Dear Mike,

Hope you’ve had a great offseason. I’m sure you weren’t ready to leave work to go on break, but, hey, any opportunity to get some lasagna and watch some football right? Like all good times, Mike, this one must too come to an end. Our restful, baseball-less break is over. Now, it’s time to stash the ‘ol LA Extreme jersey (and the pyrex baking dish) and get back to work.

We’re really glad to have you back, Mike. There were... questions after last season didn’t end so well (There were even more when Trouty didn’t win the MVP, but that’s hardly your fault). A lot of things were in flux and we didn’t know if you’d come back to us. But we’re together again, and we, the fans, are ready to see what you can do with the boys this season. We’re expecting great things!

...No, seriously Mike. Great. Things. You have an all-star squad for the second season in a row. Gods willing, you’ll have Mike Trout playing from the very first game of the season all the way through October. You have acquired one of your greatest rival’s finest players in Josh Hamilton. Albert Pujols is fully acclimated to his new surroundings. CJ Wilson is ready to make a fresh start, and the bullpen walls are breaking down as middle relievers and closers are swapping positions as smoothly as cheerleaders performing The Fountain of Troy. The mistakes of last season have been washed away. Stigmas and bad habits are now barely a memory. You, and the entire team, have a clean slate! There’s no reason to believe we won’t make the playoffs!

...We will make the playoffs, right, Mike? I mean, the Astros came to the division. That’s almost 20 wins right there. There is also no chance Oakland repeats that insane late season run to take the pennant. As I’ve already said, our most hated division rivals, The Rangers, have been hamstrung by the loss of veteran slugger Josh Hamilton. And the Mariners? They’re scraping the bottom of the barrel. Did you know they invited Jon Garland to training camp? Yes, THAT Jon Garland! Part time 2008 Angels pitcher and cast off from the 2012 Cleveland Indians farm club. Given a complete lack of competition, there’s no way the Angels don’t take the AL West!

...Alright, Mike? Can I level with you? The reason I’m so excited to see the team make the postseason this year is because if they don’t, you’re gone. Oh, you may still be employed by the club, but for all intents and purposes, you’ll be outta there. You won’t be able to Sciosciaface your way into our hearts anymore. Those angry/confused/annoyed/hungry eyes and slightly ajar lips won’t be enough to keep the fans around this time. We love ya Mike and we don’t want you to go, but sometimes these things happen. People grow apart, and the fans desire to see their major market team in the World Series hunt is the wedge that will separate you from us. I don’t think either one of us wants that to happen.

But let’s not let things come to that, Mike. You are a surgeon with his instruments sterilized and ready to perform a playoff transfusion. You are an artist with his paint palette ready to create a masterpiece. You are a soldier with all of the weapons you need at your disposal and all you have to do is storm the postseason castle like the field general we all know you can be!

And should it come to pass that you fail and Mr. Moreno gives you your pink slip, you can stand confident in the knowledge that you can punch your ticket to Boston or New York and bring them a little Sciosciaface to help warm the cold New England winters.

Hope to see you in October, Mike.
 

-A fan.

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The MWAH prospect countdown marches on with one of the real under-the-radar talents in the Angels system.

Taylor Lindsey
Position: 2B  Highest Level: High-A
Bats: Left Throws: Right  Height: 6'0" Weight: 195 lbs.
Age: 21  Born: 12/2/91

2012 Season Stats
High-A: 589 PA, .289 AVG, .328 OBP, .408 SLG, 26 2B, 6 3B, 9 HR, 79 RBI, 66 SO, 8 SB, 6 CS, .313 BABIP

Contact – B+.  Lindsey’s swing is definitely unique.  He keeps his hands lower and doesn’t necessarily raise them, which actually leads to perhaps the most direct path to the ball I’ve ever seen.  Other players that try to get away with this tend to get under the ball too much and pop out.  Lindsey on the other hand has a knack for spraying line drives, especially to right-center field.  This particular skill is one that has developed the most in the past year for Taylor.   

Power – C+.  For a second baseman, Lindsey actually has solid power.  No one anticipates him hitting 30 home runs a year, but 10-20 are within the realm of possibility once his body matures and he builds some muscle.  More than anything, Lindsey has a knack for driving the ball into the gap and down the line with authority. 

Discipline – C-. He doesn’t chase pitches out of the zone like so many other Angels prospects, but Lindsey still doesn’t like to walk his way onto base for some reason.  Lindsey is an attentive, coachable player though, and I have no doubt he’ll get better in this department before he reaches the major leagues.  I’m not sure this will ever be a “plus” tool, but it will be adequate eventually.

Speed – C.  Lindsey has the epitome of what I’d call average speed.  He’ll collect 10 SB per season, but he doesn’t wow anyone in this department.   

Arm – D.  Lindsey has a weak throwing arm, which should prevent him from ever moving to the corner outfield.  Luckily, at second base, this weakness is well hidden.  His arm is adequate for the position.      

Performance – B. I was pleased to see Taylor skip a level after earning MVP honors the year before in the Pioneer League.  Not only did he skip over A Ball, but held his own in Advanced A Ball and was actually one of the better hitters in the league.  He’ll head to AA as a 21-year old, which is actually slightly young for the league.    

Projection – B+.  This is why Lindsey ranks so high on the Top Prospect list.  I don’t envision him ever being an elite or all-star second baseman, but he looks to be an offensive minded second baseman, which aren't entirely common.  If you want to compare him to current second basemen, he’s posted similar numbers to Aaron Hill and Kelly Johnson in the minor leagues, and has the same build as those two as well.  So one could easily foresee a scenario where Lindsey emerges as a .275+ hitter with 30+ DB and 15+ HR’s at the major league level. 

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

The March 4th, 2013 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels including Trout's agent upset over contract renewal, Angels still confident about keeping Trout long-term and much more...

The Story: Mike Trout's contract was renewed at $510,000 and his agent is upset about it.

The Monkey Says: I will give you the condensed version of what I said on the podcast. Trout and his agent are right to expect more, but they also have no negotiating leverage. If the Angels offered more than this, then Trout's agent is at fault for not accepting it. Dipoto seems to be sticking to his guns and not breaking from the flat pay structure as Trumbo got a normal raise this year despite being an All-Star, as did Walden last year. It is great to not set new precedent and all, but quibbling over a few hundred thousand dollars when you have a $160 million payroll seems foolish, especially if there is any chance it creates bad blood with an agent, though I really doubt that will be the case.

The Story: The Angels aren't worried about the contract renewal affecting their ability to keep Trout in the long-term.

The Monkey Says: History and Trout's personality definitely seem to be on their side. Trout will get paid eventually, so his agent would be rather petty if he tried to hold the Angels over a barrel for not being generous in the early stages of his career. That being said, it seems like any hope of Trout signing a long-term extension before he hits his arbitration years is pretty minimal at this point.

In the latest episode of Podcast with a Halo, we discuss the controversy or lack thereof around Mike Trout's contract renewal.

Direct download the episode here or subscribe to the podcast here.  And help us out by leaving a rating or comment over at iTunes.

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No reliever makes Angels fans more nervous than Kevin Jepsen, but no pitcher might be more important to the Halos in 2013. Needless to say, it is going to be quite the interesting year, either good or bad or maybe both, from the up-and-down reliever.

2012 Stats: 44.2 IP, 3-2, 2 SV, 3.02 ERA. 3.21 FIP, 39 H, 12 BB, 3 HR, 38 SO, 0.84 GB/FB, 0.6 fWAR

2013 ZiPS Projections: 58.2 IP, 3.99 ERA. 3.76 FIP, 56 H, 23 BB, 5 HR, 50 SO, 0.4 fWAR

2013 Bill James Projections: 64.0 IP, 4-3, 2 SV, 3.52 ERA. 3.30 FIP, 62 H, 22 BB, 5 HR, 60 SO

2013 CAIRO Projections: 56.0 IP, 3-3, 0 SV, 3.99 ERA. 3.74 FIP, 60 H, 22 BB, 5 HR, 47 SO, -0.1 fWAR

2013 MWAH Projections*: 60.0 IP, 2-2, 0 SV, 3.90 ERA. 3.53 FIP, 59 H, 23 BB, 5 HR, 57 SO

*The MWAH projections are simply my best guess based off my own personal opinion and research (my wOBA and FIP calculations are approximate)

The MWAH prospect countdown marches on with an Angels prospect who is actually big league ready. SAY WHA?!??!!!!

Kole Calhoun
Position: OF  Highest Level: MLB
Bats: Left Throws: Left  Height: 5'10" Weight: 190 lbs.
Age: 25  Born: 10/14/87

2012 Season Stats
Triple-A: 463 PA, .298 AVG, .369 OBP, .507 SLG, 30 2B, 7 3B, 14 HR, 73 RBI, 88 SO, 12 SB, 3 CS, .346 BABIP
MLB: 25 PA, .174 AVG, .240 OBP, .217 SLG, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 6 SO, 1 SB, 0 CS, .235 BABIP
 

Contact – B.  There really isn’t a better way to put this.  Calhoun’s path to the ball is so simple, so direct, it’s a thing of beauty.  So many other hitters incorporate complicated timing mechanisms and loads, whether they be upper body or lower body.  I see none of that with Calhoun.  It’s a beautiful lefty swing, short, compact, powerful, capable of driving the ball to all parts of the field.

Power – B+.  Calhoun has the type of power that raises your eyebrows.  He’s short and stocky, clearly he looks strong.  Then when you see the smoothness of his stroke when he drives through the ball, it almost seems a though he could swing harder and hit the ball further if he wanted, though I’m glad he doesn’t. 

Discipline – B+. I’ve watched him extensively at every level, and never once have I seen him go down on three pitches chasing.  Calhoun works the counts into his favor and is more than willing to drive the ball on the outer half of the plate to the opposite field.  His gap power isn’t limited to the right side of the field.   

Speed – B.  Calhoun doesn’t have lightning speed, but it’s enough to play all three outfield positions capably.  On the bases, he’s just a smart runner, capable of timing pitchers.  With a full time gig, he could steal 20 per season.

Arm – A.  He’s got a strong left handed arm, perfectly suited for RF. 

Performance – B+.  In 2011, Calhoun skipped over A Ball and was a stud in the Cal League.  In 2012, he skipped over AA completely, went straight to AAA and more than held his own.  He also had some cameos with the Angels and showed he wasn’t overmatched in the least. 

Projection – B. This is where I personally differ from the rest of the publication sites.  Last spring, I sat at the minor league fields with a group of scouts from other teams and Angels coaches.  There was just a different amount of attention being played when he stepped up to the plate, they (we) all stopped talking, leaned forward a little closer and watched him drive two pitches off the wall in dead CF in two consecutive at bats.  Heads were shaking, notes were being taken, and the consensus was, “this kid is really good, the Angels actually have something here”.

Every other publication will tell you he projects as a 4^th outfielder, but in all honesty, his game is too complete, his lefty swing projects too much power, he hits for too high of average, shows enough discipline and defensive skills that I can’t in good faith say he’s not a starting caliber major leaguer.  I think Kole Calhoun could turn into a solid .270 hitter someday that gets on base, plays good defense, hits 20 HR and steals 20 bases. He’s 25 years old, and the Angels system is already loaded, so chances are, he won’t get that opportunity here.  Still, he’d make a great 4^th outfielder, and I hope once Travis Witherspoon develops, Calhoun gets a chance somewhere and the Angels get something useful in return.

In essence, I’m going out on a limb and am saying that Kole Calhoun will be an above replacement level outfielder in the major leagues.  The tools, while they don’t jump off the page at you, are most certainly there.  And it’s the complete package too.  He really is a heck of a ball player.     

Estimated MLB Arrival Date – Now

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

The March 1st, 2013 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels including Buttercup not going away, Cassevah outrighted and much more...

The Story: The singing of "Buttercup" during the seventh inning stretch at the Big A will return this year.

The Monkey Says: Great decision by the Angels stadium staff and PR team. That song is universally loathed makes a lot of sense. Oh, wait, I'm sorry, I got confused. It makes no sense, unless the real aim here is for the song to drive people out of their seat and to the concession stands to spend money just so they can escape the song. Basically, the PR staff is either very stupid, a bunch of trolls or brilliant business minds.

The Story: Bobby Cassevah has been outrighted to the minors.

The Monkey Says: Unless he rejects the assignment and elects to become a free agent. This creates an opening on the 40-man roster, but we don't know what if any move this was a prelude to. It could just be the Angels trying to clear out Cassevah early enough in the spring that he thinks twice about leaving the organization or it could be that they have a move they want to make, but in these cases the move usually comes before the roster spot is cleared, so don't go getting too excited.