The Top 30 Angels Prospect Countdown marches on.  Our next prospect may come in a small package, but he delivers big results on the field (and big headaches off of it).  Checking in at #24 is reliever Steve Geltz.

Steve Geltz
Position: Relief Pitcher Level: AA (with two appearances at AAA)
Bats: Right  Throws: Right  Height: 5'10"  Weight: 170 lbs.
Age: 24  Born: November 1, 1987

2011 Season Stats (AA): 3-3, 46.2 IP, 3.09 ERA, 31 H, 5 HR, 14 BB, 67 K, 2.69 FIP, .277 BABIP, 0.26 GO/AO

Fastball – B+. Geltz’s fastball touches 94 but generally sits at 92 with movement.

Breaking Ball – A. He throws a sharp cutting slider that causes a lot of misses.

Change up – B+. Not actually a change up, but a splitter with diving action.

Performance – A. Just as dominant as a reliever as he’s been his whole career.

Projection – A very good middle reliever.

Comp – Floor: Francisco Rodriguez (Not the good one).  Ceiling: J.J. Putz

Estimated MLB Arrival Date: As soon as miid-2012

The November 8th, 2011 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including Angels would be crazy to trade Bourjos, Heath Bell is interested in signing with the Angels, Halos not likely to pursue Cespedes and much more...

The Story: The Angels would be crazy to trade Peter Bourjos.

The Monkey Says: Hear hear!  We all know I love Speedy Petey, so it is nice to see some other right-thinking people agreeing with me.  It isn't that Bourjos is untouchable, but they shouldn't let him go unless they are getting a bona fide star in return and David Wright is definitely not that.

The Story: Heath Bell says he would be willing to sign with the Angels.

The Monkey Says: Bell is known to prefer Southern California, so this isn't a surprise.  However, since he also lists the Phillies and Red Sox as preferred destinations, it is pretty safe to say that he will just go to the highest bidder.

The Top 30 Angels Prospect Countdown marches on.  While not blessed with overpowering velocity or electric off-speed pitcher, Max Russell's yeoman-like performance in Single-A is starting to earn him some deserved notice.

Max Russell
Position: Starting Pitcher Level: Split the season between Low-A and High-A
Bats: Left  Throws: Left  Height: 6'2"  Weight: 210 lbs.
Age: 23  Born: September 21, 1988

2011 Season Stats (Low-A): 5-10, 114.0 IP, 3.79 ERA, 101 H, 14 HR, 45 BB, 85 K, 4.67 FIP, .264 BABIP, 1.54 GO/AO

2011 Season Stats (High-A): 1-2, 41.0 IP, 4.17 ERA, 42 H, 4 HR, 8 BB, 34 K, 3.61 FIP, .308 BABIP, 1.28 GO/AO

Fastball – B. He sits at 90-91 and spots it, generating ground balls and sets up his curve.

Breaking Ball – B. Curveball that is hard to make solid contact because he keeps it low and spots it where he wants.

Change up – B. The true mark of a polished starter, he can throw it in any count.

Performance – B. Didn’t blow anyone away, but he was a quality start machine. Consistent.

Projection – Solid number four starter.

Comp – Floor: AAA flameout.  Ceiling: Joe Saunders.

Video - Not one of his finer starts. Max Russell gets hit hard.

Estimated MLB Arrival Date: 2014

Why they open free agency up before arbitration offers have to be made is beyond me.  All it does is grind the free agent market to a crawl.  Fortunately for us, that gives us the extra time we need to evaluate the many, many relief options available this off-season for the Angels to pursue in their efforts to rebuild their beleaguered bullpen.

Coming soon to an Angel bullpen soon?  Yeah, probably not.

The November 7th, 2011 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim including the Mets want Bourjos for Wright (good luck with that), Scott Servais hired as assistant general manager, Bulger, Pettit and Navarro amongst 13 Angels granted minor league free agency and much more...

The Story: The Mets might want Peter Bourjos as a centerpiece in a trade for David Wright.

The Monkey Says: That's just laughable, especially when the article says the Mets would want Bourjos AND two of the top pitching prospects in the Angel organization.  A Wright-for-Bourjos deal straight up isn't even one they would take at this point.  I guess you can't blame the Mets for asking though.  DiPoto is new to the organization, so they can always hope that he somehow undervalues Bourjos.  Even if he does, the Mets have to also home DiPoto somehow is jonesing to get his hands on an expensive, poor fielding third baseman with declining production and a bad back that is one year away from free agency.  I really hope this is just the columnist throwing crap against the wall because if the Mets think they are getting anywhere near this much value in return for Wright from any team, they are fooling themselves.

The Story: The Angels have hired former big league catcher Scott Servais away from the Texas Rangers front office to serve as their new assistant general manager.

The Monkey Says: Servais was Texas' player development director which is impressive given how great the Rangers farm system currently is.  Once again, DiPoto hires someone with more of a scouting background, but at least he made the Rangers weaker in the process, so scoreboard for Jerry.

With the offseason just mere days from hitting full swing there's a lot on the Angels plate to consider. With all these Free Agents, trading options, roster shifting, front office personnel changes and so little time how are the Angels going to strategize over every little detail of the offseason? Fear not fellow fans, for I am here to do some of that work for them! Free of charge, I am going to put together a strategy for locking down a man who is sure to be a key player for the Angels in their future playoff run, which I swear is gonna be next year. I know I said that last year, but this time I TOTALLY mean it, 100%! Putting this gameplan in action is going to reap more benefits than any other move the Angels will make this offseason, unless they somehow manage to sign Prince Fielder. But unless that can happen, this is going to be the next best thing. It's just like Reagins used to say, it'll be like one BIG splash the Angels will make, except this time the splash will keep on giving season after season! Dan Haren is the gift that keeps on giving, and that's a gift I can get behind.

I wish I could wake up to a shiny new Dan Haren under my Christmas tree every year.

Up next in our prospect countdown, the man who could some day be the tallest major leaguer of all time, Loek Van Mil.  Acquired at the end of 2010 in exchange for Brian Fientes, the Netherlands-born Van Mil was acquired knowing that he was a major project, but after a strong close to his 2011 campaign, the project looks like it might finally be nearing completion.

Loek Van Mil
Position: Relief Pitcher  Level: AA
Bats: Right  Throws: Right  Height: 7'1"  Weight: 220 lbs.
Age: 27  Born: September 15, 1984

2011 Season Stats: 3-5, 66.1 IP, 2.04 ERA, 53 H, 4 HR, 23 BB, 46 K, 3.95 FIP, .248 BABIP, 1.26 GO/AO

Fastball – A. Extreme downward angle/close release make his 93mph FB hard to square up.

Breaking Ball – B. Slider lacks bite to be a swing & miss pitch, but effective nonetheless.

Change up – C. He rarely uses it, but it’s there and was useful for his spot starts.

Performance – A. Numbers were terrific, he seems to have “figured it out”. Great in playoffs.

Projection – A good middle to late inning reliever or swing starter.

Comp – Floor: Jon Rauch.  Ceiling: Tyler Clippard.

Video - Van Mil pitching in the Twins organization

Estimated MLB Arrival Date: Mid-2012