angels Leadership for change.

My name is Scott Fowler, and I've been an Angels fan for going on about 25 years now. Those of you who might read obscure and totally ill-designed blogs might know me as The OC Sports Geek. Hello all two of you out there who read that blog, and yes mom, I mean you.

I've been lucky enough to get a chance to contribute to AngelsWin.com, and for that I want to say thanks, hello, and OMG WT#)($*% were you thinking?

Instead of talking about why our favorite Halos are mired in the muck, or my take on Hatcher's sacrificial lambasting, I just wanted to let you all in on why I'm an Angels fan. I think in times like these, it's important to remember why we all love this game, this team, the whole nine.

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Angels Illustrated - Angels Interleague History a Success (Volume III)

By Lou Spirito - AngelsWin.com Columnist.

The Angels begin 2012 interleague play this Friday on the road in San Diego. Since the format began in 1997, the Halos have had tremendous success, sporting an overall record of 152-114. They rank third behind only the Yankees and White Sox with the highest interleague winning percentage, including an MLB best 62-28 since the start of 2007.

To view the content of this week's feature, click on the image above or hit this link for the .PDF.

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Interview With Angels' Weekly Host Alex Curry

By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

Angels’ Weekly on Fox Sports Network has always been a show fans have tuned into to get the latest scoop on their beloved Angels. The show has always had a pretty consistent format, usually including an interview or two, a series recap and perhaps a preview of the Halos’ upcoming opponent. This year is a bit different though, this year Angels Weekly is taking a different approach and that new approach starts with new host Alex Curry.

AngelsWin.com recently had the opportunity to talk with the new face of Angels’ baseball to find out a little more about her, her thoughts on this year’s team and her experiences thus far as host of Angels’ Weekly.

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M-I- C-(See you real soon)-K-E-Y (Why? Because we love you)

 

By Bruce Nye - AngelsWin.com Columnist 

The Angels relieved Mickey Hatcher of his duties as hitting coach yesterday surprising the sports world while at the same time, pleasing thousands of fans.  The Angels have been shut out 8 times this year more than any team at this date in MLB history since 1907.  Their hitting and scoring statistics are among the lowest in the American League.

Jerry Dipoto made the announcement last evening without Angels' manager, Mike Scioscia present.  He said it was a sad day.  Mickey Hatcher had been the Angels hitting coach for 13 years - the longest by any MLB team.  Prior to that, Hatcher was the hitting coach for Mike Scioscia, when he managed the Dodgers' AAA team in Albuquerque .  He also played with Scioscia as a member of the Dodgers.

Mickey was a lovable, fun loving guy whom, when with the Dodgers would dance and cheer while the Mickey Mouse song was played for him.  Hatcher carried around an over-sized glove with which he used to prank other players.

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Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago White Sox - Series Preview (5/16-5/17)

By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

Angels/A’s Recap:

WOW! In a 24-hour period so much has changed. This team is like a crazy roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain; the ups and downs of this season have fans everywhere jumping for joy one day and pulling their hair out the next. The Halos dropped the opener of their brief two game series with the Oakland Athletics but they managed to win game two for a series split. Although Tuesday’s game was just one game out of a 162 game season, it signified much more. I, like many of you, have thought this team was poised to break out numerous times this season..I actually think now is the time!

Albert Pujols went 3-for-4 on Tuesday, finally resembling the old Pujols that dominated baseball for 11 seasons in St. Louis. This was a much needed performance, not just for the Halos but for Pujols’ psyche. It’s no secret that he has looked lost at the plate recently, a 3-hit performance has to boost his confidence somewhat. Hopefully yesterday’s game is a sign of things to come and not an aberration.

Mike Trout continues to improve and produce. Let’s be honest, the Angels have had some big prospects come through the system that flat out flopped once they got to the majors, I think each and every one of us are crossing our fingers thinking Trout is just too good to be true. On Tuesday, Trout showed that he just might be the real deal as he went 3-for-4 with a home run, an RBI and 3 runs. Harper-Mania may be sweeping the east coast but so far in 2012, after only 57 at-bats, Trout has 3 home runs, 8 RBI’s and 3 stolen bases…all while batting .316. Over the course of 500 at-bats Trout’s projected numbers are 26 home runs, 64 RBI’s and 24 stolen bases. Not too shabby for a 20 year old leadoff hitter.

Although Pujols and Trout had big games, the biggest news happened off the field as General Manager Jerry Dipoto dismissed longtime Angels’ hitting coach Mickey Hatcher. I don’t want to criticize Hatcher anymore then has already been done but I think it was pretty apparent that a change had to be made. It was a loooong time coming. Although it didn’t work out this season for Hatcher with the Angels, I honestly wish him the best in the future.

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Welcome Jim Eppard: Quick Take

By David Saltzer & Chuck Richter - AngelsWin.com

Tuesday night, I was out with my wife on a dinner date when Chuck Richter texted me the news that the Angels had relieved Mickey Hatcher of his duties. After registering the shock of the moment, I asked Chuck if he knew who will be replacing Hatcher. Chuck told me that the Angels were going with an internal candidate—their Triple-A batting coach, and former player, Jim Eppard.

At first, that move made sense. It seemed rather unlikely that the Angels would, or could, make a full search for a new hitting coach without the news leaking to the press or without being confined by the limited availability during the season. However, in reading the comments from the press after making the Hatcher announcement, there may be more to this move than first meets the eye.

According to Bill Plunkett, in his thorough coverage of the story in the Orange County Register (click here to read the article) 

   
Dipoto would not call Eppard an interim choice for the position.
   
"I'm not a big fan of the interim tag. I don't think that allows anybody the ability or autonomy to do their job," he said, adding that Eppard's future role will be evaluated "as we move along."
   
"We believe in him, he's a part of the Angels family and he deserves the opportunity to sink his teeth into the job."

In looking at Eppard’s career, there may be some truth these statements. While Chuck and I do believe that the Angels will ultimately do a more thorough search to fill the position in the offseason, Eppard will be given every opportunity to earn the position.

Looking at Jim Eppard's Minor League stats on Baseball Reference, two things stand out. First, Eppard was a sabermetric-type hitter well before anyone had even heard of Bill James. When he was a player, Eppard understood when to work the count and when to swing away. Over the course of his Minor League career, Eppard had 607 walks versus 368 strikeouts in 1199 ABs. His career OB% was .397! He only grounded into 17 double-plays in all that time. It’s not surprising to learn that Eppard won 4 batting titles in 12 Minor League seasons.

Second, Eppard has been the hitting coach for the Angels’ Triple-A team in Salt Lake since 2003. That means he is familiar with many of the current players on the Major League roster, including Kendrick, Bourjos, Trumbo, and Aybar. He knows what has worked with all of them in the past and should be able to continue to work with them in the future.

Angels fans know that Jerry Dipoto is a believer in the importance of getting on base in order to generate runs. Dipoto has already made moves to bolster that deficiency in the team. In the past, Eppard has worked with nearly half of the Angels’ starting lineup and coaxed enough improvement out of them to finalize them into Major League players.

As fans, we should all welcome him into the position and give him the time to assess the current problems with the offense as well as to work to improve them. Eppard will have his work cut out for him. But, hopefully he will have the skills to make the necessary improvements.

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Change it had to come - Angels Fire Hatcher

By David Saltzer - AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

Change it had to come

We knew it all along
We were liberated from the fall that’s all . . .

Let’s face it: the 2012 season has not gone according to plans for the Angels. Who could have imagined that a team with this much talent would stumble out of the gate this badly?

There’s plenty of blame to be spread around for this mess, but, the Angels have wasted no time in addressing one of the core problems: the offense. The only people finding the offense offensive is the fans, not the opposition. A lineup with Pujols, Trumbo, Morales, Hunter, Kendrick and Wells should have done more damage than a porcelain wrecking ball. Something had to be done, and, tonight it happened: The Angels relieved Mickey Hatcher as the team’s Hitting Coach.

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Interview with Intentional Talk's Kevin Millar

By Brian Waller - AngelsWin.com Columnist

No matter which team you follow, there are just some players that you respect. Kevin Millar has always been one of those players. Millar can easily be defined as a team player, a guy his teammates rally around and someone who plays the game of baseball the right way. Angelswin.com recently had an opportunity to interview Millar about a number of topics including his transition from the baseball diamond to the sound stage, his memories of playing at the "Big A", and his opinion on whats wrong with Albert Pujols.

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Some Perspective, Folks

By Jonathan Northrop - AngelsWin.com Columnist

I know no one likes to look at the big picture after a loss, especially to Texas, but let's not forget that they only lost 2-of-3 to the best team in the AL and are still 9-6 in their last 15 games. Certainly that's nothing to be too excited about, but it is 9-6 without any production from their best hitter and continued slumps from various players (Aybar, Hunter, etc).

The Angels have a soft schedule coming up, with five games against Oakland, two against the White Sox, and four against the Mariners before facing the Yankees and Rangers again at the end of May/beginning of June. That's 11 games in which they should be able to get themselves together and firing on all cylinders; an 8-3 run gets them to .500 (23-23), which is certainly possible. With the last three games of the month against the Yankees, it is going to be hard to get over .500 for the year, which was my prediction for the end of the month, but it is possible.

I'd even go so far as to say that this is a bit of a turning point for the team, or it could be - and one that might determine the rest of the year. If they can squeeze up to .500 by the end of this 11-game soft run AND into 2nd place, then they're going to be fine. But if they struggle then it is going to be more of the same all year, or at least until it is too late (I could see this team starting to play well in August or September when they're out of the race, sort of like an 8th inning Vernon Wells solo shot when the team is up or down by 8 runs).

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Los Angeles Angels Prospect Report - 30 Day Review

By Scott Stedman - AngelsWin.com Minor League Reporter

 

Salt Lake Bees - The Salt Lake Bees have have struggled since the losses of Mike Trout, Alexi Amarista and Jorge Cantu.  Overall, they are 18-19 on the season, good for 3rd place in the Pacific Coast League.  Offensively, the Bees have been led by Andrew Romine, Kole Calhoun and the veteran Ryan Langerhans.  Andrew Romine, the versatile 26-year-old infielder is hitting .333 in 132 at bats with 11 stolen bases.  In the field, Romine has helped manager Keith Johnson by making appearances at second and third base, as well as a number of starts at short stop.  Outfielder Ryan Langerhans, who signed a minor league deal with the Angels in the off season, has been perhaps the Bees most valuable player.  He is hitting .283 with an incredible .442 OBP!  Couple that with his 12 extra-base-hits, and you get a .920 OPS for Langerhans.  Another outfielder for the Bees who has been nothing but great is 24 year old Kole Calhoun.  The Angels got a good look at him in Spring Training, and liked what they saw, so they made Kole skip Double-A.  Calhoun, an 8th round pick out of ASU in 2010, has exceeded expectations at every level in which he has played.  This year, he is once again hitting over .300, with a .867 OPS and terrific outfield defense.  On the flip side of the ball, the pitchers have let down Salt Lake.  Matt Shoemaker and Garrett Richards have struggled mightily, each posting a WHIP in the 1.6 range.  Perhaps the only positive for the Bees' pitching staff is 24-year-old closer, Ryan Brasier.  Brasier has posted a 1.32 ERA and has struck out 19 in his 13 2/3 innings of work this year. 

Arkansas Travelers - The Travs' have struggled mightily in 2012 so far, posting a 14-21 record.  The pitching for Arkansas has kept them in most of the games, but the offense has had a hard time producing runs.  A.J. Schugel has anchored the rotation with a 3.20 ERA and a .222 batting average against (BAA).   The 22-year-old Schugel relies on the ground ball and pitching to contact.  Also, although his ERA may not show it (4.46) Ariel Pena has improved leaps and bounds from his last campaign.  Pena, who will celebrate his 23rd birthday next week, has his WHIP down to 1.21 from last year's 1.58.  Earlier in spring, Mike Scioscia raved about Pena's mound presence, so it would not surprise me to see him in September this year.  In the bullpen, Steve Geltz and Eddie McKiernan have shined.  Geltz, a 23-year-old power righty, has a 0.00 ERA and 23 Ks in 16 IP, and McKiernan has a 0.45 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP.  Offensively, the lone bright spot seems to be Jean Segura.  Segura, the Angels 3rd best prospect according to Angelswin, has turned it on for the Travs' as of late.  In May, he is hitting .347 to raise his overall average to .289.  The speedy shortstop has stolen 14 bags this year in his age 22 season.  With Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick locked up long-term, Segura looks to be trade bait unless he can outperform one of the two aforementioned veterans in the coming years.

Inland Empire 66ers - Inland Empire is full of exciting young prospects, and has compiled a .500 record thus far.  Nick Maronde was dominating hitters before he went on the DL with a lat injury.  The former Florida closer has a 2.83 ERA and 35 Ks compared to just 9 BBs.  At any rate, Maronde could rise to be on national top prospect lists if he keeps this kind of performance up.  Closer Ryan Chaffee has been a man among boys this year, as evidenced by his 1.76 ERA and .180 BAA.  Last year was historically bad for Chaffee, so hopefully something has clicked for the tall right-hander this year.  Travis Witherspoon, an outfielder who turned 23 in April, has scouts drooling over his tools.  His power/speed combo is something rarely seen in prospects.  'Spoon is hitting .291 with a .776 OPS and 13 stolen bases after 36 games of play.  Second baseman Taylor Lindsey, 2011's Pioneer League MVP, is hitting .286 with 9 walks.  Last year, he drew just 13 walks in the whole season, so hopefully this is a sign of improved plate discipline.  A former supplemental 1st round pick, Lindsey is still just 20 years of age.

Cedar Rapids Kernels - Cedar Rapids has had a hard time putting runs on the board, starting the 2012 season 15-21.  The only exciting offensive player for the Kernels has been third-baseman Kaleb Cowart.  Cowart, the Angels first round selection from the 2010 draft, has blasted 7 home runs already this year, which leads the whole Angels organization.  The 19-year-old Cowart has an OPS just below .800 in the Midwest League, a league notoriously difficult for power hitters.  If he continues to progress, it looks like Cowart may be an exciting player for the Angels.  Pitching wise, the Kernels have consistently gotten good performances from Austin Wood and Michael Clevinger.  Wood, a 6th round pick in last year's June draft has K'd 38 batters in 32 innings and put up a 3.66 ERA in his 7 starts.  A very physical pitcher, the 21-year-old Wood challenges hitters with a mid-90s fastball and sharp breaking pitch.  Clevinger, another 21-year-old righty, has posted a 3.00 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP.  A 4th round pick in 2011 out of Seminole CC, Clevinger can pump his fastball in the upper 90s.  Wood and Clevinger look like very promising power pitchers, and could move up the ladder rather quickly in the Angels system.

Updates on top 10 prospect according to AngelsWin.com:

1. Mike Trout (CF) - Angels leadoff man.  He's okay.
2. Garrett Richards (RHP) (AAA) - 4.66 ERA, 1.58 WHIP.
3. Jean Segura (SS) (AA) - Hitting .289, 14 stolen bases.
4. John Hellweg (RHP) (AA) - 4.84 ERA, having control problems again.
5. C. J. Cron (1B) (A+) - Hitting .254, limited power.
6. Taylor Lindsey (2B) (A+) - Hitting .286, improved discipline, but worrisome defense.
7. Matt Shoemaker (RHP) (AAA) - 6.86 ERA.
8. Luis Jimenez (3B) (AAA) - .277 average with .792 OPS.
9. Kole Calhoun (OF) (AAA) - Hitting .305 with 69 total bases, and outstanding defense.
10. Kaleb Cowart (3B) (A) - Hitting .265 with 7 HRs.

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Intentional Talk - Los Angeles Angels vs. Texas Rangers

By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

If you are a baseball nut like me you probably have your television tuned into the MLB Network the majority of the time. From MLB Tonight to Clubhouse Confidential, the MLB Network offers some of the best baseball coverage around. Perhaps the most unique show on the MLB Network though is Intentional Talk, which is hosted by Kevin Millar and Chris Rose. Launched in April 2011, Intentional Talk is MLB Network’s first true open forum where everyone and everything is the subject of discussion and opinion.

Millar and Rose focus on hot topics and current events in baseball, with appearances from special guests in sports, entertainment and pop culture, and an on-screen ticker displaying the latest headlines as well as feedback from Twitter and Facebook. Some of the most enjoyable reoccurring segments on the show include Kevin’s Highlights, Turning Two, Irrelevant Video of the Day, That was Awkward, and everybody’s favorite Got Heeeeeem!

Be sure to tune in tomorrow, Friday May 11th at 2 p.m. (PT) when Intentional Talk will be live from Rangers ballpark in Arlington, Texas to preview the upcoming Angels vs. Rangers series. Also, be sure to check back here, at AngelsWin.com, to read our recent interview with Millar. We cover a wide variety of topics with Millar including his memories of playing against the Halos, his thoughts on the 2012 team, and his projections for the Angels for the remainder of the season; some of his answers just may surprise you.

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Watch Party Fundraiser at Throwbacks - Angels vs. Rangers this Sunday @ 5:00 PM

Angels fans, head on over to Throwbacks after your Mothers' Day festivities to watch the Halos take on their division rival Texas Rangers while supporting Jason Brennan's charity LLS(Leukemia, Lymphoma Society). All food and drink purchases go toward to LLS, as do all auction items. I know it's Mothers' Day, but bring your wife and mom with you to support a good cause. Some good things planned for the event, so don't miss out on a good time, giving toward a great cause.

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Los Angeles Angels vs. Minnesota Twins Series Preview (5/7-5/9)

By Brian Waller, AngelsWin.com Columnist

Angels/Blue Jays Recap:

After sweeping the Minnesota Twins earlier in the week the Angels entered the weekend series with the Toronto Blue Jays riding a season high 3-game winning streak that included a dominating no-hitter by staff ace Jered Weaver. It appeared as though the Angels’ fortunes had finally changed for the better and the team seemed poised to go on a tear and finally play like fans had expected all spring. Apparently the old saying is true, “appearances can be deceiving”. All the momentum the Halos built up from the Minnesota series was quickly lost as the team was shutout on back to back nights the first two games of the series. The consecutive losses had fans scratching their heads trying to figure out just what the heck is wrong with their beloved Angels.

Fortunately, the Halos were able to pull out the last two games for a series split, which, considering the season the Blue Jays are having is not too shabby. The Angels were lead by strong pitching performances by C.J. Wilson and Jerome Williams and timely hits from Kendrys Morales and Mark Trumbo…and of course there was the home run by a certain high priced top tier player. That’s right, after 28 games, 112 at-bats, 253 innings; Albert Pujols finally hit his first official home run as an Angel Sunday at the “Big A” in front of 37,548. It was as if a tremendous weight had been taken off of his shoulders, you could see it in his face and you could see it in his teammate’s faces as well. Let’s all hope this means he, and the offense as a whole, will not start playing up to their potential. Considering the horrid start the Halos got off to in 2012, being only 6.5 games out of first doesn’t seem that bad.

Angels/Blue Jays Series MVP(s)

Mark Trumbo batted .357 in the series with 1 home run, 2 RBI’s and a walk. Although Trumbo had an error while playing third base Thursday night he played right field, left field and first base error free. For as much criticism Mike Scioscia has received for his constant line-up juggling I have to say that I am glad he is getting Trumbo into the line-up every day, even if it means four different positions in four consecutive games.

Angels/Twins Preview

Pitching Match-ups:

5/7 – Jered Weaver (4-0, 1.61 ERA) vs. Francisco Liriano (0-4, 9.97 ERA)

5/8 – Dan Haren (1-2, 3.43 ERA) vs. TBD

5/9 – Ervin Santana (0-6, 5.59 ERA) vs. Carl Pavano (2-2, 4.62 ERA)

Weather:

5/7 – Mostly sunny with a high of 66 degrees

5/8 – 60% chance of rain with a high of 58 degrees

5/9 – Mostly sunny with a high of 67 degrees

Game Times/Channels/Promotions:

5/7 – 5:10 p.m. / FSW

5/8 – 5:10 p.m. / FSW

5/9 – 5:10 p.m. / FSW

Player to Watch

Ervin Santana cant possibly of 0-7 to start the season can he? Im going to go out on a limb and say he will win his first game of the 2012 season on Wednesday against the Twins. He will be facing the 13th ranked Minnesotta offense and will be pitching in a pitcher friendly park.

Angels’ Team Statistics / League Rank (as of 5/7/12)

Offense

Avg.: .246 / 8th

OBP: .296 / 12th

SLG: .378 / 12th

OPS: .674 / 11th

Hits: 237 / 7th

HR: 24 / 10th

RBI’s: 99 / 11th

R: 103 / 12th

BB: 67 / 14th

SO: 195 / 9th

SB: 14 / 9th

Pitching

W: 12 / 11th

ERA: 3.58 / 5th

SV: 4 / 13th

SVO: 10 / 7th

IP: 253.2 / 6th

HR: 27 / 8th

BB: 76 / 11th

SO: 214 / 5th

Avg.: 234 / 4th

WHIP: 1.18 /4rd

Opponent Interesting Facts

The following players have had their number retired by the Twins:

Harmon Killebrew (3)

Rod Carew (29)

Tony Oliva (6)

Kent Hrbek (14)

Jackie Robinson (42)

Kirby Puckett (34)

Bert Blyleven (28)

Tom Kelly (10) will have his number retired during a pre-game ceremony on September 8, 2012.

On May 18, 2011, Target Field was named "The Sports Facility of the Year" by Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal at the magazine's 2011 Sports Business Awards Ceremony in New York City. It was also named "The Best Sports Stadium in North America" by ESPN The Magazine in a ranking that included over 120 different stadiums, ballparks and arenas from around North America.

The Twins set an all-time club attendance record in their inaugural season at Target field (2010) with 3,223,640. The previous record of 3,030,672 was set during 1988 season, the season that followed their first World Series Championship.

In 2011, 14 black spruce pine trees originally planted behind the centerfield wall were removed because they caused sight-line issues for several hitters in the Twins organization.

Target Field’s facade is built with more than 100, 000 square feet of limestone from southwest Minnesota.

Statues of Twins greats were placed around Target Field in 2010. These statues are; Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Kent Hrbek and Kirby Puckett, and former owner Calvin Griffith. A statue of Tony Oliva was unveiled at the start of the 2011 season.

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Are The Angels This Bad?

By Jonathan Northrop - AngelsWin.com Columnist

The short answer is: No, they can't. Think about this: Last year the Angels were 86-76. This year the team has not only added a bunch of new, good players but replaced poor ones with them:

*Replaced Jeff Mathis with Chris Iannetta

*Replaced Mark Trumbo with Albert Pujols, and moved an improving Trumbo into other roles

*Replaced Bobby Abreu with Kendrys Morales

*Replaced Joel Pineiro and Tyler Chatwood with CJ Wilson

*Replaced Fernando Rodney with Latroy Hawkins

*Replaced Rich Thompson with Ernesto Frieri

*Theoretically replacing Vernon Wells with Mike Trout

Now a bunch of players are playing well below their career norms: Albert Pujols most notably, but also Erick Aybar, Alberto Callaspo, and Peter Bourjos. Only Chris Iannetta, Howie Kendrick, Torii Hunter, and Kendrys Morales are around their normal levels, with Mark Trumbo possibly having taken a step forward.

The rotation is looking terrific: Weaver and Wilson have been stellar, Haren a bit rocky but improving, and Ervin finally seems to have settled down with two good starts in a row. Jerome Williams has been exactly what they hoped he would be: a solid back-end starter.

The bullpen has been bad, but should improve with the addition of Frieri. Also, it seems to start slowly every year and settles in by June or so.

So in summary, this is the same team that is drastically improved from last year. They've dug themselves a bit of a hole but this is not a team that should only be 4 wins better than last year - it should be 8+. The slow start knocks some of that off, but this team should still win 90-95 games. My prediction is that the ship is gradually righted over the course of May, finishing at or close to .500, then get really hot in June and/or July.

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The outfield will solve itself (and here's how)

By Jonathan Northrop - AngelsWin.com Columnist

OK, so Abreu is gone and Trout is up - we're getting there. But we've still got a log-jam in the outfield with Wells, Hunter, Bourjos, Trout, and Trumbo - five players in three slots (with Trumbo getting some starts at 3B and DH). So what to do?

It isn't that complex, really. First, you play who is performing well - which means Torii gets his starts as long as he stays hot. Second, you get Trout into as many games as possible. Third, you play wait and see with Wells and Bourjos, giving them both at least a half-time gig. You keep giving Trumbo shots at third base and hope that he improves. You leave Calhoun in AAA to continue his maturation, and as back-up for later in the year.

This is going to continue for another month or so until Dipoto and company see how it plays out. We just don't know what will happen, just that there are some key questions that will determine what the lineup is on July 1, in rough order of importance:

1) Will Wells recover some of his 2010 form and if so, how much? This is the biggest question, really.

2) Is Trout "ready"? (By "ready" I mean ready to perform better than all but two other outfielders).

3) Will Bourjos hit well enough to start in CF? His defense is so good that all needs to do, really, is hit about .250/.700 OPS.

4) Can Trumbo do better than a .714% fielding percentage at 3B? (Yeah, its been that bad - an error in almost 30% of chances). He doesn't have to be Brooks Robinson at 3B, but he needs to at least get to Mark Reynolds badness, which is an error in about 10% of chances).

5) Has Torii discovered the elixir of life? Even if he hasn't, he's better than Wells and Bourjos with the bat and will likely start 80+% of the time, but if he continues to mash and the others improve as well, he could be a surprise trade candidate for a third baseman.

6) Will Morales stay healthy and continue to hit? He seems to be improving - but now the question is whether the power will come.

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Series Preview - Los Angeles Angels vs. Toronto Blue Jays (5/3-5/6)

By Brian Waller - AngelsWin.com Columnist


Angels/Twins Recap:

Now THIS is the team we all envisioned back in March. The Angels pounded the Minnesota Twins Wednesday night in front of  27,288 fans at the "Big A" in Anaheim, CA. It was the Angels' 3rd consecutive win and their first sweep of the 2012 season. Jered Weaver was masterful on the mound, dominating the Twins in route to pitching the 10th no-hitter in Angels' history.

The win Wednesday night was much needed for the team as it tries to climb out of the hole it made for itself after an abysmal April but the no-hitter was much needed for the fans as they struggle to keep faith in their beloved Angels. For the first time this season the Angels seem to finally be "clicking" during the Minnesota series; the starting pitching was fantastic and the offense was finally getting "cluth" timely hits. Although Weaver's performance was obviously the highlight of the series, Jerome Williams pitched a complete game shutout on Tuesday night, picking up his 2nd win of the season.

Torii Hunter is absolutely scorching hot right now, during the 3-game series with the Twins Hunter went 6-for-10 with 2 home runs and 5 RBI's. Not to be outdone, Howie Kendrick went 7-for-11, hitting 2 home runs himself while collecting 4 RBI's.

The sweep was huge for the Angels and the fans. It should give the Halos some of that "swag" they had in spring training back. They will be facing the Toronto Blue Jays next in a 4-game series beginning tonight at the "Big A" 

Angels/Twins Series MVP(s)
Jered Weaver & Torii Hunter

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Pliny The Elder -- The Best Beer on the Planet -- available NOW at the OC Sports Grill

Your voice and vote was heard. AngelsWin.com and OC Sports Grill have teamed up to bring you the best beer on the planet for Angels games and other sporting events during the month of May. Head to the OC Sports Grill soon though and drink early and often, because it was tough to get this highly acclaimed beer on tap for you all, but you responded and we came through for you.  There's only TWO large kegs, so it may not last through the week with the kind of demand beer drinkers in Southern California have for this beer.

Pliny the Elder is the best beer on the planet. Period.

Today it was officially announced that Pliny the Elder is the best beer on the planet. It is not merely a matter of opinion or taste, it is an absolute truth confirmed by scientific methodology and mathematical proof. Well, kind of.

The readers of Beer Advocate have spoken. For those who do not know, Beer Advocate is a Boston-based magazine that is enjoyed by serious beer enthusiasts across the country in both its online and offline formats. Beer Advocate just released its official list of the Top Beers on Planet Earth. The rankings are based on reader reviews and a mathematical formula that ranks the culmination of those reviews.

Other reviews:

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/russian-river-pliny-the-elder/8936/

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/863/7971

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/30/best-beers-america_n_887706.html

http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/cult-of-pliny-the-elder/content?oid=1927471

OC Sports Grill Location

450 N. State College Blvd
Orange, CA 92868 Map It

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