Notes from Interleague East Coast Swing

by Wittness on Jun 25, 2008 7:23 AM PDT

Living on the East Coast I don’t get to see my beloved Angels too often but these last couple of days afforded me to see them 4 times, all wins. Of course winning makes everything look rosy but here are my thoughts, if you cared:

1. Admiral Aybar is fast becoming one of my favorite players between the homerun on Saturday, the heads up base running on Monday, and the play at short last night.

2. I know it is still a small sample size but Casey can hit lefties. No need to sit him against southpaws, he hit a screaming meemie against one of the best lefties in the game and is now hitting a robust .368 against them.

3. The sweep in Philly was sweet. I took my 3 year old nephew to his first baseball game on Sunday and of course I tried to convince him to be an Angel fan. The Angels did all the convincing for me, I think I got him when I asked how does it feels to be fan of the worst professional team in the history of professional sports. He seemed awed by the Phillies 10,000+ losses. Anyway the Angels are a good road team. The AL best road record was set by Seattle couple years ago at 59 and 22. Angels will probably not best that but at 26 and 12, which includes being swept by the Rays, they have shown they are road warriors.

4. The flaccid offense has gotten a lot of pub thus far this year but having Kendrick, Figgins and Aybar back along with Vlad crushing the ball it looks a lot better. Wood and SRod held down the fort defensively but they couldn’t hit their way out of wet paper bag. On one homer by Vlad, Pat Burrell didn’t even bother moving.

5. Is the Angels’ style built to win a lot of games in the regular season but not do well in the playoffs? Don’t get me wrong I love to watch the Angels play because I like their style, it’s exciting. But aggressive running and putting the pressure on the defense works against bad defensive teams and bad defensive teams usually don’t make the playoffs except for the Yankees who we usually beat. Last night I thought I saw Dimitri Young mutter, “please don’t hit it to me.”

6. Juan Rivera’s jersey should say Juan “Not Ruben” Rivera. Last night the Nats announcer told the history of Juan and how he got to the Angels except he mixed in some history of Ruben Rivera. “Juan had an embarrassing episode while with the Yankees when he stole some of Derek Jeter’s things and got traded to the Expos along with Nick Johnson for Javier Vazquez.” You would think that since the Nats were formerly the Expos the announcers would know better.

7. The Phillies and Nationals new parks are pretty nice but then again the same company who designed Angels Stadium, sans faux rock, designed them. And when you put Philly phans in a nicer stadium they don’t behave like numskulls except I did see some Phillies on Phillies crime which is funny.

8. The Phillies have a good offense but I don’t think they have seen this kind of pitching. Between Boston and the Angels the Phillies offense looked somewhat average.

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.

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regardless of the slump the phills are in

when chase comes alive, that lineup is deadly to any starter.

by kingfish on Jun 25, 2008 9:27 AM PDT reply actions

HOK (Architecture Firm) Designed pretty much every one of the new ballparks

Seattle I would like to thank you for sucking. It allows me to get back to my roots: Hating Fremont.

by hauldog on Jun 25, 2008 9:39 AM PDT reply actions

A screaming meemie...

is a case of the jitters. Not related in any way to a leaping Lena. I sure hope Kotchman did not hit a jittery ball.

"Never throw the ball so far over the fence where you can't go back and get it." Chuck Knox quoted through Darryl Henley

by Downing Rules on Jun 25, 2008 10:09 AM PDT reply actions

Screaming Meemie

The Screaming Meemie was a rocket-bomb launched by the Germans against Allied troops during World War II. My great uncle who served in WWII in Italy was shaken till his latest days about the effect the screaming meemies had on the troops.

He told me about the hell they would experience before these rockets came “screaming” into the lines of our soldiers. A lot of times he cried when he was relating these experiences.

If a “Screaming Meemie” is indeed defined as a case of the jitters, then I would suggest you look elsewhere to find out how it was a mobile rocket-launched mobile weapon which was used very effectively in WWII in 1943-45 against Allied troops.

Perhaps your definition of “screaming meemies” as a “case of the jitters” comes from cultural filteration, rather than from direct effect, as my great uncle and his mates suffered in WWII coming under direct fire from these weapons during that war.

Halos hats off to all veterans (those who gave their lives and those who are still with us) for allowing us the freedom without having to ever deal with Screaming Meemies.

Don't call me Desmond

by highlandhalo on Jun 26, 2008 3:39 PM PDT up reply actions

I'll give old Webster's a call and add your definition, bro.

"Never throw the ball so far over the fence where you can't go back and get it." Chuck Knox quoted through Darryl Henley

by Downing Rules on Jun 26, 2008 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions

You're both right

From an on-line slang dictionary: LINK

While we now use screaming meemies to describe our fragile emotional states, it was originally a rocket in the First World War. It went up into the air, came down making a loud screaming noise, and exploded when it hit the ground (or an unfortunate soldier). Needless to say, hearing one coming would make you pretty nervous!
In the Second World War, screaming meemie was used specifically about a rocket called the nebelwerfer. Its other nickname was moaning minnie (also from the sound it made), an expression which is now used in British slang to describe a person who complains a lot.

K-brothers rule! (Kendrick & Kotch)

by halofan91 on Jun 26, 2008 5:51 PM PDT up reply actions