The notion of Trumbo as a spare part in 2011 - The Orange County Register
The Angels can certainly use some sock on their bench, especially with their cookie-cutter infielders at third, short and second. Trumbo can be their Sucker Punch.
I agree with OCR's Earl Bloom on this one. It always seemed like the Angels were looking for that "big bat" during the previous 4 or 5 seasons, and once Bloom pointed out the lack of power on the potential Halo bench, Trumbo's ability to provide some much needed punch would definitely be an asset. Last week, Scioscia had mentioned Trumbo's swing needed plenty of at-bats to maintain (remember the "maintenance of maintaining"), so hopefully Trumbo gets the majority of playing time at first base this spring and is able to do well while on the field.
First-round draft pick Michael Choice gets instruction from Angels star Torii Hunter - San Jose Mercury News
"A lot of it was just talking about professionalism, how you handle your business," Choice said. "When we'd hit, it'd be strictly focused on hitting. He saw my swing, just kind of helped me out from there." The University of Texas-Arlington product is rated the No. 3 prospect in the A's system by Baseball America, behind shortstop Grant Green and outfielder Chris Carter.
Classy guy that Torii Hunter is...classy guy.
MLB Network: TV Schedule - March 1st
3:00 p.m. Spring Training Baseball live Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (subject to blackout in local areas)
For those of you not stuck at work, the MLB Network will be televising today's Angel game.
MORE LINKS AFTER THE BREAK...
More on the Angels and PECOTA - ESPN Los Angeles
Mark Simon in the ESPN Stats and Info department has a few thoughts. As Simon puts it, the Angels "outscore their run differential" in a typical season, probably through better-than-average base running and better-than-average outfield play.
This is the first time I've heard the "better-than-average outfield play" theory in how it relates to the Angels beating their Pythag projections. When looking back at the Angels outfield during the season in which they produced their biggest differential, the outfield consisted of Garret Anderson, Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero, Juan Rivera, and Gary Mathews Jr. Not the first names to pop up in any conversation regarding good outfield defense, so I wonder how this theory relates to the Angels between 2007-2009.
Spring diary: Relishing a big Hokies win and spring games - USATODAY.com
As I mentioned earlier, the games started this week and I had my first start Friday. I felt really good throwing off the mound, liked my arm speed and wasn't too sore the next day. And it was good to work in my new pitch, the cutter. The overall results weren't optimum, but that's what spring training is all about - getting a feel for your pitches, building stamina, confidence. Besides, it's not how you start, it's how you finish ...
Another installment of the Joe Saunders Spring Diary.
Guillen warns of retaliation at ex-closer Jenks - Chicago Breaking Sports
"Just be careful of what you say about Oney because Oney will say stuff he's not supposed to be saying. That's just a warning for him just in case somebody don't call him. Just stay away and don't name Oney for this because it will be pretty ugly."
Like it's not already ugly. If you read the entire quote, doesn't it sound like something from "The Godfather"? Next step in this process is Oney Guillen being arrested on weapons charges.
Dante Bichette Jr. might be first-round pick, maybe for Rockies - Denver Post
It seems like yesterday when Dante Bichette Jr. was starring in the Little League World Series. Now there’s a chance he could be a Rockie. Bichette is a projected first-round pick in the June draft.
Or maybe the Angels can nab him...and then trade him for a 40 year-old sucky DH.
Rollie Fingers spends '15 seconds' each day waxing his mustache - Big League Stew - Yahoo! Sports
When I returned a couple of hours later, Fingers still wasn't ready to answer any questions. Actually, he acted as though I had returned to yank out his fingernails. "I told you, I don't do interviews," Fingers said, revising his earlier statement a bit. Not wanting to miss an opportunity to learn something about the most celebrated mustache in Major League history, I didn't take "get out of here" for an answer. I said I'd be brief, I put down my recorder, turned it on and started asking him questions. I was quite polite in my rudeness, I swear.
If you're not interested in David Brown's interview with Fingers, at least click through and check out the photo of Captain Kangaroo...I mean Gaylord Perry.
Harper strikes out twice in Nats debut - csnwashington.com
Comfortable or not, Harper mostly looked overwhelmed in his first appearance in a spring training game. The Washington Nationals' 18-year-old phenom came up to bat twice against the New York Mets. He struck out twice, flailing away at the kind of offspeed pitches he never saw in high school or college but most certainly will see much more of as a professional.
Kid sucks. There's no hope. DFA NOW!
March 1 - BR Bullpen
Events, births and deaths that occurred on March 1.
1893 - John Pickett wins $1,285.72 in a lawsuit against the Baltimore Orioles, his most recent team. Baltimore had claimed that they did not owe him this sum - Picket's entire 1892 salary - because he "was slow in his movement, and had a sore arm which incapacitated him from being of service to the club." I've spent this winter reading about the early days of baseball, and this kind of thing was pretty typical of how players were treated.
1969 - New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle announces his retirement. Mantle, who slumped to a .237 batting average in 1968, finishes his 18-season career with 536 home runs and a .298 average, numbers that would have certainly been higher if not for persistent knee injuries. The Yankees offer Mantle a coaching position (Bartender) on manager Ralph Houk's staff.
1995 - Anaheim Angels replacement players play against Arizona State University in an exhibition game in Tempe, Arizona. It is the first time since 1912 that replacement players have appeared in a game in major league uniforms.
Happy b-day:
1914 - Harry Caray, announcer (d. 1998)