Easy, easssssssy. I’m still a little blurry. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Hamilton’s Allergies not Linked to Drug Use, Doctors Say

Well, that’s nice. Now, about this whole “not hitting like he’s supposed to thing. What say you, good Doctor?

Money Quote:

“You have a hallway up the middle of your nose and sinus cavities on each side,” said Hamilton, whose addiction to drugs and alcohol led to a ban from baseball from 2003-2005. “When you breathe air, it goes up and down the hallway.

I’ve got to find a way to work this into a conversation with my kids. I just have too.

How Much Should the Angels be Encouraged by Josh Hamilton’s Turnaround?

This turnaround that you’re talking about, I haven’t seen it. He’s become a “meh” hitter, instead of being a terrible hitter, but he’s being paid to be a force in the heart of the order. This isn’t a turnaround, this is a blip.

Money Quote:

Elsewhere, the decrease in Hamilton’s swinging-strike percentage has helped him cut down on his strikeouts. There actually haven’t been many of those lately, as he’s struck out in about 19 percent of his plate appearances since May 5, as opposed to 28 percent of his plate appearances before May 5.

OK. There is that. But an out is an out is an out. He needs to make less of them.

MLB Sees More Contract Extensions, Less Free Agency

The Player that was quoted early in this article, is exactly what is wrong with free agency, and it paints players as greedy, money-grubbing human beings. I understand getting paid, but if you get offered $75MM over five years, how much more do you really need?

Money Quote:

“The biggest problem the union faces is that there should be more criteria and practical experience before agents can be qualified to represent players with the decisions at hand,” Boras said. “A large number of players believe that a social relationship is the primary foundation — in other words, ‘I like the guy,’ rather than qualifications.

Yup. Heaven forbid a player approach baseball like it’s a game when he’s being offered tens of millions of dollars.

The Worst of the Best: The Week’s Wildest Pitches

An Angels pitcher made the cut. But, which one?

The Halos Demons (The Angels Season From Hell)

I still like “Season of Doom.” But, “Season from Hell” has a nice ring to it as well.

Money Quote:

I just wish the Angels would toughen up and say “it’s on like donkey kong” because for now, it looks like it’s on like Amanda Bynes at a rave.

Ohhhhhhhhhh. Burrrrrrrrrrrn.

How do These Starting Pitchers Still Have a Job?

Betcha can’t guess who made this list.

Weaver Pitches “Free and Easy” During Simulated Game

Free and easy? Great. Any word on the three-or-so MPH he lost on his fastball yet?

We’re having rigatoni instead of fried ziti tonight, on the postgame spread, skip. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Dipoto’s Rotation Plan: Flawed or Bad Luck?

Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. And in the case of the Angels pitching staff this season…..well, nothing has gone right.

Patience Helps Iannetta Break Out of Slump

One of the best things about the Iannetta pick-up when it happened, was that the Angels were getting a player with above-average on-base abilities. Why Chris deterred from one of his greatest strengths is a mystery to everyone. But lately, he’s been getting back on track with his plate discipline. Which is wonderful because, this team doesn’t need automatic outs in the lineup when it’s pitching can’t be trusted with a lead of any size.

Money Quote:

In the past seven days, Iannetta walked seven times and raised his on-base percentage, which dropped to as low as .279 during his slump, to .325.

He also has more walks than hits this season. So….yeah.

Angels Call up Pitchers Brasier, Buckner

The merry-go-round continues. Don’t get too attached to Ryan Brasier and Billy Buckner though. They are just more of what we have seen already. Except in the case of Robert Coello. Who saw that one coming?

Money Quote:

“I think just to get some fresh arms here is important,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “Our roster is definitely a living organism right now. It keeps moving, it keeps rotating.”

o_O

The 2013 Angels in a Nutshell

I was going to write something this weekend about how Michael Kohn has been simply amazing since coming back from Tommy John Surgery. But then this happened. Because, of course.

The Worst Umpiring Gaffes of the Year

I’ll bet you can’t guess why this is linked.

Is Hamilton’s Angels Tenure Straight Out of Hell?

Josh Hamilton has to be Mike Trout in order to hit this author’s projected 2013 stats……(Bleep)

Scioscia, Iannetta Juggling Influx of Pitchers

With Iannetta’s injury history, I would rather he didn’t juggle pitchers who routinely weigh north of 200 lbs.

Money Quote:

Fortunately for the Angels, Iannetta was able to establish at least brief connections with most of the younger pitchers during Spring Training, so the past few weeks have not been as daunting as one might expect.

Oh, that kind of juggling. Carry on.

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?