The week between Christmas and New Years has always seemed strange to me. The build-up of Christmas doesn't quite have the chance to die down before there's another day of celebrating. When I worked a "real" job, this week was kind of a "just putting in the appearance" of doing actual work. With so many people taking the days between the holidays off, there's a good chance no one answers the phone when you need something. Apparently, this happens in the MLB too.
- I'm not so sure about that "never-say-die mantra" stuff, as it never really seemed this team had the tenacity associate with never giving up. Of course, I could be wrong, but to me, the 2014 Angels, who led the league in scoring, felt like a team who beat up on their opponents rather than stalking them. After a quick look at B-Ref, the Angels did have 10 walk-off wins in 2014, which I guess is a pretty good indication of never-say-die. So yeah, maybe I am wrong: What were the top 10 game-changing moments in baseball in '14? - SportsonEarth.com, "The victory established the Halos' never-say-die mantra that would stay with them throughout the course of their 98-win regular season (not to mention the fact that it dropped the Rays six games under .500, in a season that was quickly falling apart). Simply put, Trout's first walk-off was the defining moment in his MVP season."
I remember watching this game and thinking when Trout crossed the plate, "Don't jump. Don't jump! DON'T JUMP!!"
- Okay, what's more impressive, the Angels having a minor league prospect doing well or 87 year-old Bobby Abreu still playing baseball? Halos' Perez flourishes as winter ball approaches end - angels.com, "Sunday, catcher Carlos Perez, the Angels' No. 11 prospect, gave Leones del Caracas a big lift in their final game of the season and the last in Venezuela for two-time Major League All-Star Bobby Abreu. Perez hit a single in the eighth inning, scoring Abreu from second for what proved to be the winning run against Bravos de Margarita. Perez, a native of Venezuela, finished the regular season hitting .331/.368/.507 with 23 runs and 23 RBIs in 40 games."
- This is a strange thing to write, but the Angels have starting pitching depth. Yes, that's right. Depth. Although, the talent at the deeper end of that depth might not be the greatest, its not that bad either. So, with all this newly acquired pitching depth, do the Angels need to spend the rumored $200M+ needed to sign Max Scherzer? Here's a look at the 11 teams who could use free agent pitcher Max Scherzer in their rotation: Going to the Max? Scherzer brings high hopes - MLB.com, "General manager Jerry Dipoto has done a tremendous job adding pitching to the organization the last two offseasons, so there's probably not a pressing need for Scherzer. The Angels seem headed for the postseason with or without Scherzer. But they'd be a formidable October team with him."
- This is pretty cool, but what I thought was really interesting (okay, kinda interesting) was the term "heaving". Are "heaving" and "throwing" different? And for some reason, when I picture a "heaving" contest I think of the pie-eating contest scene from the movie "Stand By Me". Shoeless Joe Jackson could throw a baseball nearly 400 feet - For The Win, "The legendary former White Sox outfielder was more than just the best hitter of his era."