- The Story: Rex Hudler remains upbeat after his firing from the Angel broadcast booth. The Monkey Says: The Wonder Dog sounds positive and upbeat? I don’t believe you. Rex’s days with the Halos might be over, but he is bound to land on his feet either in broadcasting or as a motivational speaker.
- The Story: Torii Hunter’s homer-robbing catch is up for the TYIB defensive play of the year. The Monkey Says: You best be voting for Torii if only for his enthusiasm alone after making the catch.
- The Story: Toronto is allegedly asking for a major league-ready bat and pitcher as part of a package for Roy Halladay. The Monkey Says: The Halos actually match up here with Brandon Wood and Joe Saunders, assuming the Jays aren’t scared off by Saunders’ being eligible for arbitration for the first time.
- The Story: Bert Blyleven is once again on the Hall of Fame ballot but isn’t getting too concerned about it. The Monkey Says: The former Angel pitcher accumulated a lot of stats but hasn’t gotten the call to the Hall yet and is running out of time. Sadly, it seems Blyleven is not destined to be enshrined in Cooperstown this year but he might stand a better chance in 2011 or 2012.
- The Story: Bud Selig is poised to step down as MLB commissioner after the 2012 season. The Monkey Says: This isn’t Angel specific but obviously will have an impact on the franchise as the search for a replacement begins and a shift in collective bargaining relations begins to form. Stay tuned.
- The Story: Terry Evans and Trevor Reckling are the Angel minor league hitter and pitcher of the year, respectively. The Monkey Says: Reckling is a real contender to be the fifth starter this year while Evans will hope to make the team as a reserve outfielder if the Halos manage to rid themselves of Gary Matthews.
- The Story: The new season ticket prices are now available for the Angels. The Monkey Says: Some of the cheap seats are a bit cheaper, but most of the ticket prices have been raised slightly. Merry Christmas.
- The Story: One Boston writer considers the Angels favorites for BOTH Jason Bay and Roy Halladay. The Monkey Says: This writer is either misinformed or going for the reverse jinx. The Halos can’t afford both and I highly doubt they are serious suitors for Jason Bay based on his poor defense and high strikeout rate.
- The Story: AngelsWin.com has part 1 of their interview with Angels’ director of player development, Abe Flores. The Monkey Says: Flores reviews each level of the system and talks about improving the organization’s depth in outfield prospects including the development of PJ Phillips who was recently converted to the outfield and could once again be on his way to a major league future.