Adam Kennedy = The Man

Simply put, Adam Kennedy is one of my all-time favorite Angels. What's not to like about the guy? His upper-cut swing? He's a gamer, a fighter, a clutch hitter, and the best defensive second baseman the Angels have had in years. And years. He is also responsible for one of my favorite Angels memories. Game 5 of the 2002 ALCS. Three home runs. I was there to see it. It gave me chills. I wish him well as he heads off to the Cardinals, where he will join Eck and Sleazio. See you in the '07 World Series, AK.

Angels Sign Jerk for $50 million

The Angels have signed Gary Matthews Jr., at least according to Fox Sports. Here's a little exchange I had with the lesser Matthews about 5 years ago, right in front of the Big A.

(Matthews walks up to the stadium, with a cell phone in his left hand. This was before the days of Blue Tooth, ear buds, etc. I am the only one within 100 feet of the guy.)

WaE: Mr. Matthews, do you have time to sign an autograph?

GMJ: $hit, man, I'm on the phone.

WaE: Uhhh....

There you have it, folks. Seven seconds of interaction is enough for me to know that I don't like the guy personally.

As for the signing, RotoWorld says it best...

So many contracts already with the potential to be the biggest busts of the offseason and the starting pitchers haven't even begun to sign yet. Matthews' huge deal is almost entirely the result of his 2006 performance. Entering the year, the 32-year-old had never batted 500 times in a season, and his only other year with an 800 OPS also came for the Rangers, who play in one of the game's best parks for hitters. Matthews will play quality defense for the Angels, but it's doubtful that he'll be a solid regular by the end of the deal. He could easily lose 50 points off his 2006 average of .313 next year.

The best part about him? He's not Kevin Gregg

So we got right-hander Chris Resop from the Fish today. When we're mad at him we can call him Chris Poser. Sixteen walks and 10 strikeouts in 21 innings. That is horrible. Will he be the new Kevin Gregg? My gosh, let's hope not.

Ggeek Extreme is Ggone!!!!!!!!!

Kevin Gregg got traded. For who? Does it even matter? The fact is, I never have to see that Danny look-alike in Angel red ever again. Instead, he'll be reunited with another Angels castoff, God Bless Amezaga. Two people that I am glad are 3,000 miles away.

Just Inspire

I'm very happy about this deal. Speier is a great seventh-inning pitcher, unlike pretty much everyone used in that spot last year. In Oh-7 we'll have Speier, Shields, Frankie, W.

Thanks for the memories, Don.

Thanks for the gray hair, Alfa and Geek X.

Keep away, Stoneman! Come get 'em, Billy Beane!

If the Angels sign any of these guys, I will be sad.

1. Small head.







2. Please sign with the A's. I'd pay to see Milton Bradley punch you in the mouth.







3. You think Stoneman won't make the same mistake twice? Don't put it past him.

Would you pay this man $75K per inning?

Can someone tell me what is going on with these signings? Jamie Walker? $12 million? Really?




I'd rather pay Jimmie Walker $12 million to pitch some meaningless games for a meaningless team like the Orioles.

Would you pay this man $23 million?

Football Picks!!!

I make 'em, you fake 'em!

Jags def. Texans ($50 game, revenge is sweet.)
Ravens def. Titans
Eagles def. Redskins (Skins got lucky vs. Dallas last week!)
49ers def. Lions
Bengals def. Chargers
Patriots def. Jets (I'll be rooting for the Jets, for the sake of my KOTH tourny)
Chefs def. Phins (I'll root for Miami, but i think the chefs will beat 'em)
Vikings def. Packers
Falcons def. Browns
Colts def. Bill (Again I'll be rooting for the Bills though, for the sake of my KOTH tourny)
Donkeys def. the Evil
Seahawks def. Rams
Cowboys def. Cards
Bears def. Giants
Panthers def. Bucs

And my upset of the week:
Saints def. Steelers!

Vegas here I come!!!

taking the pitch

Tonight I make my glorious return to the battle ground! After some time off and a short cruise, I'm just bursting with enthusiasm to play with my collegues the game we hold so dear. Last week I was unable to figure in Knights FC's classification game, which we unfortunately lost 3-2. I hope to be match fit to figure in a win!

It's Knights FC vs. Real Montana at the Millenium Stadium, tonight on 6:00 pm!

the templar

"And the kindly earth shall slumber. . .”

So I did go to vote on Tuesday. What a circus! Michelle and I go to vote and bring the children so they could see what “freedom” looks like. Well no, they’re just too young to stay home alone. We arrive at oh, say 1830 to find a line of scores of self-deceived folk, each one waiting for his turn at the black box. Forty minutes later, the line has barely moved when a kindly old man feebly explains (or did a feeble old man kindly explain?) the situation by informing us that over half of the machines are broken. Hey, if you’re impatient, just give me your sample ballots filled out and I will put them aside to be counted in due time. As my wife says, “Yeah right.” But then, many did so. And who’s to say anyway? It’s late and the electoral workers are grumpy and tired. But the black boxes never get tired. They just up and quit. And our precious so-called democracy reduces to a shambles. We wait there all night like lemmings in line for an amusement park ride, only without the expectation of the adrenaline rush to come. In fact, we don’t even hope. We expect disappointment and we pay much more for the privilege.

We walked away a little after 2000, wondering what we just accomplished. Should I not be so cynical? Perhaps someone will tell me why not.

He was better than Bud Black

From Baseballlibrary.com:

“Spahn and Sain and pray for rain," was the Braves' motto for the 1948 stretch drive, as they pushed toward their first pennant since 1914. That season Spahn was actually not much more effective than the Braves' third and fourth starters, Bill Voiselle and Vern Bickford. Sain, however, led the NL with 24 wins, 39 starts, 28 complete games, and 314 innings.
A rookie in 1942, he spent 1943-45 in the military, but lost no time establishing himself upon his return. He won 20 each year from 1946 to 1948, slumped in 1949, but came back with a 20-13 mark in 1950. Although Sain could strike men out when the occasion demanded, the 6'2" Arkansan had pinpoint control and a let-'em-hit-it philosophy. In three of his 20-win seasons, he led the league in hits allowed. Sent to the Yankees in August 1951 for Lew Burdette and $50,000, he contributed 11-6 and 14-7 marks to the 1952 and '53 Yankee pennants, then led the AL with 22 saves in 1954.

An excellent-hitting pitcher (.245), Sain averaged .346 in 1947 and .353 in 1954, and led the NL with 16 sacrifice hits in 1948. He became an instructor and ML pitching coach with the A's, Yankees, Twins, Tigers, Angels, White Sox, and Braves. He became known for developing 20-game-winners in tight, four-man rotations. Whitey Ford, Jim Kaat, Earl Wilson, Denny McLain, Clyde Wright, Stan Bahnsen, and Wilbur Wood all had their biggest seasons under Sain's supervision. Loved by his pitchers, often hated by his jealous managers, he coached five ML teams that won pennants. Jim Bouton has called Sain "the greatest pitching coach who ever lived." When Sain was fired by Yogi Berra, Bouton said, "What general likes a lieutenant that's smarter?"


The Boston Post published a poem written by Gerald Hern from which the opening line is taken, “Spahn and Sain and pray for rain.” Supposedly, Boston manager Billy Southworth had said, “From here on I will rotate my pitching staff. Spahn one day, Sain the next.” And so inspired, Hern immortalized for us another great piece of baseball lore. And baseball has plenty of it. More so than any other sport, baseball captures the imagination by its history and legend. On November 7, 2006, Johnny Sain passed away into eternity. Amid all the hubbub about election results and political hacking, let us keep in mind the truly important aspects of American culture and history.

See ya around, Bud

It happened. Another Angels coach got hired on as a manager, and this time it was Harry Ralston Black. Am I happy? Nah. Disappointed? Not really.

So who's going to replace him? Charlie Hough? Troy Percival? Mickey Hatcher?

"Apathy is not something I care about one way or the other."

“Election Day “ looms less than a week away. And yet, I am finally coming to terms with the world’s animosity toward me. If Jeff Weaver can turn his life around and poke Angels’ fans with a World Series-clinching victory, then I can turn my back on the “democratic” process and say I have better things to do with my life. And perhaps I will. But why can’t I stay away? Why do I feel compelled by the all-too-human display of hapless folks trying desperately to “make a difference?”

Well, firstly as evidenced by the paragraph above, when one senses the need to use quotation marks every other sentence to qualify the terms we use to describe this charade, one expects to be rewarded with return trips to the source. If nothing else, let us be entertained! What can be more amusing? And it’s all very well until it affects you. And this happens the moment the cock crows the next morning. Feeling the boot on the face is a sure way to motivate oneself to want to fight the good fight. But alas, what to do? Gee, I guess I’ll vote. So vote then. I could be wrong.

But as for me, I’m here for the beer, steer and cheer.