Wednesday Halolinks: Can Chemistry Carry Club?

Undefeated spring!

• Angels defeat White Sox, 6-2 - latimes.com. "Reliever Kevin Jepsen, who is coming back from surgery on his right knee, looked strong during a scoreless fifth, giving up one single and striking out two.Vernon Wells has drawn a walk in each of the two exhibition games. The left fielder drew walks in consecutive games only once last season"
  
• Looks like Hunter wants to stick around for a couple more years: Angels' Hunter: 'I want a ring' - CBSSports.com. ""Right now, I'm focused on winning," Hunter said. "Money? I've made money. I want a ring. "Money has nothing to do with any decision I would make. I want a ring."
• You know your off season went well when your additions and departures look like this: Spring primer: Los Angeles Angels - CBSSports.com.
  Major additions: 1B Albert Pujols, LHP C.J. Wilson, C Chris Iannetta, RHP LaTroy Hawkins
  Major departures: C Jeff Mathis, RHP Joel Pineiro

MORE LINKS AFTER THE BREAK...

• I keep thinking of the 1979 "We Are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates when I hear about a loose clubhouse. Scenes from Spring Training: The Angels are loose - HardballTalk. "The clubhouse opened up a bit later and I went in with the other scribes. The most noticeable thing: it was loud, raucous, happy and loose. Such a change from last year’s Angels clubhouse which seemed practically funereal. Either their "don’t do drugs" lecture was hilarious this morning or else this is a team in a very, very good place." Here's Hunter talking about the team:
  
• Walden letting fans suggest entrance music - angels.com. "Via FOX Sports West, the Angels' second-year closer is using Facebook to get fans to list suggestions for his entrance music this year. " Go to Walden's Facebook page (Jordan Walden needs a new walk-out song! - Facebook) to participate.
  
• Someone else needs an intro song, but for a different reason: Papelbon needs a new entrance song - CBSSports.com. "Jonathan Papelbon will not be shipping up to Boston anytime soon -- as the band the Dropkick Murphys say the new Phillies closer can no longer use their song as his entrance music."
• Angels Hunting for Lefty Relievers? - MLB Daily Dish. "For left handed relievers, Mike Gonzalez and Arthur Rhodes are still free agents and Matt Thornton of the Chicago White Sox is a trade candidate. Knobler added later on that many around baseball are convinced that the Angels will trade designated hitter Bobby Abreu, and says that the Angels could kill two birds with one stone." Also, SBN's Daily Dish is looking for help: MLB Daily Dish is looking for additional contributors! We're looking to fill several time slots... "We're looking to fill several time slots throughout the week. If you can follow a large twitter/reader list, assimilate information, and spell (with a focus on SEO-friendly headlines), you might be a perfect fit. It's a great way to build experience, expand your network and exposure, and make a little cash on the side."
• Angels fans find themselves in unredeemable situation - latimes.com. "There was a chaotic scene outside Angel Stadium on Tuesday as fans who had purchased prepaid discounted ticket voucher plans lined up for as many as eight hours on the first day they could redeem vouchers for tickets and couldn't get to the front of the line."
• Garrett Richards is no longer a long shot to make the Angels' starting rotation out of camp. - angels.com. "The Angels trotted out several of their rotation candidates during their home opener at Tempe Diablo Stadium with non-roster invitee Eric Hurley and 2011 reliever Trevor Bell each throwing two scoreless innings. But Richards, who surrendered two runs and needed around 40 pitches to get through his two frames, is the one who faced the White Sox starters. And Richards is the one with the big arm."
• Things we've learned - ESPN Los Angeles. "Jean Segura is coming on strong. The young shortstop has made two brilliant defensive plays already, including cleaning up a double play after a bad feed from Alexi Amarista. "He was able to turn it on pure skill," Scioscia said."
• Will the Angels trade Bobby Abreu? - CBSSports.com. ""Why would I want that?" Torii Hunter said, when it was suggested that Abreu could be traded. "Bobby's good, man. He's helpful to the other hitters, too. I know he wants to play, but he's valuable to our club, playing or not."
• Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto still a student of hitting - The Courier-Journal "You might be able to get it online, but there’s nothing like having the book," Votto said. "Also, there’s something about carrying it with you and remembering where you came from. No matter how deeply we are into our careers, we’re all just kids. This game never gets any easier. It’s nice to remember that when I was 18, I was looking at that book and trying my best, and when I’m 28, I’m still looking at it and trying my best, and hopefully I’ll be 38 and doing the same."