The April 15th, 2013 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels including Madson making big strides in rehab, Aybar and Jepsen to the DL, Roth and Shuck called up and much more...

The Story: Ryan Madson is throwing at 100% and made it through three bullpen sessions last week.

The Monkey Says: It sure sounds like he is getting close to going out on a rehab assignment, but the team is still being cautious about setting any expectations. I'm sure they want it to be soon because they basically don't have a righty in middle relief that they trust in a high leverage situation right now.

The Story: Erick Aybar and Kevin Jepsen were placed on the disabled list with LHP Michael Roth and OF J.B. Shuck being called up to take their spots.

The Monkey Says: Jepsen had been trying, and failing, to pitch through arm soreness. Hopefully he can get healthy and back to the pitcher he was in the second half of last season. Aybar clearly just wasn't healing quickly and with Callaspo ailing too, the Angels were running out of warm bodies to fill out the lineup. The big shock here is calling up Roth, a 2012 draft pick that doesn't even have 30 innings of minor league experience. He obviously performed well in his first game, but I still question the wisdom of rushing him and adding yet another lefty to the bullpen when Jepsen's absence makes Dane De La Rosa the team's top righty setup man. Yikes. In an earlier move that I didn't get to, the Halos also promoted Luis Jimenez, and I'm wondering if he might not stay up for a long time since the team clearly doesn't ever want to have to play Andrew Romine and Brendan Harris at the same time.

After a rough start to the season the Angels have finally found the momentum swinging in their favor after the 4-1 victory earlier this afternoon. This not only marks the Angels first two consecutive wins on the season, but their first series win as well. This was a series that could have turned ugly very quickly after the loss in the opener (to the lowly Astros of all teams), instead this was very much the turning point for the Angels season that everyone predicted it would be. The last few series might be official on the books, but to me the Angels season didn't start until this weekend against the Astros. I'm not complaining, but teams like the A's and Rangers opened their season against teams like the Astros and Rangers while the notoriously slow starting Angels go up against two of the best teams in baseball off the bat. They haven't had the chance to take a deep breath take the game in stride, but they were able to this weekend against the Astros. Instead of have to face top of the line teams with a world of pressure on your shoulders they took it down to the level of simply playing baseball, and when the Angels are just playing the game the way it was meant to be played they're one of the best teams in baseball.

Case in point.

Angels 4 Rangers 1

The last few days there has been increasing chatter about how the loss of Torii Hunter has turned the Angels into mindless zombies who show little or no emotion on the field. I bemoaned the lack of interest just yesterday, although I think the Hunter thing is a bit overblown. In reality, the Angels just needed some kind of spark. Tonight, Albert Pujols reminded us that this is his team and he will carry them out of the whole they have dug. He may be a machine, but he is also the heart and soul of the Halos.

Angels 5 Astros 4

At what point does the old axiom "it's early" stop being true? Just when we thought the Angels couldn't sink any lower in this young season, along comes tonight's game. This was the very definition of a mail it in affair. The starting pitching was atrocious again and the hitters had no interest in even being at the plate. More concerning I feel is the overall body language of the team. They just seem not to be interested in playing ball right now. The shots of the dugout show almost no chatter, no interaction and no energy. Did anyone ever even consider that at any time this year the Angels would be trailing the Astros by 2 games? Well, wake up Angel fans, this is not nightmare.

Angels 0 Astros 5

Oh God.

It’s happening again, isn’t it? The Angel’s have started April with an ongoing fool’s joke. Last year we went 3-6 in the first nine. Now we’re 2-7.  Last year we had a bullpen who looked like they were collectively trying to step up from little league. This year, they look like they’re all playing, surreptitiously, for the opposition. Last year we had a huge name, huge money signing who didn’t fire in April. This year…

You get the picture.

Injuries hurt, sure. Weaver is out for an optimistic 4-6 weeks. Aybar, who started well, is out until at least Tuesday. But that doesn’t excuse leaving runners on base like you’re trying to collect a set, or throwing middle innings batters pitches that resemble whackamole targets.

So, is there an upside? Optimistically, maybe.

Hamilton, who hasn’t stunned anyone (and frankly, sucked in his return to Texas) is starting to hit.

Howie Kendrick seems to have decided this is his year.

Pujols, Bourjos and Trumbo are all doing what they’re paid to do, early.

Garrett Richards is going to get the starting rotation spot I’ve been angling for since last year; I hate the reason he’s getting it, but I do think he deserves it.  

Trout is still the talk of the town. It will be interesting to see when “town”, turns.   

We don’t have to play against Coco Crisp, John Jaso or Brandon Moss until the end of April.

On the downside… They’re 2-7.

They look like they did last year, where April arguably cost them a wildcard spot.

The bullpen is freaking us all out, again.

Weaver seems to think baseball is a contact sport.

And, I hate to bring this up, but has anyone noticed that over in Detroit, Torii Hunter is playing every day, and hitting .405?

Do I have hope? Yes. My cat, Satchmo, has just discovered that mid-afternoon (which is when home games occur here in New Zealand) is the best time to sleep on me. And when he does, we rally. When he wakes up, we drop away.

Now, I know that's completely unscientific, but I don't see how much further "out there" my theory is than continuing to play bunt and run when it's clearly what the opposition is looking for, or moving Trout to two for anything other than lack of imagination. (See my previous Chris Iannetta post.) 

All I’m saying is; watch your back, Monkey. 

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The April 12th, 2013 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels including Angels hold team meeting, shake up lineup, X-rays negative on Aybar and much more...

The Story: The Angels held a closed door meeting after Wednesday night's loss.

The Monkey Says: Damn, I had May 10th n the first team meeting pool. Some are viewing this as a sign of trouble, but frankly, we've seen this so often during Scioscia's tenure that I feel like it is basically standard operating procedure now. Up next in his playbook is someone getting "some mental days off."

The Story: Mike Trout moved into the two-hole in the batting order last night.

The Monkey Says: I can't even begin to tell you how inconsequential this move is in the grand scheme of things. Yet, it prompted multiple regional and national columnists to declare it as a sign of panic.