Awesome that Tony Reagins' 3-year extension with the Angels arrives on the 6th anniversary of Bill Bavasi being hired to destroy the Seattle Mariners.

And what did I have to say about the hiring of our ex-GM by our division rivals then, on my old blog?

Read it and weep, I NAILED IT WITH A BLOGHAMMER!

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From the official Angels press release:

ANAHEIM, CA - The 2009 A.L. West Division champion Angels announced Friday that General Manager Tony Reagins has received a long-term contract extension. Reagins became the 10th General Manager in Club history when he signed an initial three-year contract on October 16, 2007. Per club policy, no terms of the agreement will be released.

Reagins, 42, has spent 18 seasons in the Angels organization. Prior to his promotion to General Manager, he served six seasons as the Angels' Director of Player Development. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing the club's minor league system comprised of seven affiliates, including a club and developmental academy in San Pedro De Macoris, Dominican Republic.

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A couple of days ago I received "The Bill James Handbook" in the mail (from ACTA Sports).  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the handbook, it's 95% stats with a little commentary thrown in.  Earlier, I posted what the handbook had projected for the 2010 Angels, but here are a few other things I found interesting:

Team Efficiency Summary

The most efficient team in baseball is usually the Los Angeles Angels - anyway it was in 2009, and it was in 2008, and it has been in other years.  The Angels do little things so well that they are consistently able to grind five or ten more wins a year out of their team than what one would think was available.  We don't really understand how they do it, to be frank, but since they do it every year, we know it's not luck (emphasis mine).  Saying that they "do the little things well" is just a way of covering for the fact that we don't actually know how they do it.

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More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

Figgy Stardust (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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The Angels wasted no time in re-signing Bobby Abreu. The terms appear to be $19 Million Guaranteed money ($9 M each year and a $1 Million buyout for 2012 if they do not pick up the option for then - and it kicks in if Abreu posts 550 PA in 2011 or a combined 1200 PA in 10-11). With team leader Torii Hunter in CF signed thru 2012 and a bargain priced Juan Rivera signed thru 2011, the Angels have a foundation in the outfield to wait for Mike Trout to develop into the Tim Salmon of the future. Some fourth outfielders await in the minor leagues along with Reggie Willits in case there is an injury, but minus Vlad Guerrero in 2010, the Angels look like they can have a healthy rotation of this AARP brigade thru the DH slot.

The near term future seems like the end of the Halo road for Angels 3B Chone Figgins. He could play outfield... but with over $30 million committed there on three guys already in their 30s, and with a league-minimum Brandon Wood bat ready to power the lineup from the hot corner for LA of Anaheim in 2010... this looks like the door is slammed shut on the return of Chone Figgins to play for the Angels. Figgy will be getting $9 million a season easily and his D at 3B makes him irresistible to many teams.

Seriously. It seems the Abreu signing was a goodbye...

More photos » by Jeff Chiu - AP

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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On this day in 2003 - Six Long Years Ago, Bengie Molina won his 2nd consecutive Gold Glove and I blogged a short tribute to one of the great Angels backstops.

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

Los Angeles Angels' Bobby Abreu, right, is congratulated in the dugout after scoring against the Oakland Athletics. Abreu re-signed with the Angels for another 2 years.

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According to Bill Plunkett of the OC Register (link to story), the Angels re-signed Bobby Abreu today. 

"I am very happy to sign this contract," Abreu said in the team’s press release. "I really enjoyed my first season with the club. The Angels are a solid organization, with an outstanding team and great fans. With the talent we have, I look forward to the opportunity of post-season competition once again."

Here's the link to the official press release.

"We are excited to have Bobby and the presence he brings to our organization," said Reagins. "He was an integral part of what we accomplished in 2009 and we look forward to his contributions both on and off the field."

More info to follow.

More photos » by Reinhold Matay - AP

Speaking of Skeletor... (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay, File)

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Ratings to the world series were up astronomically this year and the reason given was the presence of the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic.

One does not even have to indict the buffoonish Bud Selig, nor the lords of Baseball. Rupert Murdoch's FOX network, the big beneficiary of the presence of pinstripes, could easily have afforded to purchase the extra few inches of strike zone afforded Andy Pettitte in the ALCS and never missed the money.

Add to this the chance to promote Jay Z and Alicia Keys performing a New York-themed song (what will those kids think up of next?), and a case can be made that the amount of money that comes a network's way is so great that a smidgen of it could easily buy off the piggish Major League Baseball umpires union to ensure that the most profitable team or teams appear.

Only robots will ensure the integrity of the national pastime.

And if this sounds like sour grapes, I am truly envious of that champions cap and wish I could be wearing it with my team's logo on it and so, yeah, it probably is, but if my team had won the series tonight all those happy New Jersey residents partying in the Bronx tonight would be dismissing it anyway, so it is an easy vintage of whine to squeeze, I learned from all of youse in 2002.

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

4 days ago: New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi talks with second baseman Robinson Cano, left, catcher Jose Molina and shortstop Derek Jeter, right, after removing starting pitcher A.J. Burnett in the third inning of Game 5 of the Major League Baseball World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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SKELETOR:  (to He-Man) Of what consequence are you now? These people, this world, they are nothing - the universe is power, pure unstoppable power - and I am that force, I am that power. Kneel before your master, fool, you are no longer my equal, I am more than man, more than life... I am a GOD!