Wednesday Halolinks: Angels have some payroll flexibilty

Yes, I took yesterday off.  No, it wasn't fun.  I drove a little over 3 hours (each way) to pick up some kitchen cabinets for an apartment I'm renovating.  I'm a little stressed since the apartment is for me and my kids to move into at the end of the month.  If you're counting along at home, that's 17 days from today.  This is what I'm walking into today.  So yeah, I'm kind of freaking out.

Too much time on my hands: 9 days until spring

• This post on the Angels' payroll also states that $10M the club is under their self-imposed salary cap will be used "if necessary": Angels to enter 2015 with financial flexibility - " Gonzo and 'The Show', "That’s $141,187,833 for 18 players (and $86,100,000 for four). When adding the Major League minimum ($500,000) to seven more in order to make a full roster, that gives the Angels a 2015 Opening Day payroll of about $144,687,833 (not exact because a lot of players get slightly more than the minimum). That’s third-highest in club history, but about $10 million less than last year."
• What kind of player do you get with the 26th pick? Order set for 2015 Draft - MLB.com, "After a busy offseason of free-agent signings, there are 26 picks in the first-round proper, as five teams forfeited their Round 1 selections -- the Padres, the Mets (for Michael Cuddyer), the Blue Jays (for Russell Martin), the Mariners (for Nelson Cruz) and the Washington Nationals (for Max Scherzer). There are 10 compensation picks as a result of free-agent signings." The Angels' first pick is the 26th overall.
• What, is Jeff Mathis returning to California?  This Lyle piece starts with this: SoCal should be special place in 2015 season - angels.com, "We might have to go back to New York and the golden era of the 1950s to find a time and place comparable to what Southern California has now with the Dodgers, Angels and Padres. Stars abound, and all three teams are legitimate contenders, linked by Interstate 5 running from Los Angeles through Anaheim down to San Diego."  And it ends with this: "In SoCal, the sun almost always shines. It just figures to be a little brighter than usual this summer."  It's Always Sunny in SoCal.
  
• Wanna see something weird? 
  

  

  
  
  Here's the video showing Kendrick saying all the right things for Dodgers' fans:
  
  
• Number 4?  Not too shabby.  Which MLB lineups will be the best in 2015? - SportsonEarth.com, "4. Angels: I'd feel a lot better about the Kendrick trade and its impact on the lineup if you could promise me that Josh Hamilton is going to stay healthy. But we already know that's not the case, because Hamilton is recovering from last week's shoulder surgery."
• And to tie-up this segue, here's the only player the Angels have in this list of Top prospects:  Top 101 Prospects of 2015 - Baseball Prospectus, "37. Andrew Heaney, LHP, Los Angeles Angels"
• Will this guy just sign already?  Geez.  Dodgers' potential target Yoan Moncada nearing decision - LA Times, "I’m hoping, certainly, that by the end of next week, we’ll have a much clearer picture of where he will sign," said Moncada’s Florida-based representative, David Hastings. The Dodgers are among the teams that have worked out Moncada, a 19-year-old switch-hitting infielder who has drawn comparisons to talents such as Yasiel Puig and Jorge Soler. The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres are also believed to be interested."
• I'm always interested in these types of stories; the aging underdog player, trying to make one last attempt to finish his career on a good note.  If I were a MLB GM, my minor leagues would be overflowing with Barry Zitos: Astros watch Barry Zito throw, skip Matt Albers’ session - Ultimate Astros, "It’s unclear how many teams saw Zito pitch Tuesday, but four to five teams have seen him pitch in all. Although the Astros want to add to their starting pitching depth, it’s a long shot the Astros would sign Zito, a former Cy Young winner who is trying to make a comeback, per one of the people familiar with the situation. He has other interested teams, however."
• I don't even own a trunk: Rare Shoeless Joe Jackson autograph photo may bring $100,000 - The Kansas City Star, "Her husband kept the book in a trunk, looking at it almost every day and showing it off to friends. A collector all his life, he appreciated its history and connection to his hometown. Not knowing the book's sky-high value, they never locked it up or worried about keeping it out of sight. "It wasn't an investment," she said."
• You know what?  I'd have to agree with Sullivan on this one...and this guy played for my favorite team!  Question for the Ages: Who’s Your Least Favorite Player? (Part 1) – The Hardball Times, "Jeff Sullivan: "If I’m going to be completely honest, I don’t really hate anymore. It’s an ugly, unnecessary emotion, and I don’t like to let those feelings in. I don’t hate baseball teams, and I generally don’t hate baseball players. But I used to hate—I used to be younger—and there is one player who still manages to provoke me, one player who still makes me sneer at the mere mention of his name. I really just can’t stand Francisco Rodriguez.  It's okay, Jeff,  At least within this post he admits to his Angels hate.  Here's Part Two:Question for the Ages: Who’s Your Least Favorite Player? (Part 2). Who's your least favorite player...and you can't say "A.J. Pierzynski"