The May 7th, 2012 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including Hawkins and Downs both injured, Tony La Russa speculates on Pujols’ slump, the Angels could make an off-season play for Miguel Montero and much more…
The Story: Scott Downs and LaTroy Hawkins were both injured in yesterday’s game, but will travel with the team.
The Monkey Says: No word yet on the severity of Downs’ injury, but the fact that he is going on the road trip suggests that the injury is not thought to be major. However, LaTroy tweeted that he has a fractured pinkie. The recovery time is unknown, but a DL stint seems likely… which is great, because the bullpen can totally handle that major hit to their depth. It will be interesting to see who closes today, should the need arise since Ernesto Frieri has pitched two days in a row. I doubt they will rush Walden back into the role, so it could default to Jason Isringhausen. Let’s hope for a big margin of victory today.
The Monkey Says: Nobody knows Pujols better than LaRussa, plus the two still talk regularly, so I think we can put a lot of stock in this statement, but it might all be moot now that Albert has finally broken the home run jinx.
The Story: Kevin Jepsen was optioned to the minors to make room on the active roster for Ernesto Frieri.
The Monkey Says: This is probably the last we’ve seen of Jepsen, barring an unexpected rash of injuries, like if two guys got hurt in the same inning… crap.
The Story: The Angels are expected to make a run at signing All-Star catcher Miguel Montero this off-season.
The Monkey Says: That may not happen if Iannetta earns everyone’s trust and is willing to sign a team-friendly deal, but I like the idea. Montero is a great defender and swings a left-handed stick, giving the Halos more balance, potentially. Don’t expect this rumor to go away anytime soon.
The Story: An unbiased look at the prospects the Angels traded for Ernestro Frieri.
The Monkey Says: It is all about Roach. Odds are he would’ve been a top 10 Angel prospect by the end of this season, which is a handsome price to pay for a reliever, though Frieri could end up as closer within weeks, not to mention is still under team control for four years after this season. I say it was worth the price.
The Story: Relievers who leave Petco aren’t necessarily destined for failure.
The Monkey Says: Well, that’s great news!
The Story: Jordan Walden is progressing since his demotion.
The Monkey Says: Let’s hope he has, because with Hawkins hurt, the Angels are going to need someone to step up, and Waldo would be the ideal candidate, though I doubt Mike Scioscia is quite ready to put him back in a high leverage situation, which is why David Carpenter got the call in a big situation yesterday.
The Story: The Angels traded minor league prospect Loek Van Mil to Cleveland for future considerations.
The Monkey Says: Van Mil looked like he was making progress late last season, but he’s been a trainwreck this year. This is the Angels just plain dumping him as those “future considerations” will likely amount to nothing but a small cash payment, if that.
The Story: Peter Bourjos is expected to play a fair amount in the coming series in Minnesota.
The Monkey Says: Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it.
The Monkey Says: Ugh.