Baseball Chick

25Feb 2015 by Jessica DeLine

Angels Spring Training – Non Roster Position Players

The Angels have invited 11 non roster position players to join them in sunny Tempe this spring. Some names you have probably heard of, and others not so much. Let’s break them down, including chances of a roster spot (at any point) in 2015. Charles Cutler - C Cutler was signed to a minor league contact with a Tempe invite. He has decent numbers with 7 seasons in the minors batting .304 and he only strikeouts about once every 8 at bats. Cutler can also play 1B and OF, the later of which is odd for a catcher who has no speed (8 SB in 7 years). Cutler is one of many catchers the Angels signed this past off season. 2015 Roster Chance: 0% Stephen McGee - C Picked in the…

24Feb 2015 by Jessica DeLine

Angels Spring Training – Non Roster Pitchers

Angels, pitching, Spring Training

The Angels have invited 12 non roster pitchers to join them in sunny Tempe this spring. Some names you have probably heard of, and others not so much. Let's break them down, including chances of a roster spot (at any point) in 2015. Trevor Gott Gott is a 23-year old reliever who came over to the Angels from the Padres as part of the Huston Street trade. He has converted 22 of 29 saves in his short minor league career and amassed 101 Ks through 96 innings along with a 1.21 WHIP. In 2014 he had a pretty average K/BB ratio of 2.4. Gott only has 29 inning at the AA level (the rest A or below) so it's highly unlikely he makes an opening day roster but he could have a…

24Feb 2015 by Jessica DeLine

Angels Position Players report to Spring Training – UPDATED

Angels, Spring Training

It's official - all the Halos are now in Tempe. Well, maybe not all of them (Looking at you Josh Hamilton). First, a list of ALL 63 players invited to spring training, including 23 non-roster invitees and all 40 on the active roster. UPDATE: As of 3/16/15 there are now only 51 players in camp. Changed noted below. 58 Jose Alvarez Pitcher Active Roster 68 Cam Bedrosian Pitcher Active Roster 28 Andrew Heaney Pitcher Active Roster 60 Jeremy McBryde Pitcher Active Roster 64 Mike Morin Pitcher Active Roster 63 Vinnie Pestano Pitcher Active Roster 37 Cesar Ramos Pitcher Active Roster 46 Cory Rasmus Pitcher Active Roster 65 Danny Reynolds Pitcher Active Roster 43 Garrett Richards Pitcher Active Roster 51 Drew Rucinski Pitcher Active Roster 59 Fernando Salas Pitcher Active Roster…

19Feb 2015 by Jessica DeLine

Double Play Duo

Angels

Every Angels fan wants to know: Who is going to turn all those double plays with Eric Aybar this year? Aybar and Howie Kendrick had been together in some way or form since they came to the Angels organization in 2002 and have been turning double plays for the better part of 7 or 8 years. While Kendrick goes to the Dodger to work with a veteran double play partner in Jimmy Rollins, Aybar will have to work with young blood, which is not necessarily a bad problem since the Angels have 4 players eager to prove their worth and surely they will all be working hard to be there on opening day. For their part, the Angels will be working out Josh Rutledge, Johnny Giavotella, Grant Green and Taylor…

18Feb 2015 by Jessica DeLine

Calling Angel #5

Angels, pitching

Angels pitchers and catchers report tomorrow. Finally! It's the start of the 2015 baseball season and I am ready for it. There certainly are a few question marks in a mostly unchanged Angels lineup, including: Will Josh Hamilton be anywhere NEAR his prediction of a .300/30HR/100 RBI season? (nope) Who will play second base? (more on that soon) Who will win the 5th spot in the Angels rotation? Today, let's look at the third unknown on this list - who will win that 5th rotation spot? The Angels rotation will likely look like: Jered Weaver Garrett Richards CJ Wilson Matt Shoemaker Hector Santiago, Nick Tropeano, or Sean Andrew Heaney Questions about Richards recovery aside (he is doing great so far), and which version of CJ Wilson will we get in…

22Dec 2014 by Jessica DeLine

Tearing it up in VWL

Angels, minors, VWL

Only the die-hard baseball fans probably even know there IS a Venezuelan Winter League going on right now. And yes, the Angels have some players staying warm in the Caribbean. Most notably - Left handed pitcher Jose Alvarez and new backup catcher - Carlos Perez. Alvarez is tearing up the mound with a league leading 6 wins. He is showing some control as well with a 1.02 WHIP and 1.74 ERA. Alvarez has seen time starting (6 appearances) and in relief (12 appearances). Overall, he is impresses down south and hopefully that bodes well come spring. Carlos Perez was not overly impressive in the Pacific league this past year though he did have a .709 OPS. in Venezuela is showing some wood with a very impressive .896 OPS and .373 OBP.…

14Nov 2014 by Jessica DeLine

Angels AFL – Hits and Misses

AFL, Angels, Rankings

Well, baseball is pretty much done for 2014 (queue sad music). Until pitchers and catchers reports we'll mostly be watching the news for off season trades, roster moves and all the stuff that builds up the teams to compete in 2015. For now - let's take a look at the Angels who played in the Arizona Fall League. Who was a hit and who was a miss? The Hits: Chad Hinshaw, A, OF Hinshaw had a pretty good AFL season and will probably move up to AA at least. He led all the Angels with a .410 OBP and this speedy center fielder also swipped 7 bases in 10 attempts. His OBP was the 4th best in the entire league, and his stolen bases put him at 6th there. Cal…

29Oct 2014 by Jessica DeLine

Angels in Arizona – Part 2

AFL, Angels

How are the top Angels prospects doing since we checked last? Last take a look! Position Players: Kaleb Cowart - Still doing pretty mediocre but did manage to increase his average from .069 in 29 at bats to .154 in 52 at bats so at least he's batting around .260 over the past week or so. Chad Hinshaw - Another double and 4 more hits. Still batting in the 250's which was where he was last time. Eric Stamets - Stamets has more at bats now and is playing well. He has a triple and a .303 average. Though he has been caught stealing 3 times in only 4 attempts. Cal Towey - Sporting a .406 average, he is getting better as fall season goes on. Three doubles, a home run and…

24Oct 2014 by Jessica DeLine

Gold Gloves

Baseball

Rawlings has announced finalists for the 2014 Gold Glove - an award that is only 25% based on actual fielding stats (the other 75% on managers opinion). Teams absent from this list include the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees. No gold gloves for you! Teams with multiple candidates include: 4 - Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals 3 - Atalanta Braves, Seattle Mariners, Florida Marlins, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Red, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers 2- Los Angeles Angels, Cleveland Indians, Saint Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Chicago White Sox

20Oct 2014 by Jessica DeLine

Angels in Arizona

Angels, minors

Unfortunately I'm not talking about spring training, though hopefully we can blink and that will be here! What I am talking about is the Arizona Fall League and the 8 Angels prospects currently playing there. How the heck are they all doing after just over a week of play? Position Players: Kaleb Cowart - This top 4 Angels prospect is batting a dismal .069 with 29 at bats and only 2 hits. Considering the meek numbers he has put up in 2013 and 2014 for Arkansas, he's feeling less and less "top". Chad Hinshaw - Hinshaw is doing ok so far with a .250 average in 20 at bats. Three of his 5 hits have been doubles so he appears to be hitting the ball when he does hit. Eric Stamets…