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2012 MLB Team Preview: Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim

Posted by on 14 March 2012, 12:32 am

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Logo.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had a rough last two seasons that were injury riddled and ended with no playoff berths in either.

After coming in third in the AL West in 2010 with an 80-82 record, 2011 did not prove much better as the Angels only won five more games; landing them 10 behind the division-winning Texas Rangers.

The most frustrating thing was the Angels had one of the best pitching staffs in the American League, but losing the MVP caliber bat of Kendry Morales, who broke his leg in a walk-off celebration, just proved too much to recover from. And Angel’s owner Arte Moreno had about enough as this off-season he made certain that his Halos would not have that problem again in 2012.

Will Moreno’s moves prove to be enough for his Halos to dethrone the Rangers as the kings of the AL West in 2012?

Let’s check it out….

THE POSITIVES:

Where should I begin?

The Angels were the talk of the off-season, as owner Moreno started by promoting John Carpino to president, who in turn hired Jerry Dipoto to be the new GM. Moreno basically handed Dipoto a blank check to go acquire the top two free agents available, first baseman Albert Pujols and pitcher CJ Wilson. Pujols is considered the best player in the game today, and he is fresh off a World Series Championship win with the Cardinals. Wilson was ironically the ace of the Angels division rivals in Texas, which should make his transition pretty easy. Moreno gave his new GM, Dipoto free rein to clean house in the front office too, allowing him to fill it with his own people. Dipoto made his second in command Scott Servais, who revamped the Rangers farm system into the best in baseball, so there was not only the immediate big name splash made here. The $317.5 million spent will help the Angels be relevant now, but the Angels are rebuilding internally will payoff long-term too.

In 2011 the Angels had one of the best pitching staff in baseball, and in my opinion now with the addition of Wilson, they enter 2012 having the actual best rotation across the board. Fangraphs.com, also recently ranked the Angels #1, which only further confirms my notion. What is scary is that Wilson looks to be the Angels number three, behind aces Jered Weaver and Dan Haren who are the best 1-2 in Bigs. That means the Angels top three rotation spots are held by three All-Stars, who each pitched over 220 innings last season and all three landed in top seven for the 2011 AL CY Young award. But what make the Angles rotation over-the-top is that there fourth starter, Ervin Santana happens to also be a former All-Star, who pitched 228 innings in 2011, with a 3.38 ERA. And Santana would be a solid two anywhere else, but of course Weaver, Haren and Wilson all qualify as #1’s. Oops…I forgot to mention that this foursome ranges in age from 29-32, which is primetime.

And I haven’t even mentioned the 10-time All-Star yet; who boosts 3 MVPs and two World Series rings named Albert Pujols. Pujols is considered the best in the business and he can carry a team with his bat, like he has done for 11 years with the Cardinals. Pujols would make any team he joined a playoff contender, but he is looking to be surrounded by a healthy Kendry Morales, an improved Vernon Wells, veteran Tori Hunter, Erick Aybar, Bobby Abreau and Howie Kendrick…..enough said. Pujols is the new face, in what looks to be a new era in Angel’s baseball.

THE NEGATIVES: Continue reading ‘2012 MLB Team Preview: Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim’ »

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2012 MLB Team Preview: Texas Rangers

Posted by on 6 March 2012, 11:10 am

Texas Rangers Logo.

Down in Arlington, Texas the last two years have proven to be optimistic yet frustrating.

Last season marked the Rangers second consecutive, yet unsuccessful trip to the World Series.

The franchise had never gotten past the ALDS before 2010, so winning two consecutive American League pennants in their first two visits means it is no fluke and that this team knows how to compete.

Last season the Rangers finished 96-66, which was the second best record in the American League. And in the AL West they left the competition in the dust, as the next best team was the Angels who were 10 games back.

Will 2012, prove to be another year of celebration in Arlington?

Let’s take a look.

THE POSITIVES:

Overall the Rangers line-up, when healthy, is one of the best in baseball. Playing in hitting friendly Rangers ballpark certainly helps, as the team’s overall batting stats are better at home. In 2011, the Rangers finished with the best batting average in baseball posting a .283, and they were the hardest team to strikeout with 930 on the season. Texas finished second in homers with 210, third in RBIs with 807 and had the second best slugging percentage with .800 on the season. And in Ranger Stadium the team is hard to beat, with a batting average just shy of .300.

The Rangers best player Josh Hamilton had a rough off-season, as he fell off the wagon and the concern meter is on high alert. Hamilton’s past does not allow for any slip-ups, but he did this once before during Spring Training in 2009 and went on to win the AL MVP. Turning a negative into a positive seems to be something Hamilton has become very good at. His shame alone should once again make him strive to prove his worth on the baseball field, maybe not another MVP year but a solid one. Also, Hamilton is a free agent after this season and players tend to rev it up in years before they can hit the market.

THE NEGATIVES: Continue reading ‘2012 MLB Team Preview: Texas Rangers’ »

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New York Yankees: Angels Turn To The Dark Side

Posted by on 8 December 2011, 12:40 pm

Can you blame them?

I am talking about the new evil empire called the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who dropped the bomb today with the announcements of signing Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson.

Pujols will be making $250 million bucks over the next 10-years; while Wilson will be paid $77.5 million over the next 5-years.

Champ Ring

Image via Wikipedia

If the Angels new pricey transports work out like the 2009 New York Yankees, the Halos are banking on being World Series bound in 2012, literally.

It must be a wretched day in St. Louis, Missouri. My heart goes out the Cardinals fans that lost the face of their franchise today, as Pujols took money over loyalty and that hurts, no doubt about it.

Pujols is the West Coast’s version of A-rod, which would make him A-Jols?

Need a better nickname than that, but you can’t fake the Yankees without an A-something and the Halos got themselves an expensive one.

Since, Rangers’ fans have only been around for like three years who cares, but supposedly their offer to Wilson was pathetic, according to Wilson. Bo-ho.

Now not to worry Yankee fans, as it will take the Halos at least a decade more of overspending, while winning four more World Series for them to ever catch the boys in the Bronx.

Hey the Bombers are still the rightful owners of the highest paid player ever in Alex Rodriguez, so take that Angels.

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Bronx Bombers Not Scared Of Anyone Especially Not Rangers

Posted by on 23 August 2011, 2:08 am

The New York Yankees are now a game ahead in front of the Boston Red Sox thanks to the Texas Rangers, who shut them down 4-0 yesterday, as the Bombers were enjoying their last off day.

The next seven days for the Yankees start off in the Bronx with three against the Oakland A’s, before heading to Camden Yard to play the perpetually awful Orioles five times.

This is the last part of the schedule that the Yankees could really put some space between them and the Red Sox in the AL East.

The Yankees need to take advantage of this open door as winning the division historically works in their favor.

Since 1996, the Yankees have a handful of World Series rings, but not one of the five championships was earned when entering the postseason as the Wild Card team.

Just to even the score some, the Yankee have also lost six times in the playoffs coming in as the AL East Division winner.

So the underlining fact is losing can come in all forms, but winning seems to follow a trend and that makes winning the AL East in 2011 almost a necessity on their road to #28.

Also, the Wild Card more than likely will head to Arlington, Texas to face the Rangers and MLB Network claims that is not the place either team wants to be.

In my opinion, over the last two seasons the Rangers have been way over-hyped. If the Los Angeles Angels had 1B Kendry Morales back this season, the Rangers would not be leading the AL West.

The Angels have not been as dominate the last two seasons, but they always remained within striking distance of the Rangers. Sans the Angels, the Rangers should win their respective division considering the other two teams consist of the A’s and Mariners.

So, please shake the idea that Yankee fans want to win the AL East to avoid Ron Washington and his Rangers, because nothing could be further from the truth. Continue reading ‘Bronx Bombers Not Scared Of Anyone Especially Not Rangers’ »

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New York Yankees: Halos Starting Dan Haren Tonight

Posted by on 9 August 2011, 3:50 am

Arriving in the Bronx after winning eight of ten games on the road, the Yankees should be very pleased with that performance; except when both losses materialized in Fenway Park.

So, instead the Yankees come home shamed and self-conscious, but thankful for Monday’s off day to shake away everything Red Sox off their shoulders.

Not only the players, but also Yankee fans needed a breather after enduring the emotional rollercoaster that comes with losing to Boston for the 10th time this season.

BOMBERS vs. HALOS:

Admittedly still pissed but trying to focus on the upcoming series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim because the Halos pitching is a force to be reckoned with.

Angels skipper Mike Scioscia has only confirmed that Dan Haren will be on the hill to open the series, but otherwise mums the word.

The obvious guess is that staff ace Jeff Weaver will throw in Wednesday because that would be his scheduled start day, but no matter if it is Thursday the Yankees should expect to face the All-Star this week.

Luckily Erwin Santana pitched on Sunday so doubt he will be available for this series and as well as he has pitched that is a blessing for any opponent.

AJ Burnett, who seems to be irreparably flawed, will try to right himself again. Burnett will be up against a feeble Anaheim offense, who come into the Bronx only having scored four runs total in their last three-game set.

Without falter, Haren is the better pitcher as this season he is boosting a 12-6 record, a 2.81 ERA, with three complete games and two shutouts over 24 starts. Haren does not walk batters, issuing just 24 in total this season. This fact got more frightening when I looked at the top 50 pitchers on MLB.com and only Phillies Roy Halladay has allotted less with 20.

As usual after a solid first half, Burnett did not clock a ‘W’ in the month of July but in his defense he got zero run support in two starts where he went seven plus innings.

Otherwise Burnett’s 8-9 record, and 4.54 ERA paint a bad picture. On a positive note, Burnett has kept batters at a .241 average on the season, which is not as bad as you would think. His last start against the White Sox is one skipper Joe Girardi wants to forget, as he had to pull him out of the game shy of five innings, with a 13-1 lead.

The Yankees bats certainly made up for July by driving in 13 runs in four innings for Burnett in Chicago, but no one expects that vs. Haren.

Still, the Yankees can hit the hell out of the ball in comparison to the Halos and that is their big advantage in this series.

A NEW BASEBALL FORMULA; AND MY SERIES PREDICTION:

Everybody is constantly preaching about the importance of pitching in baseball, which I agree with completely but that is only one-half of the game. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Halos Starting Dan Haren Tonight’ »

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New York Yankees: Keep This Seattle Pitching Prince On Your Radar

Posted by on 3 May 2011, 4:58 am

Where there is a King, usually more royalty can be found. And in Seattle, the Mariners are forming a nice little pitching kingdom of their own.

Back in 2005, Pitcher Felix Hernandez was dubbed ‘King Felix’ down in A-ball for his dynamic arm, made his debut at age 19.

Seven seasons later, this King has earned the title; as King Felix is one of the most lethal pitchers in baseball today. Unfortunately, the 2010 CY Young winner plays for the Mariners who have been the bottom feeders of the AL West, a place they still remain today.

Over his career, King Felix has a 3.20 ERA, over 179 starts, posting a 74-59 record, with 1087 strikeouts, 14 shutouts and has clocked 1202 innings total. Keep in mind that if he played on any other team the King’s wins-loses and ERA would be much lower.

Now, you can only imagine the New York Yankees along with every other team in baseball have been drooling over King Felix for some time now.

Presumably the Mariners front office has listened to numerous offers to obtain the King, especially before they signed him to a four-year extension. I can assure you that a few calls came from the Yankees who would love to get their claws on the 25-year-old, who has yet to reach his prime.

Over this past winter, Yankee fans were hoping for a King under their Christmas tree, but Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik made it clear that was never going to happen. Zduriencik had already screwed the Yankees in Cliff Lee trade, by using New York as leverage to bait the Texas Rangers to get Seattle even more players.

That did NOT fair well with Yankees GM Brian Cashman, but it didn’t stop him from pursuing Felix.

Even though the 2011 Yankees are off to a hot start, reloading mid-season if a top pitcher is available is almost guaranteed.

With the Mariners standing at 13-16 and sitting pretty in a familiar last place in the AL West, trading for some young minor leaguers would be a smart move to build for the future. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Keep This Seattle Pitching Prince On Your Radar’ »

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New York Yankees: Rained Out But The Texas Rangers Aren’t Fooling Me

Posted by on 7 April 2011, 3:54 am

It is still cold and raining here in New York making it was to wet for baseball, so the Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins game was eventually cancelled.

Clicking back and forth between American Idol and ESPN 2, I got to see San Francisco Giants Timmy Lincecum shut-down the San Diego Padres. Let me say that Timmy-Jim is legit. Then I watched the Giants closer Brian Wilson pitch his first inning, as he is on my fantasy team; and finally witnessed the Boston Red Sox lose again. The Red Sox are now 0-5.

As a Yankees fan, you would think I would be elated with the way things are going for Boston but I am not.

How can that be?


The Red Sox will without a doubt get it together because the level of talent is too grand for this to continue much longer. Whether the Red Sox are 0-5 or 500-0 heading into the weekend series against the Yankees because it doesn’t change New York’s approach or need to win.

What is bothering me is all this talk of the Texas Rangers. Yes, the Rangers are the reigning AL Champions but to be frank it is by courtesy. I have never thought the Rangers and still don’t consider the team one of the elite.

Sure, you can argue that the Rangers swept Boston last weekend, but can you also agree that was not the real Red Sox?

You have to consider that the Cleveland Indians are following in the Rangers footsteps, having taken the first two games for the Red Sox and going for the sweep on Thursday. This makes you realize how truly shell-shocked the Red Sox are.

So, even though the Rangers are 6-0, their last three wins were against the Seattle Mariners. Seattle is about as competitive as the Indians, King Felix or not. This just proves my point even further. Oh and

Looking back at 2010, the Rangers were in a very similar situation losing six games in a row between April 15-April 21, so surely they can relate.

Well, sorry to burst Ranger fans bubble, but the party is about to be over.

Why or how can I say this about the Rangers with such conviction? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Rained Out But The Texas Rangers Aren’t Fooling Me’ »

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