- The Story: Bobby Abreu’s agent says Abreu is even happier with the being an Angel than he could have ever dreamed. The Monkey Says: The Angels have a big crop of impending free agents, but it sounds more and more like Abreu is the safest bet to return next year.
- The Story: Count Torii Hunter amongst the many MLBers who are skeptical about wearing the new concussion-proof batting helmets. The Monkey Says: Torii feels like he will look like the Great Gazoo, but would wear the helmet if MLB mandated it. After seeing David Wright get hit in the head recently, I can’t for the life of me figure out why any player would refuse to wear these new helmets just because they look a little silly.
- The Story: Torii Hunter is the Angels’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. The Monkey Says: The award is for sportsmanship and community service and the fans get to vote on it, so rock the vote for Torii!
- The Story: Brandon Wood should be done for good with the minors after his recent call-up. The Monkey Says: Woody is out of options next year, so he’ll have to be on the big league roster or the Angels will have to waive him. Free agency losses could create a spot for Wood in the line-up next year, but I suspect that he’ll be taking his cuts for another club (via a trade) on Opening Day next year.
- AL West Update: The Rangers defeated Toronto last night, but Josh Hamilton is out with a sore back. The Monkey Says: Texas is now 3.5 games back, but Hamilton would be a big loss for a team already missing Michael Young. The initial prognosis for Hamilton is day-to-day, but the back has been an issue for awhile, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he missed an extended period. The Rangers are idle today.