Mike Trout: Super Human

Could it be? Are the Los Angeles Angels finally turning things around… righting the Ship… on an even keel? Sorry, I’ve been listening to a lot of yacht rock lately.

But are they???

Are they finally ready to play the kind of baseball we all expected to see when the team signed Josh Hamilton? I’m not sure yet, but it sure is starting to look that way.

Pitching

Joe Blanton: Photo not altered.
His face really is that small.

The argument that they can’t replace Joe Blanton because they just have no other options at the moment no longer works for me. Besides… that argument, quite frankly, was stupid to begin with. In fact, the Angels have lost 8 of his 9 starts this season. There was no one to replace him with that was any better??? Really??? Really? The truth is… there is no one available who would have been any worse. Now you might say, “but Dave… the bullpen was also thin and we needed Jerome there.” Nope… we didn’t. What the Angels needed most was starting pitching in the rotation capable of giving the team a quality start. With every short outing, every blowout loss, our pen was getting more and more overworked. And Blanton has been the absolute worst pitcher on this team… that’s still on the team anyway. Sorry Barry Enright.

Counter argument, Jerome Williams, 2.53 ERA, 1.08 WHIP this season. And over his last two starts those numbers are even better.

Excluding Blanton, the Angels pitching staff seems to be stabilizing. The starters are all going deeper into games now. That should have a trickle-down effect to the bullpen as well. Relievers are funny creatures… if you give them enough outings… but don’t overwork them… you should see better consistency form them.

Fundamentals

Losing and pressing creates pressure and doubt. Pressure and doubt causes too much overthinking while playing defense. During the worst parts of this slow start there are moments… innings… games… where the Angel’s defense and base-running, which historically have been one of the Angels strengths, have been embarrassing. But you know… the last few games they’re starting to look more like their old selves. Veteran players no longer seem to be making bone-headed decisions on the base paths. Tuesday night’s win over the Marinaters, there were a few moments where the Angels could have run themselves out of a few big innings, just as they had all season. In the bottom of the 4^th, Josh Hamilton lines to right and legs out a triple with a great slide. Following that, professional hit man Howie Kendrick blasts a 2 run shot to center. Next batter, Alberto Callaspo hits a long line drive where typically he may try to push it and go for a triple… but no, he sees the play and smartly decides to stay at second. And he was right as he’d have most likely been thrown out at third. Long story short, the Angels score two more runs there.

The Offense

I’m not going to say “don’t look now…” but if I was… I’d follow that up with “…but the Angels bats are heating up, and it’s looking like a consistent heat-wave.” I hope it is anyway… but I’m no weather man.

What I’m seeing besides just the stats improving across the board are the swings. The Angels hitters are looking more confident, decisive at the plate. The approaches have been much better. There’s a whole lot less guessing and looking really bad on strikeouts. Even for Josh Hamilton. The last few games that sweet left-handed swing Hamilton used to have seems to be on its way back. And that swing is the type that can carry a ball club along, long way. But if you combine that with Howie Kendrick, hitting .500+ with power over the last 8 games, baseball destroyer Mark Trumbo, Albert Pujols and his little brother Alberto, all heating up… I feel very sorry for all the Aaron Harangs of the baseball world. That poor, poor man!

And Michael Nelson “ihitforthecycle” Trout. Wow! Just wow!

After beating Aaron Harang in the 30 yard dash to first… with a 10 yard lead for Harang no less… he hits a triple, a bases-clearing double, and finally decides that he’s just going to hit a homer for the cycle in the 8^th. What was most impressive about that homer for me… he hit it to right-center. A guy who was obviously trying to hit a home run for the cycle stayed within his approach and didn’t pull the ball; he blasted it to right-center.

A very excited Buster Olney

Buster Olney, who absolutely has the best name of all time for a baseball writer, is now projecting a two horse race for the AL MVP this season, and it’s the same two horses as last season. Click his pic to see his comments on Trout.

He very much looks like he’s in Awe of Mike Trout. I hear ya Buster… and dang it… I’m right there with you, man.

Apr 7, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver (36) looks for a sign in the first inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Jered Weaver Set For Rehab Game, June Return Likely

Hurry up Weave, Joe Blanton needs to be pushed out to sea, and we can’t do that until you come back.

De La Rose is Finally Awarded For His Perseverance

And he’s been good, for the most part. He’s also shown quite a few times why he toiled away in, mostly, independent leagues for 10 years.

Money Quote:

He was 23. He sat out the season, worked in real estate and decided he would rather try baseball again.

Man, that sounds like the life.

The Jeff Mathis Experience

Jeff Mathiss has a new team. And even they can’t figure out ow he still has a job in Major League Baseball

Money Quote:

Mathis will take on the role of backup and veteran mentor for Rob Brantly, who is already struggling to hit in his second season in the majors (.240/.312/.313, .281 wOBA).

It looks like Jeff’s work, is already done.

Overthinking It: This Week in Catcher Framing

I see ya Hank, I see ya.

Coello Using Forkball to Make Strong Impression

Calling the impression Robert Coello is making right now with the Angels “strong,” may just be the biggest understatement of, like, ever.

Money Quote:

“I couldn’t throw a knuckleball, so that’s the only way I could get back at the guy playing catch with me. I just figured it out, played with it and when they converted me, I kept it.”

And we, the fans, are the benefactors of that.

After Years as the Best, Pujols Irrelevant

I can’t help bu believe that Pujols is going to break out of this slump that he is mired in. You don’t become the “”best hitter of your generation” by being mediocre, ever. He turned it around last year. There’s no reason to suspect that this is going to last all season. If it does, expect the “boo birds” to follow him around this year.

Money Quote:

It was a never-ending cycle for him. They said he was slow – he stole 16 bases the next year.

Albert, you’re slow. And don’t you dare try to pull this off.

What’s that Jerry? Mark Pryor is available? Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Arte Moreno: “Zero Chance Mike Scioscia Fired in-season”

Sounds like the same thing that Moreno said last year about the Big Catorce. But the key words to that headline could be “in-season.” I might be reading too much in that, but I might not be.

Money Quote:

“If everybody on the team was hitting .300, and the pitchers were undefeated, and all our relievers had done a good job and we’d made no errors, we wouldn’t be in this conversation,”

Oh, man. Wouldn’t that be nice.

Moreno Also Willing to Take Blame For the Angels Slow Start

OK, fair enough. But not a word has been said about Jerry Dipoto so far in these interviews. I really like the way that Dipoto brings in a new perspective with his position compared to that of the old guard. It would be a shame to lose that, all because Dipoto inherited a team that had been gutted prior to his taking the job.

Pujols Not Blaming Balky Knee, Foot For Dip In Power

Pujols doesn’t want to make excuses, great. That doesn’t mean that he should be seeing any time at first base. He’s not getting any healthier standing on the field, and it might be high-time that the Angels consider putting him on the DL for two weeks.

Jason Vargas, the One Thing Jerry Dipoto Got Right

To be fair, he also got DFA’ing Bobby Abreu right, which in turn means he got the ascension of Mike Trout right. Not trading Peter Bourjos was the right call, not to mention Ernesto Frieri. But yes, as far as this season goes, Jason Vargas has not been a miss. Which has been very pleasant.

Hamilton’s Bat Comes Around as he Battles Sinus Issue

I have to admit, it was nice seeing Josh Hamilton hit a home run off of a team not named the Houston Astros, and a monster one at that. But he followed it up with a relatively quiet game last night. One of Hamilton’s calling card’s during his career has been a hot streak that carries a team, I’m dying to see one of those while he wears Angel red.

Madson to Make Additional Rehab Stop at AAA

So he’s close right? or…..

Angels Plan to Keep Rehabbing Reliever Ryan Madson in the Minore Leagues for “Several Weeks”

Head. Desk. Well, at least he’s finally out on rehab assignment, right? I might there has to be a bright side to this. He can’t miss the whole season, can he?