THE BANE CONNECTION

Q&A with Eddie Bane
(Director of Scouting of the LA Angels)


By Chuck Richter Richter - Angelswin.com Founder & Executive Editor

Eddie Bane the Angels' scouting director and a former top pitching prospect himself as a standout pitcher for the Sun Devils from 1971-73, Eddie anchored two College World Series runner-up teams, in 1972 and 1973. His college accolades read like a laundry list of virtually every honor possible: A first-team All American, an All-College World Series selection, the 1973 Sporting News Player of the Year -- and later, a first-round draft pick. More specifically, Eddie led the ASU pitching staff to the tune of 130 strikeouts and a 2.18 era in 1971, 213 strikeouts and a 0.99 era in 1972, and 192 strikeouts in 1973. Over time, his accomplishments have proven to be timeless.

Eddie's numbers are as phenomenal today as they were some 25 years ago. He still owns several ASU pitching records, including the single-season record of 43 consecutive scoreless innings in 1972. He posted a school record 0.99 era and 7 shutouts that same year. His 505 strikeouts top the Sun Devil career charts, and he owns the great distinction of throwing the only perfect game in ASU baseball history. For you trivia buffs, it was against Cal State Northridge on March 2, 1973.

Eddie was a first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins in 1973 (11th pick overall), and went on to spend the 1973, 1975 and 1976 seasons with the club.

In fact, since major league baseball began its free agent draft in 1965, eddie is one of only 18 players to ever advance directly to the major leagues without first playing in the minors. He shares this distinction with such players as Dave Winfield and Bob Horner.

In 1994, Baseball America named Eddie to its All-Time College All-Star Team.

A former scout for the Angels now as director of scouting Bane was instrumental in the last two drafts with luring in Jered Weaver and Trevor Bell for its two top picks, but more importantly snagging late rounders Nick Adenhart, Mark Trumbo & in '05 Tommy Mendoza (5th round) & Peter Bourjos (10th) who have a chance to be steals when we look back on the his first two drafts a few years down the road.

So with that, let's get proceed to the Q&A session this month, with Eddie Bane.

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The Bane Connection - July (2008) Edition
by Chuck Richter - Angelswin.com Founder & Executive Editor
July 30th, 2008

Q: (Angelswin) - Before we dig in to this month's Bane Connection, tell us a little bit about the induction to the College Baseball Hall of Fame Eddie.

A: (Eddie Bane) - Hey guys. The thing in Lubbock was cool. Riding in a parade. Signing autographs, hanging around with Hooten, Swindell, Ben MacDonald and the others was a lot of fun. Kind of like I explained to my daughter Veronica though. She plays a princess at Legoland and when she comes out dressed in the princess outfit everybody adores her. When she walks back out in her street clothes only her boyfriend, me and her mom notice her. That is what celebrity really is. Take it with a big grain of salt. As soon as I left Lubbock I had the same Southwest Airlines flight as everybody else.

Q: (Angelswin) - Sean Rodriguez has really been stepping up his game and seems to be positioning himself as one of the top prospects in the organization perhaps even passing Wood at the moment. With Kendrick in front of him at 2B, and Aybar at SS, is Sean good enough to beat out Eric at SS, is he destined to be part of a trade or are there thoughts of playing him somewhere other than 2B/SS.

A: (Eddie Bane) - Chuck and guys and girls this is what makes the Angels so good. Arte wants a world champion, but he also wants the Angels to be good for a long time. We will be. Kotchman (who netted us Teixeira), Kendrick, Aybar-Izturis and Figgins are all young and good. They have Morales, Trumbo, Sean Rodriguez, Statia, Mount, Wood, Phillips, Romine and others right behind them and pushing hard. That is what made the Dodgers so good in the past. The Dodgers got away from that method for awhile and it has hurt them until recently.

That is just the infielders and does not include guys like Sweeney who has missed the entire season. Sean Rodriguez is really good and is having another really good season and for that he gets all the credit. But, one prospect is going to have a hard time sticking out in the Angel system. How can anyone overlook what Freddy Sandoval has done this season? Freddy will be a major league player if he continues to put in the time he always has and works on his craft.

Q: (Angelswin) - How confident are you that Adenhart has just hit a bump in the wall and will rebound nicely this season or next? What does he think the big problem is right now. He's not missing many bats.

A: (Eddie Bane) - I have talked about this in the past and still feel the same exact way. Nick Adenhart had a TJ surgery while still in high school. He still made it to the big leagues at 21 years old. That is a big time accomplishment. Nick is not in any way, shape or form a part of any problem. Nick Adenhart is the solution as long as he stays healthy and will one day shortly be a front of the rotation starter. I find that stats, etc are fun to play with, but you have to take them with a grain of salt.

I read a guy named Passan today talking about our club and was concerned that our run differential was not as good as he would like it to be. We have a 11.5 game lead in the West right now and the 5th guy that started out of the break is Jered Weaver. That alone shows you how tough that big league rotation is for other teams to handle and they just swept the reigning World Champions last week for their 2nd time this season.

Q: (Angelswin) - Can we get a run down on some of the prospects in the Arizona League and Dominican Summer League? How does the Dominican Summer League compare in terms of talent to the other minor league levels in the org? Who stands out when you think of some of the players in both of these leagues. Who should we keep an eye on?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Keep the name Flavio Martinez in mind. Huge, almost Walden-like fastball.

Q: (Angelswin) - Tell us about David Herndon and his conversion to close. Stuff, Makeup etc. - Is Trevor Bell going the route of Stephen Marek, pitching primarily out of the bullpen from here on out?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Some guys take to the pen quickly with no speepd bumps and even improve in those stints. Herndon and Marek, both had big velocity jumps in short stints. And, their breaking stuff was also improved. It is a lot of fun to watch Herndon close a game now and David will come quick if needed. Trevor is also a guy that pitched best in HS when he pitched like his hair was on fire. But, it might be a little early to put Trevor Bell in the pen.

Q: (Angelswin) - In our last Draft Edition of the Bane Connection you rated the best tools of the 2008 draftees. After a half of season of evaluation of those that have played, let's rate the Angels minor leaguers best tools.

A: (Eddie Bane) -

BEST ATHLETE - For baseball I would say Peter Bourjos, but all around probably PJ Phillips with all the talent in that family.

BEST PURE HITTER - Very tough question. For me personally it would be either Conger or Morales. Switch hitters so they dont have to face that breaking ball running away from them.

BEST POWER HITTER - Mark Trumbo has as much pure power as anyone in baseball. Now he is using that incredible power in games also.

BEST STRIKE-ZONE JUDGMENT - First reaction would be I don't care, but that would be a little blase as I am looking for guys that crash the ball, but I understand the theory about plate discipline. Let me answer it this way then, Ryan Mount needed better plate discipline as did PJ Phillips and they have both done a fine job this season of reading and studying pitchers. That is what I look at in most cases.

FASTEST BASERUNNER - Peter Bourjos who is also using that speed better after a ton of work in big league camp with Mike Scioscia, Ron Roenicke, Alfredo Griffin and others. The he took it to the next level thanks to Bruce Hines and our other minor league coordinators.

BEST DEFENSIVE OUTFIELDER - Same guy (Peter Bourjos). Kotchman compared him to Devon White at one point and Kotch had Devon and that is really high praise.

BEST DEFENSIVE MIDDLE INFIELDER - Some really slick guys in the middle, but for pure defense I would want Andrew Romine playing shortstop when I needed an out and I was pitching.

BEST DEFENSIVE CATCHER - In the catching category we always defer to Mike Scioscia.

BEST ARM STRENGTH - On defense Bourjos may not have the most pure arm, but he will always throw out a lot of guys because of a quick, accurate arm that Ever Mags has helped hone.

BEST FASTBALL - Lots of guys. But, flat-out day in and day out Jordan Walden can bring it. He faced Morris with the Dodgers the other day and Morris was up to 96. He was getting beat by 2 MPH by Walden. I told our guys, "how many times do you think Morris has had a pitcher on the other team throw harder than he does." Touched 100 last year for Kotch in the playoffs with Poreda (White Sox) throwing up to 98.

BEST CURVEBALL - Both Adenhart and Reckling have plus curves.

BEST SLIDER - I like Ryan Aldridge's slider personally.

BEST CHANGEUP - Nick Adenhart

BEST COMMAND - Sean O'Sullivan

CLOSEST TO MAJORS - Nick Adenhart

Q: (Angelswin) - Why aren't the last two catchers from our minor league system better at throwing out runners. I understand that our pitchers are great at holding on runners, but, its gotten to be pretty bad. How does Bobby Wilson compare to Mathis and Napoli both offensively and defensively?

A: (Eddie Bane) - On this one I would have to respectfully disagree. Napoli and Mathis are both above average catchers in the Mike Scioscia system and that is the best system for a catcher to be in at the Major League level. They are lucky to have Mike and we are lucky to have the both of them, they've had some bad games, but it's not indicative of their ability. Bobby Wilson is a major leaguer at some point and needs to simply keep working and trying to improve while working as hard as he is now to stay in the best shape possible.

Q: (Angelswin) - How are the signings going? Has a player signed that we don't know about yet? Who have we lost (as in no way they will sign with us)? I'd love to get our top draft picks signed such as Zach Cone, Khiry Cooper, Joey Belviso, Taylor Jungmann, Rolando Gomez, Jamie Mallard, and Donnie Roach. Can you give us an update on these kids and where we're at going forward with the class of 2008?

A: (Eddie Bane) - We just signed Rolando Gomez and I think you guys will like him a lot. Great father and a quietly intense kid. If you have to dream on a player, (I encourage our scouts to always come up with a big league comparable player) then Rollie's comp is Rafael Furcal. Shorter guys with outstanding strength and plus throwing arm. Rollie does not have Rafael's arm, but not many people do either.

On a bit of a different note; every once in awhile you run into some parents that really want to make this about them instead of their children. Most always the parents are outstanding and really help our draftee along the way. Frank Gomez was great to deal with. The Chatwood family was off the charts. When I watch Rancho I am always excited about seeing the Mount family, the Conger family, the O'Sullivan's, the Trumbo's and all the other great parents like Trevor Bell's.

But, once in awhile you run into somebody you just cant get on the same page with. Last week I emailed Donnie Roach's family to let them know that I did not think it was going to work out and that the best thing to do was go our different ways and I wished him good luck at the University of Arizona. So I sent the letter and lo and behold Mr. Roach printed my letter word for word on a blog site that the young men and their family use that attend or attended Bishop Gorman HS.

I know that the mail is a public deal (especially the email internet version) and told them that they had every right to post my email to them, but that nevertheless I was disappointed that they would put my personal email to them on their blog site. Next thing I know my 2nd email to them was on the blog site also. Needless to say I have stopped any more emails to the Roach family and have definitely moved on from that particular player and learned my lesson. The tough part is that we liked Donnie Roach and wanted to make a run at him later in the summer, but that is over with and I would take this time to apologize to the Roach family if myself or my scouts did anything that really bothered them..

Q: (Angelswin) - Where does Freddy Sandoval fit? He's having a great season yet it seems he will have no spot. How is his defense?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Freddy Sandoval has established himself this year as a solid major league prospect who is one jump away from the big leagues. Freddy has had a great season, again, and has really increased his value by learning some other spots. Great position to be in for any young prospect. As I said above, learning other positions and how to hit at certain parts of the order have definitely increased his value across the board.

Q: (Angelswin) - The Angels have a ton of incredible pitching talent in the lower minor leagues. What can he tell us about Manuarys Correa and Alexander Torres? Who do you compare them to?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Yes, the pitchers have really come through for us this season in the minor leagues and you have to be especially happy at the way some of the Latin pitchers have risen to a big challenge. Torres is going to be really good and a couple of those arms in 2A are nightmares for the opponents.

Q: (Angelswin) - Who will be the first player to have an impact on offense in the majors that we aren't expecting? Or who's the biggest sleeper on the offensive side?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Not a sleeper because he has been doing great for a long time, but Sean Rodriguez to go along with "Steady" Freddy Sandoval. They are big leaguers without a question.

Q: (Angelswin) - Sean O'Sullivan and PJ Phillips have really turned things around of late, anything that they've changed to their approach or mechanics that have resulted in better performances of late?

A: (Eddie Bane) - PJ has really started to hit and get more comfortable in his overall game. Great to see from a wonderful young man. I am not sure what people were looking for from Sean O. He is leading the Cal League in wins and is on pace to be a 16-17 game winner this year in 5 months. Dominant at times. He has the best command for me of any pitchers we have in the minors and touches 94 mph every time he is on the mound. Knows what he is doing on the mound and after leading the Midwest League in ERA at 19 years old and then leading the Cal League in wins at 20 years old, we certainly could not be happier with O'Sullivan.

Q: (Angelswin) - Has there been a lack of strong offensive talent in recent June drafts? It seems that a far larger % of the first 7-8 picks by the Angels are pitchers, in spite of the strength in that area in the org.

A: (Eddie Bane) - Same old story guys. As Bill Parcells says all the time, "we just take the best player available regardless of position.

Q: (Angelswin) - Lastly, the Angelswin.com readers would love to see a Mock 2010 lineup and pitching setup according to Eddie Bane. So just for kicks, have at it Eddie ...

A: (Eddie Bane) - I would love to have at that lineup myself, but at this time I will hold off on giving you my projections, as that is a secret that I owe only to Tony and Arte Moreno, so I am going to bail on that question and wait for a good pitch to hit as they say.

(Angelswin) - We just nearly had a sick lineup from Eddie Bane, maybe next time (heh). Thank you for your time once again Eddie, the Angels fans, Angelswin.com members and myself all appreciate it.

(Eddie Bane) - Just as a side note myself and the scouting department wanted to thank both Casey and Stephen for their great contributions to the Angel organization. Thanks, Casey and Stephen.

Thanks Angelswin.com members for writing into Chuck. Make sure that Chuck shares some of his pictures from his vacation in Yellowstone. Until next time, EB.

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The Bane Connection - June (2008) Edition
by Chuck Richter - Angelswin.com Founder & Executive Editor
June 13th, 2008

Q: (Angelswin) - Eddie, first off, I heard you on the Angels AM 830 radio show this morning. Good stuff, though not the "meat and potatoes" that we usually discuss here, what a treat for those who aren't able to be online much or at all, now they can hear about the draft and kids down on the farm while on the road.

Let's get started...

With our first pick in the 2008 amateur draft -Tyler Chatwood, are you happy with the pick and were you surprised he was still on the board in the 2nd round?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Chuck, thanks for the shout out on the radio gig on 830. The Angels have a great deal and we can get a lot of traffic concerning Angels Baseball on 830. Plus the morning show is really good. People should give it a listen.

Tyler Chatwood was rated very high on our board. I saw one game where he did not throw a pitch under 94 and reached 97. In addition Chatwood has a plus curve. We have some work to do on getting his command where it needs to be, but we are very happy with Tyler. Some teams may have shied away because of size, but that does not bother me that much.

Q: (Angelswin) - Do you foresee having any signability issues with any certain draftee?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Of course. Every player thinks they should have been drafted higher and every player wants more money. That is just the nature of the beast.

Q: (Angelswin) - Did we "take a chance" on a player who is coming off of an injury?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Ryan Chaffee, our 2nd selection came out his start at the JC World Series after tripping over a bat in the 2nd inning, but that is not serious. No players that are coming off of big injuries, but everybody in todays' game is hurt somewhat and it is a matter of the training and medical staff helping them get better.

Q: (Angelswin) - Steal of the draft in Eddie Bane's eyes is?

A: (Eddie Bane) - The Angels got a shortstop a little later in the draft by the name of Rolando Gomez from south Florida. He would have been a higher pick if he was more signable. I want to work on him all summer and see what we have.

Gabe Jacobo in the 10th round has a big time bat. College bats are usually not available in the 10th round with as much thunder as Jacobo has. But, it is hard rating the steal of the draft, because we have not signed all of them and in addition we had no idea that a guy like Romine was as good as he was last year when we got him in the 5th round.

Q: (Angelswin) - What is the first thing Eddie always looks for when drafting a player: Potential/Upside? Specific position? Best value? Club need? Character?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Almost never club need. The player that is in the big leagues now is not the player that our draft needs to beat out. He needs to worry about players already in the system. So, it is not the future. First thing you have to see are the 5 tools. Hit, Arm, Run, Power and Field or HARPF. Without at least some of those you can have the best character in the world and not make it. My youngest daughter, Veronica is at Chapman and has a 3.5 GPA. She has great character. BUT, her HARPF is lousy so she is not going to be an Angels Draft.

Q: (Angelswin) - How soon after the draft do those drafted hit the diamond for workouts? Does it depend on whether or not a HS player is undecided about going to college? Is he eligible to participate in organizational workouts and still go to college if he chooses not to sign?

A: (Eddie Bane) - We are finishing our mini-camp in Arizona right now. The team then leaves for Orem or the ones that are staying in AZ start their league this week. A player must sign before he can work with the Angel staff.

Q: (Angelswin) - OK, this years' crop of kids best tools. (2008 Draftees)

A: (Eddie Bane) -

BEST ATHLETE - Khiry Cooper is a 3 star wideout recruit for Nebraska, but his future is definitely in baseball

BEST PURE HITTER - Gabe Jacobo for College and Jamie Mallard for high school

BEST POWER HITTER - Same 2 previous guys mentioned (above)

BEST STRIKE-ZONE JUDGMENT - I hope none of them. That is a learned trait. I want guys that swing the bat at good pitches. We work on the other stuff after they get here.

FASTEST BASERUNNER - Zach Cone

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER - Nicholas Farnsworth is a really good defender at 1b, although we drafted him for his bat more than his glove.

BEST ARM STRENGTH - Not sure yet as a couple of the position players have nice arms.

BEST FASTBALL - Tyler Chatwood for HS and Michael Kohn from Georgia for College.

BEST SECONDARY PITCH - Ryan Chaffee has nice other stuff. So does Will Smith

BEST COMMAND - Will Smith will at some point have plus command

CLOSEST TO MAJORS - Chaffee or Jacobo, but that plays very little in where we draft players. We need these guys in 4-5 years to make a splash in the big leagues and we don't draft for guys that can just help us a bit and then be gone. Take Steven Marek for example. Some fans may have forgotten him. Last night in 2A he struck out 4 guys in one inning in a one run game. Fastball was at 94 with a plus major league curve. That is what we want these guys to do.

Jepsen. Aldridge, Marek and Arredondo are all examples of wanting guys for the long term when they are major league ready and not for half a season.

Q: (Angelswin) - Do you see a lot of similarities between Zach Cone and Matt Kemp? What about Rolando Gomez and Maicer Izturis?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Very good body comparisons, but since we have not signed either player I will hold judgment on the rest of the question.

Q: (Angelswin) - Will the Angels ever draft a player who hits the ground running like Evan Longoria or Ryan Braun? How has this happened so infrequently (maybe Glaus, Salmon and Edmonds the only instances) during the 47 year history of this franchise, especially when so many of the teams were awful and drafting high every year?

A: (Eddie Bane) - No, emphatically NO.

Chuck, as long as Arte is the best owner in the game we are going to select late. We win and that means you select late. Tampa Bay has done a great job and I mean that, but for heavens sake they have had the 1st or 2nd pick every year for the last 10 years. They should have already had a good team by now. We have to find the Braun's and Longoria's when they are in high school and sign them. I ask our scouts to take a chance on the HS player that is going to become Longoria. You miss sometimes and sometimes you hit big.

We draft the Braun's and others when you go out and see Peter Bourjos. Most of the college young men that were selected in the first round are not as good a prospect as Peter Bourjos and Pete would have been in this draft if he had attended college. The same thing will be true next year with Hank Conger. Conger will be better than most of the college players drafted in the first round next year.

Q: (Angelswin) - With the international signing period about to begin in July, do the Angels look at a guy like Michel Inoa who might command a signing bonus of 2-3.5 million dollars? How active will the Angels be with some of the top rated international players that might command a high signing bonus? Do the initial conversations and signings with the just drafted players determine how much you might be willing to spend internationally?

A: (Eddie Bane) - No, we have a distinct budget for each department. We look at every player internationally. Nobody is off our charts.

Q: (Angelswin) - Back to this years' crop of kids, one Angelswin.com member says: Joey Belviso, Donnie Roach, DeMetrius Washington, and Christian Scholl. These guys are legit, what are the chances we sign them?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Once again Chuck I am thrilled that people take the time to know who these guys are. That says a lot about our Angel fans. Scholl has already signed. We will get one or 2 of the others inked also. Time frame is who knows, but has to be done by August 15, 2008.

Q: (Angelswin) - Thoughts on why Wood is struggling so much up here compared to down in the minors?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Brandon Wood is a no doubt Major League player in my mind. The Angels have more homegrown players than any other organization. But, with the Angels we are here to win the World Series. Some teams could take the struggles of a young player and ride it out because the team was not ready to win. That is not the case here. Or, a team may have no other options. Once again that is not the case here. If you want competition this is the place to be and Brandon Wood loves competition so he will be just fine.

Q: (Angelswin) - Speaking of struggling, do you still feel that bringing Adenhart up was the right decision? Along with that, are you still not concerned with Adenhart's BB/K ratio?

A: (Eddie Bane) - We have a lot more to worry about than Nick's command. Every team in the game would answer the phone if we wanted to talk about Nick. We don't want to talk about that. Nick has certainly walked more people than he should. He knows that. His delivery is clean he has a great mind for the game. Look at the great deal that Tony Reagins did last winter by not listening to people that wanted to trade Ervin Santana. Where would we be without him. Same way with Nick Adenhart. He is an Angel and will be good for the Angels long term.

To answer the question though I am not concerned about Nick Adenhart in the least. If he stays healthy he will be a 1-2 starter in the big leagues down the road.

Q: (Angelswin) - Do you still find time at any point in the year to play baseball at a competitive level in a rec. league/ league for adults/former players, etc...? If not, do you hit the practice field and participate in inter-squads with some of the guys ever? Do you still throw the ball around?

A: (Eddie Bane) - I am not that busy Chuck, but I can create things to do in my mind and get lazy, but I should definitely get out and exercise more often. The internet and Google have some bad pictures of me and I am better than that. LOL. My arm hurts so bad when I throw that it takes a minute or 2 to get the ball all the way in the air to the catcher.

Q: (Angelswin) - Do you get to see your family much during the season? Do you have any kids who play ball?

A: (Eddie Bane) - The good thing about scouting and family is that when you are home you really are home and don't have to go 9 to 5. The bad thing is you are gone a lot.

I have 4 kids and they all have made me very proud. Jaymie, is the oldest and he played in the Angels organization and is now a Major League scout for the Red Sox. Corey is my youngest son and he owns his own home theater business, called Bulldog Audio and he has been getting a ton of business but could always use more. Kacey is my oldest daughter and is almost done with her masters and doctorate in history. Veronica is my youngest daughter and is a sophomore at Chapman with a high GPA and is also one of the Princess characters where she works at Legoland. A great group of kids that I obviously am really proud of.

As always, thank you Eddie. Fans have been flocking to Angelswin.com in droves to look for this feature every month. Angels fans truly appreciate your time. Our contributors and myself at Angelswin.com truly appreciate your time and support.

Eddie Bane - Thanks readers. This is fun to do and thanks for letting me brag on my kids. Both my natural kids and the kids we have drafted for the Angels. Hope you guys like the draft and let me know when and if you disagree with what we are doing.

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The Bane Connection - May (2008) Edition
by Chuck Richter - Angelswin.com Founder & Executive Editor
May 26th, 2008

Q: (Angelswin) - Hope you're having a great memorial day weekend, Eddie. With the draft coming up, how are you and your staff preparing for the '08 Amateur Baseball Draft. If you can give our readers a behind the scenes look at what the Angels '08 strategy is and possibly what players are high on your list on draft day.

A: (Eddie Bane) - Hey Chuck and the readers. Great to hear from you guys again. First of all Chuck you know I cannot give you any information on who we are considering for the draft. This is not the NFL and I am continually amazed at how much information NFL and NBA people share with the outside world. If we have someone we like where we select the Angels will do everything in our power to throw all 29 other teams in a different direction. Dog eat dog world in the MLB draft and that is what makes it so much fun. Friends sending friends with other teams all other the globe in the wrong direction in order to get an advantage. We started our meetings today(Monday) and will meet every day until draft day just fine tuning our board until our scouts personal Christmas time(draft day). The MLB draft does not get the play of the NFL draft, but it is certainly just as important to the lifeblood of the Angels organization.


Q: (Angelswin) - Without a 1st round pick this year (losing ours for signing Torii Hunter) will the Angels gamble their 2nd round pick for a player with signability issues like Matt Harvey?

A: (Eddie Bane) - No, we will just line them up and fight about the players (amongst all the crosscheckers and myself) and then select off the board the way it comes down the pike. We took an educated gamble last season with Mr Harvey and just missed on signing him. We do get a pick at the end of the 3rd round as compensation for not signing Matt. Obviously we would rather have Matt, but his agent and family wanted more money and we felt that our offer was very respectable.

BTW, I will take a Torii Hunter every single year and let us try and find value like Adenhart, Tobin, Walden, Reckling, Bourjos and others down in the draft.


Q: (Angelswin) - Who in your opinion is hands down the best College and High School top pick in this draft?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Do not want to dodge the question, but RJ Harrison (Tampa's Scouting Director and owner of the 1st pick) would not be happy with me if I made my thoughts public on who I felt was the best player. I will give you guys an example. In 2004 one of the Padres people (San Diego owned the first pick) was quoted in the media during the amateur season that Jered Weaver was the best player in the country by far and that he was ready for the major leagues now. San Diego (fortunately for the Angels) bypassed Weaver and selected Matt Bush. Even though we love the fact we were able to draft Jered we did have to face those quotes in the negotiating sessions.

(Angelswin) - Fair enough


Q: (Angelswin) - How is Young-Il progressing in extended spring/AZ?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Young Il has been facing some arm issues and we are currently trying to get those ironed out. Things happen with pitchers. In the game nowadays, with the strength of the players and the many medical advancements available it is a good idea to do everything possible to keep healthy players.


Q: (Angelswin) - Peter Bourjos & Mark Trumbo are both looking real good in High-A Ball. I know you've been really high on both of these kids who you have had a part in drafting. Your thoughts on their development?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Peter Bourjos has 28 stolen bases as of May 25. That is great news for the organization. Peter is one of the fastest players in the game though he may not look like that. BUT, it helped him tremendously being in big league camp this spring and having Scioscia, Roeniecke, Griffin and others encourage him and tell him it is ok to get thrown out once in awhile. Peter is a plus defender with an average to plus arm and tremendous speed. Now he is hitting, but the thing that will make him an over the top player is that some of our Major League scouts like Brad Sloan believe Peter will also hit more than 15 homeruns per year when he matures.

Power is the last tool that comes in a prospects progress. Mark Trumbo has as much raw power as anyone in the game. He is now starting to turn that into game power. Mark gets frustrated at times because he cares so much, but he is beginning to realize that big time power guys dont hit HR's everyday. The only problem with Mark Trumbo is that he cheers for USC in football and I have to set him straight about the up and coming ASU Sun Devils. For some unknown reason he still likes USC. Oh well.


Q: (Angelswin) - Will we see PJ Phillips in the OF, with his speed, perhaps in centerfield soon? His defense is awfully erratic at SS.

A: (Eddie Bane) - Lots of people are asking that question. The answer is tough because PJ is going to play in the major leagues at some position. The infield surfaces in the Cal League can get hard at times and even a great handed defender like Andrew Romine would struggle in the Cal League. Remember some people were clamoring for a team a few years ago to get rid of a young man named Brandon Phillips. He just signed a huge contract with his new team and you know his old team realizes they gave up too quick. Too many of our great minor league people, like Bruce Hines, believe in PJ and that is good enough for me.

BTW how about the James Phillips family of Atlanta, Georgia. Mother and Father own and run a batting cage center in Atlanta. You can get kicked out of the center if your report card is not good enough. Big brother, Brandon is a major leaguer. PJ will be a major leaguer and sister Porsche was an McDonalds All-American HS basketball player.


Q: (Angelswin) - What is the main difference you see in players once they get some time in the show and then they are sent back?

A: (Eddie Bane) - That is the tell tale part of a player. Once you get that taste of the big leagues the next thing you want is to get right back to that level where as Crash Davis said, "all the balls are pearls, you eat steak and lobster and never carry your own bags." Players usually work extra hard after the initial shock of being sent down to the minor leagues.


Q: (Angelswin) - Is the fitness/diet of each player up to that individual or is this closely monitored at each level?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Folks, you would not believe how closely players are monitored in professional baseball. A quality diet may be the thing that keeps a player in shape and helps him get to the big leagues over another player with the same ability. Just for old times sake though I hope the players sneak off to Del Taco once in awhile to honor us old players. In baseball lore, junk food and the minor leagues kind of go together.


Q: (Angelswin) - According to Baseball Prospectus, " Sean Rodriguez has a little bit of the Jose Valentin skill set: a guy who will hit about .240 but can be a hidden asset at the major league level between his walks, isolated power, and his underrated defense. He hasn't been fantastic in his major league debut this season, but it’s interesting that the Angels seem to be giving him first dibs over Brandon Wood. Players who hit for low averages are probably at more risk of their major league teams running out of patience with them, so the key thing for the Angels to keep in mind is that this is a player whom PECOTA thinks has a fair amount of development left in his bat, even if he’s likely to underwhelm at the major league level now. "

What are your thoughts in regards to BP's take on Rodriguez?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Chuck I thought PECOTA was the one that was against people wearing fur coats. No, you are correct that is PETA. Seriously they do make sense, but the sample size is so small that I am surprised they would have an opinion this early on Sean. I don't think you need a stat book though to tell you that Sean Rodriquez is a good baseball player. Tough and knows the game. That is why he is playing and certainly why he is playing 2b over Brandon Wood is because Woodie never plays 2nd. Sean will pop some homeruns, steal an occasional base and hang tough on the dp. For me Sean is another example of the depth that we have in the organization. That will be one of the key things if we are able to stay on top in the AL West.


Q: (Angelswin) - How has Morales performed defensively in RF? With Kotchman performing well at the big league level, it seems we need to find a different position for Morales to crack the big league club going forward.

A: (Eddie Bane) - Kendry continues to hit while moving around at levels and positions. Some players have that knack. Hard to bother Morales when he has a bat in his hand. He is a good enough athlete to do a good job in the OF, but he is just getting started.


Q: (Angelswin) - Just how good is the starting rotation at Cedar Rapids?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Not many teams are going to be able to roll out 5 starters like we have in Cedar and that is what is the fun part about drafting a lot of HS and JC players. Pref order would be tough, but you would start with Jordan Walden who has the stuff and makeup to be a front of the rotation guy. Fish and Reckling are both hs sign lefties with plus fastballs and plus curves. Reckling is a very confident young lefty from the east coast who believes in himself and his stuff. Tobin is a jc sign that we got at a bargin price. Tobin's fastball gets to 95 a lot with brick-like life. Anton is a 1st year lefty that John Gracio found in Arizona working out at a baseball academy. John Gracio stayed with Anton even though he was not pitching competitively and we were able to get a lefty prospect that not a lot of teams knew about.

For me that is the real reason that the Angels future is so bright. Our scouts go the extra mile to find these guys and that makes me really proud of them.


Q: (Angelswin) - How do Bobby Wilson and Ben Johnson look behind the plate? (Defensively)

A: (Eddie Bane) - It better be good because in this organization if you do not catch the Scioscia-way then you will get run over by the train coming from behind in the form of DeLos Santos and Hank Conger who is getting close to being healthy.


Q: (Angelswin) - At Rancho, Norman has been moving throughout several spots in the lineup and posting some very solid numbers. How do you see him developing offensively and defensively?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Norman is an older player that got a late start on his career. But, he continues to hit and what can you say? If you hit in this game and have the love and passion that Norman has then you always have a chance.


Q: (Angelswin) - Lastly, who has really stood out this minor league season in your opinion? Who else should we be watching?


A: (Eddie Bane) - One of the hard things has been all the injuries that Abe Flores has had to put up with. But, I always tell the hurt guys to get out of the way because in the Angels organization if you are not playing then somebody is trying to take your job. Tough fact of life. The things that have stood out would be stuff like Adenhart battling all the way through the Tommy John he had in hs and making it to the major leagues at 21. He will be back shortly, as long as he is healthy, and be a star at the Major League level. All the pitchers at Cedar Rapids showing their stuff night after night has been a nice surprise.

People seeing how good Peter Bourjos really is. Especially, Tony having Peter in big league camp so the Major League coaches can watch him play. Trumbo's power starting to come around and Ryan Aldridge getting healthy enough to start showing how special he could be.


(Angelswin) - Eddie as always, the fans, the entire staff and community at Angelswin.com and myself appreciate your time.

A: (Eddie Bane) - You guys are great fans and I really really appreciate the interest you guys show. Now if you would help me with this first pick instead of laying back in the weeds it sure would help.

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The Bane Connection - April (2008) Edition
by Chuck Richter - Angelswin.com Founder & Executive Editor
April 28th, 2008

Q: (Angelswin) - Hope you've been well the last month since we last chatted, Eddie. What's new as Director of Scouting of the Los Angeles Angels?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Hey guys. Travel, hotels, watching games, renting cars and seeing a lot of airports. Not much else except that wonderful road food that keeps us scouts in such tremendous condition.

Q: (Angelswin) - The Salt Lake Bees are 21-1 as of right now, going into Sunday's game. What an amazing feat they've accomplished. What an amazing roster. Your thoughts?

A: (Eddie Bane) - I think you also need to realize that this team in Salt Lake is made up of a lot of home grown players that are prospects. A lot of them will be needed over the course of the season to help at the Major League level, but it is quite a testament to these players and Bobby Mitchell that they are keeping their focus and playing the game hard and with great concentration. A lot of times in todays game 3A is an older group that is playing out the string. Not the case at all with the Salt Lake team. Nick Green, Nick Adenhart, Thompson, Arredondo, Morales, Willits, Coon, Brandon Wood, Freddy Sandoval and several others are all homegrown and they are all legit major leaguers that will all play at that level if they can stay healthy.

Q: (Angelswin) - I noticed that Nick Adenhart's SO/BB ratio is 19-15. That is not very good in my opinion, despite his low ERA. Is he working on something in Salt Lake? Or is he instructed to "Pitch to Contact" rather than go for the whiffs?

A: (Eddie Bane) - I certainly do not see it that way at all. Nick is a guy that has an ERA under 1.00 in the PCL which is tradionally a hitters league. He is pitching against a lot of older guys and he is 21 years old. Nick Adenhart is probably the best pitching prospect in the game right now and we are lucky to have him and lucky to have him healthy. He continues to work hard and just today I noticed he blew away Fresno for 8 innings. I really do not care what the SO/BB ratio is when a pitcher has as low an ERA as Adenhart does. Sometimes with stats we can make baseball a lot harder than it is. As the old scout saying goes, "the hitters will tell you how good a guy is throwing"....... and the hitters have let us know that Nick is throwing the ball extremely well.

Q: (Angelswin) - Speaking of "Pitch to Contact". Can you explain to our readers what this means and if it's beneficial to a starting pitcher? Additionally is it only taught to those who do not have a knock out pitch to generate K's?

A: (Eddie Bane) - "Pitching to contact" is one of my least favorite sayings in todays vernacular and my scouts know that. Koufax and Ryan never pitched to contact. Blyleven did not. I guess the term means to get the ball over the plate early in the count, but if that is what you want to say then just say that. My scouts know not to say, "pitches to contact"........ " the guy has electric stuff" or that a "pitcher is bumping 95" on the radar gun. I only went to Arizona State so I don't know what that stuff means.

To answer the question you cannot teach a pitcher to "pitch to contact". You can get the ball over the plate more often, but that only helps the guys with marginal command.

Q: (Angelswin) - Matt Brown, a later bloomer, future starter? or is he just on a hot streak, still projecting as a reserve infielder or utility player in the big leagues? What do the Angels and your scouts think of him? Do they view him as a future starter or?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Matt Brown has always been a good player. He is hard on himself sometimes and that is tough in a 162 game season. We certainly see him as a major league player. No doubt about that, but he has to find a spot with the Angels and carve that spot out. That is not easy.

Q: (Angelswin) - Injury update: When can we see the likes of H. Conger, M. Sweeney, C, Pettit, J. Haynes, M. Gonzalez, R. Mount and Young-Il to name a few, back in action with one of the affiliates?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Our group at Rancho (Conger, Sweeney, Mount and some others) are working their way back slowly and when the medical people give them the ok then they can play. Same with all of our injured players. We know it is frustrating to all involved not to see these guys, but it is much more frustrating to the individuals themselves as all of these kids have great makeup and it is really killing them not to be playing now. On another front Ryan Aldridge came back the other day and was throwing bullets in an Arizona game.

Q: (Angelswin) - Speaking of which. Who has looked good in extended spring training? Any buzz from the coaches and scouts for any of the prospects in Arizona?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Ty Boykin and his coaches do a great job with those guys and they work incredibly hard. As I said one of the names I was encouraged by was Ryan Aldridge and seeing his velocity in the mid 90's again.

Q: (Angelswin) - At what point in the season do you start making personnel decisions on what type of season you think the team/player will have? 1 month, 2 months?, Longer? Is there a timetable where you feel it is more than just a hot streak/slump and more of a trend/indicator of the year's performance?

A: (Eddie Bane) - I think you can relate that more to the injured players than anyone else. The position players need to get 300 or more at bats in order to get evaluated for the move up a level next season. That is why it is important that Sweeney, Conger, Mount and others get back ASAP. Everybody evaluates the players a lot when the season first starts, but it is important to get the entire body of work for the season. It is only natural though and expected to scout the players hard when you personally see them. That is because a good scout trusts his eyes and knows what he is looking at and does not need someone else telling him what he saw.

Q: (Angelswin) - There seems to be a drastic discrepancy in terms of leagues so that every other year if a player progresses normally they will go from a pitcher league to a hitters league then to a pitchers and back to a hitters. Was this formulated by the org on purpose or is it just happenstance?

A: (Eddie Bane) - I would agree that the jump to the Cal League from the Midwest League is a tough one for pitchers. The toughest jump though by far is from 3A to the Major Leagues. Those are the best players in the world and if you can compete with those guys you can compete anywhere.

Q: (Angelswin) - Have Michael Collins, Mark Trumbo and Robert Mosebach turned a corner? So far so good in 2008, performance wise.

A: (Eddie Bane) - All three are really good looking young players that we think will help the Angels at some point. Trumbo got an opportunity to show his massive power when he was in big league spring training. Others got to witness the power and it helped Mark to know that it would not take super human effort for him to play with those guys. Power is the last tool to come at the major league level and Trumbo is comfortable with that now.

Mosebach has always been a superior prospect, but for some reason the media and others tend to overlook him. We, in the organization certainly do not.

Q: (Angelswin) - Could you tell us more about Kevin Jepsen? What does he throw, where is he developmentally, etc. I remember when he was with Cedar Rapids a few years back, he was throwing in the mid 90's and had a nice breaking ball. Has he regained the velocity he once had before his shoulder injury?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Jepsen is a young pitcher that threw really really hard when we first signed him and then he got hurt and was on the backburner for a few years. With hard work and total dedication he has put himself firmly back in the picture as a legit prospect. Yes, the velocity is mostly all back.

Q: (Angelswin) - Could you compare the stuff of Jose Arredondo, Stephen Marek, Kevin Jepsen and Ryan Braiser? Which one has the best shot of becoming an ML closer?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Tough to answer who has closer stuff. Closer stuff and closer mentality are 2 completely different things. Takes a lot of stones to throw the 9th inning no matter what Bill James says and I like James' work. All those guys have plenty of fastball to do that job, but it takes a lot more than a fastball to pitch the 9th. Right now though we have one of the best closers in the game in Frankie so I am happy with that for now.

Q: (Angelswin) - Could you compare Erick Aybar and Brandon Wood defensively at SS? Do you think Sean Rodriguez profiles best at 2B or at another position?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Aybar has a spectacular glove with plus range. Erick is working really hard with Alfredo Griffin to make the steady plays. He will be a plus defensive shortstop in the big leagues for a long time. Brandon Wood is steady and makes all the plays with an above average arm and glove. Brandon needs to pay attention to advance scouting, spray charts and all the other stuff to get an edge on players at the big league level. Fortunately he has such great makeup that he will do whatever it takes to get an edge. Can you imagine a SS that has 30 homerun potential? Wood has that potential.

Yes, Sean will play a lot of 2B only because of all the SS prospects that we have. He can still play short though. In addition to Wood and Aybar, we have both Statia and Romine on express trains. As I said before a friend that scouts with Tampa told me that he would take "any of your shortstops, We dont care which one, just give us one of them including Izturis."

You have to be careful though as the Blue Jays had Michael Young, Cesar Izturis, Felipe Lopez and Chris Woodward a few years ago. They gave away all the good ones and kept Chris Woodward. Oops.

Q: (Angelswin) - Ken Rosenthal reported that some scouts believe Howie Kendrick should play LF next season because he does not turn the double play very well. Are the Angels scouts saying the same thing?, or is this just a Sports reporter pulling stuff out of the air?

A: (Eddie Bane) - I really respect Ken Rosenthal and his writing, but he and those scouts are "Way OFF Base" on this one. Howie Kendrick has made himself through hard work and great coaching into a really good defender. That includes the double play. People want to get on Howie about the DP because he is so tough that he hangs around and is not afraid of getting dirty from a hard slide. He takes the runner and still makes a good accurate throw.

As I have said before, Howie Kendrick will win a batting title. If he can stay away from the injuries (which he has always done before the last season or two) Kendrick will be an all-star at 2ndbase. He and Pedroia from the Red Sox should fight it out for the All-Star spot every year for a long time.

Chuck Richter - Eddie as always, the fans, the entire staff and community at Angelswin.com and myself, appreciate your time.

Eddie Bane - I have stated a lot that I really enjoy hearing from the fans at Angelswin.com and I learn a lot by getting their ideas and questions. Keep them coming as it makes me think when guys write about stuff. PS. If you have kids tell them not to "pitch to contact" and try to strike every kid on the other team out so that scouts will notice them. That should keep the young scouts and their toes for awhile.

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The Bane Connection - March (2008) Edition
by Chuck Richter - Angelswin.com Founder & Executive Editor
March 29th, 2008

Eddie Bane was kind enough to get with us via satellite from Gulfport, Mississippi to complete the March edition of "The Bane Connection".

In this month's edition, the majority of the questions were derived from Angelswin.com members. So, let's dig right into the interview with Scouting Director of the Los Angeles Angels, Eddie Bane.

Q: (Angelswin) - First of all, Congratulations on being inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame. So what was that like, the ceremony and feeling after receiving the award? Some of our viewers may not have followed your college career, so what one game performance from a personal standpoint do you look back on in College and say, that was my best performance?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Thanks everyone for the HOF thoughts. Very nice. The induction ceremony is in Lubbock, Texas in July. Any time you go in anything with Jackie Robinson you have to feel very honored. I do not look back on one single performance at ASU, but the times I had with my buddies and team are what I will always think about.

Q: (Angelswin) - Ok, back to Angels talk. One of our AW.com members had this question for you: How does the organization determine when to promote a prospect from one level to the next? Are there specific skills that the Angels want a prospect to develop at each level before earning a promotion to the next level? If so what are they? (for example, are there certain leagues where the coaches will teach or stress a changeup more or bunting more than others or are there more targets in terms of overall production?)

A: (Eddie Bane) - Great question. I think the thing that we see is the complete stress and emphasis on the fundamentals of the game and especially baserunning from the moment they sign. The Angels definitely have established an "Angel Way" to play baseball and that is a nice satisfaction to all of us.

As far as promotion goes we like to think that a player will let you know when it is time to move him to a higher level. One thing we are facing now is the fierce competition we have at all levels. You simply would have a hard time walking into the Angels organization now and just moving up the ladder without earning the next spot. Just look at the competition at shortstop.

Romine, Phillips, Statia, Rodriguez, Aybar, Izturis and Wood are all certainly on the radar screen as possible major league shortstops. I had a scout from another club tell me the other day, "We don't care who it is, just give us any of your shortstops!" Pretty nice compliment. I think the pitching coaches at the earliest levels make all of our young pitchers throw their change.

Q: (Angelswin) - Since different minor leagues are known as either hitter leagues or pitcher leagues, and some are known for having substandard fields, how much does the organization discount the stats for each of its affiliates leagues? How does (Eddie Bane) view each of the leagues for our affiliates in terms of hitters league, pitchers league, fielding, etc?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Minor league fields (the surfaces) are getting so much better that it is getting easier to evaluate that part of the players ability. But, we know going in, that the Cal League's offensive numbers are going to be high for many reasons. Tough league to pitch. In Cedar Rapids you look for the young guys and how they adjust to playing every single day. That is a tough grind. Everyone likes stats to support their side of the coin, but as scouts we have to look deeper than that.

Q: (Angelswin) - How much does the organization factor age into evaluating a prospect?

A: (Eddie Bane) - The Angels draft a lot of high school players. That gives the young players a chance to learn the "Angel Way" of baseball at a young age. Age plays a huge factor in evaluation in our organization. I tell our amateur scouts when they are looking at players now that Bourjos, O'Sullivan, Mount, Bell and Phillips would all be in the '08 draft if they had went to college. So if one of my guys is telling me how good a centerfielder at a college is then I want to hear how he compares to Peter Bourjos. That usually tempers his enthusiasm because there is not a centerfielder in college right now that compares favorably to Peter.

Q: (Angelswin) - How does an organization come to the conclusion as to when a prospect goes from "sure thing" to "bust". In addition to that, at what point does the GM & scouts get the feeling it isn't going to work out for a prospect because either the player is blocked or needs more time in the minors, something the Major League club cannot wait on. ?

A: (Eddie Bane) - I don't ever look at it that way. Last season Darren O'Day was considered a pitcher in our organization that was a very good thing to have. Now he is on the verge of making our ball club. I like to make sure the guys get a chance to play in front of Mike, Tony and Butcher and let them determine their value instead of having someone else do it.

Q: (Angelswin) - How active are the Angels in Latin America? When reading reports about prospects I rarely see the Angels listed as having scouted or in on the signing the players.

A: (Eddie Bane) - Clay Daniel is our international scouting director and he works with me on signing Latin American players. I would say that you only need look at Aybar, Morales, Santana and Frankie Rodriquez to see his impact. We also traded away Alexi Casilla and a couple others to help our major league club. We also have Anel Delosantos and some good looking outfield prospects to go with the 4 guys at the major league level. Clay is also active in Asia and Australia and signed Rich Thompson who will help our ML club at some point this season.

Q: (Angelswin) - How much do you value statistics in regards to college players?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Our area scouts pay attention to the stats quite a bit, but we have to look a lot deeper than that. I did, one time, draft a player because he was the best hitter on his team even though he had a bad body, at the time, and was a short catcher. That player was Paul LoDuca and that worked out pretty well.

Q: (Angelswin) - Does the organization establish specific goals for each player at the start of the season? If so, how is the process handled (i.e. is there someone who handles it throughout the organization or is it handled by the staff at each level).

A: (Eddie Bane) - You would not believe how thorough that part of the player profile is. Each player has a file and each player knows exactly what is expected of him. The days of the "Bull Durham" type minor league stuff are pretty much over.

Q: (Angelswin) - We (the fans) always hear about a team "show-casing a player" in anticipation of a trade. How much show-casing really happens?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Showcasing a player for the Angels would almost never happen. Our goal at the major league level is to win the World Series every single season so Mike and his staff are doing everything they can at the Major League level to win every game. That would prevent "showcasing" a player in my mind. Besides scouts at the major level work hard during batting practice or early work to attempt to see what they need to on every player.

Q: (Angelswin) - Will Kendry Morales play any OF or 3B in SLC this year if he doesn't make the 25 man roster?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Kendry is getting ready to make a big splash in the major leagues this season in my opinion. Let's just let it play out and see what happens. Some versatility would not hurt him at all though, we'll see.

Q: (Angelswin) - The Angels losing Escobar for perhaps the entire season and Lackey a couple months, do you have any doubt that Adenhart can step in and be successful on the major league level right now ?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Nick Adenhart had a nice spring and put himself firmly in the mind of Mike, Tony and Butcher. Now he has to climb the last part of the mountain. Nick's goals are not to pitch in the Major Leagues. Nick wants to be a front of the rotation pitcher and if he stays healthy I have no doubts that will happen. He is that kind of pitcher.

Q: (Angelswin) - Will the Angels consider converting Mark Trumbo back to pitching?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Mark Trumbo showed the major league staff in spring training the tremendous power that all of us scouts have seen. He has as much power as anyone in baseball. We all think this is a big year for him and believe that he will thrive in Rancho this season.

Q: (Angelswin) - Who did you have in your NCAA pool to make it to the Final Four?

A: (Eddie Bane) - My bracket was blown up by being a homer. I had U of A winning some games and USC winning some games. I got most of the Final 4 correct along with everybody else in the country, but I did not see Davidson and Louisville doing what they are doing.

Angelswin.com Members - As always, please communicate how much we, the fans, love the time you give us in answering our questions. Thanks, and talk to you next month.

Eddie Bane - I enjoy doing this and hope the fans like reading what the scouting department has to say on this stuff. Thanks again, Eddie Bane.

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The Bane Connection - February (2008) Edition
by Chuck Richter - Angelswin.com Founder & Executive Editor
February 26th, 2008

Q: (Angelswin) - Today the full squad reports to spring training, but catchers and pitchers have been around for over a week now, what have you seen or heard in camp of who's making a good impression on the mound, behind the dish and at the plate?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Hi folks, nice to talk with you again. My job almost insures that I will know almost nothing except what I read and hear about spring training. We have great pro scouts led by Gary Sutherland who watch everything in Tempe. Tony is also a really good scout and he is watching everyday as is Bill Stoneman and Ken Forsch. We have plenty of eyes in Arizona. In addition, the coaches and Mike are evaluating every day. Lastly, it is much too early to put a value on what is going on right now. As an old friend and scout of mine, Moose Johnson said, "I'm going to wait until the blocking and tackling starts before I make a choice."

Q: (Angelswin) - With all of the Francisco Rodriguez contract talks worrying some fans about him potentially walking at season end, who in the minors if that happens, do you think has the mentality, as well as the skills, to be a future closer or set up guy for the Angels?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Frankie's deal is way over my pay grade. Let's see how that comes out over time.

You always are looking at minor league pitchers and what roles they can fill in the big leagues. Stephen Marek is the name everyone talks about because he did that job at San Jacinto. Darren O'Day has a feel for pitching in relief. Even Jordan Walden's name gets thrown in because he throws so darn hard, but it is far too early for Walden's name to be in any discussion like that. We would like to see a big year out of a pitcher like Ryan Aldridge also.

Q: (Angelswin) - Do you see anyone skipping a level to start the 2008 minor league season? Some have said Walden may skip Cedar Rapids and start in Rancho Cucamonga. What can you tell us about that and who is on the "fast track" to Anaheim in your opinion?

A: (Eddie Bane) - We have a lot of guys that could be on a so-called fast track, but in this organization we have good players at every level so you have to earn your way. If say, Sean O'Sullivan wants to get to Arkansas this year then the opportunity is there, but he will have to pitch better than the other guys in Rancho. Pretty simple process.

Q: (Angelswin) - Ervin Santana finished the season strong out of the bullpen which included some successful spot starts, while having a very good winter ball showing in the Dominican. What has Ervin done to improve his game from September of 2007 until now?

A: (Eddie Bane) - Ervin Santana is still a young man. He gets penalized because he had success in the major leagues at a young age. Fair or not that is the way it is. Look how many games Ervin has won at his age. Then look at some of the Baseball America sweethearts in the minor leagues. The "sweethearts" on other teams minor league rosters are often older than a pitcher like Santana. The Angels do not shy away from signing college players, but the younger the player, the more time we have to get the player to be an "Angel baseball player".

Believe me the baseball industry certainly recognizes what an "Angel baseball player" looks like. We are thrilled to have Ervin Santana in our organization and I wish we could sign 10 more just like him on the international market.

Q: (Angelswin) - What plans are ahead for Kendry Morales? It seems like he has no position to play with the big league club and the DH spot is being filled by 4-5 outfielders.

A: (Eddie Bane) - Kendry Morales is as good a hitter as the Angels have. Guys like Morales will play. No doubt about that. Kendry still has work to do and needs to do those things with the bat and with the glove. He will. Nobody in the major leagues has so many hitters that they cannot find a spot for a hitter with this type of plus plus power and the plus bat that Kendry has. He is still really young and somewhat like Ervin Santana, seeing it appears that he has been around a long time, but that is only because he was playing at a very high level at a very young age. We are thrilled with Kendry and see him progressing nicely for us and we look forward to him getting plenty of at bats this season.

Q: (Angelswin) - Speaking of winter ball, Erick Aybar had a tough time both on offense and more importantly for him, on defense in the Dominican. What's going on with Erick and do you think he should be the front runner for the starting SS job, or would you prefer Brandon Wood or Maicer Izturis for the opening gig at SS? Is Brandon Wood defensively up to par with Aybar and Izturis right now?

A: (Eddie Bane) - My preferences on who I like will be known only to other Angels employees, unfortunately for our readers. Wood can play defense at shortstop with anyone. Brandon will benefit