Thursday Halolinks: What's Left To Prove?, Dan Haren's Arm Still Breathing

If the Dodgers are worth $2 bah-bah-bah-billion, what are the Angels worth? More important, what are today's Halolinks worth?

• Good post by Bill Plunkett about which Angels have some questions circling them: Which Angel needs this week most? - The Orange County Register. "Bobby Abreu — This has been a miserable spring for Abreu in every way you can measure. Through Tuesday, Abreu is batting .095 (4 for 42) and Scioscia acknowledged the veteran "needs some hits to fall in." He might need more than that to avoid simply being released by the Angels who really have no use for him if Kendrys Morales is healthy." I'd be surprised if the the Abreu decision hasn't already been figured out by the Angels think tank. Other than somehow turning back the clock on his 38 year-old body, is there really anything Abreu could do in the next 4 or 5 games that would change anyone's mind as to his abilities to play the game?
  
• Another player needing the next few games to clarify their situation is Jason Isringhausen. I thought his making the team was going to be a no-brainer, but the 39 year-old reliever might be thinking about hanging it up if his performance doesn't improve: Things we're close to knowing - Los Angeles Angels Blog - ESPN Los Angeles. "Isringhausen is set to work in back-to-back games for the first time this spring and the first day helped his cause. He worked a scoreless inning Wednesday and Mike Scioscia told reporters his stuff looked more crisp."
• Haren working through spring bout of dead arm - angels.com. ""I've been battling it for a couple days," Haren said. "Usually, right about now, if not a little bit before, you get it. It lasts about a week or so. I'm sure it'll be fine." Haren, who came in having given up just three runs in 15 Cactus League innings, gave up two runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings to bring his spring ERA to 2.18 in the Angels' 5-4 loss. His next start -- his last before the regular season -- will come under the lights against the Dodgers at Angel Stadium on Monday, which Haren admits does provide a little needed adrenaline. " Dead arm? Here's how Bud Black describes it: Padres manager Bud Black, who had a long Major League pitching career and served as the Angels' pitching coach when they won the World Series in 2002, explains it simply: "There are times when your arm is going to feel a little tired, not fresh, whatever you want to call it," Black says. "Your arm just gets worn out."

MORE LINKS AFTER THE BREAK...

• Some math guys predict the Angels will finish at 93-69, 4 games behind the Rangers: MLB Prediction: Cardinals to Lead NL in Wins - Miller-McCune. "In the American League, he also predicts that last year’s division champions will repeat. The New York Yankees will win the East with 97 wins, the Texas Rangers the West with 97 wins, and the Detroit Tigers the Central with 96 wins. The Wild Card teams should be the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox, each of which is predicted to win 93 games. Here are the complete prediction: 2012 Season Projections
• NBC's Tiffany Simons and Craig Calcaterra talk about the A.L. West (Tiffany Simons!):
  
• With both the Angels and Rangers vying for the A.L. West division championship, there's going to be talk of a rivalry. Here are a few Angels and Ranger players' view: Rangers talk about rivalry - ESPN Los Angeles
• Angels stack talent behind top prospect Mike Trout in farm system - angels.com. "I'm a little biased here," first-year GM Jerry Dipoto said, "but I think Scott Servais is the best player-development guy in the industry." The Angels' farm system was ranked 18th in the Majors by Baseball America going into the season."
• Really good article on the Dodgers' sale: Economist -- $2B for Los Angeles Dodgers 'makes no sense' - ESPN Los Angeles. "It's the craziest deal ever; it makes no sense. That's why you saw so many groups drop out," said Mark Rosentraub, a University of Michigan sports management professor. "I don't get it. The numbers just don't work. It doesn't make business sense."I still don't understand how you could pay $2 billion for the Dodgers and not get the clear title to the Chavez Ravine land," Rosentraub said. " To me, the biggest kick in the balls from the sale is how well sleezebag Frank McCourt made out, "It's problematic," Zimbalist said. "He was looking for some kind of ongoing income stream and he got it. Here's a guy who borrowed practically all the money to buy the team for $430 million and now he's selling it for $2.15 billion and he's coming out with a healthy capital gain -- it's repulsive. This is someone who doesn't deserve to walk away with a healthy profit after eight years of running the Dodgers in the most egregious, the most inefficient, the most self-interested, and the most vainglorious, idiotic way possible. It really is repulsive that he will still be making a profit in some way." Wasn't this supposed to be a buyer's market?
  
• Here's a quick look at who actually bought the club (it wasn't Magic Johnson): L.A. TIMES: Who Is Guggenheim Partners? - Baseball Nation. "The firm is a full-fledged investment bank in the mold of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley … The firm manages about $125 billion in assets."
• Very long, but very interesting look at baseball in St. Louis. Yeah, I know, this is an Angels blog, but when there's something worth reading that doesn't specifically feature the Halos, I'm still going to point it out to you: Now batting for the Houston Cardinals, No. 6, Stan Musial? - The Hardball Times. "Only 3,174 turned out for the Browns’ final game against the White Sox on Sunday, September 27th. The Browns lost the finale 2-1 in 12 innings, and that anticlimax gave them an even 100 losses on the season. The team ran out of pristine baseballs before the game was over, so the last game of the Browns’ least season was played partially with scuffed baseballs."
• True Outcomes and Players Through Time - FanGraphs Baseball. "Most readers understand that the phrase Three True Outcomes (TTO) refers to walks, strike outs and home runs. ....I thought it’d be interesting to look at how TTO players have evolved over time and what accounts for their successes and failures."
• Mugshot of the day: Sacramento Man Arrested For Jumping On Top Of Police Car Produces Spectacular Mugshot. "Jesse James Thomas was wearing a sombrero and a boxing glove at the time of his arrest: "
  
  I wish they had taken the photo while he was wearing the sombrero.