disarcina

wind blowing out today in Tempe --wouldn't put too much stock in the offensive numbers or the pitching lines......except ratio of balls/ strikes and walks/ strike outs. however, the more Guerrero hits like this -- the more likely guys like Darwin Barney and Turner (both starting for the Dodgers today) are going to be sent out and NOT make the opening day roster. I'd be inclined to take Barney over the 2B guys we have in camp -- since we're keeping Faetherston, as a Rule 5 guy, some of our options are limited. Is this Featherston that good that we need to sacrifice a roster spot for the guy -- hate to sacrifice a roster spot for a Rule 5 player if he's only going to get about 150 ABs for the season and is no guarantee to be part of future plans beyond 2015. taking the best players, I'd take a guy like Barney if we could get him and team him with Gaviotella (sounds like Green is out of the MIF mix, playing more OF trying to make the club with Hamilton's absence). Start Gaviotellla and then use a guy like Barney as late inning defensive guy -- not for Gavioatella but for Freese -- can Gaviotella play third? Barney can but I'd put his stellar glove work at 2B....... I know I make these posts sound as if Barney is an option for the Angels and he's not even on the Halos and, in fact, playing against us today ---but watching the Dogs, I don't see any way that Barney makes the opening day roster........and HK is going to play about 155 games and get close to 600 ABs on the season, Guerrero is coming on for the Dogs and they have Turner playing SS today and I think J. Turner makes the team over Barney -- so unless the Dodgers are going to store Barney at AAA as 4-A insurance for Rollins -- he may become available. SF Giants might be interested.

the returns for a trade of either Green or Rutledge at this points would be pretty slim. trading a guy at cut down time when it's clear he's not making your opening day roster doesn't usually yield much in return. the best one could hope for would be a low level pitching prospect or maybe a pen depth guy you can send to SLC -- a guy who barely missed making the opening day roster of the team you are dealing with.

I wouldn't equate Rutledge with Heaney -- Heaney is a top prospect and we gave up HK for him -- Heaney's ST numbers (and more importantly, his actual performances) have been terrible. He clearly needs more work at the AAA level but remains a top prospect. He will be up with the Halos this season, making some spot starts and perhaps in the rotation. He'll likely be in the rotation as a number 4/5 guy in 2016. At this stage of his career and with the dwindling length of MLB careers in terms of years -- Rutledge is almost a MLB vet soon to be journeyman MIF......he's not cutting it. We didn't give up a whole lot to get him and he's being outplayed by the three other guys in camp competing for the 2B job. At this point he's clearly slipped behind Gaviotella and Featherson is going to stay as a Rule 5 guy. Green? If he sticks, it's an all around utility guy OF plus some INF depth at 3B and 2B -- but I agree with other posts here -- Green probably not on the 25 man roster. Both Green and Rutledge are able to help some other MLB team NOW. Makes no sense to park them at SLC while time ticks away on their prime time for an MLB career. Green is on his way to being a 4-A player, apparently, if he stays with the Halos -- not sure if he is willing to settle for that at this stage of his career. Rutledge may be a 4-A player for us or someone else where his chances are better -- I think he could probably go back to Colorado and be in the staring line up at 2B opening day. If so, he should be given that opportunity.

I think Lindstrom pretty much pitched himself out of the picture this Spring. He was obtained to provide some depth and was an odds-on favorite to fill one of the back pen roles.... but then he starting pitching in the ST games and the result is this -- outright release. ST lasts a week longer this year (because the season starts a week later) -- hoping Lindstrom might get an ST invite now and a minor league contract with some team to start the season. Going to be interesting now to see what happens at 2B -- Rutledge may be the next one to get bad news -- Rutledge may be given a choice -- report to SLC or outright release.

I'm sure Green could help some MLB club now in a utility role as an OF/ MIF depth guy/ DH. Not so sure about Rutledge -- he came into ST with the job pretty much his and some how managed to play himself out of the starting job and perhaps off the roster. That's not an easy thing to do. Featherston is the Rule 5 guy who goes back to Colorado if we don't keep him on the MLB roster all season - but Rutledge may be the one who finds his way back to Colorado.......Halos will make a half-hearted effort to trade him but teams may balk waiting for the DFA period to expire and negotiate directly with Rutledge while the Halos remain on the hook for the portion of his contract above the MLB minimum. Expect (this always seems to happen at start of the season cut down time) some player to have a mysterious ailment and be placed on the DL to start the season so that some of these decisions are delayed........

Royals game in Surprise and Halos game in Tempe --? that's a bit of driving -- go early and avoid traffic. That's either a 30 minute trip or a two hour one.

well, as DiPoto said at fanfest -- Halos won the division by 10 games -- have the moves in Seattle and Anaheim closed that TEN game gap? probably not -- perhaps 5 or 6 games but not TEN. much depends on how our starters (Garrett Richards) rebound. I think Weaver is poised to have a good year, Shoemaker looks strong........CJ Wilson seems to have new life. Santiago is a crap shoot and we'll need the pen by the 6th inning and Heaney? -- I hope he does real well at SLC.

as for the Halos -- I think the odds makers, right now, see the Angels losing EVERY fifth start -- so that's 33 losses right off the top.........

Great SI has Seattle M's on the cover - and pick them for first place in the AL West losing to the Cleveland Indians for the AL title. great stuff. now we're a lock. as for Seattle -- yeah, they've made some major moves (so have the SD Padres and SI has them finishing THIRD, 12 games back, in the NL West) but they're Seattle. Their big moves and F/A signings never seem to work out for them (really, Cano was the first big F/A signing I can think of that has thrived in Seattle -- most of them go bust up there -- I remember Adrian Beltre was hitting something like .205 at the All Star Break the first year of this F/A contract). Dodgers winning the NL West and advancing to the Series?? Sorry, they'll never get past the St. Louis Cardinals. Plus, looks like Pagan may be back in CF (at least while RF'er Pence is out -- Pagan pretty fragile health wise but should be able to shore up Giants OF until Pence returns in about 4 weeks). Check the stats on Pagan last year -- not his personal stats but the SF Giants winning percentage when he was in the starting line up --- I think it was close to .650

I like Darwin Barney but I think the Halos are going to stick with a combo of Giavotella and Featherston and see how it goes. Rutledge may be sent to SLC or just DFA'd at this point. Not sure where Darwin Barney winds up -- didn't realize he would be under club control for THREE YEARS -- many thought that when the Dodgers acquired Barney they did so, not so much to have him play but to keep him off the SF Giants roster when the Giants needed a 2B (they finally settled on putting Joe Paink there). Dodgers may be like the Halos and carry one less pitcher for the first two weeks of the season and then make the tough position player decisions in mid-April. Saw some of the negative posts (well, one) on Barney here -- not sure why that is -- I like a defensive specialist (much like John McDonald making the roster last year) on the roster because you can put that guy in to PH in a bunt situation/ PR (primarily for Freese) and then stay in to play 2B -- a guy like Gaviotella or Featherston could then spell Freese at 3B in the late innings and you have at total upgrade defensively at 3B, Aybar at SS and a guy like Barney at 2B to make that rally killing DP or to make that 8th inning base hit either an OUT or an infield hit that doesn't get to the OF to score a run........ if last year's playoffs tough MLB teams anything -- it's that speed and defense (and YES, pitching ALWAYS pitching) are the keys.........a guy like Barney at 2B would be a major upgrade on D -- and while the guy's website says Barney would hit .250 or so -- I wouldn't count on much more than .215 to .225..........

little early to register the 'winner' in the Kendrick trade. essentially, both teams may 'win' it........Halos traded HK before they lost him to F/A and gained a young prospect lefty (Heaney) who may or MAY NOT help the Halos this year. But Heaney will be under club control and should be in the Halos rotation if not this year then in 2016 and beyond......does he need to be an ace to 'win' the trade? NO. Even a solid number 4/5 for a three year period would do. I'm leaning towards the Angels keeping Heaney at SLC to start the season to work on some things and gain some innings as the part of starting rotation. Dodgers get HK who is solid and steady and should be for them this year -- with Rollins at SS, Dodgers need a line up that wins now. HK helps give them that. As for Darwin Barney -- he was traded by the Cubs to the Dodgers about a year ago or so -- and now there's no room for him on the Dodgers roster........Barney is solid defensively-- was the Cubs starting 2B about three years ago and won an NL Gold Glove at 2B. He's better defensively than any of the 2B folks we have in camp. Perhaps Angels can ship Rutledge back to the Rockies -- they still need 2B help -- and figure out a way to acquire Barney -- if I had to pick between Rule 5 guy and Barney - I'd probably send Featherston back to Colorado as well (that's not going to happen). Ironically, shipping either one of those guys back to Colorado might be the best thing to happen to them - they'd probably get more MLB playing time there than in Anaheim in 2015...... Gaviotella (spelled wrong, I think) seems to have moved to the top of the heap in the 2B sweepstakes. Perhaps Halos feel Gaviotella (a Scioscia type player), Rule 5 guy Featherston (for D) and then if an OF/MIF/DH spot on the 25 man roster can be left open for Grant Green (unlikely) you have some additional MIF/3B depth in a pinch there as well. Halos are probably going to carry one less pitcher (would that mean 10?) on the opening day roster as a fifth starter not needed until April 14 or so -- this likely means Heaney, Tropena (spelled way wrong) and others vying for the fifth spot likely destined for SLC...........hey, I noticed on some of the opening day 25 projections there's no listing of Salas for the pen? I assume he makes the team. NO?

I don't see how Halos can keep Giavotella, Rutledge and Featherston. Green seems to be playing more OF this past week so he may looking to stick there as well as providing some additional flexibility at 2B/ 3B Featherstron, Rule 5 guy, makes the 25 so then it's Giavotella OR Rutledge. Rutledge has options remaining -- so looks like he'll be the odd guy out -- not sure if he can demand F/A as opposed to be being sent to SLC. As for the prior comment about Darwin Barney's offensive stats -- you wouldn't be getting him for his bat, he's a defensive specialist -- won gold glove at 2B for Cubs, can play 2B/ SS and 3B - I don't think he's going to stick with the Dodgers -- someone's going to grab him up when the Dodgers send him out or cut him............perhaps the A's..........

Dodgers don't need much -- could use some pen help now that their closer is out for two months or more........ but it's not what the Dodgers need -- it's what they may be discarding -- if they discard Darwin Barney -- he's worth picking up -- and I assume we'd have to give up something to get him. that something might be some pen depth help for the Dogs or a decent (not a top) pitching prospect who is about two years out.........

we traded for Giavotella in December, 2014 -- KC gave him his shot to win the 2B job over four seasons and he failed to do so. He came up with KC in 2011, had 178 ABs and hit .247 -- his high water mark in MLB BA. In 2012, 181 ABs, he hit.238 In 2013 41 ABs (must have been a Sept, call up) ,220 In 2014, 37 ABs he hit .216. In 2014 for AAA Omaha, he had 493 ABs -- so he pretty much played every inning of every game and hit .308 with 20 stolen bases. Giavotella is a guy who, to this point, has not been able to hit MLB pitching. He has some speed. I liked him when he came up with KC but he never really made it the transition to become an everyday MLB starter and KC leap frogged other organization guys over him. He seems the best of the lot we have in camp -- Rutledge has not impressed.......I'd go with Giavotella, send Rutledge to SLC (if he will agree to go -- Rutlegde may find a home back with the Rockies -- they need help at 2B) and then Featherston our Rule 5 guy stays up and plays late inning D w/ some pinch running/ bunting duties. Would like to see Grant Green stick but the 25 man roster may be out of room for him...........

When Giavotella first came up with KC -- he was noted for being a speedster......decent D and pretty much weak hit. is he still a base stealing threat (assumes he gets on base -- the old adage applies : 'can't steal first base')

Fletcher's prediction for the 25 man roster says that Rutledge isn't on it.........Halos still have some flexibility with him -- he has options......... Gavioatella is listed on the Angels MLB.com official page in the depth chart section as the starter there over Rutledge -- that may not mean much in the mix of things but two weeks ago Rutledge was listed as the top guy, starter..........

well, Grant Green's D isn't great -- I don't think it's as bad as some say - he played some MIF and 3B for us last year. But if you couple him with a good defender (reports are mixed on Featherston, who as a Rule 5 guy is going to make the team -- some say he's the best of the bunch in camp defensively, others have indicated his minor league performance on D at 2B has not been stellar).......but if you combine Green with a slick fielding MIF, you can probably hide Green there in the early innings -- although, whenever a team tries to hide a guy (usually 2B or LF), the ball always seems to find them....... I'd be watching the Darwin Barney situation closely during the freeway series.......Look -- Howie is going play 155 games for the Dodgers -- so there's not too many ABs or even defensive innings there -- Dogs may pull HK in the late innings to rest him, perhaps -- but more likely scenario is HK remains the stable, steady player he's been with the Halos.......not too spectacular but always in the line up and gets the job done day in, day out and some days does very well at the plate, solid on D. Rollins at SS is an area the Dodgers need to be concerned about as Rollins will likely play well when he's in the line up but also may rack up some DL time.......having Barney there as a late inning defensive guy and as a potential fill in starter makes sense -- but Dodgers have other MIF'ers in camp and may go with them. If Barney is one of the cuts off the 25 man roster on cutdown day, Angels should be ready to pounce........not sure what we have to offer the Dodgers -- they are pretty solid with position players.......might have to give up a decent pitching prospect. The other guy who might be on the bubble in LA is Turner but I see the Dodgers keeping him over Barney. Hard to say. Barney won an NL gold glove with the Chicago Cubs.

Thanks for posting the 2B rankings -- we've really dropped from last year which is not news. what is news from this ranking is that there may be a lot better options available to us at cut down time. Looks like Colorado could use Rutledge back and perhaps we should consider sending him back there and get something in return -- not much. I still think we should watch the LA Dodgers situation closely -- if they move Darwin Barney -- we should be there to scoop him up -- not much at the plate but pitchers will love his D and he would make a good keystone partner for Aybar leading to inning ending DP's. Mike Aviles is FOURTH on the depth chart in Cleveland -- as a stop gap he may be better than what we have -- although Giavotella may be the better choice/ option. The White Sox has an abundance of MIF'ers including a familiar face -- Beckham and then Emilio Bonifacio -- I assume one of these guys may not make the 25 man opening day roster for them......either would probably be just as good as what we have in camp. Kelly Johnson from Atlanta --formerly a starter there - no longer seems to be part of their plans -- again -- a stop gap type measure to get through 2015. I'd like to see a combo of a solid defender like Barney and someone with some pop in the bat, like Grant Green. Looks like Halos will carry extra position player for the first two weeks as they do not need a fifth starter until mid-April. If Richards is back close to then, all this debate on the fifth starter may become moot. I think Heaney needs more time at AAA.

Fletcher obviously has his finger on the pulse -- interesting take on Rutledge -- I assumed he would stay up but he has options remaining. Clearly Gaviatella (spelled wrong) has out-played Rutledge but in the (very small sample size) games I saw in ST, Gaviatella wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire....... I really think after his most recent ST outing that Heaney needs to work on some things at SLC to start the season. He's obviously pressing and has looked downright terrible in ST. Lindstrom may have played himself off the roster and out the organization with his last ST outing -- hard to say -- I guess there's not much flexibility with him so the always tough choice comes down to 'do we take the best 25 players' or 'do we try to keep guys out of options even if they're not in the top 25?" always a very tough call for the last 2 to 3 spots on the opening day roster. sort of disappointment that it appears Grant Green won't be part of the opening day 25 -- think he deserves a shot but hard to say........

Heaney to SLC to start season -- that needs to happen based upon ST performance. Rutledge? Has had a terrible ST -- probably still makes the team -- Gaviatella (spelled wrong) should make the team but probably won't. He may accept an SLC assignment based upon Halos assurances that if the 2B situation remains 'fluid' (as in "We gotta keep Rutledge at least two months because we traded for him, but if he doesn't work out" possible DFA and a roster spot opens up). Featherston -- Rule 5 guy makes the team.

During my time down at ST, the guy I didn't think looked too good was Giavotella -- both at the plate and in the field........he may not have made any errors but he didn't seem to be too sharp at 2B in the (very small sample size) games I saw. I think the Halos want to keep Featherston and will do pretty much whatever they can to keep from having to return him to his prior organization as a Rule 5 player. It's going to be hard to keep Rutledge and Green off the 25 man roster -- so Green may stick as the back up to Freese (who everyone says and the ST hype is -- Freese is 'better' now and is in better shape - somehow he's in better shape and has gotten 'quicker' -- or should we say less slow both a-foot on the basepaths -- Mr. GiDP last year -- and on D -- I'll see it when I believe it)......Green may not be the best guy for a late inning D replacement for Freese but if we want to keep Rule 5 guy, Green may have to fill that MIF-all around (and some OF) versatile position. I think Rutledge starts the season as the every day 2B but that may not last and Rutledge may not end the season in a Halos uni. Giavotella will be asked to take a minor league assignment to SLC and may decline. That's my take. Sometimes right, often wrong.

hard for me to 'hate' any team......... I do find that the Red Sox seem to have the most obnoxious fans. how about teams' who's fans are great: St. Louis, Milwaukee, Kansas City and San Francisco.

not sure where Heaney winds up in the Angel plans for the start of 2015 -- but he has NOT been very impressive in his ST outings so far. perhaps he should start the season in the SLC rotation and work on some things........ just because he hasn't had a very good spring this year and may not make the team does not mean he won't play a role for the Halos in 2015 (even as a member of the rotation before the season is over) and beyond. I can think of a kid from my hometown who was fighting for a rotation spot with KC last Spring (2014) and had a terrible spring, lost the spot to the rookie hurler Ventura and was sent to AAA.......ended up being called up in May, stuck around had, a turnaround season and now a solid number 2/3 guy in the KC rotation.......a year can make a huge difference.

have read some of the posts about the Doubletree (Tempe) venue -- hey, for a banquet deal in the Phoenix area during March -- it's pretty darned good. I think the conference center room provides plenty of space (it's not elbow to elbow crowded like a lot of conferences/ banquets), the food is acceptable banquet food (c'mon guys, you're not going to get five star meal at a hotel banquet deal -- (next year, if it's on a Friday night again, think about a fish plate choice as its during Lent -- although Spring Training and St. Paddy's fetivities always provide a dispensation !) and the bar located outside the conference room and the second one in the back made for short line to no waiting situation (all appreciated). I think the venue is great, the rooms are fine and the facility probably the best one you're going to get at a reasonable (and special rate) cost. good work guys!

didn't get a chance to talk to Dave Saltzer after the Fanfest........but wanted to give him kudos for doing a great job of emceeing most of the evening's events. shout out to K. Swanson, one of the owners of in our long running AW.com Fantasy Baseball League, for his work in announcing the raffle -- even if I didn't win anything. great stuff. thanks all.