Happy 100th Birthday Fenway Park http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ba...4/17/40637_recap.html?sct=hp_t2_a16&eref=sihp
The the Angels Angels of Anaheim are funny. They had Mike Napoli, a very good hitter, for five years, but Mike Scioscia refused to play him regularly. After 2010, they trade him for basically nothing and then realize "Hey, we don't have any serious threats in the lineup!" So they go out and bring in one of the worst contracts in baseball (Vernon Wells), and when that doesn't work out, they try again with another bad contract (Albert Pujols). They could've kept Napoli for less than a quarter of what either Pujols or Wells are making. The reasoning for not playing Napoli was "he doesn't field well enough." Two problems: A)They could've DHed him. B)This season they're often playing Mark Trumbo at third, and he can't play the position. So now they're paying Vernon Wells $21 million for an OPS+ below 100 (meaning he's below league average), and they gave Pujols a 10 year contract worth $240 million to also have an OPS below league average.
Dodgers are now 10-3 after beating Milwaukee today. Two of the losses were in this series and both could have easily been wins.
I am 100% certain that is not why they gave him the contract, and just as certain that he will be well over 100 by the end of the year.
I didn't say that's why they gave him the contract. I'm saying they're paying him that, and that's what he's producing. He should finish with an OPS+ over 100, but he's not going to come close to living up to that contract.
Who will produce better under their respective 10-year deals: A-Rod or Pujols? I'd have to guess Pujols (not that that's saying anything).
Definitely Pujols. He was signed at 32 and plays a less demanding position. Still, both were bad contracts, although A-Rod was worse. Speaking of awful contracts, Ryan Howard's five year extension just kicked in. He's 32 and injured and making $25 million a year. Past his prime.
The last out was a clear no swing and should have been ball 4. They umps were trying to make up for the perfect game they cost the Tigers guy.
The Trumbo thing is frustrating because he is a stud, he was injured in the offseason with the foot and yet they still have him playing a new position. He played OF last night and Callaspo played 3rd but Callaspo has no stick but he's a good fielder. I watch a lot of Angels games and they are a funny team. Overpay for guys yet develop a great farm. It's a shame what happened to Nick Adenhart because throwing him in that rotation with Haren and Weaver would have been insane. They might not have signed CJ Wilson because I think Adenhart would have been a better pitcher but could you imagine if CJ Wilson is your 5? I think he would have been a notch below Kershaw and Verlander but the kid had #1 stuff.
Can we put this under former Met traded for Santana throws perfect game... love Joe Buck and Tim McCarver lecturing the entire Fox audience that the H is silent.
I can't wait for the Laundry Series tonight. Otherwise known as the matchup between Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. I call it the "Laundry Series" since the teams are named after.... I think you guys got the picture of what I'm talking about
Roy Halladay has really been struggling lately. Today, it was Halladay vs. Hanson. Betting total was only 6, a very low number. It's 13-12 Braves headed to the 9th.
Kimbrel comes in, 8 for 8 saves, 2.00 ERA. He of course blows the save. 13-13 Chipper wins it with a 2 run walkoff 15-13 in 11 innings
Was lucky enough to watch a good majority of it, kid was on fire tonight. For some strange reason my son paused it before I got him ready for bed which it normally just gets turned off but because he paused it I decided to watch it. Lucky me!!! Ironically the catcher Chris Iannetta was the only Angel starter without a hit. The Twins do suck but the Angels got some great pitching from Jerome Williams last night and Weaver tonight.
random weird stat: yesterday was the first time two players at least 40 years old won a game with walkoff homers (Giambalco and Larry).
His OPS+ is actually getting worse. A month into the season, he has a .245 OBP, zero home runs, and an OPS+of 51 (!!!!!). His OPS of .524 ranks 5th to last in the entire American League, ahead of only Brent Morel, Alexei Ramirez, Casey Kotchman, and teammate Erick Aybar.
