66ers ready for Affiliation Celebration - Inland Empire 66ers News
With Spring Training right around the corner, the Inland Empire 66ers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will celebrate the teams' new affiliation agreement with the fans of the Inland Empire on Thursday, February 10th, at Arrowhead Credit Union Park. The festivities start at Noon, and the event is open to the public, with gates opening at 11:30. Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, General Manager Tony Reagins, Team President John Carpino, Director of Player Development Abe Flores and the 66ers new Manager for 2011, Tom Gamboa will be at this landmark event for Inland Empire 66ers baseball.
Free hot dogs! Anyone else think this might be a bad idea arming fans with wieners and allowing them within throwing distance of the Angels front office? Seriously though, it's nice to see the major league club is lending their support to their lower level teams.
Posts Pettitte Junction - Joe Posnanski
But are their careers really interchangeable? Of course not. Nobody — and I mean NOBODY — thinks Andy Pettitte and Chuck Finley were even similar. This is largely because Andy Pettitte spent most of his career playing for the great New York Yankees teams, and Chuck Finley spent most of his career playing for the not-great-at-all California Angels. Finley’s first full year was 1988, his last with the Angels was 1999, and in those years the Angels never finished higher than fifth in the league in runs scored (they finished 10th or worse eight times, and dead last four times).
J-Po also lists a few other eye-opening stats:
They made almost the same number of starts — Finley started 467 games, Pettitte started 479. They both won 200 games. They had almost exactly the same ERA (Finley was 3.85, Pettitte 3.88) but Finley got more time in the pitcher-friendly 1980s and spent much of his career in a pitcher-friendly stadium in Anaheim, so his ERA+ is slightly less (Pettitte’s is 117, Finley’s 115).
As with most Posnanski articles, there's a lot of good information here. I wasn't aware as to how similar Finley's and Pettitte's careers were. Also, it's interesting on how much support Pettitte may get in his Hall of Fame bid once he becomes eligible, while Finley received just one vote. After looking at the stats and comparing the two players, the most compelling fact that weighs heavier for Pettitte is he pitched for the Yankees.
MORE LINKS AFTER THE BREAK...
2011 Fantasy outlooks: Los Angeles Angels - CBSSports.com
After six straight seasons of 89 wins or more, the Angels fell to earth with an 80-82 record last season. Jered Weaver had a breakthrough year, and midseason acquisition Dan Haren gave the rotation a second ace down the stretch, but standout performances were few and far between otherwise.
Not much new information here, just lists the few players from the Halos that fantasy team owners might warrant a draft pick.
MLB Power Poll: Giants dethroned before spring arrives - Sporting News
19. Los Angeles Angels. Like their cross-town rivals, the Angels finished 80-82 last season. Neither club did much, but Vernon Wells will help the Angels more than Juan Uribe will help the Dodgers.
First power ranking of the season. I was actually surprised the Angels were this high.
Angels, Weaver scheduled to go to arbitration Wednesday - Los Angeles Times
The Angels have not ruled out the possibility of signing ace Jered Weaver to a long-term contract, but negotiations for such a deal apparently won't be completed in time to prevent an arbitration hearing between the right-hander and the club. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix.
Why would a team risk going to arbitration with a player they are seeking to sign to a long-term deal? From what I understand, during the arbitration hearing, both side argue as to why the play should be paid the submitted salary. In other words, Weaver will explain why he's worth $8.8 million, while the Angels will argue he's not that good and is only worth $7.375 million. If you're the Angels, do you really want to risk pissing Weaver off if you're trying to convince him to stay in Los Angeles?
Beat reporter Lyle Spencer answers questions from Angels fans - angels.com
So, to make this move, you'd need to be secure that Young is not just better, but significantly better, offensively than what you have. I'm not convinced that's the case.
Do you think landing Scott Podsednik to bat leadoff would be a smart move? -- James B., Orange County
Bourjos is too valuable to the defense, in my view, and he has the potential to hit on Podsednik's level given some time to develop.
I claim victory! While I've bagged on Spencer for his Angel strokefest posts in the past, he seems to have a better grasp on the current situation, and I've got to give him credit for that.
February 9 - BR Bullpen
Events, births and deaths that occurred on February 9.
1886 - The Kansas City Cowboys are admitted to the National League on a one-year trial basis.
1887 - The Kansas City Cowboys go out of business with the sale of itheir players to the league for $6,000. The club's spot in the league has already been taken by Pittsburgh. Well, that didn't last long.
1901 - Giants and Pirates outfielder Tom O'Brien, 28, dies in Phoenix, AZ. A popular player with the Giants, O'Brien played for Pirates in 1900, then accompanied the Giants and Superbas last fall on a trip to Cuba for a series of exhibition games. On the boat trip over, he was told that if he drank enough sea water he'd be sick, but would then be cured of any sea sickness. Both O'Brien and Kid Gleason became violently ill following the prescription, but O'Brien was so affected that all his internal organs were damaged, and he never recovered.
1961 - Willie Mays signs for $85,000, currently the biggest contract in Major League Baseball.
1972 - California Angels IF Chico Ruiz, age 33, is killed in an auto crash in San Diego.
Happy b-day:
1975 - Vladimir Guerrero, outfielder; All-Star The rumor is, during his youth Guerrero would only swing at his pinata if it were over his head or below his knees.