Up next in the MWaH/LAAI Top 30 Angels Prospect Countdown a dark horse for the big league rotation, the Angels top pitching prospect, Garrett Richards.

Garrett Richards
Position: Starting Pitcher  Level: Double-A and Majors
Bats: Right Throws: Right  Height: 6'3" Weight: 215 lbs.
Age: 23  Born: May 27, 1988

2011 Season Stats (AA): 12-2, 143.0 IP, 3.15 ERA, 123 H, 10 HR, 40 BB, 103 K, 3.68 FIP, .270 BABIP, 1.36 GO/AO

2011 Season Stats (Majors): 0-2, 14.0 IP, 5.79 ERA, 16 H, 4 HR, 7 BB, 9 K, 6.95 FIP, .286 BABIP

Fastball – A. Routinely sits above 95 mph with movement, rarely misses off the plate.

Breaking Ball – A+. Throws both a 12/6 curve and slider for strikes as strikeout pitch.

Change up – B. Rarely uses it, but the pitch shows a lot of promise.

Performance – A. Was close to being a Future’s Game participant, is AA all-star.

Projection – A. Looks like he will be an ace someday, unparalleled stuff.

Comp – Floor: A.J. Burnett.  Ceiling: Josh Beckett.

Estimated MLB Arrival Date: 2012 (at least permanently)

Video - Richards’ first career strikeout against future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter

(*As always, the above scouting report is provided by Scotty Allen of LA Angels Insider)

The December 13th, 2011 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including Williams and Morales sign one-year deals, Mrs. Pujols speaks out on Albert's decision, Pujols is a man "obsessed" and much more...

The Story: Jerome Williams avoided arbitration with a one-year, $820,000 contract, plus incentives.

The Monkey Says: Jerome is pretty close to a lock to be the Angels fifth starter after his surprising comeback last season.  If he pitches anything like he did in limited time in 2011, his next contract will be for several times more than the one the Halos just inked him to.

The Story: Kendrys Morales signed a $3 million contract for the 2012 season while Kendrick, Aybar and Callaspo were also tendered contracts.

The Monkey Says: Morales gets a $250K raise for doing nothing.  Nice work if you can get it.  The other three will all head towards arbitration hearings or settlements.  It will be interesting though to see if the Halos try and talk long-term contract instead.  Given how much money they just laid out for Pujols and Wilson, it is possible that Kendrick and Aybar, who are in their final arbitration season, could end up getting set free on the open market after the 2012 campaign.

Next up on in our the MWaH/LAAI Top 30 Angels Prospect countdown is a great big kid with a great big bat (but the glove is optional), C.J. Cron.

C.J. Cron
Position: 1B/DH  Level: Rookie
Bats: Right Throws: Right  Height: 6'4" Weight: 235 lbs.
Age: 21 Born: January 5, 1990

2011 Season Stats : 143 AB, .308 AVG, .371 OBP, .629 SLG, 5 2B, 1 3B, 13 HR, 41 RBI, 34 SO, 0 SB, 0 CS, .320 BABIP

Bat – A-.  Can hit for power and average.  Good discipline.

Speed – N/A.  No reason to give 1B/DH a bad grade because of speed.  Adequate.

Arm – IC.  When healthy it was well above average. Shoulder surgery/rehab inevitable.

Performance - A. Tore Rookie Ball pitching apart like he should have. Great in college.

Projection – A.  Will end up being the middle of the order power bat Angels yearn for

Comp – Floor: Chris Davis. Ceiling: Prince Fielder.

Estimated MLB Arrival Date: Late 2013

Video: Cron singles twice playing for the Utes.

(*As always, the above scouting report is provided by Scotty Allen of LA Angels Insider)

Once all the experts and analysts finished having their minds asploded by the Angels signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, they all came to the same conclusion: the Angels MUST trade somebody to clear up the mutliple logjams they created in their roster.  The way they tell it, it isn't just good baseball sense to make some moves, it is almost a moral imperative. 

Trumbo?  Gone.  Abreu?  Bye-bye.  Morales?  So long.  Santana?  Pack your bags.

Honestly, I think if the "experts" had their way, Pujols would be taking on the rest of the league Bugs Bunny-style.  Maybe they think that is the only way that Pujols can actually live up to his contract.

But just because all the experts are saying it doesn't make it true.  There are plenty of reasons to trade certain players, but there are also plenty of reasons not to trade them.  So who stays?  Who goes?  Let's take a look:

The December 12th, 2011 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including details of how the Pujols negotiations unfolded, Angels finalizing $3 billion TV deal which backed this big spending, Morales tendered a contract and much more...

The Story: The details behind how exactly the Albert Pujols signing went down.

The Monkey Says: The best part of this to me is that Pujols actually chose the Angels.  He didn't just wait around for the Cardinals to up their offer and then reluctantly accept the Halos' offer after St. Louis failed to pony up.  He actuallys WANTS to be here.

The Story: A new $3 billion TV deal enabled the Angels shocking spending spree.

The Monkey Says: This has been rumored to be happening for years, but it looks like it is now official.  Over the course of the 20-year deal, the Halos will average $150 million per year from the contract, which essentially covers the entirety of their payroll, or awfully close to it.  That's a $100 million per year raise, so it is pretty safe to say that the Angels aren't exactly putting themselves in financial jeopardy with this Pujols contract.  They are going to be able to sustain an almost $200 million payroll for quite some time if they so choose.

Up next in the MWaH/LAAI Top 30 Angels Prospect Countdown the Angels promising draft class keeps on giving, this time with a dynamic lefty by the name of Nick Maronde.

Nick Maronde
Position: Pitcher  Level: Rookie (3rd round pick this year)
Bats: Both Throws: Left  Height: 6'3" Weight: 205 lbs.
Age: 22  Born: September 5, 1989

2011 Season Stats: 5-0, 46.1 IP, 2.14 ERA, 36 H, 5 HR, 15 BB, 50 K, 3.55 FIP, .274 BABIP, 1.53 GO/AO

Fastball – B+. Sits at 93/94 but has excellent movement. Throws hard for a lefty.

Breaking Ball – A-. Very good lefty slider, shown ability to get it over for strikes.

Change up – C+. It’s already better than average, but needs a better feel for it. Rarely used.

Performance – A-. Not a lot to work off, but he’s shut down hitter friendly Pioneer League.

Projection – A. Generally lefties that can reach the mid 90’s with a deadly slider are aces.

Comp – Floor: Jeremy Affeldt.  Ceiling: Scott Kazmir pre-2009.

Estimated MLB Arrival Date: Late 2013

Video - Maronde takes control of the inner half of the plate versus FSU batter.

(*As always, the above scouting report is provided by Scotty Allen of LA Angels Insider)

The December 9th, 2011 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including all kinds of reaction to the Angels HUGE signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson and much more...

The Story: The Angels bet the future on Albert Pujols.

The Monkey Says: The analysis in this one is a bit confusing.  First he says he doesn't think that he thinks Pujols makes the team better enough to justify the cost, then he says that the supporting cast the Angels have to offer Pujols isn't good enough either.  So, they are too good to pay for him but not good enough to have him?  I don't get it, but maybe I am still clouded by Pujols euphoria.

The Story: The Angels are paying a lot in the long run for a huge short-term return.

The Monkey Says: Law correctly identifies that the Angels have some huge offensive holes to fill which is why adding Pujols was paramount for the team.