Grading Spring Training

by JeffJoiner on Mar 28, 2011 5:59 PM PDT

I hope I am not stepping on more established toes or pre-empting an annual breakdown of which I'm unaware. If that is the case, my feelings will not be hurt if this is taken down.

The Angels have left Tempe and are wrapping up the exhibition season and a handful or roster moves. While it seems like just yesterday we celebrated "pitchers and catchers report," six weeks of camp have come and gone.

As we look forward to Opening Day, I thought it would be nice to look back at the developments of Spring Training. Here are my observations, please add your own.

1. The Good

Mark Tumbo. The man has given us hope by pummelling the ball. Could we really have a power bat?

The bullpen. Takahasi and Kohn have been excellent and Rich Thompson is impressing. Last year the bullpen lost a lot of games early in the year. A solid start this year could go a long way.

Starters 1-4. All four guys have pitched well and Pineiro is only scheduled to miss one start. We all know the Angels season will be largely determined by thier success or failure. Going into the season while pitching well is a good sign.

Bobby Wilson, Peter Bourjos and Jeff Mathis. I'll even throw in Brandon Wood. All of these guys needed to get off to good starts offensively to gain some confidence. All put up really good Spring Training numbers. "Will it last?" will be answered soon.

2. The Not-So-Good

Scott Downs injury. Hopefully his absence is short lived as he figures to be a very important piece of the Angels bullpen. A really freak injury that just sucks and falls under the "sh!* happens" category.

3B. Decent play by Maicer Izturis, not much from Alberto Callaspo. The production should be improved from last year, but heck, the fat chicks kicked off Biggest Loser can cite improvement.

Fernando Rodney. No improvement. Not even going into a contract year. At least he acts like he totally doesn't care.

3. The Bad

Scott Kazmir still sucks. A whole off-season in Tempe and he comes out exactly the way he ended 2010. With him that close to the team all off-season, one would think the Angels would know he still sucks and have contingency plans in place. Not enough space to discuss how much this pisses me off.

Kendrys Morales no go. The blow is softened by Trumbo's great spring, but at least a few DH at bats would have gone a long way towards easing widespread fears about his future.

Most of Spring Training has gone about according to script with some remarkable performances like Howard Kendrick and Bobby Abreu. Overall, I would say that I am pleased with the team (minus Kazmir) and slightly more optimistic about our chances in the AL West than I was in January.

I give this year's Spring Training an overall grade of a B. You?

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

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Comments

I personally think the 3rd baseman need switching

Callaspo did better than Izturis but Id rather still have Izturis. Everything else is agreeable

" With Haren bolstering the rotation, the Angels are set up beautifully for 2011"- Another East coast biased reporter

by Halos2011champs on Mar 28, 2011 6:35 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

B-plus

Official prediction: The Angels will win the AL west this season.

by RexTookMyStash on Mar 28, 2011 6:44 PM PDT reply actions

Good posting.

I agree about Kazmir, much like B Wood I was holding out hope, but now I think it’s pretty clear that he isn’t the pitcher that he once was. Time to move on me thinks.

YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE.....

by halofolife on Mar 28, 2011 10:53 PM PDT reply actions

B+ Sounds Good

The offense looked pretty good, especially the kids, and the SP except for Mathis of the Mound too. 3B still seems a bandaid on a patch job.

After the well fucked-up offseason, I almost find myself being optimistic about the Angels again.

Must…tamp…down…expectations.

The Angels are ill-served by a front office that willfully disregards both modern and classic performance measurements when it comes to Jeff Mathis. Astonishing, and nearly unforgiveable.

by LittleCupcakes on Mar 28, 2011 11:16 PM PDT reply actions

As a sidenote to your comment about Mark Trumbo.

I went to yesterday’s game against the Padres at Angels Stadium, and got to see all the young guys, namely Mark Trumbo. In his second at bat he hit a line drive that landed right on the warning track in center (and later hit a jack to center as well). The center fielder actually took a couple steps in, thinking it was a routine line drive that would drop in front of him. He switched directions when he figured out how hard it was hit. The ball went just over his head for a double. The kid crushed that ball. The only time I’ve ever seen a ball hit quite that hard was in 2004, when Vladi crushed a line drive home run in between the LF stand and the rock pile.

by moralesforpresident on Mar 28, 2011 11:17 PM PDT reply actions

Agreed

The ball really jumps off his bat. I was also at the Padres game. I was in Tempe and saw him hit what looked like a long fly ball to left-center that continued to carry out of the yard.

by JeffJoiner on Mar 29, 2011 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Steroids

Yes, I’ve become that jaded.

"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon

by BruinHalo on Mar 29, 2011 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions

booooooooooooooooooo

NA, #34 SP, LAA
Light up the Halo for Nick!

More Howie please...

by hk47 on Mar 29, 2011 5:18 PM PDT up reply actions

Sound analysis

But I grade Spring Training more on a pass/fail basis, and in this light I’d say a definite “pass”. Things looked pretty crappy for a while, but the team really seemed to gel in the last 10 days or so, especially at the plate.

One aspect that particularly cheers me is that our newer guys, the ones brought in during the late innings, seem both skilled and motivated. That has not been evident the past few Springs.

In fact, the esprit de corps of the whole roster seems quite high. Everyone seems to be eager to get out there and play. And dare I hope that Mathis may actually become a decent player on offense? I’m not asking for miracles, just something around .250 with maybe 10 homers.

by rspencer on Mar 29, 2011 2:18 AM PDT reply actions

i agree with everyone!

"We are not on an austerity program," Arte Moreno

by thebigtizzle on Mar 29, 2011 4:31 AM PDT reply actions

I agree with you

"You realize that Ive been posting on AN since 07 on this name and I am one of the most rec'ed posters there right?" - Some douche named DFA from AN

by 2pintsofbooze on Mar 29, 2011 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions

2pintsofbooze is right that the bigtizzle's right!

Angels baseball. We do what we must, because we can -- HaloDutch

by red floyd on Mar 29, 2011 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions

red floyd is right about 2pints being right about bigtizzle right to agree with everyone.

My response to your letter of February 19, 1976, is - kiss my ass.
Sincerely,
Bill Baxley, Attorney General

by sheisalovelyladyandmyapologiestoher on Mar 29, 2011 6:15 PM PDT up reply actions

I disagree

"You realize that Ive been posting on AN since 07 on this name and I am one of the most rec'ed posters there right?" - Some douche named DFA from AN

by 2pintsofbooze on Mar 29, 2011 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions

You're wrong about that, but still right about thebigtizzle agreeing with everyone.

by AlanFalcon on Mar 30, 2011 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Howard Johnson is right,

About red floyd being right about 2pints being right about bigtizzle’s right to agree with everyone.

YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE.....

by halofolife on Mar 29, 2011 10:03 PM PDT up reply actions

I'll add a lack of power to the not-so-good categorie.

Trumbo has smashed the ball and has 6 homers in ST. But without Kendrys, we need folks such as Wells and Hunter to step up in the power column. They have hit a combined total of only 4 home runs so far in ST. The word anemic comes to mind.

Trumbo and Abreu are the only players with a SLG percentage of .600 or better. This does not bode well for the regular season. The team may really be missing Napoli come the All-Star break if Kendrys still isn’t playing up to last-year’s level and Trumbo is the only true power threat.

A wise man does not need advice and a fool won't take it.

by angelslogic on Mar 29, 2011 9:23 AM PDT reply actions

It's spring training

Hunter and Wells will get theirs. Hunter hit 3 last spring training, and Wells hit 1. A combined 4. They combined for 5 this year.

They went on to combine for 54 in the regular season.

And Howie’s not going to ISO .075 for the year, either. Again, it’s spring.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Mar 30, 2011 8:11 AM PDT up reply actions

B for ST

A for your post.
Good job.

by LanaBanana on Mar 29, 2011 9:59 AM PDT reply actions

Thanks for the love

Now let’s beat the Doyers and get ready for the season.

by JeffJoiner on Mar 29, 2011 12:57 PM PDT reply actions

B sounds good.

Things don’t look quite so bad as i envisioned before ST. But at the same time, I can’t help think that if more of the kids were starting this year it would be a much more interesting season. You know Soth will stick to veterans that aren’t cutting it way too long.

God #@%^ Mother F@#$in' Reagins! You make Omar Minaya look good.

by Monkeyspanked on Mar 29, 2011 1:47 PM PDT reply actions

C+

Grade Deflation (damn Princeton)

B anywhere else

twitter: @mannye24.
also known as princeton11loveshalos

by mannye on Mar 29, 2011 5:46 PM PDT reply actions

I'll give it an A-

because I’m already optimistic to begin with, and no one did anything unexpectedly bad, and there were plenty of people who were unexpectedly above expectations. Simple enough, even if I don’t want to read into anyone’s performance very much.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Mar 30, 2011 8:12 AM PDT reply actions