Sure you want to talk about Albert Pujols and his home run surge. Fun, isn't it? We sure have been waiting long enough. And you want to celebrate the exhiliration that comes from a successful suicide-squeeze, especially when it drives over the game-winning run. Maybe you even want to chat a bit about Erick Aybar stealing third base in the bottom of the 8th to put himself into position to score on that Robertson bunt?
Go ahead. Enjoy. We gained a game on the Astros and pumped up the entire team.
But don't forget Hector Santiago. 6 innings of work and gave up only 2 hits? That magic pixie dust he is enjoying just keeps on keeping on. His ERA is down to 2.68. That is good for 7th best in the entire league, If sabr theory is to be believed, he should be traded shortly after he makes an appearance for us in Cincinnati at the All Star game, while his stock is through the roof. So we should enjoy him while we got him.
Happy linkage!
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Angels Baseball
Jered Weaver: MRIs reveal no structural damage to Weaver's hip. But they don't show what's actually wrong, either. Mike Scioscia: "We’re not going to put any time frame at all until he’s had time to digest everything. When he starts to fire it back up, we’ll see where it is.' Scioscia goes on to suspect that whatever is ailing Weaver's hip is the cause of his pitching woes, affecting his mechanics. It's also possible, I would guess, that his bad mechanics have resulted in strain to his hip...............
Mike Trout: Trout has taken over the lead in the AL ASG among outfielders, solidifying his spot on the starting lineup this late in the process. His is the third highest vote total overall in the AL, behind the Royals' catcher Salvador Perez (10,199,151) and Detroit's first baseman Miguel Cabrera (9,342,149). The big race is at third base, with Josh Donaldson of the Blue Jays on the verge of overtaking Mike Moustaka of the Royals. Donaldson is only ~33,000 votes behind now.............
More Trout: Trout is trapped at first base, perhaps the greatest barometer of lineup construction not yet plumbed. And Mike himself seems accepting: "That's just how it's been the last couple weeks. I just haven't had a chance to go. Situations have been dictating that." So the question is, will we ever see Trout again as a 30-30 player
Albert Pujols: Pujols, even on a tear, is still not the Pujols of his heyday in St. Louis. But that was expected, as it comes naturally with age. Lots of people point to the future very certain that the whole of the Pujols contract is a bad one. But in this Fangraphs review, where his 2015 resurgence is analyzed (hint: he has lowered his hands in his stance), there is one tidbit toward the bottom that is worth noting: "...but over the first three-and-a-half years of the contract, Pujols has been paid $63 million and been worth around $66 million according to Fangraphs dollar values."..............
Tyler Skaggs: I love it when I hear about a fire in the belly of a ballplayer. It shows competitive spirit. In baseball, with its languid pace across a process that burns slowly across three of the four annual seasons, "fire in the belly" is reserved for Octobers. And Tyler Skaggs. Skaggs wants to pitch in 2015: "I want to help my team win. I can definitely go out and throw some innings, even if it’s out of the bullpen. Whatever is necessary. I’ve been working my (butt) off to get to that point. If push comes to shove and I feel I’m ready, then of course I’m going to say yes. I’ll leave it up to everyone else." I love that passion, even though there is no way the franchise is going to risk his career for a few outings in this flailing campaign...........
Big A: Yep. You were right. That IS Angel Stadium in the KFC commercial celebrating baseball..........
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Elsewhere in Baseball
The Final Thorn: Pete Rose is done. I still haven't figured out how ESPN got photocopies of pages of a spiral notebook that is still supposed to be held away from the public by The National Archives, once sealed by court order, but there we are. Anyway, in the public domain are now hand-written documents that have been authenticated by the former federal agents who confiscated them. These documents purport to corroborate betting activities made on behalf of Pete Rose during a time when he was also an active MLB player. The official investigation knew that these records existed, but could not get their hands on them. (It may seem odd to you, but for this I am grateful. It is refreshing to learn that there are some organizations who don't roll over just because MLB comes stomping up to the doorstep.) They weren't needed to nail Pete Rose back then, but they do come in handy in slamming the door shut now when Rose is building momentum for reinstatement............
Another Step Forward: History was made the other day. The earth shook a teeny bit. You survived. For the very first time (that we known of), a female baseball player has been added to the MLB International registration list. Her name is Melissa Mayeux, and she is from France. It is still only more possible than it is probable, but she will actually be eligible to be signed by an MLB team on July 2. To do that, she had to show quality skills. Now, don't start throwing any parties or anything. Mayeux is only 16 and way behind far more formidable prospects in Latin America. But it is worth following her career. She might make it onto an American college team, or possibly even onto the France Men's WBC team a few years down the road...........
Who are those guys?: Like the posse of rangers chasing Butch and Sundance, the KC Royals seem capable of tracking down anybody, any time, any where these days. I mean, how the hell can this be explained? The Royals played the Mariners and the match up was Joe Blanton versus Felix Hernandez. Like, duh. This game was over the day it was scheduled. Right? Right??? How the hell is it that Blanton throws the 2-hitter and the Royals get 10 hits and 4 runs off of King Felix??? I need July to get here quick. I need to drop an F bomb.............
CardGate: Here is an update on the STL Cardinals Hack-a-Tack into the Astros computer system. basically, the computer experts that the Cards hired to specialize in computer programming and statistical analysis were really bad at computering. " 'They tried to mask themselves like an experienced hacker and failed,' said a person briefed on the investigation. 'It's clear they weren't very good at what they were trying to do.' " My guess is that they tried to wipe out their trail using the same techniques they Googled in college when they were stealing exam answers to their Ethics finals............
Steal a Base: While everybody else is focused on whether or not ARod will get back the baseball from his 3,000 hit home run, up to three people sitting at that game had a chance to purchase one of the bases ARod touched as he made his glory trot. This, apparently, is a thing in Yankee Stadium. Top 1% and all that.............
Wacky Ballpark Foods: I just can't get enough of this, and I can't keep up with the ongoing revolution of...uh...culinary invention. Here is a review of items that somehow eluded the earlier lists that were rampant coming out of Spring Training. Super-tall cheeseburgers are everywhere, but "Chicken & Waffle Cone" is brilliant. And "Inside the Park Nachos" is just plain genius............
R.I.P. Daryl Hamilton. Hamilton, an ex-player and briefly, during 2012, a play-by-play analyst for national Angels radio broadcasts on Compass Media Networks, was found the victim of a murder-suicide, having been shot multiple times by his girlfriend before she took her own life..............
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