Daily Links for the LA Angels including Scioscia considering pitching staff changes, Kazmir “is toast”, what contract would Wells get on the free agent market and much more…
The Story: Mike Scioscia is already losing patience with the pitching staff and considering changes.
The Monkey Says: Kazmir getting removed from the rotation is not a change he will be making… yet. The shoulder problems for Pineiro are going to guarantee Kaz at least one more start, but all bets are off after that. As for the bullpen, expect to see a shuffling of roles this upcoming series.
The Story: One MLB scout says Kazmir “is toast.”
The Monkey Says: I agree, but I had a long Twitter argument with other who think differently. Nice to see that at least some professional talent evaluators are on my side.
The Story: What would Vernon Wells’ value have been had he been a free agent?
The Monkey Says: Interesting to see what MLB execs think Wells could have gotten on the open market. He is obviously being overpaid right now, but perhaps not as egregiously as we previously thought… or not.
The Story: Playing in Anaheim could lead to the reawakening of Vernon Wells.
The Monkey Says: I’ve put forth that theory myself, but Wells is off to a slow start so far, which really shouldn’t be a surprise. Let’s see how Vernon responds once he actually gets to play in from of the home Angel fans.
The Story: Tyler Chatwood and Alexi Amarista highlight the Salt Lake Bees Opening Day roster.
The Monkey Says: Nice to see the Halos being aggressive with Chatwood, who only pitched 68.1 innings in Double-A last season. If he performs well in hitter-friendly Salt Lake, Chatwood could be a dark horse for a rotation spot in the majors by the All-Star break (you know, because there will probably be a vacancy in the fifth starter slot).
The Story: Mike Trout and Garrett Richards headline the Opening Day roster for the Arkansas Travelers.
The Monkey Says: Neither of these are surprises, but seeing Trevor Reckling on the roster is a mild shock. Trevor flamed out in Triple-A last season and got pounded in spring training, but I had still hoped the Angels would try and challenge him by sending him back to Triple-A.
The Story: Metrolink is now offering a special Angels Express route for Angels games.
The Monkey Says: Good news for those of you who don’t like sitting in traffic but do enjoy sitting in urine soaked train seats.
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