De La Boca Vlad

by Rev Halofan on Feb 20, 2008 1:08 AM PST in Angels News

Controversies are popping up all over...

The LA Times reports that Vlad didn't even wait for the Spanish translation of Dee Aitch to say "NO!" to the idea. Vlad insists that he is the Right Fielder. Meanwhile Garret Anderson is still selling himself as the Left Fielder. I swear if Gary Matthews Junior is the DeeAitch of this team the season is gonna be a BeeYotch.

Vlad got into it again over the Shorstop question, strongly advocating that Erick Aybar be the man. If Brandon Wood mashes 9 HRs this Spring, d'ya think he has a shot at short, Vlad or Vlad Damned?

Meanwhile a marginalized Juan Rivera has been told to take balls at First Base, cutting into Casey Kotchman's completeness at 1B, undercutting any shot Kendry Morales has at being a substantive part of the Angel offense and pretty much signing Robb Quinlan's release.

Speaking of Quinlan, talk about a guy waiting around for Figgy to snap a wrist in half or to just get Scioscia coffee...

The Kelvim Escobar sore shoulder has made Joe Saunders breathe easier but he told Matt Hurst that he found out about the Garland acquisition on his honeymoon. Get this, Hokie Joe was honeymooning in Thailand. We'll Pad-See-You in April as the #5 arm on Opening night at the Stadium, Joe, keep your Pad-Tye curveball extra spicy and that changeup sweeter than Thai Iced Tea.

With the Frankie Long Goodbye Tour warming up, ya gotta wonder if it behooves Jason Bulger, Ervin Santana and/or Rich Thompson to spend their Spring studying Frankie's workouts in order to glean out the greatness from amidst the macabre mechanics.

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Lets see, Vlad doesnt want to DH

Anderson will probably get hurt and Matthews will take over in left. That gives the DH spot to Rivera and Morales, and they can both back up Kotch.

But Vlad must DH or he will be hurt again at the end of the season. I cant wait to see whats going to happen. On Feb. 28 the year 2008 will finally begin.

Put Kendry Morales at 1B, and move Sean Rodriguez to 3B......NOW LETS GO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by acuda27 on Feb 20, 2008 1:40 AM PST reply actions

Positive Thinking VIBE

GA will NOT get injured this year. At most, he sits out 4 games in a row.

I reverse your constantly negative GA vibe, Acuda.

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Feb 20, 2008 5:21 AM PST up reply actions

GA getting hurt

is a net positive for the team. Better to see him officially on the DL than limping his way around the field.

by gohalos on Feb 20, 2008 8:02 AM PST up reply actions

You already forgot 2007?

He had a 12-game RBI streak including one game with 10-RBI! Not sure how having that kind of RECENT production OUT of the lineup helps the team. I am not here stating that he mashed 42 doubles in 2002. I am here saying that he produced last year, 2007.

Nice screen name, BTW! Let's go Angels, indeed!
More positive energy in GA and the Angels' favor.

This entire diary is laden with negatives...Let's think positive.

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Feb 20, 2008 9:22 AM PST up reply actions

correction...

he surpassed the previous club record of 42 and got 56 in '02.

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Feb 20, 2008 9:26 AM PST up reply actions

Nope

I just don't have a selective memory. LF is a prime power position and since 2004, GA has had an OPS of 789, 743, 756 and 828.

If you breakdown that 828 OPS in 2007, you find that he only played in 108 games (which probably gave him the rest he needed to have an 828 OPS). One good half season does not mean that GA is back. Before the AS break, he had a 710 OPS...

In his best year of the past 4 years, he still only ranked #12 in OPS among LF and #29 among all OFers which basically means he was a little above average in his BEST year.

by gohalos on Feb 20, 2008 11:21 AM PST up reply actions

I'm selectively recalling some injuries

in those timeframes you mention...

You bring up some nice numbers. Thanks.

C'mon GA, GET INJURED! (Somehow that sounds sick to be rooting for something like that, but I have been convinced that this is the RIGHT THING to do by a few other posters at halosheaven).

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Feb 20, 2008 2:43 PM PST up reply actions

The point

What I wrote was that it was better for him to officially be on the DL instead of limping around on the field. Ie. GA has been hurt (chronic arthritic condition) for the past four years and it has drastically affected his performance. The team has benefitted when he has gone on the DL.

Recognizing a pattern is not the same as hoping for it.

by gohalos on Feb 20, 2008 4:19 PM PST up reply actions

A white flag and an olive branch

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Feb 20, 2008 4:32 PM PST up reply actions

pull your head out of your ass

A Healthy GA is a great thing....he still has it and and is still a great hitter!

three and out....Can we look for that big bat now?

by P237 on Feb 20, 2008 10:35 AM PST up reply actions

Grr!

Baseless GA Bashing make Scott Mad!
crusH

Chart it up! Game on!

by scottnak on Feb 20, 2008 10:45 AM PST up reply actions

I'm super worried

that our team chemistry is going to freaking melt down all because of this log jam and the immaturity of our players and the cliques that have formed in our locker room, where the hell is the unity and who the hell are these guys thinking they can play manager. there are two damn articles on the angels site one about GA not wanting to DH (saying he doesn't think it's the point in his career yet, BS!!!), vladdy being too proud about himself to admit his elbow is a problem. I can't believe these guys are complaining about having to DH--at least they'll be in the lineup everyday unlike willits, rivera, and morales -- all players that could start on other teams. We need ersty back to preach some more selflessness into our locker room.

"I love this british shit!" -Lou Brown

by jtkelly86 on Feb 20, 2008 2:56 AM PST reply actions

Vlad

The more we analyze these comments, the more depressed we're going to be.

by Higz on Feb 20, 2008 10:57 AM PST up reply actions

right

and even when Erstad left there was OC to assume that leadership role.

by Hutch (someone took my name) on Feb 21, 2008 9:06 AM PST up reply actions

Scioscia's BIGGEST challenge for 2008

Keep the chemistry alive this year! As things stand, this will be his most challenging year as a manager ever! Vlad, GA, Hunter, HGH Jr, Rivera, Willits, Haynes, Evans, and Q. Too many cooks in that kitchen! Aybar starting @ SS? (Puhleaze, Kazoo must start if BW is not going to get his crack. See below for rant**).

I still think a trade happens before the end of ST! C'mon, Rivera at 1b for depth? What a slap to Kotch, Q, and KMo! How about stating publicly that Kotch is our 1b full-time and show some support for the guy? His time is now, and the next 7 years! Give him the Pedroia treatment. Show some confidence in the guy!

**Rant begins here....We cannot go from OC's defense to Aybar's...this would be a a)disaster, b) fiasco, or c)joke?! Just give us Steady Izturis or let's allow the Wood era to begin and roll with the up's down's...19 errors in 27 games or whatever Aybar did this Winter? I don't care how bad the fields are? Duck, if you have to..at least they will score it a hit! That is almost an error a game...that does not work for me or our pitching staff! That is more than a slump! That is 114 errors in 162 games!!!

Stop swinging at balls out of the zone!

by K3YEROUT on Feb 21, 2008 10:29 AM PST up reply actions

More on rant

"Izturis has made three trips to the DL with hamstring issues the past two seasons, twice interrupting a superb 2007 performance featuring a .289 average and a team-best .406 average with runners in scoring position. He made FOUR errors in 268 total chances at three positions, playing errorless ball in 141 chances at second. "Shortstop is my natural position," said Izturis"

Stop swinging at balls out of the zone!

by K3YEROUT on Feb 21, 2008 11:31 AM PST up reply actions

K3, Moreno speaketh:

Aybar, 24, made seven errors in 213 chances. There are those in the organization, including owner Arte Moreno, who think too much has been made of the errors made by Aybar in winter ball in his native Dominican Republic.

"You should see those fields in the Dominican," Moreno said. "I was walking around the infield, and there were boulders. He's fast, with a great arm and great range."

Yes, Sir.

by wumbug on Feb 21, 2008 4:25 PM PST up reply actions

Why aren't the rest of the SS

So error-rific like Aybar?

Um.........

by hauldog on Feb 21, 2008 4:41 PM PST up reply actions

They did a BYOR ...

"Bring your own rake" to the park. Erick did not get the memo to BYOR.

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Feb 21, 2008 6:34 PM PST up reply actions

Because his range is

so dramatically better than every other SS in baseball, he gets to more balls than anyone else and then throws them away. That explains it...sure....

I love my new signature though! :)

"There's an old saying: 50 percent of what's going to happen, you have no control over. And the other 50 percent is going to happen anyway." -- Arte Moreno

by K3YEROUT on Feb 21, 2008 6:44 PM PST up reply actions

no chemistry problems

nobody's playing manager. GA and vlad are just asserting their desire to play the positions they've played for more than ten years now. they know that if the manager decides they can't play in the field, then they'll DH -- no problem. this is just typical AL veteran talk. nobody wants to just be a DH, because it lessens your value.

stand back from the ledge.

by yeswecan on Feb 21, 2008 10:32 AM PST up reply actions

GA's comment stood out most:

"I still enjoy coming out and playing defense. There will be a time in my career when I have to do it (DH). I understand that. But I don't think that time is now. That's just my opinion."

No doubt in my mind he believes he's playing in '09.....possibly beyond.

Wonder if GA's got a 1B mitt?

by wumbug on Feb 20, 2008 5:10 AM PST reply actions

New Wrinkle.

At 35, with free agency a possible road to travel after the season, Anderson would love to put together a full season like his second half of 2007. It would put him in a superb marketing position if it becomes necessary to leave the organization he has enriched since signing out of Granada Hills Kennedy High School in 1990.

http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080219&content_id=2380108&vkey=spt20 08news&fext=.jsp&c_id=ana

Laying groundwork............Let the negotiations begin.

by wumbug on Feb 20, 2008 11:07 AM PST up reply actions

It just occurred to me.

When Bill Stoneman became GM of the Angels, the negotiations (or lack of) with Chuck Finley set the tone for dealing with our front office. Eckstein took them to arbitration (and won) and was gone the following season. Stoneman cemented his reputation as the negotiator during the Jered Weaver signing.

The players don't know what to expect from Tony Reagins yet. Stoneman's still in the office; I'll bet he's giving his protege advice.

Of course, absent games to detail, baseball writers need material to tease their readers and keep their editors happy.

by wumbug on Feb 20, 2008 11:39 AM PST up reply actions

what happened to...

how about you guys just shut up and see where your manager has you playing that day because that is his job...take your millions of $$$ and do your job which is to listen to your manager and play the game and win dammit!!!

I MISS ANAHEIM!!!

by Jester80 on Feb 20, 2008 7:11 AM PST reply actions

haha

I wish, but I don't think that ever happened when guys were getting paid millions.

by LosAngel on Feb 20, 2008 11:24 PM PST up reply actions

Competition is a good thing.

If management wanted maximum effort from each of the players this year, they'll certainly get it.

GA will either have a banner year, or break down.
Vlad's elbow will likely be the only thing keeping him from Right Field.
Torii will simply be Torii. He'll prove he deserves the $90MM.
JRivera wants to prove that he deserves the "Star" prognosis that his fractured leg derailed.
GMJr wants to shed the HGH implications. Were it not for the stigma of always being traded year-to-year, this hoopla might provide him motivation for waiving his No-Trade clause.
Willits might not be around, but he'll surely try to show why he should be.

Aybar's gonna get his shot....probably win.
Izturis is cool, calm, and collected. He'll make it interesting.
Wood.....if he mashes 9 HRs in Spring, Vlad be damned....Aybar to the bench.
Figgins knows Wood is coming soon during Figgy's contract year.

Matholi will catch.

Kotchman knows that Morales and now JRivera are hungry.
Kendrick doesn't want Figgins, Aybar, or MiceTits to tempt management to trade him again.

Morales knows Quinlan's and JRivera's numbers vs. LHPs are better....and JRivera needs ABs.
Quinlan is in a contract year. Younger talent is ready. Hard to envision being here in '09.
NHaynes wants to show the Angels, or someone, he's a valuable major leaguer.

Discontent may be a good thing.

by wumbug on Feb 20, 2008 8:20 AM PST reply actions

There is a positive post!

Good comments and surely, a little competition should kick the affected players into high gear.

Quit yer whinin' and START CHEERING!

by Downing Rules on Feb 20, 2008 9:24 AM PST up reply actions

Outstanding post

My only disagreement is that Kazoo will make it more than interesting and be our starting SS this year with Aybar doing the util role. Don't forget, Kazoo was $$$ last year with the bat. Roll him out there til his hammies flare, or they don't!

There is LOTS of incentive out there for ALL of these guys to prove themselves...again!

Stop swinging at balls out of the zone!

by K3YEROUT on Feb 21, 2008 10:35 AM PST up reply actions

Here's another positive comment

For the first time that I can remember, The Halos are DEEP at EVERY position.

What? Escobar can't start the season? No problem, throw in Saunders.

What? Vlad has a sore elbow? No problem, throw in Matthews, Rivera, etc.

What? Vlad and GA don't want to DH? No problem, throw in Rivera, Kendry or Matthews.

What? Frankie doesn't want to take 3 years and $34 mil? No problem, thow in Shields.

Here's our only problem: There's only so much PT to go around.

No longer will we have to fret if someone goes down, wonder if they came back too soon or be hope they hold on while playing through injuries.

Just like Duralast - This team is built to last!

"And the Anaheim Angels are the Champions of Baseball!"

by Grichfan on Feb 20, 2008 9:59 AM PST reply actions

Depth is important

with a team with this many old players.

The problem is playing time allocation if everyone is healthy, which in theory is a good problem to have. As we have seen, that isn't always the case. GA might look like his second half 2007 self again. Maybe not. If the latter, does he still get the majority of the playing time in left over Rivera?

Hoping Ervin Santana turns it around in Salt Lake. Go, Ervin!

by scareduck on Feb 20, 2008 10:34 AM PST up reply actions

Nit

The LA Times reports that Vlad didn't even wait for the Spanish translation of Dee Aitch to say "NO!" to the idea.

More properly, that would be "¡NO!"!

Hoping Ervin Santana turns it around in Salt Lake. Go, Ervin!

by scareduck on Feb 20, 2008 10:52 AM PST reply actions

Off topic

Your sig could probably use a tweaking. It's just a tad dated.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Feb 20, 2008 11:20 AM PST up reply actions

Maybe

Depends on Santana's spring training...

Hoping Ervin Santana turns it around in Salt Lake. Go, Ervin!

by scareduck on Feb 20, 2008 11:48 AM PST up reply actions

relax, folks

there's no problem here. Vlad and GA are doing exactly what Salmon and every other aging/injured veteran in the history of the DH does: insist that you deserve to play in the field full-time, and then quietly DH whenever the manager asks you to.

nobody's ever going to say "yeah, i must admit i'm not very good at my job anymore. i suck in the field now, and we've got better fielders on our team. someone else should take my job."

they're just trying to hold on for as long as they can, because once you go to full-time DH, you don't go back, and your career suddenly has a clear end in sight.

both GA and Vlad will DH whenever Scioscia asks them to. no worries.

by yeswecan on Feb 20, 2008 11:19 AM PST reply actions

Bingo

The voice of reason.

We'll be fine.

by ReggieBullits on Feb 20, 2008 12:00 PM PST up reply actions

Cool, Calm and collected!!!

nice yeswecan!

three and out....Can we look for that big bat now?

by P237 on Feb 20, 2008 2:14 PM PST up reply actions

Vlad!

Mike should just tell Vlad, sure buddy you are the RF ..... whenever you're 100% healthy.

If you're beat up, then it's DH for you.

by elricsi on Feb 20, 2008 3:04 PM PST up reply actions

.....no longer hearsay

It's no longer hearsay. The two met Wednesday, the manager expressing to Anderson the importance of keeping all three fresh so they, along with center fielder Torii Hunter, can get 600 plate appearances apiece.

LA Times.

by wumbug on Feb 21, 2008 12:37 AM PST up reply actions

Cool

The team hasn't even played an exhibition game yet but many Halo Heaven posters are already predicting that the team is falling apart. Last year, this didn't start until the disastrous early April road trip. The true-believers are always the first ones to panic because they care so much and this is why I vastly prefer this blog to other Angel blogs.

Angels in 08!

by tanana40 on Feb 20, 2008 1:39 PM PST reply actions

I predict

4th place finish in the AL West with a 40 - 122 record.

by shiftyeyedgoat on Feb 20, 2008 2:05 PM PST up reply actions

:D ROFLMAO

I don't laugh out loud often to these posts...that was great!

Stop swinging at balls out of the zone!

by K3YEROUT on Feb 21, 2008 10:38 AM PST up reply actions

More pics

Vlad 420

by Bilko 420 on Feb 20, 2008 2:14 PM PST reply actions

Sweet

I've been quoted in Bilko's sig line! I'm honored that this is how you chose to respond to my question, though to be fair I think the source should be credited.

FWIW, it was a fair question. I'm a Skins fan and the lovely lady in your sig line is Anabel Dela Cerna, one of our fine cheerleaders. Was just curious if we shared a passion for the same 2 franchises.

Oh well. Party on heady brah dude.

We'll be fine.

by ReggieBullits on Feb 20, 2008 3:34 PM PST up reply actions

Has she taken a ride on the Cooley train?

Um.........

by hauldog on Feb 20, 2008 3:47 PM PST up reply actions

Great question!

But there's only room for one cheerleader in Captain Chaos' lair. And her name's Christy.

We'll be fine.

by ReggieBullits on Feb 20, 2008 4:12 PM PST up reply actions

I know he is married

but he has gotten numerous cheerleaders busted for breaking the fraternization rules.

Um.........

by hauldog on Feb 20, 2008 4:59 PM PST up reply actions

hahaha

Torii's hat is backwards already.

East coast bias

by Carl Johnson on Feb 20, 2008 9:11 PM PST up reply actions

The Man

Is keeping the young talent down. Squeeze all the juice out of the old folks and cut them loose at the end. Preventing the youth from driving up their value so when they do get the position they have minimal numbers and must resign at a better bargain...

Just kidding.

by The Clyde on Feb 20, 2008 3:31 PM PST reply actions