Halo Headlines – 3/29/10

  • The Story: Maicer Izturis and Scott Kazmir are healing well.   The Monkey Says: Izzy tweaked his back and Kaz has a tired shoulder but both are claiming to be feeling just fine now and will hopefully (especially Kazmir) be ready to roll on Opening Day.
  • The Story: Jered Weaver is ready for Opening Day.   The Monkey Says: Even though he is fresh off of getting knocked around a little bit my some minor leaguers, it appears Weaver starting the first game of the season is pretty much a sure thing.
  • The Story: The Yankees will be presented with their World Series rings on April 13th against the Angels.   The Monkey Says: Mother effers!  Why did it have to be against the Halos?  Is Selig going to grant NY some extra rest days then too so CC Sabathia can start each game of that series.  Stupid Yankees.
  • The Story: Bobby Wilson and Terry Evans await their fates.   The Monkey Says: Both are out of options, but I suspect neither will make the big league roster as the recent minor injuries to Ervin Santana and Scott Kazmir will likely prompt Mike Scioscia to carry 12 pitchers to start the season.  Only Reggie Willits hitting the DL gives Evans a chance of making the team.
  • The Story: Prospect Trevor Reckling is making a big impression.   The Monkey Says: Reckling will start the year in the minors, but he had an impressive start against the Giants this week and is currently under the tutelage of Torii Hunter.  It seems pretty likely that if any Angel starter heads to the DL this year, it will be Reckling getting the call to replace him even if he is just 20 years old.
  • The Story: Will the Angels carry three catchers?   The Monkey Says: In a word, “no.”  If the Halos didn’t have a permanent DH and were going to cycle Mike Napoli through that spot, it might make some sense, but with Matsui firmly entrenched, there is no good reason for the Angels to keep Bobby Wilson around so that he can never ever play.
  • The Story: Brandon Wood is in no position to relax.   The Monkey Says: Scioscia isn’t going to let Wood get comfortable, which seems like a bad idea since the pressure isn’t going to help him succeed.  Instead, he wants Wood to know that he is just one slip up away from losing his job.  Way to treat the team’s former top prospect.
  • The Story: Ervin Santana is right on time to be ready for the regular season.   The Monkey Says: Assuming he doesn’t run into any more couches in the next couple of weeks, that is.
  • The Story: Is Aybar ready to be the Angels’ new leadoff man?   The Monkey Says: Honestly, it doesn’t matter because he is getting the job no matter what.  Even if Aybar struggles at the top of the order, the Angels have no other real sensible option, so he is just going to have to work it out.
  • The Story: The Angels have quite a setup.   The Monkey Says: Let’s hope so at least because the bullpen was the Achilles heel last season and there is no real guarantee that Fernando Rodney, Kevin Jepsen and/or Scot Shields will be any good in 2010.
  • The Story: Abreu imparts his wisdom to Angel hitters.   The Monkey Says: New season, same story.  Abreu continues to try and teach the rest of the Angel batters the plate discipline that has been missing from their game up until last year.  Erick Aybar is obviously the Angels most in need of tutelage, but really all of the Halo youngsters would be well advised to take some lessons at the feet of Bobby.
  • The Story: Bobby Abreu is a statistical anomaly.   The Monkey Says: RBIs aren’t really a great measure of a batter, but if he can keep being an anomaly throughout the rest of his career as an Angel, I don’t think anyone will complain.
  • The Story: Hideki Matsui motors on.   The Monkey Says: Hideki isn’t going to let the Yankees just dumping him keep him down.  His knees may not agree with that assessment though.
  • The Story: The Angels are #11 in FanGraphs organizational rankings.   The Monkey Says: Interestingly, they get downgraded for being old, which is odd considering the relative youth of their entire starting rotation and that guys like Kendry Morales, Erick Aybar and Howie Kendrick are clearly part of their core going forward.