Sam Miller huh? *Fist Bump* Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

To date we have had Matt Welch, Garrett Wilson, Chuck Richter and Eric Denton answering questions here, here, here and here respectively. We’ve covered the big things (Hamburger joints, wildlife, etc.), and some of the lesser known topics (Dan Haren, Ervin Santana, Torii Hunter).

Today, Sam Miller is on the clock. The former Orange County Register writer used to deliver Angels news to fans for the tiny cost of having internet in your home. Now he is rubbing elbows with some of the best minds at baseball prospectus. So, without further adieu, a man who doesn’t really need an I production but got one anyway, Sam Miller.

Last week, Jerry Dipoto struck by trading Ervin Santana to the Royals. The Angels sent $1MM and got back a rule five eligible minor league arm. Is this a “meh” trade, or did the Angels sacrifice their already thin pitching depth for an arm with minimal upside in Brandon Sisk?

I had a broken down car once, which I donated to my local NPR station. The car didn’t run and it wasn’t going to run, and I’m not the guy who knows how to sell a broken-down car, so we donated it to our local NPR station. They came and picked it up, which was awesome. They sold it at an auction for like $1,800, which blew my mind. I got the $1,800 tax break, which means I saved, I don’t know, like $400 or something in taxes paid. My wife was heartbroken to see how much the car sold for, thinking we could have gotten $1,800 for our car. But realistically, we had a car we had given up on; weren’t going to get anything out of; would have happily given away for free to get it off our driveway; and yet, in the end, managed to turn a tiny profit. Yips!

So to go on forever with this analogy: the Angels had decided not to pick up the option, which made sense. Santana, as he is, isn’t worth $12 million for a season as he is right now. Could another team “fix” him and turn him back into a three-WARP pitcher? Maybe! But it wasn’t going to happen in Anaheim, where the coaching staff has had eight years to try to get him consistent. Once they decided they weren’t going to pick up that option, it was a minor victory to get a 27-year-old minor league reliever as a tiny profit. It’s unlikely to ever mean anything, but it’s better than nothing, and “nothing” was the default expectation. It’s basically the Jeff Mathis for Brad Mills deal, with a little bit less emotional satisfaction.

Last year going into the season, the Angels had a rotation that rivaled some of the best ever, on paper. Now, 2/5 of that rotation is gone leaving the team with four major league ready starters guaranteed going into next season. Zack Greinke is not a sure thing, and they could still try to bring back Haren. But I’m not sure if these were smart moves. What do you think?

It’s obvious that, unless the Angels have a huge offseason (which they might; it’s not unthinkable they re-sign Greinke, trade Trumbo or Bourjos or something for a pretty famous name, etc) the rotation will be a lot worse than we expected it would be last year. But that’s not really because of the decisions they made, and whether they were smart moves; it’s because Santana all of a sudden sucked; and it’s because Haren all of a sudden sucked; and because Wilson, I don’t know we’ll see. So it’s hard to say “smart move” or “not smart move” without acknowledging that a lot of this is just the unpredictability of pitching.

That said: I personally would have picked up Haren’s option, which amounted to $12 million for one year. I’m scared of Haren, but he’s got a long track record, some of his peripheral stats still looked good, and there’s no team in baseball more in need of a durable, strike-throwing flyball pitcher with upside at $12 million than the Angels. The fact that they were so uninterested in picking up the option suggests to me – just suggests; I have no actual idea – that his physicals look pretty ugly. If that’s the case, obviously have to defer to the Angels and their doctors.

Speaking of Dan Haren, watching the Haren/Marmol non-trade unfold the other day was interesting, but ultimately led to thousands of unnecessary words of analysis to be published. While Twitter is amazing, do we need to dial back the itchiness of our trigger fingers when it comes to breaking news, or is it just an accepted part of journalism now?

I know what you mean, but the stakes of all this stuff is also so low – it’s just a game, it’s all make-believe basically, and it’s not as though the financial markets are hanging on this stuff. And, really, the analysis of a trade that doesn’t happen can be just as interesting as the trade that does, in highlighting team needs and player value. So, yeah, ideally the things we react to would all be real things, but I’m not heartbroken over it.

Much more significant to me is the tendency to respond to trades before we actually know the details. You simply can’t evaluate Marmol for Haren without knowing how much money would be going in each direction; it’s just impossible. If the Cubs picked up every dollar of each player’s salary, it would obviously be a great trade for the Angels, and vice versa. All of these trades are about money and surplus value. Really, it’s hard enough to evaluate a trade when we do know all the details, because we’re not in these rooms; to do it without the details is bananas.

I’ve been quietly preparing myself for Torii Hunter to be playing somewhere else in 2013. I’m also petrified of his .389 BABIP in 2012 should the Angels re-sign him. I’ve been flip flopping on this for a week. Should Spider Man stay, or should he go?

I think Hunter simply played himself out of Anaheim by being too good. Whether you believe he’s as good as he was in 2012 (probably not) or whether you note that he’s nonetheless been very good for all of his five years as an Angel (yes!), the fact is that other teams need a corner outfielder more than the Angels do, and so those other teams would be right to offer more than the Angels would.

Ok, just going to go ahead and ask it. Is there any good reason that justifies Adam Jones getting the Gold Glove over Mike Trout? Any at all?

No, but I’d have voted for Austin Jackson myself. With a humongous amount of self-doubt and humility, I’d say my personal rankings for CF defense would put Trout somewhere around third to sixth in baseball, behind Jackson and Bourjos and around Bourn and Stubbs. Jones obviously no. (And I would note, also, that Trout’s defensive metrics include many games played at LF, where the standard against which he is compared is significantly lower.) (And there is an easy counterargument to my preceding parenthetical, which I’m not going to get into because this isn’t the place, but I would have a counterargument to that counterargument if we were to get into it.) Anyway, Trout is amazing, and even third-best defensive CF in baseball is spectacularly valuable.

Is there anything you have access to that a normal BP subscriber doesn’t? Like, fancy databases we couldn’t work anyway or Nate Silver’s cell phone number?

We do have fancy databases, though I don’t know how to use them; almost any query I want done, though, can be done for me. Maybe my favorite thing is that we can run custom PECOTA comps – like, we could have a 15-year projection for Mike Trout run, if we wanted to. Truthfully, there’s not a whole lot of value to that, but it’s a fun toy. I have no in with Nate, but I now have friends who are friends with him, and I do spend a lot of time subtly asking these friends of friends “so what’s Nate like?” Oh and I still have access to Goldstein, in case I want to know whether my favorite band is good or not.

Last season the bullpen was terrible, again. Ryan Madsen declined his option with Reds for some crazy reason; Rafael Soriano opted out of his contract with the Yankees. Regardless of my personal feelings about signing free agent relievers, would it would be wise for the Angels to engage in contract talks with either of these two, or any other relievers on the market?

Not to oversimplify things too much, but a tremendous amount of what you think of as a bad bullpen is just noise. The Angels bullpen, to my eye, isn’t structurally worse than the rest of the AL bullpens, and I wouldn’t do anything crazy about it. I think one thing we know about Dipoto after a year is that he doesn’t like big contracts for relievers, and prefers to build a bullpen with value moves. Madson might be that value move; Soriano won’t be. Unless he can’t find anywhere else to spend his money, I’d expect his bullpen buy this winter to be modest but smart, something like Joel Peralta.

Nick Maronde: future solid starter or future star reliever?

Little bit of both. I think he’ll spend a few years as a less-than-solid starter, then turn into a pretty good reliever for a few years. Something like Jeremy Affeldt’s career path maybe if things break right.

I’ve used ERA+ as my go to stat for pitching performance. According to your colleague Collin Wyers, it seems I might be doing it wrong. Am I? What would you use as a “go to stat” when grading a pitchers performance?

Obviously, Colin is correct, but for most of what we do, a great deal of precision isn’t really required. I use ERA+ a lot because it’s B-Ref’s neutralized stat and because B-Ref stats are easily searched and summed. I used K rates and K/BB rates to get more descriptive, and because those tell you different (but useful) things that run-based stats. If I need to be more precise, though, and there are plenty of cases where that is so, I usually just use FIP. But I rarely use any – ERA, FIP, ERA+, xFIP, etc – without glancing at the rest to make sure there aren’t big discrepancies. The discrepancies will usually tell you if more precision is needed.

How have you coped with the ending of the “Up and In” podcast?

Pretty much the way any boy would when his parents get divorced. Lot of acting out. Starting fires. Normal stuff.

Rapid Fire Round

Greater invention: MLB.tv or B-R Play Index?

Oh my gosh. MLB.tv for the vast majority of fans; Play Index for me, and probably not that close.

Mark Saxon or Mike Digiovanna

Both very nice. Good people.

Greatest. Baseball. Mascot. Ever.

Lou Seal (Giants) does this pelvic thrust that my friend imitates, and the imitation is hilarious, so I’ll say my friend.

Which person is more likely to drive a person into back alley life of self-medicating: Chris Berman or John Kruk?

I’m not dodging this, I’m just changing the subject to something else. Have you ever read the book Lonesome Dove? It’s the best.

Alberto Callaspo or Kevin Youkilis on a one year deal? Assuming Kaleb Cowart is ready in 2014.

Callaspo.

Final Thought

Mike Trout

Seventh-most home runs ever through age-20 season. And that was supposed to be the only potential weakness in his game. Goldstein in 2010: “Trout’s ultimate power ceiling has yet to be determined. He has strength in his swing and squares balls up, but it’s a single plane of mechanics that lacks loft and backspin. Most scouts believe he’ll develop the skills, but the wide ranged projections sit between 10-15 and 20-25 annually.” Hit 30 when he was 20. Insane, just insane.

Just about as insane as me getting to do this stuff on a regular basis. Thank you Sam. And thank you Matt, Garrett, Chuck and Eric for participating in this as well. It’s been too much fun.

Sep 1, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Ervin Santana (54) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the 1st inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

Now that we are all aware of the staff’s recent weather issues, let’s carry on. The roundtable interviews began with Matt Welch here, soldiered on with Garrett Wilson here, and then we got to know a little about Chuck Richter and fu manchu’s here. Today, we conclude this round of awkward questioning with the Editor and all around good guy, Mr. Eric Denton of LAANGELSINSIDER.com.

Along with AngelsWin.com, Eric and the insider have press credentials, giving him access to things that the rest of us simply are not privy too, and making me incredibly jealous at the same time (note to self: get press credentials). So, last but certainly not least, I present to you good people of the Jury, Eric Denton.

Earlier this week, Tom Kotchman resigned from his role with the Angels. For some, it is just another minor league manager calling it quits, for the rest of us, we are well aware of what Tom brought as an instructor and molder of young talent. How hard will it be to replace what Kotch brought to the organization?

Kotchman brought 34 years of stability to the Angels minor league system so from that stand point he’s irreplaceable. Kotchman had a hand in molding almost every homegrown Angel for a long time. However, I don’t believe Dipoto forced him out, but it looks as if Jerry wants to purge the farm system and put his guys in place. Which, as general manager, he has every right to.

Zack Greinke as locked in as you could get down the stretch in 2012, right behind him were Dan Haren and Ervin Santana. Zack is reportedly the Angels top priority this winter while the other two are likely to have their club options declined. Who do you keep out of those three, and who do you let walk?

Greinke is obviously the top priority. Dipoto can probably sign replacements for Haren and Santana at a lower cost. Hopefully the rumors are true and Dipoto is able to trade one or both. If I was the GM and didn’t have to watch a budget I would exercise Haren’s option over Santana. That said, Dipoto does so I expect neither to return to the Angels. If the Angels can lock up Greinke to go with Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson, that’s not a bad start to the offseason. I could see them signing a veteran and leaving the 5th spot to Garret Richards or Jerome Williams.

What was your initial reaction when the Ervin Santana trade news broke?

I was not surprised. It was pretty clear this was going to be his final season in Anaheim. Sisk, could give the club a potential lefty specialist out of the pen. Ervin will probably do well for KC. He’ll be missed amongst the press and the Angels staff. A good guy, who was always willing to talk.

Peter Bourjos will probably find himself on the trading block again this winter, and with Mark Trumbo’s epic slump and Kendrys Morales’ surprising return, they too could be coveted commodities. Who would you move, if you moved any of them?

Personally, I would keep my options open on Trumbo and Bourjos. They are young and cheap. Dipoto could probably get quite a bit for Trumbo. Do the Angels sell high on Trumbo believing that his 2nd half slump is the true Trumbo? I don’t see any reason to move Morales. The team needs left-handed power in the lineup. With a full year back under his belt, Morales could be back to 2009 form.

Kendrys Morales should have been named Comeback Player of the Year (There I said it), instead, Fernando Rodney and Adam Dunn won for the MLB and Sporting News awards respectively. Do you think he got robbed, or am I blowing this thing out of proportion?

Sept. 23, 2012; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels first baseman Kendrys Morales (8) meets designated hitter Albert Pujols (5) at home after a 2-run home run in the sixth inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

I agree. Let’s not beat around the bush. Morales came back from a career threatening injury. Dunn and Rodney came back from nothing more than “bruised talent”. In my mind, Morales and Joe Mauer were the clear Comeback Players of the Year.

We fans are a crazy bunch, and if I had my way, I would’ve named one of my sons new fish Mike. Would you name a pet after a player? And if so, which one?

We have two dogs but neither is named after an Angel. We did have a cockatiel named Percy, but he is no longer with us. I did name our fish “Lord Stanley” after the LA Kings win.

Did you get a chance to go to any of the Stanley Cup Playoff games? If so, how rockin was the Staples Center?

I did not get to go because they swept St. Louis. Staples gets rocking without the assistance of a winning team or thunderstix for Kings games.

What is, by far, the hardest thing to deal with during the offseason? Besides the obvious “no baseball,” we all know that sucks.

I enjoy the break. The Hot Stove stuff is very fun. All the speculation of who will sign where or trades is all a good time. As far as missing the games, the offseason is sometimes the best part of the year. See – Angels, Los Angeles 2012.

When the Alex Rodriguez trade rumors started swirling during the ALCS, Angels fans took to the interwebs championing an A-Rod for Vernon Wells trade. We all want Vernon to go bye bye, but I would not make that trade. Are there any players that you would NOT trade Vernon Wells for?

I can’t think of one. The Angels have outfield depth. From my perspective Vernon is blocking a guy like Kole Calhoun from a major league role, roster spot and paycheck. From a professional side, I will say Vernon has been one of the best guys to talk with and from all appearances fit in very well with his teammates. It’s a shame it hasn’t worked out.

Mickey Hatcher finally got fired this year. Now my irrational “hate for a coach” has been aimed towards Mike Butcher. I’d give anything to have Bud Black back except that won’t happen. Do you think Butch has a negative impact on the staff? Or is his impact minimal?

I’m not the type who calls for firings, I usually place the blame on the players. However, going back to our earlier conversation, how does Fernando Rodney go from atrocious to dominant? Who takes responsibility for the Scott Kazmir disaster? Is Ervin Santana that hard to keep focused? Angels might have also made the wrong call not promoting Hatcher to bench coach after Ron Roenicke left. Hatcher was Mike’s confidante and “devil’s advocate”. Not sure there is one there now.

Kaleb Cowart was named the Angels number one prospect at the end of 2012, rightfully so if you ask me. My timeline has him breaking in to the big leagues to start the 2014 season, just in time for Alberto Callaspo to hit free agency. Do you think that would be rushing him, or do you think he is progressing quickly enough to handle that quick ascension?

Cowart struggled his first couple seasons as a pro but he had a break out year for the 66er’s. I don’t think 2014 is rushing him. Major League players are getting younger and younger by the season. Cowart is a fine fielder and a switch hitter with power at third. Angels need him ASAP. I would not be shocked if he plays at three levels this season (AA, AAA & Sept call up).

Next year, the Angels get to play the Houston Astros 18 times. I’ve pinched myself several times trying to wake up from this dream (I have the welts to prove it), but it seems to be actually happening. How excited are you to see our boys play against that dreadful team?

I’m sorry. I’m not familiar with these Houston Astros. If MLB was run like European Soccer the Astros would be kicked out of the league. With the Angels luck they’ll go 2-16 against Houston for no good reason.

Rapid Fire Round

Worse looking frosted tips, Kevin Millar or A.J. Pierzynski?

A.J.

More endearing short person, Jose Altuve or Ken Rosenthal?

Me

Favorite Angel you’ve met?

Torii Hunter.

No question. I’ve had the chance to meet Salmon & Anderson now that they are broadcasters and I am happy to say they didn’t disappoint either.

Tim Salmon, Garrett Anderson, Jim Edmonds or Darin Erstad?

Mar 11, 2012; Jupiter, FL. USA; Former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jim Edmonds watches batting practice before the game against the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Stadium. The game was postponed due to rain after 4 innings. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-US PRESSWIRE

I’m going to catch heat but Jim Edmonds was my favorite at the time they were all together.

Which collapse hurt worse, 1982, 1986 or 1995?

1995 because I was old enough for it to truly hurt. 1982 I didn’t fully understand. 1986 was shocking. 95 was such a roller coaster. Huge lead, big tank, final surge to tie Seattle, then the Halos ran into RJ.

Final Thought:

In my opinion, the bullpen is the most important thing the Dipoto needs to address going into 2013. What, in your opinion, should Dipoto spend the bulk of his time this offseason trying to fix?

I’m in full agreement. Dipoto needs to find some relievers in their prime to help out Jepsen, Downs and Frieri. Los Angeles does have some good arms in the minors that could help, but they pen is pretty devoid of veterans. It’s a tricky balancing act. Relievers are like punters. They are replaceable and almost never consistent year to year.

One last question. What is throwbacks? Are you an owner, or is it just a frequented water hole that Angels fans should know about?

Throwbacks is co-owned by Angel Talk host Jason Brennan. It’s hosted many Angel autograph signings and was the home of the Rex Hudler Show on AM830KLAA. It’s been a great spot for the Twitter #AngelsFamily to get together and meet in person. That’s probably been the most rewarding part of doing LA Angels Insider. Putting faces to the Twitter handles of Angel fans I’ve interacted with over the last 3 seasons.

Thank you Eric for taking the time to answer my questions, and for patiently waiting for me to get my act together and get the questions to you.

September 30, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels right fielder Torii Hunter (48) singles in a run against the Texas Rangers in the first inning at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-US PRESSWIRE

Chuck is both the founder, and the editor of AngelsWin.com, one of the premier Angels blogs on the web. An inhabitant of the Pacific Northwest, he wears his Angels heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to vent those feelings into the twittersphere or the blogoverse (Pretty sure I just made that last one up). So, without further adieu, Chuck Richter.

Peter Bourjos was the hot ticket on the block for the Angels up until July 31st. This offseason, it looks like Bourjos will be joined by Mark Trumbo and Kendrys Morales on the block. Each one could bring in a very valuable piece. Which one (you have to pick one) would you trade this offseason to upgrade the Halos going into 2013?

First off let me say that Bourjos is one of my favorite players on the Halos. Peter is an absolute game changer in the outfield — a future gold glove winner — and could be a decent player offensively, but I feel it would behoove the Angels to deal him to a team that has a spot for him in CF in an effort to land a solid return to bolster one of the 3B, SP or RP spots. I believe the Angels should re-sign Torii Hunter, keep Mark Trumbo in LF, Mike Trout in CF. I know Trumbo disappeared in the 2nd half at the plate, but both Morales’ and Trumbo’s offensive potential would be tough to replace. My question to anyone who doesn’t want to re-sign Torii Hunter is: Who replaces his production in the 2-hole on the Halos? Hunter was a big reason the Angels even had a chance at the wild card spot in September. Without Torii the Angels are battling the Mariners for last place in the AL West. I like Kole Calhoun as a solid lefty off the bench and Travis Witherspoon as a late inning defensive replacement like we saw from Bourjos this past season. Witherspoon’s bat isn’t major league ready, but he can’t do much worse at the plate than Bourjos did this past season and his range and glove in centerfield is nearly on par.

I’m simply a staff writer, and couldn’t imagine the hard work and dedication it takes when running a blog. What, for you, is the most gratifying thing about where AngelsWin is now compared to when you started?

There are several really. The growth of the website in terms of membership and discussion will always rank high in terms of feeling gratified. The Angels issuing me a full media credential in 2009 for AngelsWin.com was an incredible experience. Tim Mead noted that it was the first time the organization issued a media pass to a blogger/fan site. I was both humbled and honored. Now several of our writers have been credentialed and covered several stories, captured some incredible interviews with the players, coaches and former players roaming about the press box, field and clubhouse. I would say that earning the Angels trust is the most gratifying thing about our website from where it began and now. Tim Mead’s annual talks to us in spring training and under the Halo every summer is an absolute rich time of information being bestowed upon all of us in attendance. There’s some knowledge of stuff that not even the media shares with its readers. Also, its not often you get the owner of any professional team to stop by your web events and talk to the fans, but Arte Moreno fielded questions in front of a crowd of 130 AngelsWin.com members & Angels fans for 45 minutes this past March. Definitely one of my favorite website moments I’ve experienced since I started AngelsWin.com back in 2003.

Jerry Dipoto spent a lot of Arte Moreno’s money last offseason on Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson. It’s hard to argue against picking up those two and adding them to an already strong roster. Not everyone however is a big fan of spending money on the market with prices for top notch players going through the roof faster than prices at the gas pump. How would you approach roster construction? Would you go out and sign the big ticket free agent, or would you build your club from within?

Well one can argue that the two toughest teams to beat this season were the World Series Champion SF Giants & the AL West Oakland A’s, both of which had a majority of their top contributors built from within. Be that as it may, you need a good balance of filling voids on your club via free agency & trades, while trying to produce your own talent through the draft & international scouting.

With Torii Hunter looking for an extension, and Dan Haren and Ervin Santana seemingly on the outs, there are quite a few questions surrounding these three. It’s hard to imagine the Angels roster without Torii, and quality pitching is incredibly hard to find. Who, if any, would you bring back, and at what cost?

Torii Hunter is a must re-sign. As I alluded to earlier, who replaces his offensive production? His defense in right field is solid and in my opinion, he provides leadership in a way that we haven’t seen since Erstad roamed the clubhouse. One of my pet peeves is seeing players smiling after a strikeout or giddy in the dugout after a failed RISP at bat. You never see Torii doing any of those things! I would see if Haren could restructure his contract and if so, sign him. Haren is at this stage of his career a good back end innings eater. I would let Ervin Santana walk. We all talk about Pujols’ slow start and Mark Trumbo’s disappearing act in the 2nd half, the bullpen collapses, but can you imagine if Haren and Santana were as good as they were in 2011? The difference could easily meant a playoff berth in 2012. Santana is just too inconsistent and gives up too many bombs.

Mike Trout should win the MVP this year; he might get hosed because of Miguel Cabrera’s Triple Crown season though. But, that begs the question? How good will Trout be next year? Do you expect him to have the fabled sophomore slump? Or is our no longer budding superstar’s only trajectory up?

Trout is one of the players that I can’t see going into prolonged slumps because of his speed, short compact stroke and his ability to go the other way (with power even). I don’t expect a sophomore slump. In fact – and I know it sounds crazy scary – I think Mike Trout has a better 2013 than this past season based on him getting nearly a full season of major league experience under his belt. There is no player better on the Angels (maybe in all of baseball) who makes better adjustments at the plate. By the way, Mike Trout should win the MVP. To me ‘most valuable’ is a player who can run, hit, field and do all of those at a very high level. Miguel Cabrera is a great hitter, but that’s where the discussion about him ends.

Are Mariners fans as depressing as they are perceived?

I feel bad for Seattle Mariners fans. They’re pretty upbeat and fun to be around early in the season. They know their team sucks, but like every spring, there’s always hope right? As the season progresses you see more grumpy faces in the stands, but most of them are there to root their team on and play the role of the spoiler. If I was a fan of the Mariners, between the weather & lack of success, I may check out like Kurt Cobain – who coincidently is from up here.

Living in the northwest, I’m sure you see about as much wildlife as I do living in the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania. You tweeted a picture of Elk once on your property. How often do you see Elk, or any other woodland creature for that matter?

I may complain about the weather during the winter, but it can’t be beautiful and green in the spring/summertime without a little rain right? There’s all kinds of wildlife up here. Tons of Elk, black bear, bald eagles and even cougar. I see them pretty often, well expect cougar, but hear stories. I knew I was meant to be here after the first day I moved in. I was sitting on a wooden lawn chair in the morning overlooking the Snoqualmie River which flows through my backyard. I just took a sip of my coffee and out of nowhere this majestic Bald Eagle descends from the sky and snatches a rainbow trout out of the river, flying off with it in its talons. That was one of those jaw dropping moments that you wish you could get an instant replay of, but will forever be remembered. The bear crossing the highway and Elk popping its head up while I was chillin’ on my back deck was pretty awesome too!

Mike Scioscia spent a lot of time on the hot seat this year. Whether he deserved it or not is beside the point, because he was under a microscope before the season started. I gave him a pass on 2012, and I think he should’ve gotten one considering all the good faith he has earned throughout his tenure as skipper. If 2013 however, is a mirror image of 2012, should Scioscia be fired for the sake of bringing in new blood?

Sep 28, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia (14) signals a pitch to the catcher during the eighth inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark. The Angels beat the Rangers 7-4. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE

This is a tough one because I second guess Scioscia’s decisions all the time. He’s a bit stubborn with regards to sticking with HIS guys a bit too long (see Jeff Mathis). I think the way he manages the bullpen has gotten worse. There were several times this past season that Scioscia seemed to fall asleep in the dugout with regards to making decisions. You could also argue that he’s reigned in small ball a bit too much too. I would have liked to have seen more hit and running this season. There were many times when Bourjos or other average to above average runner was on first base only to get double off. Be that as it may, who replaces Scioscia if he’s let go after another disappointing season? There comes a time when the players themselves have to be held accountable for the team’s failures. Scioscia has a ton of baseball experience and is the only Angels manager to get the club to the World Series and win it.

One of the things I miss about Southern California is In N’ Out. There’s a burger joint in New Jersey that I’ve been too that, no joke, sells a burger that is the size of a plate. What is the burger joint scene like in Washington?

Triple XXX Rootbeer in Issaquah is my favorite burger joint. So many different delicious options to choose from, but my favorite is the Low Rider Burger for $9.95. I love their fries an outdoor atmosphere too. Also, Ma’ono Fried Chicken & Whisky in Seattle is known for their fried chicken, but their $19 Spring Hill burger, named after the restaurant’s original name, is without a doubt the best up here. It’s a half-pound of freshly ground, applewood grilled chuck, house-cured bacon, artisan cheeses and a grilled English muffin. A big pickle crowns the whole thing.

Howie Kendrick has three more seasons left on his contract, Erick Aybar’s extension kicks in next year. I’m happy with the way that Aybar pulled himself up and finished the season as strong as anyone could hope for. Kendrick on the other hand, seemed to disappear more often than the Statue of Liberty at a David Copperfield performance when he was at bat in high leverage situations. What do you think of the deals? Would you have extended these two players? Or would you have rolled the dice on Jean Segura and Alexi Amarista in 2013?

I was for both deals when Dipoto signed them to extensions and Aybar made good on his big payday after a slow start, but Kendrick may have been the most frustrating Angels player to watch in 2012. His approach at the plate was terrible in 2012, as was his execution with RISP. I don’t know if I’ve cursed more at my TV screen than I did this past season, most of the expletives stemming from Kendrick’s at bats or miscues defensively. Maybe he was trying to live up to the contract so let’s see how well he fares in 2013, though I wouldn’t be pissed if Kendrick was traded for a second base prospect and bullpen arm. I’d also love to see Callaspo moved back to second base (his old position) with Kendrick + exchanging addresses for a more productive third baseman in an effort to give a boost in production to the third base position.

Rapid Fire Round

Spring or fall?

I love spring training and all the excitement that comes with it after a long offseason, but if your team is playing in October it was a good season!

Mark Gubizca or Mitch Williams (As announcers and pitchers)?

Mitch Williams! Would love to see ‘The Wild Thing’ in the broadcast booth for the Halos with Victor Rojas! Gubi doesn’t do it for me in the booth. Great guy though!

Woods or beach?

I love both the beach and the woods, so I made it a goal to own a home in and on both. Success!

Watch ESPN or walk on hot coals?

I can’t tell you the last time I watched Sportscenter. I only check out BSPN when the Halos are playing on the network or a football game of interest is on. Walking on coals sounds like a good time!

Better Fu Manchu, Al Hrabosky or Goose Gossage?

July 1, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees former player Goose Gossage arrives at Yankee Stadium before the annual Old Timers Day game before the MLB game against the Chicago White Sox. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via US PRESSWIRE

The Goose! True story, I struck out 11 and threw a no-hitter in a six inning compete game victory when I was 11 years old. I did so sporting my violent windup crafted after the great Goose Gossage.

Final Thought

Season one of the Jerry Dipoto Era is in the books. What grade would you give him and why?

A for effort as Jerry landed the best hitter and pitcher on the open market, signed a solid catcher in Iannetta, traded for Zack Greinke and Ernesto Frieri. B- overall. Bottom line is, the bullpen cost the Angels a trip to the playoffs. Dipoto failed to improve a bullpen that was terrible in 2011, mediocre in 2010 and the Angels missed the playoffs for the third straight season due to more late inning meltdowns.

Thank you Chuck for being a part of this. Up next for the conclusion of the Angels Roundtable is Eric Denton, full time editor, and part time TMZ’er running LAANGELSINSIDER.com.