Thursday Halolinks: Giving thanks for Angels' baseball

Happy Thanksgiving Day!  I have many things to be thankful for; my family, friends, good health, and all of you who make up my Angels family (or support group, depending on how you look at it).  So, today's links are rather short, read through them quickly, and then spend the extra time with those you care for.

• It's official:  Joe Smith, Los Angeles Angels complete $15.75M, 3-year deal - ESPN Los Angeles.  "The team announced the move Wednesday after Smith took his physical. The sides agreed to terms last weekend on a deal that should boost the Angels' bullpen."  And for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction: Angels Designate Juan Gutierrez For Assignment - MLBTradeRumors.com.  "Gutierrez, 30, began the year with Kansas City before being plucked off waivers by the Halos.  The reliever pitched to a 3.38 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in KC but saw his ERA rise to 5.19 with 9.7 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in 28 games for the Angels."  Wait a minute, can someone explain to me why Gutierrez's ERA rose by almost 2 runs when he joined the Angels?
• Mark Whicker put out a decent article about one of the Angels' prospects:  Zach attack  - The Orange County Register.  "At Inland Empire, Borenstein was the California League’s Most Valuable Player, ahead of all the guys with the million-dollar checks and the draft-day interviews on the MLB Network. He slugged .631, hit .337, had an on-base percentage of .403, and hit 28 home runs with 95 RBI. He ranked first in homers, slugging and batting average and third in RBI."  Kind of an important bit of information, but Whicker doesn't mention that Borenstein will be 23 years-old this season in Double-A. In other words, he's a year older than Mike Trout, which isn't really a knock on Borenstein. Everyone is going to look worse when compared to Trout, so a better comparison might be Angels' outfielder Kole Calhoun, as he played his 23 year-old season at Single-A, and he's the probable opening day right fielder in 2014.
• Thanksgiving has become the day everyone feeds themselves in order to have the stamina to fight the crowds on Black Friday.  However, the overlords of MLB have now given you another reason to stay home and sit in front of your computer...if you're a fan of any other team besides the Angels: Save 20 percent at MLB.com Shop until 6 p.m. ET - angels.com.  "For the first time in history, online shopping is poised to be the No. 1 method for gift buyers in a holiday season. And MLB.com is ready for you right now, whether you're looking for a Bronze Coin Photo Mint, more youth outerwear to replace outgrown items, the latest women's ballpark fashion or a new Hall of Fame Bobblehead to commemorate this week's announcement of the latest ballot. New York Yankee or Boston Red Sox gear."  (I thought I'd fix that obvious typo).  If you go to that site, and then click to browse the catalog, you'll end up here:  MLB Holiday 2013 Catalog.  This is weird. Of all the items shown in this official MLB catalog, the Angels are shown once. A cap. On page six. The Yankees on the other hand have 16 items with their logo on it. What's even weirder, I tried to buy one of the Khaki clean up caps (page 7), but they don't make one for the Angels. They make them for 16 teams, but the Halos aren't one of them.
• Not in the above catalog, but certainly on many teams' shopping lists are free agent pitchers.  It looks like there's not going to be any of those going on sale soon: Twins agree to sign Ricky Nolasco - MLB Daily Dish.  "According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, the contract is for four years and $49 million in guaranteed money and includes a club option for 2018. The option can vest and become a player option if Nolasco reaches 175 innings in 2017, according to a source."  That's a lot of money for a mid-rotation guy.  I guess there's always the clearance bin: Brad Penny to attempt to pitch in 2014 - MLB Daily Dish.  "Penny, who turns 36 in May, says that a couple of teams have shown preliminary interest in seeing him throw, and that he expects to hold a showcase for teams in December or early January. "I haven't talked to many teams. A couple have told me that they want to see me throw," Penny said. "If I throw for a team and I feel good enough, then who knows. I think if I get an opportunity to pitch in spring training, healthier, I'm pretty confident that I can make a team."
• But...but...but, what about those arguments about Cabrera being so valuable because he's playing out of position?!?  Miguel Cabrera wants to play first base - HardballTalk.  "Venezuelan newspaper El Universal reports that Miguel Cabrera has told the Tigers that he wants to play first base. This is probably a relief to everyone in the Tigers organization, who you have to figure WANT Cabrera to play first base now that Prince Fielder is gone."
• I was just a couple of weeks ago we first heard the news that the Braves may be moving to a new stadium.  Now it's truly going to happen: Cobb County commissioners approve Braves stadium - CBSSports.com.  "With a vote of four to one, the county commissioners approved the $672 million project, which includes the new stadium and entertainment complex."  The team's current home, Turner Field, is just 17 years old -- about 30 years younger than the Angels home field.  This kind of makes me nervous when a team can move so easily.
  
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