disarcina

future trivia question -- Mike Trout stole 30 bases in his 2016 MVP year with 29 HR and 100 RBI. He was replaced by a pinch runner one time during that season........ who pinch ran for the AL MVP??? a catcher, JETT BANDY -- they'll never get that one !!!

got the RBI !!! 29/30 - 100 RBI and how many hits? 180 ?? MVP !!!!

I still say MVP TROUT

got the SB -- need the HR and RBI

SF Giants have really done the Vin tribute up really well. The sad to watch part probably refers to seeing a frail Willie Mays joining Vin in the booth for the presentation of a plaque that will mark Vin's final broadcast in the visitor's broadcast booth at AT&T...........the great Willie Mays -- he has to be over 80 years old -- looked pretty frail -- had to sort of assisted and held to keep from falling by the almost 89 year old Scully.

NFL --?? What's that?? I may be the only person who pays little attention to the NFL -- even with the LA Rams back. the NFL only attracts something like 95% of the available advertising dollars . a few years ago, which means it's only gotten more lucrative than this, I read somewhere in the business page(s) that advertising spending on just a typical current NFL Sunday is greater than what was spent on Super Bowl Sunday about a decade ago...........in other words........EVERY SUNDAY is Super Bowl Sunday for advertising revenue to the clubs. no wonder we have Thursday night football.......... I'd rather watch the NHL.

Oz27 on Weaver's 2016 season: "arguably the worst starting pitcher this year and one of the worst starting pitchers ever...." Not sure about that but I have not done the stat checking that Oz27 clearly has -- so maybe that's the case. I do know this -- Halos have experience with the 'worst starting pitcher/ or just pitcher' in baseball either for one season or for all time -- Remember Joe Blanton's 2-14 performance for the Halos not that long ago -- Blanton was declared by many (and not just disgruntled Halos fans) 'as the worst starting pitcher in baseball -- perhaps ever." There were stats to back up that claim, as well. Whatever happened to Joe Blanton? The 'worst pitcher in baseball' from a few seasons ago can't possibly be the same guy who was the set up pen guy for the NL West Division Champion LA Dodgers now headed for the NLDS ??? Not that Joe Blanton, huh? Point being -- there's life after being 'the worst pitcher in baseball' apparently. another case in point -- and the failure to re-sign him was NOT because he was the worst pitcher in baseball (perhaps one of the heaviest weight wise), but because he was old and losing effectiveness so it was thought........BARTOLO COLON - another former Halos pitcher headed to the 2016 post-season -- Colon has won almost 100 games since leaving the Halos........ stats are stats and folks, teams and some GMs live and die by them -- all I know is that there were a number of starts by Weaver (particularly during the second half) where he mixed pitches, had good placement of pitches, kept hitters off balance - and I'm specifically thinking of that one game where it was either a complete game or 8 inning effort with a total of less than 90 pitches......watching that game and those games, I thought -- geez- this guy can still help this club and any MLB club as a back of the rotation guy...... now, true, there were starts were he looked like he needed to be DFA'd/ released the next day --- but in the second half he did string together some good starts,

a world without VIN calling Dodger baseball and doing either network games, ALL STAR games, post-season games........ it's a world I've never known and I'm no spring chicken. as a kid growing up in grade school at our household we didn't really watch TV shows week day evenings during the baseball season -- instead my father would read the newspaper and I would do my homework all while listening to Vin Scully (and Gerry Doggett) on a transistor radio......

for those who can't get KTLA and since MLB is foolishly not showing the game or blacking it out -- it's worth noting that Vin Scully is doing the entire game -- all nine innings or more if extras - as a simeulcast on radio as well -- normally he only does the first three innings on radio as a simeulcast -- but today's final game -- its all VIN as it should be,

well, reading these posts......Angels_Baseball's comment resonates the most with me. I mean, I have stated/ repeated several times now that I think the Halos should offer Weaver an incentive laden deal for 2017 and I still feel that way. But Angels_Baseball's post harkens back to watching Orel Hersheiser in his second 'come back' tour with the Dodgers which was a feel good story that last about a month plus into the season. I still remember watching on TV and hearing in Vin Scully's voice, Hersheiser's last MLB start/ game -- might have been against the SF Giants -- can't remember (he actually pitched for the Giants for about two seasons).......but Hersheiser obviously could get anyone out, his ERA was 15.00 or something ridiculous and he was just getting pounded. He went about two plus innings in that final start and was yanked.......he announced his retirement a few days later...........this is the type of thing Angels_Baseball thinks could happen with Jered Weaver if we bring him back -- and he may be right about that.......I'm willing to take that risk (but I don't think the Halos are going to offer him a contract in any event) but it would be one heck of a "I TOLD YOU SO" if he winds up like that Hersheiser example -- and it very well could..........there are other examples as well -- Steve Carlton ending his stellar career by hanging on too long and pitching poorly for about three or four different teams at the end of his career (I think Minnesota, the SF Giants and at least one other -- he was awful after being so dominating with St. Louis and Philadelphia) Juan Marichal actually pitched for the LA Dodgers and went to spring training his last season (after he had pitched in Boston for about two seasons post his stellar SF Giants career)........that experiment lasted less than a month into the regular season and, once again, I can still remember Vin Scully commenting on the class Marichal displayed in announcing to the Dodgers and his then short term team-mates that he just didn't have it any more and was hanging 'em up.

he can help some team next year -- long past the ace of the rotation status guy to be sure -- but still has shown in the second half here that he can be a serviceable starter for some team.......I think he'd be a good 4th/ 5th rotation guy for the Halos.........sign him to a one year incentive laden contact with a club option and buy clause for a plus one option year. one plus one club option - incentive laded re Games Started, Games Pitched, IP -- I mean are the Halos going to be big contenders in 2017?

has had quite a bit of DL time the past two years. gonna want a big contract for a very uncertain Immediate (like 2017) future. Halos have enough older guys with big contracts either on their team and/or on their payroll. I say pass on Holliday. Interestingly, it was the Cards signing Holliday to that huge multi-year contract the year BEFORE Pujols' contract was up that pretty much resulted in Pujols walking and signing with the Angels -- the money that could have been spent on keeping/ extending Pujols in St. Louis was instead spent on Holliday. Holliday has not had an AB in almost two months -- he's off the DL (just off the DL yesterday, I think) -- he PH in today's Cards must win game vs. Pittsburgh and hit a pinch single that sparked the Cards' comeback rally..........

I agree with Eaterfan's post -- under club control for three years -- while I appreciate what Calhoun has done for the Halos and he's been a solid, steady performer in all aspects of the game. I see Calhoun as one of our major trade bait value guys to obtain a quality rotation guy AND either a second tier prospect pitcher or a pen depth guy. Perhaps a deadline deal in 2017 -- or during the off-season before the 2018 season.

I don't mind getting blasted if folks feel differently --fair game - I think some of Weaver's early season starts and performances raised some huge question marks about whether his days as an MLB starter were over -- but during the second half he's had some good starts -- and YES has been inconsistent as well with some real STINKER starts sprinkled in there as well. If he wins tomorrow (if he even pitches -- and I think if he does, it may be a very short stint -- so probably no win for him tomorrow unless the Angels take an early lead, Weav goes five and keeps his pitch count way down) it'll be win No. 13 on the season -- I know he was on track there a bit for a 14/15 win season but obviously not going to get there. I just think he's worth a one plus one deal with incentives at this point -- others disagree -- that's fine. As for next year -- like the optimism........that's great. The reality is that the Texas Rangers -- rather quietly from all the MLB publicity standpoint -- went WIRE TO WIRE in the ALWest -- have wrapped up home field advantage in the playoffs and unless our front office has a major make over in style, substance and personnel (I guess it's possible -- but I don't see it happening) the Halos are NOT going to do what it takes during the off-season to improve some 20-25 games in the standings for 2017. But, hope springs eternal -- that's why there's crowds of folks in Tempe and the rest of the Arizona ST sites in March..........

Now it's being reported that it's about 50/50 that Weaver starts Sunday -- still having some relatively minor health issues but enough to potentially scratch his Sunday start -- probably a game time decision and may mean its a short appearance/ bullpen game on a true 'get away' day. Hope Weaver can make the start. Would like to see him back in a Halos' uni in 2017 but it's unlikely -- if he chooses NOT to retire -- some team will sign him for 2017 -- he can be a serviceable starter for some MLB team. If MLB wants to deal with the 'pace of the game' issues -- all they need to do is watch tapes of tomorrow's games -- should be some of the quickest moving and shortest games of the year. I am pretty sure the umps expand the strike zone significantly on the final game of the year when it's no contender team playing no contender team.

Angel Pagan, plagued with injuries the past two/three seasons with the SF Giants is a F/A at the end of this season. He's spent a considerable amount of DL time the past three seasons (issues with his back) -- and he's no longer an every day player and no longer the stellar defensive OF'er he was earlier in his career with the Mets (plays LF -- has never had much of an arm)........but he's a guy who when he was inserted into the SF Giants line up -- the Giants would win. The team was better with him in the line up. I think the Halos should take a serious look at him for 2017 -- a fourth OF'er -- perhaps some platoon stuff again out in LF (how can we do any worse than this year?) along with some DH. Pagan can also run and could P/R in the late innings, he also is great at moving runners over with a sac bunt. Plus, he could do some WWF or cage fighting on the side, apparently......

Jered Weaver starting October 2. Final appearance of the season. OK. Jered Weaver starting Sunday, October 2 -- SWAN SONG Appearance of his Halos' career. I think Weaver had a good 2016 season as a very serviceable number three/ perhaps four rotation guy. Some inconsistencies in starts to be sure -- but overall better than most reasonable priced alternatives. Weaver gave the Halos a hometown discount some what? six years ago now when his value was at the highest. He has performed his end of the deal well. I would hope the Halos will be bringing Jered back in 2017 perhaps a one year plus one year club option deal with incentives. Look, the Halos aren't going any place in 2017 and perhaps not in 2018 either. A one year deal would not necessarily be paying for 'past performance' although, that would clearly be a consideration for all he's done for the franchise. Bottom line, though, is -- Weaver has 13/14 wins this season -- as a number 4/5 rotation guy next year - he's a lot better than some of the altervative inning eaters we could sign (we're not going to pay for a top quality F/A starter) during the off-season. Anyway, it this is it for Weaver, I'm sure he'll get a Standing O from Halos fans when he leaves the mound for the last time -- I hope he's pitching a shutout. Sort of bittersweet -- Fan Appreciation Day and all (nothing like the prizes they used to give out) but on a hot afternoon meaningless game in Anaheim competing against NFL Sunday activities -- probably going to be about 20,000 in the stand when Weaver steps off the Anaheim field for the last time (maybe - likely).

actually , stats as pointed out by DocHalo and shared with Chuck's post.

Angels goal for the final three games should be this: Get Trout the one HR so he gets to 30 HR. 1 more RBI (preferably with the HR) so he gets to 100. steals 3 more bases to get to 27. as a 30 HR/ 30 SBs/ 100 RBI and about 185 hits (impressive hit total considering the number of IBB he gets) -- he would have to be the odds on fav for MVP. then, just for good measure, add in his five year stat performance as Chuck has highlighted......... contender or no -- 30/30/ 100 ribbies and 185 hits are very impressive individual stats.......

yeah -- since the original post on this thread, the Halos have gone on a bit of a run thanks to those wins over Houston -- now we're assured of not finishing last in the AL West and it appears we are on track to fall short of losing 90 games this year -- so it looks like a 74 win season for the Halos -- 74-88 or close to that. we've played well enough in the last two weeks of September to mess up our draft pick position. MLB should do something to adjust the way draft pick priority is set -- make the 'also rans - out of it -- teams' truly compete for draft spot priority by forcing them to play well in September and reward the ones that do.........of course that would mean the truly terrible teams don't get a top draft pick perhaps and remain terrible -- but that's better than having teams with NO INCENTIVE to even show up, playing games against other non-contending teams Sept. 15 - 30th.........Oct. 1-2.

at some point when the players' 2016 MVP stats are so close -- and, of course, there's the 'he's plays for a contender' factor for guys like Betts, Donaldson.........but at some point, I would think you look at the three or four top candidates' stats -- and if they're so close, there's really not much difference between the top guys -- and at that point -- I would think (probably not, but I would) you look at a player like Trout and darned !! It's not just 2016 with these kinds of MVP stats it's the past three years...........and if the others can't match that - I would think the 'stat' tie would go to the player who's been consistently good over several years............ am sure no one's thinking that -- but Trout has several second place MVP finishes so I'm thinking that...........and it's not 'hey, it's his turn' -- it's more -'geez these guys have been good this year, but this guy has been good this year plus the past two years plus"

or maybe Dallas McPherson's stats in some industrial slow pitch softball league, anywhere USA.

sean rodriguez?

he stole it off the pitcher -- the catcher made no attempt to throw -- don't usually see that in a 6-6 game in the ninth......

but sentimental votes for Big Papi splitting the Boston / East Coast vote could result in a Trout win.....