Wednesday Halolinks: Just like his team, Scioscia runner-up

Wednesday Halolinks are becoming my favorite post of the week.  Obviously, these posts rely on other writers producing interesting and/or entertaining content worthy (I always think of Wayne and Garth when I use the word "worthy") of being added to our links.  Tuesday's posts are lacking for both personal and worthiness reasons; 1) I need to pick up my daughter and take her to school on Tuesday mornings and that cuts into the time I have collecting links, and; 2) it seems writers haven't gotten back into the groove after their typical weekend of debauchery (because regardless of what Steve Dilbeck thinks, baseball people, including writers, are notorious partiers once they put their calculators down).  No longer will Wednesday be 'hump day", but rather "Peak Day".  At least until Thursday comes along.

Peaking Halolinks:

• How about leading off (just like the subject of this post should be) with some Trout porn: Angels' Mike Trout: from can't-miss kid to likely AL MVP in five years - LA Times, "He's bigger, he's faster, he's stronger and he works just as hard as everybody else," Angels catcher Chris Iannetta said. "And he has just the right amount of confidence and poise. Some people just got it. He's got it."  Get it?
• Sorry, but in my opinion, this is the most pointless award in baseball.  I know I rail against Mike Scioscia, and how much better the club would be if they had someone else running the dugout, but seriously, is it the manager who's responsible for the team's success?  Look at the Joe Madden situation.  His team did terrible this season, but he is now one of the two highest paid managers in baseball.  Did he do a crappy job this year?  No?  Then why isn't he in the MOY conversation?  Nats' Williams, Orioles' Showalter win Manager of Year Awards - MLB.com, "With 30 voters judging candidates based solely on the regular season, Showalter drew 25 first-place votes to run away with the AL award. His 132 points in the 5-3-1 voting system were exactly double the second-place total of the Angels' Mike Scioscia, with the Royals' Ned Yost third and the Mariners' Lloyd McClendon fourth, including a first-place vote."
• I'm very curious as to who those seven writers are: Scioscia runner-up for AL Manager of Year - The Orange County Register, "Scioscia got four first-place votes, and Lloyd McClendon of the Seattle Mariners got the other. Scioscia was named second on 11 ballots and third on eight. Seven writers left him off entirely." And what their reasoning was for omitting him.
• Is an extension really necessary?  Aren't we all in agreement that big money closers aren't a wise why to spend your money? Extension talks with Street likely to wait until spring - angels.com, "We've made a habit out of whatever we're doing for the coming season, we'll take care of after the new year once we get to Spring Training and everybody is face to face rather than trying to piece things together over an offseason. And if something works out, great. If nothing works out, I'm sure he's going to do just fine in the free market in 2016."  I do like the way the Angels do business in this instance.  Nothing's better than face-to-face negotiations.
• Matt Shoemaker.  Bt within this post is this interesting point: The overlooked AL rookie - Beyond the Box Score, "I touched briefly last week on the Angels' side of the Adam Eaton deal, and how they got Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago. Both had solid if unspectacular years, with Santiago bouncing back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen (having been replaced by Shoemaker, actually) and Skaggs pitching consistently until being forced to undergo Tommy John surgery in August. With (injured) emerging ace Garrett Richards and a surprisingly spry 32-year-old Jered Weaver, the Angels should actually have a pretty solid rotation next year if everyone remains healthy. While that's a big if, especially since Richards isn't guaranteed back for Opening Day, a top four of Richards, Weaver, Shoemaker, and C.J. Wilson or Skaggs isn't half bad."  Obviously the writer forgot Skaggs is gone this season, but still, there's a chance the team's rotation could be pretty good.  Especially if Cory Rasmus is able to man one of the spots.
• You gotta give Jerry Dipoto credit, he's got the spin thing down.  Angels GM gives Wilson vote of confidence - The Orange County Register, ""I’m very confident in C.J. Wilson," Dipoto said Tuesday, the second day of what figures to be a quiet GM Meetings for the Angels. "There is nothing physically that holds him back from being C.J. Wilson." "This year he was outstanding for the first six or eight weeks, and then he came unglued," Dipoto said. "But he’s got a track record."  Let's break this down...
  
  Q: "Hey Jerry, who do you feel confident in manning the dunktank at this year's fanfest?" 
  A: "I’m very confident in C.J. Wilson"
  
  Q: "Is Wilson a headcase or was there something physically wrong with him this year?"
  A: "There is nothing physically that holds him back from being C.J. Wilson."
  
  Q: "How does Wilson remind you of your last girlfriend?"
  A: "He was outstanding for the first six or eight weeks, and then he came unglued."
• It looks like the Halos are still thinking about dealing Howie Kendrick:
  

  #Angels remain open to trading Kendrick for player or pitcher under comparable or longer control. Kendrick eligible for FA at end of season.

  — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 11, 2014

• Here's my guy.  Go get him: MLB Free Agency: Top 50, where they may sign and what they will get - CBSSports.com, "43. Emilio Bonifacio, INF-OF: Speedy and versatile, he could help any number of teams seeking depth. Agent: 2 years, $5M. GM: 2 years, $10M. Me: 2 years, $7M."
• When was the last time the Angels weren't rumored to be in on any free agents?  MLB news and rumors roundup for Nov. 11 - CBSSports.com
• Replace "Morrow" with "C.J. Wilson" in the following tidbit: What does Brandon Morrow Offer? - FanGraphs Baseball, "Like so many other power arms, Morrow flashed brilliance and looked the part of a top-of-the-rotation ace at times. Other times, he lacked command, floundered through laborious starts and struggled to stay healthy."  Okay, that's really a stretch on my part, but Morrow still might be worth at flier at the right price.
• This is much like the Angels' recent signing of Jeremy McBryde, and something I could get behind seeing more often: The Best Signing of the Offseason (So Far) by the Projections - FanGraphs Baseball, "Infielder Dean Anna is projected by Steamer to produce a 1.9 WAR over 600 plate appearances — on the strength, mostly, of his ability to control the strike zone and play a combination of passable shortstop defense and slightly above-average second or third base. Assuming his deal with St. Louis is for the league minimum of $500K and also assuming a dollar-per-win value of about $5.5 million, Anna is (theoretically) a candidate to provide a return of ca. 2000%."
• Jon Heyman, Scott Boras mouthpiece, but this is a very interesting quote: Max contract: Scherzer front quiet, but Boras cites Max's stats, guts - CBSSports.com, "Premium free agents are rarely talked about at the GM meetings," Boras said. "This is an owners' decision. Every GM wants him. There's always a place for him on every team. The issue is not whether the player is wanted. The issue is whether the owner will make the commitment to try to win the World Series."
• What does this post have to do with baseball?  Well, when I read it, I thought of how those bright and shining things could be compared to those bright and shiny big-name free agents, and how teams should probably focus on the experiences.  Do fans want names or good experiences?  Can Money Buy Happiness? Here’s What Science Has to Say - WSJ, "In a study published earlier this year, he found that people think material purchases offer better value for the money because experiences are fleeting, and material goods last longer. So, although they’ll occasionally splurge on a big vacation or concert tickets, when they’re in more money-conscious mode, they stick to material goods. But in fact, Prof. Howell found that when people looked back at their purchases, they realized that experiences actually provided better value."  And look, they have graphs too!
  

  

  
  
  Do fans want to see Kole Calhoun play, or Josh Hamilton?  Is winning the only reason fans come to watch?