disarcina

Angels Stadium is all right -- the stadiums mentioned in ScottT's post are all newer ballpark, most designed in the current era of smaller seating capacity parks with seats closer to the field and the action -- all the parks he mentioned -- and I have been to the ones in San Diego, Colorado and Seattle -- are better (and newer) than the city owned Anaheim Stadium. AT&T in SF is a great ballpark and so is Safeco in Seattle. Anaheim/ Angels Stadium can't match those ballparks. But Angels Stadium still a good ballpark to watch baseball and certainly better than Oakland (that's not a high bar) -- as for Dodger Stadium - have not been there in some 20 years -- looks nice on TV, made some improvements over the years I hear -- not sure how they can expand the concourse area space which was always so narrow--- I think they added restrooms -- which they really needed -- and hopefully they changed food vendors from the monopoly given to the lowest bidder with food quality to match..........and then there's the parking lot issues........ Yeah, Anaheim Stadium much better (than Dodger Stadium) on those fronts........

I'd rather have the current scoreboard show more runs scored for the Halos than new ones showing a bunch of zeroes.

good ball game. both teams' pens are on fumes. Houston now takes a three run lead on Correa's HR but this thing is NOT over. Houston still has pen issues. If Houston hangs on here -- they MUST win it all in GAME SIX in LA -- who-ever wins Game SIX wins it -- either Houston closes it out -- or the Game Six winner Dodgers win Game Seven... probably Kershaw on short rest for a five inning start........or more if he's pitching well AT HOME -- Houston can't let him - Kershaw - get that chance. Morrow gets hit here -- he's done well most of the post-season -- he's just been over-used at this point -- not sure what else Roberts could have done, though.

meanwhile -- look to the NHL -- Daryl Sutter won two Cups in five years as the LA Kings coach SINCE the Halos won in 2002 and Sutter is gone. The Ducks have won a Cup and have been a playoff team since then and they've had coaching changes. no big statement, just comparing/ contrasting.........

2002 was nice - but folks -- it's been pretty much out of sight in that rear view mirror for about 8 years now..... Is 2002 for the Halos going to become our version of 1988 for the Dodgers????????

Well - no big inside source or anything close to that -- just what I read about Chili Davis possibly being signed as another team's batting coach moving on from his last gig in Boston. The team that may have lost out was not necessarily the Angels, but the SF Giants who -- reports indicated - had some interest in bringing Chili Davis in at their hitting coach. oh well. The good news for the Halos is that we have a new hitting coach -- Chili Davis would have been great -- I think he'll do well as hitting coach for the Cubs.

Vegas Halos Fan -- as you know the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau is very aggressive and active in promoting expansion of Vegas economic opportunities.......they should be out there letting MLB and every team even hinting at re-location know that the AAA ballpark being built there is being built in way where it can easily be converted to a stadium to meet MLB requirements with a significant portion of the needed park and related area infrastructure in place (there's always a freeway project of some kind under going construction in Las Vegas it seems). The one aspect I don't know is how the Convention bureau folks are reacting to a non-downtown, non inside the actual City limits of Las Vegas location for the AAA ballpark. If it's out near Summerlin, I am assuming it's either under Clark County jurisdiction or perhaps may have been annexed into the city of Summerlin or perhaps the City of Las Vegas. Con-Vis there seems to be downtown / strip oriented as, I think, it's the TOT (transient occupancy tax) from the large hotels there that primarily fund Con-Vis.

another player in a fairly good sized list of players-- who signed big contracts with Seattle and saw their careers just hit a wall - some recovered (Adrian Beltre) and did well after leaving Seattle (Beltre actually slightly recovered while still with the M's -- but his first season after his 40 HR year with the Dodgers his F/A year, he was hitting .205 at the All Star Break and it was clear he would be gone from Seattle as soon as his contract was up- 3 year deal I think it was)......Jeff Weaver was another one, the rotation ace from Baltimore (can't recall his name) yet another........the M's F/A were just jinxed. Robinson Cano finally came along and finally beat the jinx/ curse...........not that the team has done much around him.

am aware of this -- they previously had a ballpark location picked out (in Fremont, if I remember right) and were ready to go when they ran into opposition to neighborhood groups and there was no support of any kind from the State to fund the freeway infrastructure modifications required (over-pass and new off ramps). So it was a 'no go' - of course the City of Oakland and Alameda County along with the Alameda Coliseum Board (made up of a near non-governable, logistical and practical nightmare of public entities who can't agree on much of anything other than to have some other entity- other than theirs and the Coliseum Board - fund any improvements). 3 to 4 years from now is the anticipated 'ready' date ? I 'll stick with 'ten years from now, no ground will have been broken and A's still playing in Oakland Coliseum with views of the Oakland hills being blocked by Davis Mountain's empty seats covered up by a tarp of some kind")

Well - perhaps not - and in that event ten years from now they'll still be playing at the Oakland Coliseum with Davis Mountain ruining the baseball atmosphere even though the Raiders are long gone..........MLB and SF Giants won't let them move to San Jose, a local location for them in the South Bay -- the SF Giants have moved their AAA team to Sacramento a few years ago, I am somewhat sure - just to block the A's from going there -- the Fresno area had built a great ballpark and were very loyal Giants fans over many years...so no Vegas? Where else can the A's go? Is this that Portland vs. Vegas issue again.........see prior posts........Vegas every time given that choice.

expansion - "If I were MLB, I would pick Las Vegas over Portland" Portland may have more full time residents/ population -- Las Vegas is a national/ international city that will draw fans from all over the country/ world. also, I take one look at the empty seats at Safeco Field this year (starting in June/ July) and again, Las V

Puget Sound Angel makes best comment of the thread that makes the most sense: "Why would baseball expand? You already have two failing teams in need of new stadiums? (Oakland and Tampa Bay). Absolutely. Move Oakland to Las Vegas. Move Tampa Bay to Charlotte done. Let Portland keep its Single A team in the burbs and let Seattle keep its AAA team called the Mariners. Perfect.

Normally, I would root for the S. Cal team and the California team in the W/S or really any playoff -- I rooted for the Ducks to do well when the Kings missed the playoffs here two seasons in a row now....... And I may still be kinda for the Dodgers to beat the Yankees if that's the match up --- probably be for Houston and Altuve (hard not to like the way that guy plays -- a friend of mine calls him this MLB era's Pete Rose (on the field playing stuff not the other stuff and the more recent revelations stuff - just the 200 hits a season and ON FIELD hustle between the lines stuff).. And it's not so much of being a scorned Angels fan from days of yore (because I liked the Dodgers back then -- and the team/ ownership even if O'Malley did treat Gene Autry and the Halos poorly as a tenant in the early years)........but because of the strange post O'Malley ownership era of the Dodgers where the former Dodger Way was lost and even more so with the FORESEEABLE DISASTER of the McCourt ownership -- So it's really indifference to the Dodgers more than dis-like because I'm a Halos fan. I don't like the Dodger ballpark any more - went to many games there from the late 60's to the mid 80's.....but have not been to a game there in at least 20 years now. Of course, did make it to the Big A at all this season and did not even go to see a game in Tempe in March. GO LOS ANGELES KINGS !!

expansion - "If I were MLB, I would pick Las Vegas over Portland" Portland may have more full time residents/ population -- Las Vegas is a national/ international city that will draw fans from all over the country/ world. also, I take one look at the empty seats at Safeco Field this year (starting in June/ July) and again, Las Vegas is the pick over Portland. Unless its the Bad Bastards of Baseball (anyone who has not seen that film about the independent ownership by Bing Russell of a minor league team in Portland back in the 70's -- watch it --great film) I don't think baseball sells all that well in the Pacific Northwest......heck, even Vancouver lost it's AAA team a few years back (think they're single A now) that played in that great old ballpark -- Nat Bailey Stadium.........a real throwback of a park -- in a good way.

Contraction preferred to expansion. eliminate the Florida based teams........just can't draw there - fans must get their fill of better viewing / seats baseball in Spring Training. tough to sit in the upper deck of stadium that holds 50,000 fans when you're used to attending games at small capacity/ closer to field seating minor league parks. If I were MLB, I would choose Las Vegas over Portland

It's funny thing - I grew up listening to Vin Scully and was a huge Dodgers fan -- I also listened to Dick Enberg and liked the Angels. Dodgers were always the top LA / S. Cal team and the Angels sort of an after-thought --- but I really liked the Cowboy and wanted to see the Angels win a World Series for him. Attended lots of games at Dodger Stadium over the years.........and watch a fair number at The Big A including a memorable Nolan Ryan 16 strikeout performance. As I became older, had kids and was involved in Little League stuff with them -- still sort of liked the Dodgers but preferred Angels Stadium as a better family friendly park. I also liked the players better -- including a short stop named DiSarcina -- not too flashy, not the best fielder / glove guy -- not really much of a hitter compared to guys like Ripken, Jeter and Garciaparra.......but when DiSar was in the line up, the Angels seemed to win and were a better team..........then O'Malley sold the Dodgers and along the way the team was bought by an very under-capitalized Frank McCourt -- thanks Bud Selig for that one -- will never understand the hold McCourt had on someone in MLB to get an exclusive right to buy one of the most storied franchises in baseball using a Boston parking lot as good faith collateral. Of course, McCourt and his family members quickly caused the value of the blue chip Dodgers franchise to plummet........ well, I will stop rambling -- bottom line , I became to really like the Angels and not so much the Dodgers........McCourt's ownership[ was abysmal and embarrassing for MLB -Selig who paved the way for McCourt to destroy the team -- was never really held to account. As for Arte and our Halos during this time -- I felt they really missed a great opportunity to significantly increase their market share/ penetration into the greater Los Angeles/ S. Cal basin..........it didn't happen......McCourt's low capitalized ownership cratered..........the local LA blue chip investors with Magic Johnson as the public PR guy lead had Dodger Blue back with competitive teams and now to the promised land of the World Series. I just don't see the Angels having a chance in the foreseeable future to challenge the Dodgers' dominance of the greater LA market (although the awful cable tv situation for the Dodgers probably helps the Angels as the Dodgers' expense).

Hosmer is OK on defense. Pretty solid. Good club house/ team guy. But with Hosmer -- who did have a career year - -don't expect the 35 HR stuff. More like a consistent 20-25 HRs, 85 -100 ribbies, .285 BA and decent glove at 1B - didn't Hosmer win a gold glove?

The dialogue is something like this: UPTON: I want this many years and this much over that total time, you can back load it. ANGELS: Too many years, too many dollars. UPTON: "Cue up "I'm Moving On"

Downtown Summerlin -- that's the high rent district..........a long way from Cashman Field.

Great news for Vegas -- am surprised that Las Vegas isn't building a MLB ready park - or perhaps a park that can easily be expanded to be an MLB park. Now that the Golden Knights have broken the professional sports teams barrier in Vegas -- other sports are going to follow like lemmings. It is/ was really great to see the Golden Knights get off to a good start in Las Vegas and while the whole Mandalay Bay massacre was worse than terrible -- the Golden Knights organization paid a very appropriate tribute/ memorial to the fallen/ injured on opening night. I do think Las Vegas baseball -- even at the AAA level, probably requires a retractable roof like Safeco Field in Seattle and other places -- not for the rain but for the heat ! Congrats to Vegas on the new baseball park -- as Vegas Halos Fan notes, they've needed one for a long time and Cashman is several generations past its prime. The Mandalay Bay incident has been just terrible but Vegas stays Strong and in the words of Tom Petty "Won't Back Down" -- I can only imagine what security is going to be like when our group goes to NFR later this year -- NFR plus George Strait.........getting through the airport might be the easy part.........

time for LA Kings hockey............

Chapman is going to become the this era's designated playoff rental...........

Indians not done until the last out. if they lose this -- it is a big upset..........Indians seemed invincible. needed to put New York away in game three or four......

anyone else see Madson come into the game for the Nats....... first off - I am sort of ticked just to see him pitching and then for the Nats in the PLAYOFFS...... but Madson picked up (I could say true to form for us -- but actually, I think he only threw maybe one warm up pitch in spring training for the Halos the entire two years and however many millions of dollars he was with the Halos) and did a highwire act worthy of Fernando Rodney...... did anyone else notice on the TBS telecast that the PBP guy - Matt V. -- ran through a list of Madson's former teams (after his success as a middle relief guy in Philly) and mentioned Cincinnati, Kansas City, Oakland and now Washington with ZERO mention of the Angels -- that's because his career stats show two years with the Halos with exactly ZERO innings pitch (that ZERO figure is approximate, felt more like MINUS ZERO). Anyway -- no mention of the Halos in the listing of teams. Meanwhile , watching Cleveland/ Yankees series -- and Indians pitching coach is Mickey Callaway -- another Halos has been from the past now apparently doing better as a coach then he ever did on the mound.........

Jeter keeps taking key guys from the Yankees organizations and the Yankees might let Didi Gregorius wear 2 on his back......... particularly if his two homeruns in tonight's game hold up as the game winners........