So Long Darin Erstad, he's off to CWS

by Salmonella on Jan 23, 2007 2:46 PM PST

Thanks for all of your hard work. You served the Angels community well and I wish you the best of luck in Chicago, just not when we face you guys though.

Darin Erstad has signed a contract with the Chicago White Sox. You'll have to excuse me, I'm new to this site so I don't know the difference between an Intro Copy and an Extended Copy.

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Thanks, Darin

And thanks to SALMONELLA for joinng the Halos Heaven team of active posters keeping the Halosphere informed and up to date.

by Rev Halofan on Jan 23, 2007 2:46 PM PST reply actions

good luck Darin

good for him, going to a winning team and can play most if not every day. Good situation. Wonder if he'll punch AJ.

by thewebb on Jan 23, 2007 2:50 PM PST reply actions

Fuck

As I said before: The White Sox are wieners. Is Erstad a wiener? No, he's not. So what the F is he doing there? Hope he slides into his own catcher when the b-stard starts whining about Kelvim.

Light Up That Halo!

by Clutch on Jan 23, 2007 2:59 PM PST reply actions

And then there were 6

by Higz on Jan 23, 2007 3:03 PM PST reply actions

Whew...

I'm so glad he's not coming back to us...I thank him for the memories.

I'll always remember that fateful call, "Erstad says he's got it, Erstad makes the catch! The Anahiem Angels are the champions of baseball!"

And when he plummeted Jonny Estrada...good memories!

Link to Estrada knock out:
http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/scripts/mediaplayer/mp_tpl.jsp?w_id=428496&w=2005/open/topplays/ar chive06/060605_anaatl_erstad_collision_350.wmv&pid=mlb_tp&gid=2005/06/06/anamlb-atlmlb-1& ;cid=mlb&fid=mlb_tp350&v=2&mType=w&urlstr=&murl=

Peanuts...Get your Overpriced Peanuts!

by Angel Hawker on Jan 23, 2007 3:12 PM PST reply actions

Dear Linus,

Merry Christmas... Erstad is gone!

LAME!

ps: erstad vs estrada... awesome.

by cupie on Jan 23, 2007 3:23 PM PST up reply actions

thanks

I just watched that about 8 times.

by Hutch (someone took my name) on Jan 23, 2007 3:43 PM PST up reply actions

Guy is gritty

he f'cking ran his ass over...not one single Angel now has that grit to run over the catcher...maybe napoli, but no one else

Glad he wont be in the lineup, but thanks for the many good years of D Ersty..you will be missed

Stoneman, so far NO GOOD!!!

by P237 on Jan 23, 2007 4:09 PM PST up reply actions

Wait a minute

Where's the link?

I've been looking all over and don't see definitive proof that Erstad actually signed with the ChiSox and isn't still deciding between them and the Marlins.

Light Up That Halo!

by Clutch on Jan 23, 2007 4:21 PM PST reply actions

here

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070123&content_id=1784822&vkey=hotstove 2006&fext=.jsp

by Higz on Jan 23, 2007 4:24 PM PST up reply actions

And the LA times story now...

Link:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/la-sp-angels24jan24,1,5089092.story?coll=la-headli nes-sports-mlb-angels

Peanuts...Get your Overpriced Peanuts!

by Angel Hawker on Jan 23, 2007 4:49 PM PST up reply actions

Sigh

Damn. Well then.

Light Up That Halo!

by Clutch on Jan 23, 2007 4:27 PM PST reply actions

G'Bye, Red Ass!

He played the game the way Pete Rose did -- down the catcher's (Estrada is the modern-day Ray Fosse) throat! May Ersty get the nod over Anderson in Chicago!!

Is it too late to ask for Jon Garland in return?

by PieceOfAase on Jan 23, 2007 5:02 PM PST reply actions

it'll be tough to watch him in another uniform

granted, i don't think he has much left in that tank of his, but if you can drag the "player-formerly-known-as-Tim Salmon" around for a couple extra years, i don't see why you can't do the same for Ersty.

who's gonna beat the shit out of Hillenbrand now?

SPORTS UNFILTERED

by pedro guerrero on Jan 23, 2007 5:05 PM PST reply actions

Kennedy will...

oops, never mind - hold that thought and i'll get back to you.

by rbrianc on Jan 23, 2007 7:21 PM PST up reply actions

aw

It takes a lot for me to spill some beer for my homies.

This is one of those times.

by Carl Johnson on Jan 23, 2007 5:20 PM PST reply actions

So long Erstad......ill miss your crazy defense...

But im gald your bat is gone......good luck in Chicago!!!!!!

Put Kendry Morales at 1B, and McPherson at 3B......NOW LETS GO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by acuda27 on Jan 23, 2007 5:45 PM PST reply actions

Good luck, big guy

I will always respect a player who gives every ounce of his being to win games - Erstie did that.

If healthy, he could hit .285 and play Gold Glove defense. It will be interesting to see how he does with a new hitting coach and a completely different approach...

"When you don't know that you don't know, it's a lot different than when you do know that you don't know" - Bill Parcells

by johnnyangel101 on Jan 23, 2007 7:21 PM PST reply actions

Wishfull thinking

I am not sure he is going to change his approach at this point in his career

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Jan 23, 2007 7:25 PM PST up reply actions

You're right

I should have written "possibly" a different hitting approach. Although unlikely, it still would be interesting to see...

"When you don't know that you don't know, it's a lot different than when you do know that you don't know" - Bill Parcells

by johnnyangel101 on Jan 24, 2007 7:01 AM PST up reply actions

Wow

Imagine Ozzie Guillen coaching Darin Erstad.

....Jesus, I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that one.

by NPCody on Jan 23, 2007 8:16 PM PST reply actions

I bet Guillen

loves Darin Erstad. That's his type of player. When Tori Hunter mowed down his own catcher, he actually complimented the guy. If only Erstad could do it to Peirzynski (not gonna even bother with the spelling) and then have Guillen cheer him on.
You do bring up an interesting point though, I seem to recall Erstad saying Sosh is the only manager he ever wanted to play for.

Anyway, Erstad will be missed, that's for sure. I'll never forget one of the first times I saw Erstad play on tv and Sparky Anderson, who was the announcer, was talking about he was going to be one hell of a player. He was right.

by LosAngel on Jan 23, 2007 11:48 PM PST up reply actions

go get em' ersty.........you'll be missed:(

by AlohaHalofan on Jan 23, 2007 10:20 PM PST reply actions

Great Angel, great leader.

Thanks for everything. You're one of the all time greats in our history.

Best of luck. I'd like to see what Ersty could do with a healthy season.

by goodvibe61 on Jan 23, 2007 10:40 PM PST reply actions

Good riddance

When in CF he was useful, otherwise, not so much. Of course, 2000 was a different story.

Jimmuscomp

Haloville- Land of the Angels
Homepage

by jimmuscomp on Jan 24, 2007 8:46 AM PST reply actions

Good Riddance?

I guess his contributions haven't meant much? Yeah right.

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Jan 24, 2007 11:29 AM PST up reply actions

Yep, good riddance

I never cared much for him after 2000 when he became a liability at the plate. He definitely was fun to watch in CF in 2002 but his bat reeked to high heaven.

I am happy he is gone because Scioscia will no longer be able to play him because he has veteran mo-jo. Similarly, his "leadership" skills are way overblown. He is a blow-hard, self-important jock that probably cost the team wins over the course of the last few years.

Was he hard-nosed? Yes, but that didn't stop him from grounding out 4-3 eleventy-billion times and masking that ineptitude with the term "productive out". I really don't like him as a player.

For right or wrong, I rooted for a hammy injury each of the last three years to get his corpse out of the line-up. This hatred is probably irrational, but he was a guy that just annoyed me when he played.

Thanks for 2000 and don't let the door hit you, yadda, yadda, yadda...

Jimmuscomp

Haloville- Land of the Angels
Homepage

by jimmuscomp on Jan 24, 2007 11:44 AM PST up reply actions

Panther!

by Bilko 420 on Jan 24, 2007 12:37 PM PST up reply actions

Eleventy-Billion

That is not even a real number

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Jan 24, 2007 12:47 PM PST up reply actions

yeah?

well, jazz sucks

by Hutch (someone took my name) on Jan 24, 2007 12:50 PM PST up reply actions

except cool jazz

by Hutch (someone took my name) on Jan 24, 2007 12:58 PM PST up reply actions

dumbass

my signature sucks

by proletariat on Jan 25, 2007 2:25 AM PST up reply actions

Productive Out

How many of thos was he told by the manager to do? That he did so unquestioningly got him the respect of his teammates and made the Angel clubhouse focused on winning and not personal milestones that come at the expense of the team.

It doesn't show up in a box score, and it is hard for detail-oriented minds to see the forest for the trees, but beyond what can be pitifully measured, Erstad was a great Angel in the big picture.

by Rev Halofan on Jan 25, 2007 12:53 PM PST up reply actions

Fair enough Rev, but...

if he was a viable offensive threat Scioscia wouldn't have needed to have his $8 million dollar CF/1B ground out to advance a runner from second to third.

Jimmuscomp

Haloville- Land of the Angels
Homepage

by jimmuscomp on Jan 25, 2007 3:06 PM PST up reply actions

perfectly said Rev

as for jimmuscomp, you're an idiot. Everything you said was incorrect. Sometimes I wonder why people waste time being a fan.

You're missing the entire point that Rev tried to pound through your head. Erstad could have had better numbers (not 30 hrs, 120 rbis mind you, but better) but he did what he was asked to do. His defense was as good as it gets, and he played the Angels style of ball.

You can argue whether that style is good or bad, but you can't argue with a player listening to his coach and 'buying in' to the team concept. He was an enormous part of our 2002 championship, especially in the playoffs in which his offense apparently stunk? If you'd rather have 9 statistical offensive all stars than a team full of players that just want a title, be a Yankee fan.

by thewebb on Jan 25, 2007 9:05 PM PST up reply actions

You just spoke for me.

by wumbug on Jan 26, 2007 6:23 AM PST up reply actions

Well...

So, the reason he stunk from 2001 through 2006 is because he was asked to stink.

Got it.

Anyway, he was a phenomenal defensive outfielder - I couldn't take that away if I tried. He was electric in the OF - agreed. My gripe is on the offensive side of the game. His 2000 season was absurdly good - one of the best leadoff seasons of all time - but he just fell off the cliff after that. At age 27. Who does that? He regressed big-time to a point where the best course of action for your former #1 pick overall and guy who hit .355 with 25 HR, 120+ runs in 2000 was to purposely ground out 4-3 to move up a runner.

My point is that if he didn't fall off the cliff Scioscia would not have had to ask Erstad to take one for the team. Erstad, v. 2000, wouldn't have been asked to sacrifice his bat for a base because he as gonna smoke the ball into a gap and run his tail off -

Good for him that he did what the coach said - he had 8 million reasons to listen to the coach. He shouldn't get "credit" for doing that. Most folks do what is asked of them - whether you believe that or not.

Ersty was important in 2002, no doubt about it, especially in the post-season. But without Salmon, Glaus, Fullmer and G.A. the Halos don't make the post-season. Put a replacement in CF that season and they still make the post-season, even without Ersty.

Jimmuscomp

Haloville- Land of the Angels
Homepage

by jimmuscomp on Jan 27, 2007 7:05 PM PST up reply actions

2002

Erstad had the best defensive season by a Centerfielder in a season in 2002 in baseball hisory accoriding to some baseball metrics (i swear to god I read this once on a limk on baseball primer).

by Rev Halofan on Jan 29, 2007 12:57 AM PST up reply actions

I have also read this

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Jan 29, 2007 2:59 PM PST up reply actions

Postseason stats of

352/356/507 are not shabby either.

GMJ step number one in a plan for continued dominance, or step number one in a plan for severe weight loss through explosive vomiting?

by hauldog on Jan 29, 2007 3:02 PM PST up reply actions

Disagree Jim

Think of the number of players who are asked to those "little" things who squeal BUT IT IS NOT PART OF MY GAME TO DO THAT and call their agents...

by Rev Halofan on Jan 25, 2007 10:27 PM PST up reply actions

You brought it up, so...

why don't you find ten folks who actually said that, Rev?

I bet it is harder than you think. These are professionals and they typically do what is asked of them.

Starters bitching about a move to the bullpen comes to mind - but even that is usually something like this, "I know I can produce as a starter and see myself doing that in the future, but whenever I come in to pitch I'll give it my best shot." Or something like that.

I bet finding 10 legit complaints about bunting or some such thing will be really tough.

Jimmuscomp

Haloville- Land of the Angels
Homepage

by jimmuscomp on Jan 27, 2007 7:08 PM PST up reply actions

Happens all the time

why do you think a clubhouse needs "leaders" - it is to get the malcontents and the egos to TOW THE LINE - a thing everyone is ASKED to do but a thing that DOES NOT MANIFEST all that often.

The biggest sources of friction are guys who pad their stats instead of trying to be a team player - other guys who want to win (the Erstads) get on them.

It does not show up in a stat sheet but when in every interview you hear guys explain that Darin Erstad is the leader of the clubhouse and a lead by example guy, at some point you have to accept that he is a valuable member of the team despite the fact that you and i do not possess the ruler to measure the success of that leadership.

by Rev Halofan on Jan 29, 2007 1:00 AM PST up reply actions

Ersty

Hate to see him go. One of my favorite players.

by docescobar07 on Jan 24, 2007 8:44 PM PST reply actions

erstad memory

sometime in 99 or 2000 im sitting in the right section near the right bleachers with my dad and a guy in the way back talks loudly about how darin erstad is going to hit a homerun on the next pitch, low and behold homerun just above the right field fence on the very next pitch great memory...

by ANewFoundThrice on Jan 25, 2007 1:31 AM PST reply actions