I guess Albert Pujols and Mike Trout aren't enough for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
A huge deal hitting the baseball world as Josh Hamilton has agreed to become an Angel. The contract is 5 years worth $125 million and one AA chip from Hamilton. In 2012 Josh batted .285 with 43 Home Runs and 128 RBI's although it was that average that dipped as the season continued.
A big signing certainly as the spending of the LA teams continues to go through the roof. For a second off season in a row, the Angels sign a big time slugger to their team. Certainly the first one worked out so well.
The move to get Hamilton, however, doesn't necessarily make them a World Series contender. Batting is great for the regular season (except last year for the Angels) but it was pitching where they need the most improvement. They were ranked 8th in the AL with a 4.02 ERA last year in pitching while they 3rd in runs in the AL. The offense is already there, even with Torii Hunter leaving the team. Keeping Zach Greinke would've been a bigger deal for the Angels.
Sure, LAA got Tommy Hanson from the Braves who had a bad year in 2012 and he might work out but there is no way that I am making them a World Series favorite based on their hitting alone. History is not on their side.
P.S. As for the Rangers, irrelevance might be their fate in 2013.
Showing posts with label Angels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Angels. Show all posts
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Who Else but Miguel and MVPosey
The MVPs were named today in baseball and both by seemingly comfortable margins.
The NL MVP went to Giants Catcher Buster Posey who received 27 of 32 possible first place votes and took in a 422 total points. Ryan Braun came in 2nd with 285 points. This caps off a tremendous season for Buster who batted .336 (NL best) with a OBP of .408 (NL best) and a OPS of .957 (2nd in NL). He also had 24 home runs, 103 RBIs, and another World Series ring. Not bad for a comeback season.
As for the AL MVP, it turned out to be a one sided win as well. Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers won the award receiving 22 of 28 first place votes and getting 362 total points. The closest contender was Mike Trout of the Angels who got 281 points. Miguel, of course, was the first Triple Crown winner in 45 years batting .330 with 44 home runs and 139 RBIs.
The right players seemed to have gotten the award. True, Mike Trout had an MVP quality season and was dragging the Angels along but failing to make the playoffs and going against a guy winning the Triple Crown does hamper the candidacy quite a bit.
Congrats to both Posey and Cabrera for winning the MVP awards. The right guys were picked.
The NL MVP went to Giants Catcher Buster Posey who received 27 of 32 possible first place votes and took in a 422 total points. Ryan Braun came in 2nd with 285 points. This caps off a tremendous season for Buster who batted .336 (NL best) with a OBP of .408 (NL best) and a OPS of .957 (2nd in NL). He also had 24 home runs, 103 RBIs, and another World Series ring. Not bad for a comeback season.
As for the AL MVP, it turned out to be a one sided win as well. Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers won the award receiving 22 of 28 first place votes and getting 362 total points. The closest contender was Mike Trout of the Angels who got 281 points. Miguel, of course, was the first Triple Crown winner in 45 years batting .330 with 44 home runs and 139 RBIs.
The right players seemed to have gotten the award. True, Mike Trout had an MVP quality season and was dragging the Angels along but failing to make the playoffs and going against a guy winning the Triple Crown does hamper the candidacy quite a bit.
Congrats to both Posey and Cabrera for winning the MVP awards. The right guys were picked.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
RA Dickey and David Price Win Cy Youngs
I guess there is something else that Justin Verlander didn't get this year.
The award voting in baseball has been a bit predictable in 2012 with Mike Trout and Bryce Harper winning the Rookie of the Year awards. The Cy Young Awards have been a bit more surprising. RA Dickey won the NL Cy Young which isn't that surprising to anyone who's followed RA Dickey this year. It is surprising, possibly, that he's a 38 year old (37 during the season) Knuckleballer who's a late bloomer. Dickey went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and 230 K's. He's the 2nd best in Wins and ERA in the NL while first in strikeouts in the NL.
Finally the unique knuckleball get recognition through RA Dickey. Sorry Tim Wakefield, RA Dickey is now King of the Knuckler.
The AL Cy Young was a bit closer and surprising. Everyone thought it would be a lock for Justin Verlander who had a great regular season keeping the Detroit Tigers alive along with the help of Miguel Cabrera. But the award went to David Price of the Rays. Price had apparently beaten Verlander in the ballot box by 4 points marking it as one of the tightest races in the history of the award. Verlander was 17-8 with a 2.64 ERA with 239 K's while David Price was 20-5 with a 2.56 ERA (AL Best) and 205 K's. Price was tied for most wins in the AL with Jared Weaver of the Angels who also was 20-5.
Looking at the numbers, you could see why David Price was given the award over Justin Verlander despite Justin's great year with the Tigers. This is definitely an award that people will be talking about for a while. I know that this isn't the MVP award but Price in a way earned this award by being an MVP kind of pitcher. Despite the horrible hitting of the team, the Rays were kept alive almost to the very end of the regular season because of their pitching staff. It sort of reminds me a bit of the Giants in that respect. They just need the right sparks in lineup to get into the postseason next year.
Anyway, congrats to Dickey and Price on their awards and for being the Aces of 2012.
The award voting in baseball has been a bit predictable in 2012 with Mike Trout and Bryce Harper winning the Rookie of the Year awards. The Cy Young Awards have been a bit more surprising. RA Dickey won the NL Cy Young which isn't that surprising to anyone who's followed RA Dickey this year. It is surprising, possibly, that he's a 38 year old (37 during the season) Knuckleballer who's a late bloomer. Dickey went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA and 230 K's. He's the 2nd best in Wins and ERA in the NL while first in strikeouts in the NL.
Finally the unique knuckleball get recognition through RA Dickey. Sorry Tim Wakefield, RA Dickey is now King of the Knuckler.
The AL Cy Young was a bit closer and surprising. Everyone thought it would be a lock for Justin Verlander who had a great regular season keeping the Detroit Tigers alive along with the help of Miguel Cabrera. But the award went to David Price of the Rays. Price had apparently beaten Verlander in the ballot box by 4 points marking it as one of the tightest races in the history of the award. Verlander was 17-8 with a 2.64 ERA with 239 K's while David Price was 20-5 with a 2.56 ERA (AL Best) and 205 K's. Price was tied for most wins in the AL with Jared Weaver of the Angels who also was 20-5.
Looking at the numbers, you could see why David Price was given the award over Justin Verlander despite Justin's great year with the Tigers. This is definitely an award that people will be talking about for a while. I know that this isn't the MVP award but Price in a way earned this award by being an MVP kind of pitcher. Despite the horrible hitting of the team, the Rays were kept alive almost to the very end of the regular season because of their pitching staff. It sort of reminds me a bit of the Giants in that respect. They just need the right sparks in lineup to get into the postseason next year.
Anyway, congrats to Dickey and Price on their awards and for being the Aces of 2012.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Zach Greinke Traded to Angels
How important is getting a divisional spot over settling for a Wild Card spot nowadays in baseball? Important enough to get Zack Greinke.
The Brewers pitcher has had a good season so far going 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA. The problem is that his talents are being wasted with the Brewers who are currently 14 games behind the Reds in the NL Central and are 10 games under .500. To make things worse, the team was on a 7 game losing streak entering today. So the idea for them was to the sell and Zack Greinke was their product. There were some perspective buyers but the team who got Greinke were the Angels. Looking at the Angels rotation to start the season, you would think they wouldn't need another starting pitcher. But it seems that CJ Wilson and Jared Weaver are the the only one's consistently showing up. So they traded for Zack Greinke giving the Brewers SS Jean Segura and 2 pitchers from Double-A.
The 2 Wild Card team format is no doubt at work here. The Angels are currently one of the Wild Card leaders but that would mean nothing if they lose that One-Game playoff which could easily happen to any team. Better for them to make a charge for the Division and get Zack Greinke to help you do it. The still have a very tough Rangers' team to get by and they are currently 5 games behind them entering today. Even with Greinke, I still favor Texas to take the AL West. The Angels might have to settle for a Wild Card spot anyway which means they might not make the actual playoffs and getting Zack Greinke would've meant nothing then, especially if he joins a new team during the off season.
The Brewers pitcher has had a good season so far going 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA. The problem is that his talents are being wasted with the Brewers who are currently 14 games behind the Reds in the NL Central and are 10 games under .500. To make things worse, the team was on a 7 game losing streak entering today. So the idea for them was to the sell and Zack Greinke was their product. There were some perspective buyers but the team who got Greinke were the Angels. Looking at the Angels rotation to start the season, you would think they wouldn't need another starting pitcher. But it seems that CJ Wilson and Jared Weaver are the the only one's consistently showing up. So they traded for Zack Greinke giving the Brewers SS Jean Segura and 2 pitchers from Double-A.
The 2 Wild Card team format is no doubt at work here. The Angels are currently one of the Wild Card leaders but that would mean nothing if they lose that One-Game playoff which could easily happen to any team. Better for them to make a charge for the Division and get Zack Greinke to help you do it. The still have a very tough Rangers' team to get by and they are currently 5 games behind them entering today. Even with Greinke, I still favor Texas to take the AL West. The Angels might have to settle for a Wild Card spot anyway which means they might not make the actual playoffs and getting Zack Greinke would've meant nothing then, especially if he joins a new team during the off season.
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