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Type A/B free agent rankings

November 9th, 2009, 2:38 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

Elias Sports Bureau (keepers of all things statistical) has released its official rankings of this year’s free-agent class.

Free agents ranked in  the top 20 percent at their position by Elias are considered Type A free agents. Players ranked in the 21-40 percent range at their position are Type B free agents.

This is important for one reason — compensation. This can have a big impact on a free agent’s attractiveness to suitors (and how anxious their former team is for them to leave).

A team losing a Type A free agent receives two draft picks as compensation – either the first- or second-round pick of the signing team (depending on that team’s record the previous season) and a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.

A team losing a Type B free agent receives just one sandwich pick as compensation.

This past June, the Angels had five of the first 48 picks in the draft including two first-rounders thanks to compensation for losing free agents Mark Teixeira, Francisco Rodriguez and Jon Garland last winter.

They could be in for a similar windfall next June with potential departees John Lackey, Chone Figgins and Darren Oliver ranked as Type A’s and Vladimir Guerrero a Type B.

Teams have to offer arbitration to their free agents in order to receive compensation. That deadline will come along in December.

Here are this year’s Type A and B rankings. Keep in mind that some players have contract options which might keep them from becoming free agents:

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Posted in: Angels • Boston Red Sox • Chone Figgins • Dodgers • Garret Anderson • John Lackey • Kelvim Escobar • New York Yankees • Oakland A's • Seattle Mariners • Texas Rangers • Vladimir Guerrero | 4 Comments »

Early odds for 2010 World Series

November 5th, 2009, 3:13 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

For what it’s worth (not much), here are the odds to make the 2010 World Series, via www.Bodog.com.

New York Yankees 11/4
Boston Red Sox 13/2
Philadelphia Phillies 9/1
Los Angeles Angels 10/1
St. Louis Cardinals 10/1
Los Angeles Dodgers 11/1
Chicago Cubs 15/1
New York Mets 15/1
Tampa Bay Rays 15/1
Atlanta Braves 18/1
Colorado Rockies 18/1
Chicago White Sox 22/1
Detroit Tigers 25/1
Florida Marlins 25/1
Minnesota Twins 25/1
San Francisco Giants 25/1
Texas Rangers 25/1
Arizona Diamondbacks 40/1
Cincinnati Reds 45/1
Milwaukee Brewers 45/1
Oakland Athletics 45/1
Cleveland Indians 50/1
Seattle Mariners 50/1
Toronto Blue Jays 60/1
Baltimore Orioles 75/1
Houston Astros 75/1
San Diego Padres 75/1
Kansas City Royals 100/1
Pittsburgh Pirates 100/1
Washington Nationals 100/1

Posted in: Angels • Boston Red Sox • New York Yankees • Oakland A's • Seattle Mariners • Texas Rangers | 2 Comments »

Here’s the free-agent shopping list

November 5th, 2009, 10:21 am by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

Today is the first day eligible players can file for free agency. They have 15 days to file. Until those 15 days are over, players can only negotiate with their most recent team.

Here is the full list of 183 eligible players (with some players’ eligibility contingent on contract options):

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Posted in: Angels • Boston Red Sox • Dodgers • New York Yankees • Oakland A's • Seattle Mariners • Texas Rangers | 1 Comment »

End not the desired result, but far from one predicted by many

October 25th, 2009, 10:38 pm by Earl Bloom, staff writer

new-bloom-mug-for-ocrcom10Wow. I bet some of you never thought it would end this way.

Surely, the Angels would’ve been swept by the Boston Red Sox in  the first round of the playoffs again.

In July, there was no way the Angels could cope with the improved Texas Rangers.

And, in April, all those Oakland Athletics ALCS Angels Yankees Baseballoffseason moves clearly indicated a changing of the guard atop the AL West (just ask PECOTA).

Even before then, the Angels’ fate was sealed when Mark Teixeira and Frankie Rodriguez got away (there might be some truth about Teixeira, since he finally got a big hit for New York — but not $20 million worth more than the year Kendry Morales had).

The Angels somehow overcame the devastating loss of Nick Adenhart, and got this far.

Their season finally ended on a cold Sunday night at new Yankee Stadium, when New York finally closed them out in Game Six and earned its first World Series berth since 2003.

And, it might mean saying goodbye to Vladimir Guerrero, Chone Figgins (right), John Lackey,  Bobby Abreu and others.

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Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Boston Red Sox • Chone Figgins • Darren Oliver • Former Angels • Francisco Rodriguez • John Lackey • Kendry Morales • Mark Teixeira • New York Yankees • Nick Adenhart • Oakland A's • Texas Rangers • Vladimir Guerrero • | 11 Comments »

Kendrick, Aybar back for tuneups

October 3rd, 2009, 12:41 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

OAKLAND

Howie Kendrick (staph infection, right knee) and Erick Aybar (bruised right hand) are back in the lineup today after getting a couple days off to deal with their minor health issues.

Meanwhile, Maicer Izturis is nursing an injury to the outside of his left knee.

Izturis tangled with Andruw Jones at first base during Wednesday’s game against the Rangers and went down hard. He played the next night and Angels manager Mike Scioscia characterized it as a minor issue, but something the Angels won’t push.

Izturis missed last year’s ALDS against the Red Sox after undergoing surgery for a thumb injury suffered in August.

“He could be a big ‘X’ factor, if you look at it,” Scioscia said. “He was very important to what we were trying to do. Not having him last year was obviously tough. I think he can bring a lot to our lineup.”

Izturis has career-highs in runs scored (75), hits (116), home runs (eight) and RBI (65) this season. Angels second basemen (primarily Izturis and Kendrick) have combined to hit .290 with 15 home runs, 102 RBI, a .339 on-base percentage and .445 slugging percentage.

Today’s lineups:

ANGELS

3B Chone Figgins

RF Bobby Abreu

DH Vladimir Guerrero

LF Juan Rivera

2B Howie Kendrick

SS Erick Aybar

CF Gary Matthews Jr.

1B Robb Quinlan

C  Jeff Mathis

LHP Scott Kazmir

A’S

CF Rajai Davis

1B Daric Barton

2B Mark Ellis

DH Jack Cust

C  Landon Powell

3B Bobby Crosby

RF Matt Carson

LF Eric Patterson

SS Cliff Pennington

LHP Dana Eveland

Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Chone Figgins • Erick Aybar • Gary Matthews • Howie Kendrick • Jeff Mathis • Juan Rivera • Maicer Izturis • Mike Scioscia • Oakland A's • Robb Quinlan • Scott Kazmir • Vladimir Guerrero | 5 Comments »

Abreu joins exclusive company (lineups)

October 2nd, 2009, 6:19 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

OAKLAND

When Bobby Abreu steps into the batter’s box in the top of the first inning tonight, he will be stepping into a pretty impressive club.

It will be Abreu’s 150th game of the season. This is the 12th consecutive season Abreu has played at least 150 games.

Only four other players in baseball history can match that — Willie Mays (13 seasons, 1954-66), Billy Williams (12 seasons, 192-73), Pete Rose (12 seasons, 1969-80) and Cal Ripken Jr. (12 seasons, 1982-93).

And Abreu still needs just one stolen base to reach 30 for the season and become only the second player in Angels history to steal 30 bases and drive in 100 runs in the same season. Bobby Bonds had 41 steals and 115 RBI in 1977.

Erick Aybar (bruised right hand) and Howie Kendrick (staph infection, right knee) are unavailable tonight but Angels manager Mike Scioscia said both would probably play tomorrow.

Tonight’s lineups:

ANGELS

3B Chone Figgins

RF Bobby Abreu

CF Torii Hunter

DH Vladimir Guerrero

LF Juan Rivera

1B Kendry Morales

C  Mike Napoli

SS Brandon Wood

2B Freddy Sandoval

RHP Jered Weaver

A’S

3B Adam Kennedy

CF Rajai Davis

C  Kurt Suzuki

DH Jack Cust

1B Daric Barton

2B Mark Ellis

LF Eric Patterson

RF Matt Carson

SS Cliff Pennington

LHP Gio Gonzalez

Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Brandon Wood • Chone Figgins • Jered Weaver • Juan Rivera • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mike Napoli • Oakland A's • Torii Hunter • Vladimir Guerrero | Post a Comment »

Scioscia tries to talk team out of slump

September 27th, 2009, 11:52 am by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

ANAHEIM

After last night’s 15-10 loss to the Oakland A’s gave the Angels their first four-game losing streak of the season, Mike Scioscia kept the clubhouse doors to talk to his team.

But he didn’t take the opportunity to berate his players for their lackluster play (not just recently but all month — they are 12-12 in September). He said he was more interested in addressing the “frustration level” he felt building.

“You have to get back to that in-house, pitch-to-pitch mentality,” he said today. “Sometimes guys might have been trying to chew off too much at a time. Not one guy is going to carry us to our goal. But some guys might be thinking they’re going to be that one guy.

“That was the gist of what we talked about.”

The biggest factor in the Angels’ recent fade might be simple fatigue, brought on by the long season and a difficult finishing schedule. But Scioscia dismissed that as an explanation.

“I don’t see anybody in there mentally tired,” he said. “Some guys have gotten physically worn down by the long season. But it’s no different than it is for Oakland or Boston or the Yankees or the Mariners.

“I don’t see mental fatigue. I don’t see physical fatigue. I just see it as a focus issue that we’re dealing with.”

Today’s lineups reflect that belief — no breaks for any of the regulars:

ANGELS

3B Chone Figgins

RF Bobby Abreu

CF Torii Hunter

DH Vladimir Guerrero

1B Kendry Morales

LF Juan Rivera

2B Maicer Izturis

C  Mike Napoli

SS Erick Aybar

LHP Joe Saunders

A’S

CF Rajai Davis

1B Daric Barton

2B Mark Ellis

DH Nomar Garciaparra

3B Bobby Crosby

RF Matt Carson

C  Landon Powell

LF Eric Patterson

SS Cliff Pennington

RHP Edgar Gonzalez

Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Chone Figgins • Erick Aybar • Joe Saunders • Juan Rivera • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mike Napoli • Mike Scioscia • Oakland A's • Torii Hunter • Vladimir Guerrero | Post a Comment »

This is what you call … tinkering?

September 26th, 2009, 4:33 pm by BILL PLUNKETT, OCREGISTER.COM

ANAHEIM

The Angels were shut out in their most recent game, held hitless in their past 19 at-bats with runners in scoring position, struck out 28 times in their past two games and held to three runs or less 15 times in their 23 games this month.

So Angels manager Mike Scioscia promised he would try to jump-start the offense with some lineup changes today.

The only change, though, was to go back to an old look — Bobby Abreu hitting second with Torii Hunter third and the No. 2 hitter (Maicer Izturis tonight) moved down to the ninth spot.

Scioscia called it “subtle changes.”

“I wanted to get Torii up there a bit to see if we can get a little continuity,” Scioscia said. “Not that guys in the 2 hole have been doing a bad job. But we need to get out of first gear here.”

Tonight’s lineups (with their September batting averages):

ANGELS

3B Chone Figgins (.250)

RF Bobby Abreu (.250)

CF Torii Hunter (.247)

DH Vladimir Guerrero (.256)

LF Juan Rivera (.195)

1B Kendry Morales (.230)

2B Howie Kendrick (.386)

C  Jeff Mathis (.212)

SS Maicer Izturis (.283)

RHP John Lackey

A’S

3B Adam Kennedy

CF Rajai Davis

RF Ryan Sweeney

C  Kurt Suzuki

DH Jack Cust

1B Daric Barton

2B Mark Ellis

LF Eric Patterson

SS Cliff Pennington

LHP Dana Eveland

Posted in: Angels • Bobby Abreu • Chone Figgins • Howie Kendrick • Jeff Mathis • John Lackey • Juan Rivera • Kendry Morales • Maicer Izturis • Mike Scioscia • Oakland A's • Torii Hunter • Vladimir Guerrero | 13 Comments »

AL West review: Oakland A’s

September 23rd, 2009, 10:00 am by Sam Miller, The Orange County Register

Before the season began, reasonable people were projecting the A’s as the favorite, or at least a strong contender, in a wide-open AL West. Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA system led the way, projecting the A’s would score 781 runs, allow 755, and win around 85 games. CHONE forecast the A’s would win 81 games and come up just four games short of the Angels.

Instead, the A’s are in last place, seven games under .500 and 18 games behind the Angels. They were effectively eliminated from postseason contention by Aug. 27. For the second year, they sold significant parts at the trade deadline, and the rebuilding project that began before 2005 continues to bear little resemblance to the artist’s rendering.

What went wrong:

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Posted in: Oakland A's | Post a Comment »

Who’s the best clinching victim?

September 16th, 2009, 12:58 pm by MARK SAXON, OCREGISTER.COM

The Angels’ magic number to win the AL West is 13, meaning the earliest date they could possibly be pouring champagne and beer is Sept. 22, with the New York Yankees in town. Otherwise, they’ll celebrate in front of the Texas Rangers or Oakland A’s, against whom they play their final 10 games.

Who do you want them to clinch against?
View Results

Posted in: Angels • Oakland A's • Texas Rangers | Post a Comment »

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