MondoLinks: Halos win and Halos lose

It's a heck of a lot more fun to win than to lose, and taking 2 of 3 and blowing up the Houston Astros chances of making a Wild Card spot (now with an elimination number of only 4) is sweet icing on a rather stale cake.

This success, though, has its own bittersweet after-taste. The Angels are currently about 4 games away from dropping out of the Top Ten picks in next year's entry draft. They have only 69 wins and sit in 8th place. The two teams below are at 70 wins. And there at 11th place is Colorado with 73 wins. See the chart below, and then have some Final Week Links:

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Everywhere In Baseball

R.I.P.: Yesterday Miami Marlins sterling young right-handed pitcher, Jose Fernandez, was killed in a boating accident. By the looks of it, somebody was engaged in some reckless boating. Fernandez was the National league Rookie of the Year in 2013 and two-time NL All-Star. The Marlins and Braves cancelled their game out of respect..........We know how they feel, people. It hurts.............

Dipoto the Raider: The beatdown just keeps going on. Jerry Dipoto, fresh off stealing away our AA affiliate in Little Rock, Arkansas, The Travelers, has snuck back in again and taken Justin Hollander from Billy Eppler's Front Office. Hollander was our Director of Player Personnel and will now serve as Dipoto's Director of Baseball Operations. I'm getting the feeling that while he was here Dipoto observed that the franchise had some solid bones with which to work. It was merely the the way the place was furnished that was dragging things down................

Trout Porn: Stick this MVP feather in your cap. Trout Batting runs =  +60, All other Angels batting Runs = -49............Next, Mike has more WAR than the entire rosters of 4 whole MLB TEAMS.............

Albert Pujols just keeps chipping away and climbing the various career charts. We didn't ever get anything close to a vintage Albert, but we do get to be the ones who see him knock past one legend after another..........

This is so messed up. Jung Ho Kang of the Pirates pulls the smart play and juke Bryce Harper into thinking he needs to slide into third base. Harper had a triple in hand and anything could happen, even a wild throw or something. So tricking Harper into surrendering away any chance at an inside-the-park home run is smart baseball. It's an infielder making a good play to hold off a potential run. Well, Harper chose to slide headfirst, and clumsily at that. You know, the dangerous way that tends to result in hand and finger injuries. No surprise there. Harper injured his hand. And the Nationals and Dusty Baker and the Nats broadcasters went idiotically ballistic, blaming the Pirates. No surprise there, either. Kang comes up and the pitcher throws behind his head. Pitcher ejected. Nats rush the field. Total damn stupidity..........

Always fun as hell. Jeff Sullivan tracking the worst strike zone calls. This one was a doozy. (By the way, how many of you have been following @AngelsUmp this year?)...........

Hustle wins. Great play behind the plate by Giants' third baseman Eduardo Nunez..............

I love the idea that a few people with some lumber, a lathe, and more than a little gumption can make inroads into an established industry and contribute. So it is with Major League Baseball and wood bats...........

Ok, people. This is getting stupid. You all need to get off this baseball card trip you are on. Prices are starting to get out of hand. I mean, really? $5 million for the Honus Wagner card? For that kind of money, you could buy yourself a very nice lime orchard with an ocean view and a lifetime supply of very fine tequila with which to enjoy it...............

Brian McCann, Keeper of Unwritten Rules, is getting washed out of baseball by the youthful phenom that is Gary Sanchez. Nobody seems to mind.............

Everybody thinks baseball players are soft and unathletic. Because baseball is so easy or something. So, for Tim Tebow, here's to hoping that you figure out how do translate your skills to baseball better than did Michael Jordan...........

Andrelton Simmons makes the highlight reels................Kole Calhoun makes the highlight reels. Welcome back, Dad...........Oh, wait, Andrelton Simmons makes the highlight reels again! Well, in theory anyway. Due to the less than excellent video directorship, Simmons is (practically) the one guy who you do NOT see in this brilliant play...............

We all know the story of Ian Desmond, who turned down a huge contract extension with the Nats to test the FA waters, only to find the market for his niche all dried up. He ended up with the Rangers, moved to the outfield, and hoped to hang on for a year before going back into the FA market this upcoming winter and redeem himself. Well, he did have to wait that long...............

Another guy who is probably going to be getting a big overpay this offseason is Mark Trumbo. Because that's what some of the people who write those checks are already hoping for the chance to do.............

Somebody remind me to put these parks on my retirement bucket list.............

Grant Brisbee is probably right. GM all around MLB will be looking to dump a bucketload of cash on a closer this offseason, seeing how not having one cost the Giants the playoffs. Except for Eppler. Eppler already has a lot of possibilities there. On second thought, no, Brisbee is not right. Just because Brisbee watches everything the Giants do doesn't mean the rest of baseball cares. We are mostly happy that we can stop talking about the SFG mastery of even years............

Oh, joy! Oh rapture! We might get to see Panda thunder around the base paths in the playoffs after all!..............

This is some tough love. The Mariners have suspended Steve Clevenger for the rest of the season...WITHOUT PAY...due to his recent tweets. Remember, freedom of speech doesn't mean you are free from employer retribution............

Dee Gordon ain't doing so hot since coming back from his PEDs suspension, presumably now PEDs free..............

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Draft Tracker

Updated tracker.

The 2016 slot and pool monies were found here.

The Michael Jimenez Study is found here.

The HBT 2014 Study is found here.

The HBT 2012 Study is found here.

The Sky Andrecheck 2009 Study is found here.

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