The June 27th, 2011 edition of daily news for the LA Angels including Torii Hunter not sure when he will be back from his rib injury, not all Halos are anxious to return home, Abreu’s status as a Venezuelan great is growing and much more…
The Story: Torii Hunter isn’t sure when he will return to action.
The Monkey Says: Since Torii was struggling anyway, it would be stupid for the Angels to bring him back before he is 100% healthy. Frankly, Hunter could use some rest as he has started every game this season up until he got hurt, which really is more an indictment on the Angels’ lack of depth than a credit to Hunter’s ability.
The Story: Some Angels should be wary of their upcoming extended homestand.
The Monkey Says: The home struggles of the Halos are well documented, but to assume specific players just can’t hit there is a little outlandish. We’re dealing with very small sample sizes here, not to mention that some of the listed players in the article aren’t exactly hitting well on the road either.
The Story: Bobby Abreu’s status as one of the best Venezuelan players ever continues to grow.
The Monkey Says: Even in Venezuela, it still sounds as if Abreu is not fully appreciated since he is really more of a quiet stat compiler than he is a dominant player. Still, the fact that he ranks so highly in all-time Venezuelan stats is at least starting to earn him more and more deserved respect.
The Monkey Says: Hmm, I’m not sure what to make of that. Maybe I don’t know college baseball enough, but it seems to me that being a manager in Double-A is a better gig than being an assistant college coach, even if it is a major program.
The Story: Howie Kendrick, who is 5’10”, says he can dunk.
The Monkey Says: That is totally useless information (as per usual with Jeff Miller), but it is an impressive testament to Howie’s athleticism. And I swear that I’m not just saying that because I am shamed that a 5’10” guy can dunk with ease and I’m 6’5″ and have only successfully dunked a handful of times in my life.
The Story: Give blood, get free Angels tickets.
The Monkey Says: This gives new meaning to the phrase “I bleed Angel red.”
The Story: Mark Trumbo is getting better as the season goes on.
The Monkey Says: The power is intriguing for sure, and Trumbo is correct about his history of improving steadily at each level, but he HAS to show more patience. His power is good and his .260-ish average is perfectly fine for a guy with his power, but he isn’t going to be more than a fringe starter with an OBP that hovers right at .300. He has walked just twice in the entire month of June, and one of those was an intentional pass.