For years, Scioscia has been able to win in the AL West with light and fast NL style kung-fu. He has traded outs for runners moving up one base. He has traded rallies for solitary runs, knowing his bullpen, Shields and K-Rod mostly, would hold the line, and it worked*.

Come playoff time though (no matter how well the classic Scioscia style squad did during the regular season) the Scioscia formula came apart under pressure. (save one magic year, the league was unprepared, see Death Star)

By the way, Thank you Torii (2-hole) Hunter, for hitting that key home run that broke the Boston curse. If you did one great thing for this team, it was that key homer, that George McFly punch that took Biff-ston down. They have never gotten back up since. Thank you Obi One Ka-Phobie...

Back to Scioscia and his obsession with nibbling...at some point in this off season, Scioscia is going to wake up and look down and see that this Angels team is just plain huge. This team is Hung! This team is so big, Torii Hunter doesn't know whether to get jealous, or go home and pray! Does Mike Scioscia know how to handle a "Hall of Fame" caliber offense? Does he run the bat out of an MVP candidate's hands on a hit and run? Is Josh Hamilton going to spend more time squinting at the first base coach, or the next key pitch?

Let them play.

We all heard about the camaraderie of spring training last year. The team hit homers in Arizona like there was no tomorrow. We had like 5 Outfielders and 4 First baseman and everybody was shits and giggles. Then the season started. The problem with a very established manager, with a down home, cozy coaching staff is actually comfort really. Mike Scioscia needs to feel a little bit more... (uncomfortable/substitute) competitive, he has to get out of his comfort zone to win again. Sometimes that means gambling on letting the players play (in this case, hack), not trying to squeeze out rabbit pellets of offense every time a guy reaches first. (We didn't buy a ticket to see the NL)

Who wants to see a set of sullen pursed lips pouting, not when you have this team.

And then there is Vernon Wells, one had to wonder, when Wells appears on the field of play, is he in the game primarily to reestablish a smidgen of trade value? Did he appear, because Scioscia was asked to cultivate enough statistical merit to diminish the crippling castration of the Wells Contract? Will Wells indeed, be dumped for magic beans and belly button lint to be named later. Or, OR, OOOORRRRR, did Scioscia play Wells because he believed in him, at the cost of muting the voices of millions of Angels fans in moment of silence and great suffering, why..is he in the lineup, why?

In the hot air balloon of life, if Mike Scioscia cannot cut the sand bags of Wells and Co., well, there are mountains ahead.

Scioscia knows what Micky's Hatchet is all about...

Back to the Cannoli's Question, are you going to push that around the plate Mike? or are you going to win a championship this year? I only say this because I don't wanna see you get whacked, capice?. This Dipoto kid, he ain't playing around. There's a new guy in town, and his name is RoboGM. S-B- D(poto)

You are flying first class now Mike, no need to smuggle snacks in a fanny pack. NO more lineup bingo, no more coupon offense, try to get your thumb off the lens when you press the win button, this team is self focusing.

Leave the hood down Mike, this team has a warranty, no need to tinker, this isn't the kind of vehicle you need to tweak, just turn the key, and hit the accelerator.

The Engine is Moreno, the parts are Dipoto, the Driver... Can you handle this ride Scioscia?