Alright, Angels.  You've had two weeks to rest up and lick your wounds since the end of the season, but relaxing time is over.  If you want to return to the playoffs next year, you're going to have to do some work this off-season.  The infielders go their assignments earlier this week, but now it is the outfielders turn to find out what they need to work on this off-season.

Why does homework have to be so hard?

The October 13th, 2011 edition of daily news for the LA Angels including Angels get permission to interview two Yankee executives, Mathis and other Angels could be among Fielding Bible and Gold Glove candidates, Astros to join the AL West and much more...

The Story: Angels get permission to interview Yankees' Oppenheimer and Eppier.

The Monkey Says: Finally, we start seeing some real movement.  The candidate list is now only three names long, but I don't think it is unreasonable to think that the GM search could be wrapped up by the end of the World Series.

The Story: Several Angels, including Jeff Mathis, among Fielding Bible and Gold Glove contenders.

The Monkey Says: Yup, the case is slowly starting to build for the Angels to actually bring Mathis back in 2012.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Before each season I do a preview for all the Angels players and include in those previews all the various statistical projections for each player as well as a projection of my own.  But now that the season is done, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at how accurate all those projection systems were.  SPOILER ALERT: Not accurate at all.

Turns out this whole projection thing is really hard.

The October 12th, 2011 edition of daily news for the LA Angels including DiPoto and Oppenheimer rumored to be GM candidates, Wells' contract is still the worst, Olney thinks Angels might go after Pujols and much more...

The Story: Jon Heyman tweets that Jerry DiPoto and Damon Oppenheimer are candidates for the Angels general manager opening.

The Monkey Says: DiPoto is going to be a hot name for any GM opening so it is a bit early to say if he is a serious candidate or if the Angels are just looking at him because it is the trendy thing to do.

The Story:Joe Posnanski declares Vernon Wells' contract the worst in baseball.

The Monkey Says: At least there are only three years left on it, right?  Anyone?

Alright, Angels.  You've had two weeks to rest up and lick your wounds since the end of the season, but relaxing time is over.  If you want to return to the playoffs next year, you're going to have to do some work this off-season.  I've got some homework assignments for you all to work on, but today I'm starting with the infielders.

Relax, no reading required for these homework assignments.

The October 11th, 2011 edition of daily news for the LA Angels including Angels fire long-time scout in unceremonious fashion, Mathis to play for MLB in exhibition series in Taiwan, Arte Moreno breaks his silence on the organizational changes and much more...

The Story: The Angels fired 68-year old scout Rich Schlenker in a "30-second phone call."

The Monkey Says: The Great Purge clearly isn't limited to the top.  This is an unceremonious way to treat a guy who has served the Angels for so long, but it isn't the first time that the Halos have been accused of being somewhat insensitive when it comes to cutting an employee or player loose.  The question now is why are the Angels already firing scouts and not just executives?  It could be that they want to totally clear the deck for a new GM, even this feels like a bit much to accomplish that, unless they already have someone lined up (which I doubt).  In their defense, it is also entirely possible that Schlenker just wasn't good enough at his job anymore.

The Story: Jeff Mathis has been selected to play for an MLB team playing an exhibition series against a Taiwanese all-star team.

The Monkey Says: Geez, Bud Selig, what did Taiwan ever do to you that you would subject them to that kind of torture?  I feel like this borders on being a hate crime.

Since it seems like the odds of an Angels player winning of the traditional awards this season are longshots (Trumbo and Walden have outside shot at Rookie of the Year), now seems like a perfect time for me to hand out the annual Monkey Awards, celebrating a year of excellence and a deriding a year in disappointment all at the same time.  Let's get right to it! 

These aren't your daddy's annual blog awards... unless your daddy is a primate.