Daily Links for the LA Angels including Trout and others invited to training camp, Adam Kennedy busted for DUI, the Angels should sign Vladimir Guerrero and much more…
The Story: Mike Trout is amongst the 25 non-roster invitees to Angels Spring Training.
The Monkey Says: This doesn’t mean Trout really has a shot of breaking camp with the club, just that Trout is going to get an early taste of big league pitching (or at least something like it). However, a good showing this Spring could prompt the organization to be a little more aggressive with Trout who is slated to start the season in Double-A Arkansas.
The Story: Mike Trout is Keith Law’s top prospect in baseball with three other Angels in the top 100.
The Monkey Says: Trout being the top dog is kind of old news, I am more excited to see that Segura’s star is really starting to rise, with him checking in at #35 in Law’s rankings.
The Story: Former Angel Adam Kennedy was arrested on suspicion of DUI late last week.
The Monkey Says: Oh, Adam. C’mon, I know you play for the Mariners now, but are things really that bad?
The Story: Dave Cameron believes the Angels should sign Vladimir Guerrero.
The Monkey Says: I can’t believe I am saying this, but this article makes a GREAT argument. Finding a right-handed power bat for the bench and to split time with Abreu, thus preventing him from getting enough playing time to allow his 2012 option to vest, would be a good addition for the Halos. That being said, I don’t know that Vlad is the right guy for the job. Not only is he going to be expensive, but I don’t trust Mike Scioscia to use him appropriately. I’d much rather see the Angels give Mark Trumbo a shot at being Abreu’s platoon partner than spending several million on Vladdy.
The Story: Joe Posnanski joins the ranks of folks who don’t like the trade for Vernon Wells.
The Monkey Says: Poz at least kind of tries to like the trade, but he just can’t talk himself into it. I can’t say I disagree with him.
The Story: Arte Moreno defends the Angels trade for Vernon Wells.
The Monkey Says: He lost me at “It’s our money.” Really, Arte? That is th best defense you can come up with? Why not try the schoolyard favorites of “mind your own bee’s wax” or “I’m rubber you’re glue.”
The Story: Can Kendry Morales jumpstart the Angel offense?
The Monkey Says: The cautionary tale of Jermaine Dye made me nearly vomit, but at least he failed to mention that the Angel O kind of sucked before Morales even got hurt.
The Monkey Says: Because who wouldn’t want to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Donnie Moore vs. Dave Henderson?
The Story: The Angels continue to juggle leadoff options.
The Monkey Says: My vote is for Izturis, but I know that the Angels can’t use him everyday and count on him to stay healthy. Alas, I believe that means giving Erick Aybar another shot at the top spot, although I really worry about it shattering his confidence as it nearly did last season. His numbers weren’t awful in the leadoff spot, but he was visibly lost at the plate and it eventually caused him to implode.
The Story: Why sure things like Brandon Wood fail.
The Monkey Says: Thsi is a great piece, but my personal opinion on Wood turning into a flop is two-fold. First, he was overrated for his raw power numbers while his whiff rates were just being ignored. Second, the Angels waited far too long to give him a legit look at the majors which created even more pressure on him to perform and he just couldn’t handle it mentally.