Meet Your Angels Blogger: Rextookmystash

In our ongoing series of getting to know the powers-that-be here at Halos Heaven, we present you with interviews of the bloggers and site monitors that make this place the paradise on earth that it is. Tonight brings us to Nick Lopez, aka REXTOOKMYSTASH. Take it away RTMS...

WHO WAS THE FIRST ANGELS PLAYER YOU DECIDED WAS "YOUR GUY" ?

I wish I could name some random obscure player from the 1970's but I'm not that old school. On that note, I'd have to say that guy I looked forward to seeing the most was Troy Percival. Percy definitely got me stoked for Angels baseball. I really enjoyed his focus and attitude. He had a presence on the mound that perfectly edified what a closer should be like. Plus he totally kicked ass in the playoffs. According to BBRef, he had 7 saves and a 1.00 WHIP during our 2002 campaign. What would we have done without that? I shudder to think.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE CURRENT ANGEL AND WHY?

Jeff Mathis by a long shot. Okay enough of that. Aside from his current stink fest, it's Torii Hunter. I really appreciate the attitude and cheer he brought to the team. You can explicitly tell that everyone likes him. It must be great to have a teammate like that in the clubhouse. I'm assuming the younger guys go to him for advice as well. He's definitely lost a step in the field but that doesn't mean he can't share the holistic depth of his baseball knowledge with the young guns that we've had so much fun watching over this season. His charity work outside of baseball, which garnered him the Branch Rickey award in 2009, is also very commendable.

WHICH SIDE OF THE "STATS VS CHEMISTRY" DEBATE ARE YOU ON AND WHY?

I'm still relatively new the world of advanced statistics but I'm definitely leaning in that direction. No matter how ingrained statistics, both old and new, impart themselves into baseball decisions, I'll never dismiss the importance of team chemistry as it relates to the overall club house atmosphere. All-in-all, I think they are both integral ingredients when discussing the recipe for organizational success, and avoiding either would be doing a disservice to any franchise.

PICK A SONG FOR THE ANGELS TO REPLACE BUTTERCUP WITH?

Domination by Pantera. Why the hell not right?

IF YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF THE ANGELS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES, NAME THE PERFORMER YOU BREAK THE BANK TO GET.

I'm going to have to pick more than one. It'd be Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros opening, then a set by the Black Keys, and finally a reunion show by Led Zeppelin, although that would likely never happen. A man can dream can't he?

SAY SOMETHING BALLSY / CONTROVERSIAL FOR US TO REMEMBER YOU BY....

I grew up on food stamps and welfare in the biggest shit hole roach motels that the Beach Boulevard corridor had to offer. Sporadic bouts of foster homes were also a mainstay for me. Nevertheless, I started out going down a pretty bad path but luckily one semester of community college, which was free thanks to Uncle Sam, changed my whole outlook on life. Five and a half years of hard work later, I became the first in my family to graduate college with a BS degree in business. Due to this I became a staunch Republican and will destroy any liberal in an informed debate. Living in San Francisco, this has been a difficult position to be in to say the least. I've lost friends over my political affiliation but hopefully none of my HH friends are going to abandon me now that it's clear I'm a rich white war monger. :)