Note to Bill Stoneman; “I don’t want to return to those
times, please bring us a power hitter or two for Christmas”.
In the four years since we lost Troy Glaus our home run
production has gone from having 4 guys who hit over 20 home runs and 3 with over
30 to one guy with over 20. Mike Scioscia baseball as it has come to be known
may be exciting when guys can get on base and may disrupt lesser teams, but when
you are play the “Big Guns” you have to match power with power. We didn’t
win the 2002 World Series with steals and bunts we won it with Home Runs.
Troy Glaus matched Bonds almost homer for homer, if I remember Glaus had 7 and Bonds
had 8. In that series Salmon had 4, Kennedy had 3 in one game and probably the most important hit of that Series was Scott Spezio’s 3 run shot in game 6 followed the
next inning by Erstad’s lead off homer to cut the lead to one run. Ortiz and
Manny hit more home runs in this 3 game series (4) than the Angels hit as team in
the last 6 post season games (2).
Figgins, I just don’t know what to do with him, he is an enigma. He is not good enough
at any position to remove a starter and his worst position is 3rd, and that is one of
our most needed wholes. He was absolutely spectacular in the middle and most of the
last half of the year going from a .130 average to over .340, but he finished the year
0 for 22, in the lead off spot. I would think his value is up right now and I would like
to trade him, if for no other reason than to take that option away from Scioscia.
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My problem is that we have known this issue for the last four
years and every year the same broken promises.
Just last week Stoneman was openly gloating about not making
a trade for a proven hitter and staying with the prospects, wonder if he feels that
way today after that embarrassing series. And yes we had injuries, but the only
one that really mattered was Vlad and all they had to was hit him with a pitch and
put him out of game 2 so they didn’t have to pitch to him in the ninth. Why didn’t
we retaliate on Sunday and hit Manny or Ortiz. Ortiz strikes out in the first; I
think that was the only time we got him out and then hits another homerun.
Instead of plunking Manny then we let him hit another homer, that is just not how
it is suppose to work, you can’t let these guys just take over the plate especially
after Ramirez celebrated and showed up not just our pitcher but the whole team after
hitting the walk off homer run in the 9th inning of game two and hitting Vlad earlier. That
sent a message to the whole league that the Angels are just a bunch of wimps, come
on Scioscia your this big tough guy show some guts, protect your guys, let the pitcher
send a message.
I am sick of Anderson, he should just be released, he has no life, erratic offensively,
a liability on defense and he is always hurt of sick, enough! One more note, we do not
need another DH, we need a power guy who can play a position other the 1st base.
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To end this with a positive note
I believe we have a great nucleolus with Vlad, Orlando, Kotchman,
Kendrick and Mathew Jr., at least defensively. We have good, if not great, pitching; it just lacked
consistency at the end of the year, especially the bull pen which has been our strength.
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Both Mathis and Napoli are good catchers
But both need to improve offensively, but they are young. I like Izturis, but he is not a # 5 hitter
or a 3rd baseman. Aybar is OK but we don’t need another middle infielder trade him for something we need.
Christmas List:
Power Hitting 3rd baseman –
Alex Rodriquez, Mike Lowell?
Power Hitting Outfielder –
Tori Hunter, Andruw Jones?
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Hammerin' Hank, George Almighty and the Say Hey Kid