- The Story: Kendry Morales is progressing well in his rehab. The Monkey Says: This is nice and all, but we still aren’t going to see Morales until the 2011 season. At least this news makes it sound a little more like he might be fully recovered when next season gets under way.
- The Story: Adam Dunn and Hank Blalock are options for the Angels at first base. The Monkey Says: Dunn is going to cost too much and be an even bigger defensive liability than Mike Napoli, so I really don’t see that happening. Blalock is at least worth a look though since he is pretty much free, but I don’t even know how capable he is of playing the field due to a bad shoulder, plus he didn’t exactly impress in his earlier stint with the Rays.
- The Story: Angel draft pick Chevez Clarke is trying to decide between the Angels and college. The Monkey Says: Actually, all three top picks for the Halos are playing that game of chicken right now with the deadline to sign them coming up in a little over a month. It would be a shame for the Angels if they are unable to sign any of them, especially Kaleb Cowart who is really playing hard to get.
- The Story: Brian Fuentes is at the top of his game. The Monkey Says: Let’s not get crazy now. Fuentes has looked much better recently, but I still feel my sphincter clinch every time he emerges from the pen with the game on the line.
- The Story: Scott Kazmir had another closed door meeting with Mike Scioscia and Mike Butcher. The Monkey Says: There is a bunch of talk about more mechanical issues and him getting scared of using his slider again, but this strikes me more as frustration with Kazmir bubbling over. I, for one, am pretty fed up with his poor performance and am really not looking forward to the idea of the Halos paying him $12 million next season.
- The Story: How much longer does Kazmir have in the Angel rotation? The Monkey Says: A very good question and some pretty damning evidence about just how bad Kazmir has been this season. I think the answer to the question largely depends on how long it takes the Halos to acquire a replacement since they have no viable in house options.
- The Story: Juan Rivera is day-to-day with eye problems. The Monkey Says: It doesn’t sound serious but it has led to more Reggie Willits of late. Hopefully Juan won’t be out for much longer.
- The Story: The Rangers have traded for former Angel catcher Bengie Molina. The Monkey Says: When Bengie finally arrives, the Rangers hope he can stabilize their catching position. The good news here is that Texas was afraid to take on any money, so it is possible they won’t be as active at the deadline as some thought since they will be hard pressed to make any impact deals if they can’t add payroll.
- The Story: Rich Thompson and Mark Trumbo were named to the PCL All-Star team. The Monkey Says: This is a great thing for Trumbo, whose prospect star continues to rise, but a bad thing for Angel top prospects Hank Conger and Peter Bourjos who couldn’t put up strong enough seasons to make the team. As for Thompson, maybe this will help the Angels notice what a fine season he is having and force them to give him another shot at becoming a part of their bullpen even though he hasn’t been very successful in previous season.
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