The March 13th, 2012 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including Jered Weaver was roughed up in spring training loss, Ervin Santana is working on his changeup, Bobby Grich should be in the Hall of Fame and much more...

The Story: Jered Weaver got lit up in a loss to the Dodgers yesterday.

The Monkey Says: Weaver was just working on his off-speed pitches, so this isn't cause for concern.  Also, Trumbo played third base again and committed his first error of the spring.  I'm sure it will be the first of many.

The Story: Ervin Santana is working his changeup, which may be an exercise in futility.

The Monkey Says: I don't see the harm in it even if it hasn't worked for him in the past.  One of the big reasons people used to suggest that Ervin should move to the bullpen is because he is just a two-pitch pitcher.  Upgrading his changeup to decent could make him much more effective and even prolong his career.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the most important week of Kendrys Morales' career and possibly even the Angels 2012 season.  Hold on, let me run the hyperbole checker on that last statement.

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Survey says.... 10% chance of hyperbole.  Not bad.

Now, if I'm reading these results right, the hyperbole only applies to the Angels season, but the part about Morales, 100% accurate, so let's focus on that part first.

As you might know, this is the week that Kendrys Morales' recovery enters its final steps.  For the first time since he snapped his ankle, Kendrys Morales is running the bases.  That means him actually going full speed, planting on the bag, turning and pushing off with his surgically repaired ankle.  Just like a real ballgame.

If that goes well for the next few days, he will play in a real ballgame.  That's right, Kendrys Morales playing in real ballgames could be just one week away.  Personally, I thought we would never see that day.

Yet here we are now, mere days away from seeing the player who once looked like he was going to be the Angels' franchise player returning to the field to try and pick up where he left off.  But make no mistake, this coming week of tests is a lot more than a mere formality.  As last training camp taught us, nothing is ever as simple as it seems when it comes to Morales' recovery.  All it takes is for Kendrys to plant his foot on first base, have it roll on him and the comeback is over.  It doesn't even necessarily have to be a new injury to his previously broken bone, it could be something as common as a sprain.  The kind of trauma Kendrys suffered can leave his ankle weaker and more susceptible to injury no matter how many plates, screws and bionic body parts his doctors stuck in there.

Even the slightest of setbacks this week could send Morales back weeks or even months in time on his recovery program like he had found Doc Brown's Delorean.  And I'm not just talking about his running program, I'm talking about the very scare proposition of Morales reverting back to the days of "will he ever be healthy ever again." (Though I find the prospect of more endless reports about him running on a magical weightless treadmill equally as frightening.) If something as basic as rounding first base can cause him to hurt himself again, to whatever degree, the whispers are going to start again.  Whispers are scary.  Whispers can affect the future of the franchise.  Whispers can mean the end of Kendrys' career.

The March 12th, 2012 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including Angels split their weekend spring training games, Kendrys Morales could play in games in a matter of days, Mike Trout is still ailing and much more...

The Story: The Angels split the four games they played over the weekend.

The Monkey Says: Highlights from those games include Brad Mills and Garrett Richards both playing well and Mark Trumbo smashing homers while also making a very nice diving stop at third base.  Not too bad for a weekend's work.

The Story: Kendrys Morales has begin running the bases and is now considered a few days from playing in spring training games.

The Monkey Says: It is happening people.  It is really happening.

Spring training baseball, ain't it great!  Actually, it really isn't great.  The play tends to be sloppy, disjointed and full of players you have never heard of and never will hear of.  It just seems great because it is actual baseball and we haven't seen that in months.  I guess that makes it still great, just on a relative basis.

With the overrated greatness of spring training games comes the over-thought analysis of spring training games.  We know it is wrong, yet we still do it anyway.  We can't help it, we're baseball junkies.

Alas, I am not immune to any of this, thus I think it is high time we dive deep into some probably worthless, premature analysis of the incredibly small sample size of four Angels spring training games:

• I mentioned it in the links this morning, but it merits further discussion.  I generally assumed that Hank Conger was going to start the season in the minors so that Chris Iannetta could proceed unfettered as the starting catcher.  But with him catching twice and playing in all four games thus far, it looks like Hank is going to get a real shot at winning the back-up catcher spot.  That is a major development because if Hank is on the big league roster, he is going to need to play so as not to stunt his development.  How that shakes out will be worth monitoring because it will have a big impact on how much Iannetta plays and even whether or not Iannetta stays with the Angels beyond this season.
• Four games and still no Scott Downs.  Maybe it just isn't his turn to pitch yet, but this certainly doesn't make me feel any better about that rumor of the Angels seeking a lefty.  Is Downs nursing an injury we don't know about?  Probably not, but it is in the back of your mind now, isn't it?  Other Angel relievers that have not appeared yet include fellow old guys LaTroy Hawkins, Jason Isringhausen and young guy with some shoulder tightness Bobby Cassevah.  I can only conclude that it means Downs hasn't pitched because he is old, injured or both.
• One reliever who has pitched is Rich Thompson.  He's pitched twice, actually.  He's pitched poorly twice, to be more exact.  He may have just been working on things or shaking off rust, but if there is one incumbent Angel reliever that can't afford a bad spring, it is Thompson.  He's out of options and the coaching staff has never seemed to trust him much, so I don't think they'll think twice about releasing him if they need his roster spot for another reliever.
• I've never gotten an opportunity to see Jean Segura in action before and I think we can all safely say that the kid can handle shortstop.  Nobody asked me, but he has my seal of approval now.  I'm sure he is ecstatic about it.  Someone who shouldn't be ecstatic is Erick Aybar.  If Segura can stay healthy this season, the Angels may be more than happy to let Aybar walk with Segura taking over for him.
• It doesn't make much sense to have him compete for a rotation spot, but out of all the Angel pitchers who worked two innings in one appearance, Hisanori Takahashi is the only reliever of the bunch.  I have a hard time believing he is being converted to a starting pitcher without any real notice, but maybe the Angels called an audible because of Jerome Williams tweaking his hammy.  Or maybe they just like the idea of Taka being a reliever who can go multiple innings, which is a good idea, but having him start off throwing two innings seems awfully aggressive if that is the case.
• I'd like to thank whichever Angel player it is that doesn't wash his hands when he is sick for infecting multiple players with the flu.  Sure, that means we aren't going to see Mike Trout for a week, but it also means that Bobby Abreu has been too sick to complain to the media about anything and everything.  Kudos to you and your poor hygiene, sir.
• What I don't get about spring training is why they can't bend the rules more.  The Angels want to get Mark Trumbo some work at third base, but aren't ready to let him run the bases yet, so they started him the other day and lifted him when his spot in the order came up.  Can't the two managers just agree to make an exception to the rules and let Trumbo stay in as a fielder?  It isn't like the record books are going to be sullied or like the games actually count for anything.
• Three games played and Albert Pujols is still undefeated as an Angel.  Anyone want to take bets on the date when the Halos suffer their first loss of the Pujols era?  My money is on April 25th.  (That's only half-joking.  Have you seen how obscenely easy the Angels' April schedule is?)

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The March 9th, 2012 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including Angels defeat the Indians 6-5, Hunter willing to take less money to stay in Anaheim, Conger still working on his throwing and much more...

The Story: The Angels returned to the win column with a 6-5 victory over the Indians.

The Monkey Says: Dan Haren and Hisanori Takahashi were both sharp while Rich Thompson and Matt Meyer both got roughed up.  On the offensive side, it was Alexi Amarista having a big day.

The Story: Torii Hunter is willing to take less money to return to the Angels next season.

The Monkey Says: That's great and all, but it probably won't happen.  We all know Mike Trout is poised to take over his spot in the outfield, making Hunter the odd man out.  I suppose it is possible that if Vernon Wells ends up getting released this season then Trout could take over his spot, but it is also possible that the Halos would just use Trumbo in the outfield too.

With spring come optimism, the smell of grass and the final stages of the hot stove season.  Players are jockeying for position on the roster and competing for playing time on the field, with the front office and team leadership trying to say all the right things.  Even the media plays along, doing stories about how players are in the best shape of their lives.

The criticism comes later, once the team's liabilities being to appear, like dandelions shooting up through the lawn as the water bill creeps toward the sky.

It's a pretty amazing undertaking, putting together a professional baseball team and then arranging the pieces according to abilities and organizational need, all the while managing the egos.  Can you recall being a team captain in a pick-up game, or having to create a work group at your job?  Having to choose between friends and the best players; between those with talent but a terrible attitude and those with less talent but the willingness to run through the wall to win?

I think a player's attitude has plenty to do with how some managers make decisions, especially our own Mr. Scioscia.  I'm thinking specifically about Trumbo and the attempt to get him some playing time at third base.  On the surface, the question is about defense because otherwise Napoli would have gotten a chance at the hot corner.  But are Trumbo's abilities so much greater than Napoli's that one would be given a chance to make the move but not the other?

I think not, although Trumbo may be getting a bad rap fielding-wise (guess it doesn't help taking a ground ball off the nose like he did earlier this spring).  Level of effort and work ethic are certainly not lacking, and I like it that Trumbo watches the entire play, following behind to cover for other infielders.  Hustle and effort; he keeps his head in the game and does what he can. 

Imagine if Aybar had those qualities to go with his defensive gifts, or if Napoli had worked as hard for Scioscia as Trumbo does.  It's hard not to root for Trumbo, and he might just get the job done.

I'm going to stay positive this year . . . until at least opening day.

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From foe to friend, C.J. Wilson exchanged his role as the Rangers ace for a homecoming, a truckload of cash the third starter spot in the Angel rotation.  Will Wilson help push the Halos over the top or was Texas right to let him walk away?

2011 Stats: 16-7, 223.1 IP, 2.94 ERA, 191 H, 74 BB, 16 HR, 206 K

2012 ZiPS Projections: 14-8, 200.1 IP, 3.37 ERA, 179 H, 76 BB, 14 HR, 178 K

2012 Bill James Projections: 15-9, 215.0 IP, 3.31 ERA, 184 H, 80 BB, 14 HR, 194 K

2012 CAIRO Projections: 13-7, 178.0 IP, 2.84 ERA, 150 H, 64 BB, 10 HR, 156 K

2012 PECOTA Projections: 13-12, 207.2 IP, 3.11 ERA, 175 H, 79 BB, 13 HR, 190 K

2012 MWaH Projections*: 16-8 215.0 IP, 2.79 ERA, 180 H, 66 BB, 15 HR, 200 K

*The MWaH projections are simply my best guess based off my own personal opinion and research