Okay, first off, here's what happened to yesterday's Halolinks...
I took my kids on a mini 2-day vacation to the Wisconsin Dells Tuesday and Wednesday. I had every intention of doing my morning routine of reading through links and posting a Wednesday edition of Halolinks yesterday, but then realized the only thing I had to write on was my phone, and I figured posting a 500-word article that included multiple links was going to be a little taxing on my LG G2. Had I a little more forethought on things, I wouldn't have changed the format of the Halolinks post the day before going out of town.
Secondly, I should have "test drove" the new format, or at least put a little more thought into how to incorporate adding posts throughout the day. I truly like doing these posts, and I love how they've become one of the morning go-to sites for some of you. That was the whole intention. I get up a little early to do these posts because I want to have them done by 9am my time (that's 7am for you west coasters), so when you sit down at your desk in the morning, Halolinks are there to greet you. My problem is, I find so many interesting links I want to expand my commentary on a few, but I know how I am, once I read an article I very rarely go back and re-read it looking for updates. The new format would allow me to continue posting within the same Halolink "neighborhood" while also adding thoughts to a preexisting post.
However, I forgot what my main goal was...to provide that morning meeting place for you to find out what happened and to begin a dialogue with your online friends. Hopefully, this newer new format will provide all of us with a solution...at least for today. I have a morning phone call with Rev and he'll either have a few suggestions of his own, or fire me.
Anyway, on to today's Halolinks:
- This absolutely sucks. And on so many different levels. The Angels had finally caught and passed "the best team in baseball", moving into first-place and sporting the best record in all of baseball. Garrett Richards had improved to the point of being mentioned as a serious CY Young candidate, and the team was set for the final month-and-a-half of the season and its pennant race. A young man's dream has been ended, at least for this season, and us fans' dream of another World Championship may have been derailed: Los Angeles Angels at Boston Red Sox - August 20, 2014 - MLB.com LAA Recap, "There was no celebrating in the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park late Wednesday night. No music, no laughter; not even an occasional high-five. The Angels won a game against the Red Sox, 8-3, but they also lost their best starting pitcher. They extended their lead in the American League West to 1 1/2 games, the highest it's been since May 14, 2011, but they also faced the reality of likely being without Garrett Richards for the rest of this season."
- WARNING: Here's a GIF of Richards' injuring his knee and a screencap of the damage: Angels' Richards suffers 'serious' knee injury - The Orange County Register, "Richards collapsed while running to cover first base for a possible double play in the second inning. Most in the Angels clubhouse didn’t see him go down because they were watching shortstop Erick Aybar’s throw to third. Weaver, however, said even from the third-base dugout he could hear Richards scream. All eyes then turned to their star pitcher, writhing in pain on the field. For about eight minutes, as the Fenway Park crowd grew quiet, Richards lay on the field. As trainers worked on him and a stretcher was brought onto the field, all the Angels on the field – and even a few Red Sox players – came to Richards."
As he lay crumpled on the ground, so possibly do the Angels' playoff hopes.
- I can't imagine how it feels to work so hard and to train so long for a dream, only to have it end so suddenly. I'm pretty sure Richards will be back at some point next season, but 2014 was shaping up to be spectacular for both the team and Richards: Angels win in Boston overshadowed by Richards' injury - Yahoo Sports, "According to Weaver, Richards was on the trainer's table when the doctor came in and gave him some bad news. "He came back in and I had a chance to talk to him," said Weaver. "He just wanted to know what the story was. He wasn't feeling too much pain when he was on the table when the doctor came him and told him that he might have done something to his patella tendon and there might be surgery involved. He kind of lost it. He's a competitor. He wants to be out there day in and day out." Said teammate and close friend Mike Trout: "I saw him. It didn't look good. He was definitely in tears."
- But the games play on. Los Angeles Angels vs. Boston Red Sox - Recap - August 20, 2014 - ESPN, "The injury cast a cloud over a strong game by Josh Hamilton, who broke out of a 5-for-41 slump with two hits and three RBIs. Before Tuesday's game, he took extra batting practice. "Clearing my head and just remembering what it was like as a little kid, in high school, to go out and take BP and have fun," Hamilton said. "It sure helped." It's nice to see Hamilton's short 2-day head-clearing vacation worked.
- And once agin the Angels' bullpen is stellar: Angels bullpen picks up slack for injured Richards in 8-3 win - The Orange County Register, "Six Angels relievers maneuvered the final 22 outs, allowing just one run, to help the Angels win for the seventh time in the last eight games. "These guys are incredible," Manager Mike Scioscia of his bullpen. "Keep asking them to do things, they do them." While the Angels held down the Red Sox, a previously slumping offense went 6 for 12 with runners in scoring position to score eight runs, including five in the fifth inning. It was their highest scoring output since before the All-Star break."
- It's gut-check time for the rest of the Angels' rotation, especially Matt Shoemaker: On deck: Angels at Red Sox, Thursday, 4 p.m. - The Orange County Register, "Shoemaker has a chance to become the first Angels rookie to win 12 games since Ervin Santana in 2005. The club rookie record is 14, which has been accomplished three times, most recently by Frank Tanana in 1974." Angels-Red Sox Preview - Yahoo Sports, "Matt Shoemaker has been one of the biggest unexpected contributors to the Los Angeles Angels' climb atop the AL West. With fellow starting pitcher Garrett Richards possibly lost for the season due to a knee injury, the pressure to deliver increases Thursday night when the Angels seek their first four-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in more than 52 years." Los Angeles Angels at Boston Red Sox - August 21, 2014 - MLB.com Preview, "Shoemaker, meanwhile, has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 12 of his 14 starts. Most impressive, the righty has struck out 93 batters and walked just 18 over 96 innings this season. Los Angeles is 10-4 in games Shoemaker starts. The 27-year-old rookie wasn't expected to be in the Angels' rotation at all this season. But after Richards left Wednesday's game, his continued success will be even more critical to the Halos down the stretch. "You want to try to turn the page as much as possible, but it's going to be on your mind throughout the course of the season," Jered Weaver said. "It's huge for us. It's going to take everybody stepping up a little more, as far as starting pitchers. The bullpen has been doing a tremendous job already. Offensively and defensively, it's going to take a little more to have people step up and try to get through this."
- Who's going to take Richards' spot in the rotation? Will General Manager Jerry Dipoto have the bullets to fire off a trade to acquire another starter? Angels' Garrett Richards carted off field after injuring left knee - angels.com, "Barring general manager Jerry Dipoto pulling a rabbit out of his hat in the August waiver period, it'll be up to Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Matt Shoemaker and Hector Santiago to pick up the slack the rest of the way. "Things like this happen," Weaver said. "You just have to come together and try to push on through. We have a great team. Everyone will rally around and use it for motivation to get through the season."
- The rumors are already starting. Yet, the Angels' spot in the standings, although great to see them on top, may hinder their ability to claim a much needed starter off of waivers. With the way waiver claims work, a player coming over from the National league must pass by EVERY OTHER team before the Halos get a chance to claim him (and every other American league league team for players being placed on waivers by their AL team). You would have to assume Oakland will claim every starter in order to block the Angels attempt to fill Richards' rotation spot:
Sources: #Mets have not yet placed Colon on revocable waivers. Would need to get through every other club to reach #Angels. Due $11M in ’15.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 21, 2014 - This is a lame attempt to put the lack of an in-house replacement on the shoulders of Dipoto. The Angels' bullpen was the number one priority to improve: Losing Richards changes Angels' season - Los Angeles Angels Blog - ESPN Los Angeles, "Richards' injury also forces us to reevaluate the trades general manager Jerry Dipoto made at the non-waiver deadline. The contrast between Dipoto's strategy and A's GM Billy Beane's is glaring: Dipoto reinforced the Angels' bullpen by acquiring Joe Thatcher, Jason Grilli and Huston Street, while Beane hoarded many of the available starting pitchers in Jeff Samardzija, Jon Lester and Jason Hammel. At the time, Dipoto's moves appeared to shore up a critical piece in preparation for a playoff run. Now, however, the Angels are left with a deep bullpen, four starting pitchers and a stark reminder that good health and good luck are fleeting."
- Although many of us had our doubts, this deal seems to be working out pretty good: Angels enjoying returns on trade for Freese, Salas - angels.com, "The Angels caught some heat on Nov. 22, 2013, when they sent center fielder Peter Bourjos and prospect outfielder Randal Grichuk to the Cardinals in exchange for third baseman David Freese and reliever Fernando Salas. They were giving up three years of control with Bourjos and a multi-skilled young player in Grichuk, while taking on nearly $5 million in salary for two players coming off tough seasons. The immediate returns have been quite favorable, however."
- This is funny: Rockies Fan Unhappy About Her Obstructed View
actually had that happen to me a couple of years ago at an Angels-Twins game (but I didn't act like a whiny baby)...
BEFORE:
AFTER:
His head was so big he couldn't fasten his hat. - This is very cool: Bryan Cranston was positively giddy for meeting with Vin Scully (VIDEO) - FOX Sports, "A California native and lifelong Dodgers fan who earned a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, Cranston, who probably doesn't go a day without fielding an autograph request, was awed by Scully's presence. "I have been looking forward to this moment for so long," the "Breaking Bad" actor said. "I'm a little nervous right now." But this is even cooler: Bryan Cranston goes to Dodgers game, signs ball for Brian Wilson - MLB.com, "You know that giddy feeling you get when you're perched at the railing of a Major League Baseball game, convinced that you just got the attention of your favorite player and are on the presipice of interacting with him as he signs his John Hancock to your baseball? Well, that's probably exactly how Dodgers reliever Brian Wilson felt on Tuesday, except his favorite "player" is actually an award-winning actor known for playing a school teacher-turned meth dealer."
I would kill for a ball like that.