The November 20th, 2013 edition of daily news for the Los Angeles Angels including Angels not in on Josh Johnson, Rick Eckstein named Major League player information coach and much more…
The Story: The Angels are not one of the finalists to sign pitcher Josh Johnson.
The Monkey Says: Johnson is a big name and he was vocal about wanting to sign on the West Coast, but the Angels apparently didn't show interest. That might sound disappointing, but it makes sense. Johnson has big upside, but he has major health red flags and is coming off of a dismal season. The Angels just can't afford to take that kind of gamble given their dire pitching needs and limited payroll flexibility.
The Story: Rick Eckstein has been officially hired as the Major League Player Information Coach.
The Monkey Says: This is a fancy title, but it sounds like his job is to scout the opposition and then serve as the defensive coordinator during games. The defensive coordinator role is actually one that has started popping up on other staffs in the last year. I would expect this to lead to a lot more shifting from the Angel defense in 2014, though maybe the effects of this new position will be much further reaching.
The Monkey Says: He is not a candidate to reach the majors with the Angels barring a catastrophe. At best he will challenge John Hester as the third catcher on the organizational depth chart.
The Story: Angels spring training tickets go on sale November 29th.
The Monkey Says: As I say every year, spring training is a blast and you should go. But get tickets early because the Angels are a big draw out there.
The Story: Big money free agents are not delivering championships.
The Monkey Says: Really? I am unfamiliar with this phenomenon. Please, tell me more.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
