Time for Free For All Friday, a time to talk about all the Angels-related topics that slipped through the cracks this week, as well as any other totally unrelated topic you feel like bringing up.
Here are a few topics for you to discuss amongst yourselves:
- Seeing Adrian Beltre romp through the Angel pitching staff was pretty hard to stomach. Tony Reagins’ bungling of the Carl Crawford negotiations got all the press this winter, but as of today, I think we can all agree that not landing Beltre is what really hurt the Angels. Sure, Texas overpaid him, but Beltre is EXACTLY what the Angels need right now and they blew their chance at getting him. Now they need to hope they can convince Aramis Ramirez (the poor man’s Beltre) to waive his no-trade clause to come play for them.
- I was talking with my wife the other day and she was saying something about us growing old together and how it would be nice for us to relax on our porch in rocking chairs and playing bridge. Really? Bridge? I don’t know how to play bridge. She doesn’t know how to play bridge? Why would we suddenly start playing bridge once we get old and gray? Unless a bridge instruction manual comes with our AARP cards, I fail to see how and why we would ever learn to play some antiquated game. Getting old does not automatically make you a bridge afficionado. Nor am I going to start wearing argyle socks, suspenders, bowties and sweater vests the instant I start collecting Social Security (but that is mostly because Social Security will probably be dead by the time I retire).
- Now that I walk home from work everyday, I’ve started listening to ESPN’s Baseball Today podcast. I have to say, I always thought Keith Law was smart but always had to rag on everyone and everything and didn’t like him, but now he is winning me over. That isn’t because I was wrong about him, quite the contrary. I actually have a newfound respect for him because he is a truly equal opportunity snarkist. That takes a lot of effort and commitment and he should be lauded for his totally unbiased dislike for all things.
- It really doesn’t matter to me that the owners might be trying to ram a CBA down the NFLPA’s throat. Sure, it seems underhanded, but I hope the players just cave and accept it so we aren’t subjected to three more weeks of every news outlet claiming the two sides will have an agreement “any day now.”
- I tweeted this when it happened, but I would like to thank the Tigers for trading for Wilson Betemit and thus preventing Tony Reagins from doing so. It isn’t that Betemit isn’t a nice player, I just would’ve pulled my hair out watching Mike Scioscia trying to mix in another switch-hitting utility infielder into his lineup rotation. Yeah, the Angels need a bat, but if that bat can’t play everyday, I want nothing to do with him.
Or just feel free to bring up a topic of your own. I don’t really care (as long as you keep it clean) because it’s Friday.