The July 29th, 2011 edition of daily news for the LA Angels including rumors heat up that Aramis Ramirez might waive his no-trade clause, evaluating Jered Weaver’s Cy Young chances, Santana basks in the no-hitter afterglow and much more…
The Story: Aramis Ramirez is beginning to rethink his refusal to waive his no-trade clause.
The Monkey Says: Now we are talking! Ramirez has been saying all season that he won’t waive his no-trade clause for family reasons, but he seems to be realizing that the Cubs could be heading into rebuilding mode and may not want to stick around for it. If he does decide to allow a trade, the Angels are the most logical match both in terms of team fit and trade package. There is even word that the Cubs had scouts at last night’s Arkansas Travelers game. Ramirez better make up his mind soon, because if he needs to allow whatever team that acquires him to figure out what to do about his 2012 option which automatically vests if he is traded, but he may not want it to, so there will definitely be negotiations that need to take place.
The Story: Can Jered Weaver win the Cy Young?
The Monkey Says: It is going to be close this year and might come down to who finishes the season best. I still think Verlander has the edge because he is flashier than Weaver, but if Jered can keep his ERA under 2.00, voters of every kind are going to have a hard time not voting for him.
The Story: Ervin Santana is enjoying the aftermath of his no-hitter.
The Monkey Says: It is great to see Ervin getting to enjoy the moment, especially since he is often treated as the red-headed stepchild of the rotation by many fans. Hopefully this buys him at least a few weeks worth of a break from Angel fans suggesting he be traded or converted to relief.
The Story: Mike Scioscia intends to have Jeff Mathis and Bobby Wilson split time.
The Monkey Says: It won’t be a 50/50 split since Scioscia is a bit worried about Wilson’s stamina (these things happen after you bury a guy on the bench for the first two-thirds of the season). Of course, this could be a short-term thing too since Hank Conger has been demolishing Triple-A pitching since his demotion.
The Story: Joel Pineiro is stumped by his recent struggles but insists he is 100% healthy.
The Monkey Says: I actually kind of wish it was a health problem since the Angels would at least know how to try and treat it or if they are going to need to replace him via trade. Instead, they are stuck hoping he figures out whatever mechanical issues he is likely suffering from.
The Monkey Says: I agree that they need a bat, but finding one that fits their roster is going to be tough (unless Aramis Ramirez does ultimately decide to waive his no-trade clause). I’ve always liked Josh Willingham’s bat, but I really don’t see where the Angels could realistically slot him into the lineup.