Leone for Third has joined the evil ranks of Kos bloggers, with a new name and new address: Lookout Landing.

Personally I liked the old name better. It's always cooler when you have to explain it.

Bio:

Name:     Steve Allen Finley
Birthday: March 12, 1965 (40 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-2
Weight:   180
Bats:     Left
Throws:   Left
Position: OF
Acquired: Free Agent (12/10/04)
Drafted:  1987, 13th round (324), BAL
Roster:   25-man
Contract: $6m

Stats, last five seasons (complete):

YEAR(L)   G   AB  R   H   2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|---|---|---|---|--|--|--|---|--|--|--|--|----|----|----|--
2000(MLB) 152 539 100 151 27 5 35 96  65 87 12 6  .280 .361 .544 905
2001(MLB) 140 495 66  136 27 4 14 73  47 67 11 7  .275 .337 .430 767
2002(MLB) 150 505 82  145 24 4 25 89  65 73 16 4  .287 .370 .499 869
2003(MLB) 147 516 82  148 24 10 22 70  57 94 15 8  .287 .363 .500 863
2004(MLB) 162 628 92  170 28 1 36 94  61 82 9 7  .271 .333 .490 823

Hitting:

Struggles somewhat against lefties, but not bad enough to be considered a platoon player. Finely developed power late in his career, though his reputation for being a slugger is a bit overstated. Yes, he did hit a career-high 36 homeruns last season, but he did it while getting among the highest number of at-bats in baseball. His slugging percentage (.490) actually fell 10 points from the previous season and was his second lowest number of the past six years. Still, Finley offers good pop at the top of any order, especially in the context of his position (fourth among CF in SLG). Like most hitters, his eye improved with experience. However, his BB/PA has fallen over the past few years, dragging his OBP down with it.

Defense/Baserunning:

Finley was once one of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball. Unfortunately, father time has taken its toll on Finley’s legs, limiting his range over that past several seasons. He still won a gold glove last season on the strength of his reputation, but depending on who you talk to his defensive contribution is anywhere from average to well below average. Has a powerful and accurate arm, though, once again, runners have begun challenging his arm more frequently over the past few seasons.

Finley will be 40 this coming season and his name isn’t Ricky Henderson, so don’t expect him to be much of a basestealer. He does get around the bases well, and will go first to third with regularity.

More on Finley’s defense.

2005 Outlook:

Did I mention that Finley is old? He’ll be 40 when the 2005 season begins, and most of his numbers have been trending downward for the past two years. A collapse is coming – the only question is when. I’m willing to bet that it doesn’t come next season (at least not offensively). Projected line: .270/.330/.460

There are no pictures of Victoria Beckham here. Google has misled you.

*Slips on some lederhosen*:

Es gibt keine Abbildungen von Victoria Beckham hier.

*Puts on sombrero*:

No hay cuadros de Victoria Beckham aquí.

*Stops showering and starts hating Americans*:

Il n'y a aucune image de Victoria Beckham ici.

*Hops on a Vespa*

Non ci sono immagini di Victoria Beckham qui.

*Straps on a pair of clogs*:

Er zijn hier geen beelden van Victoria Beckham.

*Doesn't know any Portuguese stereotypes*

Não há nenhum retrato de Victoria Beckham aqui.

According to this MLB.com article, Tim Salmon is resigned to missing the entire 2005 season (via Sean):

But for Tim Salmon, rehabbing from knee and shoulder surgeries that likely will sideline him the whole season, 2006 is his magic number. The question is: Will the longstanding Angel still be with the club then?

I've said before that, for selfish reasons of my own, I wish Tim would retire as an Angel. But if he insists on giving it another go, I wish him nothing but the best. He shouldn't get his hopes up for a guaranteed contract in 2006, though. Brian Sabean has no need for a DH.

Without turning human lives into a cold statistic, it's hard to say what the "acceptable" level of violence was heading in. But I must say, I expected far worse than they got- and I was an optimist. However, the most important thing is that the insurgents failed to derail the election, and the Iraqi people showed incredible bravery in the face of danger. 72% turnout according to one Iraqi official (though they have since backed-off that claim). Amazing.

Will there ever come a time when we Americans feel so strongly about our freedom that we would dare look death in the face, just to exercise our most banal of rights?

UPDATE: Ughhh...

UPDATE: FOXNews is saying "roughly 8 million" ballots were cast. That would represent over 60% of those eligible to vote. Turnout in the 2004 Presidential election? 60%.

UPDATE: Spinning wheel, round and round...

UPDATE: I get the feeling that this will be one of the enduring images of our generation (found via Jim Treacher, of all places):


UPDATE: Commenter over at Tim Blair's place:

"Bush lied! Fingers dyed!"

Hee and/or Ha.

Rich Lederer says a deal could come "any day now." Beware of the dreaded unnamed sources!

Roger L. Simon has the best coverage of the election I can find. Things appear to be going well thus far. Let's hope it stays that way.

The season ended nearly four months ago, and the Angels are still dropping in the defensive rankings! The team fell from a -0.02072 difference in efficiency (good for dead last) to a -0.02090 difference, according to Pinto's updated team numbers (still good for dead last, of course).

He's also got the numbers for shortstops up, with new Angel Orlando Cabrera coming in at #16 and David Eckstein well down the list at #36. Color me surprised that the difference between the two is so great. Looks like it was a better move than I gave Stoneman credit for. (Though that's not to say the move was justifiable in any way.)

I'm a little puzzled by the fact that everyone seems to be a sub-par defender as defined by the 'Probabilistic Model of Range.' Is it possible that Pinto's model is being a little too hard on these guys? I want to wait until some of the better sabermetric minds weigh in on this before I accept these numbers as a valuable tool.

Michele on Uwe Boll, a man guilty on several counts of raping my childhood.

Thanks to Ruz, I'm now able to add the specifics of Kendry Morales' contract to the payroll estimates.

I go back-and-forth on whether or not the libertarian in me can support George W. Bush. Then he says something like this. Something that makes so much sense, I almost can't believe it's coming out of the mouth of a politician:

"As a free speech advocate, I often told parents who were complaining about content, you're the first line of responsibility; they put an off button on the TV for a reason. Turn it off..."

I'm wondering how anyone could "lose" something as large as El Guapo? I mean it's not like misplacing your keys...

Perhaps the most important component in the Steve Finley signing is his defense. That's why I've been waiting for David Pinto to release his defensive metric before posting my scouting report on Finley, so I could get some kind of grasp on the issue. (By the way, the list is now up to 84 names. I may need to pare that back a bit...) But a comment by Rich (from Halo Herald) has caused me to say something about Finley's defense today.

Now, being but a humble blogger, all I have access to is the most basic of defensive numbers - range factor and zone rating. These two stats are so reliant on the pitching staff one plays behind, they are virtually useless as defensive metrics. They are only effective in comparing two players that play the same position on the same team. Luckily enough, Finley was traded half way through the season, so we have a couple of players that fit the criteria. We can compare Finley to the player he replaced in Los Angeles (Milton Bradley) and the player who was his replacement in Arizona (Luis Terrero), and we should have a pretty good basis for comparison. (Still, the sample sizes aren't huge, and other changes to the pitching staffs had been made, so don't read too much into these.)

Player      INN    RF    ZR
|-----------|------|-----|---
S. Finley   896.1  2.20  .850
L. Terrero  488.2  2.14  .840
|-----------|------|-----|---
M. Bradley  792.2  2.66	 .901
S. Finley   484.2  2.69	 .862

So Finley was an ever-so-slight improvement over both in range factor (meaning he made more plays per 9 innings) and was a significant downgrade from Milton Bradley in zone rating (percentage of balls caught in his defensive "zone"). Keep in mind that neither Terrero nor Bradley are celebrated for their glovework. So take what you know about Milton Bradley and Luis Terrero and apply that to what you know about Garret Anderson, and you should get an idea of what the Angels are looking at next season.

You tell me - did Steve Finley deserve a gold glove last season? And is he a significant upgrade over Garret Anderson (or Jeff DaVanon)? I think the answer to both those questions is no, but that's just my opinion.

I'm sure that by now you've all seen the non-controversy about Vice-President Cheney's attire during the Auschwitz memorial service. Here not only does the WaPo forget that Mr. Cheney has suffered God-knows-how-many heart attacks, making him highly susceptible to all kinds of respiratory illnesses, but they also make one of the most unfortunate journalistic slips I've ever seen:

Cheney stood out in a sea of black-coated world leaders because he was wearing an olive drab parka with a fur-trimmed hood. It is embroidered with his name. It reminded one of the way in which children's clothes are inscribed with their names before they are sent away to camp.

Is it possible that no one in the WaPo editing department caught that?

One year, no financials released.

Thank god, because I don't know what the Angels would have done without a third catcher.

UPDATE: Rotoworld tabs the contract at $450,000 plus incentives (thanks Genaro). I've updated the payroll estimates to reflect this.

Bio:

Name:     Thomas Andrew Gregorio
Birthday: May 5, 1977 (27 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-2
Weight:   200
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: C
Acquired: Draft
Drafted:  2099, 27th round (821), ANA
Roster:   Minor League
Contract: min.

Stats, last three seasons (complete):

YEAR(L)   G  AB  R  H  2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|--|---|--|--|--|--|--|---|--|--|--|--|----|----|----|--
2002(AA)  56 188 18 47 10 1  3  15  2  0  9  33 .250 .291 .362 653
2002(AAA) 15 51  7  13 4  0  1  3   0  1  2  14 .255 .309 .392 701
2003(AAA) 54 181 26 40 10 0  5  24  0  0  14 44 .221 .290 .359 649
2003(MLB) 12 19  1  3  0  0  0  2   0  0  1  8  .158 .238 .158 396
2004(AAA) 58 207 20 48 12 2  6  32  3  0  12 56 .232 .280 .396 676

Hitting:

Gregorio has struggled at every level. He is completely overmatched with a bat in his hand, striking-out in a quarter of his plate appearances, showing no power, and no contact ability. He had cup of coffee with the Halos in 2003, but that's a little misleading. He was originally brought up to serve as an extra bullpen catcher, but was forced into service when injuries decimated the roster down the stretch.

Defense/Baserunning:

Defense is where Gregorio earns his keep. Excellent lateral movement – blocks balls like a wall. Has an above-average arm. Had the reputation of being a “pitcher’s catcher” and an excellent game-caller, but after the disaster that was the Stinger’s pitching staff in 2004, I’m not so sure.

Outlook:

The Angels love these kind of catchers (see: Ryan Budde), so he’ll move up and down the Angels system for a few years, wherever he can be of value as a tutor of sorts. Gregorio had his moment in the sun, which is more than any of us will get. ETA: Never

The idea of the BallWonk community congregating in section 527 of RFK stadium is almost enough to make me a Nats fan. Classic.

Bio:

Name:     Nicholas Anthony Gorneault
Birthday: April 19, 1979 (25 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-3
Weight:   200
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: OF
Acquired: Draft
Drafted:  2001, 19th round (569), ANA
Roster:   Minor League
Contract: min.

Stats, last three seasons (complete):

YEAR(L)   G   AB  R  H   2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|---|---|--|---|--|--|--|---|--|--|--|---|----|----|----|--
2002(A)   103 346 60 100 17 7  10 53  12 5  30 106 .289 .346 .465 811
2003(A)   97  374 67 120 36 2  14 72  11 6  20 82  .321 .362 .540 902
2003(AA)  29  110 19 38  6  4  2  19  2  0  8  25  .345 .395 .527 922
2004(AA)  129 490 91 138 28 4  21 81  7  5  45 125 .282 .343 .484 827
2004(AAA) 6   19  4  6   1  0  1  5   0  0  1  7   .316 .381 .526 907

Hitting:

Gorneault can absolutely punish baseballs when he’s on. His 38.5 XBH% makes him perhaps the single biggest power threat among Angels’ farmhands. Like every young power hitter, Gorneault strikes out a ton and doesn’t walk enough (though he has shown some improvement in the latter as he has advanced). Scouts say Gorneault’s swing is a bit unorthodox, leading to the occasional extended slump when he loses his mechanics.

Defense/Baserunning:

Gorneault’s big and slow, but he moves around well enough at the corner outfield positions. Not a defensive liability, but not someone you’d be thrilled about playing in the field everyday.

Outlook:

Considered by many to be the Angels’ top outfield prospect, but that isn’t saying a whole lot. Will get his first real shot at AAA this season where he’ll need to show improved plate discipline if he hopes to get on the Angels radar (and continuing to tear the cover off the ball wouldn't hurt, either). Right now, best case scenario, Gorneault becomes a useful fifth outfielder in the Majors. ETA: 2007

Google's new video search is, without a doubt, the coolest (and quite possibly most important) internet innovation of the new millennium. Here's hoping MLB hops on board like the NBA has.

Bio:

Name:     Brian Ernest Gordon
Birthday: August 16, 1979 (25 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-0
Weight:   193
Bats:     Left
Throws:   Right
Position: OF
Acquired: Min. league free agent
Drafted:  1997, 7th round (233), ARI
Roster:   Minor League
Contract: n/a

Stats, last three seasons (complete):

YEAR(L)   G   AB  R   H   2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB  SO  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|---|---|---|---|--|--|--|---|--|--|---|---|----|----|----|--
2002(AA)  130 477 73  137 32 9  10 67  2  7  36  111 .287 .343 .455 798
2003(AAA) 124 449 58  119 20 7  13 70  1  3  33  93  .265 .314 .428 742
2004(AAA) 127 475 80  123 24 4  22 70  6  2  30  145 .259 .305 .465 770

Hitting:

Struckout in 28% of his plate appearances last season, which could be some kind of PCL record. Has no plate discipline to speak of, and has only gotten worse with each successive season. The only thing you can really say for Gordon is that he showed good power last season (albeit in a hitter’s park in a hitter’s league), though not nearly enough to overlook his substantial shortcomings.

Defense/Baserunning:

Good range for a corner outfielder. I'm told he has an above-average arm, but don't hold me to that. Can swipe the occasional bag, but doesn't look to run much.

Outlook:

Gordon was signed to be minor league roster filler at a thin position. That's all he is, and that's all he'll ever be. ETA: Never

Bio:

Name:     Desmond DeChone Figgins
Birthday: January 22, 1978 (27 on Opening Day) 
Height:   5-9
Weight:   155
Bats:     Switch
Throws:   Right
Position: Util.
Acquired: Trade w/COL
Drafted:  1997, 4th round (132), COL
Roster:   25-man
Contract: TBA

Stats (complete):

YEAR(L)   G   AB  R   H   2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|---|---|---|---|--|--|--|---|--|--|--|---|----|----|----|--
2002(AAA) 125 511 100 156 25 18 7  62  39 8  53 83  .305 .378 .466 844
2002(MLB) 15  12  6   2   1  0  0  1   2  1  0  5   .167 .167 .250 417
2003(AAA) 68  285 55  89  14 15 4  30  16 6  29 36  .312 .379 .509 888
2003(MLB) 71  240 34  71  9  4  0  27  13 7  20 38  .296 .345 .367 712
2004(MLB) 148 577 83  171 22 17 5  60  34 13 49 94  .296 .350 .419 769
----------|---|---|---|---|--|--|--|---|--|--|--|---|----|----|----|--
MLB TOTAL:234 829 123 244 32 21 5  88  49 21 69 137 .294 .346 .402 748

Hitting:

True switch hitter - equally effective from both sides of the plate. Works deep into counts and will collect more than his fair share of strikeouts (.147 SO/PA in 2004), but will also take a walk. Showed surprising power in 2004 (25.7 XH% - a number in-line with his career numbers at all levels) and finished second in the league in triples. Numbers are eerily similar to those of Adam Kennedy (seriously- it's scary), who he will replace at second to start the coming season.

Defense:

Plays many positions well, but is best suited to the middle infield. Shows plus range and a surprisingly powerful (but inaccurate) arm. Has a tendency to over-think throws and step back on liners - flaws that were exposed during his time at third last season. While in the middle infield, he struggles with footwork around the bag. This could be due more to inexperience at the position and the constant shuffling between positions than anything else. Once Figgins has a position to call his own he should become an excellent defensive player.

Baserunning:

One of the five fastest players in baseball. Anything hit in the gap will be a triple. He relies purely on that speed to steal bases. His poor instincts led him to be caught 13 times last season and he often appears lost between bases. Despite all this he is still a powerful weapon on the basepaths, capable of effecting the game with his very presence.

2005 Outlook:

The loss of Adam Kennedy - a gold glove defender and solid offensive contributor - may seem like a huge blow to the Angels. I don't think that is the case. Figgins should easily match Kennedy's production at the plate, and I feel that if given the time to settle into the position, he could become Kennedy's equal with the glove. Look for that to happen this season. But what happens upon Kennedy's return from injury? Projected line: .300/.355/.420

Tim Blair linked to this Reuters article on the origins of the massive desert that covers Australia's interior:

SETTLERS who came to Australia 50,000 years ago and set fires that burned off natural flora and fauna may have triggered a cataclysmic weather change that turned the continent's interior into the dry desert it is today, United States and Australian researchers say.

Their study, reported in the latest issue of the journal, Geology, supports arguments that early settlers literally changed the landscape of the continent with fire.

[snip]

Mr Miller's study suggests that large fires could have altered the plant population enough to decrease the exchange of water vapour with the atmosphere, stopping clouds from forming.

The researchers, working with John Magee of the Australian National University in Canberra, used computerised global climate simulations to show that if there were some forest in the middle of Australia, it would lead to a monsoon with twice as much rain as the present pattern.

That could be the most interesting thing I've ever read, and I can't figure out why. (ED: Perhaps because it incorporates my love of history, geography, and inane trivia into one sweet little package?)

OK, carry on.

Every gamer was aware of Electronic Arts locking-up the exclusive rights to make NFL video games. What I didn't realize is that the push for exclusivity has begun to spread into other genres, including MLB baseball (sort-of).

Suppose this is related to this?

4 years, $52 million. That's the second-largest deal of the offseason, if I'm not mistaken (behind Carlos Beltran).

UPDATE: I was mistaken - I forgot about Roger Clemens (duh). Also, Pedro Martinez has him beat by $250,000 per year. Still, the fourth-largest deal of the offseason - it's good work if you can get it.

If you can, please help out Larry Mahnken (of Replacement Level Yankees and Hardball Times), who's home was burned to the ground last night.

According to David Pinto and his "Probabilistic Model of Range".

I suspect that the bulk of responsibility rests on the outfield, which must have been historically inept when you consider that the Angels should have had two gold-glove winners on the infield. However we can't test that theory, because Pinto has only the team numbers up at the moment. But he promises that individual numbers are soon to follow. (That's good news, because I've been sitting around waiting for the 2004 UZRs to come out, which apparently isn't going to happen after Michael Lichtman took a job with the Cardinals. Who knew?)

UPDATE: Pinto now has numbers listed by pitcher, and Chronicles points out how badly John Lackey got screwed last season. Boy, was he ever! Absolutely reamed, without lubrication.

Hell, I'm in.

UPDATE: It's stunning to me that Democrats are turning to this woman as a leader - and even a possible presidential candidate! Have they never actually listened to a thing she's said? Up until a few weeks ago I had never met a single person (Democrat, Republican... whatever) who thought Barbara Boxer was anything other than an embarrassment to the Democratic Party, the US Senate, and the state of California. And now she's an icon of the left? I think I can hear Karl Rove laughing all the way from Washington...

Bio:

Name:     Kelvim Jose Bolivar Escobar
Birthday: April 11, 1976 (28 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-1
Weight:   195
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: P
Acquired: Free Agent
Drafted:  n/a
Roster:   25-man
Contract: $6m

Stats (complete):

YEAR(L)   G   GS  IP     H    R   ER  HR  BB  SO  H/9 W/9 K/9 W  L  ERA  WHIP
----------|---|---|------|----|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|--|--|----|---
2000(MLB) 43  24  180.0  186  118 107 26  85  142 9.3 4.3 7.1 10 15 5.35 1.51
2001(MLB) 59  11  126.0  93   51  49  8   52  121 6.6 3.7 8.6 6  8  3.50 1.15
2002(MLB) 76  0   78.0  75   39  37  10  44  85  8.7 5.1 9.8 5  7  4.27 1.53
2003(MLB) 41  26  180.1  189  94  86  15  78  159 9.4 3.9 7.9 13 9  4.29 1.48
2004(MLB) 33  33  208.1  192  91  91  21  76  191 8.3 3.3 8.3 11 12 3.93 1.29
----------|---|---|------|----|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|--|--|----|---
MLB TOTAL:334 134 1057.1 1038 560 523 105 470 935 8.8 4.0 7.9 69 67 4.45 1.43

Pitching:

Pitch selection: 1) fastball (mid 90s), 2) change, 3) split-finger, 4) cutter, 5) curve. Uses splitter as out pitch. Occasionally known to mix pitches too well - Angels pitching coach Buddy Black has pushed Escobar to limit his repertoire from game-to-game.

Added to the Angels' rotation in 2004 after seven seasons in Toronto, where he was stuck between the rotation and bullpen (even closing for the Jays in 2002). A fairly extreme ground-ball pitcher, he struggled on the hard turf of SkyDome. The switch to real grass and playing in front of a quality defensive infield did Escobar wonders. He dropped more than a hit an inning and posted a BAA (.244) that was nearly 30 points lower than the previous season. He also cut back on walks (.086 BB/BF, .101 career) while keeping his strikeouts (.217 K/BF) slightly above his career average (.202). Escobar was very quietly one of the best pitchers in the AL last season, finishing in the top ten in ERA, K, BAA and K/9.

Outlook:

Escobar's 2004 was no fluke. While his numbers improved in many key areas, none of his peripherals showed eye-popping jumps. As long as the defense behind him has the same kind of season (which is debatable, what without Kennedy and with questions on the left side), he will put up similar numbers in 2005. And if the offense can actually score him some runs this season, he should get some much deserved dap from the national press. Projected line: 14-9, 3.90 ERA.

A little while back, when Seymour Hersh penned a piece in the New Yorker about US Special Forces preparing for a full-scale invasion of Iran (a claim that is dubious at best), the BBC was happy to feature the headline on it's front page for nearly a whole week. It could still be found there even after the Pentagon's rejection of the claim (a story that was not featured nearly as prominently, buried in the "Americas" section of the website). It's part of a pattern of stick-it-to-'em sensationalism at the expense of US foreign policy over at the Beeb. That's why I wasn't at all surprised by what I found today.

Look at this headline, found under "Other Top Stories":

US 'terminates' Iranian website

Now look at the first sentence of the accompanying story:

Iran has accused the US government of ordering an American internet service provider to stop hosting the website of an official Iranian news agency.

The emphasis is, of course, added. The claim is made by "a senior official in the Iranian ministry of Islamic guidance, which handles the media", and it goes without saying that no evidence is given to support his claim of US government interference.

So, can you square the two? Reciting Iranian government propaganda as gospel - that could be a new low.

My mind wasn't in baseball this weekend. I'll get back to the scouting reports today. Meanwhile, here's the stuff I missed:

• The Angels have signed Lou Merloni to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Merloni could be an intriguing possibility at reserve infielder if Izturis doesn't show the Angels anything in spring training.
  
  Also getting invites were minor-league relievers Von Stertzbach and Bob Zimmermann. Zimmerman has made himself the reliever to watch in the Angels organization, and Stertzbach has got electric stuff. Both had K/9 ratios better than 10 last season at A ball.
  
  
• According to Rob and Rich Lederer, the Jered Weaver talks are finally getting serious. Though I still don't see the Angels agreeing to a major league contract, which will almost certainly be required after the D-Rays signed Jeff Niemann to a guaranteed contract this week.
  
  As I do whenever anybody emails me about Jered Weaver, I will refer you to Rich's Beat for more on this. Rich owns this story.
  
  
• The Angels have announced their minor league coaching staffs. Most recognizable name - former Kansas City firstbase coach (and punching bag), Tom Gamboa, who will manage the Arkansas Travelers. Chronicles has a good breakdown of who the rest of these guys are.

The BBC is running an online opinion poll on the Iraqi elections. It's quick - just seven questions and a few pieces of personal information (nothing intrusive - and no email address required). The results are broken-down by language, sex, age, and region to give you an idea of what the world is thinking.

I was a little surprised to learn that, by and large, the most optimistic of those polled live in the Middle East (with Latin America being the most vehemently opposed to the war). So the same people who are being bombed and tortured by those greedy imperialist Americans are the only people who don't seem to have a problem with it. Fancy that!

The most revealing question: "Will democracy prevail in Iraq and spread to the other regions in the Middle East?" Note that those polled in the Middle East are the only ones who are even remotely confident of democracy taking root in Iraq (64%) and, to a lesser extent, the entire region (50%). What does that tell you about how the world regards Arabs and their ability to live in societies of peace and liberty?

Michele over at ASV is liveblogging Armageddon from New York (start here and work your way back). Looking at those pictures, it makes me wish we would get some snow here in So Cal. But it would still have to be 70°... and sunny... and it could only snow when it was convenient for me.

You know what? Fuck the snow. We've got a good set-up here. I'll just drive to some snow.

NOTE: Oh, and it looks as though Armageddon will still be hovering over Pennsylvania tomorrow - the site of both the AFC and NFC Championship games. Now that's football weather! (I can't wait to see how tough Adam Vinatieri is without his little buddy on the snowplow...)

This is good news. I don't have to like it, but I'd fight to protect your right to defecate on, then simulate the murder of, another consenting adult for fun and/or profit.

Well, I probably wouldn't literally fight for your sick and twisted ass. But I would write a supportive post about it on my blog.

Things I learned while watching the History Channel's "The Presidents":

• Dwight Eisenhower did nothing to further the civil rights movement (except appoint the Chief Justice who would pen the landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education). John Kennedy was a leader in civil rights, because his successor signed the Civil Rights Bill, which he was going to get around to eventually.
  
  
• All the blame for Watergate rests on the shoulders of Richard Nixon. All the blame for Iran Contra rests on the shoulders of Ronald Reagan. All the blame for the Bay of Pigs rests on the shoulders of the CIA.
  
  
• Watergate will forever overshadow Nixon's accomplishments while in office. When speaking of Lyndon Johnson, no one will recall that little skirmish known as "Vietnam."
  
  
• Jimmy Carter was a great President because he refused to "play politics" or work with Congress. Because, you know, being a leader and moving the country forward is like, the least of the President's duties.
  
  
• Jimmy Carter's handling of the Iran hostage situation was a "masterstroke". Just a whole year and a disastrous military operation later, and they were free! And none worse for the wear.
  
  
• Anyone who voted for Ronald Reagan in 1984 was a flag-waiving ignoramus.
  
  
• Ronald Reagan's tough stance against communism was "empty rhetoric", and in no way effected the outcome of the Cold War or hastened the fall of the Soviet Union. That was just good timing.
  
  
• The economic boom of the 90's was due to Clinton's expert stewardship, while the hyperinflation of the late-70's was in no way a reflection on the leadership of Jimmy Carter.

From the AP:

The Angels baseball team is now facing legal opposition from cities on both sides of its new name.

The city of Los Angeles filed a brief Wednesday supporting Anaheim's lawsuit that claims the name Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim violates the team's stadium lease.

You hear that Arte? You're not wanted. Take the hint.

On a related note, Chronicles points out some added ammunition for the city's case. The Yahoo! Angels team page now identifies the club as "Los Angeles Angels" - no Anaheim to be found. My (very limited) understanding is that if there is reason to believe the "of Anaheim" will be dropped for brevity (as it most certainly will - that is the point, after all) there's a very good chance the city would prevail in any lawsuit. I sure hope so.

Bio:

Name:     Darin Charles Erstad
Birthday: June 4, 1974 (30 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-2
Weight:   212
Bats:     Left
Throws:   Left
Position: 1B, OF
Acquired: Draft
Drafted:  1995, 1st round (1), ANA
Roster:   25-man
Contract: $8m

Stats (complete):

YEAR(L)   G    AB   R   H    2B  3B HR  RBI SB  CS BB  SO  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|----|----|---|----|---|--|---|---|---|--|---|---|----|----|----|--
2000(MLB) 157  676  121 240  39  6  25  100 28  8  64  82  .355 .409 .541 950
2001(MLB) 157  631  89  163  35  1  9   63  24  10 62  113 .258 .331 .360 691
2002(MLB) 150  625  99  177  28  4  10  73  23  3  27  67  .283 .313 .389 702
2003(MLB) 67   258  35  65   7   1  4   17  9   1  18  40  .252 .309 .333 642
2004(MLB) 125  495  79  146  29  1  7   69  16  1  37  74  .295 .346 .400 746
----------|----|----|---|----|---|--|---|---|---|--|---|---|----|----|----|--
MLB TOTAL:1127 4554 724 1318 238 26 107 554 159 47 366 669 .289 .344 .424 768

Hitting:

Had MVP-caliber 2000 season, which would appear to be a fluke as he hasn't had a single league-average season since. Quite effective against righties (.316/.370/.426), anemic numbers against lefties (.253/.298/.349) last season - the largest such split of his career. Sees a fair amount of pitches, but rarely draws walks. Couldn't hit a breaking pitch if his life depended on it. No power to speak of - purely slap hitter. Arguably the lightest-hitting firstbaseman in baseball.

Defense:

One of the premier defensive centerfielders of his generation (or of any generation, for that matter), Erstad was moved to 1B for the 2004 season in the hopes he would avoid injury. The plan didn't work - Erstad still missed substantial time with a hamstring injury that continued to hamper him after his return. He was still the best defensive firstbaseman in baseball, but the position is a waste of his abilities.

Baserunning:

Excellent baserunner, though multiple leg injuries have limited his speed over the past few seasons. Reads pitchers extremely well. 90% SB% over the past three seasons.

2005 Outlook:

The Angels will keep Erstad at firstbase where he is virtually worthless. Erstad just can't hit, and unlike in centerfield, his defense at first can't make up the difference. In all likelihood will continue to be one of the worst firstbaseman in baseball. Also, I wouldn't be at all surprised if his injury woes continued and he missed several months of the season. Projected line: .280/.330/.400

The Mariners have signed Aaron Sele to a minor-league deal and have invited him spring training, according to the SeattlePI blog. This should be good.

Now a born-again Christian, Norma "Jane Roe" McCorvey has asked the Supreme Court to overturn the landmark 1973 ruling. So I'm thinking she's not so much a hero of the left these days...

This blog is apparently at the top of the list when one launches a Yahoo! search for "Barbara Boxer is a bitch", or any derivative thereof. Needless to say, my search referers were off the charts today.

To be the player who asks for the lowest salary during arbitration hearings is something of a dubious honor. That honor belongs to Josh Paul.

And by the way, Roger - are you kidding with this?

Bio:

Name:     Scott Allen Dunn
Birthday: May 23, 1978 (26 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-3
Weight:   195
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: P
Acquired: Trade w/CWS
Drafted:  1999, 10th round (308), CIN
Roster:   40-man
Contract: min.

Stats (complete):

YEAR(L)   G  GS IP    H   R  ER HR BB SO  H/9  W/9  K/9  W  L  ERA   WHIP
----------|--|--|-----|---|--|--|--|--|---|----|----|----|--|--|-----|---
2000(A)   26 26 148.0 123 78 65 9  89 159 7.5  5.4  9.7  11 2  3.96  1.44
2001(A)   10 10 60.0  45  17 14 2  31 73  6.8  4.7  11.0 5  3  2.11  1.27
2001(AA)  17 17 98.0  96  51 45 10 71 87  8.8  6.5  8.0  7  2  4.12  1.70
2002(AA)  37 12 110.0 99  57 48 10 54 114 8.1  4.4  9.3  5  7  3.92  1.39
2003(AA)  42 0  56.0  41  23 19 3  21 75  6.6  3.4  12.0 7  4  3.05  1.10
2003(AAA) 6  0  8.0   9   10 10 1  10 11  10.6 11.7 12.9 0  0  11.74 2.48
2004(AAA) 46 6  90.0  72  36 32 6  56 84  7.2  5.6  8.4  10 4  3.21  1.43
2004(MLB) 3  0  3.0   7   3  3  0  1  2   21.0 3.0  6.0  0  0  9.00  2.67

Pitching:

Pitch selection: 1) fastball (low 90s), 2) curveball, 3) change, 4) knuckleball. Uses the knuckler as a rare off-speed pitch.

Came to the Angels in the Schoeneweis deal. Has torn through the minors with a 9.44 K/9 ratio. Needs to cut back on walks. Angels tinkered with using Dunn as a starter during a pitching crunch in Salt Lake, but he projects as a reliever. His age keeps him from being considered a grade-A prospect by many. Still, it's hard to argue with the numbers - he's the top relief prospect in the Angels' system.

Outlook:

Will start the season in AAA Salt Lake and should be the first call the Angels make if they're looking for help in the pen. ETA: Could see substantial Major League action in 2005.

No word on money as of this moment.

UPDATE: Terms, according to Rotoworld:

• Washburn: 1 year at $6.5 million. Not bad. That's less than I figured he'd get in arbitration.
  
  
• Molina: 1 year, $725,000. Yikes. I would rather the Angels take their chances in front of the judge on this one. Jose is a nice backup at the minimum, but until he learns how to hit, paying him anything more is hard to justify.
  
  
• Shields: 1 year, $925,000. Seems about right. I cringe to think what's going to happen when the Angels have to pay market value for this bullpen.

UPDATE: Updated the payroll estimates.

Sean is back with a look at how Angels will go about replacing Guillen/Glaus/Eckstein.

One year, $950,000.

That's nearly triple his 2004 salary, and it's still a bargain.

UPDATE: Updated the payroll estimates.

UPDATE: Halofan says it's "money being flushed down the toilet." Presumably because DaVanon isn't "clutch" enough for his liking.

Bio:

Name:     Brendan Kevin Donnelly
Birthday: July 4, 1971 (33 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-3
Weight:   240
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: P
Acquired: Minor league free agent
Drafted:  1992, 27th round (764), CWS
Roster:   25-man
Contract: TBA

Stats (complete):

YEAR(L)   G  GS IP   H  R  ER HR BB SO  H/9 W/9 K/9  W L  ERA  WHIP
----------|--|--|----|--|--|--|--|--|---|---|---|----|-|--|----|---
2001(AA)  27 0  29.0 21 8  8     13 37  6.5 4.0 11.5 4 1  2.48 1.17
2001(AAA) 29 0  41.0 38 11 11    8  50  8.3 1.7 10.9 5 1  2.40 1.11
2002(AAA) 25 0  34.0 27 13 13 5  11 42  7.2 2.9 11.2 4 0  3.48 1.13
2002(MLB) 46 0  49.2 32 13 12 2  19 54  5.8 3.4 9.8  0 0  2.17 1.03
2003(MLB) 63 0  74.0 55 14 13 2  24 79  6.7 2.9 9.6  2 2  1.58 1.07
2004(MLB) 40 0  42.0 34 14 14 5  15 56  7.3 3.2 12.0 5 2  3.00 1.17

Pitching:

Pitch selection: 1) fastball (mid 90's), 2) slider, 3) split finger. Late movement on fastball. Will call upon any pitch in any situation, but the splitter is a particularly devastating out-pitch. The downward movement on both of Donnelly's breaking pitches makes him equally effective against righties (.192 BAA) and lefties (.212 BAA).

Burst on the scene in 2002 after 10 years in the minors with 11 different organizations. Rode an incredible first half (0.38 ERA) to a "Set-Up Man of the Year" award in 2003. Battled multiple injuries that kept him out for much of the first half of the 2004 season, starting with a broken nose leading to persistent nose bleeds. Developed elbow tendinitis during his first rehab assignment, keeping him out another month. Returned from both injuries no worse for the wear, putting together another terrific season.

Interesting factoids courtesy of the Alchemist:

Donnelly was a replacement player during the 1994 player's strike. Because of this he was not included in the MLBPA licensing agreement and his name did not appear on any championship-related merchandise. Donnelly and the other "scabs" have since been reinstated by the MLBPA (at least for marketing purposes).

Donnelly was the player demoted from AAA Durham to make room for Jimmy "The Rookie" Morris.

Outlook:

With the departure of Troy Percival, Donnelly will reclaim his set-up role in front of Francisco Rodriguez. And assuming he keeps his head down in Spring Training, you can expect him to be one of the top relievers in baseball. The only question is for how much longer? Donnelly is now 33 years old and could be headed for a fall. He hasn't shown any signs of slowing down yet, but as Angel fans learned last year with Ben Weber, it could happen sooner rather than later and without much warning. Projection: 70 IP, 2.30 ERA, 70 K

I still haven't forgiven Robbins for his actions before the 2003 Superbowl, but my God, I hope someone can get this guy some help.

MLB's marketing arm is betting that we fans have ridiculously short memories:


I first saw this at the excellent BallWonk. I thought it was a joke at first, but now I see that they're serious - the team will wear these. I guess it's nice nod to history, even though the first Nationals franchise was established in 1884.

Bio:

Name:     Jeffrey Graham DaVanon
Birthday: December 8, 1973 (31 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-0
Weight:   185
Bats:     Switch
Throws:   Right
Position: OF
Acquired: Trade w/OAK
Drafted:  1995, 26th round (708), OAK
Roster:   25-man
Contract: TBA

Stats (complete):

YEAR(L)   G   AB  R   H   2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB  SO  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS 
----------|---|---|---|---|--|--|--|---|--|--|---|---|----|----|----|---
2002(AAA) 25  100 21  33  10 1  5  18  5  3  17  24  .330 .429 .600 1029
2002(MLB) 16  30  3   5   3  0  1  4   1  0  2   6   .167 .219 .367 586 
2003(AAA) 16  60  11  18  4  1  2  14  4  1  9   9   .300 .400 .500 900 
2003(MLB) 123 330 56  93  16 1  12 43  17 5  42  59  .282 .360 .445 805 
2004(MLB) 108 285 41  79  11 4  7  34  18 3  46  54  .277 .372 .418 790 
----------|---|---|---|---|--|--|--|---|--|--|---|---|----|----|----|---
MLB TOTAL:294 753 111 198 32 7 26 94  37 12 103 155 .263 .348 .428 776 

Hitting:

Has the tendency to fly open. Once described his philosophy as "swing hard - in case you hit something." But don't be fooled by DaVanon's wild flailing at the plate - he is actually a very selective hitter. He finished third on the team in walks (46) despite playing in only 108 games. While his 3.71 P/PA was below his career average, it was still one of the better numbers on the team. Hasn't shown much in the way of power at the higher levels (32.8 XBH% in the Majors), but he is a threat to hit the occasional homerun. Recent struggles against left-handers have caused the Angels to strictly limit the switch hitter to the left side of the plate. In my opinion this is not an accurate assessment, as DaVanon has had equal success from both sides of the plate in the past.

Defense:

Can play all three outfield spots. Average range, solid hands, surprisingly powerful and accurate arm. Often takes the scenic route on flyballs. Could be a superior defender with improved instincts. Despite this, Jeff DaVanon is still the man.

Halofan comments that "by every measurable metric [DaVanon] is subpar with the glove..." As anyone who would bother to take five minutes to look-up one of these "measurable metrics" would discover, Jeff DaVanon does quite well by the numbers. Of course this is with a relatively small sample size at a number of positions, so the effectiveness of any defensive metric would be up for debate.

Baserunning:

Speedy and smart basestealer. Can get lost on the basepaths at times, leading to cheap outs. One of those rare contradictions - excellent basestealer, terrible baserunner.

2005 Outlook:

MVP! MVP! MVP! Ok, maybe not. DaVanon's role on the team heading into 2005 is somewhat murky. With the arrival of Juan Rivera, Jeff now has stiff competition for the role of fourth outfielder and only Mike Scioscia knows what the DH spot will look like (or at least one would hope that Mike knows...). All this gives DaVanon the scent of tradebait going into the season. Assuming he's still around, he will continue to be what he has always been - one of the best fourth outfielders in the game and an ideal two-hole hitter. Projected line: .280/.390/.430

The Times has introduced an interesting new column called "Outside the Tent", described as "an experimental column in which the Los Angeles Times invites outside critics to take their best shot at Southern California's heaviest newspaper." (Found via Matt Welch) First to take a swing: Mickey Kaus, on why the Times should be more like People Magazine.

Here's hoping Michael Kinsley sees the column through and we get some real criticism of the Times' reporting practices and incredibly biased editorial page, rather than light-hearted jabbing. I'll take out a subscription the day they give Patterico some print.

I've just discovered that all Gmail accounts have an Atom feed, so you can check your email through any feed reader. That means that Firefox users can access their Gmail account using the browser's "Live Bookmark" feature. Like-a-so:


All your email on your toolbar, just one click away! How cool is that!?

It's really not interesting in the least - just an excuse to say "Moenchengladbach".

UPDATE: Now this is good soccer news. Never again will I have to change the channel when cricket comes on.

Bio:

Name:     Eric Cyr
Birthday: February 11, 1979 (26 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-4
Weight:   200
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Left
Position: P
Acquired: Minor league free agent
Drafted:  1998, 30th round (892), SD
Roster:   Minor League
Contract: n/a

Stats:

YEAR(L)   G  GS IP    H  R  ER HR BB SO  H/9 W/9 K/9  W L  ERA   WHIP
----------|--|--|-----|--|--|--|--|--|---|---|---|----|-|--|-----|---
2000(A)   9  6  32.0  28 18 17    15 31  7.7 4.1 8.5  2 2  4.68  1.32
2001(A)   21 16 100.0 68 28 18    24 131 6.1 2.2 11.7 7 4  1.61  0.92
2002(AA)  14 14 72.0  62 37 26 6  34 65  7.7 4.2 8.1  4 6  3.24  1.33
2002(AAA) 9  2  14.0  14 6  5  0  10 11  8.8 6.3 6.9  0 0  3.14  1.67
2002(ML)  5  0  6.0   6  7  7  0  6  4   9.0 9.0 6.0  0 1  10.50 2.00
2003(AA)  20 20 103.0 91 61 57 9  52 78  7.9 4.5 6.8  6 6  4.96  1.38
2004(AA)  11 8  54.0  48 23 19 5  15 44  8.0 2.5 7.3  4 3  3.17  1.17
2004(AAA) 2  2  8.0   3  1  1  1  7  6   3.2 7.6 6.5  0 0  1.08  1.20

Pitching:

Pitch selection: 1) fastball (low 90s), 2) change, 3) unidentified breaking pitch. Excellent changeup is his out pitch. Has alternated between starting and relieving throughout his career. Likely projects as a reliever.

Drafted into the Padres organization where he rose quickly and became one of the club's top prospects. Once compared favorably to the likes of Jake Peavy and Oliver Perez. Had incredible 2001 season with Lake Elsinore of the California League, which he parlayed into a bit of Major League service time in 2002. For some reason that was the end of Cyr's time in the Padres organization (he may have been released due to several run-ins with the law that led many to question his character). He resurfaced the next year with the Angels organization, where he again put-up solid numbers. He saw limited action in 2004 (there is some talk of an arm injury after the '03 season, but he was healthy enough to pitch in the '04 Cactus League), but showed why he was once a highly-regarded prospect while posting impressive numbers at AA.

Outlook:

It's hard to get a gauge on Cyr. Looking at his numbers it's hard to believe this guy isn't considered much of a prospect (though he is getting up there in age). I suspect that if he's healthy and he stays out of trouble he will open a few eyes in AAA this season. He's a lefty with overpowering stuff, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the Angel’s bullpen sometime this season. ETA: 2005?

Leone for Third passes on this note that former Angels (f)utility infielder Benji Gil has signed a minor league deal with the M's. Benji is one of several guys who we haven't heard much of since the Angels' championship season in 2002. It got me thinking - what happened to all those lesser-known pieces who played a role (no matter how small) on the greatest Angels team ever?

Benji Gil:

After being released by the Angels in the middle of the 2003 season, Benji has had short stints in the Indians, Tigers, and Cubs organizations (all at AAA) and the Mexican Winter League before catching-on with Seattle. He also starred for Culiacan in the Caribbean World Series.

Shawn Wooten:

The Phillies tabbed Wooten to back-up Jim Thome after the 2003 season, but he struggled out of the gate and spent most of the season in AAA. He is currently a free agent.

Jose Nieves:

Nieves hasn't seen any Major League action since the 2002 season. He's spent time in the Yankees, Cardinals and Padres systems and plays Venezuelan Winter League ball with Oriente Carires.

Alex Ochoa:

Put up solid numbers with the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League the past two seasons.

Jorge Fabregas:

Retired before the 2004 season after spending 2003 in the Devil Rays' system (yeah, that would do it...). He runs a baseball camp in Florida.

Julio Ramirez:

"The best defensive outfielder Mike Scioscia has ever seen" played in the Arizona system last year, where he posted a 118/22 K/BB ratio. Yowza!

Clay Bellinger:

Struckout in his only at-bat with the Angels in 2002, and has been having similar success in the Giants and Baltimore systems since. Spends his free time haunting the Yankees.

Sal Fasano:

Fasano appears to have been out of baseball in 2003 (I can't find any record of him playing anywhere), but he was back with the Yankees in AAA last season.

Lou Pote:

Played for the Hanshin Tigers in the Japanese Central League in 2003, was back state-side with the Indians last season (even saw some action with the big club), and has signed with the Rangers for the up-coming season.

Dennis Cook:

Retired after the World Series.

Donne Wall:

Joined Cook at the nursing home for worthless left-handers after the 2002 season.

Mark Lukasiewicz:

After bombing-out of the BlueJays' organization in 2004, caught on with Somerset of the Independent Atlantic League. I would assume that he's currently a free agent.

Matt Wise:

Wise missed the entire 2003 season recovering from an elbow injury. He saw substantial time in the bigs with the Brewers last season (which was news to me).

A friend stumped me with this one today, and I thought it was too good to not share:

Who is only President of the United States to die on foreign soil?

Hint: He's also the only President to commit a blatant act of treason.

Highlight below for the answer:

John Tyler, who died in Richmond, Virginia on January 18, 1862 - after he led the charge for Virginia's secession. Of course some would argue that the Confederate States did not constitute "foreign soil", but for the sake of cool trivia, let's just go with it.

Bio:

Name:     Bartolo Colon
Birthday: May 24, 1973 (31 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-0
Weight:   230 (Yeah, right...)
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: P
Acquired: Free agent (12/4/04)
Drafted:  n/a
Roster:   25-man
Contract: $51/4 years (through 2007)

Stats, last five seasons (complete):

YEAR(L)   G   GS  IP    H    R   ER  HR  BB  SO   H/9 W/9 K/9  W   L  ERA  BAA 
----------|---|---|-----|----|---|---|---|---|----|---|---|----|---|--|----|---
2000(ML)  30  30  188.0 163  86  81  21  98  212  7.8 4.7 10.2 15  11 3.88 .233
2001(ML)  34  34  222.1 220  106 101 26  90  201  8.9 3.6 8.1  14  12 4.09 .261
2002(ML)  33  33  233.1 219  85  76  20  70  149  8.4 2.7 5.7  20  8  2.93 .252
2003(ML)  34  34  242.0 223  107 104 30  67  173  8.3 2.5 6.4  15  13 3.87 .248
2004(ML)  34  34  208.1 215  122 116 38  71  158  9.3 3.1 6.8  18  12 5.01 .265
----------|---|---|-----|----|---|---|---|---|----|---|---|----|---|--|----|---
  CAREER: 247 245 1597  1537 760 711 186 596 1278 8.6 3.3 7.2  118 74 4.01 .254

Pitching:

Pitch selection: 1) exploding 4-seam fastball (high 90s), 2) 2-seam fastball (low-90s), 3) curve, 4) change.

4-seamer said to rise, according to many hitters. Throws tight, sinking curveball. Velocity down last season, from 96-100 to 93-97. Some attribute this to Colon's expanding waist-line, others to an ankle injury. Threw more breaking stuff last season than any prior season. Struggled mightily early in the year with lack of velocity and control issues. Recovered quite nicely down the stretch, but still had the worst season of his career. Many point to a perceived lack of strikeouts, even though his K/9 was actually a three-year high. The real culprits were an inability to avoid bats (.265 BAA was the second-highest of his career, beating only his rookie season) and a shockingly high homerun rate, both likely due to control issues rather than the drop in velocity.

Chronicles: "The K/9 was somewhat inflated because he faced so many batters (because he gave up so many hits). He had a .176 K/Batter Faced each of the last two years, which was up from .154 in 2002, but down from the years before that."

Outlook:

I know I'm going to eat these words, but I'm looking for a rebound from Bartolo. He'll come into camp healthy and (relatively) in shape. He'll regain a little bit of velocity, and he'll have good control from the outset. He still won't be the "ace" the Angels were hoping for, but they won't feel like they're getting robbed, either. Projected line: 16-8, 3.75 ERA.

Homes in Corona were evacuated early this morning after a leak was detected in the Prado Dam. The Army Corps of Engineers dispute that, but the Governor's office has issued this cryptic warning. Whatever the story is, I think those of us that live in the inundation zones deserve to know the truth, and now.

UPDATE: Forgive me if I'm a bit freaked-out by this. I have a relative who works for LADWP, and I've seen the emergency "plans" in the event of a dam breach. Suffice it to say, the word "hope" appears several times. Not reassuring in the least.

Who's hotter? I keep going back and forth in my head between Catherine Bell and Eva Longoria (and sometimes both at the same time). I thought I had finally settled on Eva Longoria, because I'm a stat-head at heart, and all I really want is acceptance. But then I come to learn that Catherine Bell is a Republican. I'm not exaggerating when I say that my whole world was rocked.

Only one of them can be my crazy stalker obsession du jour... but which one!?

Bio:

Name:     Alberto Jose Calaspo
Birthday: April 19, 1983 (22 on Opening Day) 
Height:   5-10
Weight:   150
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: SS, 2B
Acquired: International Free Agent (Venezuela), 2001
Drafted:  n/a
Roster:   40-man
Contract: min.

Stats:

YEAR(L)   G   AB  R  H   2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|---|---|--|---|--|--|--|---|--|--|--|--|----|----|----|--
2002(R)   70  299 70 101 16 10 3  60  13 4  17 14 .338 .374 .488 862
2003(A)   133 514 86 168 38 4  2  67  20 6  42 28 .327 .377 .428 805
2004(AA)  135 544 76 155 28 2  6  48  15 14 47 25 .285 .339 .377 716

Hitting:

Another in the Angels' collection of fine middle infield prospects. Shown great plate discipline at all levels (67/106 K/BB). Hasn't shown the raw power of Erick Aybar or Brandon Wood, but he does hit his fair share of doubles - a good sign that homerun power could develop. Angels pushed him a little too hard and he appeared to be over his head at AA. Still, at 21 he was young for the league and still put together a solid campaign.

Defense:

Average range and solid hands. Doesn't make many mistakes. Started as a 2B before being switched to short during the Spring. He's probably better suited for second, and should end up there.

Baserunning:

Speedy, but lacks baserunning instincts. Should grow into a fine base stealer.

2005 Outlook:

Calaspo will be reunited with former double-play partner Erick Aybar in AA this season. Of the Angels' three middle infield prospects (with Aybar and Brandon Wood), Calaspo is the furthest along. However, most scouts would agree that he also has the lowest ceiling. ETA: 2007.

Bio:

Name:     Orlando Luis Cabrera
Birthday: June 30, 1972 (32 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-10
Weight:   175
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: SS
Acquired: Free Agent (12/20/04)
Drafted:  n/a
Roster:   25-man
Contract: $32m/4 years (through '09)

Stats, last five seasons (complete):

YEAR(L)   G   AB   R   H   2B  3B HR RBI SB CS BB  SO  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|---|----|---|---|---|--|--|---|--|--|---|---|----|----|----|--
2000(ML)  125 422  47  100 25  1  13 55  4  4  25  28  .237 .279 .393 672
2001(ML)  162 626  64  173 41  6  14 96  19 7  43  54  .276 .324 .428 752
2002(ML)  153 563  64  148 43  1  7  56  25 7  48  53  .263 .321 .380 701
2003(ML)  162 626  95  186 47  2  17 80  24 2  52  64  .297 .347 .460 807
2004(ML)  161 618  74  163 38  3  10 62  16 4  39  54  .264 .306 .383 689
----------|---|----|---|---|---|--|--|---|--|--|---|---|----|----|----|--
  CAREER: 962 3516 440 944 233 23 72 412 97 30 244 321 .268 .316 .409 725

Hitting:

Free swinger. Very few walks, very few strikeouts. Enamored with his own power which, unfortunately, exists only as a figment of his imagination. What power he does have is limited to left field. Has shown flashes of competence with the bat, but is more often mired in extended slumps. At his best on the rare occasions that he forgets to swing for the fences and focuses on being a purely slap hitter.

Defense:

Considered by many to be a premier defender at the position. Those people are most certainly wrong, though that is not to say Cabrera is a defensive liability. His range has declined in recent years, but is still average, perhaps a little better than most. Solid hands, average arm. All-in-all, a decidedly average fielder.

Baserunning:

Good speed, good basestealing instincts (87% SB% past two seasons). Seems to be timid at times - doesn't take advantage of his ability.

2005 Outlook:

On the bright side, Cabrera couldn't be much worse than he was last season. Expect something of a rebound, closer to his career averages (which is still pretty bad). His defense should continue to be average and he could have a break-out year on the basepaths under Mike Scioscia's "small-ball" tutelage. Projected line: .265/.305/.410, 40 SB

More thoughts on Cabrera here.

Bio:

Name:     Paul Gregory Byrd
Birthday: December 3, 1970 (34 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-1
Weight:   190
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: P
Acquired: Free agent (12/4/04)
Drafted:  1991, 4th round (113), CLE
Roster:   25-man
Contract: 1 year, $4.5m +$500,000 bonus

Stats, last five seasons (complete):

YEAR(L)   G   GS  CG IP    H   R   ER  HR  BB  SO  H/9  W/9 K/9 W  L  ERA  WHIP
----------|---|---|--|-----|---|---|---|---|---|---|----|---|---|--|--|----|---
1999(NL)  32  32  1  199.2 205 119 102 34  70  106 9.2  3.2 4.8 15 11 4.60 1.38
2000(NL)  17  15  0  83.0  89  67  60  17  35  53  9.7  3.8 5.8 2  9  6.51 1.49
2001(NL)  3   1   0  10.0  10  9   9   1   4   3   9.0  3.6 2.7 0  1  8.10 1.40
2001(AL)  16  15  1  93.1  110 45  42  11  22  49  10.6 2.1 4.7 6  6  4.05 1.41
2002(AL)  33  33  7  228.1 224 111 99  36  38  129 8.8  1.5 5.1 17 11 3.90 1.15
2004(NL)  19  19  0  114.1 123 57  50  18  19  79  9.7  1.5 6.2 8  7  3.94 1.24
----------|---|---|--|-----|---|---|---|---|---|---|----|---|---|--|--|----|---
  CAREER: 215 127 11 907.1 919 489 437 137 262 552 9.1  2.6 5.4 60 53 4.33 1.30

Pitching:

Pitch selection: 1) fastball (low 90's), 2) slider, 3) sinker, 4) change. Sharp breaking slider. Uses sinker exclusively against lefties. Not overpowering stuff, but has developed fantastic control. Smooth, slow, full-overhand delivery - very anachronistic. Has shown the ability to neutralize right handed hitters (.219 BAA last season). Coming off Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss entire 2003 season. Scouts were impressed by arm strength after just one year of recovery.

Outlook:

Byrd had a mighty impressive season in 2004 considering he was less than one year removed from Tommy John surgery. It's said that the real strides are made in the second year. If that's true, Bill Stoneman may have perpetrated one of the steals of the offseason. At the very least expect Byrd to be a far more reliable fifth starter than was the combination of Sele/Ortiz. Projected line: 14-9, 3.90 ERA.

Bio:

Name:     Ryan Dean Budde
Birthday: August 15, 1979 (25 on Opening Day) 
Height:   5-11
Weight:   190
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: C
Acquired: Draft
Drafted:  2001, 12th round (359), ANA
Roster:   Minor League
Contract: n/a

Stats:

YEAR(L)   G    AB   R   H    2B  3B HR  RBI SB CS BB  SO  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|----|----|---|----|---|--|---|---|--|--|---|---|----|----|----|--
2002(A)   87   307  40  74   17  1  5   39  2  1  27  60  .241 .305 .352 657
2002(AA)  3    9    1   1    0   0  1   1   0  0  1   2   .111 .200 .444 644
2003(A)   14   50   6   12   3   1  1   6   0  0  2   10  .240 .259 .400 659
2003(AA)  96   342  45  73   9   1  10  41  1  1  35  76  .213 .289 .333 622
2004(A)   99   359  54  90   17  0  13  51  3  5  27  76  .251 .313 .407 720
2004(AAA) 5    17   0   4    0   0  0   1   0  0  1   7   .235 .263 .235 498

Hitting:

Yowza! Just look at those numbers! I guess I would sum up his hitting ability like this: he can't. The only thing you can say for him is that he's shown a fair bit of pop the past couple of seasons. Granted, one of those was almost exclusively at A-ball - in his third go-around on the circuit. But hey, you've got to hang your hat somewhere.

Defense:

I can't find anything about Budde's glovework anywhere. I would assume it's pretty good, because in this organization catchers don't stick around for long if they don't work the leather (especially when they hit as badly as Ryan here).

Baserunning:

He's never shown any kind of baserunning ability in the pros, but during his 2000 campaign at Oklahoma State he stole 10 bases while only being caught twice. That leads me to conclusion that Budde's got decent instincts, but not a whole lot of speed.

Outlook:

Budde's a career farmhand, nothing more. ETA: Never.

Bio:

Name:     Christopher Brandon Bootcheck
Birthday: October 24, 1978 (26 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-5
Weight:   205
Bats:     Right
Throws:   Right
Position: P
Acquired: Draft
Drafted:  2000, 1st round (20), ANA
Roster:   40-man
Contract: min.

Stats:

YEAR(L)   G  GS CG IP    H   R   ER  HR BB  SO  H/9  W/9 K/9  W  L  ERA   WHIP
----------|--|--|--|-----|---|---|---|--|---|---|----|---|----|--|--|-----|---
2001(A)   15 14 1  87.0  84  45  38  11 23  86  8.7  2.4 8.9  8  4  3.93  1.23
2001(AA)  6  6  1  36.0  39  25  22  3  11  22  9.7  2.7 5.5  3  3  5.45  1.38
2002(AA)  19 19 3  116.0 130 68  62  11 35  90  10.1 2.7 7.0  8  7  4.81  1.42
2002(AAA) 9  9  1  58.0  64  29  25  5  16  38  9.9  2.5 5.9  4  3  3.88  1.38
2003(AAA) 28 26 3  171.0 194 103 81  19 43  82  10.2 2.3 4.3  8  9  4.25  1.38
2003(AL)  4  1  0  10.0  16  13  11  5  6   7   13.9 5.2 6.1  0  1  9.58  2.13
2004(AAA) 28 28 3  163.0 202 109 93  22 60  105 11.1 3.3 5.8  11 9  5.12  1.60

Pitching:

Pitch selection: 1) fastball (mid 90s), 2) slider. Former first round pick was called on to anchor the rotation at AAA Salt Lake in 2004 and failed miserably. Stumbled through what was easily the worst season of his pro career. Scouts say he's lost stuff since being drafted, and no one seems optimistic that it will return. No longer considered a real prospect.

Outlook:

Once thought of as a lock to be in the Angels rotation by now, at this point the Angels would be thrilled if Bootcheck could turn into a serviceable middle reliever. I'm sure if they were faced with the same choice that they had in 2000, they would opt for Adam Wainwright instead (picked by the Braves at #29). ETA: If things go really well for Bootcheck (or really badly for the Angels) you could see him in Anaheim for few appearances this season. Other than that, don't expect him to make any kind of major contribution.

As part of their Hot Stove Heaters series, ESPN is handing a series of inane awards in 27 strange categories. (For instance, today they named Juan Pierre "Best Bunter". I bet his mother is very proud.) Tomorrow they will unveil their choice for "most patient hitter", and I've got $50 bucks that says they pick someone other than Barry Bonds.

Bio:

Name:     Timothy Bryant Bittner
Birthday: June 9, 1980 (24 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-2
Weight:   205
Bats:     Left
Throws:   Left
Position: P
Acquired: via trade w/CHW (7/29/03)
Drafted:  2001, 10th round (313), CHW
Roster:   40-man
Contract: min.

Stats:

YEAR(L)   G  GS CG IP    H   R   ER  HR BB  SO  H/9  W/9 K/9  W  L  ERA   WHIP 
----------|--|--|--|-----|---|---|---|--|---|---|----|---|----|--|--|-----|---
2001(R)   8  8  1  49.0  34  14  6      12  53  6.2  2.2 9.7  6  1  1.10  0.94
2001(A)   4  4  1  20.0  21  18  10   9   15  9.5  4.1 6.8  0  3  4.50  1.50
2002(A)   29 29 0  157.1 166 98  80  10 67  123 9.5  3.8 7.0  5  13 4.58  1.48
2003(A)   33 16 2  113.0 81  42  32  7 52  96  6.4  4.1 7.6  12 8  3.34  1.18
2004(AA)  21 21 0  113.2 107 61  57  8  56  80  8.5  4.4 6.3  8  6  4.51  1.43

Pitching:

Pitch selection: 1) fastball (high 80s), 2) average slider\curve 3) developing change. None of his stuff is spectacular. Bittner is something of an enigma, having put up eye-popping numbers in his first campaign and in 2003 (his first year with the Angels after being acquired in the Schoeneweis deal), but struggling at other times. His 2003 numbers could be chalked-up to the fact that it was his second full season at the level, as evidenced by his fairly pedestrian numbers after being promoted to the Travelers the following year. Used exclusively as a starter by the Angels, but has relieved in his career. Projects best as a reliever.

Outlook:

Could be a make-or-break season for Bittner. Will likely get his first shot at AAA this season (though he may begin the season back in Arkansas), and needs to impress to keep his prospect status. The organization could have a glut of starters in Salt Lake, so Bittner should end up in the bullpen where he belongs. ETA: Probably never.

If you catch a mistake or you have something to add to any of the reports, by all means, please add it to the comments section. Let's make this a collaborative affair - a wiki, if you will. I want these to be as accurate as possible, so they are a valuable tool and not just a waste of time.

Bio:

Name:     Dustin Michael Bergman
Birthday: Febuary 1, 1978 (27 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-4
Weight:   200
Bats:     Left
Throws:   Left
Position: P
Acquired: Draft
Drafted:  1996, 6th round (196), ANA
Roster:   Minor League
Contract: n/a

Stats:

YEAR(L)   G  GS CG IP    H   R   ER  HR BB  SO  H/9  W/9 K/9  W  L  ERA   WHIP 
----------|--|--|--|-----|---|---|---|--|---|---|----|---|----|--|--|-----|---
1999(A)   15 15 0  74.1  102 58  54  12 18  46  12.4 2.2 5.6  5  5  6.54  1.61
2000(A)   29 26 6  168.0 177 106 72  12 61  111 9.5  3.3 5.9  4  16 3.85  1.42
2001(AA)  27 25 1  153.1 196 100 87  10 53  83  11.5 3.1 4.9  7  13 5.11  1.62
2002(AA)  35 0  0  56.0  48  21  15  3  8   38  7.7  1.3 6.1  5  0  2.41  1.00
2002(AAA) 21 0  0  29.1  34  25  21  7  9   26  10.4 2.8 8.0  1  1  6.44  1.47
2003(AA)  50 10 0  109.1 116 54  46  7  33  82  9.6  2.7 6.8  6  5  3.79  1.36
2003(AAA) 1  0  0  1.1   5   5   3   0  1   0   33.8 6.8 0.0  0  1  20.25 4.50
2004(AAA) 45 0  0  72.2  82  35  23  2  13  54  10.2 1.6 6.7  1  2  2.85  1.31
2004(AL)  1  0  0  2.0   4   3   3   0  1   1   18.0 4.5 4.5  0  0  13.50 2.50

Pitching:

Pitch selection: 1) Fastball (low 90s), 2) Sharp, biting slider. Never overpowering, but does have good control. Lacks the stuff and allows far too many hits to be considered a real prospect.

Outlook:

Bergman has put up solid, if unspectacular, numbers at every stop. He should do the same at AAA this season and will be on the Angels' radar as the club still lacks a single left-handed arm coming out of the bullpen. He'll shuttle between Salt Lake and Anaheim for a couple years, but that's as far as he goes.

Bio:

Name:     Erick Johan Aybar
Birthday: January 14, 1984 (21 on Opening Day) 
Height:   5-11
Weight:   160
Bats:     Switch
Throws:   Right
Position: SS
Acquired: International Free Agent (Dominican Republic), 2002
Drafted:  N/A
Roster:   Minor League
Contract: n/a

Stats:

YEAR(L)   G    AB   R   H    2B  3B HR  RBI SB CS BB  SO  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|----|----|---|----|---|--|---|---|--|--|---|---|----|----|----|--
2002(R)   67   273  64  89   15  6  4   29  15 10 21  43  .326 .395 .469 864
2003(A)   125  496  83  153  30  10 6   57  32 9  17  54  .308 .346 .446 792
2004(A)   136  573  102 189  25  11 14  65  51 36 26  66  .330 .370 .485 855

Hitting:

Aybar is one of several intriguing middle-infield prospects in the Angels' organization. He's shown good raw power throughout his minor league career, and last season with the Quakes he took the first step in refining it by turning "gap power" into 16 homeruns. He could stand to take a more disciplined approach at the plate, but that's true of the Angels in general and Aybar has one of the better eyes among the organization's top prospects. Keep in mind that at the age of 20 Aybar was one of the youngest players in A-ball and he didn't make a fool of himself by any means.

Defense:

Stephen Smith describes his glove work as spectacular at times, but wildly inconsistent. By all accounts Aybar has terrific range, but is a little rough around the edges.

Baserunning:

Aybar has good speed (98 SB in 328 games), but needs to be far more selective on the basepaths (56% SB%).

Outlook:

All the complaints about Aybar's game can all be attributed - at least in part - to his youth. A lot of this stuff should work itself out as he gains experience and gets a better feel for the game. Look for his power to continue to improve in the next year as well. Will likely start the season in AA with the Travelers. He's certainly among the Angels' top five prospects, and could have the best up-side of them all. ETA: 2008-09

Bio:

Name:     Garret Joseph Anderson
Birthday: June 30, 1972 (32 on Opening Day) 
Height:   6-3
Weight:   220
Bats:     Left
Throws:   Left
Position: LF,CF
Acquired: Draft
Drafted:  1990, 4th round (123), ANA
Roster:   25-man
Contract: $48m/4 years (through '08), option for '09 ($3m buyout)

Stats, last five seasons:

YEAR(L)   G    AB   R   H    2B  3B HR  RBI SB CS BB  SO  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
----------|----|----|---|----|---|--|---|---|--|--|---|---|----|----|----|--
2000(AL)  159  647  92  185  40  3  35  117 7  6  24  87  .286 .307 .519 826
2001(AL)  161  672  83  194  39  2  28  123 13 6  27  100 .289 .314 .478 792
2002(AL)  158  638  93  195  56  3  29  123 6  4  30  80  .306 .332 .539 871
2003(AL)  159  638  80  201  49  4  29  116 6  3  31  83  .315 .345 .541 886
2004(AL)  112  442  57  133  20  1  14  75  2  1  29  75  .301 .343 .446 789
----------|----|----|---|----|---|--|---|---|--|--|---|---|----|----|----|--
   CAREER 1477 5897 760 1766 369 28 207 947 68 42 280 807 .299 .329 .477 806

Hitting:

Smooth, consistent stroke has allowed Anderson to compile a .299 average during his career. Power developed late (first 20+ homerun season was 1999, his fifth full season), but he blossomed into one of the most consistent sluggers in the game. Arthritic condition in back and shoulders sapped Anderson's power in 2004 (HR and 2B numbers were cut half). It could become a chronic condition, though his power numbers did rebound somewhat late in the season. Never been what you would call a "patient hitter," though he did put up the best BB/PA (.061) and P/PA (3.57) numbers of his career in 2004.

John adds: "GA steps away from the plate with his front foot into a virtual steel bucket and, thus, is sometimes physically incapable of reaching pitches on the outside of the plate."

Defense:

Anderson was one of the better left fielders in baseball due to his excellent instincts for the position. Move to centerfield in 2004 was nothing short of a disaster, as Anderson lacked the range and speed to cover any ground. Will be moved back to left for 2005.

Baserunning:

Never fleet of foot to begin with (career-high 13 SB in 2001), injuries have ended Anderson's days as a basestealer. As smooth a runner as he is a hitter, capable of going 1st to 3rd, and rarely makes baserunning mistakes.

2005 Outlook:

I fully expect his homerun stroke to return for 2005. Perhaps he will never return to the level he was at during his 2000-2003 peak, but should still be solid protection for Guerrero. I'd like to say that his eye will continue the improvement shown in 2004, but that was likely more a product of changed approach caused by the injury than anything else, and will probably disappear once Anderson is again comfortable with his power stroke. Projected line: .300/.330/.490 with 22 HR.

I'm starting a rather large project on this blog. I intend to do quick scouting reports on every Angel on the 40-man roster, and even a few who aren't. This is more for my benefit than anything else. I'd like to know a bit more about several Angel prospects, and I figured this would be a fun way to go about it.

I'll do it in alphabetical order, listing all the links on this post (I'll also put a link up top for easy access).

Anderson, Garret
Aybar, Erick
Bergman, Dusty
Bittner, Tim
Bootcheck, Chris
Budde, Ryan
Byrd, Paul
Cabrera, Orlando
Callaspo, Alberto
Colon, Bartolo
Cyr, Eric
DaVanon, Jeff
Donnelly, Brendan
Dunn, Scott
Erstad, Darin
Escobar, Kelvim
Figgins, Chone
Finley, Steve
Gordon, Brian
Gorneault, Nick
Gregg, Kevin
Gregorio, Tom
Guerrero, Vladimir
Hensley, Matt
Izturis, Maicer
James, Delvin
Jepsen, Kevin
Jones, Greg
Kendrick, Howard
Kennedy, Adam
Kotchman, Casey
Lackey, John
Lopez, Baltazar
Madrigal, Warner
Mathis, Jeff
Matranga, David
McPherson, Dallas
Molina, Bengie
Molina, Jose
Morales, Kendry
Moreno, Angel
Moseley, Dustin
Murphy, Tommy
Napoli, Mike
Paul, Josh
Peralta, Joel
Pride, Curtis
Prieto, Chris
Prinz, Bret
Quinlan, Robb
Rivera, Juan
Rodriguez, Sean
Rodriguez, Francisco
Salmon, Tim
Santana, Ervin
Saunders, Joe
Shell, Steven
Shields, Scot
Sorensen, Zach
Specht, Brian
Stertzbach, Von
Torres, Joe
Touchstone, Nick
Toussaint, Andrew
Washburn, Jarrod
Willits, Reggie
Wood, Brandon
Woods, Jake
Yan, Esteban
Zimmerman, Bob

Last update: 8/02/05

It's that time of the year. Spring training is within view, and all around the country lurkers and message board posters are thinking to themselves "I've got five minutes. I've got an opinion. I think I'll start a blog!" (It's surely no coincidence that Rob and I will celebrate our one-year blogiversaries next month, less than two weeks apart.) It's about time we get some new blood in the Halosphere, having apparently lost our best and brightest to blog fatigue.

So, in the spirit of renewal, I'd like to introduce the newest member of the Halosphere: The Halo Herald. It's Angels news and views - obviously - but Rich (the author) "reserve[s] the right to talk about MLB, NFL, politics, business, investing, movies, child-rearing or whatever strikes my fancy as of any particular moment." Word. He's in Arizona, so I'm counting on some first-class coverage of the Cactus League.

A's sold? To someone with money? That's not good news.

Another one for Ace's collection of "Andrew "No Offense Taken" Sullivan's List o' Grievences'. After the Puppy Blender made the (correct) observation that no one should give a shit where Abraham Lincoln "put his wing-wang", Sullivan's outrage alarm sounded:

This, apparently, is Glenn Reynold's view of what being gay is. And Glenn is on the side of the angels in this. It's enough to make you despair.

Either Sullivan's making no sense, or I've been grossly misinformed as to what makes a man gay. Is homosexuality not a sexual preference to put your "wing-wang" in a certain place? Yes, sure, there's an emotional component. But as with all sexual beings, it leads back to what you care to do with your "wing-wang" or "hoo-hoo", does it not?

Rob catches something I've been trying to keep my eye on - the Angels' official website has finally made a change in response to the new name. Simply the "Angels" - no Los Angeles or Anaheim.

Makes me wonder why Moreno couldn't have settled on "Angels of Anaheim".

In-depth analysis courtesy of Chronicles of the Lads.

You've got to be kidding. How is it possible that anyone can be this thin-skinned?

UPDATE: Now I do see a problem here...

UPDATE: The NFL says Moss will be fined for insinuating ass during Sunday's game. No word on the fate of the 18 linemen that made similar gestures throughout the game.