Showing posts with label Mike Trout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike Trout. Show all posts

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Hamilton Ascended to the LA Angels

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.

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.