The Angels have to be the biggest mystery in baseball, and not just because they’ve claimed three different locations without once moving stadiums. These Los Angeles California Angels of Anaheim claim the distinction of having a centerfielder who will likely sit comfortably among the top ten players of all-time once his career is done, along with another player who is unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes.
But even with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in the same dugout, the Angels have ranged from abysmal to mediocre over the past several years. Either player should be the face of baseball, but if you never play games in October, not even the marketing machine of Major League Baseball can help you.
Over in the other dugout, the Yankees are facing problems of their own. Yes, Gerrit Cole appears to be the best pitcher on the planet. Yes, Aaron Judge is still as great as we’d like him to be. Yes, Anthony Volpe is living up to the hype. (Don’t worry about that batting average; he’ll be fine.)
But what about Josh Donaldson? What about the back end of the rotation? What about Giancarlo Stanton and his right-on-time hamstring injury? Questions abound. Thank goodness we’ve got five more months to answer them.
Hey, everybody. Really sorry for letting things slide. I've been out of town, but tracking from afar. Let's get the banter going!
Whoo-hoo. Always nice to see the lights back on. Looking forward to this series. I'm guessing Ohtani hits a few to the moon and that Donaldson will be back on the IL in no time. Go Yankees!
I just told my wife. Here comes the Homer.
Hey everyone, been busy here but catching the game today before Knicks-Cavs. Why does it seem Clark Scmidt is pitching e every time I turn on a game? He’s not very good, that was inevitable Ohtani would crush one…and am sure Bone after the game will say ‘I liked the compete, he’s making progress..’
That Ohtani, he is pretty good. Nice double play.
Spent the weekend in Austin for my niece’s wedding. Nice small to do at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. Beautiful location, and the weather was perfect, though a little chilly in the evening.
Travis County Justice of the Peace for the vows only. She’s Jewish, he’s Christian. Both PhD in chemistry.
⬆️I’ve always wanted to visit Austin for the music festival! But, ‘Texas’….
Austin isn’t Texas.
Yay ... we're back!
[7] I now LIVE in Texas ... come visit!
The bulk of my spring break was spent shepherding 67 eighth graders through Boston, New York City, and DC. We took a tour of Fenway Park, which I highly recommend, and while in New York we took in a Mets game. I wore my Yankee cap in both parks. I got lots of comments from the tour guides at Fenway, but didn't hear a word directed to me at CitiField. Several "Yankees Suck" chants did break out, however, whenever another Yankee fan stood up to instigate it. Good times.
Nerts
(10) Think I’m good! Although, a friend said that the TexMex BBQ in El Paso is worth driving 1000 miles for…
[13]
No ... if you're out this way ... New Mex is probably the way to go.
[13] ALSO ... HIIIIIIIII!
I asked about you!
Oh, Falafel.
Volpe works a walk ... I'll give him that in particular ... he has a good eye.
Get well soon, Rondon.
I'm glad there are hockey playoffs on TV. Yuck.
Now would be the perfect time for Volpe’s first grand slam.
"Volpe works a walk ... I'll give him that in particular ... he has a good eye."
Repeat
A walk is acceptable.
Only a sac fly.
"Now would be the perfect time for Volpe’s first grand slam."
Now would be a good time for Volpe to stop missing hittable pitches because he's trying to hit them 600 feet.
[24] Heh
Drats. Catcher's interference!
These at bats by the Yankees are dreadful.
WE GOT WOODY!
What odds are you going to give me that Woody is right now ... HIGH off his ass?
[29] odds of him not being high are . . . infinitesimal.
He was ... very amusing ... and even more VERY high.
It smells like a Friday night! Wait....it's Tuesday.
What a boring game.
Poop.
These lineups are just horrible! Calhoun, Cabrera and Cordero all playing??
High Mr. OK Jazz!
Judge with the leather!
Ohayo, cult! Beautiful spring morning here in Japan
Judge with the D!!!
Ohtani’s power is just crazy, we got lucky there!
"High Mr. OK Jazz!"
Sorry, still had a contact high from Woody last night.
The Fox!
‘Contact high’ in Japan would be toxic fumes of cheap shochu&lemon in a can, held by some down&out salaryman on the train home..
All rise!
All Rise!! Worth every penny
ALL RISE!!!
I LOVE how the Angel's catcher crouched after impact in abject acknowledgement of the fact of homer.
⬆️’The Fact Of Homer’ sounds like a book I would read
Good job, burrito, waste a lead off double
And the first is repeated ... run, Foxy, run!
I LOVE THIS KID!
Wasted.
Bugger.
C'mon.
I had the fortune of having all the hook-ups to watch Yankees games last year. Tonight's game is on MLB Extra innings. Another subscription. Fuck that. And fuck you, mlb. Money grabbing douche bags.
Hey Ara, it’s on Amazon Prime but I’m still getting on my usual MLB tv app.
RATSO FOR THE TURN!
Greetings all...
Hey, remember when our moronic idiot GM, Cashman, traded for a used up Joey Gallo? While it's early, but Gallo has a 1.400 OPS. Cashman takes a lot of shit from many fans, but some guys can't handle NY. That ain't Cash's problem.
Whelp. I swore too soon. I watched a twitter replay and saw prime in the corner. That I have. Whoops. I miss just turning on Wpix
Thanks for looking out, Mr. Ok JT.
Phew, could have been much worse.
Weeeeeeelllllllll ... oops.
It's alright ... I like aggressive.
Uh oh
More phew. How about some insurance?
Sigh ... I like Volpe, but boy does he overswing.
[63] He's watching Torres too much.
I'm going to end up loathing Torres by the end of the year, aren't I?
I haven't seen a lot of innings this year but I have seen a lot of RISP Fail. And so it goes...
In 6+ years, Willie Calhoun has a -2 WAR. That's MINUS 2. Negative. Below 0. Could anyone from the farm be worst? I don't typically critisize Cashman, but I'm pissed he didn't sign Benintendi.
Great.
Crud
LAA 2, Judge 2.
What is Volpe waiting for?
I don't believe in "due" ... I believe in "sucks" ... prove me wrong Gleyber
WHY ARE YOU NOT STEALING??????????
That should have been a run.
It's too bad that don't have a hitter like Urshela who can find some grass with 2 outs and a runner on 2nd.
How often does Ohtani go 0 for 5?
Can they do anything right?
That's a nifty pick from DJ.
Great bunt, rook.
Not great, but I'll take it.
Phew. Cheers, y'all.
Gleyber Day!
Bases loaded walk is acceptable
As is a three run double.
Not a bad start in the Bronx!
[84] Yeah that's what brought me here.
I love those so much. (Only when we hit them, obviously.) They're so fricken satisfying.
I'm trying to work out how we can manage with a two-pitcher rotation.
No matter how I try to set things up, it just doesn't seem like it's gonna be enough.
Well Bumgardner is available for the minimum, because he stinks. Cashman should at least kick the tires.
Didn't IKF pitch well the other night? I caught the highligbt on twitter. A bases clearing double. With 2 outs. Be still my heart.
Howdy everyone ... just catching up
I'm liking Volpe at the top of the order ... I'm still not sure of his swings ... but his eye has been outstanding
IKF!
FALAFEL!!!
Dag. That was a helluva catch by the shitty shortstop.
And another one by Falafal
Poop ... again.
"I'm liking Volpe at the top of the order ... I'm still not sure of his swings ... but his eye has been outstanding"
Again with the shitty swings ... argh
ugh. No more meatballs, please.
The ump sure likes the low strike.
[97] 350 OBP and he is a burner.
Ohtani time. Gulp.
Phew, could have been much worse
Is it just me but does Todd Frazier look like Adam Sandler?
OONTZ!
They intentionally walked Oswaldo Cabrera.
What world do I live in?
Well waddyaknow.
I almost left when IKF came to bat!
Oooh, runs. I had to feed and walk the terrorists
RATSO!!11
PERAZA!
There’s Oswaldo!
Ouchie
Good win
Satisfactory.
I am NOT giving APPLE TV+ money for this shite.
Nope, so ...
Heckuva way to lose a perfecto and no hitter.
Aw crap Appletv? Nope, I’m broke.
Yeah ... good think MLB ... f off
Way to get out of trouble, Cole.
Afternoon baseball!
Grumble, needed to cash those runners in.
Off the bag, what the hell?
Time to walk the terrorists ahead of the thunderstorm.
Fuck you. Springer
Volpe! Perfect time for a home run
THE WOLF!!!!
And the rain starts
Errr, Fox
Hey rbj ... I think the kids are alright ...
Yup, I like seeing the kids succeed.
Aw shit
Maybe don’t use your closer early.
Jebus, Peralta.
But thanks for the bunt Blue Jays
LET'S WALK THIS OFF!!!!
Lead off doubles are good
Nice loafing, Ratso.
As are bases loaded with no outs.
Walk off LeMachine!
That was a great game.
OONTZ FOR THE WIN!
Oh great, Schmidt is starting. I’m chalking up a loss.
Afternoon, all.
Ok, good start.
Close enough you can't really bitch about the call, Ratso.
Does Volpe think he's Aaron Judge???
Sigh.
That was just AWFUL to watch.
PATHETIC.
I hate stranded lead off doubles.
Vlad Jr. will do that.
"Oh great, Schmidt is starting. I’m chalking up a loss."
You are looking prophetic.
Judge and Torres are both slumping this last week+. I worry more about our offense, or lack thereof, than I do the pitching.
Tell me.... What is 573, 603, 579 and 411?
Yeah, I’m not liking this lineup.
And the funny thing is, Schmidt did pitch decently until the error.
Look, I like the promise of Volpe, but when Donaldson comes back ... he probably the one to go down.
Yippee, a run. Snore.
Ugh