26 November 2009

futureangels top prospects

One new aspect of my fandom this past season has been following some of the prospects on the farm. futureangels.com is one of my favorite sites to go to, and has very good coverage. He recently posted his top 10 prospects. Previous years are a good read too - its interesting to see the progression of your favorite players. It's also impressive to see how many of those prospects made it to the Show.

20 November 2009

offseason hysteria

Like many other halo fans, I'm suffering from angels withdrawl.
Unlike many other halo fans, I'm still keeping my sanity.

The hoopla of the offseason is in full swing as I read many outlandish proposals in the halosphere on what the FO should do. The team won 97 games last year, swept the Red Sox and played with plenty of heart to fight NY to six games. This team does not need a major overhaul. REPEAT: This team does not need a major overhaul.

First of all, let me qualify this by saying that I err on the side of caution when it comes to trades and signings. I didn't believe in trading for Halladay in June (still don't) and I shruged at the Abreu signing last offseason. I believe that the key to success is the farm. And the Angels have done a very good job in that respect. They have a very good, young core with a lot of promise, mostly homegrown. Weaver (27), Santana (27), Saunders (28) and Kaz (25!) in the rotation. Aybar (25!), Howie (26), KMo (26), Naps (28) and Mathis (26) in the infield. These guys are going to have more affect on the future success of the team than the signing of Holliday or trading for Granderson. Yes, these guys haven't established themselves like say, Ryan Howard, but if they've all shown flashes of promise. The Angels need to rely on their young talent not trade it away. They need more seasoning, but with this core the Angels' future is very bright.

19 November 2009

mike scioscia is cool

Scioscia won the AL Manager of the Year on Wednesday. Very much deserved, not only for the way he handled Nick's death and the injuries, but the kind of leader he is. For all the second-guessing he gets in the playoffs, the way the team played for him in ALCS Game 5 shows how the guys in the clubhouse feel about him.

Not saying that he shouldn't be accountable (the squeeze last year was painful), but that there's a reason why he has his picture on a banner at the entrance of the big A.

12 November 2009

torii earns some hardware

Very late, but congrats to Torii Hunter for winning his 9th Gold Glove. There's a lot of chatter about the subjective nature of selecting Gold Gloves, especially using the arguement of UZR, but I'm not looking to talk about stats. I do know that whenever a ball is hit in the air to center field, I think "Torii's got that."

UPDATE: And just announced today, he also won his first Sliver Slugger. Pretty good award season for Torii =).

05 November 2009

angels resign bobby abreu

I leave for class and come back with this to greet me!

I like the deal. Per mlbtraderumors.com, the contract is 2-years, 18mil w/ a vesting club option for 2012. It might be slightly overpaid (most thought the 2-year 16mil previous offer was fair), I think it really shows that Bobby means more to the Angels for his clubhouse pluses.

03 November 2009

embarrassment

The Story of.. How I Got My First Authentic MLB Baseball

One of the drawbacks about leaving home to start grad school in Sept. 2009 was the fact that I wouldn't have the opportunity to drive down to the Big A for games when tickets got cheap. Mlb.tv helped, but I was soooo envious of those that got to see the clinching game vs. Texas. If I was in Socal then, you bet I would have found a way to be there.

So when the Angels came up to Oakland later that week, I made sure to get tickets so I could see them. They won both games I went to, but the first game was disappointing in that I got no autographs. So when I was able to get Kaz to sign my hat before the second game, I was happy. That is until a golden opportunity presented itself to me at the end of the 7th.

I had slowly worked my way down the seats as the game progressed. Partially because I wanted a better view (and there were plenty of empty seats), partially because I was freeeeezing in the shade. I finally made it down to the 2nd row behind the Angels' dugout in the 7th and was ready to ask for the ball at the end of the inning. I had learned my lesson from the first game that series and I had brought my glove. So when Jepsen struck out the last batter and Napoli jogged to the dugout, I stood and raised my glove for the ball. To my amazement, Naps threw it at me. I saw the ball arch up, I raised my glove... and the next thing I knew, it had bounced off my head and back into the field...

01 November 2009

origins

Why the Angels?
I loved the underdog, so I became an Angels fan in grade school. I was clueless that the "California Angels" played in somewhat distant Orange County. So despite the relative proximity of LA, I shunned the local Dodgers for the scrappier "other southern California team." And it happened that it was a perfect fit.
Sure, I was a definite casual fan (hey, a kid has other things going on like school and sports and... girl scouts!) and I did watch the 2002 World Series, but as I've grown up, I've learned to appreciate the philosophy and class that defines the organization. They may not have the storied history or a fan base that stretches a region of states, but there's no doubt in my mind that the Angels are one of the best organizations in baseball. And that history and fanbase is exactly what they're building today.

Why a blog?
I summed it up pretty well in my personal blog:
"its been a long time since I've written here. and there's a reason for it. this summer, I became reaquainted with a game I love. angels baseball.

the 2009 season having just ended, oh, a few hours ago, I can safely say it was a transformative one for me. To echo Torii Hunter, "I love this team. Sick talent."

[The time between undergrad and grad school was] very trying for me... [and] I (re)found the angels. Stuck in a rut, this team inspired me and reminded me why I loved the team, the organization, and the game. They work hard. They play smart. They battle through the tough times. And they Win.

And so I was no longer a casual fan. And I was no longer stuck in a rut.

Right now, the end of the season hurts. but I'm looking forward to next season and I know I won't be a casual fan again.
"
A blog will hold all my angels-related thoughts, especially since most of my friends are uninterested in baseball, but most of all it will be an outlet for my fan-dom and love for the team. Go Halos!

about angels&aimee

This blog is my (hopefully) witty commentary on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and my own fandom. It is a fan's perspective dashed in with common sense, reason, and passion. I'm no fangirl, but I'm not afraid to say that I love the team and the players.

This blog is not about stats or fantasy leagues. I've read Moneyball, but I have no intention to be a sabrematrician. First of all, I deal with enough numbers in my non-baseball pursuits, and secondly, I understand that statistics don't always tell the true story. So don't be surprised if I cite stats like ERA, Wins, and AVG. I get that SABR puh-puh those stats - but I'm not one of you.

What I am is a fan and that's what I intend this blog to be about.