disarcina

prior post commented on Mickey Rivers (who many who saw him play for the Halos and other teams thought he was a pretty exciting player to watch) and that he had one of the worst throwing arms of any outfielder the Halos have ever had --- hard to argue with that -- but we had a guy on the roster at the start of the 2017 season who would give Rivers a run for it for that designation -- Cameron Maybin -- and same type of player -- speedster on the base paths. Where did Maybin wind up this past season? Earning a World Championship ring with the Houston Astros. Couldn't throw but sure could run -- they used him to PR in the playoffs - and he did that well.

lot of great responses.........no wrong answers. I think the question can be broken down into : 'most exciting over a Halos career span '(showing some consistency a la Nolan Ryan, Mike Trout) and 'most exciting player to watch even if for just a season or brief period of time' ( a la that K-Rod playoff run in 2002 -- the kid who came out of nowhere and ended up on the roster because of some late DL designation by the Halos -- I think MLB has changed their rules re playoff eligibility partly over the K-Rod factor of '02 -- I don't think they're calling it 'the K-Rod Amendment' but, perhaps, they should.

as far as DiSar in the Halos Hall - perhaps he should get there. but he's another guy who got hampered by injuries and his trajectory to be the all time Halos leader in games played at SS got de-railed. He was on track to surpass Fregosi (and I think Schofield) on that list and then got significantly injured twice (once when he got struck in the on deck circle by Jose Cardinal (batting coach at the time?) swinging a bat. Whether he ever would have surpassed Fregosi as the All Time SS even if DiSar did pass him in games played (which Disar DID NOT accomplish) is open to question. Jim Fregosi was the team's original star player and face of the new franchise for more than a decade -- and then when he did get traded, he was involved in the deal that brought us the next face of the franchise, and perhaps our most famous/ best player in Halos history up until Mike Trout came along -- NOLAN RYAN - who is forever enshrined in the MLB HOF as a Texas Ranger (the highest bidder selection process was in play back then). DiSar's up there in a number of Halos categories but his overall career stats in those 'comparison' stats (WAR, OPS etc.) not great. DiSar wasn't even, IMO, that good of a defensive SS, although he was solid -- he was certainly no Ozzie Smith, Omar Vizquel and, in fact, one of the best defensive SS's I've seen for our Halos (up until A. Simmons who I consider the best all time Halos defensive SS - NOW -- that is if he stopped playing tomorrow !) was Orlando Carbrera , who had a very short stint with us, but won a gold glove and IMO played very well for us during his time here. The thing Disar really had going for him, IMO, is that when he was in the line up, the team seemed to win and the team as a whole seemed better. It's not something that shows up in a box score stat. Other than that, he wasn't fast -- not really a base stealer, his offense was OK, not great - no power really -- his defense while not stellar level was above average. Not sure where he is these days -- he bounced back and forth between the Red Sox and Angels organizations his entire professional career from his playing days to his coaching/ front office staff jobs. He did serve a two year stint (was it two years?) as Halos third base coach and may be engrained in Halos history as, quite frankly, the WORST THIRD BASE COACH EVER, I think we had more runners thrown out at the plate under his watch than ever before -- and this was AFTER MLB imposed that stupid "Buster Posey" Rule which gives a huge advantage to the runner coming in to score from third base.........(they really have ruined one of the most exciting plays in baseball and they wonder why people think baseball is slow and boring). I think I read somewhere in the recent Red Sox managerial shake up (they fire their manager when their team MAKES the playoffs !) that Disar was tossed to the curb. Perhaps Angels have invited him to be a ST coach at Tempe to work with the infielders. he's done that before.

fanfromday1 : Now that's funny stuff and just a great story. It's stories and tidbits like that , that to me, make this Angelswin.com forum so great to be a part of.

I guess I should hold off on my YADIER MOLINA for HOF posts........he's got three more years on his contract -- indicated he's retiring after that. catchers -- and quality defensive catchers -- really under-represented in the HOF. of course, one of my arguments for catchers that I think belong in - is this : "Well, they let Gary Carter IN"

WOW!! Have to admit I was prepared to be disappointed once again - sort of felt like Charlie Brown preparing to kick off with Lucy as the holder........ BUIT NOT THIS TIME !!!! A HALO CAP IN THE HALL !!!! also have to admit, sort of had to wipe away a tear typing this.

VLADDY A HALO IN THE HALL !!! wiping away a tear as I type this.............

GEEZ -- I did not intend to re-ignite the "GA has potential HOF numbers" if he maintains pace. that's something I posted often during his prime Halos years. there were five to ten year stretch(es) of time where GA was in the top 3 of al MLB for hits during that span -- it was usually him, Jeter and one other - someone like Tony Gwynn or perhaps (later) Ichiro. can't remember now. I thought the posting of the numbers comparison with Vlad's career numbers show that GA wasn't that far off in terms of total career stats from Vlad's. Was he the player VLAD was - no way . GA belongs in the Halos HOF -- he leads or is in the top 5 of most offensive categories. He was a better outfielder than he gets credit for -- his apparent lackadaisical style IMO masked the great read he got on flyballs.......... obviously, I was a GA fan during his career and time with the Halos........look at his year to year production during his prime years - very consistent -- until he got hurt -- and YES, he was never the same player after his back problems impacted his play. I think he was on pace for 3,000 hits. His WAR -- something that is now a stat being used more retroactively than it was used back then -- yeah that stat may place him lower than other folks. STORMNGT -- thanks for backing me up on GA -- with several posts -- regardless of the point of view anyone takes on his career stats/ HOF trajectory etc. Bottom line is GA was a great Halo, I think he was under-appreciated (partly because he was not exactly media friendly and therefore not a media favorite) not just by Halos fans but MLB fans in general. I always enjoyed watching him produce for our Halos.

well, as for manipulation of votes to achieve certain results for certain players i.e. (make him a first ballot guy, deny him first ballot status, keep him above the 5% cut off etc.) I was interested this year in Trevor Hoffman's election to the HOF. There was some talk/ thinking that Hoffman might not get certain East Coast votes (read New York) in order to assure that SLAM DUNK first ballot HOF'er coming up soon - MARIANO RIVERA - made it in as a closer before Hoffman did..........

"It's a shame Vlad never got a chance to play in a World Series game." LET'S PLAY TWO !!!

Frank Tanana was an amazing pitcher. came up with the Halos as a fireballer strike out pitcher. Had some great seasons including that three year run referenced above. then he hurt his arm -- fast ball lost velocity. He was DL and out for a bit. this may have either been before what is now common-place Tommy John surgery or Tanana underwent an early version of it -- can't remember now. but what Tanana did next was incredible -- he transformed from a thrower / blow 'em away fireballer strike out pitcher to a finesse 'pitcher' who hit locations --Tanana's 'second act' led to more than another 100 mlb pitching wins. He wound up with an incredible over-all career. Yes, he has likely been over-looked with respect to his early productive years with the Halos.

Frank Tanana is my guess as well.

first ballot guy -- Vizquel and Smith were the ballet guys at SS..........

Is this where I can include a pitch to see Omar Vizquel's number track upward next year? He got about 37 percent of the vote this year -- not bad but not great for a first time ballot. I think if folks take a look at his career stats, he merits HOF consideration -- he wound up with close to 2,800 hits. But, really, it's not his offense that gets him IN, it's his DEFENSE -- consider that in era of some pretty good AL SS's -- (Nomar, Jeter etc.) Omar Vizquel was pretty much the consensus best defensive SS of them all. I think he ranks right up there with, perhaps, the best defensive SS of all time -- OZZIE SMITH. You have to consider the number of runs Vizquel prevented from scoring. anyway, I think Vizquel deserves HOF consideration-- of course, in two years, Jeter will be a no doubter -- all ballots naming him first ballet guy -- ME? I'd select Vizquel in his prime over Jeter in his prime playing SS for my team EVERY TIME.

c'mon Jeff F. -- you and everyone know the story in ST -- and not just for the Halos -- is going to be Ohtani. it's a huge international story and you are going to have a front row seat. I am interested in how the arrival of Ohtani, if he is able to be healthy and start the season as a DH and as starting rotation pitcher -- how this one start a week rotation concept works out and if it works out well, how it may change how teams look at their starting rotations -- perhaps expanding them to give certain rotation guys (5/6 in line) more rest.

VLAD IS "IN" and it's a great day for Halos fans -- no matter what cap he wears into the HOF (should be an Angels cap!!). Not to belabor a point I once made frequently here (some time ago -- a Halos player I really liked for his consistency year after year until he got hurt) -- but to show how their stats compare and a guy who I felt was on his way to HOF numbers (before he got hurt and his trajectory fell off): Career numbers: VLAD GUERREO: HITS: 2,590 2B: 477 HR 449 RBI 1496 SB 181 career BA: .318 Garret Anderson HITS: 2,529 2B: 522 HR: 287 RBI: 1365 ; SB 80 career BA: .293

a prior post mentioned Mickey Rivers -- folks who never saw him play -- we need to get some film of Mickey Rivers running the bases.......an amazingly skilled player. Fast.

I'd would certainly add Torii Hunter to that list. I voted JImmy Edmonds simply because some of the great catches he made - particularly that one in KC. Edmonds and Hunter both made spectacular catches in bunches at times - I remember watching games (on TV) where these guys seemed to make sensational catches one after the other. Trout made a catch last year (was it last year) that ranked right up there with Edmonds KC catch and those fabulous Torii Hunter catches. this list is really 'exciitng' player and not necessarily a longevity issue with the team........that being said, I add Darin Erstad who was always an exciting player to watch, Peter Bourjos who I really liked when he came up as well as Chone Figgins -- a very exciting player. and then, in terms of sheer excitement and energy -- a player who stands TALL in this category --- the "X" Factor -- David Eckstein. Pitchers - was there a relief pitcher more exciting than when K-Rod first hit the scene in that amazing 2002 season?

that prior post should read "NOT" the youngest to be elected into the HOF but currently the youngest member of the HOF at 42 which means he has years of HOF induction ceremonies to attend in front of him...........

I think Vlad is the youngest HOF'er now at age 42 -- now the youngest to be elected into the HOF.

MLB channel's HOF wrap up show sure showed a lot of VLAD in Expos uni during the show and when they showed the four players voted in -- showed VLAD in Expos hat and uni. Most coverage seems to be leaning (not saying -- just showing mostly Vlad in Expos hat and uni) towards VLAD going in as a Montreal Expo. Yes, I am a long time Halos fan; Yes, I am biased towards the Halos But , despite that, I really think VLAD should go in as the first one to wear an Angels cap in the HOF. We got robbed when Nolan Ryan went in not wearing a Halos cap -- clearly Ryan's best years and stats were with the Halos. Vlad spent one more year with the Expos than the Angels -- he was in his prime with the Halos and was a franchise player there. I am not as confident as I was this past week (I really thought MLB would understand the importance of making Vlad the first one wearing a Halos cap in the HOF) after watching all this coverage of VLAD in a Montreal uni -- film that hasn't been shown much the past 15-20 years and even when he was playing in Montreal didn't get as much exposure as he deserved. When he got to Anaheim, he certainly received additional coverage. He's a deserving of the HOF and his Halos hat would look just great there.

This could go either way but I'm thinking VLAD and Halos fans will be celebrating tomorrow. Montreal will be celebrating as well, but I think VLAD goes in as the first HOF'er to wear a HALOS cap. HOF Committee, MLB and just common sense dictates that Halos get their first hat in the HOF over a defunct club from a city with minimal to no hope of getting another MLB team (at least any time soon -- the Montreal mayor who was sort of leading the Montreal back in MLB charge and offering city's help to build a ballpark - well, he got shut out at the polls). Meanwhile, HOF really needs to make up for the Nolan Ryan call -- Nolan Ryan statute should be wearing a Halos cap in the Hall.

Eagles may sign Trout as a middle linebacker and have him suited up in two weeks..........

then again, perhaps the guy got it right, Salmon is anchoring the broadcast and Mr. GIDP (Pujols) is an anchor in the line up...........

Or - perhaps a better comeback would have been -- "Hey Upton you watch much hockey?" Upton: "Apparently, I watch more hockey than this guy does baseball lately......."