- The Story: The Angels are working hard to trade Gary Matthews. The Monkey Says: That would be a great early Christmas present, but will probably end up being more like a lump of coal in some other team's stocking, even if the Angels pay the rest of GMJ's onerous contract.
- The Story: Gary Matthews has one of the 10 worst free agent contracts of the century. The Monkey Says: Which is exactly why Reagins is working so hard to trade him.
- The Story: The Angels are excited about their pipeline of outfield talent in the minors. The Monkey Says: I'd be more excited if one of them was actually ready to take over left field for the Angels next year, but Trout and Grichuk are years off while Bourjos still probably needs another season or two himself.
- The Story: The Blue Jays are asking for a top pitching, catching and shortstop prospect in exchange for Roy Halladay. The Monkey Says: This is a price the Angels can meet (Reckling, Conger, Wood) but it will hurt their future big time, especially since Wood is needed at third base now. Moreover, the odds are stacked against LAA after rumors surfaced that Halladay won't approve a trade to a team that holds spring training in Arizona. That sounds like BS, but still, it isn't a good sign.
- The Story: Money will be an issue for the Angels at the Winter Meetings that start today. The Monkey Says: Thank you, Captain Obvious. The Halos basically have room to either sign two very solid players or just one really good one. After letting Chone Figgins walk, my money is on two solid ones since they have holes in the line-up, rotation and bullpen to fill still.
- The Story: The Angels signed six players to minor league contracts. The Monkey Says: The six players are LHP Travis Chick, OF Cory Aldridge, LHP Camilo Vasquez, SS Gary Patchett, RHP Ricky Alvarez, RHP Mike Rocco and RHP Taylor Wilding. Chick and Aldridge both received spring training invites as well, but neither has any real chance at making the team.
- The Story: The Angels must act boldly at the Winter Meetings. The Monkey Says: Damn straight. The Halos suddenly have a lot of holes to fill after losing Figgins and need to make some real headway at the Winter Meetings after running in silent mode thus far in the off-season.
- The Story: Will the Angels go after Adrian Beltre to replace Chone Figgins? The Monkey Says: This is a popular rumor... amongst stupid people. The Halos pretty obviously let Figgy walk to make way for Brandon Wood. Besides, as the article points out, Beltre's agent is Scott Boras aka Arte Moreno's public enemy #1.
- The Story: Chone Figgins is expected to take his physical in Seattle on Monday to make his four-year, $36 million deal with the Mariners official. The Monkey Says: Good luck, Figgy. The Angels will now get Seattle's first-round pick in the next amateur draft, not to mention a slew of questions to answer about their roster for next year which I will cover later today.
.jpg&w=244&h=193&zc=1 "Mike Trout and the sophomore slump that wasn't")
