- The Story: Torii Hunter was the only Angel named to the All-Star team. The Monkey Says: That makes no sense. How do the hosts of the game and a pretty good team in a major media market get just one player on the team? Jered Weaver got totally hosed (more on that in a minute).
- The Story: Jered Weaver is one of many egregious snubs for the All-Star Game. The Monkey Says: This happens every year, but I am just flabbergasted that Weaver got skunked even though it was kind of predictable that it would happen. I’d say that the voters are going to look real bad when Weaver finishes in the top five for Cy Young voting, but he’ll probably get screwed their too even though he is undoubtedly an elite pitcher now.
- The Story: Jered Weaver takes his snubbing with a nonchalant attitude. The Monkey Says: I know the All-Star team means a lot more to the fans than the players, but deep down I have to think Weaver is at least a little pissed off that he was disrespected by his peers in this way.
- The Story: Mike Scioscia is against the current All-Star selection rules. The Monkey Says: Sosh bashed the rule that each team gets a representative (and justifiably so) but actually did it before Weaver got left off the roster partly due to that rule. Scioscia is psychic. Who knew?
- The Story: Trevor Bell was sent down to Triple-A and Rich Thompson was called up. The Monkey Says: Thompson is destroying the minors this year and will now get (yet another) chance to prove he can make it in the big leagues. Bell gets demoted, but it is allegedly so he can get stretched out to become a starter again (which is pretty much the Angels’ way of letting Scott Kazmir know that they are getting ready to yank him from the rotation if he doesn’t get his act together).
- The Story: The Angels called up Paul McAnulty and Cory Aldridge and sent down Robb Quinlan and Sean O’Sullivan. The Monkey Says: McAnulty and Aldridge are mashing in the minors (especially Aldridge) and will be asked to provide some much needed depth for the Halos though both players are journeymen who seem unlikely to make a major impact. What is more interesting is that the Angels somehow now have 42 players (not counting Chris Pettit) on the 40-man roster which means they either have moved some players to the 60-day DL without telling anyone, waived someone without informing the league or just plain forgot how to count.
- The Story: Torii Hunter thinks the Angels could use Prince Fielder or Adam Dunn. The Monkey Says: Pretty much every team could use those guys, so that isn’t saying much. I wouldn’t concern myself with either player though as it seems unlikely the Angels have the prospects needed to acquire either slugger (especially Fielder).
- The Story: The Angels take no heed of CJ Wilson’s comments. The Monkey Says: In case you missed it, Wilson popped off after the Rangers-Angels series saying that he knew Texas was still the better team, they just didn’t play to their full abilities. Once again, Ranger players prove to be immature dicks and very much seem to have the wrong kind of attitude that it takes to win a division. I really can’t wait for them to wilt in the second half like they do every year.
- The Story: Juan Rivera’s blurred vision is stress related. The Monkey Says: Rivera claims to be doing better but this really sounds weird that he can’t see because he is too stressed. Hopefully he gets his head straight and can get back on the field soon.
- The Story: The Angels agreed to contracts with draft picks Cam Bedrosian and Chevez Clarke. The Monkey Says: That pretty much just leaves their first pick, Kaleb Cowart, left to sign but it sounds like that negotiation is going to go down to the wire.
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