I was surprised to see the results of a recent poll over at ESPN.

When asked who the ace of the pitching staff was, Haren or Weaver, Haren led by a couple percentage points.   I assume nationally some simply clicked Haren because he has a lower ERA (their respective ERA's is the only stat posted).

Before I clicked to vote, I was sure Weaver would have a subtle but healthy lead.   I was wrong.

And then it got me thinking...   Both have been incredible this year, but who really is the bulldog of the staff right now and if it came down to keeping only one for a long time, who would I want?

The Basics

Weaver:  4-0, 1.30 ERA, 27.2 IPs, SO/BB 3.44 with a SO/9 of 10.1 and H/9 of 4.2.

Haren:  4-0, 1.16 ERA, 31.0 IPs, SO/BB 13.5 with a SO/9 of 7.8 and a H/9 of 5.2.

Weaver is signed through 2012, Haren through 2013.

Will we be able to keep both or most likely target one to hold on to?  [yes, this is where the Wells $$$ gets me]

The Questions

1)  Between 2007 and 2009, Weaver was roughly the same pitcher - but in 2010 his K/9 went up higher than Lackeys choppers and his BB/9 went down by about 0.5 walk per 9 innings.   In other words, Weav never posted a K/9 higher then 7.79 and suddenly last year it went to 9.35.   Can he keep this up?

2)  Haren is legendary for his quick starts to the season but tends to tail off in the second half by quite a large margin throughout his career.  In other words, Dan has given up more than a hit per inning in the second half in his career and his ERA inflates to over 3/4 of a run.   Will that continue?

The Intangibles

I think both are as durable and can easily go 220+ IP per season without a doubt.  (Advantage:  Both)

Weaver's mullet potential to Haren's hunting beard.   (Advantage:  Haren)

I must say coming into the season, there is no doubt I'd pick Weaver as my bulldog and if I had to pick only one of the two to stay with the club long-term, it would have been him.

Now, I'm not so sure.  There is something to the calm, collected demeanor of Haren that simply has me wowed.   I love Weavers intensity though, so I'm going back and forth in my head.  All things being equal, maybe Weaver translates into a better staff leader and mentor?

In the end...if I had to pick one of the two...I'm going with...

...UGH...going with my boy Weaver unless Haren can finish as strong as he is starting or if Weaver reverts back to the 07-09 pitcher for some reason, then I'm growing a Danbeard(tm).

Something quick, fun and light before tonight's game!

With the recent and unsurprising news that Manny has once again found himself under the cloud of substance issues, he has chose to retire ** shock**.

The sub-culture of baseball and those who vote on the HoF inductees has wavered a bit on their thinking with respect to what might keep someone out for good and what might require a second look in today's era vs. yesteryear.

Who do you think will be the first to make it into the HoF?

(in comments, who do you think will never make it into the HoF, justifiably or not - and do you think the outcome of the Bonds trial will affect such a decision either way?)

Ok, this will be my last fanpost or reply to a post until at least 2 months into the season.  I've posted twice already in the last couple of weeks, and I don't want to wear out my welcome or turn into Halodriftwood.

Disclaimer:  I'm not the most sober right now as my wife went to bed and I spent a good couple hours talking to a friend back East who has cured me of a disease I feared I was catching.  It seems I might only have a temporary ailment.

In my first post, I shared that I was worried I was becoming a fair-weather fan.  Some of you identified, and some of you more ardent fans couldn't stomach the idea that it could ever happen.  Once a fan, always a fan.  I understood both positions.   I accepted the phallic symbols thrust at me with stoic pride...or was it arrogance?

But I realized I've been on HH daily or reading and listening to anything I could find for hours and hours over the last couple weeks.   Yeah, some fair-weather fan I am.  The season hasn't even started and I'm already mainlining Angel fumes.

As the buzz from my single-malt scotch (Costco-bought, don't judge) set in, I called up a hardcore baseball fan friend I've not spoken to in over a year.  After awkward small talk, I told him I wanted to talk about baseball.  We used to spend each day at lunch stuffing our faces with chips and salsa, drinking a beer (ok, it was non-alcoholic), and talking baseball.  

His first words were "You must not be happy with what Reagins did, eh?"

"So they do talk about Angels baseball back East after all?!?"

I told him I think I'm losing it for Angels baseball.  I'm pissed now, I said...but in a couple months I might not even care.  He chuckled.  Silence.  Then he told me to STFU.

I didn't realize single-malt scotch suspended in your throat could actually burn a hole through it.  Or so it felt.  Damn that Costco rotgut.

He spilled it out point-blank.  He said I'm not a fair-weather Angel fan.  I couldn't be.  I was the most excited, giddy Angel/baseball fan he ever met!  

"Even more so than Rex?"

"STFU!" 

"Yeah, well that was then.  Things change.  Life changes.  I got other things to think about now, you know how it is..."

And the trifecta...  Another STFU.  I didn't realize time apart allowed for such pleasantries.   Maybe I should try it with the wife?

"No you idiot.  You're not a fair-weather Angel fan.  You're just..."

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I was working under the hood much of the day so I was listening to A LOT of AM sports talk shows, XM-Sirius radio, and a little internet radio (love the IHeartRadio app).

As you can tell browsing this site (and questioning friends and fans I know), the recent Wells trade is almost universally disliked  or at least highly questioned.  The same can be said for the national opinion based on what I've heard and read today.  Ok, the trade is done.  There is nothing more we can do other than evaluate it further as time goes on.

But in listening today, many other questions were being asked.  

As the old adage goes, winning cures everything.  No one questions anything because you can't argue with success.

However, we found a team last season that was only consistent in being inconsistent in all aspects of play (minus a few high moments at times) despite a healthy payroll.  The last two offseasons have been...well...I think I saw some new letterhead here that best sums it up.

So it's only normal that Angel fans start questioning things and it seems, so is the national media and baseball analysts.

Here is a summary of the areas I heard being questioned today and I really don't know what the answers are. 

Continue reading this post »

It is time to confess.  I think I'm becoming one of them...

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The MLB baseball union has talked about this before - and is at it again.

Two points are being "discussed":

Bud says, in regards to the # of teams that make the playoffs, "We have less teams than any other sport," he said last month. "We certainly haven't abused anything."   True.  Mind applying that logic to a salary cap and greatly expanded instant replay in respect to other sports as well?  Ok, I better stay on topic.

As is mentioned in the article for those of you who are monogamous to baseball, the NFL has 12 of 32 teams make the playoffs (best IMHO) and the NBA and NHL has 16 of 30 teams advance to the postseason.

The MLB only has 8 of 30 teams advance to the playoffs.

So will it ever be more than just a bunch of intellectual banter?

The big hurdle will be that if they add more wild-card slots and/or extend the division playoff series, this would almost guarantee that they would have to shorten the regular season.  And a shorter season means less revenue to teams that don't make the playoffs.

Given that baseball has an obscenely long season (but most of us fans are grateful for it AS LONG as our team is in contention), allowing more teams into the postseason is a must.  The current wild-card format has been nothing but a success, especially to us Angel fans (read: 2002).

So what would you like to see happen, and more importantly, what do you think will actually ever come of this?

For those who missed the 'controversy', you can watch it here.

I'll keep it short and simple:  He did nothing wrong, violated no rules, and performed in the spirit of the game (i.e. did whatever it took to try and help his team win).

Full disclosure would require me to say I hate the Yankees *shock* and also don't care for Jeter one bit, but respect all he has done as a player.

If an Angel did this and helped them win an important game, it would be awesome...but if it happens against us, of course it's easy to hate.

I was listening to Mike and Mike early this AM while dropping off the wife at the airport, and I agree with Golic.  Unless there is a rule prohibiting any particular behavior, you're a fool to not do whatever you can to help your team win.

Someone also called up and gave an example of two different hockey rules (can't find them via Google) where behavior to goad the referee to get a call in certain instances is first a warning, then a fine, then suspensions.

But unless they have a rule (and even then it's the umpires job to enforce that rule), he did nothing wrong and can't see where the 'controversy' is minus that it's a slow sports day.

That said, they need to expand instant replay.  Multiple botched calls during the playoffs in 3... 2...

Ok, when your team is playing like the matted sh*t on the back of a dog's ass, it's really hard to point at anyone elses team and laugh.

Except Seattle.   And doing so at least provides a temporary distraction from our crappy backyard.

I was following this as it happened but it was hard to tell exactly what transpired at the time.

For those who missed it, you can read about it here.

There is no doubt about the unhappiness Figgy must have up there, but I honestly don't ever remember him quitting on plays or the team. 

Am I just remembering things through his final-season-rose-colored-glasses?

What do you think will happen with Figgy after this season?

Could Arte ever write an open letter to one of our homegrown "superstars" and call him out?

This Open Letter to Lebron was just released and written by Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the Cavaliers.  I expected some of this type of reaction of course, but NEVER from an owner.

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What do you think has a more likely probability of happening the rest of the way out?

Strasburg trends towards an above-average pitcher the rest of the way out, with more ER's on his plate as he faces tougher competition and the league gets used to him (while still keeping a good SO/BB ratio).

Or Wood has actually found "his" swing, genuinely feels comfortable, and will hit .250+ the rest of the way and will finish nowhere near the Mendoza line. 

Continue reading this post »

...be against him or support him?

If you've not seen/read about it, you can find it here.

The last incident like this the Angels really had was Jose Guillen.  The difference, of course, was:

1)  His outburst was against management, not other players

2)  He was an everyday player and was one our best hitters

That said, most fans had a hard time accepting it because he was hitting well but were ok with the idea that he was gone.  If his outburst was against players rather than management, would most of you had still been ok with him being traded?   Lackey also had his share of outbursts of varying degrees but I think because he was our ace, we accepted it at the time.

I know Zambrano has a history of outbursts...  He also isn't having the best season and is relegated to the pen instead of starting, so it's easy to throw him aside (indefinite suspension).

The guy is a total arse, but emotions aside, I think if his teammates are willing to accept an appology and his explanation for why he was upset, then let the firecracker back on the field.