As I mentioned a few times, I attended the Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas, TX this year for the Professional Baseball Employment Opportunities (PBEO) Job Fair.

please excuse my photos as they are from a cell phone.

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I guess I should have written this earlier in the off-season instead of less than a week before voluntary pitchers and catchers report.

What are your favorite baseball books (doesn't have to be the Angels)?

For the Angels, I really liked Once They were Angels.  Gives a good overview of the Angels and current (right when Arte bought the team).  It uses about 10 players to frame the Halos story. (Got this used on Amazon)

Tim Salmon, also wrote a book Always an Angel.   Its okay, but I got annoyed with the interview style of the book, for instance it would give a topic, say Garrett Anderson and would only give a few paragraphs, instead of a typical autobiography which goes more chronological.

I read Anaheim Angels: A complete history.  However, it was too stat heavy for me when I read it as a 13 year old, and stopped reading it.  This was very chronological and used years are framers, as opposed to the beforementioned Once they were Angels.

I recently finished reading Veeck as in Wreck - Bill Veeck's autobiography.  Very interesting and fun read, learning about his "antics" and how he became one of the first fan-owners.  It includes a chapter on the American League expansion in LA, that will make you loathe Walter O'Malley.  

Coming soon is the Angels Official History book.  I have very high hopes for this book due to reading the Phillies version.  Let me be clear, this is NOT a traditional book, it is actually a coffee table book.  While it has brief articles (mainly from area sports writers) on players and infamous people (like the Phillies had the first female scout so it talked about her), it is also has some on stadium workers and fans. It had the Hall of Fame induction speeches by their inductees as well.  What amazed me is the quality and amount of pictures inside.  Another thing I enjoyed was the replicas that came with it.  It had Jimmy Rollins high school scouting report, Greg "The Bull" Luzinski's contract, replica tickets, newspaper clippings, cards, etc.  Rev and other die-die hard fans might not learn anything, but the quality is outstanding.  Plus it is up to date, the Phillies one was copyright 2010, and it finished with pictures from 2009 and a tribute to Harry Kalas.  I got it for $30 at BJs (as opposed to the $50 that bookstores will be selling it at). 

And speaking of baseball books, who could forget Michael Christopher.  

In nonsports genre, I like John O'Farrell (the Brits version of Dave Barry), and Chuck Palhniuk (Fight Club - the book, and Lullaby are my two favs).

Cath brought up an East Coast Meet Up to counter the LV meet up.  And it seemed like some had expressed interest:

Okay, I did some very prelim. research on going to see the Angels at Citi Field on June 16, 17, 18 (Fri, Sat, Sun).  They are "normal" game times, but they might change due to Fox and ESPN.  If we want a group, we need at min. 25 people - and a $100 deposit.  Stubhub also has decent seats (all the way up, behind home), 18 together for about $29 (don't know fees) on the 16th.  I don't know how hard walk up seats will be because it is a. the weekend and b. how good will the team be.  

I am not volunteering or asking to be the coordinator.

Okay I DON'T think this is going to be an issue at the next bargaining agreement after the 2012 season (if we are still around, thank you Mayans), due to higher priorities like expanding playoffs and replays and of course money, but baseball needs a salary cap (and floor).  Now the easy fix is to make the luxury tax a hard salary cap and come up with fines (will go into suggestions later).  But mine is more confusing - which of course is what MLB will do, because that is all they do, make things complicated.

So here is my "attempt" (tongue in check) at a floating salary cap and floor:

1.  Use the same formula for a salary cap as used for the luxury cap.  (I have no idea for a salary floor, use something similar if it is a simple mathematical formula)

2. If resigning a player who has been with the team (majors only, excluding rehab assignments) for one calendar year or more, the team will only be charged a percentage of his yearly salary.  For each year (with the team) of full major league service (as defined by BBWA and their awards) 5% of each year of service (at the time of signing a contract) with the team is NOT charged to the salary cap.  Note if this player resigns after a second stint with a team, only his second stint years count, not every single year with the team.  

For instance if the Angels resign a player who has played with them for 2 years and the Yankees for 10, at 2 year $20 million (5 mil for year 1, 15 mil for year 2), the Angels will only be charged $4.5mil for the first year and $13.5mil for year 2.

If Wally Joyner resigned with the Angels again after his stint a few years ago, only those previous years would count, not the early 90 years.

3. The same rules apply to resigning a player who has been in a team's minor league system for 2 consecutive years (excluding September call ups).

4. If a team signs and trades a player (or trades a player in mid contract) all of the contract is on the receiving team (a la no discount until that player is resigned again)

5. If a team signs a player that ended on a team in their division, a 5% tax from point 2 will ADDED per year to the new team.

For instance, the Red Sox will be given this tax for signing Carl Crawford from the Rays.  But the Cardinals would not be taxed if the Brewers trade Prince Fielder to the Giants, and then the Cardinals sign him at the end of the year.

6. For breaking the cap (excluding September call ups, because they will be unable to play in the playoffs) in order of how long they have broke the cap (floor)

a. a period to get under (over) the cap (floor)

b. paying each team they are over (under) the cap (for instance if the Pirates are under the cap by $10 mil, they will pay all teams not in the penalty $10 mil)

c. if in season fore-fitting of games / if not, ceasing baseball related moves (excluding moves to decrease (increase) salary)

these timelines would be made by baseball (hey, i'm offering free advice here)

The implementation would start off at the current contracts (no teams would be helped (penalized) to begin with, only new contracts after implementation would the help (penalties) start.

Basically I am trying to say reward teams that resign and build a farm system, and penalize teams that "break the bank."  Obviously these "tax breaks" (and penalties") are only for the salary cap (floor) purposes, not what you pay a player.

So, should I "consider myself lucky"?  Is this "good, bad, or ugly"? (EDIT:  be gentle, lol)

Though so.

Some geniuses on the SBNation board Halos Heaven that I frequent (a Angels fan living in the Phillies area, but also a Phils fan), think Amaro wants Chase because he had a bad year.  One trade they want is Utley and cash for OF Juan Rivera.  Yes the Phillies need a right handed bat (see 2009 and 2010 post seasons), but trading Chase?  No way!

This would become the Phillies curse of the Bambino, no?