- The Story: The Angels selected five players on the first day of the MLB Amateur Draft. The Monkey Says: Kaleb Cowart was the Angels’ first pick. He has been a great third baseman and pitcher in high school, but it sounds like he will be a position player for the Angels who continue to try and stockpile more power in their farm system. Joining Cowart are Cam Bedrosian, son of former MLB All-Star Steve “Bedrock” Bedrosian, Chevy Clarke, Taylor Lindsey and Ryan Bolden.
- The Story: Gary Matthews has been DFAd by the Mets. The Monkey Says: This is old news, but I have been out on vacation and I wasn’t going to miss the chance to pile on Private Matthews getting dumped by the Mets. Any satisfaction Angel fans get from this move though should be tempered by the fact that the Halos will still be paying him even though he no longer actually has a job and may never really have one again.
- The Story: Jeff Mathis could be activated from the disabled list as early as this weekend. The Monkey Says: If true, the Angels will get a chance to finally make good on their intent to make Mike Napoli a full-time first baseman for the remainder of this season.
- The Story: The Angels have checked in on Carlos Delgado. The Monkey Says: That nugget is buried well within the post, so let me summarize it by saying that Delgado is still supposedly six weeks from being healthy after hip surgery, so this is probably just the Halos doing their homework. If they still need a first baseman by the time he is healthy, they likely will make a trade rather than take a chance that the aged Delgado is going to bounceback from his surgery.
- The Story: Ken Rosenthal says to count the Angels out as contenders to trade for Prince Fielder. The Monkey Says: I don’t think the Angels are willing to pay the price for a guy like Fielder, but I disagree with the notion that they only want a rental player at first base. The Angels do expect Morales to return next season, but they also have an open DH slot next year, so they could easily slide whoever their new acquisition is into that slot if they are still under contract in 2011.
- The Story: Does Derrek Lee make sense for the Angels? The Monkey Says: Lee makes more sense than Neyer is giving him credit for, but the Angels would be better off saving their meager trade assets to trade for bullpen help and hoping Mike Napoli can handle first and that Jeff Mathis can keep hitting behind the plate.
- The Story: Could Cory Aldridge get a call up? The Monkey Says: Aldridge had a great spring training and is killing it in Triple-A Salt Lake, but he won’t be getting a shot with the Angels unless injuries strike. There just isn’t a place for him to come up and get any at-bats since he doesn’t play first base, and the Angels aren’t going to go out of their way to create a 40-man roster spot for him so that he can sit on the pine.
- The Story: Kendry Morales and the Ewing Theory. The Monkey Says: First off, K-Mo isn’t nearly an established enough start to be considered a Ewing Theory candidate. Second, his absence is probably more of an inspiration for the Halos than anything (and the cushy schedule certainly doesn’t hurt either).
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