Daily Links for the LA Angels including calling up Trout in 2011 isn’t such a longshot anymore, Kendrick could hit the DL today, Moreno rated the third best owner in MLB and much more…
The Story: Mike Scioscia is starting to soften on his stance against calling up Mike Trout.
The Monkey Says: The Angels said loud and clear before the season that Trout would not be called up in 2012 for even one second. They were rather adamant about it at the time, but Scioscia says that he might be willing to consider at least talking about it in a month or so. For the record, I am against taking that kind of gamble with Trout even though the Angels could really use the help.
The Story: Kendrick could go on the DL tomorrow, but Vernon Wells is making progress in rehab.
The Monkey Says: That is good news for Wells, but not so good news for Kendrick. The Angels have a tendency to play it safe with injuries, so I am guessing Howie will be forced into a short DL stint, which means more Amarista and Willits for us (booooo!).
The Story: ESPN ranks Arte Moreno as the third-best owner.
The Monkey Says: I would have agreed with that before last off-season. His complete inability to understand the free agency market embarrassed the franchise and should have cost him a few spots in these rankings. That being said, Moreno is incredibly fan-friendly and dedicated to winning, which is something that can’t be said about most owners in pro sports.
The Story: Peter Bourjos keeps his dad on speed dial.
The Monkey Says: His dad is a scout and former big leaguer, so this is one of the few cases where a player seeking out fatherly advice over coaching advice actually isn’t a bad thing. Then again, a lot of people think most fathers have better hitting advice for the Angels than Mickey Hatcher does.
The Story: The league is preying on the Angels’ young hitters.
The Monkey Says: That is the problem with relying on so many kids, they are too prone to slumps as they learn on the job. The long-term benefits are well worth it, but it really sucks to have to deal with the growing pains in the short-term. Those pains wouldn’t be so obvious either if veterans like Torii Hunter and Vernon Wells had done a better job of performing up to expectations.
The Story: Mark Trumbo is no longer fazed by his min-slumps.
The Monkey Says: Good, because with hsi long swing and penchant for whiffing, he is going to go through a lot of cold streaks in his career. That isn’t meant to be a knock on him, that is just the kind of player he is.
The Story: Get to know Mike Trout.
The Monkey Says: What?!?!?! Jeter is his favorite player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mike Trout is dead to me. Trout Tracker Tuesday is officially canceled.