disarcina

Not sure if this got much of a mention on the Board here, perhaps I missed it.......but on March 5th in Clearwater before the Spring Training game between the Phillies and the Atlanta Braves, the Phillies presented a special memorial program devoted to life and legacy of Jim Fregosi. The Phillies official MLB site has a story about the ceremony and the day. Lee Thomas and Bobby Knoop wore throw back Angels jerseys to represent the Angels franchise. Baseball scouts from throughout the major leagues attended the ceremony and the game indicating the level of respect fellow baseball men had for Fregosi. The table in the back office area off the clubhouse at the Phillies Clearwater complex where Fregosi held court during ST days is being left vacant with a photo of Fregosi in the table along with a single red rose...... Fregosi's family and former Phillies manager and longtime Fregosi fishing buddy, Lee Elia,were among the speakers........ Congrats to the Philadelphia Phillies and to the visiting Atlanta Braves (for whom Fregosi also worked) for doing it up right. Would nice to see a Jim Fregosi legacy day at Anaheim this year -- perhaps some special number 11 throw back jerseys in the team store, too. anyway, wanted to mention this -- Saltzer's column would have been a nice thing to distribute at Clearwater -- perhaps that can be done in Anaheim.

SOTO -- sounds like a successful fanfest then..........!!

HOF folks always seem to miss the boat on stuff like this.........they seem to make the wrong decision almost EVERY TIME when a special recognition type situation is involved. I'm still kind of ticked at the HOF powers that be for not finding a spot for Buck O'Neill and having a nice ceremony for him while he was still alive. I consider the snubbing of a great ambassador to the game like Buck O'Neill a real travesty. But the list goes on for the HOF miscues -- Jobe, O'Neill, Marvin Miller, Curt Flood.........

Jobe and Kerlan -- both now gone -- these docs truly transformed the game......... real unsung heroes........ HOF should have a special plaque and place for these guys. the Tommy John story is incredible..........and it's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of saving/ prolonging baseball careers of many players.........

I wouldn't sign Santana to a long term (five year) deal -- no way. perhaps a one plus one, incentive laden deal.......but he can do better elsewhere. and, yeah, I have to agree NOT worth a draft pick......... but when we're having rotation issues as early as May and Santana has pitched fairly well for some other team........well..........yep -- WAIT TIL NEXT YEAR TIME. Looking to 2014 -- how many of you Angels fans are kind of tired from being out of the race by June/ July the past two years? -- more of the same in 2014?

Santana probably NOT worth a first round pick.........one year rental essentially for a first round pick...... but at this point......I guess the choice is, do we just write off the rotation, be satisfied with a third place type team and finish and at least make an attempt which may doom us to third place status in the future as well........hard to say. the problem with MLB these days is the future always seems to be NOW because there's really not as much incentive to sign / draft good young talent if you can't keep them (Oakland A's come to mind)......back in the day, it meant everything -- you drafted the guy and kept him.......now you draft the guy, nurture his development through the minor leagues, have him break into the SHOW and maybe even have a break out year followed by another good season only to lose the guy to free agency........oh well. Yeah, Santana NOT worth a draft pick.......I agree..........but we will all agree on April 20th or so when the Angels are down 7 to 0 in the first inning of a Blanton start.........

fanfest folks -- when you get back -- if you can remember anything you saw and/or did in Arizona -- would be interested in some of you providing your take on the final make up of the 25 man roster for opening day -- not a lot of spots really 'open' -- maybe 6 max -- would like to hear who you think will be number four and five starters.......does Blanton make the 25 as a long relief/ sixth starter guy if he's not the fifth starter,,,,,,,,,,Ianetta / Conger combo behind the plate?.......Grant Green make the team and if so, does that leave any room for a guy who's D I just love -- Andrew Romine -- but who needs to at least hit .250 and do the little things like sac bunt and be able to run the bases well to make the team........anyway.......a thread about your guys' thoughts on what you saw at ST and how that factors into your predictions for the final listing of the 25 man roster for opening day..........

At this point, the Angels should seriously look at this option......yeah, I know our minor league system is depleted and losing a top draft pick won't help that situation......but, really, look at our rotation right now.......a one year deal with Santana has to be better than what we have.......... of course, Santana could wind up back in KC but sort of doubt that...... How has Skaggs looked in ST? Can we count on him for the rotation along with Santiago, I guess...... this rotation looks like a third place team (85 wins) to me.

JAY -- know the feeling -- I go every year (am going next week, always go during St. Paddy's Day and seek to coordinate with NCAA March Madness round one/two week)........ I used to say the same thing ('gonna go one of these years') and then my sister happened to be in Arizona in February for some reason (this dates back about 15 years ago or so) and back then the department store chain there in Arizona used to sell spring training tickets.........she stopped in and bought Angels tickets for me and my two young sons......came back.......gave them to me and said -- NOW you HAVE TO GO...........I took the kids out of school (elementary school back then - so this might have been closer to 20 years ago) went to ST for the first time and had a blast........I've been back virtually every year since (except one year I couldn't make it)......... so, whatever you do, just make time next year and go -- flights from S. Cal to Sky Harbor are short (approx. 45 minutes) relatively inexpensive and so you can make it a long weekend and it's all worth it.......if you go during Fanfest weekend -- well, you'll meet up with a lot of nice folks from Angelswin.com........ what's the NIKE ad say? JUST DO IT...........

six straight wins and an important part of this is that the winning streak continues on the road.......... did the Kings need that Olympic break or what? remember what the record was in the month before the break? Wasn't looking good. looking pretty sweet right now -- and while I'm never one to complain about winning, you might notice that even with SIX straight wins and 12 points added to our season totals -- we really haven't made much of move, in any, in the Western Conference standings.......that tells you what the pre -break swoon did to the Kings.........

sounds as if things are going as expected........ have a blast everyone........wish I was there -- maybe next year --

someone take photos..............

The development of the land surrounding the ballpark has been talked about for years.......the Golden Triangle or whatever they call it.........all sorts of proposals: 1.) new NFL Stadium with hotels and restaurants surrounding it. 2.) new baseball park built next to Angels Stadium with hotels and restaurants surrounding it. 3.) a entertainment zone with hotels and restaurants/ night clubs surrounding it. 4.) retail development with more hotels and restaurant surrounding it....... This was back when development agency type financing could be utilized -- now the use of that financing mechanism is not available at the present time. results of all the efforts -- ZERO. that's why giving Arte the development rights over the property really isn't that big of deal for the city of Anaheim........they own the property and they don't pay property taxes.......allowing an outside developer (like Arte) to develop the property would put the property in private hands with private investment developing the property meaning increasing property tax and presumably associated increase in sales and bed tax revenues.......... what is the (parking lot) property generating in property tax today -- probably ZERO. but the biggest problem with the City of Anaheim right now is that whether one likes the offer or thinks it is a giveaway of public assets to the Angels -- the bottom line is the offer was approved by the City Council and presented to Arte and the Angels only to be, apparently, pulled back (which it hasn't technically but the Mayor's opposition complicates the issue). Presumably the Angels could say 'we accept' the terms of the City Council offer and then sit back watch the city leaders squirm. Oh well. Realistically, the Angels seem to have few options in terms of a move.......don't think they would ever do this again (flashback to O'Malley-Bavasi dealings with Gene Autry) but the SF Giants announced this week that they would share AT&T Park up in the Bay Area while the A's were building a new ballpark....... so could the Angels share Dodger Stadium for a season again? Wouldn't like it at all, but I presume it could happen.

as for the NFL -- they've got such leverage with their product that the NFL demands public financing participation as part of any deal they make.......and that's not happening. although NFL will continue to hold up LA and a straw man in order to increase the offers from other suitors for an NFL franchise....... the sell out of the LA Coliseum to USC for the foreseeable future probably takes the LA Coliseum Board out of blocking any site other than the LA Coliseum -- something they've been good at for the past two/three decades.......hard to say.

only place this works with those kind of numbers -- if they are even close to being right -- is downtown Los Angeles. news this week that the Governor is backing an effort/ legislation/ administrative action to partially bring back redevelopment type financing -- no details yet -- but if that's the case -- the City of Los Angeles will be the first in line......it's really only that kind of financing that could something like this done -- combined with some private sources etc. Getting a private source consortium to fund something like this in full is unlikely. best option is for Angels to stay put but there's no incentive for City of Anaheim to do much and now they seem to be back-tracking on an offer the city did seem to make to Arte and the Angels. lot of mis-trust between Angels and City of Anaheim, apparently, not the best situation/relationship for forging an agreement for the future..........

90 losses -- don't think so unless Blanton starts 30 games or something -- I put our win total at 84/85 but if Blanton is in the rotation to start the season, I'd adjust my prediction to 74/ 75 wins. at least it's over .500 ball -- more than we can say for last year.

What are they paying him? He got $6.5 million last year. I assume his current deal is less but also incentive laden. Not a bad pick up for Texas if they're not paying much. He's better than what we have at number five right now.........

There's only TWO ET's ??? Nope. There's only one REAL E. T. -- Ernest Tubb. The Original E. T.

I'm heading there the following week -- will miss the Angelswin.com fanfest........have fun everyone!

ah, in a prior article in the LA Times, Figgy said some very nice things about his time in Anaheim and the fans there....... I think Figgy realize going for the gold/ big money in Seattle seemed like a good idea at the time -- and I hope he invested well and set himself up for life -- because otherwise, it didn't turn out to be a good career move.......he could have stayed in Anaheim where he was comfortable, well liked and probably would have either been a starter or, at the minimum, maintained his super sub role that had him starting about 125 games at about four different positions.........in games he didn't start, he would probably get inserted as either a PH or PR in the late innings. Anyone who is watching Figgy this season, I'd be looking to see if he's lost a step or two -- Figgy without speed is just another .250 hitting MIF with average glove.......

another win today -- GEEZ did we need that break the way the LA Kings were playing UP to the break and NOW -- YES SIR!! 3 games, SIX points.......

Well, I know that I am rooting for Peter Bourjos to have a great year in St. Louis.........

GEEZ - it's just great to have Halos baseball back on the air -- enjoy seeing the game on Prime Ticket...... great to see Don Baylor back in a Halo's uni and in the Angels dug out......... hopefully this rubs off on the 2014 Halos -- but teams that Don Baylor was on always seemed to win........ I recall that later in his career he was in, I think, the World Series, three years in a row with three different teams........didn't always win it all but always seemed to in a position to do so. I'd settle for that with the 2014 Halos........ Welcome back, Don Baylor -- still had one of the best all time single seasons overall stat wise in Halos history......

Received responses from members 'So What' and from "LA Mike" sent out two invitations -- first one to respond and sign up gets the spot. wish I had two spots for each of you. good luck. let's have fun with FLB in 2014.........no hassle, not time consuming, low key no stress FLB.

I don't see Skaggs at AAA, I think he makes the club either as a quasi-long relief/ sixth (spot) starter spot or perhaps the fifth guy in the rotation. Halos lack of depth with starting pitching pretty much assures Skaggs being on the 25 man roster although perhaps not for opening day. IF Skaggs is truly the sixth (spot) starter and the April/May schedule is such that there may not be a need for that -- the Halos may carry an additional pen guy other than Skaggs and let Skaggs get a month's worth of starts at SLC....... With the Angels rotation situation -- and the fact that Skaggs did get some starts for Arizona last year - and did fairly well on some of them - I just see Skaggs being part of the Halos rotation during the 2014 season........maybe it's after Blanton blows a start or three.......(again).